There’s a Waterfront Parisian-Inspired Bistro Coming to the Embarcadero

By next summer, San Francisco diners will be able to enjoy French bistro fare and a glass of Champagne in a bay-front space on the Embarcadero. Bon Délire, a new restaurant from the owner of downtown restaurants Sens and Barcha, is expected to open in April 2024 at Pier 3, Suite 102. San Franciscans may know the space as the longtime home of chef Charles Phan’s New Orleans-inspired bar Hard Water, which closed during the pandemic leaving the waterfront space dark for the past few years.

Owner Kais Bouzidi, who grew up in Paris and moved to San Francisco in his early twenties, says he’s excited his third restaurant represents such a strong personal connection — and will move into the high-profile space on the Embarcadero. “I’ve always been fond of the charm and character of the space,” he says, adding that when it became available he knew he wanted to pursue the opportunity. “I said, ‘I think this one is meant to be.’”

Bon Délire

Though details about Bon Délire remain somewhat scarce for now, Bouzidi says he’ll draw inspiration from restaurants in Paris, where he returns several times a year to visit family. The restaurant will serve lunch, happy hour, and dinner, with a menu comprised primarily of salads, sandwiches, and quiche plus small, sharable plates akin to Spanish tapas. There will be “lots of bubbles,” he says, as well as a full bar. He hopes FiDi workers will come by for lunch and perhaps return for a late afternoon cocktail. If the drinks run long, the dinnertime menu will offer some larger entrees like steak frites or roasted chicken.

The bones of the high-ceilinged space will stay the same, but Kais aims to add banquettes around the perimeter of the room, plus sidewalk seating facing the Embarcadero. They’ll close off the small open kitchen, transition the raw bar into a charcuterie station, and keep the majority of the bar itself in place — while making cosmetic upgrades such as replacing the current copper bar top. The back of the space, which faces the water, will have some stools for those who want to belly up for a drink, plus a takeout window serving grab-and-go-friendly items like baguette sandwiches and soft serve.

All said and done, there would be about 80 seats in total — 50 inside, 20 out front, and 17 around the horseshoe-shaped bar. Bouzidi, whose passions outside of restaurants and food involve music, is excited about plans to install a booth where DJs can spin vinyl records. There will be French tunes on tap, of course, but he hopes to fill the dining room with a mix of sounds from all over the world. “I’m really excited to offer something that’s close to my heart,” he says.

Rendering by Studio Terpeluk

Bon Délire (Pier 3, Suite 102 The Embarcadero) is expected to open in late spring/early summer 2024.