San Francisco Restaurant Recommendations w/ teens
 

I would love some recommendations for restaurants in San Francisco for some casual, yet moderately priced places. We'll be traveling with 2 teenagers, and the cost adds up quicly. What are your favorite casual places? I've been trying to do a search on this forum for restaurant ideas, and most of the recommendations seem to be for expensive gourmet restaurants, which is not what we're looking for. Italian, seafood, American, French would all be great. Thanks!

Ton Kaing for Chinese dim sum lunch. Make reservations, it's packed. It's also in a seemingly unlikely spot in a commercial area to the west end of town.

Hi bellairegirl, for Italian in North Beach teens seem to love the MonaLisa which is on Columbus just a few steps down from the cross street Vallejo. They have a very good business, residents and tourist. I have recommended it to other Fodorites with teens and they have been quite happy with this restaurant and prices are not outrageous. Location is 353 Columbus. Their phone no. for reservations is 415-989-4917.

Also may I suggest that you go to the SF Chronical website which is: www.sfgate.com. You will find a lot of information regarding inexpensive restaurants with reviews.

Teens can be expensive, don't they love to eat, lol. If you need any more help please post back. And surely others will post back with suggestions. BTW, I noticed you didn't mention Chinese or Mexican food, that often can be a good bargain.
Best regards.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, sgorces and LoveItaly. They would definitely be interested in good Mexican food too! They're not as fond of Chinese, though.

Mexican bellairegir, the Mission district might be a good place. Do check out the website I gave you. Due to food allergies I cannot eat Asian food or Mexican food (generally speaking) but the SF Chronical does a decent job of giving information regarding menus, prices, noise level, parking etc. Do have fun in SF..most teens really enjoy being there.

We had a pretty good pizza at North Beach Pizza. There are several locations around town; we ate at the one at Pier 39, which has a nice view overlooking the water.

Dim sum might be different enough to intrigue your teens even if they don't like Chinese food that much. We had lunch at Gold Mountain in Chinatown - around $20 for the four of us.

Our other lunch was at Boudin Bakery at Fisherman's Wharf - big sandwiches, reasonably priced.

Lee Ann

Ditto 'Picks suggestion of No Beach Pizza. Especially the Pier 39 location if you're with kids...

Capp's in No Beach inexpensive, good Italian in a very casual restaurant.

Fog City Diner. Cool looking 50's style diner with good comfort food menu.

Taylor's Refresher in the Ferry Building. Good burgers, fries. Ahi burger with spicy sweet tater fries is a Kal Fave! =P~

Some super cheap and excellent restaurants on Jones St...for example Shalimar(fantastic Indian about $6 per person) a very good Moroccan restaurant next door at about the same price. Also any of the "Naan and Curry" fast food restaurants all over town are really good value.Clement Street is great for Asian markets and restaurants.

Beetlenut on Union STreet (not to be confused with Union Square). Not only is the Asian inspired food fun and cheap, they'll love being surrounded by a crowd of 20 somethings.

Morrocan and Indian for teens? :-?

Forgot about the In n' Out Burger at Fish Wharf.

Buena Vista Cafe near Fish Wharf if you can get in.

Kal...my 2 year old Grandaughter eats Moroccan and Indian!! If OP's teens don't eat ethnic food..she can just ignore my post.

<i>Sheesh</i>...So sorry.

Kal...you obviously read too much in my reply to you. I was just saying that my kids eat ethnic food...maybe others do too. No offense meant to you.

....'so kay....:`( no problem....:'(
I'm cool...

&gt;&gt;&gt; Italian, seafood, American, French would all be great. &lt;&lt;&lt;

That's all I'm saying.

Hi Kal!

Buono sera, bella!

I am keeping Mincey's recs because Mrs Kal has been trying to drag me to a local Moroccan resty up here.
If I'm going, I'd rather do it in SF!((Y))

There's nothing gourmet about this place (you somewhat specified that in your initial post), but you might want to try Cheesecake Factory at the top floor of Macy's in Union Square. At the basement is a sort of food court, but including Wolfgan Puck's cafe - quite good.

Tomasso's on Broadway, near Kearny, I think serves one of the best pizza in San Francisco.

A little fancier would be some French food at Plouf at Belden Place.

Swan Oyster Depot for seafood:
http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/profile/885734
I also like Red's Java House near the base of the bay bridge, for breakfast or a quick burger lunch. The Ferry Building in the Embarcadero area has some reasonble quick eats. I also like Lefty O'Doul's, Union Square for Hof Brau style food. There's another good breakfast place in the Union Square area (reasonable) that my mind is blanking on.

I agree with the Mission to get mexican food (i.e., burritos and tacos) or other cheap eats.

In the Mission, Pauline's Pizza is great (Valencia b/n Duboce and 14th). Supposedly a new location of Little Star Pizza http://www.littlestarpizza.com/ is also opening up soon on Valencia and 16th. Both good for teens. There is also Ti Couz (crepes), Pakwan (Indian).

For burritos and tacos, everyone has their favorites. La Taqueria (mission b/n 24th and 25th Streets) has great tacos. For burritos, there are taquerias everywhere. La Cumbre (Valencia and 16th), El Farrolito (mission &amp; 24th) are good. Check out http://www.burritoeater.com/ for some serious burrito reviews in SF.

If you can't make it to the Mission, Pancho Villa opened a branch of their taqueria right next to the Ferry Building (across from Taylor's refresher).

I agree with Taylor's Refresher and dim sum. Can you make reservations at Ton Kiang? I don't think you can on the weekends. Get there early. Yank Sing www.yanksing.com is also good, but it gets pricier if you order their specials. Stick to basic dim sum and it won't be too bad.

Try Mama's on Washington Square in North Beach for brunch. Be prepared to wait.

Happy Eating!

SFN,
I heard good things about the new Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chop House from my SF restaurant gossip.
You?
Old Fiore di Italia location. May be too pricey for bellairegirl?

There is a funky burger joint on Polk across from the The Rex cafe whose name I forgot that 2-3 people in SF told me to try that bellaire may want to try.

Suppenkuche for German food in the Civic Center area, Antica Trattoria for Italian food in North Beach, Betelnut for Asian fusion in Cow Hollow, Bocadillos for Basque food downtown, Park Chow for comfort food near the park, and Baker Street Bistro for French food in the Marina.

Kal, can it be Polkers burgers?

And if you want some of the best pizza in the Mission, go to Delfina's Pizzeria. They have their regular, and very good Italian restaurant, and the pizzeria which just opened a few weeks ago.

Faina, baby!!!((I))((I))
Yep. That's it. Good 'un?

YOU try! And if you live to tell about it...

(never been there)

Kal,

I've checked out the website of the new Joe Dimaggio's Chophouse, but haven't checked eaten there yet. I also haven't heard to much buzz about ti. Maybe someone here has eaten there and can give a review?!

It does look yumm...I mean delish!

We were going to come down the first Sat in Aug and was thinking of hitting it but our plans changed.

I'm still a big &quot;Washbag&quot; fan bit I'd make an exception.

I also heard the reopened Fiore is only &quot;mezza mezza&quot;.

Hi trinnpkj, you are no doubt thinking of Sears for breakfast which is on Powell St., one half block up from Post St (where Union Sq is) on the west side. Also the so called 50's style cafe, Lori's, down another block on Powell St., past the Villa Florence Hotel is a place teens like bellairegirl.

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! Feel free to keep them coming. And yes, I looked into all kinds of ethnic restaurants for us to eat at for our vacation last summer in Montreal, and they were unanimously shot down, but you never know....

I appreciate the input.
Susan

I think the &quot;International Teenagers Union&quot; bylaws may have something to do with it.

L'Italy...isn't there a Lori's over in Ghiradeli Sq too?

Hi Kal, I am sure there is more than one Lori's but the only one I have seen is on Powell, down from Geary, so I am not sure where other ones are.

bellairegirl, I do love Plouf's in Belden Place but do not know if it would fit in with your budget and if your teens would like it. You sure have a wealth of places in SF to chose from.

There is a Lori's on Mason St...near the Handlery Hotel. I had forgotten about Lefty O'Douls..super for breakfast...great service and always quick, which is good for teens!! Have not esaten lunch or dinner there..but prices looked good and there are plenty of TV's playing all the sports channels.

Lefty O'Douls..my daughter loved to have lunch there when she was a teen!
It is a HofBrau..big thick sandwiches, hot dishes, very inexpensive. That is a great idea. They are on Geary..just a few steps west of Powell St (right where the St. Francis Hotel is) and Union Sq.

Alohaaa...I checked the website on Lori's and as Mincey said one on Mason and a few others.

Lefty O'D's makes a pretty decent Irish Coffee too....for the adults of course!

We like Lori's Diner at Ghiradelli Square. Good burgers &amp; onion rings. When the weather is nice the outside tables are great. Wonderful views of the bay and in a fun location. Close to the cable car turnaround.

You'll find the young locals gravitating to the restaurants on Chestnut, near the Marina. Also, some of the places on Haight. Check out Clement Street for the real Chinatown. Lots of great Asian cuisine, not all Chinese. My favorite is Burma Star. It can be tough to find parking there.

Loveitaly- No it wasn't Lori's or Sears, although those two are decent breakfast and lunch options.

I found it. Dotties True Blue Cafe:
http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/p...ditorialreview

Dotties is fantastic for breakfast...but pretty pricey if you have to feed teens.