In 1981, Robert Harmon and Claude Rouas opened Auberge du Soleil in California's Napa Valley with Chef Masataka, as its brilliant master chef. Chef Masa's reputation was sealed at Auberge, as he quickly made the restaurant an unequivocal and immediate success. Two years later, Masa was approached to headline his own establishment, and in July of 1983, Masa opened his eponymous restaurant. Wooing San Francisco diners with exquisitely prepared and presented French cuisine and superior service, Masa's quickly became one of the city's most highly acclaimed fine dining restaurants.

The son of a Tokyo food dealer, Masa learned the art of classical French cuisine in Switzerland beginning at age 16. Later in New York, Masa, a relative unknown, helped to make Le Plaisir one of the city's most prestigious restaurants. In November of 1984, Masa was found dead in his San Francisco apartment after failing to arrive at work, his death a result of inflicted head injuries. The mysterious and still-unsolved murder of one of San Francisco's most brilliant chef's 20 years ago, added to the mystique which has become the Masa's dining experience. Now considered one of San Francisco's most irreplaceable fine dining institutions, the list of legendary chefs who have stepped in to the executive chef position at Masa's is stunning. Julian Serrano, a native of Madrid who was hired and personally trained by Masa, manned the stoves for fourteen prolific years wherein the restaurant received countless acclaims and awards. Serrano, whom later opened Picasso in Las Vegas as its Executive Chef, still considers Masa's as his home in San Francisco. Ron Siegel, the talented chef who earned a four-star review at Charles Nob Hill but is best known, perhaps, as the first American chef to win the Japanese "Iron Chef" competition, came on board at Masa's Restaurant to the mutual benefit of both chef and restaurant and helped continue the Masa tradition of outstanding French cuisine. An interior makeover in 2001 with the elegant stylings of the celebrated San Francisco designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy added luster to the already shining Masa's and a new talent was sought and discovered in Chef Gregory Short. Short's extensive training included seven years under Thomas Keller, first as Chef de Partie then as Sous Chef, at his much-celebrated venue The French Laundry. With his instinctual love for seasonality and quality of ingredients and his precision of technique, Gregory Short continues the exalted tradition of fine cuisine and service at Masa's Restaurant San Francisco.

Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday evenings from 5:30 p.m. until a last seating at 9:30 p.m