Unique, Weird and Unusual Dining in SF

[alexa52]

Hello Chowhounders-
I am the editor of a travel magazine and just posted an article about unique dining experiences in San Francisco. I am curious to know what other spots locals from San Fran would recommend as a 'different' or unusual restaurant?

Alexa
http://www.52perfectdays.com

[Lando]

How about Foreign Cinema? http://www.foreigncinema.com/home.html

My cousin told me about it recently. I have yet to check it out myself. It looks to be a unique experience with the foreign film playing during your meal. I will be stopping by soon during a nice warm summer night.

-Lando
www.SpotsForDates.com

[pdxtodd]

This is an amazing thread. Was wondering if someone could give an update and share what the newest great 'unique', 'odd' & 'weird' restaurants are still in biz and which new ones should be added to the list.

[moriminamimachikko]

Two recent favorites in the city for me are Eiji on 317 Sanchez Street serving pretty authentic Japanese food and Yoshi's Jazz Club on 1330 Fillmore that features fusion Japanese (they call it kaiseki but it's not the kaiseki I'm familiar with in Japan). If you go to Eiji, check out the home-made tofu, fresh sashimi and sushi and don't forget to look on their board for seasonal specialties, Outstanding dishes at Yoshi's include seasonal organic vegetables roasted on cedar paper and innovative makizushi such as kimono and sarusa.

[rworange]

links

-----
Restaurant Eiji
317 Sanchez St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Yoshi's Jazz Club & Japanese Restaurant
1330 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA

[ZDtodd]

If you had to choose between Eiji on 317 Sanchez Street and Yoshi's Jazz Club on 1330 Fillmore which would it be? Craving Japanese and want something really fun and delicious.

[sflegs]

El Toreador in West Portal. I like the food but you go to look at all the crazy stuff and read the funky placemats. Prices are good for what you get so you don't break the bank by eating there.

[melisky]

When I first read this post, I just assumed the OP meant an unusual dining experience, not unusual food. Immediately, I thought of Opaque, where people dine in complete blackness and are served by blind waiters. It's hardly unique to SF, though, as it's part of a California chain -- http://www.darkdining.com and I first heard of the concept in Switzerland, where there's a similar place in Zurich, I think.

[weem]

Oh, man, I had never heard of Opaque, and it sounds like an amazing experience. Just browsed their website. Frankly, I'm a little intimidated by it. I proposed it to a couple of my foodie friends, and they had similar reactions. I don't care if it's a chain or inspired by some other place (it's not like I've been to Zurich). Have you been? How was it?

[Carrie 218]

A good friend of mine (and professional food writer) went to the Los Angeles version and his review is here: http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/d...

After lengthy discussions with him about it, I'm not going to bother. Seems for $99, you are getting more of an experience than truly remarkable food.

[wolfe]

i guess the judging on Iron Chef can eliminate the points for plating.

[melisky]

I have not been there, but there are several reviews on Yelp.com that are mixed. Even if people didn't like the food, they agreed that it was a new experience.

[toncasmo]

didn't samantha brown go to some place where you sit on beds to eat in her recent show on SF? and there travsvestites performing??? i wasn't paying that close attention so don't know the name. looked intersting tho and food looked great

[rahir]

The trannies were probably AsiaSF, and you dine on beds at supperclub.

[osho]

The one in the show was SupperClub in SOMA. And that's part of a chain which started off in the Netherlands.

-----
Supperclub
657 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94107

[alexa52]

Thanks for all the amazing suggestions. What a fun discussion.
Alexa
http://www.52perfectdays.com

[Richard the Eater]

I know I'm coming late to this thread, but it's a fun one.

My favorite for unusual and fun: It's Tops on Market @ McCoppin - great buckwheat waffles made with a 50-year old waffle iron, owned by the daughter of the guy who owned it in the '50s, '50s decor that isn't retro, just ancient, and a great juke box.

[Waterboy]

You really haven't had the San Francisco experience without enjoying happy hour at the Tonga Room....

http://www.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco/...

[rahir]

I nominate Weird Fish to the list, simply because it has the word "weird" in it... Plus, I always enjoy the food (regular and vegan fish n' chips type of theme).

-----
Weird Fish
2193 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Chuckles the Clone]

When my friends and I showed up there five minutes before closing time, utterly and probably obnoxiously though it didn't seem that way to us, drunk after an opening down the street, the Weird Fish people were so nice to us. Served us dinner. Offered dessert. Didn't actually kick us out an hour later but maybe turned some bad music on. I try very hard to not be "that guy" but sometimes despite everything I guess I am. But now I can provide first-hand reportage that the staff at Weird Fish are complete pros. Also -- real tasty fish and chips.

Yeah, this would be an excellent addition to whatever list Alexa is compiling.

[Kim Cooper]

We once stayed too late at a restaurant (only a little though) and they put, very loud, "A Hard Day's Night" on the stereo....

[sfoperalover]

imho, the most truly unusual eating experience in SF is AsiaSF. The food is middling at best, but the accompanying entertainment, of asian transvestites doing runway walks down the bar, cannot be found anywhere else. Teatro Zinzani, as dinner theater also qualifies.

[kc72]

won't be unique to SF for long, they're scheduled to open one in Hollywood

edit: referring to Asia SF

[rworange]

Never was unique to SF. It started in Seattle
http://dreams.zinzanni.org/

It is amazing all the horrid 'unique and weird' recs are on this thread. Over half I would be warning people against going. How about "uniique, weird ..and GOOD".

[Chuckles the Clone]

It's the use of the word "weird" that makes this impossible and almost bordering on offensive.

[Robert Lauriston]

Good restaurants don't need gimmicks, and if they're successful they don't stay unique for long.

[Robert Lauriston]

Transvestite / transsexual waitresses aren't unique to Asia SF. Lucky Cheng's in New York did it first, and they've got a branch in Las Vegas. There are similar places around the world in many cities with enough tourists to make it profitable to set traps.

[Chuckles the Clone]

Cf. Elf Scharfrichter and Simplicissimus in Munich, Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, Eldorado in Berlin, and many others. With that sort of history as a backdrop, AsiaSF begins to look awfully provincial.

[weem]

Just got back from my first visit to Teatro Zinzanni. True, it's not technically unique to San Francisco, and I wouldn't even really call it weird. But it's definitely unusual. It's circus dinner theater. It's a longish evening, and not cheap. But my companions and I all found it thoroughly enjoyable. The entertainment flags periodically, though rarely, and the acrobats and dancers are uniformly breathtaking. The fleet of servers manages to maintain an upbeat attitude as they serve dishes to hundreds of people at once like a banquet, plus keeping our water filled and empty plates cleared, even as they are required to perform some choreography and wear funny outfits. All requests, including a replacement of the candle, were cheerfully attended to immediately. Our service only slipped at the dessert course as the coffee orders were screwed up (not to mention the desserts were served in near darkness while a singer sang in the spotlight, and I couldn't quite tell what I was eating until the lights came up - there was a single rose petal which looked in the dark like a strawberry slice, and caught a few at my table by surprise). Afterwards, our primary waitress talked to us about how much she loves her job, which was heartening. And, this being chowhounds.com, how was the food? Certainly not four-star. And I wouldn't recommend the place just for the food. But everyone liked their food. It's far better than you would expect for dinner theater, and I would have been satisfied eating it at a regular restaurant. All the various elements of the evening combined to make what I, in my humble opinion, considered a satisfying and worthwhile experience.

[rworange]

link

-----
Teatro ZinZanni
29 San Pier, Francisco, CA

[Sarah]

Sam Wo's kinda unique and/or weird, even without Edsel.

[zippo]

Caffe Sport on Green in North Beach. I know, I know. I like it, so kill me.

http://www.caffe-sport.com/menus.html

[rworange]

Have you been recently? It seems there were never any reports about the place since the owner died a few years ago. I liked it too long ago. I'm just curious how it is these days.

[zippo]

yes, went there for lunch about 2 months ago after a long, long absence. they're open for lunch on Friday and Saturday and the prices are about 1/3rd less than the dinner menu.

had the Fritto Misto Combination (fried seafood combo with shrimp, mussels, crab legs, etc.) for about $11 before tax and tip. Good-sized serving that was too large for me to finish and I took home the leftovers. Came with a garlicky dip for the bread which could have been a meal in itself.

I went there frequently in the mid-1980's when chef Tony was there and the waiters were one of the best acts in the City. Over the years, I've taken a lot of out-of-town visitors there and they all loved it - the food and the quirky settings. Their Pasta con Pesto and the Scampi All' Antonio were must-haves.

If you make it over there, I'd be interested in what you think of it. It doesn't get the play that it deserves.

[rworange]

Thanks

-----
Caffe Sport
574 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133

[Sharuf]

Is the main waiter still there? I sometimes got a big wet smooch from him when I showed up with out of town visitors.

[grantham]

We dined at Caffe Sport twice in July of this year. Although Tony will always be missed, the pesto and scampi remained the same as when he was there. We also sampled the Fritto Misto combination plate you mentioned. We have been dining there since the 70's and plan to continue.

[Chuckles the Clone]

To save others a remarkable level of frustration navigating the site to find
the article in question, it's here. I think: http://www.52perfectdays.com/articles/unique-dining-experiences-city-bay

I'm not sure it's right to direct visitors to gimmicky "unusual" places rather than
towards good food. Generally you don't end up with both in the same place. Forbes
Island, for example, or that chowder in a bread bowl place.

One place I can think of that's simultaneously good and unlikely to be available
back home no matter where they come from is Greens. Beautiful, spooky at night
in the fog, out of the (tourist) way, waterfront location. Completely vegetarian but
very not-like-other-vegetarian restaurants.

Here's a long previous thread on the same subject which also collapses because
it's not clear what the question really is or why someone would be asking it:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/434194

[steve h.]

breakfast at primavera's stall saturday morning at the ferry building is pure san francisco. so is loading up at the best stands for breads, cheeses, meats, terrines, fruits, wines and so on for killer picnics that require walks (greenwich/filbert steps) or water travel (ferry to angel island, walk to the top of mt. livermore). hiking mt. tam to see wizard of oz is pretty cool. san francisco gets mass transit.

"j-church" to incanto is cool. the "f" to zuni works. neither is weird, both are wonderful. somehow, they capture the modest vibe that says, "san francisco" to me.

beer. san francisco gets beer. magnolia is ok. haven't been since the remodel (tried twice). there are others.

[Robert Lauriston]

What's unique about Joe's Cable Car?

Previous topic on the same subject:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/366622

[wolfe]

Possibly the price for what you get.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/18435...

[Scott M]

Incanto is different/innovative in its use of offal.

AsiaSF would fall under the "unusual" category.

[wolfe]

"If you're looking for lobster, tuna, salmon, cod, and more, try Acqua"
It's Aqua,from the Latin for water. Not especially unique, weird or unusual but pricey.

-----
Aqua
252 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Chuckles the Clone]

Plus, of "lobster, tuna, salmon, cod" only salmon is remotely indigenous.
If you're going to be eating local seafood, that means huffing either up at
least to Marshall or down to Princeton for barbecued oysters. Or hitting
Tadich during sand dab season. And if you're heading towards Princeton
may as well go a bit beyond to Pescadero and have a nice bowl of artichoke
soup at Duarte's. And don't forget to stop in at Applejacks in La Honda to
have a beer.

That would be a weird day unapproachable anywhere else on earth. And tasty.

[Xiao Yang]

I don't know what you mean by indigenous, but there are few places in the world that the fish swim up to the restaurant's back door. Having said that, there is plenty of cod and tuna in California waters.

[wolfe]

XY and CTC
I was only pointing out that some of the facts and opinions in the magazine article needed some better research. Not only was the restaurant name misspelled but Aqua was neither unusual or unique to San Francisco. As to weird,"It's the use of the word "weird" that makes this impossible and almost bordering on offensive." CTC 7/5/08

[Xiao Yang]

To be fair, the OP didn't use the word "weird" in either of the two articles by her I found on the website she writes for, just in her current request for additional suggestion. Offensive or not, I'd consider Supper Club to be "weird."

What's weird to me is that SF isn't shown as one of the "Most Popular" destinations on the website's main page, though San Diego, Denver and Portland are.

[Shane Greenwood]

If you're going out by La Honda. You'd have to stop at Buck's of Woodside for weird and unusual too (with a heavy dose of eccentricity). For sure you'll have a hard time finding a more unusual decor. And the food is pretty darn good there. The homemade tortillas are killer.

http://www.buckswoodside.com/

[Xiao Yang]

Coincidentally, today's Tablehopper newsletter reported that La Honda once again has a restaurant of its own, called Sullivan's, apparently servig British (Yorkshire) pub food. Scroll to last paragraph:

http://www.tablehopper.com/2008/07/ch...

[Kim Cooper]

I think what's unusual about Aqua is the decor.

[wolfe]

Are you sure you are not thinking of Farallon?

[Kim Cooper]

Yes, you are right, I was probably thinking of Farallon. Oh well.
By the way, is Farallon any good? We are thinking of going there soon.

[melisky]

I've been to Farallon twice, most recently last April for a birthday lunch. Having dined there before, I really tried to convince my friend to go elsewhere, but he inisisted on going there. The decor is something to see, although way over the top and I really felt like I was in a Disney ride with the huge shells everywhere, despite the luxurious fabrics. The food is not good, which is especially sad, considering the expense. The amuse bouche was a fish pudding foam (yes, it was as bad as it sounds -- thinking of it still makes me shudder), the bread was dry and tasteless, the salad was fine, and the entrees fair. Even dessert was so-so. There are definitely better choices.

[Carrie 218]

Just to go and experience the décor, I think the best thing you can do at Farallon is sit at the bar, have a cocktail or champagne and share some oysters; you don't spend nearly as much money and it can be a delightful experience.

[ML8000]

Regarding the decor, unless it's dark outside and you're sitting near the front of the room, you'll miss most of it. The larger back of room area is pretty basic. Agreed that the food is only so-so and has a disney aspect to it.

[Robert Lauriston]

Even dessert was so-so? That's sad. Emily Luchetti is still the executive pastry chef. I guess she's more focused on her cookbooks or something.

[Shane Greenwood]

Well, if the criteria is simply "different or unusual" then Forbes Island is worth noting. Not too many people on this board would endorse the food. But nobody would argue that phoning a water taxi to motor you to a floating restaurant isn't unusual.
http://www.forbesisland.com/

Also, Joe's Cable Car Restaurant is pretty unique. http://www.joescablecar.com/

[wolfe]

Many recent negative reviews.

-----
Joe's Cable Car
4320 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94112

[Chuckles the Clone]

Recent or not, has there -ever- been a positive review of Joe's?

[wolfe]

Occasionally. Chacon à son goût
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/18435...

[rworange]

Heaven's ... not Forbes Island. Seriously, few self-respecting San Franciscans go there. Just brand a scarlett "T" on your forehead for 'tourist'.

Just for reference the above link has these as the unique dining experiences

Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market
Boulettes Larder
The Wok Shop
Red Blossom Tea Company
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
Local Tastes of the City Tour (XOX chocolates, Victoria Pastry, etc)
Club Fugazi

Well, I'm kind of torn here. On one hand, one doesn't want to have the local joints overrun by people flipping through guidebooks that tell them what dishes they must eat. On the other hand, I want people to enjoy the city as much as I do, have a good time and throw a little business worthy businesses. ... sooo ...

- Blue Bottle Cafe
A serious coffee maker with ... I forget ... a $50,000 coffee maker ... something expensive.

- Aziza
California cuisine with a morrocan touch.

- The Sentinal
Little sandwich/bakery shop by a top class chef.

- Jai Yun
A one-man unquie Chinese restaurant.

- Cafe Gratitude
A vegetarian / raw food restaurant with dishes with names like "I am beautiful", "I am estatic"

- Food on Wheels
The Korean food truck, the sushi truck, the Cuban sandwich truck, etc.

A thousand little ethnic restaurants. Follow the boards and it will unearth a treasure trove.

[Robert Lauriston]

What "above link"?

There's no dining at The Wok Shop or Club Fugazi.

[rworange]

The link in the OP. If you find the SF link, I'm assuming that is what the poster is referring to. There is no Chowhound restriction on food only in that article so those were the only other marginally food-related mentions. It was just a reference as to what the OP considers weird and unusual in SF.

[Robert Lauriston]

The "Unique Dining Experiences in the City by the Bay" article I found mentions:

Foreign Cinema
Supperclub
Boudin Bistro Café
Pesce
Acqua [sic]
Bar Crudo
Yank Sing
Tommy Toy's Cuisine Chinoise
Pancho Villa Taqueria
Taqueria Cancun
Citizen Cake
Mitchell's Ice Cream

http://www.52perfectdays.com/articles...

[steve h.]

bar crudo and yank sing are places i like a lot. unique? i don't know. i'll just keep going back.

[Xiao Yang]

Or at Red Blossom Tea.