San Fran dinner and fun
 

Going to spend one Friday night in San Fran on Oct. 28 - where can we get a great dinner, cool atmosphere?

<b>Betelnut, Union Street</b>

Call 415-929-8855 for reservations.

Had a good time at O'Reilly's Holy Grail on Polk a few months ago. =P~

Just don't confuse it with O'Reilly's Irish Pub on Green.

I would look into Alice Water's famous Chez Panisse across the bay in Berkeley.

Go to Betelnut on Upper Haight St.

Asian fusion with great atmsophere.

Cha Cha Cha on Haight; Foreign Cinema on Valencia; Zuni on Market; Plouf on Belden Lane; and numerous other places--just depends on your definition of cool atmospher.

Some of the numerous others--Luna Park, Mecca, Town Hall, A 16, Oola and Chez Papa.

A16...pork loin.......... =P~

Thanks for these amazing suggestions! I was also told City Scape and Shanghai 1930...any feedback on either of these?

Check out Slanted Door, Ozumo, Delfina.

Betelnut is on Union Street, Haight Street (just to clarify one poster's info).

I've had drinks at Shanghai 1930 b/c my hubby works nearby, but I've heard the food isn't so great.

Like someone else said, it kind of depends what your definition of cool atmosphere is. Are you looking for NY cool with a younger (20s-30s)crowd? Or just good food in a lively atmosphere. For example, you'll have a really wonderful meal at Town Hall (one of our faves), the atmosphere is loud, but the crowd is mixed bordering on older (I am in my late 20s, FYI). It's relaxed and not too much of a &quot;scene.&quot; If you give us more info, we may be able to give you better options.

oops, I meant Betelnut is only on Union Street and not on Haight street.

Shaghai 1930 is upscale Chinese and tries too hard IMHO to make people think they are cool by being there, i.e. manufactured cool; Cityscape is restaurant on top of Hilton hotel, more known for lavish brunch--you are paying for view--so I guess you could say it has a cool view, not my idea of a cool atmosphere. What are you looking for? To many SF residents the coolest restaurants are the ones that serve the best and most interesting food, and if it hasn't been discovered by the masses, even better. Just keeping up with new places is a competitive sport!!!

If you are looking for Asian, I'd agree with Slanted Door.

No on Shanghai 1930. Food is on a par with one of those old chop suey houses but at highly inflated prices.

For sky high prices and great food and &quot;cool&quot; atmosphere, try Aqua.

For great fun, good food, and a terrific sangria, try SAB's suggestion of Cha Cha Cha.

SF is generally pretty cool at night, so bring a sweater or a wrap. :S-

I like the restaurants along Belden Place. There're several nice ones. It's an alleyway in the financial district. Google for a website.

Warm evening = Belden Place and its outdoor tables.

Late night and/or rain = Oola

My great dinner/cool atomosphere place is WAY the hell out on Mission (near 30th). It's called The Blue Plate. You can sit up front and watch the cooking, in the middle room with the paintings and low lighting, or if it's a warm night and you've made a reservation, maybe you'll be lucky and snag a table in the tiny but luxurious garden. Seasonal cuisine at its best, good wine list, very clubby and intimate (esp. later in the evening). How cool? Well, they played the soundtrack from &quot;Shaft&quot; the first time I ate there - I was not the only diner boppin' in my seat.

Hi all -- wow -- thanks for the great info!!! Let me be more descriptive on what we are looking for -- that might help too...

There are two couples going, we are all 30. Coming from Chicago and looking for what people who actually live in the city consider a cool atmosphere, so nothing that is touristy.

By &quot;cool&quot; i guess we mean cutting-edge atmosphere, good food, crowded...aka...the place that everyone is talking about right now in the city.

I looked at Betelnut online and it looks really good...kind of the scene I feel that would work...any others like this?

After bars? Swanky place that has music?

Hope that helps, really appreciate all of the suggestions! Getting excited for my trip!

Look at Bix.

The newer, cool places are Myth, A 16, Oola, Town Hall, Quince. Delphina is still hot. The newest Valencia street restaurant is Range. Betelnut is OK, but certainly not a cutting edge, destination restaurant.

A16. The King of Slow Food just ate at A16 and said it was the best food he's eaten outside of Italy.

Their meatballs are simply the best.

I vote for Cha Cha Cha

:))