Price Range:

 $$$ Takes Reservations:

YesDelivery:

NoTake-out:

YesWaiter Service:

YesOutdoor Seating:

YesWi-Fi:

FreeGood For:

Lunch, Dinner

Alcohol:

 Full BarNoise Level:

AverageAmbience:

TrendyHas TV:

YesCaters:

NoWheelchair Accessible:

YesDogs Allowed:

No

ABOUT GEORGES

From the fish we choose each day from San Francisco family operated seafood distributors , to the vegetables grown for us by Bay Area farmers, everything we serve at Georges Restaurant is fresh because it’s local. We change our menu frequently to showcase what’s seasonal and available, choosing organic, sustainable ingredients whenever possible.

MICHAEL BILGER, CHEF

Chef Michael’s experience with the restaurant industry began humbly, bussing and waiting tables at greasy spoons while attending college in Southern California, where he grew up. But even with this modest introduction, Bilger was hooked on the frenetic energy of the restaurant industry. So when he became restless with his studies and humdrum suburban lifestyle, he decided to make two moves; one from the San Fernando Valley to San Francisco and the other from the dining room to the kitchen.

Michael was lucky enough to start the first culinary chapter of his career under the tutelage of Carlo Middione at San Francisco’s Vivande Porta Via. Vivande was a perfect fit for Michael, as the Southern Italian cuisine of Middione was an affirmation of the soulful and delicious food of his Sicilian nana, Angeline, who had first introduced Bilger to the pleasures of the table and the joy to be found in the sharing of their creation. Chef Carlo recognized Bilger’s connection to his cuisine and promoted Chef Michael to lead the kitchen at Vivande after only eighteen months .

Michael was then recruited by Chef Brian Whitmer and Ed and Mary Etta Moose of the landmark Moose’s restaurant in North Beach. Whitmer, who had garnered several SF Chronicle 3 star reviews and “Best New Restaurant in America” from Esquire magazine, was looking for someone to bring an authentic fresh pasta program to Moose’s. Whitmer was impressed by the young Chef, and his experience at Vivande. So he brought him on board as Sous Chef, and here Bilger began to develop a style incorporating the traditional Italian cuisine he had learned from Carlo with a more contemporary California approach.

When Whitmer left Moose’s in 2000 to open the Lodge at Sonoma, he brought Bilger along with him as Chef de Cuisine at Carneros Restaurant. A subsequent construction delay on the hotel afforded Michael the opportunity to further hone his craft with James Beard award winning Chef Nancy Oakes at Boulevard in the meantime. But it was at Carneros that Michael began to develop his own culinary style, focused on the ingredients obtained with relationships from area farmers, artisans and winemakers. When Whitmer left the hotel in 2002, Bilger took over as Executive chef, garnering numerous accolades including the Award of Culinary Excellence from Renaissance Hotels and an invitation from the James Beard House as a featured guest Chef.

In 2005, the Big Island of Hawaii came calling, when Kukio Beach and Golf club, one of the country’s most exclusive and elegant private clubs tapped Bilger as Chef de Cuisine. Here, Michael further continued his understanding of the source of his ingredients. He accessed the small closed system aquaculture products of the islands unique Natural Energy Laboratory, learned first hand about the challenges and successes of the nations most well preserved fishery, and created new relationships with small farmers. In 2008, Michael took over as Executive Chef at Kukio, where he oversaw two separate restaurants with menus changing on a weekly basis.

In 2010, Bilger and his family decided it was time to come home for good. To Bilger and his wife Nicola, there was no other place that they felt as at home personally and professionally than San Francisco. After a stint working with Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence at his flagship restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, Bilger joined the team at Georges. Here, Chef Michael continues to value the source of his ingredients and showcases their natural flavors, this time focused extensively on sustainable seafood, preparing them in flavorful, approachable and well balanced preparations.