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Sushi House is so good and so affordable. We frequently order the special rolls, although their cooked entrees are pretty decent as well. You get these huge rolls, priced from $5-$10. And the ingredients are very fresh as well. We always get the Bay Scallop roll (this is a must try), Island Roll, Lion King, Poki Roll, and Cherry Blossom. The only qualm I have about this place is the wait. Always a line, no matter what day of the week and probably even the time. Expect an hour to hour and a half wait during peak hours. You write down your name on this list and wait with the other hordes of people in the lobby area. Nice view of the water though, and I heard you can make reservations for the outside patio, just make sure it's a nice day!
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Sushi House Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Cuisine: Sushi Japanese
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Alameda |
4/30/2006
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Believe the hype of this restaurant. Extremely delicious fresh fish, and excellently prepared cooked entrees. The chef isn't Japanese, but his creations definitely are unique and flavorful. We got the omakase (7 kinds of nigiri - chef's choice), agedashi tofu (yum, it's one of my favorite things to get), ankimo (monkfish liver...really rich and yummy), a special dish of red pork and scallops (it was $12...really great but small!...it was the Executive Chef's special creation), and other sushi (unagi and spicy tuna roll - both good). It's really the rice that makes a big difference in sushi, and their rice is soooo good! Service was very attentive. And the prices are on the high side but not obscene. Definitely a place I would love to go back to.
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Sushi Ran
Cuisine: Sushi
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Sausalito |
4/30/2006
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I have to agree with the other reviewers who said the wine list is intimidating. It's pages and pages of wines/sakes/champagnes/etc. They even have a table of content! But the sommelier (wine guy) was excellent in recommending wines. What a lucky guy...he pours a little to sample in his wine saucer (to ensure the bottle of wine is good). The entrees are pretty good too, but I have to say it's a bit overpriced. If I'm paying over $30 an entree, it better be up to par with the other fine dining places in the city, and I didn't feel as if it were. The pizza, though, is a good deal. Just $15, it's tasty and a good size. We got the duck chorizo and quail egg one. Never had such a unique combination as that. Service was really fantastic, we were celebrating 2 birthdays there, and they gave us free dessert (ice cream), and the plates had "Happy Birthday" on them. It's good for groups.
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Bacar Restaurant & Wine Salon
Cuisine: American (New)
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SoMa |
4/29/2006
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The burgers are really tasty and fresh. Sweet potato fries were good, but not as good as I expected. The vanilla shake was delicious. However, the amount I paid for this food (and this was shared by 2 people) came out to almost $20. And the waiting in line is crazy! It took about half an hour to order... But I think everybody will be satisfied with the quality of the food, probably just not the prices.
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Taylor's Automatic Refresher
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Hamburgers
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Embarcadero |
4/29/2006
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Fenton's is one of my favorite places to go for ice cream. I love their Black and Tan sundae (which is their most famous, I believe). Comes with one scoop almond and one scoop vanilla, with fudge and caramel sauces, whipped cream, nuts and cherry. I have to agree with the reviewer who says their ice cream is not the best, but you'll never find a creamery that's still around (well...the fire was a temporary setback). The feel of the place is awesome, though. Tons of people, energetic vibe, but a hassle for parking.
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Fenton's Creamery
Cuisine: Dessert
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Oakland |
3/26/2006
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Zachary's pizza is Chicago style with a bit of Californian twist. I've never ever tried the thin crust pizza, but who would with the deep dish option? I don't know anybody who goes here for thin crust. Anyway, the pizza here is good, but in my opinion, still cannot compare to Chicago's deep dish in terms of flavor. I think it has to do with the crust. However, you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. I would recommend getting one of their chicken pizzas or the Zachary's special (with sausage, mushroom, peppers, etc.) And pizzas here are reasonably priced...about $25 for a large. One slice puts me close to full, a second slice puts me over the edge.
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Zachary's Chicago Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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Oakland |
3/26/2006
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Maybe I'm getting more discriminating with Thai food, but honestly, I felt let down by this Osha location. I like the Osha on Geary and the one in the Mission, but this one was a disappointment in terms of the food. I went with a group of 7, and it seemed like every dish was overly sweet. I actually liked the sweetness of the Pad Thai, there's a coconut taste to it that's really distinct. But however, this sweetness didn't work on the other dishes that we got. One in particular was a noodle dish in gravy. The Angel Chicken Wings, which I heard were great, had an overpowering sweet sauce that detracted from the overall flavor. We also ordered the Spicy Eggplant dish, which was good, but covered in a lot of oil. I recommend going more spicy on this dish if you can handle it! I ordered it mild, and there wasn't enough spicyness to balance the sweet. However, the decor is wonderful and very trendy. I like the hip environment of this place...attracts a lot of ppl in their 20s and 30s.
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Osha
Cuisine: Thai
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SoMa |
1/4/2006
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Lee's Deli serves up your typical sandwich/soup/salad fare. I'm not sure why, I just didn't get good vibes when I went here. It kind of seemed like the restaurant was a bit dirty. The food was OK. I ordered a soup, and it was edible but forgettable. However, if you work around the area and need a quick lunch, this will do.
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Lee's Deli
Cuisine: Deli
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SoMa |
10/23/2005
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Sapporo-ya serves up a mean miso ramen! The broth was delicious, not too salty nor flavorless like some other broths can be. And it wasn't too "fatty" either. The noodles were cooked to perfection. Although not as cheap as some other places are, it won't set back the wallet too much (expect $8-$10 per bowl of ramen). We also ordered a spicy tuna roll, but that, unfortunately was not too impressive. The flavoring of the fish was excellent, but the rice was too abundant and too hard for my tastes. It's an unpretentious place, good for when you need a bowl of ramen to hit the spot. Also, if you're into ramen, I would recommend Santa Ramen in San Mateo. And it has a lot of delightful sides to accompany your ramen as well!
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Sapporo-Ya
Cuisine: Japanese Noodle Shops
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Japantown |
10/23/2005
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Schubert's makes very interesting cakes, different from your run of the mill Chinatown birthday cake with the white frosting (that tastes like cool whip). I tried the tropical and peach mousse cake. Delicious! But pricey for the cakes! I haven't tried anything else here, but would love to come here and see what else they have.
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Schubert's Bakery
Cuisine: Desserts Bakery
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Inner Richmond |
10/17/2005
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I like the bread that Saigon uses. I only tried their BBQ chicken last time, which was good. However, I'm not sure if BBQ chicken counts as authentic Vietnamese sandwich. Need to try the pate next time for a more authentic taste. The lines are long, but we didn't have to wait too long for our sandwich. Those two ladies sure work fast! They have a bunch of other stuff at the counter, like desserts and drinks. And the sandwiches here are cheap. You can get full off one sandwich and it will set you back only $2.50-$3.
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Saigon Sandwich Shop
Cuisine: Vietnamese Deli
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Tenderloin |
10/17/2005
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Creations is one of my absolute favorite dessert places to go to. EVER. I would take Chinese desserts like these over other kinds of desserts any day. You have got to try the mango pudding here. You can just taste the quality of the ingredients, fresh mangoes really makes such a big difference in the dessert. And their mango mochi is just plain outstanding. it's so delicious, with the real mango inside. Some other things you can't go wrong with: the sea coconut (very interesting texture), papaya and crystal snow sweet soup, sago in fruit juices and any of their specialty drinks. Of course, the downside is that it's a bit pricey for all these desserts, but I still think it's worth it. Also, it has cool posh furniture inside. Very HK.
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Creations Dessert House
Cuisine: Dessert
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Outer Richmond |
10/17/2005
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What's not to love about this place: overpriced food, girls in short shorts...? However, I do have to admit that their chicken wings are pretty good. The spicy sauced ones burned up my lips. I just think there are much better places to go to in San Francisco, as I heard one little boy call it, than the "owl" restaurant.
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Hooters
Cuisine: Pub Food American (Traditional)
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Fishermans Wharf |
10/17/2005
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I love bread, and Acme makes the best sweet French bread I've had so far. (haven't been to France yet...) It's just the right amount of nice soft bread with a crusty outside that's not too hard. And the flavoring is great. Also I enjoy their olive rolls. Yum yum! I think I fell in love w/ olive rolls after eating the ones here.
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Acme Bread Co.
Cuisine: Bakeries
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Embarcadero |
10/16/2005
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The $25 pre fixed is a steal. For mine, I got pumpkin soup (simply delicious) and the duck confit (crisp skin, moist duck). I got the sorbets for dessert, lychee was one of their flavors, which was great. I got to try my dining companions' dishes too (we had a total of 5 in our group), and the one that stood out was the crab appetizer. Escargots were good too, but they're not in the shell. The risotto had a nice accompanying sauce. Filet was nothing to write home about. The best surprise of the night was the passion fruit dessert. It was like a soup. I would definitely go for this if I ever come back. Service was a bit strange. Our waiter was French, and he wasn't unfriendly or anything, but just didn't get the nice welcoming vibes from him. Parking in the Castro is difficult to find. Don't come here if you're in a hurry for dinner. It's European style, which means your meal takes long! Ours took 2.5 hours. Wine is expensive here.
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Cote Sud
Cuisine: French (Bistro)
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Castro |
10/16/2005
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Food here is pretty good, but overpriced and especially for lunch. I just didn't feel comfortable spending all that money on Italian food! As a shared appetizer, we had the prosciutto ($14). It was too salty for my tastes...I need my honeydew to balance the cured flavor! For my main, I had a roasted pumpkin ravioli and brussel sprouts in brown butter ($17). Pasta was cooked al dente, and it was extremely tasty. Portions are tiny as well. I didn't even go for the more expensive entrees, which could easily reach $25 and beyond. Went with coworkers for lunch, and I think we all didn't expect this restaurant to be so expensive. Good place to have a business lunch. We didn't get dessert, but that alone was $8 or $9.
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Palio d'Asti
Cuisine: Pizza Italian
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Downtown |
10/16/2005
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It would be hard for me to give this restaurant anything less than a positive review overall. However, I am going to start by saying that my dish was just plain not good. I got their salmon dish, and the fish was one of the fishiest salmon I've ever had. The sauce could not cover how unfresh the fish was. The saving face was that everyone else's dishes were good (gumbo, tartare). The appetizers - calamari and bruschetta - were good but forgettable. But this place is very accomodating towards groups, and the vibe is nice and relaxed. Service was friendly and not overbearing. Good music scene as well, jazz and such. Parking in this area is a nightmare, spent half an hour trying to look for a spot!
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Bistro Yoffi
Cuisine: International Seafood
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Marina |
10/16/2005
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When my bf and I entered the restaurant, there was only one other table there. After our appetizers, they left, so we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The host (who is also the part owner; other owner is his dad) was very friendly, and we started some good conversation strings. His warm personality was one of the reasons we left him a big tip. the food there was prepared well. i had the lotte (monkfish), and i thought the consistency of the fish was just right...they had great sauces to go along with it. my bf had the beef stew, which was very hearty and would be good on a cold winter's day. i had the soup for my appetizer, and the macaroni in there was the best macaroni i've ever had. didn't think pasta could be that fresh. my boyfriend had the shrimp appetizer in the tomato sauce. the shrimp was undercooked, the way i like it. my only complaint about the food: i thought it was a bit salty. deserts were great: try the creme brulee. cute decor and i love the cicada theme!
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La Provence
Cuisine: French
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Mission |
8/18/2005
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Yet another positive review for Town's End restaurant. The great thing about this restaurant is its location. It isn't hard to get to at all by public transportation (take the N muni line, and get off brannan - one stop before SBC park). I went here for dinner, and it was such a steal for a $17.95 3-course dinner (appetizer or soup or salad, entree and desert). for my appetizer, i had the crab cake, very tasty! my entree was the duck breast in a raspberry sauce. it was delicious. one of side accompaniments was a carrot-potato pancake. i liked it because it was so different. and my desert was something with blackberries and white chocolate and some kind of pastry. it was pretty good, but i was too stuffed at that point to really enjoy it. my sister let me try her BBQ shrimp appetizer and her rib eye steak entree. BBQ shrimp was great, but the rib eye was a bit fatty and not very tender. good service and i like the breads they serve, breadsticks and foccacia were my favorites.
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Town's End Restaurant & Bakery
Cuisine: American (New) Bakeries
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Embarcadero |
8/18/2005
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Chapeau! is definitely a gem of a restaurant. We got to the restaurant around 5:30, so we made it for the early-bird 3 course prix fixe, which was only $20.25 per person (what a deal!). Everything we tried there was spectacular...we had duo of salmon and squash soup for our appetizers, quail and another salmon dish for our main course, and vanilla bean creme brulee and profiteroles for our dessert. out of everything i tried, the squash soup was my favorite. The menu offered a lot of choices (4-6 per category, I believe). Something that impressed me about the restaurant was they offered little dishes that were "compliments of the chef." In my experience, the only restaurants that ever offered those little dishes were the really expensive ones (like Aqua, Farallon, etc.). The owner and waitstaff were all very friendly. We were lucky to find parking right outside the restaurant and were immediately warmly greeted by Phillippe. If you don't make the early bird, the prix fixe costs $31.
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Chapeau!
Cuisine: French (Bistro)
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Inner Richmond |
7/9/2005
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I like how this place functions. It's very different from your typical restaurant. You pick up a card featuring all their menu items and bring it to the counter to tell them what you want. They punch your card after your first order (usually a salad), and you proceed down the line to place your second order (sides and sandwiches). I like how they prepare the salads for you in front of your eyes, and you can pick what you want in your salad. The portions are huge! The sandwiches are prepared well. Next time, I need to go for a side. They looked very good. Everything was very fresh...and I'm sure, healthy.
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Pluto's Fresh Food for a Hungry Universe
Cuisine: American salads
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Inner Sunset |
4/27/2005
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This is definitely more upscale than the Tenderloin location. The food selection, decor, and overall atmosphere are more trendy and unique compared to the original location. It's also a bit more expensive. It felt swanky sitting in here. The food was excellent! Yes, Osha Thai is another great place for Thai food, probably one of the best in the City. I had the pumpkin curry ...the flavors were wonderful, which made this dish delicious and unique. I went with a group of 8, so Osha's is very accomodating for group dining. My friends and I shared the chicken satay, spring rolls, and green papaya salad. I would recommend it all. My friends all really enjoyed the place. We were celebrating 2 birthdays, so Osha dimmed the lights inside the restaurant, brought out our Bananas Foster with a candle, and the whole place sang happy birthday to my friends. I think my friends felt very special after that. Go here if you can. Definitely recommended place!
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Osha Thai Noodle
Cuisine: Thai
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Mission |
4/7/2005
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Good times are bound to be had at this place, with their belly dancing, hookahs, comfy seating, and spiced wine. Gets really crowded...so be patient. Best to go with a group.
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Kan Zaman
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
3/29/2005
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Not the best pizza I've had, but I like the innovative Potato, Pesto, and Garlic pizza. The crust is not as thin as I would have liked it to be. It's one of those places where they warm up the pizza slice for you (since it's been out there for a while). The atmosphere is a little dark, but they have cool posters for you to look at. You should pick up a copy of SF Weekly, b/c they have a EFNY deal inside: slice of pizza and small drink for $3. Not a bad price at all. I would really like to try their "gourmet" slice (with sundried tomatoes and artichokes i believe.) Also, I would like to other EFNY locations.
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Escape From NY Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
3/29/2005
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Thanks to sfsurvey, my dining companion and I were able to enjoy an almost free dinner here. When you first step inside, you will notice 2 things right off the bat. 1.) It's incredibly dark inside, and 2.) There's a gazillion people waiting for tables. People who were waiting were strewn throughout the bar and the host kiosk. Very busy place. The staff there is extremely friendly! We got there late (15 minutes) and didn't even have to wait that long for our table (waited 10 minutes). Our server was really nice and attentive. They keep checking up on you. And the food is pretty good overall. Of course, it's not spectacular food, but good for what you get, although I do think items are quite pricey. We had the Ahi tuna salad (my favorite item), Hawaiian steak (pretty good but forgettable), Rotiserre chicken (decent), and grilled artichoke (special for the day and very good!). We didn't have dessert, b/c we were completely stuffed! Portions are huge.
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Houston's Restaurant
Cuisine: American
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Embarcadero |
3/22/2005
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Service here is so bad! The cashier gave us major attitude and kept glaring at us. It took forever to get the waitresses' attention to get us another plate. The food is alright...I think the one in Rockridge (Oakland) prepares its food better. There was so little salad dressing, and the potatoes were mushy, almost soggy. My friend and I shared one savory and one sweet crepe. Definitely huge portions...I got so full even after sharing! But their service turned me off so much, I don't think I want to be eating here again.
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Crepevine
Cuisine: Crepes Salad American
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Inner Sunset |
3/16/2005
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This is a great place for large parties. It's very loud inside the restaurant because 1.) there's a lot of people, and 2.) they play loud jazz music. The live jazz music was a really awesome touch though. Nice to have something to listen to while you're eating/talking. Getting seated is the worst. The owner is never at the host spot, so when you first go in, you don't even know who to talk to. He's always saying "I'll seat you in 5 minutes." And we asked him about 5 times. By the time we were seated, it was nearly 9:00PM, and we had our reservations for 8:15PM. The food is pretty decent...really depends on what you get. My friend and I shared the combination for 2, and some of the things were good (gnocchi, eggplant parmigiana, lasagne), but others were pretty generic and tasted like what I could make at home. Dessert was good though, a tiramisu cake that's heavy on the rum. It was pretty cheap for the dinner, and not a bad price for all the food you get.
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Bocce Cafe
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
3/6/2005
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You can order pastries from the counter, order from their menu, or do both. Their pastries look decent, but I haven't tried any. Their fried chicken wings are very good, with just the right amount of spiciness added. Their menu items are more "hong kong" style. A word of caution, though. Don't go into their bathrooms, they're disgusting.
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Washington Bakery & Restaurant
Cuisine: Bakeries Chinese
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Chinatown |
3/4/2005
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This place has a lot of history behind it: it is the oldest bakery in San Francisco Chinatown. It's very friendly towards people who cannot read Chinese because they actually have the pastry name in English. This is one of the few bakeries that I know has this. I guess the pastries are a bit on the more expensive side, but still quite reasonable. It's quite gross inside...they could really use a rennovation. My favorite dessert from them is their coffee cake. It's not coffee-flavored, but has these great coffee candies (think Kopiko if you know what I'm talking about) stuck to coffee frosting on the outside of a yellow cake.
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Eastern Bakery
Cuisine: Bakeries
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Chinatown |
3/4/2005
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This is probably one of the best ice cream places I have tried in SF. I actually like it better than Mitchell's. It's a little hole-in-the-wall, so you can barely see it. I think I missed it twice the first time I tried to find it. They have awesome green tea ice cream, which I think they supply to many Japanese restaurants in SF. They've got tons of flavors, and you can add any toppings you want. Before going here, I didn't know that "jimmies" were also known as sprinkles.
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Polly Ann Ice Cream
Cuisine: Dessert
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Outer Sunset |
3/4/2005
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Yum, I love this gelato place! I especially like their lychee gelato, very flavorful and fresh. Other good ones are mango and coconut.
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Marco Polo
Cuisine: Dessert
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Outer Sunset |
3/4/2005
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These soups are great! Very tasty, definitely not the "canned" taste that some restaurants have. This is a good place if you want a quick lunch. It's definitely price-y for soup, but it's worth it! The lunchtime deal they have is actually quite worth it: you can get a soup and 1/2 sandwich for $6 or $7, I believe. My favorite is the Southwestern Corn Chowder. I definitely want to go back and try all their soups.
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San Francisco Soup Company
Cuisine: Soups
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Downtown |
3/3/2005
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I wasn't expecting much when I went into this place. I only went in because it was across the street from Gravity Room, and my friends were in there. But surprisingly, the pizza was pretty decent! It's the thin-crust pizza kind, and very simple toppings. And they take credit cards too. I have to go try this place again.
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Blue Moon Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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Marina |
3/3/2005
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This place serves up giant gyros, at a reasonable price ($6-$8 for a gyro). Their meats are quite tasty, especially the lamb. And like the first reviewer, I tried one of their eggplant dishes (eggplant flavored with spices and perhaps balsamic vinaigrette), and it was excellent. Something I need to go back and order again. And their chicken pies are very good too. A good place to go if you want a quick bite to eat. I haven't tried their desserts yet (baklava), but I will order it next time I'm not so full.
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Gyro King
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Civic Center |
2/28/2005
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Olive Garden is your typical Italian-chain restaurant. There's nothing left to be desired from this place. I've only eaten at Olive Garden twice in my life (one of them being here at this location), and I just don't remember their food. It's edible, but very forgettable.
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Olive Garden
Cuisine: Italian
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Outer Sunset |
2/28/2005
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There's cheap dim sum here that's good! And I went here for dinner once, and I remember being pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
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Lichee Garden Restaurant
Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese Dim Sum
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North Beach |
2/18/2005
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Greasy place to eat, but hey, it's Chinese food in Chinatown. Dishes are extremely cheap here, and there are the famed Capital chicken wings (deep fried with salt) that many people love.
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Capital Restaurant
Cuisine: Chinese
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Chinatown |
2/18/2005
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Calzone's has some good pastas, although I didn't try their calzones (their claim to fame). It's pretty average in its pricing (10-15 bucks per entree). this would be a nice place to go to for a quiet dinner, and if it's nicer weather, you should asked to be seated outside.
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Calzone's Pizza Cucina
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
2/18/2005
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This cafe has decent food. It's right off UCSF (Mission location). It's also a furniture store too. I'm not exactly sure what to classify the food as. It's just a nice place to eat for lunch. Sandwiches, pizzas, paninis, soups, and salads are their staples. Everything is fresh and decently prepared, but it's not the best cafe that I've tried.
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IMG International Cafe
Cuisine: Deli Italian
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Mission |
2/18/2005
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The food here is pretty good, and the prices are reasonable too. I like their sandwiches (paninis).
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A. G. Ferrari Foods
Cuisine: Italian Deli
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SoMa |
2/18/2005
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I love the decor of this place! It's beautiful and colorful. But I agree with the other reviewers that the food is not exceptional, but it is decent. It's definitely a tourist trap but one I don't mind because of the decorations. I do get scared by the wild elephant yelling though (they have animal sounds playing). And the "thunder and lightning" storm is pretty cool. Fun experience to go with friends or kids.
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Rainforest Cafe
Cuisine: American
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/18/2005
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I'm not much of a burger person, but I do like In-n-Out burgers. They taste much fresher compared to McD's or any of the other burger chains. I never order burgers when I'm out at non-chain restaurants though, as I don't particularly care for them. I like McD's fries better (bring on the lard!), but I think In-n-Out fries aren't very good. Their shakes are very good though. Thick and really full of flavor. I don't think this would be a good place for tourists, but for locals who want a quick bite when they're on the Wharf, this is a good place to go. But many people that I know who visit from the East Coast are DYING to try In-n-Out, and I give them a funny look. I guess it's the same, though, because I say to them that I'd like to try White Castle Burgers and East Coast people look at me like I'm crazy.
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In-n-out
Cuisine: Hamburgers
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/18/2005
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The cooked food is pretty tasty here IMO, and I like the show that the chefs put on for you. But alas, it is a chain restaurant. The sushi's not bad either, and you can have an all-you-can eat sushi for $24.95. I think it used to be $19.95.
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Benihana
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
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Japantown |
2/13/2005
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I liked this place a lot. It's very traditional French food. This is a great restaurant to take a date to. Yes, it's quite dark in there, but it adds to the mood of the restaurant. Contrary to the other review, I thought the food was reasonably priced for what you get. You get an entree plus sides for about $15 or $20. What I remembered most was the escargot...it was the first time I've tried escargot, and I thought it was delicious!
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La Bergerie Restaurant
Cuisine: French
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Inner Richmond |
2/13/2005
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The food's not bad here, it's not exceptional, but it goes down easy. I guess the best part is that if you spend over $20 on your food per person, you get free entrance to the club afterwards.
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Glas Kat
Cuisine: Fusion Tapas Pan Asian
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Embarcadero |
2/13/2005
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It's a good place to go to if you want something that's opened pretty late. It basically serves up your typical greasy Chinese food fare. I'm not sure how sanitary the place is, but I guess that's another typical feature of restaurants in Chinatown. I know a lot of people who come here for a bite to eat after a night out on the town.
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New Sun Hong Kong Restaurant
Cuisine: Chinese Seafood
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Chinatown |
2/13/2005
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This Sophie's crepe is not as classic as the one in Japantown, but it's easier to get to, since it's in the North Beach area. They don't have a cool window where you can see them making crepes like the one in Japantown, but they basically serve exactly the same things. It's just a good place to go for if you want dessert.
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Sophie's Crepes
Cuisine: Dessert Crepes
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North Beach |
2/13/2005
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I've never tried their savory crepes, but I really enjoy the dessert crepes. I like how thin they make their crepes. You can also stand outside the window and watch them make the crepes. I've seen a lot of people taping how they make the crepes. You can put anything you want in the crepe, or order off their pre-set menu. My favorite is the Japanese crepe. It's served with green tea gelato, azuki beans (red beans), and macha (green tea) sauce. It's so good! I like to eat one of these crepes after I've had a meal in one of the Japantown restaurants.
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Sophie's Crepes
Cuisine: Crepes Dessert
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Japantown |
2/13/2005
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I love this place! It has great Chinese dessert. You can find all kinds of things here, like dun lai (steamed milky dessert), sweet tofu soup, sago, tapioca pearl drinks, etc. Stuff that you would typically find in Hong Kong. It's pretty reasonable as well. You can come here for the afternoon snacks, but I've never tried that. My boyfriend and I will drive all the way here for Chinese dessert, if we're craving it.
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Golden Island Cafe
Cuisine: Dessert (Chinese)
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Outer Sunset |
2/13/2005
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I think this restaurant's claim to fame is that it is right next to the legendary Ton Kiang Restaurant. I've never been here for lunch or dinner, but my family always goes here to eat dim sum, which I'm sure is considerably cheaper than Ton Kiang. Actually, the dim sum here is pretty good, and especially for the price. It's extremely cheap! I like the style of how you order dim sum. You mark the dim sum that you want on a sheet of paper. There are drawbacks to this method: you either have to know how to read Chinese or have to know what the dim sum is called in English, and you don't get to see those carts go by (but this could be a good thing as well). But what I really enjoy is that you don't have to constantly search for the dim sum that you want. It's guaranteed that you will get what you want!
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Golden River
Cuisine: Dim Sum Chinese
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Outer Richmond |
2/13/2005
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This gelato/crepe place is very cute-sy. It's opened quite late. It's not the best gelato nor crepe that I have had, but I like the environment (they play music videos in the background), and I like the decor (very colorful with lots of funky chairs). They have pretty unique gelato flavors, like black sesame and lychee.
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Yoogo Gelato
Cuisine: Dessert Gelato Crepes
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Chinatown |
2/13/2005
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the pizza is not bad. it's not my favorite, but it's pretty tasty. i would prefer something else, if i were in the mood for pizza (the restaurant is in the east bay - cheeseboard in berkeley)
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North Beach Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/11/2005
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Overpriced for what you get, and not very good. $20-30 for an entree. It's mostly seafood. Spend your precious dollars elsewhere. I guess it's nice that you're by the pier, but I would rather not go here if I had to choose a pier restaurant.
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Sinbad's
Cuisine: Seafood American (Traditional) Brunch
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Embarcadero |
2/11/2005
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the food here wasn't bad, but i don't think it's worth it for the money that you pay. it's very expensive, and i feel that other places that are cheaper prepare food better (ie. sanraku in the metreon, or even kabuto's). and you don't get full off yakitori at all, so you probably have to order a lot. this was recommended off frommer's, but i don't agree with them on this one. there are much better japanese restaurants in the City.
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Hana Zen
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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i really enjoy this place. i think the food is quite tasty. it's kind of expensive for what you get (2 skewers and some sides for $9-10 if you want a full plate). i like how flexible you can be with choosing your side dish, you can basically mix and match what you want. the meat almost always come out dry (their fish, chicken, and lamb especially), but i think their sauces make it taste good. i like how the workers are in those blue coveralls.
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Asqew Grill
Cuisine: Californian
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
2/11/2005
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i've been here twice, and you're basically paying for the show - drag queens dancing on the bar to musical numbers. the food is not very good, and they give you extremely small portions. if you have a large party, you are forced to spend at least $40 here. the drinks aren't bad, and they all are named after the "dancers/waitresses." i've seen a lot of bachelorette parties held here, so i'm sure this is a good place to throw one.
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AsiaSF
Cuisine: Californian Asian
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SoMa |
2/11/2005
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a great place to see a blues show! it's really a fun place to go to, and quite intimate place as well. i'm not sure if i really enjoyed the food (it was just okay IMO). felt like i could get better soul food elsewhere (ie. the east bay).
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Biscuits and Blues
Cuisine: Southern
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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This is one of my favorite Japanese food places to go in the City. The cooked food there is pretty good, especially the sesame chicken. The sushi's not bad either...of course it's nothing like kabuto's. it offers a great deal on its special bento lunchbox of the day, which goes for less than $8 i believe. you can't choose what goes inside the bento, and it's somewhat of a gamble, but all the dishes are prepared well (except i won't eat the saba fish, as i'm very particular about fish). it's a good place to go eat at before you go to the metreon for a movie, or if you want a good meal when you're shopping in union square.
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Sanraku Four Seasons
Cuisine: Japanese
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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i guess you can't resist the slogan...been serving up clam chowder in SF for 150 years (or however many # of years). i used to really enjoy this clam chowder when i was younger, but now i really don't like it. i think my taste buds have gotten more distinguishing as I've gotten older. when i was younger, the bread bowl was a lot bigger. now they give you a dinky little thing, and it's so expensive! however, i do like the sandwiches and pasta salads they make there. i especially like the turkey and avocado sandwich. the best deal there is the "best of boudin," where you can choose 2 things off a list for pretty cheap. a good place to go to if you want a quick bite to eat.
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Boudin Sourdough Bakery
Cuisine: Bakeries American Bistro
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/11/2005
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the noodles are pretty tasty here. it's not my favorite place to go to for noodles, but it will do if you are in the mood for it. i always like looking at the plastic food displays.
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Mifune
Cuisine: Japanese Noodle Shops
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Japantown |
2/11/2005
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lori's diner serves up decent food, but hey, what can you expect? it's a diner right? i still prefer mel's over this, but it works if you just want a quick bite to eat.
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Lori's Diner
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Coffee Shops/Diners
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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the steak was pretty tasty, but of course it's not a grade A cut. the food is pretty cheap for what you get. i believe for lunch you can get steak and the works for $10 or so. i think it's been there a long time, almost like a SF tradition.
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Tad's Steak House
Cuisine: American Steak House
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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I think the food is pretty good at this place, but I don't like how it is set up in comparison to the Haight one. It feels like a long hallway. If you go early enough (like I did), you don't have to wait for a table at all (Sunday @ 6PM). I like sharing the tapas with others, but you'll probably get hungry after 2 hours. At the time I went, they offered free caramel flan (from a coupon off their website), but when we tried to redeem the certificate, they told us they ran out of flan and didn't offer anything in place of it. The ambiance is a lot better at the Haight one, especially if you want to go for the party atmosphere.
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Cha Cha Cha
Cuisine: Caribbean Tapas
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Mission |
2/11/2005
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This is probably my favorite chain restaurant. I like how innovative they are with their pizzas, but I feel that they are a bit overpriced (and their prices keep going higher!). I like the Thai chicken pizza, the Peking duck pizza, the shrimp garlic pizza, and the kung pao spaghetti. I also like their bruschetta-like appetizer (forgot what it's called). Their food is consistently pretty good, and throughout all chains as well.
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California Pizza Kitchen
Cuisine: Californian Pizza
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Civic Center |
2/11/2005
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The Cheesecake Factory is probably one of the better chain restaurants out there IMO. Their food is consistently good across all chains. I love the "chocolate" bread that they serve. I like how Cheesecake is adventurous and try to incorporate many different types of food in their menu. My boyfriend always gets the seared Ahi tuna if he doesn't know what to get. I also like their salads...they give generous portions and are tasty. But their menu is very hard to look through. I always have a hard time choosing something from the menu, as it is huge! The best thing abou this restaurant is what is derived from its namesake, the cheesecake. My favorite is the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. The worst thing about this restaurant is the wait. You could get a lot of shopping done at Macy's or around Union Square if that beeper thing extended further than it does. I've heard good things about the way they run this restaurant. If you become manager, you could make major bucks!
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Cheesecake Factory, The
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Dessert
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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I guess a lot of people feel gyped going here because it's not "authentic" Mexican food, but every time I go to Chevy's, their food is always tasty IMO. It's prepared well, but I agree that it shouldn't be called "Tex Mex." I cannot resist their salsa and chips that they serve with each table, and can get full off it because I can't stop eating the salsa! It's definitely a good place to go to for birthdays or large group celebrations, as they are always accomodating to large parties. and who can resist the cheesy chevy's hat that you get when it's your birthday? but of course, chain restaurants are never my favorite to go to, and i wouldn't choose to go to chevy's out of my own will. if i went good mexican food, i'd go to the mission district.
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Chevy's Fresh Mex
Cuisine: Tex-mex Mexican
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Embarcadero |
2/11/2005
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funny how another reviewer's senior prom was held here, as i went here for my senior prom dinner. i remember the view being awesome, but the food was just okay. i felt that the pasta i ordered was somewhat bland. the salads here are good, though. i think if you eat here, you are just paying for the view.
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Carnelian Room
Cuisine: American (Traditional)
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Downtown |
2/11/2005
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I don't go here for the food but for the fun atmosphere. It's great to go when you want to celebrate a birthday. The servers make the birthday boy or girl do really embarassing things, like ride around on a pony-on-a-stick or creaming them in the face with a pie. And the cute thing about this place is that all the staff (waiters, hosts, and busboys) do a dance to a cheesy dance number, like "Come on Ride the Train," every 30 minutes or so. It's an entertaining place to eat at. And the prices aren't so bad at this place, either. You can get the crab feast (3 kinds of crabs + sides) for $27. The way that Joe's Crab Shack makes their crab isn't my favorite (you can choose between garlic, BBQ, and steamed i believe)...i feel as if their crab is somewhat overcooked. And you can always "get free crab tomorrow."
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Joe's Crab Shack
Cuisine: Seafood American (Traditional) Fajitas
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/11/2005
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it serves up good chinese food, but i feel as if you can get comparable, if not better, chinese food elsewhere. it's quite expensive for what they serve, and there seems to be a bit of "discrimination" of how they sit people. waits can be extremely long there. if you want excellent chinese food and good tea, try koi palace in daly city. that's my favorite chinese restaurant, but it's too bad we can't review it because it's not part of sf.
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R & G Lounge
Cuisine: Chinese
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Chinatown |
2/10/2005
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the food was okay here. i don't remember it being outstanding...i don't even remember what i ordered here. i felt that the service overlooked our large table quite a bit. for the price, there's much better out there.
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Luna Park
Cuisine: Hamburgers American (Traditional)
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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we had a good time here. the food was very good, especially for the price. however, since we went with such a large group, we were forced to order from the prix fixed menu. it was fun to share all those plates with your friends, but this is definitely not an ideal place to go with a large group. the restaurant is extremely tiny. it's very accessible from the mission bart station, but i wouldn't go venturing there late at night. the cooks and waiters are all very friendly.
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Limon
Cuisine: Peruvian
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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great place to go to for a late-night dinner excursion. the food is okay, it's not outstanding, but what else can you expect from a diner? at least it's opened late, so that makes it a must-go for friends who spent the night out on the town.
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Mel's Drive-In
Cuisine: Coffee Shops/Diners
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Inner Richmond |
2/10/2005
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food is not very good, but it's a good place to have a beer and hang out with friends. of course, i am always partial to their garlic fries, which i will never am able to pass up.
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Gordon Biersch
Cuisine: Pub Food
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Pacific Bell Park/South Beach |
2/10/2005
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a good chinese restaurant to go to in sf. the food is pretty decent, but the place is ultra-dirty. and it's not that expensive either. if you have a large party, you're bound to sit upstairs. the lazy susan and the dinnerware feel extremely "sticky" to me, though, but our family always go there whenever we go out to eat chinese food in the city.
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Eight Immortals Restaurant
Cuisine: Chinese
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Outer Sunset |
2/10/2005
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yuck yuck yuck. this is just unimpressive italian food that you can probably prepare better at home. tasted like store bought pasta sauce. i don't think you can expect much from a chain restaurant, but there are still some good ones out there. skip this and try some of the more homey restaurants in north beach instead.
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Pasta Pomodoro
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
2/10/2005
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i've only been there once, but i like the food there. good italian food. i was very tempted to grab my share of the gummy bears, but i resisted b/c my boyfriend told me not to (dirty dirty). anyway, it's a very loud restaurant, and can get very crowded.
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Michelangelo Restaurant Caffe
Cuisine: Italian
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North Beach |
2/10/2005
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i liked this place. the garlic oil that you get with your bread was my favorite. not the best place to go if you want to kiss your date afterwards. i'm not sure about the garlic ice cream though (which we did not try). kind of over-priced for the food there, but it's a good restaurant to go to with friends.
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Stinking Rose
Cuisine: Italian Californian
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North Beach |
2/10/2005
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i'm not sure about their regular food, but i really liked the tea time there (every day from 2:30-5PM). they don't give you much food, so be sure to have eaten something prior if you do decide to come for tea time. they're not very good at honoring your reservation time, so you have to keep hounding them. and having a reservation does not guarantee you a window seat, which could take even longer! but i enjoyed the pastries and mini-sandwiches, and they have a good selection of teas. some pastries were scones, cucumber sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, smoked salmon sandwiches, mini muffins, etc. not quite as good as tea time in hong kong, but it's a very unfair comparison (you must go to mandarin oriental or peninsula hotel if you're in hong kong and a fan of tea time).
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Rotunda
Cuisine: American (New)
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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a good restaurant that's pretty affordable. it's a good place to go with a group of friends. i liked how the menu is so eclectic. there's food from everywhere from thai to italian. and everything is prepared pretty well. it would be a very good date restaurant.
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Chow
Cuisine: American (Traditional)
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Upper Market/Church Street |
2/10/2005
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food is pretty good. it was all the rage for being the hippest new restaurant last year, but i found the food to be a little disappointing. it didn't cost that much money compared to your other expensive fine dining places. it was very homey, which i liked.
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Town Hall
Cuisine: American (New)
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SoMa |
2/10/2005
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food is decent, good place to go if you want to share family style with a group of friends. well, it can only be family style since the portions are so huge. the pizzas were the best thing, and the frutte de mare i remember being pretty good. the desserts are not bad. wait can be overwhelmingly long, so get there early or make a reservation. not the best place to take a date. the bar can get crowded.
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Buca di Beppo
Cuisine: Italian
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SoMa |
2/10/2005
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i was not that impressed with this restaurant. i remember the food being pretty salty. if i want to spend big bucks for a restaurant, i'd rather go to aqua's, farallon's, gary danko's etc. i went here because of the reviews that it got on open table, but i do not agree with it.
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Jardiniere Restaurant
Cuisine: Californian
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Hayes Valley |
2/10/2005
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jillian's serves up pretty decent food. i remember the cornish hen being pretty good, but it takes a long time to make it. and calamari is always decent (hard to botch that up anywhere). however, it is a bit overpriced for comparable food in the city.
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Jillian's
Cuisine: American
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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La Taqueria actually ranks higher now that I've had it a couple of times. Maybe I just ordered the wrong dish the first time i tried it. But, yum, the carnitas and al pastor burritos are delicious! And the prices are definitely more expensive than what i'm used to, but I think it pays off because of the high quality. The green hot sauce that is on the tables complements the meat extremely well. I love their aguas frescas as well, especially the horchata.
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La Taqueria
Cuisine: Mexican
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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get the earthquake! haha, i'm just kidding. a group of people picking at a gigantic platter of ice cream, cherries, nuts, whipped cream, etc. is not a pretty sight after a while. but if you like the challenge, go for it. the almond ice cream is good there. lines can get quite long late at night. go to the chocolate shop, cause they give you a free chocolate sample.
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Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop
Cuisine: Ice Cream
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/10/2005
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hmmm, i grabbed a number, went grocery shopping across the street at safeway's for 20-30 min, and still had to wait 15 min for my ice cream. i remember it being good, but i've had better. i actually like marco polo's better (in the sunset). be prepared to wait a long time for your ice cream! but the service is pretty good. i think people get so fed up with waiting so long that they take their time when it's their turn to order.
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Mitchells Ice Cream
Cuisine: Ice Cream Dessert
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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good food with affordable prices. it serves up great italian food, and the setting is perfect for a romantic date.
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Scala's Bistro
Cuisine: French Italian
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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ask for their $30 prix-fixed menu. hound them for it if they claim they don't have it. (it's supposed to be for pre-theatre goers). but it's probably the best deal that they have there. i remember the food being just okay. our entree (which i don't remember) was not very good, but the dessert was great, a vanilla bean creme brulee. my sister ordered a duck dish that was probably the best dish of the table (she didn't ask for the $30 prix-fixed).
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First Crush
Cuisine: American (New) French
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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roy's is a good and dependable restaurant. the crab cakes are very good (probably some of the best i've ever had), and the shrimp dish that i had was very good. don't get the braised short ribs...stick with the seafood! i'm pretty sure that they always have a prix-fixed meal, which is a good deal (maybe $30-$40). and you absolutely have to get the chocolate souffle. do not skimp on this dessert! skip the appetizer if you have to, but roy's chocolate souffle is the best. rich in chocolate, and never under/over cooked. i'd be happy to go back to roy's anytime. the hawaii one is even better, if you ever get a chance.
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Roy's
Cuisine: Hawaiian Seafood
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SoMa |
2/10/2005
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the place to go if you want chinese food that's good to eat and cheap. the noodles are a good bet. this place is opened very late, till 1 or 2 i believe. the decor is very cheesy, but what else do you expect from a chinese restaurant? service is pretty gruff, but that's pretty much a given.
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Hing Lung
Cuisine: Chinese Seafood
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Chinatown |
2/10/2005
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yum yum red meat. wine that we ordered was good. the petite filet was prepared excellently, but we got filled up fast on the side dishes and the bread/crackers (we had to wait for a while). the prime rib was prepared well as well, and the chicken is surprisingly good. but be prepared to spend big bucks here.
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Harris' Restaurant
Cuisine: Steakhouses
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Polk St./Van Ness |
2/10/2005
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I went here for the $32.95 dine about town, but you could actually get an appetizer, entree and dessert for cheaper (if you choose wisely). or skip the appetizer and go straight for the entree and the dessert. the garlic noodles are really good, but quite oily. i've never had the crab here, but i can't stomach paying $30+ for crab when i know i could probably get better at a Chinese restaurant. the dessert was good, fried bananas with vanilla bean ice cream. it is actually good to share it, b/c it's pretty rich and fulfilling. it's dark in there, and the place kind of stinks when you first go inside the elevator and the lobby area. the waiting staff reminded me of garden state, with their outfits and such. i've heard thanh long (their sister restaurant) is good too.
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Crustacean Restaurant
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Polk St./Van Ness |
2/10/2005
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ti couz was an interesting experience. it's in a bad part of town, and it's hard to find parking there. i went with a group of 8, and for the most part, the crepes we ordered all tasted the same (shrimp, mushroom, scallop, etc). i got one with carmelized onions, so that made it a bit tastier. and some of the crepes arrived lukewarm and somewhat cold. the dessert crepes were okay, i think they would be better during the summer time, when there is fresh fruit readily available. the caramel apple one was good. they have pretty bad service...they delivered us the wrong crepe (twice!), and they charged us incorrectly! it took forever to get it settled, b/c we couldn't flag down the waiter, even though we tried about 5 times.
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Ti Couz
Cuisine: French Dessert
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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The Slanted Door was pretty good. I've eaten at the Embarcadero location twice (once for dinner, and once for lunch). I think the best thing that I ordered was the imperial rolls (must try spring rolls next time). The shaking beef is pretty good, but I've had better. I don't think many Vietnamese people would like this place, as it is somewhat "Americanized." I think I still had to wait for my table, even though I had a reservation. Hard to find parking around this area, though. Very hard to get a weekend reservation, especially for a large party. They have the cutest business cards though.
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Slanted Door, The
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Embarcadero |
2/10/2005
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kitaro is a decent sushi place, and the prices are quite affordable. however, lines can be extremely long. i remember the service here being quite bad. people are trying to rush you to finish so they can turn your table over. i've never tried any of their sashimi, i've always stuck to their specialty rolls and cooked food. i think it's a good place to go to with your friends and share family style, but it's not the best if you want a fun atmosphere. lots of loud people here.
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Kitaro Restaurant
Cuisine: sushi japanese
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Outer Richmond |
2/10/2005
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Hmmm, Ebisu was one hit and one miss for me (went there twice). The first time, I thought the food was pretty good, but the second time, nobody in our party enjoyed it. if you want a good, dependable japanese restaurant that's good every time, try kabuto's instead. I don't even remember what we ordered, but again, the wait is extremely long.
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Ebisu
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
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Inner Sunset |
2/10/2005
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The food here is not that good and overpriced for what you get. I think there are much better places than this for food. I went with a large party, so I wasn't able to see the movie screen at all (because they sat us upstairs). They said we could watch the movie afterwards, but dinner took a long time with so many people. Too bad, b/c they were playing the original Italian Job. I remember the Mojito there being very good. I think it's a place to go for the atmosphere and the ambiance. Not worth it if you go with a large group of friends, b/c they're bound to sit you upstairs (and you get no view of the movie). I would like to go there again just with one other person and see how that goes.
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Foreign Cinema
Cuisine: Californian Mediterranean
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Mission |
2/10/2005
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I've been to the Cha Cha Cha's on Mission and to the one on Haight. I remember almost gnawing off my arm waiting for our table (i don't think they take reservations). Once we got to our table, we started ordering pitcher after pitcher of sangria, which probably made the night even more fun. food was pretty good, it's tapas-style, so order a lot to share with your friends. it's a fun place overall, but be prepared to wait, and you may not get full off the tapas. IMO, the one on Haight is a lot more hip and fun. The one on Mission is quieter (but maybe it's because of the time frame that I went, Sunday at 6 vs. Friday at 7 for the Haight one). It's definitely a place to go with a group of friends or a fun, casual date.
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Cha Cha Cha
Cuisine: Caribbean Tapas
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
2/10/2005
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i love the decor of this place, especially the jellyfish. the food was pretty good, but not as good as aqua's IMO. i haven't been there in a while (2001 was the last), but it was my first fine dining experience, and very fun. service there was excellent, but i remember that we had to wait a long time for our table, even though we had a reservation.
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Farallon
Cuisine: Seafood
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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I went to this restaurant in 2001, and back then it was very good. Unfortunately, it now seems to have gone down in the dumps (according to the other reviewers). I had a very good experience at this place. It is a very intimate dining room, with very few tables. I was not impressed with the location as the Palomar hotel looks shabby from the outside, but the inside decor was nice, simple, and very elegant. I guess, take this restaurant with a grain of salt. I just remember it being very good, but I heard that they've changed chefs since I was last there. If you want a nice restaurant to take somebody to, try Gary Danko's or Aqua's.
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Fifth Floor Restaurant
Cuisine: French (New)
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SoMa |
2/10/2005
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Aqua is an excellent restaurant, but it's become quite expensive (up to $36 per plate). Don't dine here unless you're prepared to spend mega bucks. The seafood dishes are all solidly prepared, but I don't like too much seafood. I like more variety on the menu. I ordered the lobster dish there that was prepared very well. I've heard off-and-on reviews about their fish, but I think people are more particular about seafood restaurants. It has a nice, romantic atmosphere, and the service was good. Good place to take somebody to for a special occasion.
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AQUA
Cuisine: Californian French Basque Seafood
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Downtown |
2/10/2005
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Boulevard is my second favorite restaurant in the City (first is Gary Danko's). They serve excellent food here. I've never been disappointed by any of the food there. Bread is fresh from Acme. If they have the chateau brion there (needs to be shared by 2 people), get it! It is the BEST beef dish that I've ever had. They change their menu seasonally, so I'm not sure if they're going to have it ever again. It is an extremely noisy restaurant, and there is a lot of hustle and bustle, so don't go here if you want a nice, quiet romantic restaurant. Their desserts are very good too. We once had a strawberry dessert that was to die for. Prices here are more reasonable than other fine-dining restaurants in the City (Aqua, Farallon, Fifth Floor, etc.)
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BOULEVARD
Cuisine: American (New)
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Embarcadero |
2/10/2005
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This is my favorite fine-dining experience in the City. The service there is excellent, and I love how you can build your own dinner (3,4,5+ courses). Of course, it's an expensive restaurant, but I say it's well worth it...especially if it's a special occasion. The lobster dishes there were amazing, and I loooved the foie gras dishes. I've never ordered wine there, but they seem to have an extensive selection, and my cousin even got a tour of the wine cellar there. They really accomodate you for special occasions (she got to tour the kitchen and the wine cellar). The best part is that they give ladies a little cake at the end to take home, like a parting gift. I've never eaten it (as I've been stuffed full every time I go there), but it's wrapped very prettily and the person who I gave it to said it was an excellent cake. Make reservations early, they start taking them 2 months ahead (very much like French Laundry), but they're not as hard to get.
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GARY DANKO
Cuisine: American (New)
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/10/2005
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One of the best Thai restaurants that I've tried. Before this restaurant, I hated Thai food. Green papaya salad is very good, and you can order it as spicy as you'd like. I've heard the thai chicken wings are good as well. I like their soups (especially the coconut soups) and their curries - any kind. A perfect place to go after a night out on the town, as it is opened very late (till 2 or 3 i believe). decor is drab, it's in a bad neighborhood, and the place looks dirty, but bottom line, it's good Thai food. I want to try the Osha's Mission District location sometime soon.
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Osha Thai Noodle Cafe
Cuisine: Thai Noodle Shops
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Tenderloin |
2/10/2005
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I have never tried the sushi or sashimi there, but the grilled food (yakiniku) which you can choose to cook yourself (much like korean bbq) is good...very flavorful and moist (that is, if you don't overcook it). the filet mignon is the best, but the most expensive (i believe $9 for 8-10 small pieces of meat). just beware though, because the meats here cook very quickly, probably because they're small and thin. the miso pork was okay, kind of a strange chewy consistency. i love the spicy beef soup there, but it's not at all spicy...full of good flavorings, rich, and hearty. perfect soup for a winter's day. i think the best deal is the lunch special, you can get a complete meal for $6. i've only grilled during dinner, and i'm not sure if you can grill during lunch. one of my favorite japanese restaurants, and your clothes don't stink as bad as a korean bbq. service is pretty good.
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Juban
Cuisine: Japanese
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Japantown |
2/10/2005
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I actually liked this restaurant better when it was at its old location. When Kabuto's moved to its new location, I think it was trying for a Japanese small plates (tapas) style with its cooked menu. At the old location, they used to have complete meals, with salad, soup, rice, dessert, and entree for $18 or so. Now, if you order cooked food, you get the entree only, with some small side dishes (like macaroni salad and cooked vegetables). But, the fish is still very fresh, and it seems like one of the only restaurants in SF that is owned by a Japanese person. Some recommendations: toro (fatty tuna), ankimo (monkfish liver), grilled chicken, and something from their specialty sushi menu, which is surprisingly good. We tried the hamachi pear last time, which was very good. Green tea cake was good too. Wait can be very long (half an hour or more when busy) and parking can be a hassle. Be sure to have somebody put your party on the waiting list, while someone else searches for parking
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Kabuto Sushi
Cuisine: Sushi Japanese
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Outer Richmond |
2/10/2005
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