San Francisco Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in San Francisco - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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29 Recommendations
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1. Alta CA
$$$ | Civic Center | AmericanThe creation of lauded chef Daniel Patterson, this pretty restaurant has creativity to rival that of Patterson's Michelin-starred Coi, but a much less formal vibe. A 25-seat circular bar dominates the dining room, while small plates dominate the menu. The fried brussels sprouts are pure crunchy bliss, while the delicate homemade pierogi is a mainstay but with seasonal accents, like pumpkin. Located across from the Twitter and Uber HQs, it attracts the hoodies, but also the pretheater crowd. This is one of the city's few great food experiences after midnight on weekends.
1420 Market St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-590–2585Known For
- Homemade pierogi with seasonal fillings
- Creative cuisine
- Good cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed for lunch on weekends, Closed Sun. -
2. Benu
$$$$ | SoMa |Chef Corey Lee's three-Michelin-star fine dining mecca is a must-stop for those who hop from city to city collecting memorable meals. Lee, formerly of French Laundry, meticulously ties together cooking techniques and ingredients commonly seen in different cuisines of Asia—such as xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and kimchi—with a deft gastronomic touch. You may find spectacular dishes like an haute take on barbecued quail with black truffle steamed buns, or charcoal noodles with caviar and giant squid. Bare-wood tables and a hip, minimalistic interior guarantee concentration on the plate. The tasting menu is mandatory and memorable, with a couple of choices for diners in the final two large presentation savory courses.
22 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA415-685–4860Known For
- High-end dining
- Phenomenal wine pairings
- Stellar service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
3. Birdsong
$$$$ | SoMa |Despite its gritty location a block from Market Street's roughest section (take a cab or rideshare directly to the restaurant), this sweeping, elaborate tasting-menu restaurant with a refined forest-wilderness theme is a destination for discerning fine-dining lovers from all over the country. Chef and co-owner Christopher Bleidorn spread his wings here at his first solo project after working in the kitchen at some of San Francisco's top kitchens (Atelier Crenn, Saison, Benu), and each of the 11 or so dishes he and his team creates is a masterpiece in presentation and taste. Diners are usually still dreaming about the magnificent caviar and cornbread course months later. The superb wine program and sharp service further elevate the experience.
1085 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-369–9161Known For
- Incredible aged meat dishes
- Beautiful open-kitchen setting
- Creek-raised trout prepared three ways
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
4. Boulevard
$$$$ | |Celebrated local chef Nancy Oakes' high-profile, high-priced eatery in the historic 1889 Audiffred Building has been attracting well-dressed locals and flush out-of-towners since 1993. A striking belle époque interior (originally designed by Pat Kuleto and later touched up by Ken Fulk, both star local architects) is the setting for sophisticated American food with a French accent and a distinct local California produce twist. The main dining room has a three-course set menu with several options in each course, while most of that menu is available à la carte in the bar area.
1 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA415-543–6084Known For
- Any pork chop preparation
- Polished service
- Lively bar area
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
5. Coi
$$$$ | North Beach | Modern AmericanAlthough Daniel Patterson no longer presides over the kitchen, under chef Erik Anderson his Michelin three-star restaurant is still a can't-miss destination for exquisite, rarefied dining in a womblike space that features natural linens, soft lighting, and hand-crafted pottery. The eight-course tasting menu focuses on seafood and prizes obsessively sourced, highly seasonal ingredients in dishes such as Dungeness crab with grapefruit, Champagne, and bay leaf.
373 Broadway, San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-393–9000Known For
- Fine dining
- Seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood
- Three Michelin stars
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch., Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Lazy Bear
$$$$ | |There’s no end to the buzz around chef David Barzelay’s 12-plus-course prix-fixe seasonal and imagination-driven dinners, which might include guinea hen with English peas and morel mushrooms or delicate "sandwiches" of Wagyu 'nduja pimento cheese and fried green heirloom tomatoes. An ode to the Western lodge, the high-ceilinged, spacious dining room includes a fireplace, charred wood walls, and wooden rafters. The upstairs "Den" could be the movie set for a luxury countryside estate's living room, complete with camping-themed decorative items.
3416 19th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA415-874–9921Known For
- Freshly baked rolls with butter cultured in-house
- Sensational friendly yet formal service
- Stellar beverage program
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
7. Liholiho Yacht Club
$$$$ | Union Sq. |Inspired but not defined by the chef's native Hawaii, Ravi Kapur's lively restaurant is known for big-hearted, high-spirited cooking. It offers contemporary riffs on staples like poke and Spam, as well as squid served with crispy tripe and manila clams in coconut curry. The dining room and front bar area are perpetually packed, and are dominated by an enormous photo of a beaming woman who happens to be none other than the chef's mother.
871 Sutter St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA415-440–5446Known For
- Beef tongue on poppy-seed steamed buns
- Giant mains that serve two to four people
- Beautifully composed cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch -
8. Nightbird
$$$$ | Hayes Valley |Chef-owner Kim Alter's solo debut is this small, charming, seasonally focused tasting-menu destination that is an oasis of calm away from the frantic traffic of Gough Street. The five-course-plus-five-bite menus are beautifully orchestrated, served by a staff that seems to always anticipate the next question or request, making this one of the more relaxed splurges of San Francisco's gastronomic elite restaurants.
330 Gough St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-829–7565Known For
- Quail egg amuse-bouche
- Tiny art-deco adjacent bar, Linden Room
- Timing adjusted for diners with tickets to a show
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
9. Octavia
$$$ | Lower Pacific Heights |Regardless of the time of year, Melissa Perello’s upscale restaurant is a perennial favorite for diners seeking out what California cuisine really tastes like. The warm, immaculate dining room is a perfect setting for edgier dishes like the chilled squid-ink noodles starter, along with more comforting produce-driven small plates and entrées. Imaginative desserts and a top-tier wine program round out what is one of San Francisco's definitive dining experiences.
1701 Octavia St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA415-408–7507Known For
- Exciting preparations with peak-of-season produce
- Spicy deviled egg starter
- Truly professional service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
10. Rich Table
$$$ | Hayes Valley |Sardine chips and porcini doughnuts are popular bites at co-chef Evan and Sarah Rich's lively, creative restaurant; mains are also clever stunners, including pastas like the sea urchin cacio e pepe. The room's weathered-wood wallboards, repurposed from a Northern California sawmill, give it a homey vibe. There's a nice selection of wines by the glass and artisanal cocktails. Reservations are not an easy acquisition, but twelve bar seats are available for walk-ins. Try their fast-casual option a block away, RT Rotisserie, if you need a quick pre-theater sandwich or roast chicken plate.
199 Gough St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-355–9085Known For
- Tough-to-get reservations
- Freshly baked bread
- Seasonal ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
11. Sorrel
$$$$ | |After a long run as one of San Francisco’s most important dining pop-ups, Alex Hong’s refined seasonal Californian cooking can be found in one of San Francisco's most dramatic dining settings, with a skylight and floral arrangements that epitomize California “good life” architecture. That vibe is reflected in dishes like a springtime dry-aged duck with green garlic and kumquat, where Hong beautifully blends contemporary techniques and local ingredients. The tasting menu and à la carte offerings change relatively frequently, but the signature sourdough focaccia and oyster with sorrel ice are staples. Hong, an alum of Quince's esteemed kitchen, is also immensely talented at the pasta craft, and an elegant pasta or two is offered each evening.
3228 Sacramento St., San Francisco, California, 94115, USA415-525–3765Known For
- Exemplary pastas
- Beautifully composed tasting menu
- Upscale dinner party vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch -
12. Trou Normand
$$$ | SoMa | Modern AmericanThad Vogler's second endeavor (Bar Agricole was the first) delivers a fun boozy evening in stunning surroundings. Located off the lobby of the art deco–era Pacific Telephone building, it excels at house-cured salami and charcuterie and classic cocktails. Arancini, seasonal salads and pickles, and mains of burgers and fresh fish round out the offerings. An enclosed patio reads like a Parisian garden conservatory. Unfortunately, noise is a real issue out there, since it's an after-work escape.
140 New Montgomery St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA415-975–0876Known For
- House-made charcuterie
- Brandy-based cocktails
- Cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential -
13. True Laurel
$ | |Hardly just a plan B for those who didn't score a table at its sibling, Lazy Bear, this excellent cocktail bar and creative small-plates restaurant by the same people offers intriguing combinations and endless conversation starters in a cool modern setting. Menu standouts include California halibut ceviche and fried hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Don't-miss drinks on the cocktail side include the signature "In the Pines, Under the Palms," a smooth sipper of toasted coconut rye, Terroir gin, and vermouth, garnished with a small redwood sprout.
753 Alabama St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA415-341–0020Known For
- Patty melt
- Inventive cocktails using seasonal produce
- Excellent weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays -
14. Zuni Café
$$$ | Hayes Valley |After one bite of Zuni's succulent brick-oven-roasted whole chicken with warm bread salad, you'll understand why the two-floor café is a perennial star. Its long copper bar is a hub for a disparate mix of patrons who commune over oysters on the half shell and cocktails and wine. Nearly as famous as the chicken are the Caesar salad with house-cured anchovies and the chocolatey flourless gâteau Victoire. The most cheerful spot to sit is at the tip of the pyramid window near the bar, easier to score if you plan a late lunch.
1658 Market St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-552–2522Known For
- Seasonal Californian cooking at its best
- Under-the-radar lunch and late-night burger
- Beloved margarita
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. -
15. Bar Agricole
$$$ | SoMa | Modern AmericanThanks to celebrated bartender/owner Thad Vogler, this sleek LEED-certified spot is a haven for cocktail hounds. Be sure to enjoy the creative libations, but don't neglect the terrific food, either. Settle in at a table, set with recycled denim napkins, either on the leafy patio or in the real looker of a dining room that uses reclaimed whiskey barrels as wall slats. The Cal-Med cuisine with local ingredients showcases land-and-sea snacks like salumi and fresh oysters. The bar gets boisterous at night, but the sophistication of the space entices all age groups. A downstairs room can seat larger groups.
355 11th St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-355–9400Known For
- Cocktails
- Green design
- California-Mediterranean cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.–Fri. -
16. Bar Agricole
$$ | SoMa |This sharply designed spot is just as notable for its food menu as its renowned mixed drinks. Owner Thad Vogler is the city's leading voice on single-origin spirits, so any visit should include a few sips of Bar Agricole's own spirits. To go with the beverages, the culinary side is fresh and fun, often uniquely partnering global influences with local ingredients.
1540 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-341–0101Known For
- Sourdough with tinned fish or duck liver
- Exciting vegetable-centric dishes
- Impeccable spirit-forward cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
17. BIX
$$$ | |With its Jazz Age vibe, live music, discreet alley location behind the Transamerica Pyramid, and spectacular bar and bi-level dining room, BIX would be worth a visit for the impressive setting alone. However, it's also one of the city's finest restaurants for special occasions that don't require a tasting menu; continental and upscale American fare get fresh modern takes, often with a few haute elements.
56 Gold St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-433–6300Known For
- Classic cocktails
- Potato pillows with caviar
- Career servers who remember your name after one visit
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch -
18. Foreign Cinema
$$$ | |Classic films are projected on the wall of a large inner courtyard in this hip, loftlike space while you're served stellar seasonal California cooking, and weekend brunch brings throngs fighting for a spot on the patio for some of the city's best egg dishes and Bloody Marys. The majestic atmosphere enhances plates of perfectly shucked oysters on the half shell and sesame fried chicken.
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA415-648–7600Known For
- Warm brandade appetizer
- Excellent cocktails at the restaurant and adjacent Laszlo Bar
- Pop tarts and croque madame at brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays -
19. Frances
$$$$ | Castro |One of the hottest tickets in town, chef Melissa Perello's simple, sublime restaurant is a consummate date-night destination. Perello's seasonal California-French cooking is its own enduring love affair, with standouts including the savory bavette steak, grilled Sakura pork chop, and panisse frites. For dessert, the lumberjack cake is a perennial favorite. The space has a limited number of tables, the tasting menu changes weekly, and service is professional and warm.
3870 17th St., San Francisco, California, 94114, USA415-621–3870Known For
- Lumberjack cake
- Neighborhood gem
- Reasonably priced tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
20. Gary Danko
$$$$ | |This classic for prix-fixe dining has earned legions of fans—and a Michelin star—for its refined and creative seasonal California cooking, displayed in dishes like glazed oysters with Ossetra caviar and juniper-crusted venison. The banquette-lined rooms, with stunning floral arrangements, are as memorable as the food and impeccable service. The cost of a meal is pegged to the number of courses, from three to five, with several choices in each course. The wine list is immense.
800 N. Point St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA415-749–2060Known For
- Table-side cheese cart
- Soufflé for dessert
- Reservations are hard to get
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch, Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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