San Francisco Restaurant Recommendations? - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

jstducky · 12-06-2005, 07:18 PM

If anyone has any great restaurant recommendations for the San Francisco area, please post them here.

hanna · 12-06-2005, 11:16 PM

The Blue Fox. Pricey and wonderful .

beth n rod · 12-07-2005, 07:44 AM

What cuisine?
For indian food....Gaylords.
Fog City Diner for American food
Ruth's Chris for steak
Anything in chinatown is good
The Cliff House - not great food - but a great view
.....as I think of others, I'll add them....
Beth

beth n rod · 12-07-2005, 07:47 AM

Spenger's Grotto - Berkeley on the water.... wonderful.

jstducky · 12-07-2005, 03:57 PM

I've heard numerous people say that the Slanted Door is excellent as well

Texashorselady · 12-07-2005, 05:01 PM

I lived in the Bay Area for over twenty years, but I've been away a while and things change. I do know that you should never go to the biggest, flashiest Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The smaller places are always better. There was a place called Sam Wo's that was really good, but you had to go through the kitchen to get seated!

The owner (Sam) was a real character. He came around to tables and sat with you...very entertaining and great food.

Same with the seafood places. All the tourists go to Fisherman's Grotto #9 or something big and famous. But the locals know that Scomas or one of the smaller places on down the pier is much better food.

Northbeach area has wonderful Italian restaurants. I can't remember the best one's names...but I have never been to an Italian restaurant in SF that wasn't good. I don't think they'd survive in SF if they weren't great...the competition is so intense!

MCcruiser · 12-07-2005, 07:39 PM

I've never been there, but if I ever get to SF, I want to go to whatever restaurant Ron Siegel is cooking at. For those of you who watched the Iron Chef series on the cooking channel, Chef Siegel is the American chef who beat Iron Chef French, Hiroyuki Sakai, in the Lobster Battle. For those of you who are not familiar with that show, this guy made an incredible dinner with lobster in every course, and everyone was amazed.

Ron Siegel is now at The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton.
http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/fea...arlton_sf.html

nealberk · 12-07-2005, 07:49 PM

Haven't been to San Francisco in ages (and I really miss it). I used to like Alioto's at Fisherman's Wharf. Nice view and excellent crab alfredo. Then there was a little chinese restaurant in the middle of chinatown that one of the people in our group took us to. The tourist went to the "fancy" restaurant on the first floor, we went upstairs to the "authentic" restaurant. Not a single word of English but the food was great.

When it came to unique restaurants, nothing beat San Francisco (There are MANY books that list the best restaurants, unfortunately restaurants go in and out of business so quickly.... )

edshuck · 02-21-2006, 10:14 PM

http://www.fireflyrestaurant.com/

The firefly is located in Noe Valley, near the physical center of the city. Use the link and be very sure to make reservations. Reservations are a must.

There is a food guide program on public television. The Firefly was highlighted just last week. The reviewers could not have been more flattering.

The price of a dinner is in the neighborhood of $40 per person. It is not a place I would consider when dining with children.

This is a quiet area. Much like a country community.

The Firefly is not one of the more famous places. This is partly that they do a bit of advertising in the local neighborhood newspaper and the locals keep it quiet. But it is VERY successful. Check the site.

mechcc · 02-21-2006, 11:10 PM

Scomas was great! We only had 2 days there and were having a late lunch at a sidewalk cafe and kept noticing lots of suits and fancy cars coming from an ally. Had to check out what was back there and Scomas was the only thing. Decided if the suits and fancy cars were there, it had to be good so we went the next evening. As a non-fish eater, the beef strogonoff was some of the best I've ever had. DH had double lobster and it was really great. If we are ever back in SF we will make it a point to go to Scomas. Also, reservations aren't required but can be made.

We also did lunch at the Cliff House and the views are fabolous! Lunch would be better then dinner since it is the views and not the food as the highlight of eating there.