Help!

College friends are flying into SJC this coming Sunday and we're planning to meet them in San Francisco for a few hours. We will have already checked out of our hotel and I need your help for recommendations of where we could meet and have drinks, maybe some appetizers and quiet conversation. If there is a little local color, that would be great too. Any suggestions?

They will be driving on to Sonoma for the night... if that matters.

Anything with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge? I'm not sure how describe exactly what I'm looking for... someplace quiet, relaxing and with a good wine list! Their wedding is the day before, they're flying in from Oklahoma City and I expect will be tired and happy.

Thanks in advance.

View of the Golden Gate Bridge: Greens in Fort Mason or McCormick & Kuleto at Ghirardelli Square

Views not of the Golden Gate Bridge are more plentiful: Ferry Building restaurants, such as Slanted Door; or Carnelian Room, Julius's Castle...

My recommended view: of the Pacific Ocean from Cliff House, Bistro side. Nice bar, nice appetizers. Great place to watch the sunset.

two restaurants that have opened recently with a lot of fanfare are pat kuleto's epic roasthouse and waterbar.
they are perched over the water along the embarcadero with spectacular views and equally spectacular prices.

the waterfront restaurant along the embarcadero has been around for years and is a great place to take visitors. the view makes up for so-so food.

the presidio has la terrasse (french bistro) and pres a vi (eclectic small plates)

most of the restaurants at fisherman's wharf will also give you good views.

if you choose to cross the g.g. bridge on the way to sonoma try spinnaker in sausalito for food and view. it seems a little touristy but the food is surprisingly good.
drinks and appetizers at the farley bar at cavallo point is another option.

>>maybe some appetizers and quiet conversation. <<

I wouldn't go to the Slanted Door if you want quiet.

Stu Dudley

What an intriguing question!

Since your friends are coming up from San Jose, Highway 280 is a beautiful drive into the city.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LandArch/sc...s/p_rte280.htm

They can continue over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sonoma, avoiding congestion in downtown SF altogether. A couple of places to meet along the way are the Cliff House, and the Beach Chalet.

http://www.cliffhouse.com/

http://beachchalet.com/index.php

Both places are atmospheric, and are near nice places to walk and explore a bit. The Cliff House has a great view, and an extensive wine list. The restaurant seems spacious and elegant, and the food is good. The Beach Chalet is more casual, but has a fun lounge downstairs with a yard area and lawn furniture where people read the paper and listen to music. The WPA murals are wonderful. You can cut across the back to the West entrance to Golden Gate Park at Queen Wilhelmina's windmill and tulip garden.

Both the Cliff House and Beach Chalet serve meals in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, which is a lovely time to linger over wine and appetizers without feeling pressured to give up your table.

Also, you will avoid the traffic in downtown SF, while enjoying a pretty view of Golden Gate Park and the Presidio.

If view of the ocean isn't that important, I would suggst Samovar Tea Lounge on the terrace level of Yerba Buena Gardens. It's got an outdoor patio, with views of the YB Gardens, SF MOMA.

The indoor lounge is comfy.
http://www.samovartea.com/

Another vote for the Cliff House, it is classy, and the environs are cool, if it's nice you can even sit outside or go down to the beach for a stroll by the waves.
It's at the very end of Geary which begins downtown, there's a bus that goes out there, of course.

Another vote for Cliff House.

Or if you're willing to drive over the bridge, Spinnaker in Sausalito has a bar with tables and appetizers.

Cliff House also has the advantage of easy parking.

I'm with Stu on the Slanted Door---it is noisy! Great food but not a place for relaxed conversation.

yea, Slanted Door is a happening place. Not only is it noisy, but I don't like to linger because I can feel the other people waiting for my table. That being said, great food, great views.

Funny about Slanted Door. Recently we had lunch with Lee's sister-in-law and oldest niece (neither of whom we'd seen for about two years) at the Slanted Door. Our reservation was for NOON, and they put us in the corner table, furthest from the waterfront (but a nice view to the side and the water). Lee is VERY slow, and we were having much conversation. We apologized for not being ready to order right away and she said to take our time. We apologized later several times for being so slow and she again told us to relax -- she even said she could tell we were having a great visit.
We were there well over 2 hours and she couldn't have been more gracious -- we felt no pressure at all. And back in that corner it was plenty quiet for conversation -- not that you could be guaranteed that.

I just remembered. I made that reservation for Slanted Door on Open Table and I am a VIP member because I use it so often. On the reservation request I wrote something like "Is there such a thing as a quieter table?" No doubt that request paid off.

Thanks so much for your comments about The Slanted Door... I am completely laughing right now because this is turning out to be THE craziest trip ever!!

I will be in San Francisco Wednesday through Sunday. It started out as a normal "quarterly meeting" trip for my company. Nice and calm.

Then a new beau I have been seeing asked suggested joining me over the weekend and going to dinner, listening to some music and carrying my packages while I shop!


Next it turns out a friend of my beau's whom he hasn't seen in 20 years, will be in the city and wants to meet... hence the purpose of this post.

Easytravelers suggestion about meeting for dinner or drinks was welcomed so I added that to my list... still plan to call you easy... will e mail later today...

Lastly, I got a call yesterday from a potential donor that wants to meet while I'm in The City. If I wrote his name you would recognize it!!! So I am furiously shoe shopping and rushing my favorite power suit to the cleaners and preparing a proposal that may very well take our capital campaign to raise a new hospital over goal!!

Wish me luck and blessings to each of you for your consistently good advice! I WILL post a report so you can all get an update on my crazy days in The City!

poor you -- getting "stuck" in SF longer than expected and having to fill your time. That's right up there with other horrible events -- like winning a lottery.

I DO feel a bit like I've won the lottery! I'm excited and happy to be going!

So... who is going to Ciiff House to crash One's party?

I can't, out of town this weekend.

If you can get your donor to pay, or expense-report the dinner, have a meal at the Epic Roasthouse. I was treated to a birthday dinner there this year and I was mightily impressed. The restaurant itself is physically spectacular, and the view of the ships on the bay is so close that it looks like a container ship is headed for your table sometimes. The "roasthouse" part is not just in name only. One of my dining companions had a NY steak and it was superb - and not just a slab of meat plopped on a dish, either - the accompaniments were great too. If you order the chocolate souffle for dessert, be warned that it takes at least 2 people to eat it.

This weekend, they are predicting near record high tempatures. Also, during the weekdays from the 17th through the 21st, there is an "Appetite Stimulous Package" dining program
http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?...99&pid=329&m=4

Your timing is perfect.

Stu Dudle3y

I thought about Jardiniere as it has a calm atmosphere.


Stu,
Have you been to Epic Roadhouse??

Not yet - but we've dined at Waterbar - just next door & also owned by Pat Kuleto. Ambience & views were A-, food was B-/C+. I had "fish & chips". Fish was OK - nothing special. Chips were WAY over salted - and I'm a big salt lover. Friends who dined there at another time, also mentioned that the fries were that way. Another couple we dined with at Waterbar did not finish more that half of their entree - and it was not because the portions were too large.

Stu Dudley