San Francisco recommendations
 

My family (with 2 kids: 7yrs/12yrs old) will be in SF this spring break (4/11-4/15). We will be staying at the Powell hotel in the downtown area. We would really appreciate any suggestions of restaurants to eat in Chinatown or the surrounding area. Should we get the 3-days Muni passes for $15 or are we better off just paying when we get on. Thanks in advance.

It's best to get the pass. SF has very good public transportation and you will need to hop on and hop off all the time.

Get a copy of the "San Francisco Transit Map and Street Map" which lists all the muni, bart, caltrain, etc. routes in bright, easy-to-read colors. Costs about $4. I got my copy at the Cable Car Museum recently and wished I had had it earlier. Very, very handy.

Places to eat in Chinatown: If you want to try for dim-sum (~ 11 am - 2 pm), then try either the New Asia Restaurant or the Miriwa Restaurant, both on Pacific about a half block north of Grant Avenue (the main drag for Chinatown).

For dinner, try the Far East Cafe on Grant, near California Street.

The cuisine at these three establishments is very authentic and will not break the bank. Avoid the tourist traps.

Something your entire family may enjoy is visiting a fortune cookie company. The most visited is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company at 56 Ross Alley. This is up the hill again from Grant. The alley is between Jackson and Washington. Buy a bag of their "Unfortunate Fortune Cookies" if they have them for sale. These are the pancakes that did not make it to Fortune-Cookie-Heaven.

Have fun!

Alioto's at lunch (much more affordable than at dinner)It's located on Pier 39 and the food is wonderful!!

Cafe Pescadore- I believe lunch and dinner prices are similar. The Chicken Marsala is YUMMY!!! two blocks up from Pier 39. It's located right next to the Best Western.

Scala's in Union Square- right next to Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

Sunday Brunch at the Palace Hotel- pricey but BEAUTIFUL setting and wonderful food!

Have a wonderful time!!!

Where did you find $15 pass for 3 days? Muni's weekly pass $12.

http://www.sfmuni.com/fares/fareinfo.htm#basic

Weekly Pass: Good for one week, from Monday through Sunday. Valid for unlimited use on all Muni lines. Cost is $12 for each week. There are no senior, disabled, or youth weekly passes. You must pay an additional $1 to ride the cable cars.

Muni Passports are good for unlimited rides on Muni, including cable cars. 3-day and 7-day Passports are good for three or seven consecutive days, 1-day Passport $9, 3-day Passport $15, and a 7-day Passport $20. You can buy a passport at the cable car turnaround at Powell & market, at the airport or any of the locations listed here: http://www.sfmuni.com/php/farezip.php?prod=3-Day

I recently dined at Cafe Pescadore and had a really fantastic meal. I've tried over and over to recreate their proscutto wrapped mozzerela and have only marginal but yummy success. ;)

Your kids will enjoy a stroll through China town and who wouldn't consider the Tonga Room at the Fairmont on Nob Hill (UPPPP Powell Street) a hoot!

After lunch at Kuletos (fantastic)near Union Square we took the Cable Car from Union Square to Ghiradelli Square and walked over to Fisherman's warf. We walked from Fisherman's Warf, through North Beach, China Town and then up to Nob Hill. It was a great day.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I was referring to the unlimited rides pass that Margie also mentioned. We'll probably take the same route that Suzie did for one day of the trip. We also plan to take a trip to Napa Valley one day and will search this site for recommendations. Thanks.

Tony if you're going to Napa Valley you have to do the Wine Train! www.winetrain.com
Its a great experience.
The Top of the Mark has the best Sunday brunch I've ever had. Also their is a Crab House on Pier 39 that had the best Dungeness crabs and shrimp if you like Seafood.

Tommy Toy's downtown was wonderful but not cheap.

The Far East Café: YES! For dim sum, Gold Mountain would be a lot of fun for you and the kids, especially. It's a huge place, and servers push big carts around with the dishes to choose from.

Sears Fine Foods is apparently back in business, and it's famous for dollar pancakes at breakfast. It's very near Union Square (maybe half a block up toward the Sir Francis Drake).

North Beach Pizza!

Go to Sonoma instead of Napa. The drive is much better, the place is prettier, not as touristy, and most tastings are free. In Napa, you'll spend too much time fighting traffic.Have fun! I'm taking my kids in June.

Google Tix by Mail for theater and concert events, often at reduced rates.

My 11 year old love the Sony Metreon. An entertainment complex on Mission between 4th and 5th. Easy available parking and easily accessible from Bart. Great food park style food and virtual bowling for the kids! Have a great time.

If you're interested in doing any museums, Exploratorium or Alcatraz, check into the City Pass which also includes your transportation for the cable cars as well as the buses. I believe it costs around $28 for children, not sure about adults. It also has some discount coupons for the Fishermans Wharf area.