Bar

Foreign Cinema

343 locals recommend,

Why locals recommend it

Where else can you enjoy an incredible dinner in an amazing neighborhood while an excellently curated 35mm film is being projected in an open courtyard? I remember watching The Diving Bell and the Butterfly while having dinner here. Just know that the movie’s not really front and center; it’s more of an ambient thing. You should definitely make a dinner reservation in advance and tell them you want to sit in the courtyard. Seating is limited. Afterwards, slide over to Laszlo next door for a drink and more movies—they project old black and white movies on one of the walls as ambiance (sorry, no sound!).
Mohammad
November 3, 2016

Tips from locals

Marina Motel
August 4, 2022
First off, go at night! Secondly, make your reservation at least two weeks before, as the venue gets booked by many guests. This in itself tells you how amazing this place is. Foreign Cinema has nailed the environment, branding, and overall aesthetics. Book a seat in the outdoor heated patio if you want to see the movie showing on the big screen. The patio with cement walls has overhead heat lamps, strings of light, and candle‑lit dining tables. It's an atmosphere to experience. If you want a seat indoors, no worries, the cement walls continue inside, with wooden floors, a tall fireplace that warms up the space, and a wooden beam‑framed bar at the far end. The best entrees you can have here are the duck breast and trofie pasta. You also want to try the lavender‑baked goat cheese, fried chicken, and calamari. If you're in the mood for fish, go for the Pacific swordfish, with Moro blood orange, butter beans, rainbow chard, picholine tapenade, and citrus gastrique. For drinks, you get suggestions (if you want) of wine, champagne, and cocktails. The cocktail menu references movies with drinks like The Trouble With Angels (Woodford Reserve Rye, apple juice, fresh lemon, house yam, brown sugar, and baking spice syrup, $13) and High Fidelity (El Charro silver tequila, house hibiscus and smoked chili syrup, and fresh lime with tajin‑salt rim, $14), and the spirits list includes a whiskey of the week, as well as special offerings like "rums we love." The wine list has glass, carafe, or bottle options, with most glasses hovering around $15, and carafes from $24 to $83. The bottle list could be overwhelming as it is several pages long, arranged by country, and with everything from an $881 Burgundy magnum to a $29 Ribeiro. Opens for Dinner on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5 pm to 10 pm, and for Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 2 pm. foreigncinema.com (415) 648‑7600
First off, go at night! Secondly, make your reservation at least two weeks before, as the venue gets booked by many guests. This in itself tells you how amazing this place is. Foreign Cinema has nailed the environment, branding, and overall aesthetics. Book a seat in the outdoor heated patio if you…
Matt
March 15, 2022
Awesome food and ambiance
Jeff
December 26, 2019
Californian-Mediterranean fare (& a popular brunch) in an outdoor space screening films. High-end and pricey, but delicious and very popular. Reservations are a must.
Christine
September 6, 2019
New American Style restaurant
Robert
September 8, 2018
Consistently good, posh atmosphere.

Unique things to do nearby

Vibes & views in the Golden city photoshoot, Donation Based
Silent Disco Beach Yoga at Baker Beach
SF's Wild Side, Redwood & Mountain Hike With Meteorologist

Locals also recommend

Location
2534 Mission St
San Francisco, CA
Mission District