San Francisco Family Restaurants
 

Hello, Can anyone please suggest family friendly (teenagers), not too expensive, restaurants in the San Fran city area. We are staying in Union Square and will be touring the city. Thanks!

Ask the hotel concierge-that is what they are there for

Buena Vista Cafe, Joanie's 50s diner, Beach Street Grille, Cheesecake Factory @ Macy's....

On yelp.com you can put in the address of your hotel, bring up the restaurants nearby, then filter down to within 1 mile or within 4 blocks, etc. With reviews of each restaurant.

Scala in the Sir Francis Drake hotel which is near your hotel - not necessarily reasonable but right in Union sq area, Puccini and Penetta (sp?) for pizza not too far from union square, Lori's diner - breakfast lunch and dinner, In/Out Burgers but that is on the Wharf closer to Ghiradelli sq.if you are heading down that way. I don't consider Cheesecake Factory reasonable and Buena Vista Cafe is not necessarily for teenagers and it is very crowded. there are lots of reasonable Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. Ferry Building on the Embarcadero has a burger type place. A great deli is Molinari's in North Beach if you are touring around.

Shar,

Agree on Molinari's. Great salumi.

Pick up a Zagat Survey at your local bookstore. If not available, get one at the airport.

thank you all. I do have a tour book, but love personal recommendations.

With teenagers, I think that as long as the food is reasonably good they're happy. What most teens really love is a good "scene."

I went to the Frank Lloyd Wright building (the Xanadu gallery) on Maiden Lane a few years ago. Maiden Lane is closed off to traffic and there were some casual little bistro type places with tables in the street. It was very chique. Thought to myself at the time, I really ought to bring the kids here when they're a little older. Hasn't happened yet so I can't give you details. But it's on my list and is right by Union Square.

For teens iin Union Sq - Uncle Vitos Pizza Deli - it;s not a deli, it's a family Italian resto w/ good pizza and pasts, very reasonable, right on Bush and Powell. It's popular and small so there might be a bit of a wait but never too long.

The food court in the basement of the BLoomingdales/Westfield Center on Market has several outlets ofrregular restaurants - Buckhorn Grill, Andale Mexican, Bistro Burger - it can be noisy, and it's a food court, but goodvaluyue if oyu're trying to feed hungery teenagers AND there's now a Ghirardelli outlet there for your chocolate fix.

The Mona Lisa (Italian)

Capp's Corner in North Beach. There used to be lots of places like this, but it is one of the few restaurants serving family style Italian meals remaining in the neighborhood. Reasonably priced, crowded and lively, great for teens.

http://www.cappscorner.com/docs/CappsDinnerMenu_10.pdf

Agree with the Chinese restaurants, especially those in Chinatown. The teens might enjoy dim sum, in particular. If they're picky eaters, maybe take them to the restaurant first before touring the markets.

And touristy as it is, Fisherman's Wharf for seafood. We go to Scoma's which is sort of hidden in the back away from the crowds.

Is Sears Fine Foods still on Union Square? It's good for breakfast.

Actually a lot depends on the individual teenager. Some are very picky, and others are foodies in utero. (My son ate sushi when he was 8. The downside is foodie teenage boys are more expensive to feed.)

Note the Mona Lisa resto is NOT cheap and i would not take a pack of hungry teenagers there.

Another vote for Sears in Union Square - not super cheap but good food and huge portions!

mztery,
The Mona Lisa's entrees are all less than $20 and many of them less than $15. My teenager thoroughly enjoyed it. I just looked at the menu-of the 100 or so Items I only saw 4 that were above$20.

I assume that the OP meant a family of 2 or 3 teens, not a "pack" or busload as you suggest. It is nice enough, but certainly not an over the top kind of experience.

It's fine if you don't like my suggestion, but you suggested somewhere in the exact same pricing category, IMOP.

And I suspect a very similar atmosphere(I haven't eaten there.

@spirobulldog - I have no idea what you are talking about. The only places I recommended are

UncleVitos - top enter is $11.75.And it's nothing like Mona Lisa - more like a diner atmosphere

Sears - good for breakfast/lunch as portions are huge.

Food Court in Westfield Center - inexpensive ranges, nothing over $10 anywhere.

Mona Lisa is NOT inexpensive. I stand by my comment.

Sears and Mona Lisa yelp gives them both $$

This is moderate to lower priced. It is inexpensive. Cheap, no. Inexpensive, yes. The OP asked for inexpensive.

Why criticize a place that I suggested(specifically you mentioned price nothing about atmosphere, food, service, etc)then you suggest Sears which is the same price range.

That was my point.

Tripadvisor

Sears--$20-$30
Mona Lisa $1-$25

http://sanfrancisco.menupages.com/re...nte-mona-lisa/

http://sanfrancisco.menupages.com/re...ars-fine-food/

again-same price range and read the reviews. both places get mixed reviews. I'm not disputing that Sears is good/bad/great whatever. My point is that it is about the same price range wise and appears to have similar reviews. So, don't criticize my post when your post is nearly the exact same.

$20-$30 at Sears - for what, gold-plated pancakes? If Sears is $20-$30 per person, stay away, itmisn't worth it at all!

Not sure what your teens would want. Is it guys who are giant eaters and don't care what it is as long as the portions are humungous? Or is it teems looking for the trendy - and wanting to see someone famous.

What cuisines do they like dislike (hope it's not kids that eat only pizza and chicken fingers) and what is your budget? (Not too expensive can mean a lot of different things.)