when i was planning the japan trip with my dad, seoul came up as a place to visit since we'd be in the area. as such, i did a lot of research for things to do. since i'm not going during this trip, i thought i'd share some of the places in the city that i think look cool. places marked with an asterisk look especially interesting to me. i always find that eating good food makes me feel better. 🍣

restaurants and bars

• 연어롭다 - the food in the photos looks really good.
• 7th door - 1 star michelin korean.
• m29 bar - looks like they have a legit cocktail menu.
• *mitou - 2 star michelin japanese. want to go.
• *sushido - it took a while to find quality sushi at a decent price, but i found it eventually. open for lunch and dinner.
• *woojeongsogalbi - i'm a big fan of tartare. this would probably be one of the first places i visit for food.
• *유한 (youhan) - bib gourmand thai food. looks legit.
• *zest bar - 16th best bar in the world. want to go.

hotels

• ananti at gangnam - another high-quality and affordable hotel.
• the shilla seoul - affordable 5-star hotel.

places

• *cheonggyecheon stream - looks like a nice place to take a walk.
• idenhouse - jazz club that looks like it's a nice time.
• myeongdong shopping street - a lot of cool shops in this area.

it's almost time to file corporate taxes, so naturally i decided to get some booze at zeitgeist (one of my many happy places). thankfully, i have my trusty ti-82 calculator to do the math for me. here are some photos from my day. 🕺

i was reading sfist.com (a local news website), and saw that there was a new cat cafe in the inner richmond. so i took caltrain into the city, had a nice 1.5hr walk from the sf caltrain station through hayes valley, alamo square, and divisadero street up to the cat cafe. here are the photos from the day. 😻

if you're curious about the fine dining scene in the san francisco bay area beyond what i posted in my favorite sf restaurants and places (recently updated), look no further.

i have a rule of thumb for michelin star restaurants -- add 1 hour to your meal for each star. something to take into consideration.

below are all the restaurants that i have either been to, or want to go to in the future. all of them are good, but i'll put a star next to any that are especially good. some are repeats from my previous post. 🤖

san francisco & peninsula

1 star

• *nari - the best thai fine dining restaurant in the city. excellent cocktail menu.
• 7 adams - i haven't been yet, but this was highly recommended from a foodie friend with excellent food sensibilities.
• *mister jui's - best fine dining chinese cuisine in the city. pro-tip: you can get a seat and eat at the bar if you can't get a reservation, as with most of these restaurants.
• nisei - haven't been, but the photos look really good. i saw shirako in the photos, so if that's not your thing, put in a dietary restriction request.
• *sorrel - went here several years ago before they received a star. i don't remember the food, but i don't remember having a negative impression of the restaurant and the photos look legit.
• *angler - the food is excellent here. i don't know if they still have it on the menu, but avoid the cocktail that has burnt salt on the ice cube. everything else was excellent though.
• *wakuriya - kaiseki. has maintained its one-star status since 2013. it's in downtown san mateo, which is south of the city 20 minutes by car without traffic. downtown san mateo is mostly restaurants, so there isn't much else to do there.

2 stars

• kiln - haven't been here, but the photos look good. i'm a fan of gelée, and it looks like this place has it on the menu often.
• *birdsong - received a michelin star the first year it opened in 2018, and was bumped up to 2 stars in 2021 and has maintained it since. it's in soma, so the location is subpar. don't walk to the restaurant.
• *saison - this was recently featured on an episode of s3, and looked pretty good.

3 stars

• benu - has had 3 stars since 2014. these are obviously talented people, but it fell short of my expectations. perhaps it was an off day. need to go back and try it again, soon.

napa

if you go to napa for dinner, i would suggest getting a hotel for the evening. napa is mostly 2 lane roads, and being napa, there is a higher statistical probability of drunk drivers. it's also an hour drive from sf without traffic. that being said, here's the list for napa.

1 star

• auberge du soleil - had brunch here a long time ago. saw jordan peele and his wife chelsea peretti. it probably didn't inspire his continental breakfast sketch. good vibes here.

3 stars

• the french laundry - this is the quintessential bay area restaurant. haven't been. want to go, soon.

barcelona

• soma - didn't get to go here, but it looks good.
• miam - didn't go here, but the brunch food looks legit.
• maleducat - probably the best meal i had in barcelona.
• amar - nice fine dining restaurant. can't go wrong with this one.

madrid

• streetxo - the best meal i had in spain. if you pick one restaurant, make it this one. this is the sister restaurant to the 4th best restaurant in the world (as of this posting) – diverxo. make sure to make a reservation.
• el retiro park - really nice place to walk around. i was running at the time and pulled a muscle here.
• barracuda - after a walk in el retiro, go to this place for some of the best mexican food ever.
• honest greens - spain is notorious for not having vegetables in their cuisine. this is a good place to get a salad. you can order via their app for pickup or delivery. nice vibes at this location.
• mercado de san miguel - really great food market. make sure to get a beer along with all your food.
• álex cordobés - you can get basque cheesecake here. be prepared for a line. it moves quickly though.
• alma bakery - didn't get to go here, but looks really good.
• torrons vicens - sweets shop with a bunch of goodies.

bilbao

• restaurante viña del ensanche - if you can't make it to san sebastián to the original location, you can get your cheesecake at their bilbao location.
• guggenheim museum bilbao - nice museum. lots of interesting exhibits. worth a visit.
• café bar bilbao - nice tapas place. there are a lot of different places in nueva plaza. fun place to spend time and bounce around all the different shops.
• salmon guru - didn't get to go here, but really good cocktails.

san sebastián

• atari gastrolekua - i visited this place on a rainy day, but the kitchen was closed. i didn't get to try the menu, but the tapas were still good. featured in the travel man basque country episode
• la cuchara de san telmo - this was by far the best meal i had in the city. the indoor area is extremely cramped, but they have seating outside. there's always a line here. make sure to get txakoli with your meal.
• la viña - this is the home to the original basque cheesecake. it's good, but i think the basque cheesecake at ernest in san francisco is the best.

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. there's a saying in tech: 'a good engineer checks both ways on a one-way street.'
• 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.
• unless you need to save cash, avoid bart. if you want to go to sausalito or east bay, you can always take the ferry.

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. can easily run into long lines on the weekend. they don't take reservations, so if you go on a weekend, show up before they open.
• 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.
• clement street (inner richmond) - shops located on either side of park presidio. more to do between park presidio and arguello. you can take pottery classes at richmond clay house. i used to get a chocolate bar donut + milk at allstar donuts from time to time (not as good as bob's on polk).
• 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. don't take the path up through the golf course to get to the legion of honor. you have to go through a golf course, and i've seen people almost get hit with a golf ball.
• 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.

peninsula places

• bay trail @ burlingame - a nice walk along the bay. technically wraps all the way around the bay. depending on prevailing winds, a section of it can be slightly stinky sometimes due to the wastewater treatment facility. seal point park is a good secondary option.
• seal point park - nice area to walk around and have views of the bay.
• topgolf @ burlingame - good view of the bay. food + booze. a fun time.