Vegan
American
Organic
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Fusion
Gourmet
Long-established restaurant and wine bar originally on 580 Geary St in San Francisco and relocated to Oakland in summer 2015. Upscale dining without a formal dress code. Open Tue-Sat 5:00pm-9:00pm. Hours reported to be irregular - call ahead. Last seating at 9pm.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
5912 College Ave (at Rockridge area), Oakland, California, USA, 94618
-
Loading...
-
- Reservations required
- Accepts credit cards
-
-
Last update on 23 Jul 2025 by BexClark
Update business info -
Are you the owner?
Claim this business
-
-
180 Reviews
First Review by Vegan Mom
super8J
Points +130
Really impressed - Edit
My wife and I went to Millenium accompanied by our one-year old daughter for her birthday. The food was excellent and the staff could not have been nicer. Really good to see a vegan restaurant so busy: its trick is not to to be smart enough to attract anyone wanting a bit of a special night out. It was a real treat for us!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Monday October 27, 2008
Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Chandeliers!
Guest
rommiej
Points +42
As creative as it gets - Edit
We've been to Millennium a few times, but somehow never bothered to write a proper review. In a city filled with wonderful vegan/vegetarian options, this venerable spot is the crown jewel. Tucked inside the quaint Hotel California just a few blocks from Union Square, Millennium has all the trappings of an upscale, fine-dining experience but deftly evades the stuffiness usually associated with such an affair. The top-notch cocktail menu and world-class (but locally focused) wine list don't hurt in that regard, but a kitchen that's accomplished enough to be playful is what really sets the tone.
Read moreOn our most recent visit, the globally-inspired, impossibly creative regular menu was replaced with a chef's prix-fixe tasting menu, complete with wine pairings. It's always fun to put your culinary fate in the hands of a creative professional (especially when you're confident they understand your dietary choices), and this was no exception.
Our meal began with an amuse course of King Trumpet Mushroom "Crudo" served alongside an inventive Beet Tartare (not a typo). Both were delightful, but we were especially impressed by the way the chef created vegan versions of familiar "meat"-based dishes without feeling any obligation to make them actually taste like animal products (a phenomenon all-too-common at many veg eateries). The first course was a Blood Orange, Nopales and Watermelon Radish Ceviche, continuing the theme of appropriating "meat"-based conventions. (Instead of the traditional raw fish, we got citrus-marinated, brilliantly colored fruits.) It's tough to make a memorable salad, but they pulled it off with unique ingredients, a creative approach and an absolutely sublime wine pairing (Old World Winery 2010 Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley). The second course, Poori, was split down the middle, half green and half yellow, almost like a yin-and-yang of South Asian cuisine. On the left, we had a mild, creamy Punjabi soup and on the right a heartier Sri Lankan stew -- equally delicious eaten alone or together. For entrees, I got the Musquee De Provence Tortellini while my wife got the Black Garlic and Miso Glazed Abalone Mushroom. The mushroom dish was the standout with its variety of textures and heavenly sauce, but the tortellini helds its own, offering a symphony of earthy flavors. Black and White Layer Cake was easily the most decadent chocolate cake we've had -- vegan or otherwise.
Long story short, Millennium is a must-visit restaurant whatever your diet.
Pros: Creativity, Ambience, Wine List
Cons: Expensive
Guest
greenshoes
Points +474
Good food, really bad service. - Edit
The food was yummy, not much fake stuff but they really did the healthy stuff, wide selection and seasonal options available.
Read moreService was really bad, barely anyone ever came to my table and I had to beg them to bring me desert.
Don't know whether I come back. Price too high for no service.
Guest
SoledadMoretti
Points +89
Delicious - Edit
Well, Millenium was my very first visit to a 100% vegan restaurant, I have to say I was amazed. Food is delicious, dishes are very well served. I must warn, if you are very hungry, this is an expensive gourmet restaurant, so don't expect large portions.
Read moreDesserts are also exquisite.
Must go and visit. It's worth it.
Pros: delicious, tasty, nice place
Cons: expensive
Guest
veganamanda
Points +251
Disappointed - Edit
I was so excited to try Millennium on my trip to SF. I ordered the Mushrooms and corn cakes and was really underwhelmed. The portabellos were bland and something in the sauce got stuck in my throat and made me cough and eyes water. I also tried the chocolate mouse pie. It was good, but not great. Having dined at Candle 79 a few weeks earlier, it just wasn't as good. A $40 meal should be better. The wait staff was quick and professional, but not friendly. The place was dark and kind of had a weird smell. Sad :-(
Read morePros: quick service
Cons: overpriced, dark, bland
Guest
werve
Points +40
Great Food & Ambience - Edit
Great Food, Great Service, Great Room.
Read moreGuest
MasonLegrange
Points +71
Awesome - Edit
Service, food, atmosphere, they do. It right there, it's not as good as Saf in London, but I never ever got bad food there, it's always fresh and tasty, and the staff make you feel good
Read moreGuest
Chia
Points +3631
Elegant Dining - Edit
I had read about this place on happycow, and here's my Millennium review.
Read moreOn a past trip to San Francisco, my husband and I made sure to come here to try it. We were very impressed with the fine interior that felt elegance and romantic, with velvet red curtains framing tall windows at the front of the restaurant, and soft yellow lights dimly warming the inside. Everything about this place felt sophisticated.
The food we ordered mostly tasted good. We ordered a grilled bitter greens/sweet onion/figs salad, the grilled rosa blanca eggplant napoleon, and the chipotle grilled portobello & zucchini tamale -- of which the former 2 were delicious but the latter was not. The sauce on the tamales was heavy, spicy, and salty. But the salad was unique and the eggplant napoleon was tender and perfect (I recommend it).
If I lived in San Francisco and could afford to eat fine gourmet cuisine all the time, I would definitely like to come back to the Millenium.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday October 03, 2006
Pros: beautiful presentation, excellent wine, attentive service
Cons: expensive
Guest
Meggie and Ben
Points +1786
One of the best restaurants I've been to - Edit
Millennium is seriously one of THE BEST restaurants I've been to. Their chefs are fantastic, and the food is amazing. The prices are up there, but it's worth it for what you get. It's great for a night out.
Read morePros: Good for a night out, Amazing food, Great atmosphere
Cons: Pricey
Guest
cheryl_downes
Points +73
Wonderful - Edit
Wow, what a meal (and dessert).
Read moreGuest
estefinparis
Points +870
Chic and great service - Edit
Millennium is a great stylish restaurant offering an upscale vegan dining experience. The changing menu is creative and elaborate, the food is very good but definitely on the heavy side. The place was packed so make sure to call in advance.
Read moreGuest
emsoprano
Points +46
All time favorite restaurant - Edit
I love when my rich friends take me out here. It makes my life.
Read moreI will occasionally splurge myself if it is a good friend's birthday or something.
I've never been disappointed here and the service is always outstanding.
YUM.
Pros: gourmet vegan, great drinks, beautiful atmosphere
Cons: expensive, too many great things to choose from
Guest
marturey
Points +209
Upscale Disaster - Edit
Millennium was without a doubt the worst dining experience we had in San Francisco. Not only was the service terrible (I think our waiter ignored us to tend to the larger table he was working) but the food was horrible. We rarely go to an upscale restaurant and were expecting great food from Millennium but instead we got salty salad (don't know how they accomplished that), tempeh that was saturated in a sickly sweet sauce, and a vile dessert that seemed prepared by someone at their first day of baking class (how can chocolate taste bad)? The 'molten chocolate cake' was a poor excuse for a chocolate cupcake (I think they forgot to use salt since it was absolutely tasteless). The waiter didn't even comment on why it was being returned uneaten. Had the waiter come by to ask how things were, we would have told him the food was a cross between bland, salty, and sugary. Instead we left with a hefty bill, having had a poor dining experience. The atmosphere in the restaurant is quite nice and romantic but serving poor quality food court food doesn't cut it for an establishment that is supposed to be an upscale vegan restaurant.
Read morePros: decor/atmosphere, location is convenient
Cons: awful food, overpriced, poor service
Guest
fondducoeur
Points +1167
Excellent Fine Vegan Dining - Edit
My husband and I were lucky enough to visit Millennium while we were visiting San Francisco, and it was great. It's definitely expensive, but we knew what we were getting in to, and I think it was worth it to have an elegant dining experience with fabulous food and service. As a vegan, I do not often have a chance to experience fine dining, which I think is fun to do every now and again.
Read moreThe food was great, with entrees such as macadamia nut tofu and bbq plum tempeh, and the desserts were fabulous as well. I tried the chocolate almond midnight, which is a chocolate pie with white choc. mousse topping and raspberry sauce. Wow. It was great. I will say that the portions are not large, so 2 entrees, 1 side of sauteed greens, and dessert was just about right for two people.
I recommend this place if you are looking for a nice place for a special occasion or vacation.
Pros: Great gourmet vegan food, Beautiful presentation, Elegant atmosphere
Cons: Very expensive, Reservations needed
Guest
happycowgirl
Points +5960
Millennium Rocks - Edit
I have to go to Millennium every time I'm in SF. Maybe I've been lucky, but each time it's such a wonderful experience. The staff is a delight and the food is fantastic. I've had only 5 cow experiences. Yes, it's over priced but I don't mind. Highly recommended.
Read moreGuest
kimward8
Points +574
Best vegan food ever! - Edit
This place was a dream come true for me. Fancy vegan food that is delicious. I had the Macadamia Nut encrusted tofu with plum chutney, thai yellow curry sauce with eggplant, mushrooms, potatoes and snap peas. It was delicious and filling. The appetizer I had was a Chickpea Panisse (Cickpea cake) with assorted mushrooms in some kind of sauce. That was also amazing. For dessert we had the chocolate almond midnight cake which was kindof like a chocolate mousse cake. It was really good as well. They also had pinot noir grape juice which was great, as I don't like wine. It is attached to the Hotel California where we stayed just so that we could go to Millenium. I'm glad we went there instead of Greens (whose online menu didn't look very vegan friendly), and I was not dissapointed.
Read moreGuest
SonjaCPA
Points +5270
Wonderful place - Edit
We finally made it back to Millennium after a long absence. This time we came with Dirk's non-vegan brother who wanted to try fancy vegan food. We had a reservation for 5:30pm on a Sunday night when they opened, so we were seated within a few minutes. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. We all ordered cocktails to start: Key West, Ginger Jim and a regular martini. We shared the seared asparagus and roasted beets. The asparagus was a bit too spicy for me, but the guys loved it. And the beets were perfectly roasted with a fabulous balsamic reduction sauce. Dirk also had a spinach salad with tea smoked tofu that was divine. For entrees, Dirk's brother had the portobello mushroom dish while we shared the mustard seed and black pepper smoked tempeh with barley risotto as well as the brick pastry roulade with seitan. Everything was wonderful, especially the tempeh and barley risotto which were beyond fabulous. We shared 3 desserts of tapioca pudding with almond cherry ice cream, the chocolate midnight almond cake and the mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich. We each had a different favorite although they were all great. Dirk and I also each got a nocturne dessert martini which is an espresso one. So yummy. Dirk's brother got a dessert wine and coffee. Overall, everything was absolutely excellent. This was our best experience yet at Millennium. We've had to wait before, been in a cramped table location or just had an okay dish, but it was just perfect this time, so we highly look forward to the next time.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Wednesday July 08, 2009
Whenever we are back in the Bay Area visiting my boyfriend's parents, we try to come here. It's definitely the nicest vegan restaurant. Lovely space and atmosphere - great for special occasions. The drinks at the bar are fantastic. All the food has been amazing, yet I still prefer Madeleine's back home in LA. Just personal preference. I would highly recommend coming here if you are in the City.
Pros: amazing food, fantastic drinks, great atmosphere
Guest
marco122769
Points +29
Great Huitlacoche!!! - Edit
I'm Mexican and I love Huitlacoche. Is the mushroom that grows on corn. I had a great Southwest "New Mexican" style dish with Huitlacoche and it was amazing. Great vegan wines and the incredible vegan chocolate cake dessert. I loved this restaurant. Don't miss it while in San Francisco!!!
Read morePros: Food, Desserts, Wine
Guest
novackofo
Points +89
MY FAVORITE VEGAN RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD - Edit
I have been a devoted and loyal customer at the Millennium since they were on McCalister St. I have been a vegan most of life and the Millennium takes vegan cusine to a new level Their presentation is beautiful and creative, the ambience is sophisticated and the dishes are unbeleiveable. The integrity and the devotion to the vegan lifestyle and cusine at the Millennium is of the highest level. There is no vegan restaurant in the world that holds a candle to the Millennium. I have been to vegan restaurants all over the world and the Millinnium is in a class all of its own. Even my flesh eating friends and family love the Millinnium. If you are a vegan and you have not experienced the Millinnium, you haven't experienced the true delight of being a vegan.
Read moreThe creativity in the cuisine is brilliant and the flavors of each dish is like art. Their presentation is eloquent and the most amazing I have ever experienced.
The staff is very accommodating, knowledgeable and professional. I have dined here 100's of times and each time I dine is fresh and unique.
I highly recommend the Millennium as a priority to the most unique dining experience of your life.....
Pros: amazing, brilliant, one of a kind
Guest
t-bone123456
Points +52
Love this place - Edit
Best veg food -- maybe ever.
Read moreA great night out, it's absolutely delicious.
Pros: excellent food, friendly staff, great ambiance
Guest
iwoof4u
Points +75
Awesome Special Occasion Place - Edit
We had almost every starter on the menu, as well as a few entrees and dessert! And just two of us celebrating our anniversary. This was perfect in every way - could not stop eating and didn't want to. We flew from Seattle for 2 nights just for a vegetarian (vegan) tour of San Francisco and this was well worth the trip alone! You can make a meal out of many starters alone and experience so many wonderful flavors.
Read morePros: Amazing, Busy, Location
Guest
sunbaby08
Points +66
OK choice for a vegan splurge - Edit
After looking at the prices, I would have never chosen to take my boyfriend here for his birthday had it not been "Convert-A-Carnivore" Night -- on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, 25% off your bill if you mention the special. On the one hand, it's nice to have a fine-dining experience that caters specifically to veg*ns. The food is creative, seasonally-inspired, and well-spiced. On the other hand, it's sooo expensive, service was not that great, and the portions were tiny. Would recommend for a special night out or one-time splurge, but I don't think I'll be going back.
Read morePros: seasonal, romantic
Cons: too expensive, small portions
Guest
kennyp353
Points +1768
Use your cash to eat four times elsewhere instead - Edit
Last Thursday I took a second trip to Millenium, a year after my first. The fact that it is situated inside a Best Western should be your first clue that it is really not worth the extreme expense. We had the week's special, which was two minuscule appetisers followed by a large entrée followed by a small dessert. Just after Halloween, this meant pumpkin overload - everything had pumpkin. The two appetisers were quite nice, but both of our entrées were disappointing, and the pumpkin creme brulée dessert was a travesty of that creamy delight. Was this as a result of choosing the weekly special containing random stuff that would never make the cut of the "real" menu? I think unlikely - I didn't have the special last time and whilst it was better than this time, it was still nothing to write home about. Service was neither friendly nor fast - at these prices you should expect top-notch, not Dennys.
Read moreAnd so much for converting meat-eaters - my omnivorous partner was put off vegetarian places completely thereafter, begging that we didn't have to go to another veggie place.
Look, it's OK, but $150 for two? Please. Visit Golden Era on the adjacent block and be served similarly slightly disappointing food for a quarter of the price.
Pros: location, atmosphere
Cons: massively overpriced, disappointing food, poor service given the price
Guest
natz
Points +133
Still wonderful - Edit
Ate here two years ago and was our best dinner in SF so had to return. Still wonderful, expensive decor and high end dining. Excellent service and informative waiters, great wine and champagne selection. Highly recommended if you are looking for a high end dining experience.
Read morePros: Amazing food, Great wines
Guest
gr8vegan
Points +2357
Major disappointment and lied to... oil bomb - Edit
We went here thinking we'd be at home as Oil Free Vegans since the owners are long time McDougallers. We explained that we didn't eat oil and wanted what Dr. McDougall would order. The waitress went back and talked to the chef and we were brought out a salad, which I believe was oil free, but also a plate of oil soaked mushrooms and veggies... we poured our water on them and bubbles of oil floated to the surface. We told the waitress and she said "I had a really long conversation with him about it" we expected our entrees would be ok, but both came out an oily mess. It seemed that the chef in fact did try to reduce the oil, but again we simply pour water and watch the oil glisten across the surface... The waitress told us they were tomato juices... what can you do, I can't sit there and get insulted. We paid the $100 and left. At least the wine and cocktails are good. I'm really upset since it was my bday and all I got was a melon salad. Even on the owner's website it says you can get oil free options there... We didn't even order just asked our waitress what the chef could do oil free and choose between the two plates they offered. This is not a healthy restaurant. We've been eating around the world oil free as you can see from my endless reviews, it just sucks since we've actually met the owners on a McDougall trip to Costa Rica and are in town to go to a McDougall weekend that we couldn't even get fed at their restaurant. I hesitate to even write this review but just want others to know that a healthy meal can not be had here. The food is fantastic if you haven't clued into the dietary problems with consuming free oils. They manager asked us if there was a problem since she noticed we didn't eat our food and we just said, we're oil free vegans and it was great, but not what we wanted... Oh well, should have ordered like I do in the rest of the world "I'm allergic to oil my nose will bleed all over the table if you put any in my food" just didn't expect to need those extremes at this of all places...
Read morePros: cocktails
Cons: oily mess, mushrooms overkill
eric
Hey, sorry to hear about your experience, that sucks! -especially on your b-day!
Read morebtw- Happy Belated B-day :-)
sfliberal
Are you sure you went to the same Millennium? I never encountered oily food. Millennium is a treasure for the Vegan community. We need more restaurants like this if we expect others to convert. Try the harvest specials when they come around. They are incredible.
Read moreGuest
Delve
Points +302
If you like SALT and spending lots of cash... - Edit
Salt and lots o' cash go hand in hand at this restaurant. I've eaten here a handful of times and have been thoroughly disappointed every time. I visited so often because there is so much incredible hype surrounding this restaurant. I'm a strict vegan and have been for nearly a decade. I learned after becoming a vegan that my palate changed. It became more sensitive to flavors such as salt which is a very common and more unoticeable flavor in a lacto vegetarian diet due to eating salty cheeses frequently. So, when I eat in a restaurant with salt laden small portioned expensive food I wonder to myself 'is this chef vegan' and making up for what s/he may think is a flavor lacking in vegan foods by adding liberal amounts of salt? Or is this a salt addicted vegan who needs to be rehabilitated with fresh herbs and spices? I had a theory for 3 years that the chef here must not be vegan. Turns out I was/am right about that. Not only is he not vegan..he isn't even a full blown vegetarian. That to me explains the lack of flavor dimension and overly salted food. I have many non-vegan non-vegetarian chef friends who don't resort to salt..so I know it can be done! The food is presented beautifully, but in such a way that one may feel intimidated to criticize. How can one criticize a place that has such hype and outrageously high costs? Their menu tends to change so I can mention the dishes I recall having: the lobster mushroom with pureed potatoes, and several of their seasonal dishes involving fennel, mushrooms, tomatoes. Each one came out looking very appetizing, but the flavors fell salty flat. One more thing to add: I had a friend who took a cooking class there with Chef Tucker and she mentioned as they were cooking a soup he came over and tasted the one she was working on and commented that it wasn't flavorful enough and needed something more. His ultimate advice to her? It was to add more salt.
Read moreCons: too much hype, salty food, overpriced food
Guest
stokedonspokes
Points +81
best vegan resturaunt ever? possibly - Edit
creative seasonal dishes. amazing and very creative cocktails. i took my carnivorous dad when he was in town visiting there and he enjoyed every bit. everytime i go i get the spinach salad because its so amazing and changes every few weeks. i am looking forward to eating here when i get back from south america and bringing some wine i got down here to eat with a spinach salad. yeah, its "exspensive" but its high end dining. you only pay a little less to eat complete crap at herbivore so folks should just get over it.
Read morePros: excellent food, creative food, great staff
Guest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 0 times.