Best restaurants in San Francisco
 

We have 3 nights in San Francisco in June. We are staying near Union Square- any good restaurants in walking distance or a short drive and not outrageously expensive?
What are some of your favorites???

hello mavip, you do not indicate what type of food you prefer so it is a bit difficult to answer you question but here is the website for Belden Place which is just a few blocks from Union Square. I and so many others that love mussels really enjoy eating at Plouf which you will find on this website:

http://www.belden-place.com/

If you like Italian food and don't mind a bit of a walk here is a restaurant which is well thought of, the owner/chef use to be the chef at Scala's which is on Powell St. at Union Square.

http://www.perbaccosf.com/

Just two ideas to get you started. San Francisco has so many wonderful restaurants. Do be aware a lot of restaurants are now adding on an extra cost to their check to cover the required health insurance coverage for their employees that the City of SF now requires..the amount should be stated on the restaurant's menu. Just wanted to mention so you will not be taken by surprise if that occurs. Enjoy your time in San Francisco!

Cortez is right near Union Square and has a Michelin star -- not hugely expensive, but certainly not inexpensive either. More information would certainly be helpful.

Two suggestions:
Search for StuDudley's san francisco suggestions on this forum for many great ideas including restaurants. then go to www.sfgate.com for the 100 best restaurants list that was published last week. or find it here on a recent post. I'm too tired to look for it now -- sorry! ;-)

Here's a quick list of the top ten restaurants in San Francisco to get you started. Hope this helps!

http://what-are-the-best.com/the-bes...staurants.html

Claudia, whose top 10 list is that? I don't agree with SF Gate's entire Top 100, and I definitely don't agree with everything on this Top 10. Harris? Seriously?

Thank you all for your help. Did not know about the extra charge in SF restaurants. Do they all charge that health insurance fee?

Hello mavip, if memory serves me right restaurants that have 20 or more employees MUST supply health insurance for their employees per the newish SF law. So any restaurant that falls into that catagory that doesn't show a seperate charge no doubt has it included in the price of the food on their menu (which personally I prefer). There are various charges in the SF restaurants. A few Fodorites ate at a restaurant in the Civic Center area a few weeks ago..I think the comment was that the restaurant charged an additional $5.50. IF there is an additional cost it should be stated somewhere on the menu. If I can find an article on this subject I will post it here. The additional charge won't break the bank but it is good to be aware of it. And do not tip on the extra fee if you are charged for it.

Yes, health insurance charge, and people take it off their tips, so in many places the service is down, unfortunately.

Are you staying in the Union Square area with a car? Have you checked the parking prices?

Yes, and we can't believe it. Where's the recession???? We were told of one garage for overnight parking that is $22.00. "A real bargain"!!!! All the rest are $50 and over. It's worse than NYC. After all this- on second thought are there any really great restaurant "deals" in SF? Or any less expensive ones that are really good?

We do have a car.

Mavip, what type of food do you two like? And about what amount do you want to pay each evening for dinner for the two of you excluding drinks, tip etc.

BTW, I meant when calculating the tip I I would not include the charge for the Health Insurance. In otherwords do tip on the Health Insurance charge. Personaly if I had good service I wouldn't subtract the amount of the Health Insurance charge from the tip but many people evidently do so.

And yes, parking costs are terrible.

Italian, Asian, Thai, Fushion, Seafood. WE LIKE TO EAT!!!

Check out Gitane on Claude Lane. It was just named one of the top 100 restaurants. You can easily walk there from Union Square. Check out sfgate.com and look for the Sunday April 5,
It will list the other 99.

Many places are now running prix fixe menus.

For a lower cost, lower key meal, we head to Ti Couz. They serve very delicious crepes. It is nice once in a while for a change of pace.

Ti couz oui oui!

We're dining at Aziza this Saturday - one of our favorites. Check it out on SFGate.com and on Fodors too.

Stu Dudley

Pam! Our palettes are similar. No?

iamq~queer ideed:)

When I was in San Francisco, I ate alot of meals in the Ferry Building. There are alot of options and quite reasonable prices. And you can do a little shopping at the great little shops there too. Definitely worth checking out. My pick is Taylor's Refreshor. Nothing fancy, but great burgers

:-d

I are one!

i'm a fan of www.belden-place.com as mentioned by LoveItaly in the first post

Tadich Grill is a traditional restaurant and you can walk to it from Union Square. Cioppino is excellent and so are sand dabs. Get there around 6 and you should have no trouble getting table or sit at the counter for some fun, with little or no wait.

Restaurant Lulu on Folsom has some great food and they have some specials. {There is a Petite Lulu in Ferry Building}

http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html

Zuni Cafe on Market [take the trolley] has really excellent food. Their roasted chicken is to die for!

http://www.zunicafe.com/

Deb

Thank you all. Looking forward to eating our way through San Francisco!!!

I love Ti Couz!

Some nearby places of interest are: Mission Dolores, Dave Egger's Pirate Store at 826 Valencia http://www.826valencia.org/store/shop_wberg.html, and Balmy Alley murals. http://www.balmyalley.com/

For lower cost parking, try this:

http://www.all-sanfrancisco.com/info/parking.html

Here's a list of 100 things to eat in San Francisco before you die.
http://www.7x7.com/content/eat-drink...gs-try-you-die

And here's a Google Map someone made of these places:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0...f3f65ded5a81ad

How about Spruce? never been so would like to hear from someone who has

Spruce - Excellent & expensive. Lot more formal than about 90% of the restaurants in the City. Older/wealthier crowd.

We dined at Aziza last night. Like Michael Bauer (Chron Food Editor) & the Fodor's editors recently noted, the food there has always been great - but it has gotten even better recently. The chef is using foams now. The menu is more creative & original than about 95% of the non-Asian restaurants in the City. The $55 tasting munu is fantastic. I would rank it close with Quince as the best meal we've had in the last 2 years in the City (have not visited Gary Danko, La Folie et all in this period - the economy sucks).

Stu Dudley

Good Asian fusion at the Slanted Door in the Ferry Bldg. For lunch, Swan Oyster Bar has fabulous fish, hearty portions...Always a line...I think you would have to take a bus there however.