Sa
San Francisco Symphony Store
201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States
Comments
Ne
Review №1

Great architecture, great acoustics, great music, great service. Its great! Five stars! I had no idea who Sibelius was and barely knew anything about classical music before coming here. I thought classical music would be boring but this place showed me that it is exciting, enchanting, and rich with history.

An
Review №2

Beautiful hall. Lovely staff. Totally COVID-safe here.

Lu
Review №3

We were very fortunate to find street parking one block away.. The John Williams film music retrospective was fabulous. Staff carefully checked everyones vaccinated cards and government ID, so arrive well before your performance starts.

Da
Review №4

If youre an enrolled student be sure to check out their student rush deals. My friends and I bought fancy box seats for $25 a person! Im a classical music fan but Id never seen a professional orchestra perform in person. It was definitely worth it. The sound is so much richer and textured in person. Also, for anyone who is concerned: we all definitely had to present our vaccination paperwork in order to get in.

Ro
Review №5

All round excellence, great venue, great program and an even better performance! So happy to get out to enjoy the music again!

Kr
Review №6

We just love the SF Symphony. If youre not into classical music, the movie nights are AMAZING! Beautiful hall and great performances.

Ja
Review №7

Fantastic performance and acoustics. Thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Gr
Review №8

We are all getting back together again live! Same old Symphony, Jaw- droppingly good music, eclectic with Esperanza Spalding, Jazz and classical. I love San Francisco

ro
Review №9

First time at the Symphony. We enjoyed the pieces by Debussy Messiaen and Kaiya Saariaho. Beautiful cocerthall and great views from just about anywhere.

Na
Review №10

Amazing experience. The concert was beautiful and the place is very nice and elegant. A good opportunity to dress nice and enjoy the music.

Da
Review №11

A remarkable tour for three amazing landmarks for $7! Come to the symphony and sign up for this amazing deal - even better, you avoid the worst kinds of tourists that hang around fisherman’s wharf! Absolutely stunning theatre with contemporary, bright halls and bars. Awesome tour guide with plenty of cool insights and fun facts about the building’s past

Wi
Review №12

The 2021 concerts have been revelatory with the new conductor.

st
Review №13

Wonderful princess of the Bride movie, with the symphony doing an excellent score to its simultaneously.

Ka
Review №14

Lovely night watching a movie with the score done by the Symphony. Covid protections in place.

Ti
Review №15

Great concert. Well done by the SFO.

Da
Review №16

Davies Hall is a decent, if not world class small concert hall. Its impressive from the outside, but slightly meek inside. We were there to listen to the symphony, but the dated decor and exorbitantly priced day old sandwiches detracted from the experience. Thing is: theyre the only game in town, so theyve had no reason to improve. I hope they get one.

Pa
Review №17

The Symphony has lost none of its excellence while putting in place Covid regulations. You do need to be vaccinated or have a negative Covid-19 test (within 72 hours before the performance) to attend. They check cards and tests at the door before you get in, so get there early.

Ra
Review №18

Amazing as ever

E
Review №19

The Music of John Williams. A sold out hall, and so much fun.

Pa
Review №20

The SF Symphony is a great family venue.I’ve had date night here with my wife for a tribute to Aretha Franklin, taken my son for here for Radiohead Vs Brahms, and taken my girls here for a Charlie Brown Christmas.The crowd is friendly, the place is clean, and the shows are great.My only knock is the gradual deterioration of SF itself. It gets progressively dirty on every visit. It’s impossible to walk around without smelling urine or seeing people using drugs on the streets. I hope there is some leadership to fix this growing problem. Someone stole our side view mirror off our car on our previous visit.

Bo
Review №21

Visited for the first time in July 2021. Wonderful performance - a feast for the eyes and ears. Will be going back.

al
Review №22

Every year my family attend the holiday concert and Chinese new year concert. Both are friendly for little kids. Movies at the symphony is another good way to introduce live symphony to little ones. Currently little mermaid is playing and I highly recommend it. I included some pictures from the web.

Ed
Review №23

Very very nice venue. the sound is awesome. the seats, not too comfortable but, but amazing sound

Al
Review №24

Saw Seth MacFarlane for New Years Eve. Enchanting experience, the staff was very friendly, except the older woman who didnt like my cleavage staring me down. We loved there was a bar upstairs for the loge seating.

Al
Review №25

A trip to San Francisco would be greatly enhanced if u get the chance to attend their symphony. The symphony building/hall acoustic is awesome. The ambience is fabulous, the staff are great, prices are very reasonable n the orchestra playing was phenomenal

Pn
Review №26

One of the best known concert halls in San Francisco Bay Area. Huge space with great acoustics. I did wish the audiences seating were more spacious and less cramped. Almost all the world renown musicians and orchestras have performed here if they do come to Northern California. Just went to Andreas Schiffs All Schuberts program last night and sat at first tier, it was one of the most inspiring concerts I have ever attended and the sound of the music was impressive even at this high altitude! LOL! Impressive repertoire 80 minutes in the first half non-stop and another 70 minutes with 2 encores after intermission! Absolutely amazing!

Jo
Review №27

Wonderful to be in a live performance. Salonen is a great conductor & Hamelich was amazing in the 1st movement of Brahms violin concerto.

J
Review №28

So much for “requiring proof of vaccination” - nobody checks anything at the door and it’s business as usual. Seats are completely filled at the so-called “reduced capacity”. This is beyond disappointing.

Ch
Review №29

Enjoying the best of classical music at the SFS, Handels Messiah. View of SF City Hall from the SFS balcony.

De
Review №30

We love going to the symphony, which can be super affordable. They often host concerts and encourage people to bring young kids, especially for movies such as The Snowman. Practically every seat is a good spot, literally.

Fe
Review №31

It is cozy and classy. The event was well organized and the acoustics were great

Ar
Review №32

Perfect and a good place to go alone or accompanied. I loved every moment of the show. Well, organized place with lots of people to help find your chair.

Am
Review №33

Finally made it to the Symphony and incredible happy I did. We saw John Williams, it was a fantastic show. Seamless experience. Didnt feel too crowded either.

Cr
Review №34

Great acoustics. Amazing concerts.

He
Review №35

SF symphony is my sanctuary. Their music melts all my stress from work and the day-to-days, and just purifies my soul. A city is not a city without its own orchestra. And we are so lucky to have the world renowned SF Symphony right here in town. SF will be a much less attractive place without its presence. Wish more young people could develop a good taste for classical music too!

Ro
Review №36

The symphony is such a pleasant place to go anytime Friday night Saturday night Sunday afternoon. We always leave with such a calming feeling.

Sa
Review №37

My friend and I enjoyed a great concert here. The concert hall has a fantastic sound effect!

Jo
Review №38

Just awesome!

Me
Review №39

My review of the San Francisco Symphony is biased because I havent visited many symphonies and I saw a movie screening instead of a classic show. The atmosphere and sound quality were phenomenal. I highly recommend, although you may never enjoy watching a movie as much after that experience!

Ka
Review №40

Fantastic acoustics and the symphony was superb

Gy
Review №41

Saw a great concert here. Amazing space. Great acoustics and impressive musicianship from the orchestra.

Ra
Review №42

The venue is just impressive. Sound is equally distributed no matter where you sit. From the terrace you can enjoy the view of San Francisco City Hall and new down town.

Li
Review №43

First timer experiencing cine-symphony with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The live symphony adds so much expression to the movie as I was never impressed with any movie adapted from novels. However, the symphony cinema is refreshing and mind blowing, renewed and fused my auditory and visual senses, creating a different level of enjoyment! Parking was convenient and seating comfortable. Looking forward to the next sensory enjoyment at SF Symphony!

Ro
Review №44

Amazing symphony. Excellent ambience. Must do at least once in your lifetime 😀

Ma
Review №45

Very impressive! Beautiful with sense of peace.

El
Review №46

It was my first time at a Symphony. I loved the whole experience. The San Francisco Symphony Hall is nice, the ticket booth is on Hayes St. We were dropped off by our Uber driver on the opposite side. We didnt buy or pre-order tickets but I did call ahead to make sure they had tickets available for that nights performance. The lady on the phone was nice and very helpful. The building is beautiful on the outside and on the inside its big, with a bar, a mini store and you can go outside on a deck to take in the views of the city. There was an intermission after the first hour, we thought the show had ended, Im glad we saw people going back in amd realized it was an intermission. It was an awesome experience, the symphony had close to 100 musicians it sounded beautiful. A once in a life time experience.

Do
Review №47

It has been a few years since I have been to the symphony but it didnt disappoint as a classic entertainment experience! This evenings performance featured a guest conductor and a 2 piano concerto. The Davies Symphony hall is excellent with some nice balcony seating overlooking the stage. Parking was peffect right next door at the Performing Arts garage. Be sure to order you drinks for intermission when you get you drinks before the start. Ours were on a small table by the windows with our name on it. No waiting and straight to drinking!! Great experience!

Ma
Review №48

A great program!

Sh
Review №49

Unique experience Id definitely want to do again! Jurassic Park with the symphony accompanying the movie as its soundtrack was incredible to witness.

An
Review №50

SF Symphony is unequivocal. The special programs are the best. This visit was particularly special as I was with a friend who really knows music.

Yu
Review №51

My wife and I visited Davies Symphony Hall for a Lang Lang recital. The view and acoustics were great from our seating location at 1st Tier Section F. My wife, who plays piano, could see Lang Langs precise hand movements through binoculars from our seats. There were bars and restrooms conveniently located at each level. Overall, we enjoyed the experience and venue very much.

Sc
Review №52

Symphonic Sounds Streaming through the air into your auricular eardrums, which translates into harmonic sounds that are an experience of a lifetime!

BL
Review №53

We have seen many wonderful concerts at the San Francisco Symphony. Every seat is wonderful sound even if you cant see all of the orchestra.

st
Review №54

A treasure of SF this orchestra offers a wide variety of events. Worth keeping up to date with their schedule. A truly gifted conductor makes this a wonderful experience.

Ki
Review №55

The hall is beautiful, the symphony is wonderful, and they always have such interesting performances.

Ma
Review №56

Best sounding concert hall on the west coast.

Ma
Review №57

Casablanca was awesome. Its nice to watch a movie and hear the music live

Vi
Review №58

Absolutely wonderful.

Ma
Review №59

Went to see Mariachi Sol De Mexico. This was a great concert. I have been here a couple of other times and the sound quality is amazing. I recommend this venue for any music lover.

Ch
Review №60

This place is amazing. I saw Shostakovichs Cello Concerto No.1 here and it was awesome.

Ma
Review №61

Beautiful from inside. View of the city hall is amazing from inside.

Ge
Review №62

Best band evah!

Sa
Review №63

Very organized to get into and audience friendly

St
Review №64

This is a beautiful hall, a perfect match with the wonderful orchestra that lives there. Don’t pass up a chance to take in the views from the upper level exterior balconies (seemy photo)

Sh
Review №65

Nice experience!

Ma
Review №66

Great acoustics, great location, not overwhelming in size, and tickets that are often available at a reasonable price.

Ka
Review №67

My first time at the symphony and it was incredible. The music was delicious to my ears and the seats were very comfortable. I recommend anyone...it is inspiring!

JJ
Review №68

Always an incredible experience! Most recently we enjoyed the Jurassic Park night. The symphony plays the music to the movie for a spectacular show!

Ka
Review №69

Went and saw the Little Mermaid with my daughter! Great seats! If you preorder your drinks before the performance, they have them waiting for you so you dont have to wait in line. Awesome!

it
Review №70

I love the building and loved watching/listening to the Orchestra play. Its also a good place to go for a field trip.

Sa
Review №71

Very clean inside and absolutely stunning interior design. Comfortable seating and good views from every seat.

Yv
Review №72

Davies Symphone Hall is a San Francisco must! Fun performances for all ages. They do classical concerts, fun renditions of modern classics, live movies, and tribute events. Seeing a classic movie with live orchestra was a great experience!

Va
Review №73

Youll enjoy every second!Perfect location, perfect music, perfect scene and perfect acoustic!

Em
Review №74

Incredible venue.

Ch
Review №75

Beautiful hall with a beautiful organ. Musicians were incredible.

Ph
Review №76

I dont blame people for thinking the Symphony---or Operas, Shakespeare plays, etc---are only for hoity-toity rich people who want to imagine themselves as representing the height of sophisticated high-brow culture, because thats kinda the image that has been cultivated for so long. But to be honest, it truly shocked me to learn that Shakespeare was written for the common people just as much as sophisticated folk.Just as shocking to me was when I learned of how the modern Symphony is for common people as well. Ever since I learned that they have performances based on famous and popular Hollywood movies (Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind), video games (Final Fantasy), sci-fi franchises (Star Trek), and other significant pieces from popular culture, it has helped change the image in my head of what the Symphony could be.But most importantly, the best reason to go to the Symphony is to actually EXPERIENCE the music. Its one thing to hear the music digitally reproduced on a movies audio track... its something completely different to hear it live. The power and majesty of a finely tuned orchestra adds a level of sophistication that all forms of musical art deserves, regardless of whether it was intended for the rich and powerful or the poor and proletariat.In the end... you can only ever see something for the first time once in your entire life. I realize how obvious that sounds... but its more like, if there is ever a time to see the San Francisco Symphony for the first time, that time is now.

Gu
Review №77

What a beautiful place. Nice acustics.

Lo
Review №78

I saw final fantasy distant worlds here and it was amazing! The Venus is perfect and the symphony was flawless!

Ca
Review №79

The festival was amazing!! These kids are perfect!! Got goosebumps!!

An
Review №80

The gift shop had some cool sfo tees

Ro
Review №81

A fantastic music hall, absolutely loved the venue and the show

Ma
Review №82

I was amazed by the performance when I enjoyed every minute of it. It was my first experience and I loved it.

Ma
Review №83

Beautiful performance

Sa
Review №84

This was an amazing experience. Star wars in concert! What more could you ask for?

Ph
Review №85

Fantastic music programs

Aa
Review №86

What a wonderful way to experience a movie! A must see...

Sc
Review №87

Among the nation’s top 5 symphonies! They never disappoint. And symphony hall is the perfect acoustical space...you could hear a pin drop on center stage from anywhere in the audience.

Be
Review №88

We have been visiting the SF symphony for many years. Davies symphony hall has a great environment and acoustics. It’s easy to access from bart civic center or parking along van ness. The symphony and chorus for handels Messiah is always great for the holidays.

Pe
Review №89

Cool performance Hall!

va
Review №90

Always a beautiful time! Lots of fun at the Pixar show! Always cry at Up though...lol

Ca
Review №91

I took my grandchildren here for the Charlie Brown Christmas event. It was very fun for them, and they were able to stay quiet for the whole program. They loved the christmas tree decorations and I got a Snoopy stuffed animal for each one of them. The San Francisco symphony and chorus were very entertaining and wonderful.

Ji
Review №92

What a fun time. Great show. Too short but probably just right for the kids. The after party was great also. Kids are just so much fun.

Wa
Review №93

The Sibelius was ho-hum; the Orchestra played well, but the music itself was not interesting. The Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto, with Daniil Trifonovs spectacular performance, made for a delightful evening.

de
Review №94

Went for a medical school graduation and loved it! Beautiful inside, comfy seats, well kept and clean. Elevators to upper floors, but not that many wheelchair seating areas that I could see. Depending on venue, serves drinks in the lobbies and have lobby tables to sit at. Good view of stage from all seats! Easy parking right up the street, a bit pricey at $18.

Ni
Review №95

What a beautiful building. The sound was impeccable and the seats are positioned such that one can see even over very tall people. I had a lovely evening.

He
Review №96

OMG My first symphony

Da
Review №97

Excellent Symphony!

T.
Review №98

We went here with the Rosa Parks Elementary School and all of the children had a good time, it was well organized to accommodate the multiple schools that were invited. Rudolph, Santa, Frosty and the Grinch showed up! Fun Time

Pa
Review №99

The SF Symphony is one of the premier symphonies in the world and their program for public school children is phenomenal. It is heartwarming to see an institution like this one stop to give back to its community and try to develop future classical music enthusiasts.

Ju
Review №100

Its difficult not to be blown away by the ST symphony. The music will obviously depend on what show you decide to see buy whatever it is Im sure it will be worth while.Theres a wide variety of people who attend and dress in everything from jeans and a t-shirt to the finest attire. I absolutely love it and recommend anyone visit!

Information
100 Comments
4.3 Rating
  • Address:201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States
  • Site:https://sfsymphony.org/YourVisit/Hall-Amenities/SF-Symphony-Shop
  • Phone:+1 415-503-5321
Categories
  • Gift shop
Working hours
  • Monday:Closed
  • Tuesday:10AM–6PM
  • Wednesday:10AM–6PM
  • Thursday:10AM–6PM
  • Friday:10AM–6PM
  • Saturday:10AM–6PM
  • Sunday:12–6PM
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