SF Foodies help!

March 7, 2012 8:47 PM

What's a nice place in San Francisco myself and my parents can have dinner on Friday?

I'm graduating from a teaching program so it's kind of a special occasion. We were going to go to kokkari but couldn't get a reservation. Obviously, it's Wednesday night now, so it'll be hard to get reservations anywhere fancy.

So yeah, Friday night (day after tomorrow) 3 of us, in the 7-8pm range, under 100 a person with wine (hopefully more like 50 a person) any kind of food, hopefully close to the financial district or the embarcadero but we'd be willing to travel if the food is worth it!

Thanks!

posted by saul wright to food & drink (15 answers total)

I really love NOPA, Limon, Sushi Bistro, and Nihon Whisky Lounge. None of these are downtown (most are in the Mission) but I love them all the same.
posted by ruhroh at 8:50 PM on March 7, 2012

My favorite restaurant in SFO is Fog City Diner. Check it out.
posted by kdern at 9:18 PM on March 7, 2012

Open Table shows 41 restaurants in the Financial District/Embarcadero with availability for 3 at 7:30 on Friday. Of those, One Markeet, Lafitte, and Palio D'Asti look promising. Take a look.
posted by judith at 9:26 PM on March 7, 2012

Perbacco (FiDi) and Slanted Door (Ferry Building) are both great.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 9:33 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

I work in the Financial District and go to Palio often - it's quite tasty and fairly fancy. However, just as tasty and more interesting (to me) is Credo, which has available reservations during that time. Other places to check out may be Perbacco or Wexler's. On preview, I agree that Slanted Door is good.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:41 PM on March 7, 2012

Slanted Door in the Ferry Building, just like hapax mentioned. :)
posted by i_wear_boots at 10:27 PM on March 7, 2012

perbacco or barbacco, wayfaire tavern, boulevard (cutting it close on price tho), yank sing.
posted by rkent at 10:56 PM on March 7, 2012

Or Bocadillos, or RN74.
posted by rkent at 11:06 PM on March 7, 2012

If your parents are anything like mine, many of the above recommendations are too trendy/stark for a good time. I live in SF and eat out constantly, with husband, friends, clients and my parent.

Go for any of these for a classy time, polite service, comfortable environs:

Absinthe
Bix
Boulevard
Chez Papa Mint Plaza
Florio
Foreign Cinema
Hyde Street Bistro
Jardiniere
Park Tavern
Piperade
Presidio Social Club
Rose Pistola
Town Hall
Woodward's Garden
posted by cior at 1:30 AM on March 8, 2012

I'll put in another plug for Palio: the food's good and the owner/chef does work with the local high schools. Aforementioned NOPA is really good, as well, but isn't downtown. If they're steak people, then I recommend Harris Steakhouse on Van Ness.

(IMO, Kokkari is over-rated, so I think you lucked out there)
posted by smirkette at 6:47 AM on March 8, 2012

My humble opinion on Slanted Door after recently dining for the first time:

Shockingly overrated.

The noise was deafening, the loudest restaurant I have ever been in, my wife and I couldn't even talk to each other. We ordered 5 dishes, one (the chard) was great, the other 4 were VERY average.

I can name 20 vietnamese places with better food for 1/5th the price.

The next two San Fran places we went to were Sotto Marre and Suppenkuche, both of which were stunningly good.
posted by Cosine at 9:36 AM on March 8, 2012

Steak-focused that I have liked:
Bix - solid american, neat location in an alley near Transamerica pyramid in an old Gold Assayers building (north downtown). $50-70 a person.
Boboquivari (near lombard and van ness) - DAT STEAK. $60-100.
The Brazen Head - The pepper steak. Marina, $50 or so. Bit far from but tasty.
posted by spatula at 10:51 AM on March 8, 2012

Chez Papa on 18th st. in Potrero Hill is the original location (I believe) & delicious. I actually had my graduation dinner there sans reservations a few years ago.. There are a number of cute but nice restaurants on 18th St. around Connecticut in Potrero though, check Yelp for specifics. Parking is usually easy in that neighborhood, FYI.
posted by annie o at 3:35 PM on March 8, 2012

UPDATE: We went to Town Hall and oh my god, it was so good. Get the tuna tartare. Holy crap.
posted by saul wright at 8:24 PM on March 9, 2012

Thanks for all the answers!
posted by saul wright at 8:24 PM on March 9, 2012