In some recent threads, several folks have commented on living in SF area either now or in the past. I am headed there for a 4 day business trip in July....looking for dinner restaurant suggestions. I have been to SF before and Tadich will be one of my 4 nights for dinner, but there are so many good places to eat there, looking for new suggestions. Would like one Steakhouse and one good place in Chinatown, and then open to anything else for the 4th night, possibly French. I am staying downtown near union square and looking for places in downtown, but any area down there is good (i.e. financial district, fisherman's wharf, etc.). Thanks!!
OT: San Francisco Dining
- Thread starter Pitt_Boss
- Start date
Try Tommy's ..
Used to be good .. I mean until the drug addicts and human feces were strewn all over the area ...
Used to be good .. I mean until the drug addicts and human feces were strewn all over the area ...
That’s supposed to be some sort of treat.
Edit: Damnit. Now I’m humming that stupid jingle.
Been a long time - since early 2000s so probably doesn’t hold up
I remember The Stinking Rose (garlic heavy menu )
And really good seafood at a place that literally had a fish receiving station outside - maybe Lombard’s?
have an Irish coffee or two at Buena Vista.
you can’t go wrong with any fresh seafood place or Asian
I remember The Stinking Rose (garlic heavy menu )
And really good seafood at a place that literally had a fish receiving station outside - maybe Lombard’s?
have an Irish coffee or two at Buena Vista.
you can’t go wrong with any fresh seafood place or Asian
Irish coffee and clam chowder in a sourdough bowl in Fishermans wharf if you want simple but touristy food__kinda like the bay areas Primamtis experience.
I can go on like a 25000 word rant on chain restaurants and the type of people who travel and go to chain restaurants because they are "familiar". Local chains, okay that is one thing. But national chains....why?
I’m a SF Bay Area guy for 35 years. My observations:
- welcome to our ‘hood!
- if you’ll be here 4 nights, I suggest you set aside one evening to take the ferry over to Sausalito and have dinner at the Spinnaker. Try to time it for sunset and bring camera. After dinner, Uber back. They’ll take you over the GG bridge. Doesn’t get any better!
See link.
- if you like excellent in the beautiful Pacific Heights, Sorrel is your pick. Google it.
- Michelin 3 star also in pacific heights, Atieler Crenn. SF’s #1 but prepare to cash out your 401k!
www.ateliercrenn.com
- you should check on Tadich’s. Thought I read they are closing for good shortly.
- we are going through a weird crime stage. If driving, park inside where you can. If not, remove everything. Smash and grab is everywhere. Happened to me! Best to Uber.
- good luck! Still most beautiful city in the world!
- Finally, if coming in July, bundle up big time. It’s our winter here.
- welcome to our ‘hood!
- if you’ll be here 4 nights, I suggest you set aside one evening to take the ferry over to Sausalito and have dinner at the Spinnaker. Try to time it for sunset and bring camera. After dinner, Uber back. They’ll take you over the GG bridge. Doesn’t get any better!
See link.
- if you like excellent in the beautiful Pacific Heights, Sorrel is your pick. Google it.
- Michelin 3 star also in pacific heights, Atieler Crenn. SF’s #1 but prepare to cash out your 401k!
Crenn Collection | Atelier Crenn
Atelier Crenn's menu takes you on a journey from Chef Crenn’s seaside upbringing in Brittany, France, to the Pacific Ocean that connects San Francisco to Japan. Our ingredients will come from the sea and from our network of local farmers, including our own Bleu Belle Farm in Sonoma.
www.ateliercrenn.com
- we are going through a weird crime stage. If driving, park inside where you can. If not, remove everything. Smash and grab is everywhere. Happened to me! Best to Uber.
- good luck! Still most beautiful city in the world!
- Finally, if coming in July, bundle up big time. It’s our winter here.
thanks for the replies on dining suggestions so far!
for the people saying it's a shit hole and why would you go there....i'm going for work so i didn't select the destination. i'm just trying to make the best of the trip. i will be uber/lyft/taxi everywhere on the company dime, so no driving or stuff in car. i was last to SF in 2018, so pre-pandemic, but at that time i did not think it was a crime infested dump at all. i mean its an urban area, but i rather enjoyed it. i guess we'll see how it has changed....
for the people saying it's a shit hole and why would you go there....i'm going for work so i didn't select the destination. i'm just trying to make the best of the trip. i will be uber/lyft/taxi everywhere on the company dime, so no driving or stuff in car. i was last to SF in 2018, so pre-pandemic, but at that time i did not think it was a crime infested dump at all. i mean its an urban area, but i rather enjoyed it. i guess we'll see how it has changed....
Been here since -97.
Atieler Crenn, Benu, Quince - all very very good for an over the top 3 Michelin star experience inside of the city.
but all uber-expensive. I also like Saison, also very expensive though.
more modestly priced fare - but still very , very good - Foreign Cinema, Rasa down in Burlingame is a high end take on Indian, Kokarri is higher end greek food. Sorrel, SPQR, State Bird provisions, Slanted Door. All solid choices and very very good food.
R&G lounge is a "safe" albeit unspectacular place to get Chinese in the city - if you;'e going here its all about the salt n pepper Dungeness crab. . Dim Sum i'd probably suggest Yank sing in the financial district. Mister Jiu's is a little bit more upscale Chinese, less traditional but damned tasty. Pabu / Akiko's / Hakashi are all good sushi joints. Pizza: Napelotena, Del Popolo is also good. Flour + Water for italian, i also happen to like la Ciccia as well.
have fun, food's great. people are right, if you're renting a car, don't leave anything out on the seats period.
Atieler Crenn, Benu, Quince - all very very good for an over the top 3 Michelin star experience inside of the city.
but all uber-expensive. I also like Saison, also very expensive though.
more modestly priced fare - but still very , very good - Foreign Cinema, Rasa down in Burlingame is a high end take on Indian, Kokarri is higher end greek food. Sorrel, SPQR, State Bird provisions, Slanted Door. All solid choices and very very good food.
R&G lounge is a "safe" albeit unspectacular place to get Chinese in the city - if you;'e going here its all about the salt n pepper Dungeness crab. . Dim Sum i'd probably suggest Yank sing in the financial district. Mister Jiu's is a little bit more upscale Chinese, less traditional but damned tasty. Pabu / Akiko's / Hakashi are all good sushi joints. Pizza: Napelotena, Del Popolo is also good. Flour + Water for italian, i also happen to like la Ciccia as well.
have fun, food's great. people are right, if you're renting a car, don't leave anything out on the seats period.
Back in the day I loved the restaurants in San Francisco. Used to go to Aqua(a Michael Mina restaurant) there was a place called Stars that unfortunately closed in 1999. The food was phenomenal. I haven't been there for a few years but last time I was there I had a wonderful meal at this french restaurant called Gary Danko. I would highly recommend it.
And if you are looking for good italian and good pizza, go to the italian district to a place called Calzones. Delicious.
Run the sushi choices past Chad Brown’s wife to make sure they pass muster.
I just did a bunch of travel for work for the first time in years. Had some wonderful new dining experiences and got to try some great new dishes. I would always suggest that when it doubt, ask the bell boy or someone at the front desk. They might be taking a kickback for directing people towards a certain place but it's never failed me. Just be careful and ask follow-up questions if you're going to do that. I once ended up in a very local place in East LA that had the best Mexican food I ever tasted but it was a true record scratch moment when I walked in the door. Large, east-coast, gringo was very out of place there. But the owner's daughter was gracious enough to help me order because my Spanish is limited to a few words that are completely useless. Ended up being a wonderful experience talking to her parents through her. Really a good time but I'm certain it wouldn't be for everyone.
Also, anyone that travels to a major city and eats only at national chains cannot be trusted. You're really missing out if you do that.
Also, anyone that travels to a major city and eats only at national chains cannot be trusted. You're really missing out if you do that.
Ok, here’s another if you like cheaper but great food in eclectic surroundings. Mersea on Treasure Island. IMO, the best sunset to see San Francisco bar none. Get this. The restaurant is in a converted shipping container! Highly recommended. You’ll need to Uber it there.
www.mersea.restaurant
mersea
www.mersea.restaurant
Mersea, is that where Paul Allen got a reservation and Patrick Bateman couldn't so he killed him??Ok, here’s another if you like cheaper but great food in eclectic surroundings. Mersea on Treasure Island. IMO, the best sunset to see San Francisco bar none. Get this. The restaurant is in a converted shipping container! Highly recommended. You’ll need to Uber it there.
mersea
I see they don't take reservations...how long am I going be waiting on like a Sunday afternoon? Tuesday?Ok, here’s another if you like cheaper but great food in eclectic surroundings. Mersea on Treasure Island. IMO, the best sunset to see San Francisco bar none. Get this. The restaurant is in a converted shipping container! Highly recommended. You’ll need to Uber it there.
mersea
Everything in SF has markup, but here are some options that may be more cost effective, yet still good food:Some of these are closed, including Slanted Door which I did eat at in 2018 and was excellent.
Also, I'm not sure what kind of dining budget some of you have
Breakfast:
Sweet Maple - Lower Pac Heights
Plow - Potrero (this is pricey but excellent)
Breakfast Little - Mission (grab the burrito and walk/eat up on Valencia and not down on Mission)
More Basic Lunch/Dinner:
Tony's (Pizza/Italian) or Joe's (Italian) - North Beach (this is more about ambiance than food though the food is good at either)
Roma Antica (Italian) - Marina
Tacolicious (Mexican) - Marina (local chain, solid food and nice location)
Flour and Water (Italian) - Mission
China Live - Chinatown (pricey but not as pricey as some other things listed)
Beretta (Italian) - NoPa (go to this one, not the one on Valencia as though parking is miserable at both, the NoPa one is better situated)
La Taqueria (Mexican) - Mission (some people think it is the best burrito in the city, this is more lunch on a weekend)
San Tung (Chinese) - Sunset (best chicken wings in the area and solid Chinese food)
Pearl 6101 - Richmond District (just very solid)
Little Star (Pizza) - Multiple locations, most interesting pizza crust ever (cornbread)
Also, please heed the advice that multiple people have said; do not leave anything visible in your car if you rent.Some of these are closed, including Slanted Door which I did eat at in 2018 and was excellent.
Also, I'm not sure what kind of dining budget some of you have
Hmmm. Good question, I suspect on a Tuesday, no wait. Again, bundle up! View is to die for at sunset!
Superb recommendations. I really don’t think you can go wrong whatever restaurant you walk into.
Thanks APanther, as you might imagine, I love to eat great food... the only problem is that the older I get, the more my metabolism has slowed down and the longer it takes to work it off! Any other places you know of that, as a local, I absolutely MUST go to?
On the EastBay side of things Commis is my fave over on Piedmont (Oakland) - 2 M stars - half the price of the 3 stars over in the city or up in wine country - but again a pricey ticket and only for special meals.
East bay not my thing, but I absolutely love
must go in East Bay. Haps in Pleasonton. I love this place! Just a great vibe. Sit in bar area, talk to people. Everyone our age. Food and especially service, best in Bay Area IMO. https://www.hapsoriginal.com/
ty, will check it out! lived nearby in SR and never knew of this place.
Haven’t been there for a few years. When I went regularly, it always was on cases where we ate on the client’s dime so I never paid much attention to the cost. Also, the two major cases I tried up there were as the second chair, so the lead attorney did the restaurant selections. I do remember liking Tadich’s and Gary Danko’s a lot. I like spicy Chinese food and there was a Hunanese (hotter than Szechuan) restaurant on The Embarcadero that was great but I don’t remember the name.
On my own dime, I stuck to Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown with mixed results.
On my own dime, I stuck to Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown with mixed results.
