New SF Restaurant 'JouJou' to Open

JouJou, opening March 6 in the Design District, marks a significant shift for chef David Barzelay. While his first restaurant, Lazy Bear, is a two-Michelin-starred tasting menu experience, JouJou will feature an à la carte menu in a more bustling, walk-in-friendly French brasserie setting. The 6,500-square-foot space is located at 65 Division Street, formerly home to The Grove. Barzelay, a former lawyer who turned to cooking after being laid off during the 2009 recession, first gained a following with an underground supper club run out of his apartment. That pop-up eventually became the brick-and-mortar Lazy Bear in 2014, which quickly earned critical acclaim, including being named Eater SF's Restaurant of the Year. Barzelay was also recognized as one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs in 2016. The concept for JouJou has been in the works for over a decade, originally envisioned as a seafood restaurant. The new eatery will be seafood-focused, featuring a grand raw bar and theatrically presented seafood towers, alongside classic French brasserie fare like French onion soup and steak frites. Entrée prices are expected to range from approximately $35 to $75. JouJou is part of a larger trend in San Francisco's 2026 dining scene that emphasizes experience-driven restaurants over the quiet reverence of tasting menus. The aim is to create a vibrant, scene-y destination reminiscent of New York's Balthazar or San Francisco's legendary, now-closed Stars. One-third of the seats at the raw bar and in the enclosed patio, dubbed the "menagerie," will be reserved for walk-in guests to encourage a spontaneous, lively atmosphere.