Dinner Recs for Tenderloinish/Downtown area

[Ludovika]

I work downtown at 5th & Market and my friend works up closer to Van Ness. Can someone recommend a restaurant close to one of us or in between that is somewhat hip and not too expensive (about $25 pp?) I was thinking Farmer Brown's, but I've been there a few times already and wasn't horribly impressed. But something with the same sort of atmosphere and off a convenient bus line would be great.

[asciiwar]

Bodega Bistro and Pagolac aren't too far if you're willing to walk a little bit.

[Robert Lauriston]

I wouldn't call them hip but they're good.

Bodega Bistro has an unusually good wine list for its price range.

[bernalman]

I agree with Soluna as an option. I've walked there from 5th and Market. Not too far a walk, but through the heart of the TL.

At Westfield, how about Out the Door ? It has a nice, separate seating area with table service, despite its location by the food court.

[foodiegrl]

Straits Cafe may be a bit north of $25 pp for dinner.
I work near 4th & Market & I feel your pain WRT dining options. If you want to spend a little more and you get in early enough, you can get lucky at Canteen. Otherwise, Le Colonial for drinks & bar snacks upstairs is a great value. Cortez can also be a good bet if you order carefully (stay away from the $12 crab cake). Westfield's dining selection has left me a little flat - there don't seem to be many options between the $12 lunch and $40 dinner price point. However, 'wichcraft now has bar service, and a couple of their sandwiches cut up and shared with beer & wine could be quite enjoyable in their lounge-like seating. Soluna Cafe just off of Civic Center plaza could be a good bet, too if it's not too far of a hike.

[Sharon S.]

Not much hip in the Tenderloin between 5th and Van Ness. I suggest you go to Straits Cafe in the Westfield Centre.