I’m going to SF and I’m looking for some good places to eat. Ideally places that are more the locale favs or the hard to find places. Don’t have to be expensive and I would prefer non sushi places. Any suggestions?
What area are you going to be in? Downtown?
Not an obscure hole, more of a tourist restaurant, but I always like Julius Castle at Coit Tower. Great view of the bay plus decent food, and it’s been around a very long time.
[pause to look it up]
OMG, it closed a couple of years ago! No! Even their domain has expired. Sigh.
I’m going up to to help a buddy of mine who is moving there. He’s going to be working in San Rafael, but living in SF. My wife and I are trying to put a package together that includes great places to eat and I’m hoping this thread might provide some good places.
The House of Prime Rib on Van Ness is one of the best restaurants in the city (if you’re not a vegetarian). On the pricey side, but a real nice place with a touch of class and, of course, exceptional prime rib.
House of Nanking on Kearny near Columbus is arguably the best Chinese place in SF. The owner/chef is an absolute master. It’s on the small side, so be ready to wait a bit.
Son of a bitch! I used to LOVE that place whenever I could get down to the Bay Area and had time to actually sit down and enjoy a meal.
Julius Castle had great Italian food in the 80s. Then they had good French/continental food in the 90s. Now they have cobwebs. Ah well.
Mama’s is a great breakfast spot in Washington Square (North Beach). Get there very early on the weekend, because there’s often a wait of 30-45 minutes. On a weekday, should be pretty clear.
This! if you like Chinese food at all, the service is very curt, but who cares. If you are more into a sit down and have a slower meal, they opened another location called Fang which is a more traditional restaurant experience.
A bit off beat, but I high recommend Gracias Madre, its a VEGAN Mexican restaurant in the mission. I absolutely love going here when I have friends with alternative eating habits over, and I am not even a vegetarian, but this place is great. (18th and Mission)
Another spot in the mission for breakfast is Saint Francis, classic 50’s style diner, but off the hook brunches, come early the hipsters flock here on Saturday/Sunday mornings and take up all the seats.
For lesser known restaurants, I’d recommend the ones featured on “Check Please Bay Area” that garner good reviews.
It’s a show where each episode has three guest locals that each recommend a different restaurant for tasting and review by the others. People tend to pick more obscure places that aren’t tourist traps.
Just click on each of the seasons. May, but not all, of the restaurants are in SF proper.
I always enjoy Harris’. It’s a very good steakhouse, so it runs on the pricey side, but worth it.
I’ve been meaning to go to Gary Danko, but haven’t gotten there so far. I’ve heard nothing but good things.
Duh, vegan.
(I kid, I kid! But hey, they could be run by al-Qaeda pedophiles for all I care if they can make a good al pastor.)
hahah are they owned by the same people? I know that Cafe Gratitude is run by nut jobs (seriously its creepy in there), but didn’t see anything about Gracias Madre in that article…
Gracias Madre is owned by the same folks who own Gratitude, yeah.
If you get out of the Downtown/North Beach area and to the western part of the city, Q is in the Inner Sunset, around Clement and 3rd Ave. Lots of good places to eat along that stretch of Clement, too.
Hahahha gross, that sucks damn cults.
@ work, so didn’t spend that much time poking around the website. Now I have to find a different place to bring my vegetarian friends, its just annoying because 90% of the Mexican places near my house cook their “vegetarian” food with lard, and that does not mix well with wimpy vegetarian stomachs
We really like Dosa, South Indian food, and was recommended to us by people who would know.
My favorite burrito spot in the mission is Cancun, but that’s just asking for a fight.
Great thin crust wood oven pizza Delfina, intimate little spot, we liked the counter just fine…
Henry’s Hunan. There are several location, so pick one. I particularly like the Smoked Ham plate.
I second Dosa and Delfina, followed by dessert at bi rite creamery.
There’s a place downtown called Amber that’s pretty tasty.