San Francisco

Whether you're seated in the "elegant" dining room or at the bar, "everything about" the place is "sublime." — Zagat

There's a reason Zagat has named Gary Danko the most popular Bay Area restaurant for the past seven years. — San Francisco Chronicle

Eating at Gary Danko is like dinner and a night at the theater rolled into one. — Time Out

Serving contemporary American cuisine, the Fisherman’s Wharf establishment boasts a 75-seat dining room with light wood shutters, fresh flower arrangements, and white linens. — Travel + Leisure

Gary Danko is the city's favorite culinary son; his restaurant is both a serious dining destination and a local favorite that's convivial, never stuffy. — Concierge

Perfect burgers and juicy roasted chicken, cooked over an open fire, complement a menu offering a variety of Mediterranean dishes. — DK Eyewitness

Zuni is f*cking legendary. Three things make it so: the food, the room, and the vibe. — The Infatuation

Make reservations and elbow past the crowded copper bar for the best roasted chicken and bread salad (for two) imaginable. — Insight Guides

"Like the Golden Gate Bridge", this venerable Hayes Valley Mediterranean “mainstay” defines San Francisco. — Zagat

An institution... and there's so much more than the sublime roasted chicken. — Not For Tourists

In business since 1912, this Nob Hill neighborhood joint is essentially a seafood diner. — Travel + Leisure

Swan's downside is an inevitable wait for the few stools at the vintage lunch counter, but the upside of high turnover is incredibly fresh seafood. — Lonely Planet

Tiny, no-nonsense, and bursting at the gills with the freshest seafood ever since 1912. — BlackBook

The Swan Oyster Depot is a San Francisco landmark: the restaurant has been selling and serving fresh, frill-free seafood since 1912. — Gayot

A tiny seafood and oyster institution. Seats 18 at the counter. Open 8-5:30, closed Sundays. — Not For Tourists

Located near Alamo Square inside a simple building with a tile roof, Nopa is a favorite after-work hangout of Bay Area chefs. — Travel + Leisure

One of the hottest restaurants in town, Nopa's attractions include the wood-fired oven and the late hours—unusual in a city where many kitchens pack up at 10pm. — Time Out

Airy, sexy room serves late. — Not For Tourists

At the restaurant Nopa in San Francisco's Western Addition, the long bar and communal tables are perfect places to perch on a weeknight. Go early, order an elderflower gimlet or a... — Afar Magazine

NOPA’s opening in 2006 was sort of a watershed moment for the neighborhood and created a destination that people from elsewhere in the city sought out. The restaurant, which was before it... — On the Grid

Dim sum with a Michelin twist—don't miss the signature quail. — Bon Appétit

It's worth the effort to get a reservation at Bon Appetit magazine's 2012 Restaurant of the Year (and the 2013 James Beard Award winner for Best New Restaurant), run by one of Food and... — Where

Who says dim sum-style dining is just for Chinese food? Not the folks behind State Bird Provisions. — Michelin Guide

Chef Stuart Brioza’s creative, fresh internationally influenced small plates are wheeled around on carts and carried on trays and they are impossibly good. — Frommer's

Small plates are served dim-sum style at this popular eatery (read: book a table ahead of time). — Travel + Leisure

Quince lives on as one of the city's hot spots and whoever the scenesters may be, expect to see them dining here. — Michelin Guide

Four-star restaurants don't just happen, no matter how talented the chef. — San Francisco Chronicle

Pastas are handmade, and just about everything else is culled from nearby farms. Devotion to the perfect product is so complete that dessert could very well be simply a plate of local strawberries and grapes. — Concierge

Chef Michael and Lindsay Tusk “work magic” nightly at their “downright phenomenal” Downtown destination. — Zagat

Pastas are handmade, and just about everything else is culled from nearby farms. — Condé Nast Traveler

Standards include Niman Ranch flatiron steak with french fries, and roasted chicken with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and royal trumpet mushrooms. — Frommer's

Chef/owner Craig Stoll favors simplicity over whimsy, and tradition over fashion. Yet his food is never ordinary. — Time Out

This bustling neighborhood trattoria is a local favorite that pioneered San Francisco's farm-to-table movement. It has received rave reviews since its opening in 1998 and still packs the... — Where

When concocting the short, seasonal menu at this Mission District restaurant, chef and co-owner Craig Stoll and his partner, Anne, take their cues from simple, regional Italian dishes. — Gayot

As boring as spaghetti with tomato sauce may sound, it's been dialed to perfection here, and there would be a neighborhood revolt if it ever disappeared. — Fodor's

With no dress code, no tablecloths, and no stuffy servers, it is truly all about the food. — Frommer's

A full-fledged tasting menu kind of place, a reservation here is best reserved for a special occasion. — goop

Ultra-creative tasting menus worthy of a very special occasion. — Not For Tourists

Benu's chef is Corey Lee, former chef de cuisine of The French Laundry and opening sous chef at Per Se. — Gayot

A bowl of wild-salmon roe with puffed buckwheat conjures taste memories of cold soba. — Travel + Leisure

This is one of the few truly French restaurants that has never bowed to the whims of fashion. — Time Out

La Folie is a serious restaurant, discreet and smart, that puts forth a sense of happy romance as timeless and pleasing as the popping of a champagne cork. — Michelin Guide

A charming, family run restaurant, La Folie offers the delectable creations of Frenchman, Chef Roland Passot. The menu is ever-changing, but it has been known to include delicacies such... — Where

Magnificent Provencal food served without attitude or pretension. — Rough Guide

This small, très Parisian establishment has long been a favorite of Francophiles. — Fodor's

The beauty is in the details at elegant Acquerello, San Francisco's top contemporary Italian table. — Concierge

An exquisite wine list, a knowledgable waitstaff happy to recommend food-and-wine pairings, carved glass decanters, and fine linen set the stage for a truly memorable experience. — DK Eyewitness

Named for the watercolors that line the walls of this intimate former chapel, Acquerello offers cooking that is anything but delicate. — Gayot

This serene, urbane Cal-Med restaurant is housed in a former 1920s Mission-style chapel. Dishes like house-made pasta coated in a marsala cream sauce with shavings of black truffle are... — Where

The experience is "best described as ethereal" say diners who "dress up" to get "pampered" at this "romantic" Italian in Polk Gulch. — Zagat

The most expensive meal in California is worth it. — Bon Appétit

We found it to be one of the best symphonies for the senses we’ve enjoyed in a long time. — Gayot

This award-winning restaurant, notorious for having one of the priciest tasting menus in the United States, recently moved from the Mission District to a 19th-century, brick-and-timber building. — Fodor's

Thankfully, the entrance to Saison is in the back covered patio, alongside the cooking hearth and dining counter that faces its embers. — Michelin Guide

The inspired contemporary cuisine at this superlative three Michelin star restaurant is derived from obsessively sourced ingredients and integrated into the nightly prix-fixe menu with... — Where

Jardinière is the epitome of fine dining, San Francisco-style: polished in front, organic-sustainable in back. — Condé Nast Traveler

High-end California-French fare. — Not For Tourists

Chef Traci Des Jardins honed her culinary talents most notably under the direction of Joachim Splichal in Los Angeles before moving forward on her own endeavor in Hayes Valley. — Travel + Leisure

A favorite with the symphony and politico crowd, but cool enough for young hipsters with good credit. — BlackBook

Jardinière is a pre- and post-symphony favorite, and it also happens to be the perfect setting for enjoying a cocktail with your significant other. — Frommer's

An historic building, waterfront dining, and years of local admiration are just a few of the hallmarks of this stalwart restaurant. — Michelin Guide

Boulevard won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2012, and it’s easy to understand why; the food here is consistently outstanding. The menu changes seasonally, but... — goop

Nancy Oakes was one of the first chefs to give a fine-dining twist to American cuisine when she opened 18 years ago, and her food is just as exciting today. — San Francisco Chronicle

Chef Nancy Oakes has an easy touch with classics like simple juicy pork chops... and ends East–West coastal rivalries with Maine lobster stuffed inside California squid. — Lonely Planet

Master restaurant designer Pat Kuleto and chef Nancy Oakes are behind one of San Francisco's most beloved restaurants. — Frommer's

Named for a small fishing village on the Aegean Sea, Kokkari is owned by the same partnership that runs Evvia Estiatorio in Palo Alto. — Gayot

The best place in the city for sophisticated Greek food, this inviting, upscale Greek taverna lures diners to the border of North Beach and the Financial District to feast. — Insight Guides

Praise the Greek Gods as Kokkari is one of those places that consistently serves delicious food- no wonder this ample arena is forever packed. — Michelin Guide

“High expectations are met” at this longtime, “world-class” Downtown Greek that “sets the bar” with its "electric atmosphere" and “irresistible” food. — Zagat

The Kokkari serves stylish Greek food in a large, comfortable dining area with dark wood floors and a big, cozy fireplace. — DK Eyewitness

Mention Aziza in San Francisco company and you're likely to hear quiet murmurs of deep approval. — Gayot

Chef-owner Mourad Lahlou's California-Moroccan food boasts a healthy dose of modernity that keeps locals coming back for his unique flavors. — Fodor's

Only in San Francisco would you find a Moroccan restaurant that touts the sustainable pedigree of its ingredients. — Travel + Leisure

Moroccan gourmet showstopper, thanks to wunderkind chef/owner and Marrakech native Mourad Lahlou. — BlackBook

Located in the Richmond District, this Moroccan-inspired restaurant started modestly but each year chef-owner Mourad Lahlou adds more. — San Francisco Chronicle

Pronounced "kwah", this lavish spot stands apart for its adventurous, eleven-course prix-fixe tasting menu... that changes daily. — Rough Guide

Without a whiff of gimmicky experimentation, Daniel Patterson's Coi reimagines California cuisine, acknowledging the sanctified emphasis on ingredients that many area chefs embrace. — Gayot

Overall, this newly refreshed Zen-chic look is clean and clearly Asian-inspired. Servers are professional and mod-even the surrounding conversations seem casually cool as the room fills up. — Michelin Guide

Coi's chef (and F&W Best New Chef 1997) Daniel Patterson combines his passions for local ingredients and avant-garde experimentation. — Travel + Leisure

Local ingredients, skilled preparation, and impeccable presentation come together at this elegant Michelin-starred restaurant to produce superlative, innovative California cuisine. — DK Eyewitness

Beretta is an industry favorite in the Mission. — On the Grid

The food, which concentrates on small plates, pizza and risotto, with just one main course a day, is also very good, though not as finely tuned as I remember. — San Francisco Chronicle

The formula here basically works: excellent cocktails, an array of affordable antipasti, solid pizzas, risottos, piatti del giorno (daily mains), and late dining until 1 am. — Fodor's

Beretta delivers a bang-up performance with its thin-crust pizzas and shared Italian plates. — Michelin Guide

Sleek and modern with dark wood, clean lines and vintage chandeliers, this sophisticated cocktail and pizza enclave attracts a hip crowd. — Gayot

If you imagine a Venn diagram encompassing “unique dining experiences” and “classic SF establishments,” Foreign Cinema sits squarely in the center. — The Infatuation

The "inventive", locally sourced Cal-Med dinners (and "amazing" brunches) get a "standing ovation." — Zagat

Date night is a wrap at Foreign Cinema, the Mission's art house eatery that projects international films and cult classics onto a white brick wall on the heated courtyard patio. — Michelin Guide

While the menu and wine list change daily... the Foreign Cinema in the Mission serves up a full oyster bar and California/Mediterranean-influenced dishes with the movie. — Travel + Leisure

Reliably tasty dishes like spiced apricot quail and grilled ancho-chili pork chops with roast fig are the main attractions. — Lonely Planet

Postpone the diet and pack your credit card if you want to enjoy the adventurous menu at this five-star restaurant run by the namesake local chef. — Rough Guide

"Dressed-up" diners are wowed by "unbelievably good" meals accompanied by an "amazing" wine list. — Zagat

It's still dining on a grand scale (and at a grand price), but one taste of the ahi tuna tartare and you'll whip out your credit card without a second thought. — Time Out

Michael Mina's eponymous San Francisco restaurant has delighted guests with memorable and luxurious dining experiences for two and a half years. — Forbes Travel Guide

Dining at Michael Mina is an indulgent exploration of the senses. — San Francisco Chronicle

If you’re able to drop serious coin on your meal, you won’t go wrong at Spruce. — The Infatuation

"Exceptional" staffers who treat everyone "like VIPs" makes this "elegantly appointed" Presidio Heights haunt perfect for "celebrations and milestone events." — Zagat

The temperature-controlled charcuterie room visible through glass windows beyond the courtyard is an apt invitation to enter this local favorite for fine dining with Mediterranean flair. — Michelin Guide

Chef Mark Sullivan’s awesome house-made charcuterie; and his knack for sneaking hyper-boutique bitterish greens even into meatier dishes like bacon-bolstered sweetbreads lyonnaise. — Travel + Leisure

Only two dining choices were available for the coming month when I checked the OpenTable Web site recently: 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday two weeks off or 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday nearly four... — San Jose Mercury News