San Francisco's Top Casual Restaurants

San Francisco Restaurants

This section includes our own recommendations on places for mid-priced casual eats. Unlike the other restaurant guides you've seen, these are our opinions, not restaurants paying for a recommendation. The "sweet spot" for dining in SF where you're at a nice place, but not the high end ones, is about $30 per person For that, you get cool atmosphere, usually in a not-so-fancy neighborhood with a lot of atmosphere. A lot of places have some good music too. we like every restaurant on this page, so pick one that sounds good & go for it!

Recommendation 1- Luna Park

Recommendation 2 - Universal Cafe

Recommendation 3 - Park Chow

1751 Social Club - Nightclub in the Haight Street area -- dancing nightspot with an auxiliary restaurant.

Thirsty Bear - SOMA microbrewery

Gordon Biersch is a micro-brewery and great restaurant. Watch out for the roar of yuppies on Friday's happy hour, but some of the best beer in S.F. (also in Palo Alto). 2 Harrison 234-8356 ($45 for 2) Pub-type food and roasted meats. Andy rating=B

Barney's Burger's is unsuprisingly, a hamburger place and a damned good one. Sit-down dining in a pleasant atmosphere for about $10 each. Located in the trendy Marina district, there's tons of other cool places to check out. Trip over to 3344 Steiner @ Chestnut / 563-0307. Also in Noe Valley at 4138 24th Street / 282-7770. Andy rating=B-

Cha Cha Cha - Spanish Style Tapas - $25/person

Kan Zaman - Middle Eastern - $25/person

is a Bay Area casual restaurant chain by a man who really knows good food. Excellent sandwiches like a New York deli -- especially corned beef. Max also makes blue plate meat & potato's great. There are a bunch of these ranging from an opera cafe where the waiters sing, to just sandwich places. The diner one is at 311 Third Street / 546-6297 near Lower SOMA nightclubs. Andy rating=B-

The Ramp is a waterfront restaurant in an industrial part of S.F. It's pretty cool and they have live bar music at night and food by day. By day, they serve hamburgers, sandwiches and casual stuff for around $12 per person. They have an AWESOME Sunday brunch with many omlettes and weekend barbques. If you want to eat on the waterfront, skip the suck-o wharf and come to the ramp. 855 Chiina Basin @ Mariposa 621-2378 Andy rating=B+

Elite Cafe was a yuppie place that served cajun and a lot of fish. Now its o.k., but the scene isn't the best. A few too many stuffed shirts, but pretty good food for around $25 per person. A San Francisco institution, it is often very busy. In a cool area on Fillmore Street -- 2049 Fillmore @ California 346-8668 Andy rating=C+

Julie's Supper Club is one cool place to eat in the lower part of SOMA's nightclub scene. For around $20 per person, you get a great bar, home cooking, and fun atmosphere. Funky design from the 1950's reminds you of old movies. The bar scene is very active for meeting other travelers and "SFians". 1123 Folsome Street @ 7th Street 861-0707 Andy rating=B+

The Beach Chalet has unmatched views and good hearty food & beer at the end of your Golden Gate Park day...

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