San Francisco Guidebook

Explore All the City Has to Offer

Handpicked recommendations from a local — everything below is ordered by how close it is, nearest first.

Things to Do

Iconic Sights & Attractions

From the landmarks everyone comes for to the corners locals keep to themselves — all reachable from Nob Hill.

The Cable Cars
Rides From Your Corner · 1 min walk to the stop

The Cable Cars

The Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines run right past the flats, hand-braked down hills no other city still climbs this way.

Board mid-route at Mason to skip the Powell Street queue.Learn More →
Huntington Park
Free · Open Daily · 2 min walk

Huntington Park

The small, immaculately kept square at the summit of Nob Hill, with a Roman turtle fountain and benches under old trees.

Best light in the late afternoon — grab a coffee first.Learn More →
Grace Cathedral
Free · Two Blocks · 3 min walk

Grace Cathedral

A Gothic-revival giant on the crest of Nob Hill, with gilded Ghiberti doors, a Keith Haring altarpiece and two walkable labyrinths.

Doors open daily; check the site for labyrinth and choral times.Learn More →
Cable Car Museum
Free · Working Powerhouse · 5 min walk

Cable Car Museum

Inside the barn that pulls every cable in the city, you look down on the giant winding wheels that keep the system running.

Free admission; closed Mondays.Learn More →
Chinatown & the Dragon Gate
Oldest in America · 10 min walk

Chinatown & the Dragon Gate

Walk downhill through Grant Avenue's lanterns to the Dragon Gate, detouring for Waverly Place's painted balconies and Portsmouth Square.

Mornings are quietest; Stockton Street is where locals shop.Learn More →
Union Square
Shopping · Theatre · 10 min walk

Union Square

The city's retail and theatre core, ringed by flagship stores, the TIX booth and a plaza that hosts markets year-round.

Same-day theatre tickets are sold at the TIX booth.Learn More →
Lombard Street
The Crooked Street · 12 min walk

Lombard Street

Eight hairpin turns through hydrangea beds on a one-block descent of Russian Hill.

Walk it rather than drive — the car queue is long.Learn More →
Financial District
Skyline & Old Ships · 12 min walk

Financial District

The city's banking core, where the Transamerica Pyramid, brick alleys and century-old lunch counters sit within a few blocks of each other.

Quiet on weekends; go on a weekday for the buzz.Learn More →
SFMOMA
Art for Everyone · 15 min walk

SFMOMA

Seven floors of modern and contemporary art, with a living wall on the terrace and free entry for anyone 18 and under.

Closed Wednesdays; the first two floors are free to enter.Learn More →
North Beach & Little Italy
Espresso and Beats · 15 min walk

North Beach & Little Italy

Columbus Avenue's Italian cafes, City Lights bookstore and Washington Square make the easiest evening stroll from Nob Hill.

Pair it with sunset at Coit Tower, a few blocks uphill.Learn More →
SoMa
Museums & Ballpark · 15 min walk

SoMa

South of Market runs from SFMOMA and Yerba Buena Gardens down to Oracle Park, with the city's biggest galleries and breweries in between.

Salesforce Park, the rooftop garden above the bus terminal, is free.Learn More →
Coit Tower
City Panorama · 20 min walk

Coit Tower

An Art Deco column on Telegraph Hill with WPA murals downstairs and a 360-degree view from the top.

Climb the Filbert Steps on the way up or down.Learn More →
The Ferry Building
Shops & Dining · 12 min by cable car

The Ferry Building

A restored 1898 terminal turned food hall, with oyster bars, bakeries and a farmers market three days a week.

Farmers market Tue, Thu and Sat mornings.Learn More →
Fisherman's Wharf
Waterfront · 15 min by cable car

Fisherman's Wharf

The tourist heart of the waterfront: crab stands, sea lions, historic ships and the Powell-Hyde cable car turnaround.

Skip the middle and head for Pier 45 and the Hyde Street Pier.Learn More →
PIER 39 Sea Lions
Free · Always Barking · 15 min by cable car

PIER 39 Sea Lions

Hundreds of California sea lions have squatted on the marina docks since 1989, and watching them shove each other off costs nothing.

Numbers peak in winter and spring.Learn More →
Musee Mecanique
Free Entry · Bring Quarters · 20 min by cable car and walk

Musee Mecanique

A warehouse of antique arcade machines at Pier 45, from fortune tellers to hand-cranked dioramas, all still working for a coin.

Entry is free — bring a roll of quarters.Learn More →
Asian Art Museum
6,000 Years of Art · 15 min by Muni

Asian Art Museum

One of the largest Asian art collections outside Asia, in a converted Beaux-Arts library with strong contemporary commissions.

Free general admission the first Sunday of each month.Learn More →
Exploratorium
Hands-On Science · 18 min by Muni

Exploratorium

A pier-long museum of things to touch, tilt and set in motion — the rare science museum adults enjoy as much as kids.

Thursday nights are 18+ with a bar.Learn More →
The Marina
Waterfront & Boutiques · 15 min drive

The Marina

Chestnut Street's boutiques and brunch spots back onto Marina Green, where the bay path runs straight to the Golden Gate.

Walk the Marina Green path west toward Crissy Field.Learn More →
The Painted Ladies
Postcard Row · 20 min by Muni

The Painted Ladies

The row of Victorians on Steiner Street framed against the downtown skyline, best seen from the sloping lawn opposite.

Morning light hits the houses straight on.Learn More →
The Castro Theatre
Restored Movie Palace · 20 min by Muni

The Castro Theatre

The 1922 movie palace is back from a long restoration, screening films and hosting concerts under its ornate ceiling.

Check the calendar — programming varies nightly.Learn More →
Mission Dolores Park
Sunniest Lawn · Free · 20 min by Muni

Mission Dolores Park

The city's best picnic slope, catching sun when the north side is fogged in, with the skyline framed above the palm trees.

Weekend afternoons are packed — bring a blanket.Learn More →
Mission Dolores
City's Oldest Building · 20 min by Muni

Mission Dolores

The 1776 adobe chapel is the oldest intact structure in San Francisco, with a painted redwood ceiling and a quiet cemetery.

Small donation for entry; pair it with Dolores Park.Learn More →
Oracle Park Tour
Dugout · Field Access · 20 min by Muni

Oracle Park Tour

Behind-the-scenes access to the Giants' waterfront park: the field, a Major League dugout and the visitors' clubhouse.

Tour times shift with the game calendar — book ahead.Learn More →
The Castro
History & Nightlife · 20 min by Muni

The Castro

The heart of LGBTQ San Francisco, with the restored Castro Theatre, the Rainbow Honor Walk underfoot and bars that stay busy all week.

The Rainbow Honor Walk plaques run along both sidewalks.Learn More →
Palace of Fine Arts
Beautiful Landscape · 20 min drive

Palace of Fine Arts

A Beaux-Arts rotunda left over from the 1915 world's fair, reflected in its own swan lagoon.

Free to walk around; best light in the early evening.Learn More →
Twin Peaks
360 Degree Panorama · 20 min drive

Twin Peaks

Nine hundred feet up, the whole grid unrolls below you, from the Golden Gate to the bay bridges and the East Bay hills.

Windy and cold year-round — bring a real jacket.Learn More →
Presidio Tunnel Tops
Free · Bridge Views · 20 min drive

Presidio Tunnel Tops

Fourteen acres of meadow built over the freeway tunnels, with food trucks, a nature playground and a clear line to the Golden Gate.

Free, no tickets; walk down to Crissy Field from here.Learn More →
Walt Disney Family Museum
Presidio · Animation · 20 min drive

Walt Disney Family Museum

The man rather than the parks: early sketches, the multiplane camera and a room-sized Disneyland model, set in Presidio barracks.

Open Thursday-Sunday; book online, weekends sell out.Learn More →
Golden Gate Park
Open Air · 25 min by Muni

Golden Gate Park

A thousand acres running to the ocean, holding two major museums, a tea garden, bison and a windmill.

JFK Drive is car-free — good for walking and bikes.Learn More →
de Young Museum
In Golden Gate Park · 25 min by Muni

de Young Museum

American and global art in a copper-clad building, with a free observation tower over Golden Gate Park.

The ninth-floor tower is free without a ticket.Learn More →
California Academy of Sciences
In Golden Gate Park · 25 min by Muni

California Academy of Sciences

An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest dome and natural history museum under one living roof.

NightLife on Thursdays is adults-only with cocktails.Learn More →
Japanese Tea Garden
Oldest in the Country · 25 min by Muni

Japanese Tea Garden

Five acres of moon bridges, koi ponds and clipped pines in Golden Gate Park, with a tea house serving green tea and mochi.

Free entry before 10am Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Learn More →
Conservatory of Flowers
Victorian Glasshouse · 25 min by Muni

Conservatory of Flowers

The oldest wood-and-glass conservatory in the Americas, holding a steamy jungle of orchids, carnivores and giant water lilies.

Open Thursday-Tuesday, 10am-4:30pm.Learn More →
Mission District Murals
Free · Open-Air Gallery · 25 min by Muni

Mission District Murals

Clarion Alley and Balmy Alley are repainted continuously, and the murals are political, temporary and worth the detour.

Combine with the Balmy Alley murals, ten minutes south.Learn More →
Haight-Ashbury
Counterculture Corner · 25 min by Muni

Haight-Ashbury

Vintage shops, Victorian rows and Amoeba Music's record bins occupy the blocks where the Summer of Love actually happened.

Walk east into Golden Gate Park at the end of Haight Street.Learn More →
Alcatraz Island
Must-See · Book Ahead · 30 min via Pier 33

Alcatraz Island

The federal prison in the middle of the bay, with an audio tour narrated by the men who were actually locked in it.

Tickets sell out weeks ahead — book at cityexperiences.com.Learn More →
Golden Gate Bridge
Iconic Views · 25 min drive

Golden Gate Bridge

The 1937 span is still the city's defining image; walk the east sidewalk or view it whole from Battery Spencer.

Fog is common in summer mornings; afternoons clear.Learn More →
Baker Beach
Best Bridge Angle · 25 min drive

Baker Beach

A mile of sand directly beneath the Golden Gate's south tower, backed by cypress bluffs and reliably dramatic surf.

Cold water and strong rip currents — don't swim.Learn More →
Fort Point
Free · Under the Bridge · 25 min drive

Fort Point

A Civil War brick fortress tucked directly beneath the Golden Gate's southern arch, with a roof at eye level with the traffic.

Open Thursday to Monday, 10am-5pm; free admission.Learn More →
Lands End & Sutro Baths
Cliffs · Ruins · Free · 30 min drive

Lands End & Sutro Baths

A cypress-lined coastal path above shipwreck-strewn surf, ending at the concrete skeleton of a Victorian swimming palace.

Park at Lands End Lookout; the ruins are slippery when wet.Learn More →
Legion of Honor
Rodin · Ocean Setting · 30 min drive

Legion of Honor

A neoclassical museum on the Lincoln Park headland holding European masters and a cast of The Thinker in the courtyard.

Permanent collection is free from 4:30pm; closed Mondays.Learn More →
Muir Woods
Old-Growth Redwoods · 45 min drive

Muir Woods

Coast redwoods 250 feet tall in a fog-fed canyon across the bridge, with flat boardwalk loops anyone can manage.

Parking or shuttle reservations are required — book ahead.Learn More →
Sausalito by Ferry
Half Day · Bay Crossing · 45 min via the Ferry Building

Sausalito by Ferry

The crossing itself is the attraction, passing Alcatraz and the bridge to a Mediterranean-feeling waterfront of galleries and houseboats.

Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building is the cheapest route.Learn More →
Angel Island
Island Hike · Full Day · 1 hr via ferry from Pier 41

Angel Island

A whole island in the bay with a five-mile perimeter road, rentable bikes and the sobering Immigration Station museum.

Check the ferry timetable first — last boats leave early.Learn More →
Napa Valley
Wine Country · Full Day · 1 hr 30 min drive

Napa Valley

Thirty miles of vineyards an hour and a half north, where most serious tasting rooms now run by appointment rather than walk-in.

Book tastings ahead and arrange a driver.Learn More →
Coffee & Breakfast

Where to Start Your Morning

Neighborhood roasters, bakeries and proper breakfasts — most of them walkable, a few worth the trip.

A few of our favorites
All-Day Breakfast$$

MyMy

Nob Hill · 4 min walk

The neighborhood's go-to breakfast counter, generous and unfussy, three blocks from the front door.

Get there early to beat the line.
Espresso Bar$

The Coffee Movement

Nob Hill · 5 min walk

A two-person bar pulling some of the most carefully made espresso in the city, with a line that moves fast.

Classic Diner$$

Sears Fine Food

Union Square · 7 min walk

Serving since 1938 and known for eighteen silver-dollar Swedish pancakes with lingonberry butter.

Arrive before nine or the weekend line builds.
Neighborhood Cafe$

Beanstalk Cafe

Lower Nob Hill · 8 min walk

An easy corner cafe for a flat white and an egg sandwich on the way down to Union Square.

Neighborhood Cafe$$

Nook

Nob Hill · 9 min walk

Right at the Hyde Street cable car stop, with proper espresso, bagels and lox, and tables worth lingering at.

French Cafe$$

Cafe de la Presse

Union Square · 9 min walk

French cafe beside the Chinatown Gate: croque madame, omelets and cafe au lait at sidewalk tables.

Roaster$

Home Coffee Roasters

Chinatown · 10 min walk

Small Chinatown roastery where the beans are done in-house and the counter staff will happily talk you through them.

Thai-Californian$$

Lapisara Eatery

Lower Nob Hill · 10 min walk

Thai-inflected brunch — coconut pancakes, crab benedict — in a bright room that fills up on weekends.

Chinese Bakery$

AA Bakery & Cafe

Chinatown · 10 min walk

Chinatown bakery with the egg-tart case up front; the flaky tarts and pineapple buns are best straight off the tray.

Seasonal Cafe$$

Farm:Table

Lower Nob Hill · 10 min walk

One communal reclaimed-wood table and a chalkboard menu rewritten daily — toast, eggs and pour-over.

Opens at 10am; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Coffee Bar$$

Better Half Coffee

Nob Hill · 12 min walk

Daytime coffee bar inside a wine bar, pouring rotating local roasters alongside corn biscuits and Thai butter cake.

Open 8am-2pm; closed Tuesdays.
Bakery Cafe$$

Jane on Larkin

Lower Nob Hill · 14 min walk

Sourdough toast, granola bowls and morning buns; the kouign-amann and the egg sandwich go early.

French Patisserie$$

Maison Nico

Jackson Square · 15 min walk

A jewel-box French shop for pate en croute, canneles and some of the best laminated pastry in San Francisco.

Pastries sell out by early afternoon.
Breakfast Sandwiches$

Devil's Teeth Baking Company

Embarcadero · 15 min walk

Famous for a breakfast sandwich on a house biscuit; the beignets are worth adding to the order.

Donuts$

Bob's Donuts & Pastry Shop

Polk Gulch · 15 min walk

Polk Street institution frying around the clock; the apple fritter and maple buttermilk bar are the ones to get.

Open late — a proper 2am stop.
Italian Cafe$

Caffe Trieste

North Beach · 15 min walk

North Beach's original espresso bar, opera on the speakers and cappuccino at a marble table since 1956.

Espresso Bar$$

Reveille Coffee Co.

Jackson Square · 15 min walk

Bright corner cafe at the edge of Jackson Square with dialed-in cortados, avocado toast and a sunny parklet.

Espresso Bar$

Blue Bottle Coffee

SoMa · 18 min walk

The Bay Area roaster that started the third-wave boom; reliable, precise, and everywhere downtown.

Focaccia$

Liguria Bakery

North Beach · 18 min walk

Four generations of focaccia, cut with scissors and wrapped in paper — that is the entire menu.

Cash only, and they close when it sells out.
Breakfast$$

Mama's on Washington Square

North Beach · 18 min walk

The line across from Washington Square is the point; French toast with house preserves and Dungeness crab benedict.

Expect to wait — go on a weekday.
Creole$$

Brenda's French Soul Food

Polk Street · 18 min walk

New Orleans breakfast done properly — order a flight of beignets, then the shrimp and grits.

Roaster$$

Saint Frank Coffee

Russian Hill · 20 min walk

Airy Polk Street room from a roaster that buys direct from farms; the cinnamon-dusted Saint's Cappuccino is the house drink.

Midday

Lunch Around the City

Quick counters near the flats, and the lunches people come to San Francisco for.

A few of our favorites
American$$$

The Big 4

Nob Hill · 2 min walk

The clubby Huntington Hotel dining room is back after a long restoration — dark wood, old San Francisco portraits, proper cioppino.

Lunch 11am-2pm; reserve for a banquette.
Mexican$

Tahona Mercado

Nob Hill · 6 min walk

A small mexicatessen a few blocks downhill turning out carnitas tacos, tortas and good local coffee.

Closed Wednesdays.
Pizza$

Uncle Vito's

Union Square · 6 min walk

Slinging thin-crust pies at Bush and Powell since the eighties — a no-fuss slice-and-salad stop right on the cable car line.

Window seats watch the Powell cars rattle past.
New American$$

Aliment

Lower Nob Hill · 7 min walk

A warm brick-walled spot on Bush for burgers, sandwiches and cocktails — casual enough for lunch, good enough to come back for dinner.

The burger is the order.
Dim Sum$

Good Mong Kok Bakery

Chinatown · 8 min walk

No seats and a fast-moving queue; point at shrimp har gow, barbecue pork buns and sticky rice, then keep walking.

Cash only, takeout only.
Dim Sum$$

Hang Ah Tea Room

Chinatown · 9 min walk

Tucked into an alley since 1920 and billed as America's oldest dim sum parlor — sit down for dumplings and pork buns.

Enter the alley off 872 Sacramento Street.
Burgers$

Pearl's Deluxe Burgers

Lower Nob Hill · 9 min walk

Counter-service burgers off a hot griddle with sweet potato fries; the jalapeno-heavy Rocky burger is the one.

Late-Night Diner$

Grubstake Diner

Polk Gulch · 10 min walk

Burgers and Portuguese comfort plates served inside a converted 1927 railcar — open into the small hours when nothing else is.

Open until 4 AM most nights — remember it after the bars.
Californian$$$

The Rotunda

Union Square · 10 min walk

Lunch under the stained-glass dome at Neiman Marcus — popovers with strawberry butter, lobster club, and a glass of something cold.

Ask for a table at the rotunda window over Union Square.
French Bistro$$

Le Central

FiDi · 11 min walk

San Francisco's original French bistro, pouring and plating on Bush Street since 1974 — steak frites, cassoulet, and regulars who never left.

The zinc bar is the best seat for a solo lunch.
Seafood$$

Swan Oyster Depot

Polk Gulch · 12 min walk

Twenty stools at one marble counter, family-run since 1912; crab Louie, clam chowder and Sicilian sashimi.

Cash only; arrive before noon or wait an hour.
American$$

John's Grill

Union Square · 12 min walk

A Union Square chophouse open since 1908 — order Sam Spade's lamb chops with baked potato and sliced tomato.

Ask for a table upstairs.
Classic Seafood$$$

Sam's Grill

FiDi · 12 min walk

Serving since 1867 — one of the country's oldest restaurants. Sand dabs, curtained wooden booths, and waiters in white jackets.

Ask for a private booth and pull the curtain.
Northern Italian$$$

Perbacco

FiDi · 14 min walk

Polished Piedmontese cooking on California Street — house-made agnolotti and a serious wine list, a proper downtown lunch.

Weekday lunch only; the agnolotti dal plin is the classic.
Chinese Marketplace$$

China Live

Chinatown edge · 14 min walk

An all-day Chinese food hall on Broadway — dumplings, Peking duck, sheng jian bao — like a delicious department store of Chinese cooking.

Walk-ins are easiest at the marketplace counter seats.
Hofbrau$

Tommy's Joynt

Van Ness · 15 min walk

A San Francisco original since 1947 — carved-to-order brisket and buffalo stew under hand-painted signs, with cheap beer to match.

Cafeteria-style: grab a tray, point at the meat.
Sandwiches$

Molinari Delicatessen

North Beach · 16 min walk

A salumeria running since 1896 where they build the Renzo Special to order — carry it two blocks to Washington Square.

Take a number at the door; closes 5:30pm.
Italian Cafe$

Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store

North Beach · 17 min walk

A tiny corner cafe on Washington Square that's been toasting meatball and eggplant paninis in the pizza oven for generations.

Panini, a glass of Chianti, and a window seat on the square.
Seafood$$$

Tadich Grill

Financial District · 10 min by cable car

California's oldest restaurant, open since 1849; sit at the counter for cioppino, grilled sand dabs and Hangtown fry.

No reservations; closed Sundays.
Oysters$$$

Hog Island Oyster Co.

Embarcadero · 15 min by cable car

Raw bar on the bay side of the Ferry Building — Sweetwater oysters, the three-cheese grilled cheese and chowder.

No reservations; go before the noon rush.
Seafood$$$

Scoma's

Fisherman's Wharf · 20 min by cable car

A Pier 47 fish house with its own receiving station — Dungeness crab, lazy man's cioppino and a working-harbor view.

Opens at noon; book ahead on weekends.
Mexican$

La Taqueria

Mission District · 15 min drive

The rice-free Mission burrito that won a James Beard award; ask for it dorado, griddled crisp, with carnitas.

Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Dim Sum$$

Harborview

Embarcadero · 18 min walk · 8 min ride

White-tablecloth Cantonese and carts of dim sum with bay views at Embarcadero Center — the elegant end of the dumpling spectrum.

Weekend dim sum is the move; reserve ahead.
Chinese$$

San Tung

Inner Sunset · 20 min drive

Ten minutes from the de Young, and the reason is the dry-fried chicken wings and hand-pulled noodles.

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Dim Sum$$$

Yank Sing

Embarcadero · 20 min walk · 8 min ride

The city's benchmark dim sum since 1958 — carts of shanghai dumplings and crystal shrimp har gow in a gleaming Rincon Center room.

Go early on weekends; the carts move fast.
Burgers$$

Gott's Roadside

Ferry Building · 25 min walk · 10 min ride

Napa's beloved roadside stand at the Ferry Building — ahi burgers, garlic fries and shakes with bay views from the back tables.

Order inside, eat on the bayside tables behind the building.
Fish Tacos$

Cholita Linda

Ferry Building · 25 min walk · 10 min ride

Baja-style crispy fish tacos and plantain bowls in the Ferry Building marketplace — bright, fast, and exactly right at midday.

Pair it with a walk along the Embarcadero.
Japanese Deli$$

Delica

Ferry Building · 25 min walk · 10 min ride

Immaculate Japanese deli boxes at the Ferry Building — sushi rolls, karaage, and beautifully composed bentos to eat on the water.

Grab a bento and a bayside bench.
Evening

Dinner & Drinks

From the trattoria four minutes away to the rooms worth booking a month ahead.

A few of our favorites
Classic American$$$$

The Big Four

Nob Hill · 2 min walk

The wood-paneled Nob Hill legend at the Huntington, reborn — martinis, chops and railroad-baron memorabilia one block from your door.

Dinner nightly from 5 PM; come early for a drink at the bar.
Italian$$

Nob Hill Cafe

Nob Hill · 4 min walk

The neighborhood's everyday trattoria, cheerful and always full — thin-crust pizza, veal piccata, a house red nobody overthinks.

Walk in early; the small room fills by seven.
Pizza & Natural Wine$$

Back to Back

Nob Hill · 4 min walk

Wood-fired sourdough pies and natural wine in the cozy hillside room on Taylor — the neighborhood's easiest great dinner.

Small room; book ahead or go early.
Steakhouse$$$$

Osso Steakhouse

Nob Hill · 4 min walk

A white-tablecloth neighborhood steakhouse on California Street — dry-aged cuts and stiff martinis without leaving the hill.

The bar seats take walk-ins.
Chinese$$$$
Michelin

Mister Jiu's

Chinatown · 8 min walk

A grand old banquet hall reworked with red lanterns and rooftop views; the Chinese-Californian menu peaks with whole roast duck.

One Michelin star — book three to four weeks ahead.
Italian$$$$
Michelin

Acquerello

Polk Gulch · 12 min walk

A hushed former chapel with vaulted ceilings and career servers; Italian tasting menus built on aged parmesan, truffle and a deep cellar.

Two Michelin stars — book four to six weeks ahead.
Sichuan$$
Michelin

Z & Y Restaurant

Chinatown · 12 min walk

Sichuan cooking that does not pull punches — fish in flaming chili oil, tea-smoked duck, explosive chili chicken.

Bib Gourmand; closed Tuesdays.
Cantonese$$

R&G Lounge

Chinatown · 12 min walk

Chinatown's institution for salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab — three floors, always humming, worth every cracked shell.

Order the crab; reserve on busy nights.
Classic American$$$

John's Grill

Union Square · 13 min walk

Open since 1908 and immortalized in The Maltese Falcon — dark wood, chops, and Sam Spade's lamb chops still on the menu.

Ask about the Maltese Falcon room upstairs.
Chinese$$

House of Nanking

Chinatown edge · 13 min walk

The famous hole-in-the-wall where you surrender the menu and let Peter feed you — sesame chicken and Nanking specials since 1988.

Trust the chef's choice; portions are generous.
Steakhouse$$$

House of Prime Rib

Polk Gulch · 14 min walk

Dark booths, salad bowls spun tableside on ice and silver carving carts — the City Cut with Yorkshire pudding.

Book weeks ahead, or try the bar for walk-ins.
American Tavern$$$

Wayfare Tavern

FiDi · 14 min walk

Tyler Florence's clubby tavern, now on Pine Street — the fried chicken and popovers that built its reputation, in handsome new digs.

The fried chicken needs no deliberation.
Italian$$$

Seven Hills

Russian Hill · 15 min walk

Twenty-odd seats on the Hyde Street cable car line, run with real care; handmade pastas and braised meats.

Tiny room — book a week ahead.
Cal-Mediterranean$$$

Frascati

Russian Hill · 15 min walk

A candlelit corner room with a small mezzanine and cable cars clanging past the windows.

Request an upstairs window table when you book.
Prix Fixe$$$

Trestle

Jackson Square · 15 min walk

Three courses for a price that feels like a typo, in a snug brick room on Jackson — the city's best-value proper dinner.

Book ahead; the add-on pasta course is worth it.
Rustic Italian$$$

Cotogna

Jackson Square · 16 min walk

Wood-fired Italian from the Quince team — raviolo al uovo, spit-roasted meats, and one of the city's most loved dining rooms.

Reservations go fast; bar walk-ins are possible early.
Greek$$$$

Kokkari

Jackson Square · 17 min walk

Roaring fireplace, lamb chops off the rotisserie, and Greek hospitality that makes every dinner feel like an occasion.

Ask for the fireplace room; reserve well ahead.
Italian-American$$$

Original Joe's

North Beach · 18 min walk

Red leather booths, tuxedoed waiters and a mesquite grill in the open kitchen — a San Francisco institution since 1937.

Open late for a city this size; the bar takes walk-ins.
Steakhouse$$$$

Harris' Restaurant

Polk Gulch · 5 min drive

Leather booths, cold martinis and a piano in the lounge since 1984 — dry-aged bone-in ribeye, creamed spinach, proper wedge.

Ask for a booth; book a week out for weekends.
Japanese$$$$
Michelin

Nisei

Russian Hill · 6 min drive

A blond-wood counter for a small crowd, where a Japanese-American tasting menu turns on the rice course.

One Michelin star — reserve about a month out.
Austrian$$

Leopold's

Russian Hill · 7 min drive

A loud, antler-strewn Alpine tavern with boot-sized beers and schnitzel that overhangs the plate — built for a group.

Weekends book out; weeknights are easy.
Italian Seafood$$

Sotto Mare

North Beach · 7 min drive

Counter stools, checkered floors and old North Beach clatter; the crab cioppino for two lands in a pot with sourdough.

Small room, long waits — arrive before six.
Californian$$$

Zuni Cafe

Hayes Valley · 10 min drive

Two floors of windows, a copper bar and shoestring potatoes; the brick-oven chicken for two over bread salad takes an hour.

Order the chicken the moment you sit down.
Thai$$$
Michelin

Nari

Japantown · 10 min drive

A high-ceilinged room off the Kabuki lobby where the Thai cooking is bold and herb-heavy — go family style.

One Michelin star — book two weeks out or sit at the bar.
Japanese$$$
Michelin

Izakaya Rintaro

Mission · 12 min drive

A hinoki-wood izakaya the chef built himself — charcoal-grilled skewers, hand-cut soba and shatteringly crisp karaage.

Bib Gourmand; reserve a month ahead or try the counter.
After Dark

Bars & Nightcaps

Our own bookmarked list — the bars we actually go to, from the tiki palace two minutes away to rooftops and speakeasies a short ride out.

Tiki$$$

Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar

Nob Hill · 2 min walk

An indoor lagoon, a thunderstorm every half hour and a band on a floating barge — mai tais, gloriously unserious.

Reserve ahead; expect a cover when the band plays.
Neighborhood Bar$

Zeki's Bar

Nob Hill · 6 min walk

The neighborhood's living room — a warm, unhurried bar where the pours are honest and nobody's in a rush to be anywhere else.

Weeknights are mellow; weekends draw a friendly local crowd.
Dive Bar$

The Summer Place

Lower Nob Hill · 6 min walk

A tiny, time-capsule dive that regulars treat like home. Strong drinks, zero pretense, and conversation you didn't plan on.

Small room — go early or squeeze in gladly.
Cocktails$$

Pacific Cocktail Haven

Lower Nob Hill · 7 min walk

A bright, buzzing bar pouring tightly built, citrus-driven drinks; ask the bartender to steer you off-menu.

No reservations — go before eight or after ten.
Cocktails$$

Peacekeeper

Lower Nob Hill · 7 min walk

Polished cocktails in a handsome firehouse-themed room — serious drinks without the speakeasy theatrics.

The patio out back is a quiet find on warm evenings.
Bowling & Cocktails$$

Fifth Arrow

Union Square · 8 min walk

Cocktails, vintage lanes and a rec-room spirit beneath August Hall — the fun night out that doesn't require a plan.

Book a lane ahead on weekends.
Dive Bar$

Tunnel Top

Union Square · 8 min walk

A two-story perch above the Stockton Tunnel — creaky, candlelit and beloved, with DJs some nights and a balcony view of the traffic below.

Cash-friendly and casual; the upstairs corner is the seat to grab.
Craft Beer$$

Liquid Gold

Lower Nob Hill · 8 min walk

Part bottle shop, part bar — a deep, ever-changing craft list poured by people who genuinely want to talk beer.

Grab bottles to take back to the flat when you leave.
Chinatown Dive$

Li Po Cocktail Lounge

Chinatown · 10 min walk

A 1937 Chinatown institution behind a lantern-lit cave of a doorway. One order: the Chinese mai tai, famous for a reason.

Cash is safest; downhill there, cable car or rideshare back.
Irish Pub$$

The Irish Bank

FiDi · 10 min walk

Tucked down a flag-strung alley off Bush — proper pints, fish and chips, and outdoor tables that feel a world away from downtown.

The alley seats are the move; it fills after work on Fridays.
Cocktails$$

Harper & Rye

Polk Gulch · 11 min walk

A cozy, wood-warm cocktail bar on Polk with a loft upstairs and a menu that rewards the adventurous.

Open daily from 3 PM — a fine first stop on a Polk Street evening.
Speakeasy$$$

Bourbon & Branch

Tenderloin edge · 11 min walk

The city's definitive speakeasy — reservations come with a password, the rooms are candlelit, and the whiskey list runs deep.

Reserve ahead online; ask about the hidden Wilson & Wilson bar within.
Wine Bar$$

Amélie

Polk Gulch · 12 min walk

A candlelit French wine bar that's been pouring well-priced flights and small plates for nearly two decades.

The happy-hour flight is one of the best deals on Polk.
Wine Bar$$

Bar Bibi

Russian Hill · 12 min walk

Coffee by day, natural wine by night — a small, genuinely cozy newcomer the neighborhood adopted immediately.

Tiny and convivial; go early for a seat.
Irish Pub$$

Irish Times

FiDi · 12 min walk

A proper FiDi Irish sports pub — match days, pints of Guinness, and a kitchen that holds its own.

Good bet for catching a Niners or Giants game with a crowd.
Cocktails$$

Rye

Lower Nob Hill · 13 min walk

A sunken, dimly lit cocktail den that helped kick off the city's modern cocktail era — still pouring some of its best.

Open nightly; the front patio is first-come.
Cocktails$$$

The Treasury

FiDi · 13 min walk

Cocktails in the marble lobby of a 1920s bank building — soaring ceilings, sharp drinks, downtown at its most handsome.

Weeknights after work are lively; Saturdays are calm.
Cocktails$$

High Horse

Jackson Square · 13 min walk

A stylish cocktail bar on Washington with playful drinks and a late-night kitchen — a bright spot in the old Barbary Coast blocks.

Downhill on the way there — plan a ride back up the hill.
Cocktails$$$

Holbrook House

FiDi · 14 min walk

A grand bar and restaurant inside a landmark 1908 banking hall at One Sansome — palm-court glamour, big-occasion energy.

Come for golden hour; the room is the show.
Cocktails & Live Music$$$

Local Edition

Downtown · 15 min walk

A newspaper-museum of a cocktail bar in the old Hearst building basement — typewriters, printing presses, and live bands most weekends.

Reserve a table on band nights.
Sports Bar$$

The Lark Bar

Downtown · 15 min walk

A friendly downtown sports bar with the games on every screen — the easy answer when the Niners, Giants or Warriors are playing.

Gets loud (in the good way) on game days.
Aperitivo$$$

Bar Sprezzatura

FiDi · 15 min walk · 6 min ride

Italian aperitivo done properly — spritzes, crudo and a glamorous room that makes an early evening feel like Milan.

Aperitivo hour is the sweet spot; reservations on Resy.
Dive Bar$

The Buccaneer

Polk Gulch · 15 min walk · 5 min ride

A pirate-flagged Polk Street dive with pinball, cheap pours and a jukebox that knows what it's doing.

Dog-friendly and delightfully unfussy.
Dive Bar$

Cresta's 2211 Club

Russian Hill · 15 min walk · 5 min ride

Family-run since the 1970s and proudly unchanged — a true old-San-Francisco corner bar on upper Polk.

Cash-friendly; strike up a conversation at the rail.
Dive Bar$

Louie's Bar

Downtown · 16 min walk · 6 min ride

A no-frills downtown dive with cheap drinks, a solid grill and zero attitude — the honest counterweight to the FiDi cocktail rooms.

Weekday afternoons are its natural habitat.
Historic Bar$$

The House of Shields

Downtown · 16 min walk · 6 min ride

Pouring since 1908 across from the Palace Hotel — carved wood, no clocks, no TVs, and more than a century of stories.

Order something brown and settle in.
Live Music$

Tupelo

North Beach · 16 min walk · 6 min ride

Blues and rock most nights in a narrow North Beach room — no cover most shows, cold beer, and a crowd there for the music.

Check their calendar; weekends go late.
Historic Saloon$$

The Old Ship Saloon

Jackson Square · 17 min walk · 7 min ride

Serving since 1851 on the bones of a Gold Rush ship — one of the city's oldest bars, now a relaxed pub with good burgers.

History plaque out front tells the whole unlikely story.
Rooftop Lounge$$$

Shelby's Rooftop

SoMa · 8 min ride

Skyline cocktails above Yerba Buena — heat lamps, city views and a proper sunset perch.

Reserve for sunset; bring a layer for the fog.
Speakeasy & Tapas$$$

The Pawn Shop

SoMa · 8 min ride

Walk into a working pawn-shop front, pawn a trinket, and a hidden door opens onto Spanish tapas and cocktails.

Reservations recommended; ask about the late-night cabaret.
Classic Bar$$

Harry's Bar

Pacific Heights · 10 min ride

A Fillmore Street fixture since 1984 — burgers, Bloody Marys and every game on, equal parts bar and neighborhood clubhouse.

Great pre- or post-dinner stop if you're exploring Fillmore.
Historic Bar & Grill$$$

Balboa Cafe

Cow Hollow · 12 min ride

Open since 1913 and still the Marina's clubhouse — a white-tablecloth bar famous for its burger on a baguette.

The bar burger and a Martini is the classic order.
For the Sports Fan

Catch a Game While You’re in Town

San Francisco is a great sports city. Check schedules and tickets before you arrive — games sell out.

Photo credits
Photographs of San Francisco sights and restaurants are used under Creative Commons and public-domain licences via Wikimedia Commons. Interior photographs of the flats are our own.
Pinenut-herb crusted rack of lamb with portabella mushroom, Brussels sprouts, and black garlic - 16284318527.jpg — City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0
Smoke from wildfire on Angel Island blankets San Franciscon.jpg — Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0
Asian Art Museum - San Francisco - Joy of Museums.jpg — Joyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0
GoldenGateBridge BakerBeach MC.jpg — Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 3.0
Blue Bottle Coffee (15089280626).jpg — Christopher Michel, CC BY 2.0
Bob's Donuts - San Francisco, CA - 2.jpg — Daderot, CC0
Powerhouse - San Francisco Cable Car Museum - San Francisco, CA - DSC03991.jpg — Daderot, CC0
Caffe Trieste - 2016-10 - 02.jpg — Nicolas Vigier, CC0
Entering the Castro district, San Francisco (31984322697) (cropped).jpg — Mike McBey, CC BY 2.0
Grant Avenue, Chinatown San Francisco, at night-L1001359.jpg — Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Balmy Alley.jpg — DestinationFearFan, CC BY 4.0
SF Conservatory of Flowers 3.jpg — WolfmanSF, CC BY-SA 3.0
San Francisco from Pier 7 September 2013 panorama edit.jpg — King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fort Point National Historic Site and Golden Gate Bridge.jpg — Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0
Exterior of Grace Cathedral-San Francisco-2.jpg — Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
San Francisco CA, Haight Ashbury 1.jpg — Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 2.5
Hang Ah Tea Room in Chinatown, San Francisco.jpg — Kylelovesyou, CC0
Prime Rib and Yorkshire Pudding at House of Prime Rib, San Francisco, California.jpg — Zheng Zhou, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nob Hill, San Francisco, California April 2022.jpg — Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0
Japanese Tea Garden San Francisco December 2016 006.jpg — King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0
San Francisco - John's Grill 02.jpg — Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
La Taqueria Storefront (4999906403).jpg — Vancouver Bites! from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
San Francisco (CA, USA), Sutro Baths -- 2022 -- 3045.jpg — Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Legion of Honor at night.jpg — Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Levi's Stadium interior 1.jpg — Matthew Roth, CC BY-SA 2.0
Liguria Bakery, San Francisco.jpg — Karen Neoh, CC BY 2.0
Presidio Theatre, Chestnut Street, San Francisco.jpg — The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores.jpg — LesyaCA, CC BY-SA 4.0
San Francisco from Dolores Park - June 2019.jpg — Wil540 art, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mister Jiu's, interior, San Francisco (June 2025) 01.jpg — BriefEdits, CC BY-SA 4.0
Molinaris Deli Exterior 01.jpg — 9yz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Muir Woods 1 20150920.jpg — Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0
Musée Mécanique, San Francisco - Rockola World Series 1937.jpg — Joe Mabel, Public domain
Napa valley vineyard and winery.jpg — Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0
Downtown San Francisco 2025c.jpg — Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
AT&T Park July 24, 2016.jpg — User Coasttocoast on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Original Joes North Beach SF.jpg — Original Joes, CC BY 2.0
San Francisco (CA, USA), Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Sea Lion Viewing Area -- 2022 -- 185143.jpg — Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Presidio of San Francisco (2023)-L1003404.jpg — Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Réveille Coffee Co, 200 Columbus Ave.jpg — kennejima, CC BY 2.0
Saint Frank Coffee, San Francisco, United States (Unsplash).jpg — Andrew Robles andrewroblesphoto, CC0
Sausalito California.jpg — Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 4.0
The San Francisco Giants vs The Miami Marlins.jpg — Vhryce, CC BY 4.0
View over Yerba Buena Gardens.jpg — This photo was taken by Anton Zelenov. Please credit this with : Photo : Anton Zelenov in, CC BY-SA 4.0
Swan Oyster Depot San Francisco - along the counter, 2007.jpg — soupstance, CC BY 2.0
Tadich Grill, San Francisco, California - Stierch.jpg — Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0
San Francisco Cable Car MC.jpg — Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 3.0
San Francisco - Teatro Castro 004.jpg — Américo Toledano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Painted Ladies San Francisco January 2013 panorama 2.jpg — King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tonga room restaurant.jpg — Jaredzimmerman, CC BY-SA 4.0
San Francisco from Twin Peaks September 2013 panorama 5 edit.jpg — King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0
Union Square, San Francisco. (39776431142).jpg — Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC0
The Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio, San Francisco (TK2).JPG — Tobias Kleinlercher / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
San Francisco - Chase Center 002.jpg — Américo Toledano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Zuni Café (2023)-L1003556.jpg — Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tommy's Joynt 2019.jpg — Cullen328, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sam's Grill, since 1867.jpg — SamsGrillandSeafood, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stained glass-City of Paris rotunda dome (San Francisco).jpg — Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
San Francisco roof terrace
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