We have one night in SF this weekend and will have my 50th birthday dinner there. We're staying at the Ritz Carlton and have a reservation in their dining room for dinner.....apparently a prix fixe, multi-course deal. Should we do this or are there better choices? Cost doesn't really matter this time, just want a delicious experience. Level of "fancy-ness" also really doesn't matter...just gotta be great!

The Ritz Dining Room is nice but for your 50th I think I'd pick Gary Danko, Masa's or Fleur de Lys! Cheers.

Or based on you lack of interest in level of "fancyness" but wanting "great" I'd also suggest Farallon or Boulevard.

Boulevard is excellent. For special occassions we like to go to the Fifth Floor - you can request tables 1 or 2 which are private booth like spaces with curtains that make you feel as if you are king or queen of the world. It's just your party, fabulous food, and attentive staff. Wonderful without being overdone.

If you are lucky you can meet our governator for dinner! Schwartzenegger is staying at Ritz Carlton those days for fundraiser. You will know if he is still there by the protestors outside.

This hotel looks magnificent from the outside, but it's incredibly old and so over rated.
We stayed there for three nights last fall in a one bedroom suit, and the toilet seat was pealed off and discolored, it was so disguisting.
The bed was comfortable though!

We checked out one night earlier than we'd planed and headed to the new Four seasons hotel. Everything was new and clean, but the location is so commercial and far less charming than Nob Hill.

I would consider staying at the Intercontinental or the Fairmont on Nob hill, and have dinner at the Ritz's dining room.

Wow. If I were staying in a Ritz Carlton and the toilet seat was peeling off, I'd pick up the phone and let them know. I'd be willing to bet within an hour or two it would be replaced. I sure wouldn't stay there for three nights without doing something about it if it was "disgusting"!

They gave us another room after we complained, which had a better toilet.
This hotel needs to undergo some serious renovations I am telling you.

We stayed at the Ritz in SF two summers ago - there was nothing about the hotel that was run down or old. In fact, they were attending to the exterior of the hotel which looks fabulous. We had dinner one evening at the Ritz and while it was good, I much preferred the Sunday Brunch experience when celebrating my birthday with my family. There are many great dining experiences to be had in SF but unfortunately it was my pre-Fodors days, so I don't remember any of the names. I defer to others who have a better memory than I

Happy 50th Birthday!

Well it got run down last year then !

I wouldn't miss out on Ron Siegel's exemplary cuisine and the overall service at the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton. He put Masa's on the map when he use to helm it.

Ritz San Fran is not run down.

Of the 30-40 Four Seasons/Ritz/Mandarin hptels I have stayed at over the last 3 or 4 years...it is easily in the Top 5. It's one of the best hotels in the world.

This hotel's lobby has been renovated recently, it's just amazing. But the toilets are run down so bad.

The RC in San Francisco is a beautifully maintained property. The spa is outstanding - found all toilets to be clean and in top functioning order. It is not run down at all.

Please don't say all toilets 'cause you haven't seen'em all.

gee, have you?