Fodor's Expert Review State Bird Provisions

It's more or less impossible to score a reservation for a normal dinner hour at Lower Fillmore's game-changing restaurant, but once you nab a golden ticket, you'll be rewarded with fascinating bites served from roving carts and an à la carte printed menu. The food has an artsy bent to it, and the colorful dining room with pegboard walls adds to a vibe that's part high-school art room, part bohemian dinner party. Choices include half dollar–size, thick, savory pancakes stuffed with sauerkraut; kimchi-soaked yuba tofu served with Dungeness crab; and about two dozen nightly creations. If you can't get into State Bird Provisions or need to hang out for two hours on the waiting list, the restaurant has a more casual sibling (Anchovy Bar) around the corner (1740 O'Farrell St.) that is a perfect choice for light bites and some sherry and wine—and the food is so great that you might end up eating a full dinner there.