Where to eat in San Francisco? - YouLookFab Forum

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Where to eat in San Francisco?

Queen Mum

Veteran

My college room mate and her husband are coming to SF this weekend for a conference and we are going to meet up with them for dinner Saturday evening. I already know what I'll wear... my Bellatrix Tunic, skinnies, and black boots, but we really don't frequent SF so we need suggestions for good places to eat. Nothing overly fancy, nothing loud and clubby either (we're all old and un-hip) Somewhere "smart casual" and good food.

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14 replies

Latest reply was from Mae

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The Slanted Door!

Queen Mum

Veteran

looks good, but the earliest reservation for Saturday night is 9:00. I would be so hungry I'd be eating the table cloth by 9.

Auburn

Veteran

Ooh, this is MY kind of post (as a SF resident and foodie)!
Slanted Door is fun for groups because it offers sort of family style portions but it gets REALLY loud because it is so big and always, always crowded. SF is a total reservation town so you definitely want to book now.
I love Foreign Cinema for guests--it's a cool place in the happening Mission area with options for outdoor seating and a great, fresh and seasonal menu.
If you're up for raw fish (but not sushi), I LOVE Bar Crudo.
Another place that is always a hit and just off the radar enough so that you can usually get a ressie without a problem is The House. It's a tiny little spot in North Beach that does Asian fusion, emphasizing fresh seafood, with the best of them. Never disappoints!

Others that are adored (by me and Yelpers) and potentially worth a look--these should all be on opentable.com: Dosa on Fillmore (south Indian food in an upscale setting; great for sharing plates); Absinthe; Maverick (small, cute spot in the Mission with great soul/southern food); A16 (a beloved Italian joint in the Marina that just reopened after a redecorating hiatus so you MIGHT actually be able to snag a table); Bar Tartine (a longstanding Mission fave featuring fresh ingredients and a daily changing menu)

Or if you have a specific neighborhood and/or cuisine in mind, let me know!

Queen Mum

Veteran

Auburn-- thanks so much for the great suggestions. I'll look into each of those (other than the raw fish (scrunchy face)
I'm not concerned about the area so much, but I do know that they are staying at the Embarcadaro... so walking distance from there wouldn't be a bad thing. But we can drive too. Actually, somewhere off the beaten path sounds nice.

Auburn

Veteran

The House would be a long walk from the Embarcadero but totally doable. With driving, you run the risk of having to deal with parking which is a nightmare in every neighborhood (though at least some have garages).

Another fun place in the Financial District (very walkable from Embarcadero) is Barbacco--sister to Perbacco and a casual but lively place doing small Italian plates that are perfect for sharing. They use ipads as their wine lists which is sort of fun and everything I've eaten there is incredible!
You may want to look at Wayfare Tavern--Tyler Florence's new spot. Also in the Financial District it can get a little bit "scene-y" because it's new but the food is intended to be laid back comfort food and I had a great experience there the one time I went.

Queen Mum

Veteran

okay, so far I have 2 reservations... 5:30 at Barbacco (which is probably too early as our friend are landing at SFO at 3:30) and Foreign Cinema at 8:30. I'll keep working on it. 6:30 ish would be ideal... I guess I should have gotten on this sooner

Auburn

Veteran

Perhaps they didn't appeal, but Bar Tartine, Dosa and Maverick all have openings at that time (for 4 people) on Saturday...

Auburn

Veteran

As does Mission Beach Cafe which always has great food and is fun but not overly trendy or loud. A cute neighborhood joint!

Queen Mum

Veteran

are those places within walking distance of the E?
I got anohter reservation for The House for 6:30.

Auburn

Veteran

Nope, none of those are walkable from Embarcadero...
I think The House is a great choice! Sort of tucked away and hidden among random Irish bars in North Beach. I hope you like it--please let me know how it goes!

Queen Mum

Veteran

okay, then I'll stick with the House

Auburn

Veteran

Did you end up going to The House on Saturday?? Would love to hear about it if you did (or where you went if you didn't)!

Queen Mum

Veteran

ah, I meant to message you Auburn. Yes, we went to The House and it was fabulous. We all got something different and everyone loved their meal. We got the Lobster appetizer and it was absolutely incredible.. followed by the Sea Bass and the best asparagus I have ever in my life tasted. Thanks so much for the recommendation. My only disappointment was the fact that there was literally 6 inches between our table and the table next to ours. It made getting in and out a bit awkward. Atmosphere and comfort is really high on my list, but it was still a really great evening. Our friends enjoyed their time too and raved about the wonderful restaurant I selected Thanks again for taking the time to suggest some great places.

Mae

I'm drooling reading through this thread. How I miss SF! It's been way too long.
(Auburn, congrats on the Giants win, incidentally.)