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A surprising find in the Outer Sunset. The food was well prepared and the prix fixe menu is a great deal. What stuck me the most, however, was the very courteous and accommodating staff that provided impeccable service.
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Pisces California Cuisine
Cuisine: Seafood Californian
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Outer Sunset |
8/13/2007
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Can't beat the location on a nice day on Ocean Beach. The management keeps finding ways to cram more people in to take advantage of those days, but the service definitely suffers as a result. Be prepared for a little chaos and potentially long waits (for both a table and occasionally the food). Otherwise, the food is quite good and the atmosphere is great.
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Park Chalet Garden Restaurant
Cuisine: American (New)
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Outer Sunset |
8/13/2007
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Stumbled on this new restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by this upscale Vietnamese restaurant. Nice decor, great service, and interesting menu. In addition to indicating what region of Vietnam each dish is from, many of the dishes can be made vegetarian. As with any upscale Asian restaurant, it's weird to pay a lot for what normally is street food, but I thought Bong Su was pretty authentic. Highly recommend the duck mustard wraps and bun cha.
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Bong Su Restaurant & Lounge
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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SoMa |
6/30/2006
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Great East Coast pizza (just as the name implies). Nice, crispy thin crust. The best feature for me is that they offer soy cheese, which is a great option for those of us who are lactose intolerant. Salads are boring and hard to eat (everything is in large cuts). Stick with the broccoli if you want some green. Pastas are okay, good if you're too lazy to make it yourself. The place is well run and efficient. Never had a bad experience with Amici's.
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Amici's East Coast Pizzeria
Cuisine: Pizza Italian
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Pacific Bell Park/South Beach |
7/4/2005
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Mediocre on all fronts: decor, food, and service. Food wasn't bad, but not that great. Have had much better Thai in the city. Could have one on an off night, but not likely to try again any time soon. If you're in the area (Metreon/Moscone) and need a Thai food fix, this will do fine. But if you want really good Thai food, look elsewhere.
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Cha AM Restaurant
Cuisine: Thai
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SoMa |
7/4/2005
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Excellent food and service. What you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber. It's a little weird to have to walk through the hotel, but the restaurant space is great. Tasting menus can often be a let down, but each course was tasty and left me wanting more. Can't wait to go back.
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Michael Mina Restaurant
Cuisine: American (New)
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Downtown |
7/4/2005
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Great new restaurant in a neighborhood with many good restaurants. The industrial space was felt surprisingly welcoming, albeit a little cramped, with multiple seating options (regular tables, counter seating, a bar, and a large "common" table. The menu wasn't huge, but everything looked good. The "Zuppa" was very good (a touch salty for my taste though) and the sausage appetizer was excellent. In fact, the appetizer portions were generous and easily shared. Will definitely go back!
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Zuppa
Cuisine: Italian
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SoMa |
7/4/2005
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Great space (lots of leather)! The food, wine, and service were all quite good. Interesting menu, especially the upscale comfort food ($22 fried chicken). Definitely worth trying out. That being said, it I was going to spend this kind of money on a nice dinner out, this would not be my first choice. In other words, good but not amazing.
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Jack Falstaff
Cuisine: Eclectic
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SoMa |
7/4/2005
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Excellent brunch! All the dishes had interesting touches to the standard breakfast fare. It's nice to go to a place that seems to care about serving intersting brunch food rather than the basic greasy eggs and potatoes. Can't say enough about the basket of baked goods (I'm a sucker for the mini-muffins). Haven't tried the dinner yet.
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Town's End Restaurant & Bakery
Cuisine: American (New) Bakeries
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Embarcadero |
6/5/2005
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Always wondered about this place every time we went to Lulu's. We tried it recently and were pleasantly surprised. Fun (and good) drinks and nice variety of food; small and large plates. It's all very Asian fusion; with subtle flavors and nice presentation. Save room for dessert. A bit pricey, but to be expected with all those small plates.
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Azie
Cuisine: French Asian
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SoMa |
6/5/2005
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What you'd expect from a SOMA brew pub. Open, loft-like interior, and exposed kitchen area. The menu is pretty limited, but all the dishes I've tried are pretty good. The food can be characterized as slight twists on standard brew pub fare. Service is inconsistent and the beer is good.
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21st Amendment
Cuisine: American (traditional) Pub Food
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Pacific Bell Park/South Beach |
6/5/2005
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The food is slightly more upscale than your neighborhood Thai shack. In some cases, it's great (may of the appetizers and the Som Tum payaya salad). In others dishes, not so much (Tom Yum Goong, Pad Thai). Overall the food is good; fresh and flavorful (albeit not always that spicey). The atmosphere is pleasant and the staff means well, although not always that attentive. Go here if you want a nice dinner out, rather than the typical Thai food take out.
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Koh Samui and the Monkey
Cuisine: Thai
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SoMa |
6/5/2005
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Similar thoughts as other reviewers, but had better overall opinion. Thought the food was pretty good. Not amazing, but great for a casual meal any day of the week. Interesting interpretations of standard fare, like mac and cheese, porkchops, burgers, etc. Salads were good and the portions were a good size for the price. Tried a dessert special and was a little underwhelmed. Overall: nice atmosphere with big cushy booths and a nice long bar; great service; interesting food. A good alternative to the beer and pub grub and 21st Amendment.
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Nova
Cuisine: American (Traditional)
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SoMa |
6/5/2005
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Nice cozy bar/cafe. Interesting interior with tables, booths, and bar stools. Doors can open wide for a bit of the outdoors. Decent menu, with good vegetarian options (haven't tried the vege chili, but the fact that they have it is a good sign). Dinner menu is eclectic and good selection of drinks. The food didn't blow me away, but it's a nice casual option when you don't have the pocket book or attitude for Bacar a couple blocks away. Try the southern sampler thing. Don't know how authentic it is, but you can't beat a sampling of fried cornish game hen, ribs, slaw and a hush puppy to boot.
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Brickhouse Cafe & Bar
Cuisine: American (New) Hamburgers
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SoMa |
5/5/2005
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One of the best breakfast spots in the city. Consistently good food with nice breads and pasteries to boot. Can't go wrong with the omelettes and the french toast is pretty good too. What I like the most about Mamas is the whole experience leading up ordering (which is surprisingly orderly): Depending on the line, you might get a glimpse of the lucky ones on the inside and preview of what's to come. After a bit of a wait, you get close to the door, only to have to wait some more. When you finally get on the inside, you can watch them cook or savor pasteries while you wait to order. Watching the food always makes me question what I was going to order. Bring a paper to read while you wait or invite friends and stiff them with long wait while you're fashionably late ("looking for parking"). If you're really lucky, they'll be close to the front ;)
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Mama's on Washington Square
Cuisine: Bakeries Coffee Shops/Diners
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North Beach |
1/18/2005
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Greens is one of those restaurants that you should experience because of it's reputation and contribution to vegetarian cuisine. The food is fresh and well prepared. That being said, I personally think that it's past it's prime. The food is not that exceptional, especially for the price, and the service is inconsistent. It's still a great place for upscale vegetarian fare, but I felt that they were relying more on their reputation and, in my opinion, they didn't live up to it.
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Greens
Cuisine: Vegetarian
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Marina |
1/18/2005
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One of the better neighborhood Vietnamese restaurants. Fresh, authentic food and efficient service. Like most VN places, they offer good vegetarian options. Definitely try the rolls and the chanh chua (hot and sour soup).
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Le Soleil Authentic Vietnamese Cusine
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Inner Richmond |
1/18/2005
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Good beer and tapas is always fun. That being said, the quality of the food at Thirsty Bear has definitely gone down hill in the past few years. The portions are smaller (even for tapas) and some dishes are just plain bland. The paella was also a big disappointment. Great place for drinks and a snack, but not so good for a nice dinner.
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Thirsty Bear Brewing Co.
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
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SoMa |
1/18/2005
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Ahhh, the smell of the meat cooking on the rotisserie and grill as you walk in teases you until the food arrives. Consistently good food and drinks. It's easy to forget about this place, but I'm always pleasantly surprised every time I go.
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Restaurant LuLu
Cuisine: Mediterranean French
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SoMa |
1/18/2005
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Consistently good, fresh dim sum. Everything they serve (or at least everything that I've tried--and I've tried lots of them) is good. Yeah the wait is long. Bring some coffee and get your conversation out of the way during the wait so you can focus on eating when you get a table. The best part of dim sum is that you don't have to wait to order the food! By the way, if you want something in particular, don't be afraid to ask for it and they'll be sure to bring it out as soon as it's ready.
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Ton Kiang
Cuisine: Dim Sum Chinese
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Outer Richmond |
1/18/2005
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While I'll concede that the current Ferry Building location is not quite as charming as the original in the Mission, the quality of the food and the excellent service make the Slanted Door one of the best dining experiences in the city. The food manages to be both authentic and refined (filet mignon for the shaking beef and Liberty Farm duck). Don't go here expecting cheap Vietnamese food or if you don't like "upscale" dining. Enjoy the Slanted Door for the overall experience, from the drinks, food, atmosphere, and service. P.S. If you don't want to break the bank, get more appetizers and vegetable dishes and limit your meat dishes (which are a little pricey).
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Slanted Door, The
Cuisine: Vietnamese
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Embarcadero |
1/18/2005
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Fantastic brunch. The French influence is a welcome theme, especially with the big cafe au lait bowls and tasty butter. Service depends greatly on which waitstaff you get, however the tiny kitchen turns out consistently good food in a timely manner. Portions aren't huge, but they're satisfying. If you want the full Zazie experience, wait for a table in the garden. In any case be prepared to wait on weekends.
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Zazie
Cuisine: French (Bistro)
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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Pretty reliable SF eatery, which seems to be growing into a chain in it's own right. Decent breakfasts, crepes, and lunch staples. Indifferent service, but food is consistent. Pleasantly surprised by their sweet crepes for dessert, which is good option if you find youself in the Haight later in the evening. When the weather is nice, check out the back patio.
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Squat and Gobble
Cuisine: Coffee Shops/Diners American (Traditional)
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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Flat out one of the best breakfast places in SF. No frills, just solid breakfast fare. Nice portions; the food actually covers the entire plate. Real hashbrowns. None of those mushy "breakfast potatoes" you find at other places on the Haight (not that there is anything wrong with breakfast potatoes). Sometimes you just need some good old hashbrowns to go along with that Pork Store special (pork chops and eggs). The long wait on the weekends is a total drag, so go early or be prepared to wait.
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Pork Store Cafe
Cuisine: Coffee Shops/Diners
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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A cut above your neighborhood sushi joint. Friendly, efficient staff. Fun sushi chefs that turn out consistently good sushi any day of the week. Relatively small and a little cramped, so it's not great for having a leisurely sushi night, especially if it's busy. Definitely worth a trip for the quality of the food.
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Grandeho's Kamekyo II
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
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North Beach |
1/16/2005
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Big bowls (and some plates) of noodles for a great price. Lots of great appetizers as well. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu (really). The "pan-Asian" menu offers a good variety. Don't expect truly authentic fare (like the Pad Thai or Pho), but the food is still quite good and you won't leave hungry. The inside get get pretty hot in the summer and when it's crowded. Don't be afraid to sit at the bar, especially if there's just 2 of you.
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Citrus Club
Cuisine: Pan-Asian Noodle Shops
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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The allure of the smell from Burgermeister when you step off the N-Judah is hard to resist. Niman Ranch burger. Enough said. Thick french fries and all the right condiments. The interior is not much to look at, but you're there for the burgers. Play some video games while your're waiting (for eat-in or take-out) on their old school sit down game tables. Or sit outside in the summer and tease people with your grub as they get off the train. P.S. Veggie friendly.
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Burgermeister
Cuisine: Hamburgers Niman Ranch Beef
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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Great pastries, to be expected from a bakery, I mean, "boulangerie." Everything else needs a bit of work, or at least Starbuck's type efficiency. Surprisingly the coffee was not nearly as good at the Tully's down the street. Get your pastries to go and you won't be disappointed.
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Boulange de Cole
Cuisine: French Bakeries Dessert
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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Can't beat meat on a stick! Simple, well executed skewers, with fun sides. Not much decor on the inside, but great place to people watch on the Haight when the weather is nice (if you snag a table by the window).
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Asqew Grill
Cuisine: Californian
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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Great neighborhood brew pub. Good beer and consistently good food, which is a cut above the standard greasy pub fare. Service not always as consistent as the food, especially if it's busy. Just grab a beer and enjoy the atmosphere.
P.S. If you're looking for barbeque, their sauce is a little too sweet.
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Magnolia Pub & Brewery
Cuisine: Organic Pub Food
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Haight-Ashbury/Cole Valley |
1/16/2005
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