San Fran Night Out Advice
 

Have a night out with my wife in San Fran June 26th. We haven't really been out there much on our own. We are staying near North Beach, but don't mind cabbing it. Looking for advice on a good seafood restaraunt. Also looking for a bar/club that is a good place to see a local band but not get blasted out of the place or feel like we are 20 years older than everyone else. Thanks.

For food I think the Limon Rotisserie is awesome. Great ceviche, but also some amazing beef dishes and incredible chicken (it's Peruvian). Also very good sangria. Or you could check into who's performing over at Yoshi's jazz club. The food there is also very good.

Pier 23 restaurant on the embarcadero has a good crowd and usually they have live reggae on sat nites.

Farallon for the seafood restaurant. Ask for one of the booths up stairs when you make your res if you want something on the cozy/romantic side.

I've heard some great jazz at Yoshi's. Definitely worth a look. Jackson Fillmore is a killer Bistro. Very Italian feeling. Izzy's is my all time favorite steak house. Inexpensive and super consistent. My wife used to live next door, so we made a lot of trips there for lunch and dinner. Globe used to be a really cool spot. Haven't been there in a few years. It was where all the local chef's hung out after their shifts (late night). Really great food.

There's so much good food and drink in SF. You really can't go wrong.

Got to go to Scoma for seafood!!! make reservation. Chopino is to die for.

I took my wife to the city 2 weeks ago for a night out.

We booked a room at the Prescott in Union Square. Lot's of cool stuff in walking distance. Postrio is one of San Frans finest restaurants, and it's connected to the Prescott. Our night went like this:

Check into Prescott
Drinks at Postrio next door
Drinks at Rickhouse Bar! This was DOPE. It's an old prohibition bar. You should also check out Bourbon and Branch but make reservations online.
From here we went to Spruce for dinner which is one of the new hotspots in SF. Good, but snooty and pricey.
We had planned to go to a club, but we never make it that far. By then it was 12:30, and we were wasted!

A great inexpensive option for food is Bocce Cafe. Great Italian, and not expensive. I also love Julius Castle and Boulevard.

If you really want to have a great time, skip all of this and take her to Teatro Zinzanni!! Best dinner show you will ever see. Short notice, but you might still be able to get tickets! Highly recommend it.

thanks for all the help, good advice. I am thinking cheap and fun. We are not big fans of dropping big money on dinner.

I am the worst at planning stuff. I always just get there and try to find things to do and that pisses my wife off. Always works out though, that is usually when we have had the most random fun.

Good for you Brian for trying to do something nice for her. :)

My birthday is on June 26th and we're planning on heading to SF also. Going to see Wicked (my husband is a good sport) and am looking for a fun spot for dinner. We're not snooty and really don't like fancy schmancy restaurants with gourmet food. Izzy's looks really good Evan - you definitely recommend?

Sorry for the hijack. :)

I AM snooty and don't like fancy schmancy restaurants :-)

Wicked is great. The book is even better.

I really think that the value at Limon Rotisserie can't be beat. IIRC last time we had 7 or 8 of us and everyone spent less than $25 including drinks - and the food is amazing. Don't confuse it with just "Limon" which is their sit-down place a few blocks away.

Liz if you guys want something even more casual for your bday there is San Tung, which is more hole-in-the-wallish but has incredible dry fried chicken wings and shrimp & leek dumplings.

If you like sushi (real sushi, not rolls with mayo all over them) Sebo in Hayes Valley is amazing, but it can really add up fast.

Wes - You really aren't snooty at all.. you're incredibly down to earth. However, if you want to pretend you are.. that's okay with me. :)

I've heard Wicked is really great. We've been talking about going for years and since it's leaving SF this year, I figured now is the time.

I guess I should have mentioned that I'm incredibly picky. I don't like seafood of any kind (especially sushi) and chinese is a stretch. That's why I'm interested in Izzy's... can't go wrong with a filet and potatoes. :)

BIX

Google it

I did for you

Bix is awesome!

http://www.bixrestaurant.com/

Izzys is great ! their marinated skirt steak is one of the best ive had - & their izzys potatoes are out of control!!!

my ex and I went to BIX years ago - I think we liked it a lot

i'm only snooty when it comes to sushi lol

if youre going to be in the union square area - have drinks at the redwood room at the Clift hotel
If youll be in the Marina - have drinks at The Matrix
If around North Beach - have drinks at the Bubble Lounge.

All 3 places are loungy, mellow, good looking people, and have couches to chill and relax.

Snooty sushi in the city - ^^$$$$ but good - Chaya Sushi or Blowfish.

BEST SUSHI anywhere between SF & San Jo - Masu Bistro 3rd Ave San Mateo,
Best being:
#1 - Quality/freshness of fish
#2 - portion size
#3 - # & originality of Rolls available.

Liz, I for sure recomend Izzy's. Old school environment. It's been there forever. Just how I like my steak houses. Miguel is on it. Get the izzy's potatoes and cream spinach as your sides (their specialties). I love steaks and have been to a ton of great steak houses in the bay, but Izzy's has been consistenly my favorite. Every single time I've been the food has been good. Ultra consistent which is more than I can say of some of the other more ritzy steak houses.

The filet medallions au poivre.... So good. I could eat it every night for the rest of my life. Ha, ha, ha.

Another great sushi spot in the city is Sushi Groove South. It's SOMA.

Well, we went to Izzy's.... and that will definitely rank as one of the best meals of my entire life. Everything from the drinks and salad to the steak was AMAZING. Thanks Evan for the recommendation!

For sure, LIz...... You and the man need to come down to the delta and get out on the boat one of these days. Take care.

after starting this thread we ended up not going. Had it all planned out, then my wife was talked into going to a Birthday party for one of her friends. Next time down there we will make it to some of the suggestions.

Seriously, force her to make the trip. SF has honestly the best food. I'm not a seafood fan, so many good places. I don't have any club recommendations because I'm not into that, but for food, check out Bobo's, IMHO, one of the best steak houses there, the surf and turf is amazing. If you've got a car and are up to driving out a ways, the cliff house is a good lunch spot, and near some decent places to go on a nice walk. And if you're up for breakfast, best place hands down is Dottie's True Blue Cafe.