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Brad Keeton

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San Francisco Recommendations

by Brad Keeton » Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:01 pm

Sorry to post this here--I posted in the travel forum a few days ago, but only got one response (thanks, John Greenup). Our trip is coming up rather soon, so I moved it over here in hopes of getting some suggestions. My post:

Sorry if this has been covered ad nauseum, but all I could find were requests re: San Fran and Napa, etc., and most were sparsely responded to. I'm looking only for San Fran.

We'll be spending 10 days in the San Francisco area. I'm looking for:

A. General recommendations of not too $$$ places that are must-eats, including good suggestions for lunch and for watering holes.

B. One or two good choices for fine dining in close proximity to Union Square/Financial District, the closer to the Palace Hotel the better.

Thanks!
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Gena W.

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Gena W. » Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:26 pm

Hi Brad,
We went about a year and a half ago so these places should still be relevant.
Elite Cafe (for drinks) Fillmore St.
Izzy's Steaks and Chops - Casual, reasonbly priced. Steiner St.
Kuleto's - Nicer Italian. Powell St. in the Financial District
Bobo's - Another steakhouse with great food but an odd circus theme. Lombard
Top of the Mark for drinks and the view
Rutherford Grille - casual eatery for lunch in Napa area.
If you happen to go over to Muir woods or what have you in that general area, there is a great place called Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley right off the freeway. Looks like it's on the entrance ramp.
Have fun.
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Steve H

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Steve H » Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:04 pm

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Kim H

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Kim H » Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:29 pm

Brad Keeton wrote:Sorry to post this here--I posted in the travel forum a few days ago, but only got one response (thanks, John Greenup). Our trip is coming up rather soon, so I moved it over here in hopes of getting some suggestions. My post:

Sorry if this has been covered ad nauseum, but all I could find were requests re: San Fran and Napa, etc., and most were sparsely responded to. I'm looking only for San Fran.

We'll be spending 10 days in the San Francisco area. I'm looking for:

A. General recommendations of not too $$$ places that are must-eats, including good suggestions for lunch and for watering holes.

B. One or two good choices for fine dining in close proximity to Union Square/Financial District, the closer to the Palace Hotel the better.

Thanks!

Hi Brad,

When are you leaving? One of my best friends lives in the San Fancisco area, and I can ask her. She is an artist, and has some chef and wine friends, etc., and has good taste. I'm due to call her anyway, but I'll post your request in an email so she has the specifics.
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Jeremy J

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Jeremy J » Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:32 pm

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Steve H » Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:58 pm

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by SheilaB » Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:01 pm

I recommend the Ferry Building.

If you go on Tues or Sat. the outdoor Farmer's Market is in full swing and you can buy all sorts of fruit, cheeses, veggies, bread etc. etc. etc. and have a great little picnic outside on the pier.

The rest of the week you'll have to make do with the numerous restaurants, shops, and bakeries inside the Ferry Building. I've been told by several reliable sources that The Slanted Door (vietnamese) is particularly delicious. IF you like cheese you MUST go to the Cowgirl Creamery store and the french macaroons at Miette are scrumptious - I didn't know I liked macaroons until I had one of theirs.

http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com ... t_list.php
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JustinHammond

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by JustinHammond » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:11 pm

I just got back 2 weeks ago.

The Pier 1 farmers market is a must. It was the greatest market I have ever seen. It is only open Tue and Sat. Most of the market is behind the Ferry Building.

Traci Des Jardins has a mexican place in the Ferry Building (Pier 1) called Mijita Cocina Mexicana. It was pretty good.

http://www.mijitasf.com/

We also ate at Pier Market. It is located on Pier 39 (The Tourist Pier), but the food was excellent. No heat lamps and local Boudin bread, fish, crab, wine, beer, and produce.

TCHO Chocolate on Pier 17
http://tcho.com/

Rose Pistola (Excellent Grilled Octopus with Fava Beans, Fennel, Arugula & Lemon)
http://www.rosepistolasf.com/

If you make it to Rose, just down the street is a Rogue Ales Public House. If you like beer don't miss this place.
http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php

We had a horrible meal in China Town, but snacked our way through the Chinese markets afterwards and wish we would have done it from the start.
"The idea is to eat well and not die from it-for the simple reason that that would be the end of your eating." - Jim Harrison

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by JustinHammond » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:16 pm

I forgot:

Buena Vista Cafe (Irish Coffee first served in the U.S. here and a great view)
http://www.thebuenavista.com/

Tiernan's Pub (Locals everywhere)
http://www.tiernans.com/
"The idea is to eat well and not die from it-for the simple reason that that would be the end of your eating." - Jim Harrison

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Nimbus Couzin » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:35 pm

Ritual Roasters on Valencia is a great coffee joint, with deserts too....easy to find food in that neighborhood.

Millenium on Geary is gourmet vegan. Amazing. Herbivore on Mission or Divisidero is casual vegan, but also super high quality.

So many great burrito joints in the Mission, but I can't remember names.

And of course plentiful great falafels left and right. Made to order right in front of you. Dirt cheap...

I'm getting hungry

-Nimbus
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Mark A.

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Mark A. » Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:51 pm

1) Kuleto's across the street from Union Square........ excellent Italian.
2) John's Grill on Ellis St. (I think ?). It's close to the big Marriott downtown. Great steaks.
3) Larkspur on the top floor of the mall downtown by the Nordstrom's. Great steaks too.
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carla griffin

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by carla griffin » Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:18 pm

Emailed my niece who lives in CA and lived in S<F for a while. And she is an amazing cook. The following are her suggestions...


Fine dining near downtown – Michael Mina is highly rated, very cutting edge California. Farallon has good seafood (but the foie gras is amazing), high end near downtown. A fun place close to downtown is called Plouf, they only serve mussels of all different sorts. Boulevard is top drawer as well, close to the embarcadero and Market St. - an SF staple.

If you have to go to Fisherman’s Wharf, eat at Gary Danko, it is fine dining, small, clubish, quiet and very good. Otherwise, avoid it at all costs. Although, it is sort of fun to walk around down there early morning before all the tourons get there.

Fun dive bars down there are The Owl Tree, divey, cool, old fart bartended. There are also several Irish pubs on Geary close to Union Sq that are lively. Downtown is not where I would go for nightlife. Although, in SOMA there is a place, very SF ,called Asia SF – the food is pretty good, the drink are great, and the entertainment is so worth it – very fun.

The best place to go out at night is N. Beach – there are endless bars, and endless Italian restaurants. Strip clubs if you are into that. The golden triangle in N. Beach consists of 3 of my favorite bars of all time – Vesuvio’s, Specs and Tosca. All historic and awesome. Fun place to eat is Enrico’s and sit outside -

A nice bar downtown is the bar at the top of the Sir Francis Drake hotel, The Starlight Room, great views. Also, on Nob Hill is the Top of the Mark at the Mark Hopkins hotel, steeped in history, a great place for drinks, not food. Across the st is the tonga room at the Fairmont, campy, fun place to go after you have had a few already.

Bourbon and Branch where you have to go online and get the password to enter the speakeasy. Dark, old speakeasy, very cool. Never mind the fact that it is in the hood, and bum fights break out all over the place – it adds to the ambiance. Don’t wear your dockers and SF t shirt down here.

Liverpool Lil’s is a cool old bar next to the Presidio. And there is a little french place next to it called the Curbside Café, cute, bistro style, nice, reasonable.

Club Delux has the best bloody mary on sundays, it is on the Haight.

Also on Sundays it is fun to take the ferry to Tiburon and have brunch at Sam's on the water, get there at about 10 to get a good table and watch the boats come in, sit in the sun and enjoy a bloody. Then take the ferry back and walk around the Ferry Plaza, get some snacks and sit outside and enjoy – or dine at one of the many restaurants down there. Good oysters there BTW.

For lunch/brunch you must go to Dim Sum on Sat – go to Ton Kiang on Geary – it is sort of far away, off the beaten path, but it is the real deal and sooo good. Be prepared to wait in line.

Also great food is at Aqua, fine dining, seafood.
Carla
There is one thing more exasperating than a wife who can cook and won't, and that's a wife who can't cook and will. ~Robert Frost
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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by carla griffin » Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:22 pm

Also asked my brother in CA. He's in S>F frequently
The following are his suggestions. Hope this helps.

Fog City Diner-lunch and a great bar near the ball park
Suppenkuche-cheap with huge steins of real german beer
Scala Bistro-great menu and great wine list just off union square
Anjou-very French also off Union Square
Slanted Door-in the Ferry Plaza-Vietnamese with superb wine list
Aqua- remarkable,expensive but worth it-sea food
Tadich's grill-my favorite lunch place(sit at the counter) very old time SF
Boulevard-Pat Kuleto interior and (sometimes) white truffles
Betelnut-indonesian beer joint with surprising dishes and good prices
Balboa Grill-best hamburger in SF(part owner is Gavin Newsom-the mayor)
Campton Place hotel-for a VERY fancy breakfast
Carla
There is one thing more exasperating than a wife who can cook and won't, and that's a wife who can't cook and will. ~Robert Frost
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Nimbus Couzin

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Nimbus Couzin » Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:16 am

I didn't see the watering hole comment.

Zeitgeist is my favorite place in town (and I'm a former brewer). I think they have a full bar, but not sure. It is a biker bar, but funny, because it is mostly non-motorized bikers (i.e. bicycles). Great huge outdoor seating area with picnic table. Great urban feel. Fantastic beer selection.

Jealous......
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Steve H

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Re: San Francisco Recommendations

by Steve H » Fri Jun 05, 2009 8:26 am

And if you make it over to Sausalito....

Get the Cioppino at Scoma's. (street view)
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