Hi All,
I live in the bay area, but I don't go to the city as much as I should to dine. I would like to plan a get together for 6-8 of our friends for dinner, somewhere with ambiance, good food and music would be a great addition! We would look for a place with most entrees between $21 to $28. Also this celebration is less than two weeks away!

Tonga room in Fairmont has live music, the live band is on the boat in the middle, and there is a dance area.

Don't go too early before the thunderstorm starts, I think it's from 8 pm. You can make reservations at 7.30 if you want to avoid the cover charge.

We just had a very nice bday dinner for 4 at Quince. The prices were great and it is a beautiful room. Small though so ressies can be hard to get but we took early dinner and then went out for cocktails after

Bix is fantastic and has everything you seek:

http://www.bixrestaurant.com/flash/index.html

My wife and I love Bixx as well.

Bix is a great "place" to dress up and celebrate. The food is good, not great, IMHO.

Hi,
FainaAgain-Does the Tonga Room serve dinner? What is the thunderstorm?

BIX looks great!

Thanks so much for your suggestions.

We had a great meal at Frascati on Hyde Street last November. And there was a small group (maybe more like 10 or 12) celebrating something in a private room/alcove in the back. No music and no view but delicious food and cozy ambience.

Cannot find my report about Tonga Room, darn it!!

(sorry!)

It's a Polinesian restaurant in the Fairmont hotel, opened for dinners from 5 pm. From 7 pm you hear the thunder, see the lightning, and real rain every 1/2 hour.

At 8 pm a boat sails into the pool in the middle of the restaurant with a live band. You can tip the band to devote a song to that person who's birthday it is.

The whole place looks like a Hawaiian village with straw "roofs" and wood carvings.

The Tonga Room sounds awesome!

I love the restaurants on www.belden-place.com (but they hardly sound like they can keep up with the Tonga room -lol!)

Thanks!

Sorry, I'm just going to add my question to this thread, any similar recommendations for a restaurant with a good variety of vegetarian food for a second anniversary celebration? I thought the Tonga Room sounded perfect but they barely have any veg items on their menu. Thanks.

I've never been there, but the restaurant Millenium, near Union Square, gets good reviews (and recommendations here on Fodors).

Excited, I think that eggplant is very difficult to make, as Tonga Room is the only place that I enjoyed it. Besides, in San Francisco in better restaurants any dish can be made vegetarian style by request.

F2,
Even steak tartare? :-?

Kal, be very suspicious ordering vegetarian steak! They will put on your plate... gasp... TOFU!! and forget the fanfare!

I have been to the Bocce Cafe in North Beach several times for birthday dinners and we always enjoy it! It's very warm, great atmosphere, great patio is the weather is nice. We love going there!

The Tonga Room is very "touristy". Good place for drinks but wouldn't recommend for dinner. Ambiance is what it sepcializes in not food. Why not try one of the recommended restaurants and go out for music after. Il Fornaio is also a good choice. Gordon Biersch (sp?) is fun as well. Not elegant but lots of people. I think Momo's might be around your price range as well.

We have decided on BIX for the birthday celebration, bit love to hear about all the restaurants in San Francisco. Has anyone heard of The Fly Trap Restaurant in SF? I found it searching around and would like to go and try it sometime. Thanks for all your knowledge and being willing to share!