Table of Contents
before i get into the list, here are a few pointers being in the san francisco bay area:
- when you're walking around the city, always double check both ways at crosswalks. there are a lot of bad drivers and out of town drivers in sf that don't see stop signs.
- if you go south of the city, take caltrain or uber. don't take a waymo on the highway just yet.
- if you go on market street in sf, just make sure to stay northeast of 5th street unless you want an adventure. unfortunately, you need to watch where you're stepping.
- i said it elsewhere on this blog, don't walk in the tenderloin or civic center at any time.
- never walk down mission st. in the mission, unless you really want an adventure. the rest of the mission is fine to walk around, just be cautious the closer you get to mission st.
san francisco bars & restaurants
- alamo drafthouse cinema - i'm including a cinema under this section, because they serve food and drink while you watch a movie. this is always a fun time. lots of locations around the usa.
- amphawa - the best thai food in the city without breaking the bank. consistently good.
- arcana - nice wine bar with a nice interior setting. good vibes here. take a car here or walk on valencia to get here.
- angler - one star michelin.
- anina - my favorite cocktail is 'salad days'. gin + shiso + lime + tonic. doesn't get much better than that.
- blue bottle coffee - 2nd best coffee in the city. started in oakland. i used to go to this location all the time when i was working downtown. the liège waffle pairs perfectly with coffee.
- bob's donuts @ polk st - best donuts in sf. they have a donut challenge if you're feeling up to it.
- daeho - korean restaurant in japantown. usually a long line. they don't take reservations, but it looks like you can join the waitlist via their google maps listing.
- dragon beaux - good dim sum in the richmond. ton kiang was the best, but it closed.
- dumpling home - michelin bib gourmand. get some food here and then get drinks at anina down the street.
- charmaine's rooftop bar - another nice rooftop bar downtown. closer to 7th st on market, so take a car.
- eats - another good breakfast spot in the richmond
- el rancho grande - hole in the wall, but you can't go wrong with a california burrito. prepare to have a food coma afterwards.
- emporium arcade bar - this is a fun place if you want to have some drinks and play a lot of arcade games. the cocktails are whatever, but it's still a good time. there's always music, and a movie with subtitles playing.
- ernest - best basque cheesecake i've ever had. better than in san sebastian. japanese inspired cuisine. good cocktail menu.
- farmhouse kitchen thai - the original location, afaik. everything is good. if i'm feeling dangerous i get the pineapple fried rice.
- foreign cinema - consistently good. i think they just got a 2026 james beard nomination. take a car here or walk on valencia to get here.
- four barrel coffee - nice coffee place/roaster in the mission. this coffee is used at the mill.
- han il kwan - really good korean bbq. i was amused when i learned what the name actually means.
- hakashi - same people from daigo. closed down and opened under a new moniker. the daigo shot is the best.
- jagalchi @ daly city - bougie korean grocery store + market + bakery.
- kayo rooftop bar - another nice rooftop bar. has good food and a nice cocktail selection. near giants stadium and close-ish to chase center.
- kin khao - avoid if you can't handle spice.
- maison nico - one of a kind french cafe in sf. everything is good, but i particularly like the aspic. finding seating on a weekend can be a challenge. expect a line.
- marufuku - i'm not a huge ramen person, but this place is really good.
- matcha cafe maiko - the best matcha soft serve i've had in the city.
- patxi's pizza - started in sausalito, and is quite good. personally, for any pizza i like bbq chicken, pineapple + ham, or the supreme.
- the mill - best coffee in sf. also home to josey baker bread - the best bread in the city (get the country loaf). order the cinnamon sugar toast with a coffee. you can thank me later.
- mister jiu's - one star michelin. modern chinese cuisine. excellent cocktail menu.
- nari - one star michelin thai. the squid and pork jowl is their best dish. sour + sweet. if they have it, their pandan dessert is the best. the 'som' on their cocktail menu is probably one of my favorite cocktails of all time. slightly spicy.
- plow - one of the best breakfast spots in sf
- rintaro - nice izakaya. had my first fish eyeball here. i was expecting a normal sized eyeball, but that didn't happen. big fish. the waiter was impressed.
- rise over run - nice rooftop bar with views of downtown. it's just southeast of 5th st by half a block, so you'll be good.
- salt and straw - originated in portland oregon, and is quite good. i always get sea salt with caramel ribbons. they have tons of unique flavors. i've always wanted to try pear and blue cheese.
- schlok's bagels and lox - the best bagels and lox in the city. there's always a line in the morning, especially on weekends.
- trick dog - good cocktail bar. better than true laurel, which is right around the corner. can be hard to find a seat.
- true laurel - good (not great) cocktail bar. food is meh. in a quiet area near the mission. right around the corner from trick dog.
- zeitgeist - best dive bar in the city. it's another one of my happy places. nice outdoor seating and good vibes + music.
san francisco places
- alamo square - pro-tip: get a coffee at the mill, go to bi-rite and get some snacks, then go to alamo square and chill and listen to music or spend time with friends. good view of the painted ladies and downtown sf. bring a blanket, because the grass can be a little damp. there's also a dog play area on the south side of the park that's fun.
- amc metreon + imax - this is one of ~30 imax locations in the world that project in 70mm. if you're feeling up for a movie, this is the place to go.
- amoeba music - sean parker didn't kill all record stores. i get my cds here.
- baker beach - best view of the golden gate bridge. the section closest to the bridge is technically a nude beach. don't go unless you want to see ding dongs.
- california academy of sciences - natural history museum in golden gate park. across the way from the de young museum and the japanese tea garden.
- chase center - if you're in town during the regular basketball season (january to april), it's always fun to catch a warriors game and see steph curry play.
- conservatory of flowers - fun place to check out in golden gate park. fun fact, golden gate park is 20% larger than central park.
- dandelion chocolate factory - you can go on a tour of their factory, but book in advance. not as good as willy wonka's factory, but still fun if you like chocolate. you get to try samples, a raw cacao seed, and get a free drink at the cafe.
- exploratorium - fun museum
- ferry building - lots of good food and shops to browse. get a straus vanilla soft serve from gott's. heath ceramics is worth checking out. hog island oyster co is a great seafood spot. they have a good bloody mary here.
- fillmore street - fillmore street between bush and washington has a lot of great shops and restaurants. within walking distance to japantown
- green apple books - fun bookstore in the richmond. they have a sunset location too.
- hamon observation tower - free entry. great views of the city. located at the de young museum in golden gate park. located right next to the japanese tea garden.
- japanese tea garden - touristy, but fun to check out.
- japantown - lots of great stuff here. too much to list.
- land's end trail - best urban hike in the city. i used to hike it every day during the pandemic.
- mission dolores park - same thing as alamo square. gets really crowded on a sunny weekend day. lots of fun.
- onsen sf - best onsen in the city. can reserve the entire place if you want. take a car there. never walk in the tenderloin unless you want to have an adventure.
- oracle park - nothing beats the atmosphere of a baseball game. one of my happy places.
peninsula bars & restaurants
- backhaus @ burlingame - good coffee. i like the morning bun.
- buon me cafe - best vietnamese in the peninsula. authentic vietnamese coffee. i usually get the papaya salad + bun cha hanoi. was inspired by obama visiting vietnam and having dinner with anthony bourdain. here's the video.
- chick-fil-a @ fashion island - the one at fashion island is good. not all chick-fil-a's are created equal. important reminder: they are always closed on sundays.
- gao viet kitchen @ san mateo - same thing. papaya salad + bun cha hanoi. they have a location in sf.
- indo @ palo alto - indonesian fusion.
- somi somi - good matcha soft serve. more sugary than maiko.
- stacks @ burlingame - i usually get the bacon waffle with strawberry and whipped cream added + the veggie scramble with hash browns.
- stanford shopping center - nice place to walk around and shop. good vibes. this is where i adopted my fur baby, moma.