Insider's Guide to San Francisco's Best Restaurants by Jeffrey J. Wong, Esq Prepared Especially for Clients and Friends of Cooper, White & Cooper LLP November 2000

WHAT THIS GUIDE WILL DO FOR YOU

This guide will help you avoid the restaurants...

...where you have to pray after you eat...

...where it is like playing Russian roulette...you never know what meal is going to kill you...

...where they have a stove that flushes...

...where they have greens at every meal...but it's the bread...

The Insider's Guide to San Francisco's Best Restaurants will provide you with the information you need to help you select from the many wonderful restaurants in The City.

This Guide reflects not only my opinions but also presents a consensus of the best restaurant reviewers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Except for the "Consensus 4-Star Picks," none of the restaurants are rated as this guide lists only the best San Francisco has to offer.
Bon Appetit!

The above price estimates are based on an average dinner for two, excluding drinks, wine, tax, and tip. Reservations are recommended. Also, unless otherwise noted, all the restaurants accept some, if not all, major credit cards.

Consensus 4-Star Picks

Fleur de Lys, 777 Sutter Street, 415-673-7779. D Mon-Sat. French Nouvelle in a romantic tented dining room. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Gary Danko, 800 North Point Street (at Hyde), 415-749-2060. D Daily. Fancy French food served in high style. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Masa's, Hotel Vintage Court, 648 Bush, 415-989-7154. D Tue-Sat. Contemporary French. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Postrio, 545 Post Street, 415-776-7825. B/L Mon-Fri, D daily.

Wolfgang Puck's Northern California beach-head. California cuisine.

Valet parking. Great bar. $$$$

Aqua, 252 California Street. 415-956-9662. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Gourmet seafood, beautiful presentation. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Fifth Floor, 12 Fourth Street (at Mission), 415-348-1555. D Mon-Sat. Outstanding modern French cuisine; cozy ambience. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

American

House of Prime Rib, 1906 Van Ness Avenue, 415-885-4605. D daily. Best prime rib in the country. Valet parking. Full bar. $$

Boulevard, 1 Mission Street, 415-543-6084. L/D Mon-Sat. Critically acclaimed California cuisine. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Sam's Grill, 374 Bush Street (near Kearny), 415-421-0594. L/D Mon-Fri. Classic San Francisco grill founded more than 125 years ago. Full bar. $$

One Market Restaurant, 1 Market Street, 415-777-5577. L Mon-Fri, daily, Sunday brunch. San Francisco outpost of Lark Creek Inn's Bradley Ogden.
Piano music nightly. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

California Cuisine

Jardiniere, 300 Grove Street (at Franklin), 415-861-5555. D daily. Delicious French-inspired California cuisine served in a gala atmosphere. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Hawthorne Lane, 22 Hawthorne Street (off Howard between Second and Third Streets), 415-777-9779, L Mon-Fri, D daily. Eclectic California cuisine featuring Chinese style duck and roasted Sonoma lamb. Beautiful art and open kitchen. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Fringale, 570 Fourth Street (at Bryant), 415-543-0573. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Basque-influenced California cuisine in a casual French bistro. Full bar. $$

Chinese

Harbor Village Restaurant, Four Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, 415-781-8833. L/D daily. Cantonese, including Dim Sum. Bay views. Validated parking evenings. Full bar. $$

House of Nanking, 919 Kearny Street, 415-421-1429. L/D daily. Awesome food in crowded Chinatown "dive." Beer and wine. $

The Mandarin, 900 Northpoint, 415-673-8812. L/D daily. Beautiful setting at Ghirardelli Square. Validated parking. Full bar. $$$

Yank Sing, 427 Battery Street (near Clay), 415-781-1111. L daily. Best Dim Sum in the Bay Area. Full bar. $$

French

La Folie, 2316 Polk Street (near Union), 415-776-5577. D Mon-Sat. Roland Passots' fanciful French combinations are featured in this popular neighborhood bistro. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Ritz Carlton Dining Room, Ritz Carlton Hotel, 600 Stockton Street, 415-296-7465. D daily. Dazzling food and decor. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Piaf's, 1686 Market Street (at Gough), 415-864-3700. D Tue-Sat, Sunday brunch. Great French food in lively cabaret. Ample street parking. Full bar. $$$

Fusion - East/West

Rubicon, 558 Sacramento Street, 415-433-4100. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Great food. Robert de Niro & Robin Williams are investors. Valet parking evenings. Full bar. $$$

Globe, 290 Pacific Avenue (near Battery), 415-391-4132. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Exhilarating atmosphere. Outstanding crusty-salty-peppery T-bone steak. Full bar. $$$

Oritalia, 586 Bush Street (at Stockton), 415-782-8122. D daily. Great fusion food in sophisticated surroundings. Parking: Sutter-Stocton Garage. Full bar. $$$

Shanghai 1930, 133 Steuart Street, 415-896-5600. L Mon-Fri, D daily. First rate Shanghai cuisine in luxurious art deco setting. Jazz nightly. Private cigar club. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Waterfront Restaurant, Pier 7, Embarcadero (at Broadway), 415-391-2696. L Mon-Sat, D daily, Sunday brunch. Sweeping views of the Bay. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Italian

Scala's Bistro, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 432 Powell Street, 415-395-8555. B/L/D daily. Gutsy Italian food served in informal but elegant atmosphere. Valet parking. Full bar. $$

Splendido, 4 Embarcadero Center (Promenade level), 415-986-3222. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Splendid Italian food in Mediterranean atmosphere. Validated parking. Full Bar. $$$

Japanese

Fujiya, One Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, 415-398-1151. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Shabu-shabu bar, sushi bar, teppan steak and teppan-yaki. Validated parking. Full bar. $$

Kyo-Ya, Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street, 415-546-5090. L Tue-Fri, D Tue-Sat. The most elegant and serene Japanese restaurant in San Francisco. Very fresh fish. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Mexican

Café Marimba, 2317 Chestnut Street, 415-776-1506. L Tue-Sun, D daily. Superb Yucatan and Oaxacan cuisine in new Marina hot spot. Full bar. $$

Maya, 303 Second Street (at Harrison), 415-543-2928. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Superb upscale Mexican food in a room filled with beautiful Mexican art. Parking lot (across street). Full bar. $$$

Seafood

Tadich Grill, 240 California Street, 415-391-2373. L/D Mon-Sat. San Francisco's oldest restaurant. Full bar. $$

Farallon, 450 Post Street, 415-956-6969. L/D daily. Coastal cuisine with a French twist in a romantic "under the sea" atmosphere. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Plouf, 40 Belden Place (near Bush), 415-986-6491. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Charming seafood restaurant specializing in mussels. Located in Financial District alleyway reminiscent of Paris. Parking: Sutter-Stockton Garage. Full bar. $$

Steak Houses

Alfred's Steak House, 659 Merchant Street (off Montgomery), 415-781-7058. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Great steaks, clams, mussels and iced shrimp in a bordello ambience. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Harris' Restaurant, 2100 Van Ness Avenue, 415-673-1888. D daily. Piano nightly. Jacket required. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$$

Favorites Not Easy to Classify

Bizou, 598 Fourth Street, 415-543-2222. L Mon-Fri, D Mon-Sat. Tasty Mediterranean food served in a cozy corner restaurant. Ample street parking at night. Full bar. $$

Moose's, 1652 Stockton Street, 415-989-7800. L/D daily, Sunday brunch. Ed Moose's tavern restaurant with great food and lively bar scene. Valet parking. Full bar. $$$

Rose Pistola, 532 Columbus Avenue (near Union), 415-399-0499. L/D daily. Wonderful garlic-herb-rubbed mesquite grilled bone-in strip steak. Valet parking. Full bar. $$

Thirsty Bear, 661 Howard Street (between Second and Third Streets), 415-974-0905. L Mon-Fri, D daily. Stylish Spanish tapas restaurant and brew pub. Parking lot at Third and Howard Streets. Full bar. $$

Zuni Café, 1658 Market Street (near Franklin), 415-552-2522. B/L/D Tue-Sun. The best roast chicken in San Francisco is served in rustic Bohemian environment. Valet parking evenings. Full bar. $$

Lively Nightlife

Jazz at Pearls, 256 Columbus Avenue (between Pacific and Broadway), 415-291-8255. Top name local and national jazz musicians are featured at this North Beach/Chinatown venue. Parking lot is on Broadway. Full bar, 2 drink minimum. $

Biscuits & Blues, 401 Mason Street (at Geary), 415-292-2583. Live national and local blues artists nightly starting at 9:00 p.m. Ticket prices $3 - $25 depending on performer. Parking: Mason-O'Farrell Garage. Restaurant and full bar. $$

Starlight Room, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell Street, 415-395-8595. Dancing to the 7-piece Starlight Orchestra (40's, 50's and 60's music) 21 stories above the City. Fantastic views. Valet parking. Cover charge. Full bar. $$

2000

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