One Bay Area thing I haven’t seen mentioned. Go to Muir Woods if you get a chance (a short drive/ride out of SF north over the Golden Gate Bridge - make parking reservations if driving).
One of the most beautiful places on the planet, IMHO.
Ooh, Wayfare is really close this time. I’ll definitely hit that one.
Preferences are to generally stay within a comfortable walk from my hotel. I’m not in terrible shape, so that’s pretty much all of Chinatown, a few blocks around Union Square, and probably all the way east to the Bay would be fine too. I’d be okay Lyfting a few miles. No dietary preferences, and budget is probably anything up to mid-range since I’m on the company dime, but I don’t think they’ll blink if I treat myself once during the week.
My thoughts on shopping are much less serious, more along the lines of “Can I get a knockoff handbag or something hilariously touristy to bring to my wife and daughter.” Although maybe the airport is my best bet there.
I noticed that a couple of places recommended last time have added some pickup and delivery options since the last time I was here, so I’ll make sure to revisit the previous recommendations as well.
Never been to any of them - but at least it got a conversation started for SadleyBradley. But I am always on the lookout for good + cheap, rather than good + fancy + expensive, when I visit someplace, so that caught my eye.
As wonderful as Muir Woods is, it is pretty overrun with tourists. If you’ve got a car there are probably equally cool places. Maybe Henry Cowell, down near Ben Lomand. I grew up in Sunnyvale, and that was really nice back then.
If you’re very alert you may get lucky and spot that black guy who still lives in SF.
Oh, WTFever. Come to the Lower Haight, where I live, look around, then take the 22 bus north up Fillmore for five minutes. I won’t even mention Bayshore, Silver Terrace, and Hunters Point.
Or, if you’ve read the dozens of articles in the international press about how the Mexican working class has been driven out of the Mission, go down to the hipster strip of Valencia (which is what white people who don’t live here are referring to when they say “the Mission”) and then walk a few blocks east to MIssion Street, look around, and never take this kind of thing at face value again.
Time to necro this thread.
This week I’m out to visit mom in her Santa Clara nursing home. A couple hours in the middle of the day is about all that the staff can stand of me (and she’ll sleep half of that time anyway). There’s nothing to do in the south bay, so I booked a hotel near Union Square. If it’s not raining I’ll pick some dinner spot and walk there (I’m OK walking as far as the Marina for the right food).
But if it is rainy, which the forecast says it will be Tuesday at least, I’m thinking I should hit some place on the Peninsula where I can park the rental car. Is there a good seafood place anywhere from Mountain View on up to wherever parking ceases to be a thing that you’d recommend? Any favorite other cuisine, in case I actually feel like something different once Tuesday actually rolls around?
Plenty of good seafood in Half Moon Bay. It’s a little touristy, but I can confirm the blue crab sandwich at Sam’s Chowder House is hella delicious. There’s like half-a-dozen great seafood restaurants in HMB, though. Some really nice sea views, too.
I like that idea. Haven’t been to HMB in many years. We used to go to a big pumpkin patch there every year when I was a kid. I guess either Sunnyvale didn’t have pumpkin patches, or my parents just liked getting to the coast.
Sam’s clam chowder is decent, as is the rest of the food. Still a bit touristy but… you won’t have to worry about your car.
The two somewhat affordable best sushi spots IMO are Robin, but that’s in Hayes Valley and a bit of a walk (you can always Uber), and Tataki, which is… lower Pac Heights-ish. For seafood (and wild game food), Angler on the Embarcadeo is awesome.
Union Square is a mess and I wouldn’t really recommend anything around there.
There’s been a lot of food changes in the Marina so not super confident in speaking to that too much anymore.
— Alan
Thanks, Alan
The Marina was more just about how far I’d be willing to walk if need be, as opposed to a particular desire to eat at the Marina. There’s always the trolley, also.
Looked at Angler’s web site. Nice. In most other cities it might not be a spot for a single person wearing jeans & a hoodie, but that probably flies just fine in San Francisco.
I know blue crab were starting to be seen on the west coast - is there actually a fishery now, or does Sam’s fly in blue crab from the east coast? (my bet is on the latter) Looks like dungeness can only be taken north of Point Arena right now, so I guess either I missed that season or it’d be extra expensive.
I believe the general dungeness season is over, though personal fishing may still be available.
I dunno where Sam’s would get their blue crab, though I imagine that’s an east coast/gulf coast thing.
— Alan
From Union Square you’re a 20 minute walk to Swan Oyster Depot. I haven’t lived there in years and don’t know how bad the line has gotten but I would 100% go there for seafood.
Here’s Bourdain talking about it:
Edit: Missed that it sounds like you’re going for dinner, if you have a lunch or breakfast free this is still the best place
I guess tasty is tasty - but the idea of being on the ocean eating crab that had to be flown in that far is a bit weird. And I looked up the dungeness season - they closed it early (2 weeks ago) because the humpbacks are moving through.
Will look into breakfast. I’m planning to walk up to The Coffee Movement at least one day (~ 1/2 mile from my hotel, though up and over the hill - it’ll do me good)
Lunch I will be in the South Bay both days.
Swan Oyster I don’t think is worth the wait, which was still 2+ hours last time I was there.
— Alan
If you are staying in the South Bay/SJ area spring - fall, we do enjoy a good concert at the Mountain Winery:
It’s a great venue where you can have dinner and wine before a concert out on a deck overlooking the whole South Bay Area, and it’s a great, open air concert venue.
3d view:
Last June I stayed right on Big Basin Way in Saratoga. They rolled up the sidewalks at 8pm. I don’t think any concert hit on my 2 or 3 night stay.
You’ll be in walking distance of Wayfair Tavern, which is very good. I’d look into a reservation if you can, as it gets busy and it’s not a large space.
You’ll also be very near Pacific Cocktail Haven (PCH), which I highly recommend for a premium cocktail or two. The owner/operator, Kevin, is a great guy and has cultivated an exceptional staff.
If you’ll be in the downtown San Jose area at all, I can make a bunch of other suggestions as well, as that’s my neck of the woods. Glad to introduce you to some of my favourite haunts and such.
I was there probably 35 years ago. A friend of my brothers worked there beginning his wine making career.