One last question before we head west next week - the restaurant info on these boards is a bit overwhelming. Looking for any suggestions near the Harbor View Hotel. Not looking for 'over the top', but good food, moderately priced, any cuisine. Thanks!

Are you talking about the Harbor Court Hotel?

You'll be very close to the Ferry Building and there are a number of restaurants in there. Check out this website:

http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/

I was going to ask the same question. Assuming you do mean the Harbor Court, you are near plenty. Right downstairs in Ozumo, a Japanese restaurant with a lively bar scene and good food. On the same block are Chaya Brasserie (very popular although not a personal favorite), Boulevard (very high end and wonderful food). A block away in Embarcadero Four is Osha Thai, a very good Thai restaurant. A couple of block up California Street is a very popular and personal favorite Italian restaurant, Perbacco. Of these, only Boulevard is on the super-expensive side. They're all within 3 blocks of the hotel.

If you're looking for a "snack" (which can be a meal), the wine bar at the Ferry Building is good and fun.

Yes, I did mean the Harbor Court! Silly mistake too early in the morning I guess. Any thoughts on Tadich Grill? We would like one Pacific seafood meal while in SF and this was recommended and based on the website looks nice. We would probably prefer a bit grittier, more traditional fun place than the new, upscale places like Farallon.

Tadich is supposed to have very good food. It is definitely "traditional SF". Not sure I would categorize it as fun. I haven't been there in years, though. In case you haven't seen it, these reviews are very good:

http://tinyurl.com/27o45k

dmlove - any other suggestions along those lines? We have 3 nights at the Harbor Court before a Backroads bike trip in Wine Country; followed by one last night at the Hotel Drisco. I'm thinking Italian near North Beach that last night, Sodini's looks like our kind of place. Do we need reservations there?

The nights at the Harbor Court it would be nice to do one seafood and maybe one Asian or Mexican dinner. The 3rd night we have Alkatraz tickets for the evening, so will have to have a late lunch and then a late light dinner.

Topping for one last hope to get more recommendations.

cindyj: I answered your Chinese restaurant question on the "Sam Wo" thread.

If you don't get too many responses, top again on Monday. Most people tend not to check in on the weekends.

Thanks ET. We leave on Thursday, at the Harbor Court till Sun, then on a Bikeroads bike tour of Napa/Sonoma and Bogeda Bay, then back to SF for one night. Hubby planned this trip as a 50th b-day present - MUCH better than a party! Haven't been to SF since 1983 when young and no money!

esaytraveler - just saw an older post praising the Empress of China, thoughts?

cindy: I haven't eaten at the Empress of China since I was knee high to a grasshopper, so afraid I can't comment.

We just had an early dinner at R&G Lounge yesterday and every dish was very good. This is a Cantonese - style restaurant, but I also learnt that they have Hakka dishes (always learn something new!). Seafood here is outstanding. We didn't have their signature crab last night, but the oysters we had were incredibly. HUGE and juicy. They also serve Peking duck either whole or half. Their menu keeps getting bigger and bigger and yet there is no slippage in quality.

You've gotten some excellent suggestions from dmlove.

I'm hoping that dovima and/or SAB will see your post on Monday. I have never gone wrong with any of their recommendations.

If you're looking for an Asian restaurant near your hotel, you might consider Shanghai 1930 for a unique atmosphere (jazz club meets Chinese cuisine) and great food. Check out their website at(www.shanghai1930.com) or you can see reviews on citysearch.com. It is just a few doors down from the Harbor Court as I recall and I always enjoy dinner there.

Tadich's is definitely traditional SF. Simple, hearty, non-trendy food, prepared without glitz or fanfare. And it is fun, too. Lively and unpretentious. You can't go wrong eating there, imo.

Sorry, I don't know if it's close or not, but I've got a thing for:
www.belden-place.com

There's a number of restaurants there.