My husband's 65th birthday is coming up in a few weeks - it's Medicare time! (which is partly why I consider it a "milestone.")

To celebrate, I'm making arrangements for three days/two nights in San Francisco - Thursday to Saturday. Even though we live within a one-and-a-half-hour drive from the city, we really don't get there too much. I have a nice hotel booked (Union Square) and on the first day/evening of our arrival there is a wine walk on Polk Street that sounds fun.https://www.everfest.com/e/polk-stre...n-francisco-ca I'm going to get advance tickets. After that, I need to find a nearby restaurant for a nice dinner out - but nothing to break the bank. You'll see why coming up.

On the Friday of his actual birthday, we will take the Alcatraz/Angel Island tour (believe it or not, we have lived here for over 35 years and have never done Alcatraz!) - It will go from about 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For the birthday dinner, I snagged 7 p.m. reservations at Farallon, which will be our birthday splurge. https://www.farallonrestaurant.com/

Haven't planned anything yet for Saturday - maybe just wander around the city, depending on the weather. We can walk off the previous two days' indulgences! Museums in case it's rainy - De Young or Legion of Honor.

So ... any suggestions - especially restaurants around the Polk Street area for our first night post-wine tasting. And possibly a good place for a late lunch on Saturday before we drive home south along the coast.

I have spent my last 2 birthdays in SF. In the Polk Street/ Russian Hill area, we love Frascati.

https://www.frascatisf.com/

Have had birthday dinner there both years. We also had dinner down the block at a Spanish place called Zarzuela. Birthday brunch at Foreign Cinema and Blackwood(In the Marina).

On California Street, I love Perbacco for a special occasion or their lower key place next door, Barbacco.

Last year we went to the Top of The Mark for cocktails after dinner. I had lots of fun dancing, but no fun the next day at the Giants game hungover. ;(

Ditto Michelle's Polk St recommendations. But I don't think Zarguela takes reservations. La Folie is our favorite splurge on Polk, but you already have your splurge lined up. We're dining a Foreign Cinema in 1 1/2 weeks - perhaps our 15th time there.

How about taking a San Francisco City Guides walk?? San Francisco Walking Tours | City Guides
Stu Dudley

Stu is correct. Zarzuela does not take reservations. Arriving before 6 makes it easier to get in.

I love the City Guide tours

When we go down the coast we often stop at Flying Fish in Half Moon Bay for lunch.

Modern Thai is good and inexpensive if you are close to Polk and Bush.

Well, we spent a month in Thailand in January - and I'm not quite ready for Thai food yet. Loved it while we were there, but seriously it was all we had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a whole month. Still not over it.

Thanks, anyway

One of our favorite places was a few doors down, Gitane. They recently closed because they lost their lease. A little ways down the street past Claude is Caffe de la Presse. Nice too.

Gitane closed??? That was one of our favorites also. Too bad.

Stu Dudley

Well, I bought our Alcatraz tickets yesterday online - and I entered the wrong date - ouch - they are nonrefundable. So - we will be going to Alcatraz the day BEFORE the birthday, which means we will be spending an extra night in SF - as it would mean driving in at dark o'thirty the morning of the day of. So, I can use even more suggestions for lunch/dinner places. Thanks!

p.s. - we are not really sad at all to be spending an extra night there

How about Peruvian food with a view of the Bay and the Bay Bridge?
La Mar SF

Stu Dudley