Dinner near de Young museum?

[Bay Gelldawg]

Any experiences with dinner at the de Young museum cafe?

Any suggestions for other dinner options within walking distance of the museum? The only place I can think of is the restaurant in the basement of the Academy of Sciences. Has anyone eaten there?

I am only looking for places that are a short walk from the de Young museum, please.

[singleguychef]

I don't have a car, so when I visit the deYoung, I catch the N-Judah and walk from 9th and Irving. To me, that's not a far walk, and very doable, especially on a nice night. In fact, during the holidays my friend and I went to the deYoung and she got great parking inside the park near the museum. When we wanted a bite, we didn't want to lose the parking so instead just walked to the 9th and Irving area to grab a bite.

Now, in terms of my recommendation that's not a super long walk, I would highly recommend Pasion, a newish Peruvian style restaurant right on Irving just a few yards from 9th. It's the son of the owners of Fresca. Very happening bar and a somewhat dark dining room. But good food, if you like ceviches and meats. (They even have a paella.) I thought the dinner rolls were especially nice, fresh and soft in the inside with a crispy skin on the outside. Anyway, it would be a nice cap to a day at the museum. But I might make reservations. I went early and it was empty so I walked in, but within an hour a lot of neighborhood people filled up the place.

If you're not in Pan-American cuisine, then a good standby if you like fresh sushi is Ebisu which is right on 9th between Irving and Lincoln.

[Dustin_E]

koo is very good sushi near here.

san tung is much more downscale than koo, but is very good chinese food with some korean influence.

[CarrieWas218]

Koo is very good (especially the Spoonfuls of Happiness!) - but that is quite a walk...

[Dustin_E]

the de young museum cafe is a nice, casual restaurant. i had very good luck with their seafood stew recently, but this was lunch.

[CarrieWas218]

Apparently the cafe is closed in the evening during the winter months which is a shame; they have been doing a really great prix fixe on their Friday Nights at the DeYoung which was a great bargain and fabulous food.

Hopefully they will reinstate that soon.

[Bay Gelldawg]

Thanks. I guess I should have been clearer. This will be on Friday night March 30, when the cafe at the de Young will be open again for dinner. But I don't know if dinner at the cafe is any good and I am concerned that they don't take reservations.

And as I said, I am looking for other options that we could comfortably walk to from the museum. Clement Street, 5th Avenue, and South of the park are a bit too far for that. I'm trying to avoid having to park twice. Perhaps it isn't possible, but I will explore the other suggestions. Thank you.

[Cynsa]

Don't be concerned about the 'no reservations' policy. The museum cafe is spacious. We applaud McCall's Catering at the deYoung cafe and at the Legion of Honor's cafe. I am a museum volunteer and have enjoyed dinners/lunches since McCall's staff came on board at the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums.

[CarrieWas218]

If you believe that Clement is too far, than there really aren't any other options than parking twice. The cafe IS that good and the Friday night meals are quite exceptional for the cost. Stay at the museum and enjoy!

[chuckl]

9th avenue is walkable from the deyoung, clement street not so much

[chairbc]

I was thinking--should have said it--in terms of driving to Clement. Yeah, it's a hike to not be undertaken lightly...but having dinner at the DeYoung, that's a golden idea. should try it my own self one time.

[CarrieWas218]

Was there on Sunday and must say the Fish Stew was exemplary...

[Dustin_E]

their fish stew really is excellent. the only better version i think i've had was at farina, and that was at 3x the price...

[Robert Lauriston]

If Clement and 5th are too far, then I think the only alternative to the cafe is the little restaurant row on Balboa east of 8th. That's 4-5 blocks / half a mile.

[charliemyboy]

If just south of the park isn't too far for you there are many options on 9th Ave. (about 4 or 5 blocks equivalent from the de Young) and more on Irving St.

[chairbc]

and if Clement Street isn't too far (north of the Park), there are many-many choices, Asian and otherwise, between Arguello and 10th Avenue. or Cinderella Bakery and Cafe (Russian) on Balboa is fairly close http://www.cinderellabakery.com/

[Melanie Wong]

According to their websites, neither museum cafe appears to be open for dinner.

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The Richmond Restaurant
615 Balboa, San Francisco, CA 94118

Academy Cafe
55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA

de Young Café
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118

[Robert Lauriston]

And the Moss Room, which is normally open for dinner Thursday through Sunday, is temporarily closed due to an ownership change.

There are maybe a dozen restaurants on Balboa between 5th and 7th.

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The Richmond Restaurant
615 Balboa, San Francisco, CA 94118

Katia's Russian Tea Room
600 5th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118