Whenever we stroll through the park and need a bite or drink, the de Young Cafe never disappoints in terms of food or ambiance. The outside patio is spacious if you want covered outdoor seating. There's a separate entrance so you don't have to be a patron of the museum to dine. The bathrooms are connected to the museum and are clean, and decorated with fresh flowers in tiny vases - love this touch. Service is always so kind and attentive. Quite a few complaints about the price but you're paying for overhead at a fine arts museum in the heart of gg park, not surprising. If you have a child, ordering from the kids menu is helpful.

My wife and I stopped in for lunch after enjoying one of the exhibits. I had an excellent and unusual beef stew, and my wife really enjoyed a salmon entree. We also shared two delicious desserts (carrot cake and a chocolate hazelnut cake). Prices were not unreasonable given the high quality, and the location.

I recently visited de Young Cafe while exploring the museum, and it turned out to be a delightful experience. The cafe offers a serene ambience, with the option to relax inside or unwind on the covered patio overlooking stunning modern sculptures. Although the coffee was a bit on the pricey side, the friendly staff ensured that my drink was just the way I liked it. The overall atmosphere and the joy of savoring my coffee outside made up for the cost. I would recommend stopping by this cafe if you find yourself at the museum--it's a nice little oasis to recharge and enjoy the surroundings.

Other than the price, the food was actually pretty good. The salmon was pretty tender and loved the salad too. The shortcake was rlly creamy and there were around 4 strawberries in there. There was a lot of seating and the service was attentive.

My husband and I were spending the day checking out the de Young museum and the California Academy of Sciences across the way. Food options were limited so we popped into de Young Cafe for a quick entree. The service is fast casual where you order and pay at the counter, while someone will bring out your food to your table. I'm not opposed to dining inside a museum since some of them have the best chefs curating the menus. We opted to share the stew which had a Mediterranean spiced broth. It was tasty and just filling enough for us on a cold, rainy day. We ended up back in the cafe hours later waiting on our Observatory reservation so we ordered the flatbread along with a juice and strawberry cake. While we spent a good penny dining here, we had gotten some major discounts on admission so we were happy to spend it on food. Service was quick and friendly.

What a beautiful space! The Cafe has a large indoor and outdoor dining space. Great spot to visit when visiting Golden Gate Park. Access to the cafe is free and not tied to the de Young Museum admission. It is only over-the-counter service. No table service here -- like most museum cafes -- this is pretty standard. The food selection is limited however, so I didn't buy anything to eat. They had pre-made cold sandwiches, snacks and baked goods. So I just had a cappuccino with oat milk which was decent.

I have a soft spot for museums cafes, and the de Young Cafe happens to be an excellent one. This cafe is right next to the sculpture garden, so you can sit and admire the beautiful trees and sculptures while munching on some quite tasty food. The menu is a bit expensive. A bowl of soup is $14, the salads are $19, and everything else is $20+. There's also a refrigerated section with pre-packaged sandwiches that are $16 -- turkey, ham, roast beef & curry chicken. There are also cakes and pastries (small tarts, croissants, scones, bagels, slices of cake). I got a curry chicken sandwich and a slice of carrot cake w/ frosted cream cheese. The sandwich was quite good and the cake was excellent. I would definitely order the cake again (no need to try anything else) but I might try one of the other entrees next time. Counter service. Order at the counter and they will put everything on a tray or bring it out to you.

DE YOUNG CAFE WHEN: Sun @12:30pm (July) After checking out the special exhibits at the De Young Museum, I like to hang out in the cafe where there is plenty of seating inside and outside. It's a bit chilly out so bring a jacket, and you get the option of staying in the shade (where it's cooler) or in the sun. I decided I wanted something sweet, and they have a huge selection of that. But I went for: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE - $8.50 Soft, light, sweet--the right amount of sweetness. I really enjoyed this. DUTCH APPLE TART - $8.00 Oh yes, just what I expect of a Dutch apple pie! Pretty darn good. I like that I can stay here for good amount without feeling the rush to leave since there's plenty of seating. It does feel very busy, with all the people from all over coming and going. Sure this place feels a bit pricy but it's expected in a museum, but nothing ridiculous.

My friend and I came here for lunch after walking the adjacent botanical gardens. The cafe is located on the ground floor of the museum. Indoor seating has floor to ceiling windows with views of artworks and the gardens. Covered patio seating is available however it was a little cold during our visit. The menu items are similar to what is offered at Panera Bread or a La Madeleine. Prices are expensive however the quality is very good. Patrons can grab premade food from the cooler or order fresh food from the counter. Once the order is placed, a server will bring your food to your table. My vegetarian quiche with field greens was delicious. David ordered the romesco chicken sandwich with greens. He said it was awesome. We enjoyed orange San Pelligrino with our food. The ambience is relaxing with great views. The adjacent bathrooms are clean and spacious. We recommend this place!!