The 15 Best Dinner Restaurants in San Francisco
San Francisco is the home to award-winning restaurants and some of the most talented chefs worldwide. It has a strong food culture and gives the best experience when it comes to dining. As a vacationer in San Francisco, no matter how much you want to try every restaurant in the whole city, you just can’t possibly do it. With time-constraints and other things to tick off the itinerary, you should save time as much as you can in choosing the best place to dine in.
Are you perhaps looking for the best places to have dinner in San Francisco? Well, this guide is for you! Don’t miss out on your chance and visit one of 15 great dinner spots in the Bay Area. Here are some FAQs before we begin:
What food is San Francisco known for?
San Francisco offers great sourdough bread and clam chowder, Chinese Dim Sum, Anchor Steam beer, and Mission-style burritos
Even though SF no longer has indoor dining, will there still be outdoor dining?
As of January 2021 there is an indefinite stay-at-home order, though restaurants are supporting takeout and delivery options.
What are San Francisco’s most famous restaurants?
There are iconic restaurants like Boudin, House of Prime Rib, and Tadich Grill, but there are a number of other great spots like Fable and Starbelly. And after dinner, help yourself to the city’s boba and dessert options!
1. Fable
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 12:00 PM - 9:45 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 558 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 590-2404
Most Popular Items:
If you are looking for the best Garden and Patio restaurant in San Francisco, you have to and must visit Fable. People who have been there can vouch when I say that they serve the best Californian cuisine in town. They serve their dishes with fresh ingredients which in turn profoundly satisfies their customers. They are located in downtown San Francisco and have a heated garden patio with three decks, offering a variety of dining atmospheres.
Their popular dishes are pork chop, pot roast, pork cheeks, vegan lasagna, French toast, fried chicken sandwich, eggs benedict, duck confit salad, soft shell crab, and mixed melon salad. You can enjoy your dinner with their tasty cuisines starting from Dijon crusted pork cheeks, grilled Monterey squid, Roasted red and Golden beet salad, butter lettuces with D' Anjou pear, and Fuyu Persimmon and Endive salad. Do you think that’s all? Nope, they offer a lot more so don’t waste your time and dine in Fable.
2. Starbelly
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 3583 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 252-7500
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Starbelly is a modern and urban restaurant that offers California’s comfort food and cocktails located in the heart of The Castro.
The Starbelly is widely known as the "casual and friendly neighborhood restaurant" in San Francisco that serves dishes such as Veggie burger, Italian eggs, and Fried chicken Po'boy. For a perfect dinner, you can order their King Salmon, Grilled Bavette steak, Prather Ranch burger. Craving for pizza? They offer Starbelly bacon pizza, House-made chorizo, and Pizza Margherita. You can enjoy all of these while eating at their garden patio with a calm and serene atmosphere.
3. Dumpling Home
Price Range: | Hours:11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 298 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 503-1666
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Hayes Valley is known as one of the city’s foodie neighborhoods and among all the restaurants that littered the place, we have Dumpling Home, an outstanding Chinese restaurant that serves authentic and delicious Chinese food. You can order their house specialties, the Shengjianbao and the Xiaolongbao, as well as their beef tongue.
Other delicious dishes they have on the house are their soybean noodle salad, wood and silver ear mushroom in house dressing, and seasoned beef with special soy sauce. People who dined in the place highly recommend you try it.
4. Po'Boys Kitchen
Price Range: | Hours:11:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Takeout
Address: 317 Connecticut St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: (415) 525-4088
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Have a taste of homemade Southern-style food with a unique touch and mouth-watering taste at Po'Boys Kitchen. They are one of the best dinner places that serve flavorful and delicious cuisines while you enjoy your meal with pleasant outdoor seating.
Some of their best dishes are buttermilk crispy fried chicken, seasonal seafood jambalaya, BBQ pork ribs, shrimp and grits, and of course Po'Boys Sandwiches. Looking for a nice dinner date with a lover? Try Po’Boys Kitchen!
5. Sotto Mare Oysteria and Seafood
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 552 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 398-3181
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To enjoy an authentic Italian North Beach experience, Sotto Mare Oysteria and Seafood is a must-visit restaurant. It is the best seafood restaurant, serving the freshest fish and shellfish, located in the heart of North Beach, California.
The best dishes they offer are the Boston style clam chowder, oysters and clams on the half shell, Louis salads, crab cioppino, seafood pasta, and seafood risotto. If you love seafood and are dying to have it while you’re in San Francisco, Sotto Mare Oysteria and Seafood is your must-go.
6. Krispy Krunchy Chicken
Price Range: | Hours:
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 2130 Irving St, Inside Irving Seafood Market, San Francisco, CA 94122
Phone: (415) 681-3282
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For all the visitors of San Francisco, Krispy Krunchy Chicken is more than proud to serve you with their delicious and mind blowing food. KKC offers not only the freshest but also delicious dinner food.
They have friendly workers and make sure to provide their visitors with great customer service. You will surely love this place as the chicken they serve is definitely Krispy and Krunchy with amazing flavor. Make sure to try their popular dishes such as Dark Meat Combo, Potato Wedges, Red Beans and Rice, and their bestselling fried chicken.
7. Nopa
Price Range: $$$ | Hours: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 560 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 864-8643
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Are you looking for a lively 2 story setting restaurant that serves mouthwatering ingredient-based Californian food? How about creative cocktails? Yes? Nopa is your place. A dinner date with a lover is completed to perfection with dishes like porkchop, custard french toast, grass-fed burger, rotisserie chicken, and smoked trout that you can only find at Nopa. This is place is amazing so grab your chance and dine in here.
8. Pearl
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 1748 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131
Phone: (415) 282-4328
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Looking for one of the best dinner places in San Francisco with Mediterranean-inspired pasta and foods, along with their specialty cocktails? It could only be Pearl. People loved this place and consider it one of the best outdoor dinings with its European-feel patio. Their best dishes are chicory caesar, handkerchief pasta, and roasted cauliflower. A casual weeknight dinner would be perfect if you dine in the Pearl.
9. Me & Tasty
Price Range: $$ | Hours:11:00 AM - 2:30 PM,
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 3970 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 923-8498
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Taste Thai while in San Francisco with Me & Tasty. It serves Thai classics and Asian fusion combos and is one of the best restaurants to have a perfect dinner date with a loved one or even with family and friends. The food is unique and delightful.
A must-try from the restaurant are their Fried avocado, Pad Thai, Pork Belly BBQ, Eel Taco, Chicken and Waffle, Tea Leaf Salad, Kao Soy, Crab taco, and Drunken Noodles
10. Original Joe's
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Takeout
Address: 1601 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 775-4877
Most Popular Items:
Original Joe's is known for its quiet, elegant yet bustling with energy ambiance. It is an all-new standard of excellence that enhances the total dining experience. The restaurant has an exhibition-style kitchen, notable leather booths, smooth cocktails, and a renowned Italian-American Menu.
Their best dishes are Caesar Salad, Spaghetti, Warm butter cake, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, New England Clam Chowder, and Shrimp Scampi.
11. Kokkari Estiatorio
Price Range: $$$ | Hours: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM,
5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address:200 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 981-0983
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You’ll be going to love the food and ambiance in Kokkari Estiatorio. It serves Taverna-inspired cuisine in a candlelit, wood-beamed dining room. They have modernized Greek dishes, and also the restaurant is showcasing its seafood menu.
The best dishes for your dinner are their Arnisia Plevrakia, a grilled lamb riblet with lemon and oregano, Mapakia – wood oven-roasted Brussels sprouts with applewood bacon and lemon, and Soutzoukakia – grilled lamb meatballs with spiced tomato sauce and Greek yogurt. You should also try the restaurant’s soups and salates, Kirios Piato, and Glyka. Your dinner should be perfect with their wine lists!
12. Quince
Price Range: $$$$ | Hours: 85:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 470 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 775-8500
Most Popular Items:
Quince is the perfect place to have a fantastic dinner date with your family or a special someone. The restaurant is welcoming locals and visitors who are craving for seasonal and locally sourced cuisine and wines.
Quince serve tasty cuisines inspired by local ingredients of Northern California and West Marin County. West coast oysters, including Kumamoto, kusshi, and Miyagi oysters’ Moscato vinaigrette is perfect for your dinner. You can also try their Pasta, Hamachi with Punterelle, Cara Cara Orange and Olive, Sea Urchin, Maine Lobster, and their set of wine.
The restaurant also has a private dining room, so if you’re with someone you love and want to experience a romantic dinner, Quince is perfect.
13. Seven Hills
Price Range: $$$ | Hours: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Open During COVID for: Takeout
Address: 11896 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 775-1550
Most Popular Items:
A fine dining restaurant located in Russian Hill, San Francisco, offers you the best seafood and Italian cuisine. Seven Hills is the perfect place to have a dinner date together with your family. They have their dinner menu for seven days, and it changes each week.
The restaurant also offers special diets that are good for vegetarians. You can choose among their pasta – Maccheroncelli, Caramele, Bigoli, Tagliatelle Verde, Raviolo al’ Uovo, and Squid Ink Chitarrini. The restaurant also serves dessert and wine that will go along perfectly with your dinner.
14. ALX
Price Range: $$ | Hours: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Open During COVID for: Delivery, Takeout
Address: 1748 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131
Phone: (415) 282-4328
Most Popular Items:
ALX is one of the best steakhouses in San Francisco and it is highly recommended that you try their American Wagyu beef, Forbidden roots salad, and Torched Tuna appetizer. You can also order a dozen oysters with a fruity mignonette. The desert is also out of this world. If you’re visiting San Francisco, then you must also visit this steakhouse!
15. L’Ardoise Bistro
