The Top 100 Restaurants Near Pakwan Restaurant
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Rank 1. Kin Khao
Thai
Michelin-starred Thai in a hotel lobby sounds like a trap, but Kin Khao is the real deal. The room is nothing to write home about, yet the cooking is genuinely exciting, drawing on Thai tradition while leaning hard into Northern California produce. It's creative without being precious, and the spice levels are no joke. The crowd skews adventurous eater over tourist, which tells you something.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Thai restaurants in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #58 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 2. Azalina's
Malaysian Indian
Malaysian cuisine done with real California soul, in a prix fixe format that changes often enough to keep regulars guessing. The room feels like a tropical escape, which is a genuinely funny trick to pull off in the Tenderloin. The chef grew up eating this food, and it shows in every handmade detail. Expect a crowd that came specifically for this, not just to fill a table, and dessert that proves pastry training never goes to waste.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #64 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 3. Acquerello
Italian
Acquerello is the kind of two-Michelin-star Italian fine dining room that actually earns the fuss, with handmade pasta and bold, precise cooking that makes other places feel like they're just trying. The vibe is warm and grown-up, full of people who dressed up and mean it. The Italian wine cellar goes embarrassingly deep, and when the mignardises cart rolls over at the end, you'll understand why everyone looks so smug.
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- AAA Four Diamonds
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Italian Cuisine Restaurant
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A beloved halal Pakistani spot in the Tenderloin that's been around forever and somehow kept prices low enough that you'll order way more than you planned. The crowd is a good mix of regulars who know exactly what they want and first-timers loading up on tandoori platters and curries, all sharing the same slightly stunned look when the bill arrives. Grab a bunch of naan and just start ordering.
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Rank 5. Mister Jiu's
Chinese
Mister Jiu's is a Michelin-starred fine dining room in the heart of Chinatown that does something genuinely hard: it makes modern California cooking feel completely at home in Cantonese tradition. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, everyone dressed just enough. The Peking duck is the move, and the cocktails are serious enough to linger over. Go hungry, go with someone you want to impress.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Chinese Cuisine Restaurant
- Time Out The best Chinese restaurants in America
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Rank 6. Alexander's Steakhouse
American/Japanese
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Rank 7. Liholiho Yacht Club
American
Hawaiian soul meets California cool at this lively restaurant on Sutter, where the kitchen blurs the line between the two in ways that actually make sense. Shareable plates and strong cocktails keep the mood loose, and the room fills with groups who came for a good time and stayed for another round. The house-made Spam dish is a genuine flex, and ordering it is basically a personality test.
- Eater 2015 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 8. Four Kings
Cantonese
Snagging a reservation here is basically a sport, and if you lose, you line up outside before doors open and hope for the best. This buzzy Chinatown spot does contemporary Cantonese in a lively, quirky room where the crowd is young, loud, and very pleased with themselves for getting in. The cooking leans on traditional flavors but wears them loosely, and somehow that formula just works.
- Food & Wine 2024 · Squab · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- The New York Times 2024 · The Restaurant List
- Esquire 2024 · Restaurant of the Year · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 9. House of Prime Rib
Steakhouse
A classic SF steakhouse that's been around forever and shows zero interest in changing. The drill is simple: a salad spun tableside in an icy metal bowl, then a carving cart rolls up and someone in a white coat slices you a serious slab of roast beef with potato and gravy. The room is dark, the martinis are cold, and everyone is dressed like they're celebrating something, even if they're not.
- Esquire 2025 · Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Hospitality
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
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Rank 10. Bodega SF
Northern Vietnamese
Northern Vietnamese with an upscale edge, Bodega SF sits in the middle of downtown and draws the after-work crowd in from the cold. The wood-heavy room feels genuinely polished without trying too hard, and the menu earns it, running from solid lunch phở to dinner dishes where turmeric cakes arrive topped with caviar. The family behind it has been doing this for years, and it shows in how composed everything feels.
- The Infatuation Mochi Pandan Bar · The San Francisco Dessert Bucket List
- San Francisco Chronicle The best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation #11 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
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Rank 12. Outta Sight Pizza
Thin-crust Pizza
Outta Sight is a slice shop with actual personality, the kind of place where the walls are covered in skate photos and a Mos Def painting, and the pizza is good enough that nobody's just there for the vibe. The thin, New York-style pies are the move, but the sandwiches pull real weight too. It draws a creative, laid-back crowd who know a good thing when they find it, and they keep coming back.
- The Infatuation #19 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best sandwich spots in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
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Rank 13. Nari
Thai
Nari is a Michelin-starred prix-fixe spot inside Hotel Kabuki where the cooking genuinely earns the dramatic room it's served in. The chef runs contemporary Thai through a California filter, and the results are sharper and more interesting than that sounds. Dishes come family-style, which loosens things up nicely. The curries alone are worth the trip. Expect well-dressed couples and food-curious locals who definitely Googled the menu beforehand.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: California · Pim Techamuanvivit
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 14. Bombay Brasserie
Indian
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Rank 15. Tony's Pizza Napoletana
Neapolitan Pizza
- 50 Top Pizza 2025 · #3 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- Sunset 2025 · Inspired Italian · Where to Eat and Drink
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
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Rank 16. Restaurant Naides
Modern Filipino
Modern Filipino tasting menu done with genuine heart, tucked into a cozy jewel box room on Bush Street. The cooking pulls traditional flavors into something fresh and beautifully plated, leaning on Californian foraged ingredients without ever losing the plot on what makes Filipino food so satisfying. The crowd is adventurous and date-night-dressy, the service warm and sharp. This one earns its Michelin nod the old-fashioned way, by actually delivering.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
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Rank 17. The Progress
Californian
This Michelin-starred sharing-plates spot near the Fillmore Theater pulls off something genuinely hard: food that looks stunning and actually tastes as good as it looks. The vibe is warm and lively, two floors of wood and stone filled with people who came dressed for a proper night out. The California-meets-Nordic cooking is bold and a little unexpected, and the duck, when it crosses the room, turns heads for good reason.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire 2023 · The Progress Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski - Atomic Workshop
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Rank 18. Verjus
French wine bar
Reservations here are tough to score, so show up early and charm your way onto a barstool. Verjus is a French wine bar and bistro tucked near the Transamerica Pyramid, where the crowd leans into natural wine with the conviction of people who've given it real thought. The kitchen keeps things deceptively simple, leaning on great seafood and whatever's in season, and the duck pâté en croûte has become something of a reason to return.
- The Infatuation 2025 · #9 · The Top-Rated New Restaurants
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
- Eater 2019 · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 19. Hilda & Jesse
Fine dining
A Michelin-starred brunch spot where the menu is a surprise, because they don't hand you one. The team has serious fine dining pedigree, and it shows in a cooking style that's bold and a little chaotic in the best way, big flavors and genuinely unexpected combinations. The room feels like a modernist diner, bright and unpretentious, and the crowd shows up dressed like they might have places to be later but aren't sure.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #32 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 21. HK Lounge Bistro
Cantonese Chinese
This SoMa dim sum spot has been around forever, and the regulars who pack it at lunch will make you feel like you found something real. Families, suits with their ties loosened, the whole cast. The pleated dumplings and baked pork buns are the move at lunch, while dinner shifts into bigger shared plates. It's a modest room that doesn't need to try hard, which is usually the best sign.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 22. State Bird Provisions
Californian
Michelin-starred State Bird Provisions runs dim sum-style service with California cooking, meaning carts roll past your table and you grab whatever looks good. It's a genuinely fun way to eat, letting you build a meal out of whims instead of a menu. The room is loud and full of people who planned ahead, because getting a reservation takes real effort. Worth every refresh of the booking page.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski - Atomic Workshop
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #36 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 23. The Happy Crane
Cantonese
Snagging a table here is half the battle, but this chef-driven Cantonese restaurant in Hayes Valley is absolutely worth the effort. The kitchen takes the food seriously without taking itself too seriously, folding in unexpected ingredients like artichoke and fennel alongside the classics without making it weird. The room runs young and food-curious, full of people who planned this dinner a week out and are visibly pleased with themselves for getting in.
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
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Rank 24. Saigon Sandwich
Vietnamese
- The Infatuation #8 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
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Rank 25. Zuni Café
Californian
Zuni has been around forever and it still runs the room, a California institution where the wood-burning oven perfumes the whole place and the copper bar fills up early with people who know exactly what they're doing. The brick-roasted chicken for two is the reason most of them are here, and ordering it feels like passing a test. Business lunchers, tourist converts, and locals who never need the menu all share the same sun-drenched dining room.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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A no-frills Thai spot in the Tenderloin with the kind of loyal regulars who never bother looking at the menu. The barbecued pork shoulder is the reason people keep coming back, charred and punchy with a fish sauce marinade, and you can get it three different ways. Keanu Reeves is apparently a superfan, which the window display will remind you of constantly. Cash-and-plastic crowd, nothing fancy, just good food done right.
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Rank 27. Yank Sing
Cantonese Chinese
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Rank 28. Cotogna
Italian
Cotogna is the kind of Italian spot where the pasta alone justifies the reservation, and the wood-fired meats make you wish you'd ordered more. It's a convivial, mid-upscale trattoria with exposed brick, a copper bar, and an open kitchen that keeps the room buzzing. The crowd runs from Pacific Heights regulars who know the menu cold to date-nighters who feel very sophisticated. Michael Tusk also runs the fancy place next door, so the pedigree is real.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
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Rank 29. Copra
South Indian
Kerala cuisine finally gets the swanky Fillmore treatment at Copra, where the chef channels his home region of southwestern India into a menu built for sharing. The room is lush, the lighting is great, and the crowd knows it, so expect a few people angling for the shot. Order generously, because the portions reward ambition, and maybe reconsider your white shirt before the crab curry arrives.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 30. Cordon Bleu
Vietnamese
Tiny counter-diner on California Street that's been around forever and runs almost entirely on one woman's cooking. Katie Yu works the charbroiler like she could do it in her sleep, and the smoke coming off the five-spice chicken is reason enough to find a stool. The combo plates feed you properly for next to nothing, and the imperial rolls are the crunchiest thing you'll eat all week. Twelve seats total, so don't be precious about sharing space with strangers.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 31. Niku Steakhouse
Japanese Steakhouse
A Michelin-starred Japanese steakhouse tucked behind a gold door in the Design District, Niku takes the idea of a steakhouse seriously in ways most don't. The kitchen runs a whole-animal butchery program, ages its beef carefully, and cooks everything over a binchōtan robata grill. The crowd skews tech money and special-occasion couples who dressed up for this. Grab a counter seat if you can and watch the fire do its thing.
- World's 101 Best #49 · World's Best Steak Restaurants
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Infatuation #20 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
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Rank 32. Sungho
Traditional Korean
A homey Korean spot in the Tenderloin doing slow-simmered stews and hand-cut noodle soups that taste like someone's grandmother actually cared about you. The menu leans into dishes you won't easily find elsewhere in the Bay, the portions are built for sharing, and the house-made kimchi is the real deal. Regulars, curious neighbors, and the occasional K-pop fan fill the room, all of them looking very content about it.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation 2025 · #10 · San Francisco’s Best New Restaurants
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Rank 33. Angler
Seafood
Angler is a Michelin-starred seafood spot on the Embarcadero where live fire does most of the talking. The open kitchen pulls focus the whole night, and you can taste the smoke in almost everything that comes out of it. It draws the kind of crowd that orders confidently and dresses like they mean it. The wine list is serious, and dessert is genuinely not optional. Budget accordingly, and snag a reservation.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Infatuation Soft Serve Sundae · The San Francisco Dessert Bucket List
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Rank 35. Rich Table
American
Buzzy Hayes Valley dinner spot that books out fast and earns every reservation. The room feels like a farmhouse someone made actually cool, all distressed wood and low-key energy, with the bar crowd in their best casual eating whatever the kitchen sends out. The food is California at its core but pulls in flavors from everywhere, and the whole thing lands with way more finesse than the laid-back vibe lets on.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #8 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 36. John's Grill
San Francisco
Dark wood, white tablecloths, staff in all black, and a replica of the Maltese Falcon watching over the second floor. John's Grill is an old-school San Francisco steakhouse that's been around forever, and it wears every year well. The menu is meat and potatoes done properly, the kind of room where you half-expect someone to be tailing you. Noir buffs and old-city romantics feel right at home here.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 37. Yank Sing
Dim Sum Chinese
Yank Sing has been doing dim sum in the Financial District forever, and the suits filing in at lunch alongside families with strollers are all here for the same thing: cart after cart of genuinely great dumplings. The xiao long bao and har gow are the real draw, and if a cart rolls by without what you want, the staff will radio the kitchen for you. Bib Gourmand, reasonable prices, and almost no pretension.
- Time Out The best Chinese restaurants in America
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 38. Shoji
Japanese
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Coffee in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Best Matcha Lattes In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The Best Coffee Shops In SF
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Rank 39. Rintaro
Japanese
An izakaya that feels like someone built it in a forest, Rintaro holds a Bib Gourmand and earns it. The space is genuinely beautiful, all redwood and cedar, and the kitchen brings a NorCal farmers-market instinct to Japanese small plates. The crowd skews creative-class, speaking quietly over charcoal-grilled skewers and soft tofu that somehow tastes like a flex. Come hungry enough to order widely and you'll leave very happy.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Chef · Sylvan Mishima Brackett
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Golden Era is a vegan Asian spot that actually makes you forget to care that it's vegan, which is a harder trick than it sounds. The menu runs from pad Thai to pho to claypot rice, and the kitchen puts real work into getting the textures right, so the soy "beef" in the broth chews like the real thing. Prices are gentle, the crowd is a mix of True Believers and curious neighbors, and nothing on the menu phones it in.
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Rank 41. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement
Soul food
Soul food done with real love, right in the Fillmore where the chef grew up dreaming of opening this very spot. Minnie Bell's is a full-service restaurant, and the fried chicken, fragrant with rosemary and made for dunking in homemade hot sauce, is genuinely the reason people keep coming back. The mac and cheese has its own fan club too. Wash it all down with a cold beer and settle in with the neighborhood regulars who look very pleased with themselves for living nearby.
- Bon Appétit 2025 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 42. Capital
Cantonese
A no-frills Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown that's been around forever, Capital earns its spot on every local list with salt-and-pepper chicken wings that have genuine cult status. Wok-tossed with garlic and jalapeño, the crunch is loud enough to embarrass you in public, which is part of the charm. The crowd is a mix of regulars who come specifically for those wings and families working through the full menu, nobody dressed up, everyone happy.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best fried chicken restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #97 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 43. Swan Oyster Depot
San Francisco
Cash only, no website, and the line starts before most people have finished their coffee. Swan Oyster Depot is an old-school seafood counter that's been around forever, and it has absolutely no interest in modernizing for you. Once you're on a stool at the marble counter, cracking into a pile of fresh shellfish with a cold beer, you'll understand why the regulars look so smug.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 44. The Big Four
Old-school American
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
- The Infatuation The Best Martinis In San Francisco
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Rank 45. Smish Smash
Burgers
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Rank 46. Boulevard
American
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Rank 47. China Live
Chinese
China Live is a whole building dedicated to Chinese food, which sounds like a gimmick until you're inside and it's clearly not. The main floor is a sprawling casual eatery buzzing with sizzling woks and tourists who wandered in and accidentally had a great time. Upstairs there's fine dining and a cocktail bar that looks like it was designed on a movie set. Come hungry, bring people, and let the room do the work.
- Sunset 2024 · Markets and Bakeries · Where to Eat and Drink
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown
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Rank 48. Octavia
Elevated New American
The kind of neighborhood restaurant that makes nearby residents quietly smug about where they live. Octavia is an elegant but unpretentious New American spot tucked into a postcard stretch of Lower Pac Heights, where the regulars know the menu by heart and the newcomers feel like they lucked into something. The cooking leans into great local ingredients without making a big deal about it, and the baked goods alone justify the reservation.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Pasta Restaurants In SF
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: California · Melissa Perello
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Rank 49. Rise Over Run
Rooftop Cocktail Bar
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Rank 50. Rooh
Indian
Progressive Indian in SoMa, where the menu takes the subcontinent's flavors and runs them through a very modern filter, think oysters and burrata sharing a menu with tandoori and proper spice. The cocktails are genuinely creative rather than an afterthought, and the small-plates format means you can graze widely. The crowd skews date-night and tech-adjacent, everyone dressed up just enough. Prices reflect the ambition, so come hungry and order around the table.
- Sunset 2025 · Top Tables · Where to Eat and Drink
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Indian, Pakistani, and South Asian restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 51. Loquat
Jewish Bakery
Loquat is a cozy Jewish diaspora-inspired bakery on Gough that earned its chef a James Beard Award, which feels right the moment you walk in. The babka and pistachio cream puffs alone justify the trip, and every drink comes with a little cube of halva like it's the most normal thing in the world. The crowd is mostly Hayes Valley locals with good taste in tote bags, taking their time about it.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Kristina Costa
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Rank 52. Mymy
American
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The Sichuan spot in Chinatown that has tourists and locals alike waiting an hour just to get a table, which tells you everything. This is a full-on restaurant where the chile heat and numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorns do serious work, and your lips will remind you about it for a while after. Get the Dungeness crab when it's in season and prepare to dig in with both hands. Spice-averse friends are not totally lost here, but they should know what they're walking into.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown
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Rank 54. Sam Wo Restaurant
Chinese
Sam Wo has been an institution in Chinatown forever, the kind of place that closed, broke a few hearts, and then quietly came back under new ownership like nothing happened. It's a casual, no-frills Chinese spot where the rice noodle rolls with char siu are still the move, served with enough hot mustard to rearrange your sinuses. The crowd runs local and loyal, which is usually a good sign.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown
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Sam's Grill is an old-school seafood institution in the Financial District that makes you feel like you've stumbled into a city that still has some dignity. Tuxedoed servers, curtained back booths, and coat hooks from the hat-wearing era set the scene. The lunch crowd is regulars who know exactly what they're having before they sit down. Go on a weekday, order a martini, and don't be surprised if the guy in the next booth basically runs the city.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Part Mexican grocery, part taqueria tucked in the back, La Tapatia has been an institution in South San Francisco for years. Carnitas, tamales, and fresh masa are made daily, and everything in your burrito or taco was made in the same building. The chile relleno burrito is the move, a melty cheese-stuffed poblano wrapped in a proper tortilla. Takeout only, cash-and-carry crowd, no fuss.
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SanJalisco is a family-run Mexican breakfast and brunch spot that has been around for decades, and the name says it all: half San Francisco, half Jalisco, fully the real deal. The chilaquiles and huevos rancheros are the kind of morning-after cure that actually works, and the weekend birria special draws a crowd of regulars who already know to get it with the broth on the side. Small, homey, zero pretension.
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Le Central is an old-school French bistro that's been around forever, and the room knows it, white tablecloths against exposed brick, curved booths full of regulars who never glance at the menu. The cassoulet is the reason to come, a duck-and-sausage stew whose sauce carries a thread of every batch before it, which is either deeply romantic or mildly alarming depending on your disposition. Either way, order it.
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Rank 59. TBD izakaya
Japanese
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A proper French bistro tucked inside the Galleria Park Hotel near Union Square, with a kitchen that leans classic and a cocktail program built around French liqueurs and aperitifs. The chef behind the much-loved Baumé is cooking here now, and the food feels grown-up without being fussy. The crowd is hotel-adjacent but in a good way, the kind of place locals actually eat at too.
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Rank 61. Goldenette
Diner
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Rank 62. Z & Y Peking Duck
Sichuan Chinese
If your idea of a good time involves your lips going numb, Z & Y is your Chinatown spot. It's a no-frills Sichuan restaurant with a Bib Gourmand to its name and a serious commitment to heat, the kind where dried chilies aren't a garnish, they're the whole point. The room is worn-in and the vibe is relaxed, which suits the regulars just fine. Leave the car at home because parking around here is its own punishment.
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R&G Lounge is the Chinatown institution you bring out-of-towners to when you want them to feel like they've actually seen San Francisco. It's a classic Chinese seafood restaurant with live tanks lining the walls, which means the fish is genuinely fresh and the crab is the real deal. The crowd skews celebratory, lots of big family tables and people who clearly planned this meal weeks in advance. Order the Dungeness crab and don't overthink the rest.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown
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A sandwich shop that has committed fully to pork, and respects you enough not to pretend otherwise. The house porkstrami, a brined and smoked pork butt, anchors almost every sandwich on the menu, often alongside coppa, salami, or mortadella. The crowd skews toward people who did not come here to compromise. Wash it all down with novelty sodas from a bygone era, which somehow feels exactly right.
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Rank 65. Hayes Street Grill
Seasonal Seafood
Been around forever and somehow still the right call before a show at the Opera House or Davies Symphony Hall, this classic seafood restaurant keeps things simple in the best way. The crowd is pre-curtain couples and regulars who've been ordering the same thing for decades, which tells you everything. Sustainable fish, prepared cleanly, no showboating. Old-school San Francisco in a room that never felt the need to reinvent itself.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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A takeout window on Hyde that serves chicken wings in over two dozen flavors, and yes, that number is real. The crowd is whoever was smart enough to look it up, standing on the sidewalk with a paper bag. The Korean buldak will rearrange your face, and if you watched "Atlanta" and always wondered about lemon pepper wet, this is your answer. The window itself is plastered in cheeky aphorisms that feel like a group chat you actually want to be in.
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Rank 67. Hon’s Wun-Tun House
Cantonese Chinese
A Chinatown institution that's been around forever, Hon's is a Hong Kong-style noodle shop where the steamed-up windows alone will make you feel like you wandered into a better movie. The wonton noodle soup is the whole reason you're here, with a broth that smells like it has opinions. The crowd is regulars who know exactly what they're ordering and tourists who wisely follow their lead.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Bini's Kitchen is a casual counter spot that basically put Nepalese momos on San Francisco's radar. The steamed dumplings are plump, satisfying, and come with a bright tomato-cilantro sauce that makes the whole thing feel like a proper meal for not much money. The combo plates with vegetarian stews and grilled meats are an even bigger deal. The crowd is mostly locals who've figured out the lunch math here and aren't telling anyone.
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Rank 69. Harborview
Cantonese Chinese
This is what happens when Cantonese cuisine gets a serious budget and a view to match. Harborview is a sprawling, polished restaurant inside Embarcadero Center, with sunny patio views of the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge that people will absolutely use as their phone wallpaper. Dim sum runs at lunch, and the Peking duck at dinner is the move. The crowd skews business lunch by day and date-night by evening, dressed accordingly.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 17 Best Restaurants Near The Embarcadero & Ferry Building
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Rank 70. Moya
Ethiopian
A small, welcoming Ethiopian spot in SoMa where the food is the whole point and the room fills with people who clearly know exactly what they're ordering. The vegan sampler is a genuinely good place to start, piled with spiced lentils and stewed greens, and the meatless dishes hold their own against anything on the rest of the menu. Warm, unpretentious, and the kind of neighborhood place that earns real loyalty.
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Rank 71. Montesacro
Roman Pizza Wine Bar
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Rank 72. Dumpling Home
Chinese
Soup dumplings are the whole point at this casual dumpling shop in Hayes Valley, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd eating elbow-to-elbow knows it. The skins are thin and the broth inside is genuinely good, with fillings beyond the standard pork, including a Sichuan numbing version that earns its spot on the menu. Everything is folded by hand, all day, and the bamboo steamers stacked on every table tell you exactly where you are.
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Rank 73. Hed 11
Thai
Regional Thai cooking done as a proper tasting menu, tucked inside the Kimpton Hotel Enso in a room that knows it looks good. The 11-course format takes you through sweet, savory, and everything blurred between, hitting flavors most Thai restaurants never bother with. The crowd is date-night dressed and quietly impressed. It's a splurge, but the pacing is more civilized banquet than marathon endurance test.
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Rank 74. Hamburguesa Bar
American
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Rank 75. Robin
Omakase Sushi
Robin is an omakase sushi spot in Hayes Valley where the menu is basically a surprise every single time, because the chef builds your meal around what you choose to spend rather than a fixed script. The combinations lean wild, think fish paired with chiles or truffle, and it works in a way that shouldn't. Expect a sleek room full of people who planned this dinner two weeks out and are very pleased with themselves about it.
- Bon Appétit 2018 · America's Best New Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Sushi Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
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Collina is a neighborhood Italian spot on Hyde Street where the cooking is comfort-forward but quietly clever, the kind of place where the pasta is made in-house and even a side of broccolini makes you pay attention. The room is dressed in deep blue and draws a relaxed, wine-curious crowd who treat the by-the-glass list like a puzzle worth solving. Go hungry enough to order widely, because the small plates earn their place just as much as the mains.
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Rank 77. Taishan Cuisine
Cantonese
One of the tastiest Chinese restaurants in the city, Taishan Cuisine is also about the only late-night spot left in Chinatown, holding it down until 2 a.m. when almost everywhere else has called it. The crowd runs from international students in head-to-toe designer gear to off-duty chefs who know exactly where to eat after a long service. Order the Taishan roast chicken, cooked to order and dramatically dismembered tableside by hand.
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #11 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
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Deli Board is a takeout-only sandwich counter on Folsom that takes its pastrami very seriously, and honestly, so should you. The meat is loaded onto thick bread in a few different builds, each one leaning into a different level of chaos. Everything comes with fat pickles on the side, which you will need. It's not cheap for a sandwich, but the kind of person who finishes one never seems to complain.
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City View is a dim sum spot on Portsmouth Square that got a serious makeover, trading worn carpet and fluorescent lights for polished concrete, exposed brick, and olive-green banquettes. It's sleeker than the old-school Chinatown palaces nearby, but the classics still hit. Expect weekend crowds of families, friend groups, and a few tourists who clearly did their homework. The baked pork buns alone are worth the trip.
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Rank 80. Zevi Cafe
Turkish
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Rank 81. SPQR
Italian
Fillmore's favorite loud Italian is a slim, skylighted room that somehow fits a crowd of people who all seem to know each other. The prix-fixe format keeps things moving through creative California-meets-Italy cooking that leans hard on whatever looks good at the market. The handmade pastas alone justify the trip. Dress like you made an effort, because everyone else did, and pace yourself on the wine list.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
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Absinthe is a French bistro that's been holding down Hayes Street forever, and the pre-show crowd from the opera and ballet keeps it feeling like the city's living room. The menu leans classic French but enjoys taking things apart and reassembling them, which sounds precious but mostly just works. The drinks are genuinely good, and the room fills with people who actually dressed up for the evening, which is a nice change.
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Rank 83. Brenda's French Soul Food
French Southern
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Rank 84. Merchant Roots
Creative
Dinner here is less a meal and more a ticketed theatrical production where the set changes every season and you're cast as the audience. It's an immersive tasting experience on Mission Street where the food, the rooms, and the whole vibe shift together around a single concept. The cooking actually holds its own amid all the spectacle, which isn't a given. Bring someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously.
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A Hong Kong-style seafood spot in Chinatown that's been around forever and somehow manages to be both a total dive and a celebrity haunt at the same time. The front is plastered with photos of the original owner with Jackie Chan and Jacques Pépin, which tells you everything. Late-night crowds and post-bar regulars pack in for stir-fried prawns and salt-and-pepper calamari straight from a screaming-hot wok.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown
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A no-frills chicken shack in Hayes Valley that the Chronicle calls one of the Bay Area's best for fried chicken. The spicy sandwich is the move, dressed with apple slaw and pickles and carrying just enough heat to feel dangerous without actually ruining you. Order at the kiosk, grab a spot outside, and watch the neighborhood's particular mix of locals and music venue stragglers figure out how many napkins they actually need.
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Everything here comes on a stick, which is either the best or the most efficient way to eat, and honestly it's both. This casual Jilin-style BBQ spot in the Inner Sunset skewers lamb, duck tongues, frog legs, and an embarrassing number of vegetables you'll also want. The crowd is low-key, the vibe is loud and smoky, and nobody in the room is having a bad time.
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Rank 88. Dining Yamamoto
Sushi
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Rank 90. RT Rotisserie
New American
A casual rotisserie spot spun off from one of SF's most reliably good restaurants, RT does chicken in a way that makes you wonder why anyone bothers with anything else. The fried chicken sandwich has a devoted following for good reason, and the porcini fries are the kind of side dish that upstages the main. Grab food to go and find a patch of grass nearby, because that's exactly what the regulars already figured out.
- Bon Appétit 2018 · America's Best New Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle Best fried chicken restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 91. Mashallah Halal Pakistani Food
Pakistani
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Rank 92. Turquaz
Turkish
- The Infatuation The Best Turkish Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation 2025 · #11 · San Francisco’s Best New Restaurants
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Rank 93. True Laurel
American
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- 50 Best 2025 · #64 · World's 50 Best Bars
- 50 Best 2026 · #14 · North America's 50 Best Bars
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Rank 94. Bon Délire
French
A Paris-channeling bistro on the Embarcadero where brunch comes with a DJ and butter is basically a food group. The horseshoe bar is gorgeous, the crowd is dressed to be noticed, and the vibe runs on hip-hop and French classics done right. The team handles croque madame and steak frites with real confidence, and the baked-to-order madeleines at the end are genuinely hard to argue with.
- Sunset 2025 · Fabulous French · Where to Eat and Drink
- San Francisco Chronicle Best French restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 95. SHOWA
Japanese
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A low-key sushi bar in SoMa where the regulars clearly have a standing reservation in their hearts. The rolls are crowd-pleasing and loaded, but the real draw is the omakase, a roughly 20-course ride that wanders well beyond sushi into lamb chops and yuzu cheesecake territory. The service is genuinely warm, which is why the neighborhood keeps coming back like it owes the place money.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Sushi Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
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- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 98. Sorella
Northern Italian
Sorella is the younger, louder sibling of the legendary Acquerello, and it brings the same serious cooking in a room that actually wants you to have fun. It's a Northern Italian spot on Polk Street where the crowd skews date-night and the cocktails are genuinely good. Snack on cicchetti at the bar or settle in for housemade pasta and California-inflected Italian done with real care. The family talent clearly runs deep.
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Rank 99. RT Bistro
American
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Rank 100. Square Pie Guys
Detroit-style Pizza