Eating San Francisco (1 Viewer)

[LarryDavenport]

I'll be heading down to SF next week and I just want to ask the locals, what are your favorite places for:
pizza
hamburgers
sushi
and tacos.
My favorite SF taco is at La Taqueria on Mission (the Carne Asada) and I've had decent sushi at We Be Sushi and pizza at Serrano's (all in the Mission), oh, and the hot fudge sundae at Ghirradeli (sp?) Square.

Since this will be my last trip down south for awhile (I'm getting on the kidney transplant list and won't be able to leave Seattle for a long time) so I'd like to try some places I haven't been.

 

[Bill Catherall]

Hamburgers? In'n Out. It's not just a San Francisco thing though...but for all I know, you can't find them in Washington. And nothing...nothing...beats an In'n Out burger.

 

[LarryDavenport]

Thanks Bill. I've been to the In'n Out outside of LA , and I have to say that, though they are above average for a "fast food" burger, I can think of quite a few places that I like better (Fatburger, for instance, though there isn't one near SF,).

I think the only burgers I've had in SF have been at Carl's Jr. and Mel's (both in Berkeley and the one nearest the Embarcadero) which I had to go to because of my love of American Graffiti.

I figure sushi is going to be my expensive meal, so I'm looking for a burger, pizza, and taco experience that I can only get in the Bay Area (I'm counting Berkley or anything within walking distance of a BART station in Oakland or Daly City).

 

[MichaelG]

You can try Morpho Sushi on Union St, a friend of mine has been working there since last August. Not cheap, but what is in San Francisco. Another Sushi place that is real popular is called Blow Fish, I have eaten there and it was good. I don't remember the address, but you should be able to find it on the internet.

When I lived there last year my friends would order from a place that I am trying to remember, but I think that it's in North Beach. When I remember I will post it.

 

[John Garcia]

I haven't eaten SF lately... Might be a bit too much to chew.
FYI: You don't need to head over to Berkley anymore to go to Rasputins, I'm pretty sure there's one in the City. Not that Berzerkley is a bad place to go.
In N Out is a Ca chain, and they are the best fast food burger around here, without question. Certainly not the best burger around, but far and away better than McD's, Carls, etc...
I don't eat sushi, so I can't help you there, but there should be tons.
Unfortunately, can't help you on Mexican either, since they are a dime a dozen, and that is sort of a personal choice. If it were in the South Bay, I could tell you at least 5 hole-in-the wall places that I like a lot.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Yeah I clicked on this thread thinking it was about Godzilla or the like....

 

[Yoshi Sugawara]

Hi Larry,
If you're over in the Berkeley-Oakland area you can try:
Smokehouse
It's mostly an outdoor burger joint, but has some really good burgers - and it has a really good reputation among the locals. I like it a lot, but I'd say In n Out edges this one out. It's located on Telegraph Ave, just south of the UC Berkeley campus:
3115 Telegraph Ave,Berkeley,CA 94705
Phone: (510) 845-3640
Barney's Gourmet Hamburger
This place is pretty decent - it's a slightly more upscale (yuppier) type of burger place. I've only been here once, and it was pretty good. They have all kinds of burgers, from Hawaiian to Jamaican (I think). It reminds me of Island's in Los Angeles. I'd go again. It's a chain in the East bay I believe - you can look them up at Yahoo Yellow Pages, but here's one location:
5819 College Ave,Oakland,CA 94618
Phone: (510) 601-0444
Zachary's Pizza
Just a block down the street from the Barney's listed above, is the famous Zachary's Pizza. It's chicago-style pizza - lots of tomatoes. It's insanely crowded on weekend nights. It's regarded highly among the critics and locals, but it's just not my style. It's decent - you should give it a try.
5801 College Ave,Oakland,CA 94618
Phone: (510) 655-6385
Cafe Rustica
I love this place - it's smaller, less crowded, but their gourmet pizzas are great. I recommend their Thai Chicken, Italian chicken, and BBQ chicken pizzas. They also have a selection of Rotisserie chicken - also great.
Location:
5422 College Ave,Oakland,CA 94618
Phone: (510) 654-1601
Yusan Sushi
There are lots of sushi places in the Bay Area, but a lot of them are very mediocre. This place, however, has really good sushi, and it isn't expensive, either. You have to trust me on this one - my girlfriend and I are Japanese, and we both agree that the sushi is excellent. Be sure to get in before 8 pm, since they sometimes run out of fish!
11866 San Pablo Ave,El Cerrito,CA 94530
Phone: (510) 233-0606
So there you go - I think I got every genre of food, except Mexican. I love Mexican food, but I haven't been impressed with any of the Mexican food places around here - I think there are lots of better Mexican places down in Los Angeles.
Enjoy!

 

[LarryDavenport]

Thanks Yoshi, I think I've been to Barney's but I can't remember.

Can I get to Yusan by BART?

 

[Yoshi Sugawara]

Yes, Larry, you're in luck - Yusan Sushi is close to the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station (Richmond line)
After getting off BART, head north on San Pablo Ave and walk for about 5 minutes, and it'll be on your right side (you'll see a Hona dealer right before it and a Home Depot on the other side of the street). It looks like a hole-in-the-wall place ( kind of easy to miss).
Hope you like it!

 

[Dave E H]

FYI - there are like 6-7 Barney's - Albany (north of Berkeley) Berekeley, 2 in oakland and 2 in the city (Marina & Noe I think.)
There are also 2 Zachary's - one in Berkeley and one in Oakland. It's Chicago style pizza that doesn't embarrass itself - it's darn good. I'd still go for a Geno's East Sausage (patty style baby!) but this is the best you'll find by far in the Bay Area.
(Also, head to Rockridge Bart - both Zach's and Barney's are within walking distance.)
If you like We Be Sushi, you're going to be able to do MUCH better. Close by in the Mission, you can try Tokyo Go Go - much better quality, albiet a little upscale. I think they might have even closed 'We Be Bad Sushi.'
Other good places:
* Joe's Cable Car burgers are pretty good - it's in the city.
* Kirala in Berkeley - pretty good sushi - you could Bart to downtown Berkeley and walk, but it's a good 15 minutes. Get there early - a long long wait
* Burger Joint in the Mission - many people swear by them.
***
Honestly, I'd trade every darn burger place here for some of
this!

 

[Grant B]

My wife loves Sushi & the best is at 9th & Irving, she can't remeber the name but there's only one in the inner sunset.

Cable Car Burgers are great, the are over the overpass on Geary by the old Sears store. Martin Macks on Haight St is good (pub).

Best pizza is Golden Boys Pizza in North beach off Grant St on Vallejo, I believe. I would give $$$ if they delivered...sucks big time for Parking.

My favorite SF taco is at La Taqueria on Mission (the Carne Asada)

Hit it on the nose...but just about any of the places near there are good. The one around the corner with the blue awning is great.

A great funky place is the Palace steak house on Mission at Ceasar Chaves.

Pictures of Bobby Kennedy on the wall, faded Giants pennents and Bush flipping the Bird on the wall.

Steak dinners for under $10and they have a parking lot where the owner uses a megaphone to thank you for coming.

Double play is great breakfast/lunch. It's next to the Safeway where the Giants played in the 50s (Seal Stadium)

In the backroom is a murial that is painted from the prespective of being a pitcher at the old ballpark with Willie Mays in left field

Tadich Grill is the oldest & one of the best palces in town.

The wait is long but everyone waits....only place where you will be in a line with Willie Brown and ????

More seafood than steak with great Croatian waiters who have been there for years.

Des alps is great Basque food right by the Broadway tunnel on the North Beach side.

Family 7 course dinners for under $20.

You won't find many of these in the guide books but you won't be dissappointed

Have fun and email (if you can if you need better directions or whatever)

Grant

 

[LarryDavenport]

Hey Dave I followed your link . Funny, when In'n Out was suggested I thought of Dick's. I think the burgers are pretty much the same, though In'n Out has better shakes & fries. Redmond, which is as far from Seattle as Berkley is to SF (but without the easy transit for the carless) just got a Fatburger about 6 months ago. If one was more conveniant, I'd go no where else (except maybe Red Mill).
We Be Sushi was OK, it would be aveage in Seattle. We have a dozen or so sushi places, but nothing exceptional (but we have a buttload of Thai restaurants).
I'll probably check out The Burger Jint because it's a couple blocks from my friend's place (they live on South Van Ness). There menu looks small and a burger, fries, and shake comes up to $12 (I'm saving my $$$ for CD shopping and sushi).
Has anyone been to Tommaso's or Mona Lisa in North Beach? I think I'm looking for thin, crisp crust rather than Chicago-style (not that there's anything wrong with that).

 

[Dave E H]

Well, you have Musashi's in Seattle - I envy you. Maybe not the best sushi in the world, but it's cheap w/ a great atmosphere - always on my short list of places to go in Seattle.
If you do go to In'n'Out, get it 'animal style' - trust me. Not on the menu, but they'll know...
I would be negligent if I didn't mention Ebisu in the Sunset - pretty darn good.

 

[Grant B]

Forgot about 2, they are both on 24th near Potero

St Francis Fountain - Time warp from 1917, Mix their own cokes and they handmake everything else including the ice cream & Candy

In the booth in the back is where the San Francisco 49ers were born in the old AAFL.

Right down the street is Roosevelt's Tamale Parlor, One of the 1st mexican restaurants outside of mexico. Still the best tamale's in town.

On Haight near Masonic is Haight Mail, they sell a 'star map' of Haight Ashbury. Find out where Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson lived, the famous JAirplane house and where Janis Joplin & Big Brother Started out (wave, I live right across the street)

HaightAshbury - See the site where Jerry Garcia got busted doing Crack in his BMW!

BTW It's on Fell street near Baker on the Golden Gate Park Panhandle - (so far no marker to mark it)

 

[Paul O]

Larry - Zachary's in Berkeley is great but if your looking for Thin Crust - North Beach Pizza is better - not quite N.Y. Style but close enough at least for the West Coast. I would also Reccomend Roy's and the Fly Trap downtown. Roy's is an upscale pacific rim chain from Hawaii - they have excellent seafood and wine - pretty pricey though - The Fly trap is a French bistro - cant go wrong at either place. The only cuisine i personally don't like in SF is Chinese - which is funny since SF has a huge Chinese population.
As far as CD's i think SF just offers the same overpriced virgin, wherehouse and tower mega chains. I think you may be better off getting stuff online and just squeeze in an extra meal a day

 

[Dave E H]

Roy's is an upscale pacific rim chain from Hawaii

If he's from Seattle, he's already got a Roy's.

 

[John Garcia]

Agreed - Animal Style is the only way to go at In N Out.

 

[Dave E H]

Besides, saying "I want it Animal Style" is just plain fun to say. I don't get to say it too often anyplace else.

 

[Grant B]

As far as CD's i think SF just offers the same overpriced virgin, wherehouse and tower mega chains. I think you may be better off getting stuff online and just squeeze in an extra meal a day

Boy are you wrong. Ameoba has more cd's in the under $3 section that most stores have in stock. Last I heard, most Virgins & Towers have ~10,000 titles; ameobe between 100,000 to 200,000.

It's amazing what you can find in their $1 bin that everyone else sells for retail

 

[Grant B]

BTW I think I heard Herb Caen roll over in his grave.

SanFrancisco and In & Out Burgers?

There's not one within 20 miles of the city and they are from SoCal (And I would take Pinks over in & out anyday in LA)

Jeeze