I’m pretty sure Rickenbackers is open late (the bar, at least). It’s alright – just keep an eye out for the cats, smoke at the bar, and the old guy (Eddie?) with the oxygen tank.
The local Ziff watering hole of choice is next door at Steff’s, which is a charming dive sports bar with free popcorn and an Internet jukebox.
I’ll be in town for the week. My first GDC, very exciting!
I like Steff’s but it’s loud. After past meetings, I’d say volume is a huge thing to worry about.
Wish I could suggest something, but I never eat or drink downtown. Just shop.
There’s a tapas -n- beer pub called Thirsty Bear right near the convention center (google it). Good bear…er…beer. I’d be happy to toss back a couple on Tuesday evening.
I’ll come in Tuesday. Thirsty Bear’s OK, but I don’t think I’ve ever paid to eat there. They’re a major venue for parties at conferences.
If we’re just meeting for drinks on Tuesday, Dave’s is perfect. It’s a blue-colar dive bar on 3rd, near market, 1.5 blocks up 3rd from Moscone.
Or any other place mentioned will do.
I think Chevy’s on Thursday is a good bet, so consider me another vote for Chevy’s on Thursday.
Thirsty Bear has decent beer, but the food is mediocre bar food. It would be a good place for drinks but I wouldn’t eat a meal there.
Within a two block walk of the convention center there are some seriously great places to eat. If you guys want a decent meal you don’t have to go very from from the convention.
Here’s another reccomendation to add to my previous two. Some of the best Thai food in San Francisco just a couple of blocks from Moscone: Osha http://www.oshathai.com/3/
Last year the conversation was great, but the food at Chevy’s was seriously mediocre. I had eaten there a couple of nights previously (at another meeting) and couldn’t believe that in SF, where theoretically there are great restaurants in abundance, I was eating one-step-above-taco-bell mexican food for the second time.
Hey, I’m an out-of-towner, c’mon locals, impress me!
And if you’re ever in Boston, I will take you for some serious good food.
Well, if you want to be impressed by food in San Francisco, go to House of Nan King. (I will be doing so at some point.) But the place is always packed, and they kick you out 30 seconds after you finish eating.
Denny highlights a major problem. For dinner, you want a restaurant that can accommodate a party of 15 or more, and isn’t so noisy or crowded you can’t hear anyone.
I recall the crappy pizza place we had the GDC dinner at the last time it was in San Jose. Pizza wasn’t so great, but we had lots of room, and people stayed late.
I’m willing to impress people with good food in SF, just in smaller groups ;-)
Of the places I mentioned earlier, Osha (Thai) has a huge dining room and can probably accommodate a large party no problem. Maya (Mexican) is medium sized and Le Charm (French Bistro) is somewhat small but can still seat a dozen people. I usually hit these places for lunch and I’ve never had a problem with a large party, but for evening make a reservation.
Seriously people, don’t go to Chevy’s. This city has some of the best food in the world. If it weren’t for unknowing convention goers Chevy’s wouldn’t even be in business.
Unfortunately, as I’ll be bringing my wife down there with me and am also simultaneously starting a new job, my evenings are pretty booked up. Conveniently, I think Thursday is about the only night I don’t have plans after about 8 or 9… so I may be able to sneak off to wherever you guys decide on.
Hey, Ziffers: what’s the name of that little bar around the corner from Steffs and Rickenbackers? It’s a hip place with brick walls, I think, and it’s in the alley behind all those buildings. DJ place, kinda hip… Geez, I gotta go look.
Also: Chaat Cafe is always empty, and it’s behind Moscone. Plenty of room, and I never see anyone inside. Maybe the food’s bad, but it’s a local chain, and it’s quiet, and nearby.
Amen. Nothing against Chevy’s - but eating at a chain restaurant when visiting one of the capitals of world food is an offense against nature and will mark you as an abomination, rightfully outcast from all civilised company.
Unless that chain restaurant is In N Out Burger.
Chaat is good for a quick cheap lunchtime tikka masala. It’s pretty good for what it is, which is sort of an Indian cafeteria. Not the greatest the area has to offer, but it is a step up from Chevy’s. I used to eat lunch there a lot, but since my office moved closer to market street a while ago it’s been a bit since I checked it out.
The best Indian food in the city is the Indian over on Fillmore off Haight (lower Haight), but that’s not close to the convention center.
To Yelp! Zip code is 94105
Exemption is granted in this rare case, but ONLY if the aforementioned guest resides over 100 miles from an In N Out burger :)
Its worth pointing out however that if a good bit of fast food is whats on tap then SF also has some fantastic non-chain hot dog joints which are worth checking out.
Damn now I want one.
While I would actually argue with SF’s self-appointed status as a “world-class food city”, you can get some really freaking good mexican here. Take bart to the mission and Taqueria Cancun and get the burrito with the whole scooped out avacado and the fresh orange/carrot juice if you want good mexican. I’ve had some good food at Maya, but taste/price is miles better in the mission.
Chris
Seriously? If SF isn’t one, what exactly is a world class food city? Whether it is the best is debatable, but San Francisco is pretty much the definition of a world class food city. I mean you can not only get just about any type of ethnic cuisine here, but get really excellent quality in just about any type of ethnic cuisine. There are lots of awesome restaurants at every price level. SF has more restaurants per capita than any other city and some of the best chefs in the world work here.
Of course, there are some deficiencies. There’s only one decent real Deli I know of (Moishe’s Pipic, mmmmm, pastrami) and the pizza here is lacking compared to my time on the east coast.