Most of these restaurants have been checked out personally by yours truly. If not, they are included based on recommendations from friends. At any rate, please feel free to offer your feedback, recommendations or ask me for a recommendation. Bon appetit!
Absinthe Brasserie & Bar A wonderful, atmospheric, Parisian-style bistro, with excellent bar food and a very good, if short, dinner menu. Hayes Street is also great for late night window shopping. Some stores stay open late. Convenient to Davies Symphony Hall and the SF Ballet. 398 Hayes St., 415-551-1590 $$
Aqua A very posh spot, with prices to match. Quite popular for business as well as romantic dates. Emphasis on creative seafood dishes. 252 California St., 415-956-9662 $$$$
Azie A very popular new-comer continues to get critical acclaim. Asian/Californian fusion cuisine in a dramatic, fun setting complete with a pagoda, a live DJ, full bar and private booths. 826 Folsom St. 415-538-0918 $$$$
Backflip A hip, fun restaurant and bar done up in underwater shades of blue and turquoise with shag rugs here and there. Serves up "cocktail cuisine". Very popular hangout. 601 Eddy St. 415-771-3547 $$
Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant Great views of the long stretch of Ocean Beach, delicious food and excellent service are reasons enough to dine here, but there are also fascinating historical murals on the ground level and live music at night. 1000 Great Highway 414-386-8439 $$
B44 A contemporary space, serving Spanish classics. Great ambiance. This is one restaurant of several good ones on Belden Place, a picturesque alley closed off to traffic filled with tables with umbrellas. Very European. A fun people-watching place. 44 Belden Place, 415-986-6287 $$$
Big Four Restaurant, at the Huntington Hotel A turn of the century, clubby style restaurant that exudes a sense of history. The piano bar in the lounge is a great place to relax in retro style. 1075 California St. 415-771-1140 $$$$
Bix A very popular place to go to see and be seen, a good place to meet for a drink, where food is an afterthought, although it is quite good, and reservations are a must. Art Deco/Nautical décor. 56 Gold Street , 415-433-6300 $$$
Blowfish Sushi A very hip place to indulge in some delicious and creative sushi as well as other Asian Fusion cuisine. 2170 Bryant St. 415-285-3848 $$
Boulevard A French-inspired place with some beautiful stained glass and Art Nouveau décor. Sitting at a booth will heighten your dining experience. Dinner can be eaten at the bar. 1 Mission St., near the Embarcadero. 415-543-6084 $$$$
Butterfly is the hot, hip new place to go for late night dining with dj and live jazz music. The delicious cuisine is Pacific Rim fusion, very artistically presented. The seared snapper with a tropical salad served in a coconut shell was fantastic! An excellent dessert to share is the plate of six little cups of variously flavored creme brulee served dramatically with a flaming strawberry atop the middle cup. The dj spins various lowkey tunes from classic Brazilian to Latin jazz until 11 pm when a live jazz band takes over. It's rather a noisy place, so you have to raise your voice to get heard across the table, but the ambiance and food make it worth it. Reserve on-line with Open Table.com. 1710 Mission Street @ Duboce Street. 415-864-5575
California Culinary Academy You feel like you are walking into a movie set here, perhaps "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover." It's in an elegant, Old World building, and there are people, mostly men, walking around in the traditional chef's uniforms and tall white hats, and some displays of wildly imaginative wedding cakes. You have a couple choices of dining experiences here, all prepared by the up-and-coming stars of world-class restaurants. One is The Careme Room, for Classic French cuisine ($$$). There's also The Tavern Room, with more casual fare such as Californian and Asian specialties ($$).625 Polk St. (@ Turk), 415-771-3536
Cafe Cocomo Bar and Grill A popular, kind of funky in a tropical kind of way place in the Potrero district, serving up California cuisine, BBQ and there's an outdoor patio with live music. 640 Indiana St. 415-824-6910 $$
Cafe 52 Another one of the charming restaurants on the European-style alley Belden Place.
Delicious Mediterranean-inspired food, charming ambiance, a good value. 52 Belden Place, 415-433-5200 $$
Cafe Prague A funky kind of place with an Eastern European feel. 584 Pacific Ave., 415-433-3811 $
Cafe Puccini An Old World cafe in North Beach with delicious sandwiches and pastries (including my favorite, ricotta cheese pie) and cappacino with Opera wafting thru the air from the jukebox. Great location for people-watching. 411 Columbus Ave. 415-989-7033 $
Cliff House Fantastic views of the ocean and the seals frolicking on the rocks. Excellent choice for brunch, as well as dinner and cocktails. Fine Victorian décor. Great place to take out-of-towners. 1090 Point Lobos Ave. 415-386-3330 $$
Enrico's Sidewalk Cafe A long-time San Francisco favorite. Great location for people-watching. Very good food and wine. Great atmosphere. Live music some night. Reservations necessary on the week-ends. 504 Broadway 415-982-6223 $$
Esperpento Restaurant A good place to go for Spanish tapas. Mariachis sometimes wander in to sing songs enhancing the atmosphere.3295 22nd St. 415-282-8867 $$
Farallon An undersea fantasy world with exquisite food to match. 450 Post St., 415-956-6969 $$$$
Fifth Floor A sumptuous restaurant , beautifully decorated, first-rate food served on beautiful china, excellent wine list, must make reservations. 415-348-1555 $$$$
Grand Café in the Hotel Monaco. A very Parisian atmosphere, with Art Nouveau décor. A nice ambiance. Close to Union Square and many of the theatres such as The Curran Theatre. Good bar as well as formal dining room. Excellent food and service. 501 Geary Street 415-292-0101 $$$
Indigo Restaurant Convenient to Davies Symphony Hall and the Ballet. Nice place for a romantic dinner. Excellent food, wine list and service. 687 McAlister St. 415-673-9353 $$$
Jardineire Restaurant An ultra-glamorous spot with live music at times. Exquisite food and service. Great place for a romantic rendezvous. Close to Davies Symphony Hall and the ballet. 300 Grove St. 415-861-5555 $$$$
Julie's Supper Club A hip spot to meet for drinks and/or dinner in the heart of SOMA. 1123 Folsom St. 415-861-0707 $$$
Kuleto's Right at Union Square, this upscale Italian-style restaurant has a great Old World atmosphere, with a good bar area for more casual dining as well as a formal dining room. 221 Powell St. 415-397-7720 $$
Le Colonial In the former location of Trader Vic's, this restaurant evokes the colonial days of French Vietnam, and has the feel of the movie "Casablanca. Elegant bar upstairs. Formal dining downstairs. 20 Cosmo Place 415-931-3600 $$$$
Little Joe's A very friendly, home-style place with delicious simple Italian fare, surrounded by murals of scenes from around San Francisco. In the heart of all the action on Broadway. 523 Broadway 415-433-4343 $$
Lulu A longtime favorite with locals, featuring California cuisine .816 Folsom St. 415-495-5775 $$$
LunaPark Restaurant is an excellent choice for an elegant, yet casually romantic atmosphere and decor. The food is delicious, mostly contemporary American cuisine with various influences, and expertly prepared. Tempting dessert menu. Full bar (excellent cuban-inspired "mojitos" are made here!) Friendly, attentive service. 694 Valencia Street at 18th. www.lunaparksf.com 415-553-8584
MacArthur Park Classic American food, with generous servings, and attentive service. An excellent choice for business lunches, and also popular after work, for its ambiance and complimentary hors d'ouevres. 607 Front St. 415-398-5700 $$$
Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant A wide variety of delicious fondues served in a rustic Swiss ski lodge atmosphere. 2323 Van Ness Ave. 415-885-6116 $$
Max's Opera Café A very fun place to eat. A New York-style deli with huge portions, mile-high sandwiches, gigantic pieces of cheesecake and other delectable desserts. Waiters and waitresses sing songs from Operas and Broadway shows at the piano in between delivering your order. 601 Van Ness Ave. 415-771-7300 $$
McCormick & Kuleto's Fantastic view of the Bay, excellent food with the emphasis on seafood, and attentive service in Ghiradelli Square. 415-929-1730 $$$
Momo's A classy, fun place near the Pacific Bell Ballpark, with a lively bar scene, elegant dining room as well as outdoor patio dining. California cuisine. 760 2nd St. 415-989-8660 $$
Moose's An upscale, fun place next to North Beach. A very social bar and excellent dining room. Piano jazz and a park view. 1652 Stockton St. 415-989-7800 $$$
New Asia Excellent dim sum served in a large glitzy room full of mirrors and crystal chandeliers. 772 Pacific Ave 415-391-6666 $$
Paragon Located near the new Pacific Bell Ballpark, this contemporary, elegant restaurant delivers with both excellent food and service. 701 Second St.415-537-9020 $$
Pasha Fantasy dining inside a Moroccan tent, while seated on pillows, swaying to the live Middle-Eastern music while being mesmerized by the belly dancers. Delicious Moroccan and Middle-Eastern food. After dinner everyone ends up dancing to the exotic beat. A very fun place. Excellent for special occasions, or just for something different. 1516 Broadway, off Van Ness 415-885-4477 $$$
Picaro Cafe Delicious Spanish tapas, in a very Spanish kind of atmosphere. Excellent value in the heart of the lively, hip Valencia Street scene. 3120 16th 415-431-4089 $$
Plump Jack Cafe An upscale neighborhood restaurant catering to the Pacific Heights crowd and others. Excellent wine list due to the fact that the owners are in the wine business as well. 3127 Fillmore St. 415-563-4755 $$$
Postrio World-famous chef Wolfgang Puck is behind this glamorous, stylish place. Exquisite Californian fusion cuisine, excellent service, and luxurious atmosphere. 545 Post St. 415-776-2875 $$$$
Rose Pistola An excellent choice for top-notch contemporary Italian food, right in the heart of all the action in North Beach. 532 Columbus Ave. 415-399-0499 $$$
Rubicon A very exclusive clubby kind of a place. Excellent choice for impressing business associates. Exquisite California cuisine, and encyclopedic wine list. 558 Sacramento St. 415-434-4100 $$$$
Scala's Bistro Wonderfully warm Old World atmosphere, truly excellent Californian fusion and Italian cuisine and attentive service. Great value. Good people-watching. Near Union Square. 432 Powell Street 415-395-8555 $$$
Scoma's Fisherman's Wharf Traditional San Franciscan-style seafood specialties with great views. Well-deserved excellent reputation. Pier 47 415-771-4383 $$
Terra Brazilis Contemporary Brazilian cuisine. Nice room, decorated with Amazonian art. 602 Hayes St. 415-241-1900 $$
XYZ A stylish place with a pared-down elegance to meet for a drink or to have a dinner, in the W Hotel, which caters to the hi-tech crowd. 181 Third St. next to the Museum of Modern Art. 415-817-7836 $$$
Zuni Café A long-time favorite in San Francisco, offering excellent French and Italian country-style food. Oyster bar. Good people-watching place. 1658 Market St. 415-552-2522 $$
To be on the safe side, inquire about reservations.
You can make reservations at many restaurants on-line at:
PARKING SUGGESTIONS:
For anything near Union Square: The Sutter/Stockton Garage(with entrances on Stockton and Bush)
For anything near the Metreon, or Museum of Modern Art: The Mission St. Garage (entrance on Minna off 5th St. or on Mission St.)
For anything near North Beach: the garage on Vallejo St. near the police station.
For Fisherman's Wharf, some of the restaurants provide validated parking.
The suggested garages above are very reasonable in price, and have ample spaces, so it's worth it to park here and walk a bit, to save money, and besides it's nice to take a walk around this city, (unless, of course, you're wearing strappy, high heels!)
Need recommendations for a special occasion? Ask wendy@sanfranciscoandbeyond.com
