3rd Cousin

Issara Thongdaeng

What a fantastic experience! We celebrated a birthday at 3rd Cousin, and everything from start to finish was perfect. The food was not only delicious but also very creative. We especially loved the crème brûlée and the caviar—truly memorable dishes. The service was top-notch, with the staff being both attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was so warm and welcoming, and the decor was gorgeous. They've really paid attention to every detail, even making the restroom feel like a luxurious spa. We'll definitely be back!

limits95

A cozy but stylish place for dinner! We ordered a la cart but did get the uni Creme Brulee (which is worth) and the crispy rice with tuna; both were excellent, next time I’d love to try the crab flavor as well. The burrata is also really refreshing and the peaches works quite well. We saved room for dessert and the hojicha panne cotta was very different, but I enjoyed the mixing of all the different flavors. Servers were very friendly and attentive. I really enjoyed our meal here.

Karla Ortiz

STUNNING! Incredible service, incredible food, just can’t rate this high enough! If you ever get a chance to eat here, do it! It’s so worth it! And DON’T skip on the uni creme brûlée!

Jason Liu

I celebrated my birthday dinner here as a surprise from my gf. Our table was a little small and right against the wall so it was a little cramped. Other than that the dinner was great! I highly recommend the soft shell crab, it was one of my favorite bites of the night, I told my gf I could have probably ate like 5 of those back to back. The uni creme brulee was packed with flavor and was my gf's favorite. The gigli pasta was delicious and the cheese sauce was excellent. I thought it had lobster in it, but it has lobster mushrooms which look exactly like pieces of lobster haha. For our entree, we ordered the Porkchop and Steak. Steak was perfectly cooked, but I think it could have used a little more salt. However, the pork chop was fire! It was so tender and the blackberry sauce and campfire beans was a great combination of smokey and sweet. I ended up cleaning the bone, which was probably rare to med-rare, but worth getting sick for. Lastly, we finished the meal with a souffle. Great experience overall! The staff was very attentive and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner.

Irina G

We were party of 6, we had salad, soup, macaroni (w/selection), main dish (fish/beef/vegetarian), and desert (w/selection). Three dishes were accompanied by a glass of wine. We had a very good time and enjoyed the food a lot!

John Sheehy (Jake)

3rd Cousin offers a well done tasting menu that's both tasty and reasonably priced. Our server was pleasant and helped us with the wine list . The the creamy soup was quite nice, the perfectly fried oyster was great, and the star of the show - the Uni crème brûlée. It was both very tasty and well plated. While the steak and fish entrees were decent, they weren't quite as impressive as the earlier courses. Thankfully, the desserts brought the meal to a satisfying close. Overall, 3rd Cousin is a great choice for a nice dinner out, would recommend.

Q Chow

I came here to celebrate a special occasion with my wife and friends. The staff were all super friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious! We did the 5 course set menu. I would recommend the wagyu, the ravioli and the chocolate pot dcreme for choices on the set menu. For extras, definitely get the uni creme brulee. It was super tasty.

Ken Wong

September 2023: Came here for a team dinner and we were lucky to try the tasting menu. The restaurant is a little small so I would recommend making a reservation. The wine list is quite extensive. I opted for a Bare bottle hazy IPA.... They had a nice selection of local 🍺. The tasting menu was all super delicious 😋. My favs were the scallop, the ravioli, the duck breast, and the sea urchin creme brulee with caviar. The two desserts were a treat. Liked both the panna cotta and the cake 🍰! Would definitely come back again for more delicious food!

We went here for restaurant week and while I wasn’t expecting much, I was underwhelmed by some of the dishes like the salad and the focaccia (with butter). I got the Wagyu Steak which was cooked well, and my favorite was the Chocolate Pot D’Creme. No qualms with the service, in fact the staff were friendly, and pace was ok. Overall it was just ok. Perhaps their regular menu would be much better.

The meat and fish were really good but the sides with the mains felt a little confused and the risotto was a little underdone but all of the apps were delicious! The staff was really on it and warm and the wine list was impressive

3rd Cousin is worth trying. While nothing we had was exceptionally memorable, everything was well-prepared and made for an enjoyable meal overall. The highlight was our waitress—she was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome throughout the night.

Overall a well curated 5 course tasting menu! The fried oyster was nice and salty. Thai yellow curry crab papardelle was nutty and warm with such soft pasta. Filet mignon was so tender and perfectly cooked to a medium rare on their grill. Definitely some of my favorite items. Well flavored and balanced. Staff was very friendly and attentive, particularly to our large group. Other pretty good dishes could have some improvement. Spaghetti squash fritter tasted overly fried in some bites. A5 wagyu dumpling supplement was not special and the sprouts were awkwardly long. Dessert of hojicha coconut panna cotta while smooth was overly set and thick, and the granola was out of place with too strong flavors where you couldn’t taste any hojicha.

Vidhya Bhat

A cute little spot that’s perfect for celebrating a special occasion. The appetizers were a standout - the focaccia was incredibly soft and fresh, the Brussels sprouts were perfectly charred and crispy, and the burrata with beets was delicious. While the mains were less memorable, we did enjoy the truffle risotto, but the other pasta dishes were a bit bland. Dessert was truly the highlight of the meal. The pistachio cake was fantastic, and the chocolate soufflé cake with vanilla ice cream and toasted sesame was great as well. Overall, we had an enjoyable dining experience

Michelle T

We went here for restaurant week and while I wasn’t expecting much, I was underwhelmed by some of the dishes like the salad and the focaccia (with butter). I got the Wagyu Steak which was cooked well, and my favorite was the Chocolate Pot D’Creme. No qualms with the service, in fact the staff were friendly, and pace was ok. Overall it was just ok. Perhaps their regular menu would be much better.

Anderson Angkeyile (Flying Sailor)

3rd Cousin is worth trying. While nothing we had was exceptionally memorable, everything was well-prepared and made for an enjoyable meal overall. The highlight was our waitress—she was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome throughout the night.

Catalina Lee

Overall a well curated 5 course tasting menu! The fried oyster was nice and salty. Thai yellow curry crab papardelle was nutty and warm with such soft pasta. Filet mignon was so tender and perfectly cooked to a medium rare on their grill. Definitely some of my favorite items. Well flavored and balanced. Staff was very friendly and attentive, particularly to our large group. Other pretty good dishes could have some improvement. Spaghetti squash fritter tasted overly fried in some bites. A5 wagyu dumpling supplement was not special and the sprouts were awkwardly long. Dessert of hojicha coconut panna cotta while smooth was overly set and thick, and the granola was out of place with too strong flavors where you couldn’t taste any hojicha.

A cute little spot that’s perfect for celebrating a special occasion. The appetizers were a standout - the focaccia was incredibly soft and fresh, the Brussels sprouts were perfectly charred and crispy, and the burrata with beets was delicious. While the mains were less memorable, we did enjoy the truffle risotto, but the other pasta dishes were a bit bland. Dessert was truly the highlight of the meal. The pistachio cake was fantastic, and the chocolate soufflé cake with vanilla ice cream and toasted sesame was great as well. Overall, we had an enjoyable dining experience

I had high expectations since it’s a Michelin-starred restaurant, but there wasn't anything particularly special about it. The tables are so close together that you can hear every word of the neighboring conversation. The space felt cramped overall, and most importantly, I left feeling far from full.

3rd cousin... Interesting name... Anyway, we had this on our list for awhile. We really wanted to try their uni creme brulee. We decided to order a la carte because their tasting menu has a 20% service fee along with the 7% sf health "mandate". We ordered a few different plates. We were asked if we wanted to make one of the pastas a large because it only came with 6pc. We weren't expecting them to also change the other pasta size to large. The pasta ended up being $48-50 each so that was upsetting. The pasta itself was good but not worth $50 each. We have mixed opinions about the octopus and hamachi crudo. They were good but there were only enough for 4 bites. The uni creme brulee though was amazing! It's unique and the caviar on top was a nice touch.

Edison Huang

3rd cousin... Interesting name... Anyway, we had this on our list for awhile. We really wanted to try their uni creme brulee. We decided to order a la carte because their tasting menu has a 20% service fee along with the 7% sf health "mandate". We ordered a few different plates. We were asked if we wanted to make one of the pastas a large because it only came with 6pc. We weren't expecting them to also change the other pasta size to large. The pasta ended up being $48-50 each so that was upsetting. The pasta itself was good but not worth $50 each. We have mixed opinions about the octopus and hamachi crudo. They were good but there were only enough for 4 bites. The uni creme brulee though was amazing! It's unique and the caviar on top was a nice touch.

R M

So we gave the 3rd cousin restaurant a try. 3rd cousin, 4th sibling, 2 degrees of separation... Honestly I don't know how I should feel about the experience. The restaurant interior is nice and welcoming and so is the staff. We ordered a few appetizers such as the grilled octopus, the focaccia bread and the brussel sprout to start with. Ok the focaccia is out of this world amazing tasting. The octopus was unfortunately overcooked and lacked flavor and it's presentation was completely off. The brussel sprouts were nice but not outstanding to remember . Off to the main courses, we ordered the pappardelle, the risotto and the pork chop. The risotto was over cooked, strange how most restaurants in San Francisco don't seem to know how to make a risotto unless the restaurant owner is from Italy. I d say back to cooking school on that one. I didn't get to taste the pappardelle but the verdict from across the table was that Vega is better... My pork chop again lacked flavor. Poor pig, you gave your life and we don't remember much about you besides that you left no memory on our taste buds. Overall I think it was a bit of an average experience at a very high price. Ok their focaccia bread is to die for .

Linda Munoz

Went during restaurant week and although food was very good, service was definitely hovering and the sense they wanted to turn the tables quickly were evident when the server tried to take my salad plate away even though I hadn't finished. Wine list is ridiculously priced and most diners (at all tables) opted for a glass due to prices. Not sure who the owner thinks they're serving but this neighborhood is not that upscale and there are more friendly and equally good restaurants nearby. $75 posted prix fixe ended up being $125/each; three smallish courses. Corkage fee $65!!

This is a review of the vegan tasting menu - my wife kindly brought me here to celebrate my birthday. While staff were kind and engaging, and the service was great, the food generally ranged from lackluster to not good. I am always appreciative of restaurants that offer vegan options, but for just shy of $200 per person, the tasting menu fell far short of my hopes and expectations. The courses were generally just vegetables without much seasoning: one course was beans, radishes, zucchini, and mushrooms, all cooked until the flavors were faint, and lightly seasoned with a vegan dashi that just tasted like salt. There was an heirloom tomato, fig, and balsamic vinaigrette that was nice (though the tomatoes were again not flavorful) but the vegan option was just the vegetarian option without any cheese. The main dish was a single piece of fig, three Brussels sprouts without discernible sauce, a nicely cooked piece of tofu that had a faint teriyaki taste, and a small amount of (if I recall correctly) date and tamarind sauce that was pleasant but in short supply. The most flavorful dish was pasta with broccolini that had so much tahini that the pasta had a texture like it was covered in creamy peanut butter; unfortunately, the taste of sesame was overpowering. The only truly bad dish, though, was the dessert: while the vegetarian dessert was a nicely plated panna cotta with toasted marshmallow, the vegan option was a single scoop of chocolate almond milk ice cream that was freezer burnt to the extent that I could feel ice crystals crunch in every bite. It also tasted more of almond milk than it did of chocolate; I did not finish it. The best dish was the first one, a simple salad with an interesting but not overpowering basil vinaigrette. I did mention to our server that I was underwhelmed and she was gracious and was kind enough to comp us a juice we purchased, but I’d rather have paid the full price and had better food. Ultimately my impression is that they developed their vegan menu by looking at their other tasting menus and seeing what they needed to subtract, rather than building a plant-based option from the ground up. I do not like leaving negative reviews but, again, at a price point nearly double what Dirt Candy charges, this review felt merited. That said, I’m just one opinion and your mileage may vary. For those looking to celebrate a special occasion at a nice restaurant with vegan options, I’d recommend Besharam, Aiso, Cha Ya, Shizen, and Greens, all of which come at a much lower price point than 3rd Cousin. I do hope 3rd Cousin reconsiders their vegan menu because everything but the food was wonderful.

I came for the 3 course Thanksgiving menu. Understandably, the price is going to be higher for the value based on the holiday. What I didn't expect was that they would run out of one of the two proteins for their entree course, no more prime rib sadly. Suffice it to say, I was disappointed before even having a bite. We asked if there was another protein to substitute, but only told to pick one of the other two - vegetarian or turkey. I reluctantly chose the pasta because turkey sometimes makes my stomach feel funny. All the food was adequate. Our waters were refilled promptly. How does a fine dining restaurant run out of food on a limited menu? It happens, I guess.

Ulysses Murillo

I came for the 3 course Thanksgiving menu. Understandably, the price is going to be higher for the value based on the holiday. What I didn't expect was that they would run out of one of the two proteins for their entree course, no more prime rib sadly. Suffice it to say, I was disappointed before even having a bite. We asked if there was another protein to substitute, but only told to pick one of the other two - vegetarian or turkey. I reluctantly chose the pasta because turkey sometimes makes my stomach feel funny. All the food was adequate. Our waters were refilled promptly. How does a fine dining restaurant run out of food on a limited menu? It happens, I guess.

Andrew Dugowson

This is a review of the vegan tasting menu - my wife kindly brought me here to celebrate my birthday. While staff were kind and engaging, and the service was great, the food generally ranged from lackluster to not good. I am always appreciative of restaurants that offer vegan options, but for just shy of $200 per person, the tasting menu fell far short of my hopes and expectations. The courses were generally just vegetables without much seasoning: one course was beans, radishes, zucchini, and mushrooms, all cooked until the flavors were faint, and lightly seasoned with a vegan dashi that just tasted like salt. There was an heirloom tomato, fig, and balsamic vinaigrette that was nice (though the tomatoes were again not flavorful) but the vegan option was just the vegetarian option without any cheese. The main dish was a single piece of fig, three Brussels sprouts without discernible sauce, a nicely cooked piece of tofu that had a faint teriyaki taste, and a small amount of (if I recall correctly) date and tamarind sauce that was pleasant but in short supply. The most flavorful dish was pasta with broccolini that had so much tahini that the pasta had a texture like it was covered in creamy peanut butter; unfortunately, the taste of sesame was overpowering. The only truly bad dish, though, was the dessert: while the vegetarian dessert was a nicely plated panna cotta with toasted marshmallow, the vegan option was a single scoop of chocolate almond milk ice cream that was freezer burnt to the extent that I could feel ice crystals crunch in every bite. It also tasted more of almond milk than it did of chocolate; I did not finish it. The best dish was the first one, a simple salad with an interesting but not overpowering basil vinaigrette. I did mention to our server that I was underwhelmed and she was gracious and was kind enough to comp us a juice we purchased, but I’d rather have paid the full price and had better food. Ultimately my impression is that they developed their vegan menu by looking at their other tasting menus and seeing what they needed to subtract, rather than building a plant-based option from the ground up. I do not like leaving negative reviews but, again, at a price point nearly double what Dirt Candy charges, this review felt merited. That said, I’m just one opinion and your mileage may vary. For those looking to celebrate a special occasion at a nice restaurant with vegan options, I’d recommend Besharam, Aiso, Cha Ya, Shizen, and Greens, all of which come at a much lower price point than 3rd Cousin. I do hope 3rd Cousin reconsiders their vegan menu because everything but the food was wonderful.

TLDR: amazing service but literally were served two expired desserts on top of other food problems We paid for the tasting menu for our anniversary which was $165 for eight courses. Again, our server was very friendly and also apologetic but from the start, there were issues with the food. The prosciutto that came with the first course was so tough on top, I couldn’t chew through it and had to spit it out. The halibut dish was very strongly pickled, it tasted like kimchi(was not in description). The scallop and the ravioli were the only dishes I enjoyed (the risotto add on was decent as well). The lamb was dry and very gamey. As for the desserts, my panna cotta texturally and flavorfully was almost like a Greek yogurt. When I tried my girlfriend’s, hers was completely different. We think that mine had gone bad. The server saw that something was wrong when we showed him the picture and he got us a new one. Then he brought us complimentary cookies and truffles as an apology… except not only was the cookie dry, but the truffle had literally gone bad. I put it in my mouth and tasted the cocoa powder but the next second it tasted like blue cheese and I immediately spit it out. My girlfriend then tried it and spit it out as well. We paid $500 for our anniversary dinner and literally left with a bad taste in our mouths.

Wilson Tsang

TLDR: amazing service but literally were served two expired desserts on top of other food problems We paid for the tasting menu for our anniversary which was $165 for eight courses. Again, our server was very friendly and also apologetic but from the start, there were issues with the food. The prosciutto that came with the first course was so tough on top, I couldn’t chew through it and had to spit it out. The halibut dish was very strongly pickled, it tasted like kimchi(was not in description). The scallop and the ravioli were the only dishes I enjoyed (the risotto add on was decent as well). The lamb was dry and very gamey. As for the desserts, my panna cotta texturally and flavorfully was almost like a Greek yogurt. When I tried my girlfriend’s, hers was completely different. We think that mine had gone bad. The server saw that something was wrong when we showed him the picture and he got us a new one. Then he brought us complimentary cookies and truffles as an apology… except not only was the cookie dry, but the truffle had literally gone bad. I put it in my mouth and tasted the cocoa powder but the next second it tasted like blue cheese and I immediately spit it out. My girlfriend then tried it and spit it out as well. We paid $500 for our anniversary dinner and literally left with a bad taste in our mouths.

The food and service were both quite disappointing, particularly for this price point. I ordered the fish and a good portion was undercooked and had to be left on the plate (couldn’t cut through it). I found the dishes bland (chicory salad) and lacking originality (dumplings, burrata). Our meal was $540 for 4 people (no alcohol) including tip and frankly, I would much rather have eaten at Cotogna or Piccino or Fresh Table, which all offer far superior menus, dishes and service at this price point. Finally, when I asked to have cheese on the side and our server asked if I had an allergy, I indicated that it was just a preference and he was quite rude / condescending about this. He kept probing me about this preference and made the interaction quite uncomfortable. I wouldn’t return to 3rd cousin nor would I recommend it to anyone.

Grace C.

The food and service were both quite disappointing, particularly for this price point. I ordered the fish and a good portion was undercooked and had to be left on the plate (couldn’t cut through it). I found the dishes bland (chicory salad) and lacking originality (dumplings, burrata). Our meal was $540 for 4 people (no alcohol) including tip and frankly, I would much rather have eaten at Cotogna or Piccino or Fresh Table, which all offer far superior menus, dishes and service at this price point. Finally, when I asked to have cheese on the side and our server asked if I had an allergy, I indicated that it was just a preference and he was quite rude / condescending about this. He kept probing me about this preference and made the interaction quite uncomfortable. I wouldn’t return to 3rd cousin nor would I recommend it to anyone.