i know this is a frequent subject, but here goes.

in two weeks, i will be taking my wife to sf for her 30th birthday. i want to make her b-day night special with a top notch restaurant. i am looking for an overall excellent dining experience (great food and ambience (sp?) and am willing to spend up to around $250 (including drinks, not big on wine) out of the following, which would you recommend:

Falloran
Aqua
Chaya Brasserie
1550 Hyde
Boulevard
North Beach Restaurant
Tartare
Scalas
Sociale
La Foile (sp?)
Fleur de Lyes (sp?)

thanks for the help.

Fleur de Lis, right?

Hands down- Tartare---

It is the original chef from Aqua, who left to go to the 5th Floor and now has opened his OWN restaurant..

We ate there in Oct of last year and it was to die for!! Food is totally unusual...

Go to chowhound.com and ask this question..Hopefully, you will get a good answer also...

We LOVED this restaurant...

We have been to Aqua, Fifth Floor,
Boulevard and still feel this one is the best... The interiors are INCREDIBLE also...

Hi choochbetucci, what a great husband you are! If it was my birthday I would want to be taken to Scalas. Their website is www.scalasbistro.com if you want to check it out.

Whatever you decide I sure hope you and your dear wife have a fantastic evening and dinner!

Mark Chaya off your list. It's a nice place, but not on the short list.

We had a great lunch at Scalas. Wonderful linguine with clams. Enjoyed the lunchtime atmosphere but wonder what it would be like for dnner. Tables are pretty closely packed and may not be the most romantic of locations.

You could do worse than Kuletos where we did have dinner - very good.

I really like Boulevard. You could get a drink first at the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building.

I am a big Farallon fan myself & it is a 'fun' place as well as having great food & service.

I've been to La Folie.....everything was very good and so was the service. I'd consider it a "special occasion" restaurant but I think some of the others have better ambience?

Many, many restaurants here in SF are quite noisy - by design (long story). That makes it "not romantic" for me - more of a "party atmosphere" instead of an intimate dinner with my wife. Boulevard, Gary Danko, & Aqua can be that way at times. Haven't dined at Scalas recently, but last time I did it was quite noisy. I also don't think it's in the same class as some others on your list. Same noise/quality opinions for North Beach and Sociale. Social is quiet, but it's pretty much standard Italian, and the last time I was there I had trouble picking out an appetizer that was unique & something I can't do in a wink at home. I consult SFGate.com for restaurants I've never tried, and I eliminate any of them over 3 bells (noise rating). Someone mentioned Slanted Door. If you want some big time noise, go there.

I have not dined at Farallon, Chaya, 1550, or Tartare. Many friends rave about Farallon.

On anniversaries or birthdays, we dine at La Folie, Gary Danko, or Fleur de Lys. I prefer Roland Passat's style at La Folie over Hubert Keller's at Fleur de Lys. I like Gary Danko's also, but the noise & some recent grumblings about the service from friends would put this behind the other two (although I like his cooking style more than Keller's). I read several years ago that more marriage proposals are made at Fleyr de Lys than any other restaurant in SF. La Folie just redid their interior, but I have not been there since they did.

Stu Dudley