The Top 100 Restaurants Near Top Hatters Kitchen
-
Rank 1. Top Hatters Kitchen
Vietnamese-Californian New American
Vietnamese-Californian cooking in a cozy San Leandro neighborhood spot that somehow pulls people across the bridge and earns a Michelin Bib Gourmand for the trouble. The menu mashes up Southeast Asian and California flavors in ways that feel genuinely inventive without being precious about it. The cocktails riff on the building's past life as a hat shop, which is exactly the kind of nerdy local detail that regulars love to explain to you.
-
Two Latin chefs who spent decades cooking in Mediterranean kitchens opened this casual sit-down spot in San Leandro, and the result is a menu that wanders comfortably across Persian, Iraqi, and Afghani territory without sweating the borders. The grilled meats are the move, though the saucy, slow-cooked dishes have a genuinely homey quality that keeps regulars coming back. The San Francisco Chronicle called it one of the best Middle Eastern spots in the Bay Area.
-
Rank 3. Tacos Mi Reynita
Mexican
This Oakland taco truck has been doing things the Tijuana way, with mesquite-grilled meats and hand-pressed tortillas that make most other tacos feel like they're not even trying. The chorizo and asada come off the coals with a real smokiness, each one wrapped in a paper cone with a proper scoop of guacamole. The crowd is regulars who know exactly what they're ordering before they step up. The San Francisco Chronicle called it one of the best Mexican spots in the Bay Area.
-
Rank 4. El Tacostao
Mexican
This no-frills Oakland taqueria runs out of a family home and specializes in tacos al vapor, specifically beef head tacos in five cuts, so yes, you are ordering exactly what you think you're ordering. The consomé, slow-simmered and silky, is equally worth your attention whether you're dipping tacos into it or nursing a rough morning. Weekends bring goat birria and menudo. The crowd knows exactly what they came for.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
Rank 5. Parekoy Lutong Pinoy
Authentic Filipino
-
A weekend-only carnitas stand parked on a industrial stretch of Oakland near the railroad tracks, and people lose their minds for it. The Morales family slings rich carnitas by the pound, plus tacos, tortas, and burritos, and they sell out pretty much every single week. Lines get long, so showing up early isn't a suggestion. A few communal tables if you want to eat on the spot, or just take it and go.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best tacos in the SF Bay Area
-
Oakland's taco scene is no joke, and La Parrilla Loca sits near the top of it. This food truck runs Tijuana-style tacos off a charcoal grill that smokes everything beautifully, and the asada is the move. The chorizo is split open before hitting the grill so you get extra crispy, charred bits, and honestly, just order a campechana and get both. The Chronicle named it one of the best taco spots in the Bay Area, which tracks completely.
-
Fusion Delight is a full-on dim sum banquet hall tucked into a San Leandro strip mall, and it's packed on a Tuesday like it's someone's wedding. Grandparents navigate tablet ordering while kids slump in chairs waiting for the good stuff, and the good stuff absolutely shows up. The siu mai and daikon cakes are solid, but the strawberry taro balls filled with custard are the ones worth talking about later.
-
This Laurel District Thai spot has a Bib Gourmand and a genuinely playful menu that isn't trying to be your textbook pad thai situation. The kitchen riffs freely on Thai flavors, pairing them with things like smoky brisket, and the spice levels are adjustable so nobody has to suffer for the aesthetic. The cocktail list is worth your attention too. Expect a lively neighborhood crowd that clearly eats here way too regularly to feel guilty about it.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: California · Intu-on Kornnawong
-
-
Every Sunday, a white lonchera parks at a tire shop on Seminary Ave and quietly serves some of the best carnitas tacos in the Bay Area, per the San Francisco Chronicle. The chef missed the pork from his hometown in Michoacán, nailed his family's recipe, and the rest is history. Four cuts only, a few bucks a taco, and a crowd of regulars who found out before you did. Ask for a little cuero mixed in.
-
Rank 12. Bombera
Mexican
A Bib Gourmand contemporary Mexican spot housed in a former Oakland fire station, which is a detail too good to ignore. The wood-fired oven runs the whole show, and the cooking threads fine dining technique through genuine respect for heritage Mexican traditions. The crowd is loyal, local, and loud in the best way. Order whatever comes with the handmade blue corn tortillas and a mole, then figure out the rest.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
-
Castro Valley's go-to Vietnamese spot, and a casual one where the street food does the real talking. The bánh xèo, a crispy crepe stuffed with pork and shrimp, and the chewy steamed rice cakes are the reason to come, though the pho and spicy bun bo Hue will take care of you on a rough day. Wash it all down with a sugarcane juice and you'll understand why the room fills up fast with people who clearly know their way around the menu.
-
Castro Valley isn't exactly where you'd expect a fried chicken revelation, but here we are. The Chicken on Fire does chimaek, the Korean tradition of fried chicken and cold beer, and does it well enough to drag people out to the suburbs. The wings come glazed in soy garlic or gochujang and shatter when you bite them. Grab a frosty beer, pick two sauces, and settle in with whoever you owe a low-key meal to.
-
A mesquite-fired taqueria in San Lorenzo where the tortillas are hand-pressed and the asada comes off the grill with a proper char. The Villa family runs it old-school Tijuana style, which means your tacos arrive in a paper cone with a thick scoop of guacamole already on board. The SF Chronicle called these the best tacos in the Bay, so the regulars clutching their paper cones absolutely know something you don't yet.
-
Rank 16. Vientian Cafe
Vietnamese
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
A taco stand tucked under a blue canopy near the Oakland Flea Market, where a rotating spit of deeply marinated al pastor pork gets shaved to order onto a tortilla. Get there early while the trompo is still fat and happy. The salsas alone are worth the trip, and the gringa, a small al pastor quesadilla on flour tortilla, is the move if you want to go beyond tacos. Cash, queue, eat standing up, repeat.
-
A taco stand outside a grocery store in East Oakland where a guy literally shouts "Tacos de canasta" to get your attention, and honestly he's earned the right. These steamed basket tacos are a Mexico City staple you almost never see around here, and the San Francisco Chronicle named them the best in the Bay Area. Get a dozen, because the price drops the more you order and your future self will thank you.
-
Rank 19. 3 Bottled Fish
Vietnamese
This cozy Vietnamese deli in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood runs on a rotating weekly menu, so the regulars and the first-timers are equally in the dark about what's coming next. The banh mi are a constant, stuffed with whatever the chef feels like that week, and the beef rice porridge shows up often enough that people plan around it. The vibe is unhurried, the kind of place where browsing a shelf of books while waiting for your order feels completely normal.
- San Francisco Chronicle The best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #52 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
Rank 20. Fikscue
Indonesian-Texas barbecue
- Eater 2024 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The New York Times 2024 · The Restaurant List
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #41 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
-
A food truck running a mesquite grill out of a doughnut shop parking lot in Hayward sounds like a fever dream, but this is exactly where you want to be. It's Tijuana-style tacos done right, with meat baptized in real charcoal smoke and tortillas crunchy enough to earn their keep. The crowd is mostly people who know, eating standing up and not wasting any time. Eat fast, the way the universe intended.
-
A Guatemalan street food stand on International Boulevard doing fried chicken and fries the way they should be done: crispy, fresh out of the oil, and loaded with mayo, ketchup, and a tangy green salsa called Picamas. The crowd is Fruitvale locals who know what's good, and the price is almost offensively reasonable. Bring cash.
-
Rank 23. El Paisa
Mexican
-
-
Rank 25. Wahpepah’s Kitchen
Native American
-
Wawa Thai is a cheerful little Isaan spot in Oakland's Dimond District where the food punches well above the price point. The illustrated walls give it a playful vibe, and the room tends to fill with neighborhood regulars who clearly know what they're doing when they order. The khao soi and the nam khao, a shatteringly crunchy fried rice with fermented pork, are both reasons to make the drive.
-
Rank 27. Cenaduria Elvira
Traditional Mexican
A cenaduria is basically Mexico's version of a cozy dinner spot, and this East Oakland home restaurant does the concept proud, bringing flavors from Zapotlanejo to the Bay. The move here is the tostada raspada, a thin, blistered fried corn plank loaded with meat, cabbage, cheese, and a salsa that means business. Pozole, tacos dorados, enchiladas, the crowd showing up knows exactly what they're doing.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
Rank 28. Sequoia Diner
American
A daytime diner that's actually doing the work, not just coasting on nostalgia and bottomless coffee. The yeasted waffles alone are worth crossing a bridge for, and everything from the bacon to the hot sauce is made in-house. The crowd is a pretty even split of laptop-free locals and weekend brunch families who all somehow got a table before you did. Bring cash for the parking meter and arrive hungry.
-
Rank 29. Bánh Mì Ba Le
Noodles
The bread is the whole story at this no-frills banh mi shop on International Blvd, crackly outside, pillowy inside, and cheap enough to make you feel like you found a loophole. There's always a line of regulars who've clearly done the math on Oakland lunch budgets. The meatball and egg sandwich is the move, peppery and rich and genuinely filling. Order a Vietnamese iced coffee while you wait and don't overthink it.
- San Francisco Chronicle The best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best sandwich spots in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
-
Rank 30. Spinning Bones
Californian American
A Bib Gourmand rotisserie on the quiet little island of Alameda that punches well above its weight. The meats are marinated in koji and fermented rice, then grilled into something deeply savory and satisfying, and the sides have a California-meets-Hawaii thing going on that somehow works. The room is industrial and low-key, and the crowd looks genuinely happy about where they ended up, which says plenty.
-
This old-school Alameda deli has been around forever, and regulars walk in without saying a word and walk out with exactly what they wanted. The move is the in-house roasted turkey, which makes the whole place smell like Thanksgiving year-round. Order it on Dutch crunch with avocado and pepperoncinis, or go full holiday mode with cranberry sauce. Cash, counter, no fuss.
-
Rank 32. Utzutzu
Omakase Sushi
No sign, no street presence, just a steep staircase and eight seats waiting at the top. Utzutzu is an omakase spot in Alameda where the kitchen earns equal billing with the sushi counter, which is not something most places can pull off. The crowd is small by design, so the room feels intimate without being precious. Go hungry, go patient, and maybe text someone your location because you will not find this easily.
-
Rank 33. Lucky Three Seven
Street Food Filipino
-
Rank 34. Tacos Mamá Cuca
Sonoran Mexican
-
Rank 35. Mama
Italian
A Bib Gourmand prix-fixe in a genuinely pretty room on Grand Ave, Mama Oakland keeps things bracingly simple: pick one of two options per course, eat well, pay a reasonable tab, and go home happy. No reservations, so you show up and roll with it like the regulars do. The house-made pasta in braised pork and beef sugo is the whole origin story of this place, which tells you everything. The wine list, naturally, is excellent.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
-
Rank 36. Viridian
Northern Californian
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Kat Parsons
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
-
Rank 37. Mama’s Boy Pizza
NY-Style Pizza
-
Rank 38. Burdell
Soul food
Soul food cooked by someone who actually grew up eating it, which is rarer than it sounds. Burdell is a cozy Temescal dinner spot where the chef riffs on his grandmother's cooking with enough creativity to keep things interesting without losing the warmth. The wine list is genuinely thoughtful, and yes, fried chicken with champagne is a move. The crowd skews local and loyal, the kind of people who already have a regular order.
- Food & Wine 2024 · Restaurant of the Year
- Food & Wine 2025 · #1 · The Top 15 US Restaurants
- Food & Wine 2024 · Roast Duck · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
-
Rank 39. Sirene
American Wine Bar
Sirene is a neighborhood wine bar in Oakland where the menu somehow pairs marinated raw fish with fried chicken and makes it feel completely inevitable. Belly up to the bar for a glass of something interesting or a Chartreuse slushy, or settle into the vine-covered back patio for a full meal. The crowd is the kind that knows what they're drinking and isn't showing off about it. Exposed brick, warm service, zero pretension.
- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Coffee in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #73 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
-
-
Rank 41. Popoca
Salvadoran Mexican
Popoca is a live-fire Salvadoran restaurant in Old Oakland where the cooking feels genuinely one of a kind, the kind of place the New York Times and Bon Appétit both noticed. The chef grew up in the tradition and then pushed it somewhere new, with heirloom-corn pupusas cooked over wood flame and mains that'd make you rethink everything you thought Salvadoran food was. The room is low-key and the crowd skews curious, adventurous, and very happy they came.
- The New York Times 2025 · Guaca-mol With Tortilla and Asiento · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- Bon Appétit 2024 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
-
- Food & Wine 2025 · Les Eggs · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar Program
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
-
Rank 43. 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
-
Rank 44. Sun Moon Studio
Fine dining
A Michelin-starred tasting room tucked into an Oakland industrial unit, which sounds like a riddle but turns out to be one of the better meals you'll have in the Bay. The menu chases California's seasonal produce with real technical chops, and the baked goods alone justify the trip. It seats barely anyone, so getting a reservation feels like a small victory. Dress nicely, bring someone you actually want to talk to.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: California · Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
-
Rank 45. 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
-
Rank 46. Miller & Lux
Steakhouse
Tyler Florence's elegant steakhouse near Chase Center is a genuine reason to dress up, even if the arena next door is doing its best to lower the bar. The room has quiet glamour, marble and leather, the kind of place where couples on big nights and suits celebrating deals both feel at home. The dry-aged steaks are the main event, the raw bar is serious, and the martinis arrive exactly right.
- World's 101 Best #25 · World's Best Steak Restaurants
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 47. Tacos Oscar
Mexican
Tacos Oscar is a taco spot built inside a cluster of painted shipping containers in Oakland, with café lights strung overhead and a chalk menu that changes whenever it feels like it. The vegan options are genuinely as good as the meat, which is a sentence you rarely mean. Expect a line of people who look like they bike to work and care a lot about it. Get there when the doors open, grab a beer, and thank yourself later.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Bon Appétit 2019 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
-
Rank 48. Joodooboo
Korean
Joodooboo started as a tofu and banchan shop and quietly grew into something genuinely special. The Korean food here leans gentle and seasonal, so the menu shifts constantly with whatever's good right now. The crowd tends to be people who actually care about eating well without making a big deal of it. The housemade tofu alone is worth the trip, and the rotating banchan make it hard to visit just once.
- Food & Wine 2025 · Steve Joo · Best New Chefs
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #14 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Steve Joo
-
Rank 49. Horn Barbecue
West Coast Barbecue
There's always a line outside this Oakland BBQ spot, and it moves just slow enough for you to convince yourself you're not that hungry, then you walk in and smell the smoke and suddenly you're ordering everything. The brisket and pulled pork come out on trays, no fuss, just good. The warehouse space draws a mix of locals and across-the-bay pilgrims, all looking equally committed. Get the pit beans, skip nothing.
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Esquire 2021 · #5 · The Best New Restaurants in America
-
Dim sum right on the Alameda marina, which sounds like an odd combo until you're inside a genuinely grand dining room with chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling water views. Staff parade trays of char siu and rolled noodles past your table, but you'll fill out a slip for the rest. The baked goods alone are worth the trip, especially the flaky barbecue pork puffs. Expect big family tables and zero people second-guessing their order.
-
Rank 51. 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
- Time Out The best Chinese restaurants in America
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Chinese Cuisine Restaurant
-
Rank 52. 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
-
Rank 53. 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
-
-
This taqueria near Lake Merritt is the real deal, run by two people who basically grew up inside East Oakland taco culture. The handmade corn tortillas alone are worth the trip, and the carnitas nail that perfect chewy-crisp thing. Grab a burrito and eat it lakeside while someone nearby is definitely grilling something. It's a casual, cheap, eat-with-both-hands kind of place, and that's exactly the point.
-
Rank 56. Delage
Omakase Japanese
Tiny counter, serious omakase, and a crowd that planned weeks ahead just to be here. Delage, tucked next to Swan's Market in Old Oakland, runs a focused eight-or-so courses mixing sharp nigiri with thoughtful kaiseki-style dishes, all built around whatever's actually in season. The room is relaxed and unfussy, which somehow makes the food hit harder. Getting a reservation is the real sport, so book before you do anything else.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Sushi Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
-
Rank 57. Shan Dong
Chinese
Shan Dong is a no-frills Northern Chinese spot in Oakland's Chinatown that's been around forever and earns every bit of its loyal following with handmade dumplings and rope-thick noodles buried under sesame paste. The room is packed most nights with regulars who already know what they're ordering. Small parties often get seated at a communal table with a Lazy Susan, which sounds awkward but always ends up being a good time.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
-
Rank 58. 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
- Bon Appétit 2024 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Esquire 2024 · Restaurant of the Year · The Best New Restaurants in America
-
Rank 59. Soba Ichi
Japanese
Getting to this tiny soba bar in deep industrial West Oakland takes actual commitment, but a Bib Gourmand and a 45-minute wait that you'll spend drinking sake in a sunny garden has a way of reframing "inconvenient" as "worth it." They make only a hundred portions of buckwheat noodles a night, hot or cold, and when they're gone, they're gone. The crowd tends to be patient and deeply smug about the fact that they made the trek.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #13 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area
-
Rank 60. Spruce
Modern New American
Spruce is the kind of polished neighborhood restaurant that actually earns its reputation, a proper sit-down dinner spot in Presidio Heights where the regulars look like they own at least one piece of real estate nearby. The cooking is refined California seasonal without being precious about it, and the wine list leans into the state's best producers. Lunch is relaxed; dinner turns up the formality a notch. Worth the splurge either way.
-
Rank 61. 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
-
Enssaro is a roomy Ethiopian restaurant near Lake Merritt that goes deep on the cuisine without making you feel like you're studying for an exam. The menu runs from familiar combo platters to kitfo rolls that ease the uninitiated into spiced beef tartar wrapped in injera. The crowd is a relaxed mix of regulars who know exactly what they want and first-timers pointing at everything. Cool down with their spiced tea, hot or iced.
-
Rank 63. 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
-
Rank 64. 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
-
Rank 65. 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
-
Rank 66. Rose Pizzeria
Pizza Wine Bar
Rose Pizzeria is a casual pizza and wine spot on University Ave that doesn't sweat regional allegiance, borrowing from Neapolitan, New York, and Chicago traditions and then doing whatever it wants. The result is thin, crispy pies with serious toppings and just enough funk to feel considered. The patio is ringed with actual roses, which sounds precious but mostly just means it's a genuinely nice place to sit. Berkeley locals and UC couples fill the room on weeknights.
- 50 Top Pizza 2025 · #50 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants for outdoor dining in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #27 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
-
Rank 67. 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
-
Rank 68. San Ho Won
Korean
Korean BBQ gets the Michelin star treatment here, and somehow it doesn't feel ridiculous. San Ho Won is a nice-casual spot where the cooking lands somewhere between your favorite home-cooked Korean meal and something genuinely refined, with ingredients that earn the price tag. The room is sleek and minimal, packed with people who planned ahead to get a table. Book early, because you're not the only one who heard about this place.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire 2022 · #10 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Eater 2022 · The Best New Restaurants in America
-
Rank 69. 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
-
Alameda isn't exactly the first place you'd think to chase dim sum, but East Ocean on Webster Street makes a genuinely strong case. It's a big, buzzy dining room with wooden screens, a golden dragon on the back wall, and Lazy Susans spinning non-stop at family tables. The classics are all executed well, and the golden shrimp rice rolls, crunchy shrimp wrapped in chewy rice noodles, are worth ordering twice.
-
Rank 71. Reem’s
Middle Eastern
Reem's is an Arab bakery and cafe in the Mission that earned its James Beard Award by doing something simple really well. The star is the mana'eesh, flatbreads cooked on a dome-shaped grill called a saj, thin and crisp and genuinely hard to stop eating. The bright dining room draws a neighborhood crowd that looks like it actually lives here, which in the Mission these days is saying something.
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Reem Assil
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
-
Rank 72. World Famous Hotboys
Nashville Southern
What started as a popup is now a full-on Nashville hot chicken institution with a '90s aesthetic and a loyal East Bay following. The fried chicken here is legit, from hefty sandwiches to bone-in pieces, and the heat levels are no joke past medium. The comeback sauce is your best friend if you get ambitious. Expect a casually dressed crowd that knows exactly what they're doing, because regulars never hesitate on their order.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best fried chicken restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In Oakland
-
Rank 73. Bardo Lounge & Supper Club
Supper Club Cocktail Bar
Bardo is a supper club that commits fully to the 1960s bit, and somehow pulls it off without feeling like a theme restaurant. Cozy alcoves, vintage metal tray tables, couples dressed just a little better than they needed to, and punch bowls doing serious work. The food leans into the nostalgia too, but the kitchen sneaks in enough unexpected moves to keep things interesting. If you can't decide, just hand the wheel to the chef.
-
Rank 74. Boulevard
American
-
Rank 75. Tanzie's
Thai
Brunch spots that actually surprise you are rare, and this cozy Berkeley cafe pulls it off by rooting the whole thing in northern Thai cooking from Chiang Mai. The room feels like someone's living room, painted mint green, filled with regulars who clearly know what they're doing. Flavors run sour, spicy, and deeply fragrant, nothing like the pad thai you were expecting. Dinner is now on the table too, for the adventurous.
- The New York Times 2025 · Khanom Krok · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- Eater Restaurant Where We'd Want to Be Regulars
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
-
Rank 76. 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
-
Rank 77. 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
-
Rank 78. FOB Kitchen
Filipino
Filipino food done with real personality, FOB Kitchen is a tiny Temescal spot that started as a pop-up and earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand without getting precious about it. The room fits maybe a few dozen people, the wallpaper is cheerful, and the crowd is the kind that actually talks to each other. Grab a cocktail at the bar while you wait, because you will wait, and it's worth it.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
Rank 79. The Morris
New American
The wine list here is the real reason locals keep coming back to this unfussy Mission bistro, built by a sommelier who clearly knows what he's doing. The food holds its own too, leaning into California meat and seafood without any fuss. The smoked duck is genuinely worth ordering. Regulars at the bar look like they've never once glanced at the menu, which is always a good sign.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
-
Rank 80. 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
-
Rank 81. Belotti
Piemontese Italian
A cozy Piemontese restaurant on Rockridge's main strip, Belotti is the kind of spot where regulars post up at the bar and chat with the team in Italian like they own the place. The house-made pasta is the real draw, rich and deeply comforting in that northern Italian way, but the menu rewards you no matter where you land on it. Wear whatever you want; nobody here is keeping score.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
-
Rank 82. Ming's Tasty
Chinese
Ming's Tasty is a packed, no-frills dim sum spot in Oakland's Chinatown where the food punches well above the price tag. Families, regulars with standing orders, and takeout-and-run types all share the room, and the line out front moves faster than you'd expect. The shrimp balls alone are worth the trip, and the barbecue buns have a cult following for good reason. Go hungry and go early.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
-
Rank 84. Mägo
Fine dining
Mägo is a tasting menu restaurant that somehow skips all the stiffness that usually comes with one. The walls are painted Colombia's flag colors, Latin pop drifts through the room, and the vibe is loose in a way that feels genuinely earned. The chef reworks his Latin American roots into dishes that are clever without being showy, and the whole thing comes in at a price that makes the fine-dining crowd quietly relieved. The drink pairing is worth the splurge.
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #22 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best fine dining restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Oakland
-
Rank 85. 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
- Bon Appétit 2019 · America's Best New Restaurants
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
-
Rank 86. 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
-
- Time Out The best bakeries in America
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
-
Rank 88. Alexander's Steakhouse
American/Japanese
-
Rank 89. La Taqueria
Mexican
The line outside this Mission taqueria is basically self-explanatory. Counter service, no frills, and a crowd that runs from stroller-pushing families to hoodie-wearing tech workers who have clearly found religion. The burritos are the kind that ruin other burritos for you, and if you know to ask for your taco dorado-style, crisped on the plancha with cheese, you're already ahead of most people in line.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
-
Rank 90. Foreign Cinema
Californian New American
Foreign Cinema is a Californian restaurant on Mission Street with a secret courtyard out back where foreign films flicker on a 35mm projector while you eat. It's romantic in a way that feels genuinely accidental rather than engineered, and it's earned a James Beard Outstanding Restaurant nod to prove it's not just atmosphere. The crowd runs heavy on first dates and anniversaries, everyone quietly pleased they found the place.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
-
Rank 91. Loló
Californian Mexican
- Esquire 2024 · Mandarini · The Best Martinis in America
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- Time Out The 12 best restaurants in the Mission
-
Rank 92. Via Aurelia
Italian
- Esquire 2025 · Via Aurelia Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #66 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
-
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. West
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
-
Rank 94. Los Carnalitos
Mexico City Mexican
Bib Gourmand Hayward taqueria bringing genuine Mexico City street food to the Bay, and the kind of place where the families and off-duty kitchen workers at the next table have clearly been coming for years. Started as a food truck, so the cooking has that focused, no-nonsense quality. The menu goes deeper than most, with dishes like huaraches and quesadilla de huitlacoche you won't find many other places around here.
-
Rank 95. Mandalay
Burmese
Mandalay has been around forever and still carries itself like it knows something the newer spots don't. This is a casual neighborhood Burmese restaurant on the Inner Richmond, the kind of place regulars treat like a second kitchen. The tea leaf salad is the real reason to go, built closer to what you'd actually find in Myanmar than anywhere else in the Bay Area. Bring someone curious and order widely.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · America's Classics: California
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The Infatuation #4 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
-
-
Rank 97. Flour + Water
Italian
Handmade pasta is the whole point at this Mission neighborhood restaurant, and the kitchen takes it seriously without making you feel like you should too. The room stays loud and packed with the kind of regulars who already know to order half portions so they can try more than one. It's casual enough for a Tuesday but good enough that you'll think about it the following week.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation #9 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
-
Rank 98. 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
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
-
A punk-rock karaage shop in Oakland where the Ramones logo gets remixed into a chicken joint and the walls are covered in band stickers and photos. Boneless thighs come out juicy and stay crispy longer than most, and the dipping sauces, think miso ranch and spicy Japanese-style barbecue, are the real move. Order at the counter, keep it casual, and don't overthink it.
-
Rank 100. 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