JouJou French Brasserie Opens
JouJou, a French brasserie from Lazy Bear's David Barzelay, brings old-fashioned glamour to San Francisco after a delayed 2025 opening. The restaurant represents Barzelay's shift from his Michelin-starred fine dining concept to more accessible French fare. Early buzz suggests it's positioning as the city's next hot table.
The concept for JouJou has been in development for over 15 years, initially envisioned by chef David Barzelay as a seafood-focused, a-la-carte restaurant back in 2009 before he opened Lazy Bear. The name "JouJou" is French for "toy" or "plaything," reflecting the restaurant's aim to be a fun and playful departure from the formalities of fine dining. JouJou occupies a 6,500-square-foot space at 65 Division Street in the Design District, a location formerly home to The Grove. The interior, designed by Jon de La Cruz of Che Fico fame, is meant to evoke a "grand old belle epoque resort on the French Riviera, renovated in the sleazy '70s." The move to an a-la-carte menu is a significant shift from Lazy Bear's ticketed, communal tasting-menu format that earned it two Michelin stars. With JouJou, Barzelay aims to emulate the bustling, see-and-be-seen energy of iconic brasseries like Balthazar in New York. The kitchen is led by Chef de Cuisine Nick Vollono, an alum of esteemed fine-dining establishments Quince and Atelier Crenn. The team also includes Pastry Chef Yesenia Castañon from the two-Michelin-starred Birdsong and Beverage Director Matteo Villano, formerly of Quince & Co. The seafood-heavy menu features classic French dishes with entrees ranging from $35 to $75. Diners can expect grand seafood towers, French onion soup ($21), black cod a l'ananas ($43), and steak au poivre ($75), with classic desserts like tarte tatin and baba au rhum. The restaurant will open its bar at 4 p.m. daily, with full dinner service beginning at 5 p.m. In a move toward accessibility, JouJou will hold a third of the seats at its raw bar and in its enclosed patio area for walk-in guests.
