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Love the outside patio area, I've always had great service there and never been disappointed with the food selection. It doesn't really blow me away either, except for the sliders....I really love those! They're always consistent and with me that hits high on the list. I never walk away unhappy so that's a winner!
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Raleigh's
Cuisine: Pub Food
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Berkeley |
4/26/2008
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I love the chili at this place, and the nachos are tasty. The beer to me is so so, but I always enjoy the vibe at a brewery, well most anyway. It's a good little lunch or mid afternoon snack spot.
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Triple Rock Brewery
Cuisine: Pub Food American (Traditional)
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Berkeley |
4/26/2008
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We went last night for a last minute birthday celebration. With only an hour an a half notice we were able to get a table for seven on a Friday night. They gave us the best table in the house in my opinion, right above the bar next to the windows, AMAZING view! The service was so so, we had to ask for bread and water and this wasn't until our salad course. Between the seven of us we sampled a bunch of dishes, the sole and the cioppino won our vote, the prawns and scallops were really good but portion size was far to small. We tried the crab cakes per everyones recommendation here and we really did enjoy them. We all had hankerings for mojitos earlier in the day but when we arrived the bartender only enough mint for one, so of course that went to the birthday girl. There's certainly some other fun concoctions on the cocktails list and I was happy enough with the wine selection. All in all a good experience.
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Waterfront Restaurant & Cafe
Cuisine: Californian Mediterranean
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Embarcadero |
4/26/2008
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We've tried to grab a bit to eat here on two separate occasions before going to show across the street. Unfortunately both times we had to wait so long for drinks that we never got a chance to try the food. One of the times I even ordered my food and when it hadn't show 15min later the bartender said he had forgot to order it, at that point it was too late. The menu looks great and all the other food that I saw come out of the kitchen looked pretty tasty. Hopefully one of these times I'll actually get to try some.
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Rasselas Ethiopian
Cuisine: Ethiopian
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Western Addition |
3/30/2008
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Fantastic beer selection and the staff was very friendly and helpful. I love that they serve fish and chips wrapped in old newspaper... classic and just the right touch! I would recommend it to my friends and will certainly go back.
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Edinburgh Castle Pub
Cuisine: pub food
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Tenderloin |
3/30/2008
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The menu looks wonderful, and I was so excited to check this place out... unfortunately we doubled checked to make sure we knew how late the kitchen was open before we made the trip and sadly they decided to close the kitchen early. They apologized and said that when it's not busy they shut down the kitchen early, and while I can fully understand that concept it doesn't fair too well with me. I'll certainly think twice before heading over there again.
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O'Reilly's Holy Grail
Cuisine: Irish European
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Polk St./Van Ness |
3/30/2008
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This is a fun little place. The beer selection is wonderful... kinda wished I could have stayed longer and tried more beers but had I done that I probably would have had to get a room at the adjoining inn! The menu was a little surprising, there's only one little corner of listings that were English Pub Foods, everything else was your standard American bar food. The pasties are really good and so is the bangers and mash. The have a fun little concoction that they call the mudball, it Geniuss and chocolate ice cream and it comes with my recommendation. If you go make sure and check out the double decker bus that they have attached to the building, and if you want you can enjoy a stogie and your beer while you're in there. Kinda a fun way around the no smoking indoors law. All in all a fun little stop off if your in the mood for that type of thing.
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Cameron's Pub and Inn
Cuisine: English Pub Food
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Half Moon Bay |
2/26/2008
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This place makes me so HAPPY! They do breakfast and lunch but I can't think of a time that I've ever ordered off the lunch menu, although I'm sure I would be equally impressed. On the weekends there's usually a decent wait but it's worth it. I wish I could say I have a favorite but I just can't narrow it down. Try any or all off it and I'm sure you'll enjoy. Off the top of my head I love the Swiss Sausage Crepes, the sweet Benedicts, potato pancakes with linguisa, any of the maple custard and fruit cups, pumpkin bread...ok I'm making myself hungry! Just trust me on this one, you'll really enjoy!
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Railroad Cafe
Cuisine: Californian Breakfast
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Livermore |
2/11/2008
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At first thought this place seems ideal to me, comfort food all dressed up! Unfortunately this place falls so sadly short. I've gone too many times with hope in my little heart and been disappointed. The service is dry and slow, and generally unresponsive. Most of the foods you hope for are so so or actually crummy. I'll say this, avoid the fried chicken, the seafood pasta, the seared tuna, and any of their items with "gravy" (it's under seasoned lard from a can I swear). The meat loaf is really really good, I also really like the pear salad, the mac and cheese is better than mom use to make, and generally any of the specials that the chef puts together are satisfying. I went to a wine makers diner where everything was fantastic, unfortunately it's just not consistent. We stopped by last time on a Saturday night at about 5:30pm and couldn't get a table! I was shocked that this place was getting play! I guess if you want to check it out for yourself you're gonna need a reservation.
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Zephyr Grill and Bar
Cuisine: American
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Livermore |
2/11/2008
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This place is just wonderful! It's funny, from the outside you wouldn't think much of it, it looks like an old Denny's building. But they've made really nice use of the space inside. The owners are fun and approachable and one of them ended up being our server. They have nice wine list and my only complaint is that the first two bottles I chose they were out of. And from there pretty much everything was amazing. I've NEVER had a better gnocchi in my life, the fontina and truffle sauce was out of this world and the gnocchi themselves were like little pillows of lovelyness. I've dreamt of them since! We tried a few different appetizers, three different main courses and a couple desserts too. Everything was excellent except for the special, I was trying to remember exactly how it was prepared, but it was quail and man was it so over done and dry. I'd go into more detail but it was a daily special and hopefully will never be heard from again. I was talking about my meal two days later!
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Incontro Ristorante
Cuisine: Italian
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San Ramon |
1/27/2008
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I love this place. They have a nice cozy yet sophisticated feel. The wine list is complete without being unmanageable. They offer many wines by the glass and also offer three ounce tastes if you prefer to sample or have a little something different with each course without getting to crazy. The food is traditional with a fresh flare. The portions are nicely sized and the quality is excellent. I've tried many different items off the menu and never have I been disappointed. I have always loved the different daily specials the chef creates but off the standard menu I really enjoy the Lotus Chicken, the Baby Lobster with the Hunan Sauce, and the Mongolian Beef. The service is generally excellent with the occasional semi bland server but nothing enough to kill the experience. I would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for somewhere to go, be it tourist or local.
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Uncle Yu's at the Vineyard
Cuisine: Chinese
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Livermore |
1/27/2008
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I'm starting out my review with a neutral. We visited on a very busy New Years Eve day so I assumed the place was so packed because of the holiday, but in reading some of the other reviews I see this is pretty much the trend. We ended up sitting at the bar because there was no other seating available, and outside was a bit to chilly to enjoy. The brew was not to bad and the wine list was acceptable. The menu was decent for variety and everything that we ordered we enjoyed. I like the salad sections. The service left quite a bit to be desired though. We sat at the bar and didn't get greeted for about 15 min. Once we did and ordered our drinks it took the bartender about 10 min to pour them and another 10 min to deliver them and then we had to request menus a second time and that took another 20 min and another 10 to order. We weren't in any sort of hurry nor were we starving but that was a bit more of a time waster than we were looking for. I want to try again and I hope for better.
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Park Chalet Garden Restaurant
Cuisine: American (New)
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Outer Sunset |
1/27/2008
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I never thought I would give this place a neutral but it seems appropriate. We stumbled across this place three years back and fell in love with the patio, fire pits, view and clam chowder. We've made a point to go back anytime we're out that way. But this last time we took a pair of friends with us and the blindfold was removed from our eyes. The food is just so so and not worth the price. The clam chowder as been hit or miss ever since that first time. The beer quality has gone down, either that or our palate has improved. Unfortunately this last visit was so bad that our food came out cold, and our server! Well he took 20 min to greet our table, our drinks took 15, he didn't clear plates between courses, he got our dessert order wrong and was all in all incredibly un attentive. It just makes me sad because this was sorta like our little "spot" but now I think we might need to move on. I'm just left contemplating how long we'd been blind or if we'll ever try again. Can time heel all?
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Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
Cuisine: California
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Half Moon Bay |
1/27/2008
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Man was I let down! I was excited when I heard of the concept of this location, a book store and full service restaurant in one. Unfortunately my first experience has left a sour taste in my mouth. The decor could be so much moor inviting but everything seems so sterile and bland. This goes for the food too. I tried a bowl of the Butternut Squash Soup and a Croque Monsieur Sandwich. I guess the soup wasn't bland because it was so overly salted and thin, and the sandwich was rubbery with a Bechamel sauce that was so thin and had NO flavor. Unfortunately the two items didn't balance each other out. The service was terrible too! I'm going to let my wounds heal and hopefully I can get up the courage to try again. I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt and hope that maybe because they're so new they just need some time to get their feet under them. They've been open for two months and I noticed their website still isn't up either so maybe time will tell. But for now boo, thumbs down.
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Firehouse Bistro & Books
Cuisine: American (New)
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Livermore |
1/26/2008
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Wow!!! It took me a while to go check out this newer restaurant and now I wish I'd checked it out sooner! We just went in for a light meal and sat at the bar to sample a few small plates. We tried the Tom Kai Soup with Salmon, Crab Cakes, Fresh Spring Rolls, Crispy Duck Salad and Sweet Sticky Rice with Thai Tea Ice Cream. EVERYTHING was good! My favorite was the soup, but that was a hard one to narrow down. The best part was the price, we added a glass of wine (from a slightly limited list) to the order and still only spent $43.00! It has nice clean line decor and the service was just at par, not overly friendly, but functional. All in all I'm quite happy to have found this little gem just a few min. walk from my house. Definitely a nice addition to the newly renovated downtown. I'll let you know about the next selections we sample!
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Star Anise
Cuisine: Thai
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Livermore |
1/26/2008
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I had this restaurant added to the site to warn everyone that if you're out wine tasting in Livermore, you should avoid this restaurant. It has since closed which I'm not shocked by. It used to be a fun little cafe at the winery and had a cute little patio to sip wine and enjoy some well prepared and paired morsels. But they went so far down hill so fast that you actually wondered at one point weather the sandwiches were from Subway! So none the less they have now closed...if they re-open I'd be curious to check it out and of course I'll keep you posted.
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Trio at Stoney Ridge
Cuisine: American
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Livermore |
1/22/2008
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We had spotted the quaint looking Sand Dollar on our way into town and I had been imagining a great meal on their sunny patio all day. We started by sharing a bowl of the clam chowder which was rich and hearty, I almost wish we had each gotten our own bowl. The full bar was tempting but I stuck to a nice glass of white wine from the slightly limited wine list. Knowing that I would have the option to sample from my dates plate and he from mine we ordered the Cioppino and the Mirror Pond Ale Fish and Chips. The fish and chips were fantastic and the batter had a nice fresh flavor to it, not overly greasy or heavy. The Cioppino left a bit to be desired for the price. The broth was good but the seafood selection was a bit lacking and small in portion. I had been eying the Chicken Pot Pie and I suffered diners remorse when it was delivered to the table next to us. I'll have to go back and order that next time! We'll certainly return in the future.
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Sand Dollar Restaurant
Cuisine: Califonia
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Stinson |
7/25/2007
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I love this place for lunch...I can say I've never made it for dinner but I hear it's fantastic. I recommend going with friends who are willing to share because I haven't run into a dish yet that I haven't loved. The apple mojitos are fantastic (who would have thought) ! If you go it alone I recommend whatever pizzetta they're offering for the day in their appetizer section.
The staff does a fantastic job too, very professional and knowledgeable. Although sometimes for lunch it seems a bit much but I'm sure it translates very well for dinner dining. Make reservations for the patio on a nice day because it fills up fast!
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Wente Vineyards
Cuisine: Californian Mediterranean
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Livermore |
7/25/2007
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So yes there's a wait, always. We waited at the bar to start out with a c***tail or two. This makes the wait more bearable and worth it! I love the Pisco sours but I always ask for more sour than pineapple juice. The fresh strawberry martinis are tasty too. So after a a few c***tails the wait wasn't terrible. We started with the Mex eggrolls, I love the sauce that they serve these with. It was lunch so we decided to go with "smaller" lunch portions. We had the Pulled Pork Sandwich which was pretty decent and it came with fries and coleslaw. The coleslaw was terribly bland and the fries were limp. We also ordered the lunch portion pizza and salad. The Tomato, Basil, Cheese pizza is good and still huge and the side salad that they brought was larger than most entree salads. I didn't like the Ceaser dressing this time too lemony and thin. No dessert for us, but the strawberry shortcake looked tasty. I think we go for the large selection of items, not because everything blows you away.
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Cheesecake Factory, The
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Dessert
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Downtown |
7/5/2007
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I absolutely loved this place. My girlfriends and I decided to head in for dinner and drinks before heading to a show at the Warfield. We'd been at a wine and food tasting earlier that day so we were ready to top it off with a fantastic meal and I feel like we picked just the right place. We started with cocktails from the seriously extensive list and a cheese course. We added a few orders of the honey spiced almonds and just couldn't seem to get enough of them. Next a round of oyster shooters and I must say that the bloody mary sauce accompaniment tempted me to order an actual Bloody Mary it was that good. We moved on to sharing some apps. The chicken liver pate was fantastic, and we also sampled the sauteed crab and the mission fig pizza with gorgonzola and pancetta. After trying 5 or six of the cocktails on the list between the three of us we decided to share the Coq au Vin and some wine. It was wonderful, meat was melting and falling apart just like it should. Even though we wer
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Absinthe
Cuisine: French Brasseries
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Hayes Valley |
6/18/2007
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I love good down home cookin but this kinda falls short. I had high expectations after hearing about the old location from a friend. I still enjoyed the food but she was really disappointed. I'd still go back if I'm in the area but I'm not making any big plans.
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Powell's Place
Cuisine: Southern Soul Food
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Western Addition |
5/2/2007
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I stopped in to have a quick bowl of French Onion Soup for my first visit there. I love a good French onion soup and this was very satisfying. I'm excited to go back and try an full meal next time.
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Cafe Bastille
Cuisine: French (Bistro)
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Downtown |
5/2/2007
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This is a great little place. It's been a bit since I've been there, but I do remember that I loved this stuffed prawn dish that I had. I'm always in search of a great Ceaser salad and the one had certainly made it toward the top of my list. I was excited to get to meet the owner, it made our table feel really appreciated. Reading everyones reviews I realize that it's not that uncommon of an ocurance but I still loved that added touch.
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Parma Ristorante
Cuisine: Italian
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Marina |
5/2/2007
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We stopped by for a quick bite to eat on a rainy Sunday afternoon. We had the clam chowder (New England) and shared a crab. The chowder was only so so and the crab was good but not really worth it for the price. I'd go back to check out something else on the menu but I'm not really holding my breath.
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Nonna Rose
Cuisine: Italian Seafood
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Fishermans Wharf |
3/5/2007
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We had some time to kill while running around the city last week and after driving around randomly we found ourselves at the cliff house. We'd been wanting to check it out since the remodel. We weren't quite ready for dinner yet so we decided to have a few cocktails and an appetizer. We seated ourselves in the room across from the Bistro and Zinc Bar. We found a great spot in the far corner with what I think had to be one of the best views in the whole house. Too bad the service didn't match up. We were tempted to just go to the bar and serve ourselves. I had a Washington Apple Martini and the bartender just couldn't get it right...I gave up trying to explain it and only had two. We never even got to the food because the whole process took way to long. We had a 25 min. wait between rounds of drinks, that's just a little to long in my book.
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Cliff House Bistro
Cuisine: Californian
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Outer Richmond |
8/7/2006
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Nothing to write home about...grabed a quick lunch and this place filled that need. I will say though that I ordered the Ceaser Pleaser platter which is pretty much a salad with either chicken or tri-tip and some bread. I was surprised at the size of the salad and the two large chicken breasts that I got. Larger than I expected.
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Buckhorn
Cuisine: American Grill
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Downtown |
8/7/2006
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We went for lunch a month or so ago and I've taken so long to write a review because our meal was very unmemorable. We had the Crab Deviled eggs as an appetizer and that was the only thing worth mentioning in a positive light. I decided to have a glass of white wine with my lunch but was fairly unimpressed with the by the glass selection... particularly for the price. I had a pasta dish with a beschemel sauce...or at least that's what the menu called it. The sauce was so thin and so bland I would have rather just drizzled some butter and garlic over the pasta. My boyfriend had a mini pizza which wasn't bad but not worth the price or the hype. All in all we managed to spend $65 on a lunch which consisted of 5 deviled eggs, a glass of white wine, a tiny plate of pasta and a mini pizza...not worth even half the price. If you're in the area I recommend checking out some of the artisan food booths instead that are located in the ferry building and create your own picnic.
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MarketBar
Cuisine: American (Traditional) Seafood Italian
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Embarcadero |
4/18/2006
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Wine list was unimpressive but I really like the Tuna Tartare with the nori chips and I love the wasabi house noodles.
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The HOUSE
Cuisine: Pan-Asian Pacific Rim
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North Beach |
10/13/2005
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Love the wine selection. Ultimate comfort food place as far as I'm concernd...right down to the milk and cookies!
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Maverick
Cuisine: American (New)
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Mission |
10/13/2005
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Loved the live music...gave the place a great feel. Crab and Nori fritters are fantastic and everything else I've tried has been par or better. Bring your out of town guests here. Good wine and good cocktails.
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BIX
Cuisine: American (Traditional)
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Downtown |
10/13/2005
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Fun Fun Fun for the decor score but other than that I was not impressed AT ALL. Waist of time, if you want fun decor then throw your own theme party...I go to eat and decor should come second.
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Farallon
Cuisine: Seafood
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Downtown |
10/13/2005
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I like the wine flights...somewhat creative. Try the rabbit fricassee, tasty tasty and very tender, it was just falling off the bone.
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1550 Hyde
Cuisine: Californian Mediterranean Organic
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Russian Hill |
10/13/2005
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I loved the chandeliers, couldn't stop staring at them. A great combo is the jalapeno corn bread and I loved the jambalaya with adoullie and scallops. I just wish our server hadn't been so listless...it was like he was on some kind of medication and couldn't get out of the fog.
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Town Hall
Cuisine: American (New)
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SoMa |
10/13/2005
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I enjoy the soup selection and the beer array but I'm looking for an uber tasty schnitzel and this just doesn't do it for me.
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Walzwerk
Cuisine: German
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Mission |
10/13/2005
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For fans of dive bars this is a great place...and pretty decent BBQ. I think I just love the beer selection.
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Zeitgeist
Cuisine: Hamburgers Barbecue
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Mission |
10/13/2005
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I have to go with a Neutral review here...the food was excellent, the staff very accommodating, and the Lavender Creme Brule outstanding, throw in the fact that they've got a $10 corkage and normally I'd be all smiles.
Unfortunatly both my boyfriend and I were incredibly sick later that night and all the next day...I wish I could find something else to blame it on, and maybe I should, but as far as we both can tell La Provance is the only common denominator. :^(
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La Provence
Cuisine: French
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Mission |
10/13/2005
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Great pub atmosphere. I loved the beers and while the food was pretty standard I'm a huge fan of bacon and any place that will serve me a nice plate of very tasty bacon with my beer gets a thumbs up from me.
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Magnolia Pub & Brewery
Cuisine: Organic Pub Food
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
10/13/2005
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I loved the food!!! It was fantastic and so was the wine selection. Sadly, the service was horrific especially for the amount of money it costs to eat there. It was the worst service I've ever had in an upscale restaurant. Service was so bad that I wrote a complaint to the restaurant and they replied back by offering to give us complimentary appetizers and wine flights.
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First Crush
Cuisine: American (New) French
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Downtown |
2/22/2005
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The DAT menu almost makes the food worth it(pretty basic and limited but solid)...throw in the atmosphere...boat ride, island, under water dining, lighthouse...its pretty cool...at least once...and if you eat upstairs in the little room with fireplace you wont find a better view in the city...
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Forbes Island
Cuisine: French Californian
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Fishermans Wharf |
2/22/2005
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The food is good, I ordered #18, and had them replace the beef with shrimp. Yummy yummy yummy!
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Tu Lan
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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SoMa |
2/22/2005
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They are yummy and have wonderful brunches on the weekends. They have a nice patio to boot! Furthermore they are inexpensive. I love love love that spinach-phyllo dish there and for meat eating fare I could rave about the lamb and rice for days.
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Fattoush Restaurant
Cuisine: Middle Eastern Mediterranean
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Noe Valley |
2/22/2005
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The Elite Cafe has very tasty Cajun-Creole food. Slightly pricey, but worth it. Not sure how authentic some might consider the cuisine but I was happy with everything that I tried. The "BBQ'd shrimp" appetizer, served in a cast iron pan, is excellent.
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Elite Cafe
Cuisine: Creole Cajun
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Upper Fillmore |
2/22/2005
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Their oysters are great! Fresh and light and Zuni's burgers are also surprisingly delightful. And although they are expensive, they don't seem overpriced to me due to the quality and tastiness of the food...They have good prices for lunch if you like the ambiance (and the oysters) but are looking for a lower overall bill.
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Zuni Cafe
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Hayes Valley |
2/22/2005
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Why why why would anyone go here for Mexican food when you have so many other authentic options at your finger tips. I mean this is the kind of place that you go to when you're stuck in the middle of Iowa and you have a craving for Mexcian food. That being said the place is clean, staff friendly, and the food is fairly well priced for what it is. Just remember that you'll be kicking yourself later when you walk by that Taco stand and realize that the viddles they're offering are leaps and bounds above what you just stuffed your gullet with.
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Chevy's Fresh Mex
Cuisine: Tex-mex Mexican
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Embarcadero |
2/22/2005
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Garlic Fries Garlic Fries Garlic Fries!!!! I'm a big fan of these, other than that the rest of the food was just o.k. Staff was awesome though! Really made the whole experience worth it. I went to have a few good brews, some glorified pub food, and a good time...that's exactly what I got. I was a little surprised that the brew wasn't a "better" flavor straight from the "horses mouth" but all in all I recommend it to anyone who asked just telling them to keep in mind that they're going to a public house and not to expect anything different.
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Gordon Biersch
Cuisine: Pub Food
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Pacific Bell Park/South Beach |
2/22/2005
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First off I must let you all know that I'm a huge fan of garlic...I mean huge! That being said I wasn't as in love with this place as I thought I might be. Tip #1 make a reservation...I don't care if you're a group of two. Tip #2 order the "garlic in a hot tub"...I'll be honest but I don't remember the official name for this appetizer but trust me they'll know what you mean , and it's worth it. Tip #3 don't order the braised rabbit...it's on the bone and while that's not a big deal it seems they can't make it with out letting it get too dry, I'm not the only one who's had this experience. The sauce the smother it in is fab. though. The ribs are AMAZING and the meat just falls off the bone...if the ribs always turn out that way then you're in for a real treat. If you have nut allergies do not order any of there salads or request the house salad with no nuts because otherwise you're doomed. The decor is super fun and lively...all in all I had a good time I think it just had higher hopes
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Stinking Rose
Cuisine: Italian Californian
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North Beach |
2/22/2005
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