Visiting San Francisco

[FoodDoog]

I'll be visiting San Francisco from Seattle in late August and would like a recommendation for a good place for dinner. Nothing extraordinarily fancy or exotic...just a solid well done and surprising diner. We'll be staying in Japan-town, bur can go anywhere in San Francisco.

It's been years since I lived in San Francisco...some of our favorite restaurants are still around, but a little long in the tooth...I'd like to try some place new...and romantic since it's our Anniversary. We've been to Asia de Cuba, and Lark Creek Steak on our last visit. Also any ideas on Old School San Francisco place that are still great would be appreciated.

Thanks...

[FoodDoog]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We ended up going to RN74, which was amazing! Great room and great food. If you go be sure to try the Tempura Mushrooms...OMG!

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks for reporting back.

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RN74
301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

[batchoy]

I'd suggest Hayes Street Grill -- just ate there two nights ago, and the flat iron steak was so good, as were the accompanying fries. I had a meringue dessert topped with home-made fro-yo and mixed berries and it was better than anything I've had at Citizen Cake (been to Citizen Cake four times).

If you want to walk around, the area around City Lights Bookstore has some nice, funky restaurants (there's Cafe Vesuvio right next to City Lights) and something owned by Coppola a little farther down (forget the name, darn, but it's close to Jackson).

Also, it's nice to walk around the Ferry Building, wouldn't recommend the over-crowded Slanted Door, but you can eat at any of the delis in the Ferry Building and take the food to the pier to watch the sunset ...

[rworange]

link

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Hayes Street Grill
324 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102

[FoodDoog]

That's crazy that you would mention Hayes Street Grill. That was our favorite restaurant when we lived in SF. So it's still good?

[ML8000]

It's good, very solid, probably even the same green nunnery carpeting. The neighbor has changed a bit since the freeway was knocked down. The thing is, while they have stayed the same, the general level of restaurants in SF has risen. Some would even say significantly.

[Robert Lauriston]

Still good. Hasn't changed much, menu's still focused on mesquite-grilled fish of the day, still might be the best place in town if that's what you're craving.

I don't think it's a destination place for steak the way it was when they were one of the first places to serve dry-aged Niman beef. They switched to cheaper cuts a while back when beef prices shot up.

[whiner]

Ame or Boulevard would be my suggestions.

Less expensive: Aziza (for the romantic aspect)

[ML8000]

This question gets asked a lot, you might look at this list, it's a great break down:
http://www.chow.com/lists/edit/1591

As for old school...that's a board question. There is Tadich Grill and it doesn't get much older, literally...but if you're from Seattle, not sure the seafood will make that much of a difference.

In Japantown you might check out, Maki and O Izakaya Lounge.

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Tadich Grill
240 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Maki Restaurant
1825 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115

O Izakaya Lounge
1625 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94115