Unique Restaurants in San Francisco Worth Visiting

We were in San Francisco for a week in January, and were very kindly invited to sample some of San Francisco’s most unique dining establishments.

One had a history spanning 100 years, another was a hidden, underground, unique restaurant.

Being a travel blogger can sometimes be a privilege. Some days we get to stay in fancy hotels for free, other days we get to sample food complimentarily.

This is one of those days.

We thus went on a food hunt to review some of San Francisco’s up-and-coming, coolest restaurants that we thought you should definitely try. After all, you can find food in almost every street in San Francisco, so how are you going to decide?

If you prefer to be led on a food tour, I’ve also highlighted some San Francisco food tour options you can find below.

If your palette extends to wine, then don’t miss out on my review on the Napa Valley wine tour as well below!

Whether you are looking for classic American food, a causal diner, a nice dinner date or an overview of the San Francisco food scene, this article is about to blow your brains out.

P.S. All reviews in this article are honest, unbiased and subjective. No offence was intended in the writing of these reviews.

And so, we list our favourite restaurants in San Francisco in order of preference so you no longer have to worry about what to eat in San Francisco.

Cool and fun restaurants in San Francisco to visit while in the USA

1. The Buena Vista

A bar and restaurant that has its history dating back in 1916, I was introduced to The Buena Vista when a local travel blogger, Mimi, arranged to meet up here. Here, I had an eye-opening experience watching them serve its signature Irish coffee at a bar.

It’s no wonder why they’re considered one of the most unique restaurants in San Francisco to check out. Watching the expert bartender making coffee using Irish whiskey and the cream frothing at the top with a row of goblets, I was transfixed.

You definitely have to visit this world-famous Irish coffee pub when you’re in San Francisco!

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2. Jeanne d’Arc

Another unique restaurant in San Francisco, this French restaurant is one hole in the wall restaurant that took us by surprise. Inspired by the heroic story of Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc as you might know), this 47-year-old restaurant is named after her.

This is one restaurant that only the locals would know about, the sole reason being because of its location – under the basement of French hotel, Cornell Hotel by Bush Street. Walking along the streets of San Francisco, we would never have come across this restaurant by any chance!

Entering the precinct, we felt as if we were stepping into someone’s abode – the whole atmosphere is warm and cosy, with fairy tale lights running the entire perimeter of the premise. The elusiveness of the restaurant’s location makes us almost feel like we were entering a little dungeon and the restaurant guests were exclusive, by-invite only guests. (Oh, please just let me indulge in my fairy tale story.)

Serving traditional French dishes, Jeanne d’Arc goes by a seasonal four-course dinner meal, no doubt with some baguette to get your appetite going. Oh, how I miss the daily baguette routine I used to have when living in France where you don’t go a day without pinching a bite of them!

In keeping with the French theme, the menus are in French too, but don’t fret! They have English translations.

Here’s what we sampled:

Vegetable soup – The creamy soup was smooth and very easy to slurp, with a dash of pepper and salt making it perfect. Dipping the slices of baguette with butter into the soup was the perfect pairing.

Escargot with butter, parsley and garlic – Having never eaten this dish before, Cade admitted it was a decadent affair eating these snails. The rich taste of butter, parsley and garlic overwhelmed our taste buds with pleasure, making it a really immaculate dish. Jeanne d’Arc is no doubt already surpassing our expectations.

Shrimp salad with mango and avocado – The fresh shrimp, fruits and layers of greens far surpassed Cade’s expectations of typical salads. With a presentation that looks first class and a taste I never would have imagined could come from a salad so simple, this is one starter course I delighted in partaking.

Rabbit with mushrooms, herbs and white wine sauce – We had to sample rabbit meat considering how uncommon rabbit meats are usually served in restaurants. The meat was cooked to an appropriate tenderness that was easy to eat and filled our appetites immediately. A rather fine way to have dinner.

Prawns and Scallops with tomato, lemon and white wine – Even though they aren’t known for their seafood in San Francisco, this amazing seafood dish provide a complete seafood experience in every sense of the word. The portion was just right and the tantalising smell and taste that could not have been any better. Magnificent!

For desserts, we had:

Orange Liqueur Soufflé – Thick, rich and full of flavour, this soufflé cannot be compared to any other dessert Cade’s had before. My taste buds and stomach threw a party each time he bit into it.

Chocolate Mousse – A safe and all-time favourite dessert, the dark, creamy mousse with whipped cream, mint leaf and crunchy cracker was the sweet cherry on top that completed our whole dining experience.

Overall, it was a really intimate, classy setting for a relaxed evening out with your loved one.

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3. John’s Grill

Started in 1908, John’s Grill is a historic steak and seafood restaurant – the second oldest in all of San Francisco. The dark wood interior is another testament of its historic character.

Upon entering the establishment, we couldn’t help but notice how every inch of their walls are covered with every possible important person you’ve ever known – they were patrons that have once visited this restaurant throughout the time they operated, from politicians to journalists, entertainers to business leaders.

John’s Grill is often host to many city-wide conventions these days. When we went, every diner was clad in a suit and tie because of a J.P. Morgan Conference that was being held that week.

The seating space on the first level was rather compact, with table conversations almost audible from every direction. What they lack in space, they make up for with its 2 upper levels that often play host to private events.

While most would dive right in for their famous steaks, we decided to focus on their seafood dishes this time.

Here were some of our food samplings:

Lobster Bisque – Surprisingly creamy with chunky bits of lobster, the taste of the soup along with the seasoning immediately tells me…. this is one unmistakable, true bisque that’s made from fresh lobsters. It’s smooth and warm which makes it a great comfort food. Easily ingestible.

Jack LaLanne’s Favourite Salad – The variety of this dish makes it a great side to a meal such as steak or pasta as the cold temperature and seafood cleanses the palette. Firstly, there was a generous amount of shrimps and its taste stands out the most among everything else. Mushrooms, cheese, peppers and the blue cheese vinaigrette all come together on the plate to create a salad that is unforgettable.

Prawns Provencale – The prawns were seasoned with lemon butter, garlic and herbs, making my taste buds come alive with flavour. The prawns were crunchy and open to the tail. The shells come apart with ease. While a little underwhelming, it filled me over the top.

On a side note, their coffee was rich, bold and kept us warm and focused throughout our meals.

All in all, John’s Grill has passed my seafood examination. I can hereby declare this as one of the best seafood restaurants in San Francisco worth spending money on to enjoy the fresh seafood!

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4. The Cheese School

Arriving at The Cheese School at Ghirardelli Square, we were greeted with refrigerator with a full view of the delightful cheeses, guiding us into dairy and wine heaven.

Set up in a brick-and-mortar store facing the bay and Alcatraz Island beyond, it has a corner with all assortment of wines and another corner for seating. While not a restaurant per se, it is still one of the best dining establishments we tried with a beautiful view of the ocean!

Once settled in our booth, we got the chance to look around and take in the surroundings – the smooth wood all around with soft lighting created the perfect atmosphere for a leisurely evening out cheese tasting.

Settling into our seats with the seat pillows provided, a staff greeted us with enthusiasm and explained the tastings along with the various options served here. We were inundated with the assortment of cheeses, so we left it up to the experts to bring us a couple to sample.

A few cheese boards soon arrived to our pleasure along with wine for tasting. They also gave us an in-depth explanation of the spreads that accompanied the cheeses before us.

We experimented eating the cheeses alone, combining them together with crackers and spreads. What can I say, learning to appreciate cheese is a form of fine art!

Sipping wines with the cheeses made for a perfect evening. If you are a cheese fanatic, sign up for one of their classes!

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5. One Market

One Market is a fine dining restaurant experience conveniently located on Market Street, overlooking the Embarcadero. If you’re going to San Francisco, this is a street you’ll commonly pass. 

Here, they serve New American cuisine. We were treated to a really exquisite dining experience, with live music by the pianist in a dimmed setting. If anything, this is one of the most romantic restaurants in San Francisco to take your date to!

Here were some of the food we tasted:

Bread rolls – Each table was served bread rolls to start. You can choose from either of the 2 types of flavoured bread.

Chef’s sampler platter – Courtesy of the chef, we were served a platter of devilled eggs, potato cubes with a medley of spices, cornbread and fried mushroom. These little bites were teases of what was coming up for us. Portions were bite-sizes, very delicately presented and were quite an appetite-opener.

Devilled rolling ranch eggs – Served in half, hard-boiled egg portions, it had just the right amount of topping to fill my mouth with how true devilled eggs should be. A simple comfort food that is reminiscent of an old family recipe. The egg yolk quickly fills the tummy, so try not to go all out on them.

Oysters on the half shell – We could never pass on fresh oysters every time we saw the opportunity to indulge. A half dozen small oysters of various types with 3 sauces of spicy, sweet and sour made for a great starter that left me craving for more.

Pan-seared Red Snapper – Savoury, crispy skin with a tender slice of aquatic heaven under it. The fish is topped with sweet, juicy carrots and together with the bean-based broth, they added a bit of flavour to the fish. The broth just so happens to be my favourite part of this dish.

Braised Beef Cheeks with Cabernet stardust – The meat was well-cooked and deserves praise on its own. Paired with the sauce, the overall thick consistency of the sauce and richness of the meat made the dish too overwhelming that it was impossible to finish it.

For desserts, we had:

Butterscotch Pudding – Shreds of chocolate along with a dollop of whipped cream on top of the pudding made this otherwise small dessert a delight to complete our meal with.

Vanilla Cheesecake Panna Cotta – Silken and light, this panna cotta was just what was necessary to complete our grand meal – on a sweet note, and yet not too heavy on the stomach.

All in all, the service was swift and professional, the staff was knowledgeable, and our dishes were served timely without too long a pause in between.

Having a booth gave us a private space away from the rest of the other conversing patrons, allowing for quiet conversations amongst the restaurant’s bustle.

I also have to make special mention to the portion sizes of the meals – they weren’t overly massive in a way that most American diners served, allowing us to savour every bit of our dish. They were also very attentive with the presentation of each dish.

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6. Maybeck’s

A relatively young establishment, this 4-year-old restaurant was started out by rather gung-ho chefs who are not foreign to the F&B scene. From different F&B backgrounds, they all decided to come together to create their very own Maybeck’s.

What struck us as commendable was seeing how Chef Eric would go to every patron’s table to greet them and ask for feedback on the food. He was also hospitable enough to invite us into their kitchen for a little tour and make quick introductions with the other chefs. Thus, there was no better person than to have him bring in his best food specialties.

Hamachi on rice cake with avocado and shiso – A small touch of spice with a hint of sweet on this raw fish makes this a quick bite that left Cade wondering… Where did it go so fast. The aftertaste is lasting and we wanted to order more but decided to leave room for the main courses.

Dungeness Crab Cake with saffron aioli – We couldn’t help but let out a “wow” the moment we took the first bite. Crispy and crunchy on the outside and creamy and soft on the inside, every morsel of this starter dish just screams “eat me!”. Yet another dish that makes you want more. Wow Maybeck’s, you’re outdoing yourself already just with the starters.

Cauliflower Tortellini – On to the main dish. Upon first bite of the tortellini, this homemade dish just oozes and drips with a thick, rich buttery flavour that can at times overwhelm the senses and fill you fast. Having usually tasted my tortellinis from ready-made boxes, no tortellini will ever taste quite like this dish that’s made from scratch. A dish meant to savour slowly, the almonds, capers and raisins add texture and sweetness to the dish.

Osso Buco – The veal has a smoky, gritty flavour that is really rich. That being said, the creamy risotto pairs well with all the other ingredients – parmesan risotto, pistachio and rosemary jus. Well put together, this is one dish that requires time to savour and deserves praise all around.

The other thing worth noting is that the restaurant is animal-friendly.

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7. China Live

Coming from an Asian background, this Chinese restaurant really threw me off guard. Everything within this unique restaurant was very modern and, well, westernised – from the seating arrangements to the bar table and the souvenir shop. It was totally not what I’d expected from a Chinese restaurant in the Chinese district of San Francisco.

It was a good thing we made reservations early, because we noticed they were already rejecting walk-ins due to the already present crowd in the restaurant. It was up to 45 minutes of wait time at peak dinner period. No wonder it’s voted one of the best Chinese restaurants in San Francisco.

Upon entering, we were led through the souvenir shop to the dining area. Already, it was packed and bustling with customers.

Even though we were seated almost at the corner, the noise of the restaurant overpowered any conversation we attempted. We had to shout our orders to the waiter to even be heard.

Being the expert Asian foodie, it was down to me to order some classic Chinese dishes for Cade to try. This is what we had:

Peking Duck buns – A flaky, crisp bun with a side opening that is stuffed with cold vegetables with Peking duck in the middle. Cade wasn’t used to the cold vegetable with the warm duck, but the sweet sauce of the Peking duck was an enjoyable one. The duck was also very generous in portions. On hindsight, I wished they reduced the quantity served from 4 to 2 so that we could save our stomachs for other dishes.

Xiao Long Bao – A classic dim sum dish that’s served in a wooden steamer box, they are little pork dumplings with sweet, clear sauce that oozes out each time you take a bite. The slurping is the sweet sound of surrender. Dip it in vinegar to complete your xiao long bao experience!

Yangzhou fried rice – Great presentation with a variety of colours was a feast for the eyes with BBQ pork, eggs, green onions and shrimp. I thought it was rather sumptuous, though a tad oily for my taste buds. Cade found it too plain and merely a carb-filler.

Deep fried buns – These little buns stuffed with pork in the middle looked interesting. Upon first bite, they were pretty heavy to consume as they were too doughy; the proportion of carbs to meat ratio leaned too heavily on the carbs. By this point, we were only picking on the pork meat and leaving out the bun.

Firecracker Chicken – We thought the name implied some spice in the dish. The chicken was instead topped with green and red bell peppers – which probably explains the name of the dish – and not one hint of spice. The sauce had a strong taste and the portion was mostly good for sharing for larger groups as even with the two of us, it was too much. Cade’s favourite part of this dish, uncannily, was the peanuts.

If you enjoy a large crowd and a bustling restaurant, you can find it here. Otherwise, the noise might put those who enjoy privacy and hushed conversations off. Still, the popularity of this establishment is a testament to its authenticity in serving Chinese food.

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8. Pacific Catch

A West Coast Fish House concept that originated during a visit in Hawaii. Seeing that it was inspired by Hawaii, there were some classic dishes we had to try that was iconic of Hawaii, such as the poke.

They have a couple of outlets throughout California, with 2 situated in San Francisco.

Menus vary based on outlet. I was somehow under the illusion that it was a restaurant (and they still brand themselves as so), but the Chestnut Street outlet we went (which is close by to Ghirardelli Square) was more an eatery than a restaurant. They seem to cater more to deliveries than for eating in, with the limited number of seating options in that branch.

Here’s our take on what we had:

Salmon chowder – To start, we had salmon chowder. Tangy and smooth with a salmon that’s well done. It comes with Applewood bacon, corn, potatoes and lemon oil for the right spritz. There was grilled bread to accompany, which is soft and just right for whetting the stomach.

Thai Coconut Shrimp – For a sharing plate, we ordered this crispy, flaky shrimp, which when cooked with coconut, exuded a strong taste of it. It pairs well with the Thai sweet chili sauce that came with it. Perfect appetizer that we finished easily, and it left us wanting more.

Korean BBQ platter – The 6 oz of skirt steak was juicy and cooked well but is soft and easy to eat. The glazed pork ribs fall off the bone easily and has the perfect crunch on the outer layer with a sweet undertone. The brussels sprouts that came with it are the favourite in this dish as they are juicy and sweet with a great aftertaste. The kimchi fried rice is a nice filler, along with spicy cucumber panchan, Korean BBQ sauce and aioli. Topped with an almost easy egg that dripped a small but nice amount of yolk, this dish overall is a powerful tasting one.

Poke Chirashi – Instead of having to pick from 4 different types of poke, this dish contains 3 types of poke – original ahi, salmon avocado and Serrano ahi. Both the original and salmon avocado has similar tastes. The Serrano ahi is a bit too spicy for my taste and the peppers gave Cade a fit of hiccups. The Serrano sauce was a tad too watery, which made it odder than usual for a poke. The rice was far too sticky and plain for a poke bowl. Having had many pokes over the course of Cade living in Hawaii, this plate didn’t quite meet our expectation. The portion size is also rather large and it’s worth sharing this plate.  

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Location: 9th Ave | Chestnut St

9. Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe is not something we’re unfamiliar with. I particularly liked that this outlet is right by the pier, making for a good walk post-meal by the Embarcadero.

Hard Rock Cafe serves very typical American meals, along with its humungous portion sizes. I do advise you to think twice before deciding to order side orders.

Here’s what we had:

Classic Nachos – This is a colourful starter plate that allowed us to have a few add-ons such as chicken and guacamole. The size of it took me aback and I knew this was going to be one meal where we’ll have leftovers. As with all nacho dishes, it’s a delight to eat, especially with the sour cream.

Buffalo Style Sliders – The beef sliders were appetizing with juicy patties and made for a great starter with a small kick of spice. Unless you’re ordering something big next, they are actually enough to fill your stomachs, with space at the end for dessert.

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger – At first glance, this typically American dish looked amazing. The fries are crunchy, long and seasoned properly. The barbecue sauce dip for the fries was thick, rich and flavourful – up to a point. The burger itself was large and looked exactly like how a barbecue bacon cheeseburger would be. At first bite, the beef patty was so watery that it negated the rest of the flavour and soaked the bottom bun, which made it very messy to eat.

Steak Salad – This salad is topped with fried onions which was a bit too greasy as evidenced by the amount of oil we could squeeze out with our few fingers. The medium-rare steak, along with the salad and seasoning, is a nice touch, though it was a bit large for one person’s share. I would recommend having it shared by a party of a few people.

We ended our meal with a a classic ice cream, indulgent no less.

Dessert

Their drinks were actually the highlight of our dining experience here at Hard Rock Cafe. Flashy in colour and deserving as all cocktails should be, they are a refreshing thirst quencher for an otherwise rather greasy meal.

As a plus, you can actually top up a token amount and take the glass home! It makes for a nice Hard Rock Cafe souvenir.

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FOOD TOURS in San Francisco, USA

If you’re still spoilt for choice on which restaurants to visit while in San Francisco, you can alternatively opt for a food walking tour.

Italian, anyone?

While the most popular food tours are at Chinatown and Little Italy, the one I chose to go was the Northern Italy Food tour to explore some Italian cuisine in San Francisco.

Little Italy sits somewhere between Telegraph Hill and the Financial District, between these two iconic attractions – the Transamerica and Washington Square park.

Transamerica

I met Robert from Local Tastes of the City Tours at Columbus Avenue, who would take us to some unique Italian restaurants, eateries and coffee shops that he personally favours.

As part of preserving their culture and preventing gentrification, there are 3 towns in San Francisco that prohibit chain stores from operating – North Beach, Chinatown and Hays Valley. This means you won’t find Starbucks, Macy’s or H&M.

What you mostly can find in this area is a plethora of Italian cuisine.

1. Cavalli Cafe

We first stopped by this café to have a cuppa and mingle with the rest of the tour group. (After all, we’ll be bonding over more Italian food in the next few hours to come!) It was nice getting to know one another, learning about different people’s impression of Singapore, the culture and work life in San Francisco and such.

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2. Deli

A unique stop we made was to an Italian deli. They have quite a history here, having made a name for themselves for making their own home-made ravioli and pasta sauce.

You can find all sorts of cured meats hanging from above, and racks of tin cans selling their very own pasta sauce.

On the other side of the shop, you can find an assortment of wines, olive oils and jars of pickles. Very quintessentially Italian!

3. Z Cioccolato

Claiming to be the best fudge shop in the West Coast, I could smell the strong, sweet whiff even before I spotted the shop.

Along with different flavours of fudges that they sell, their highlight is the seven-layer fudge which takes over 6 hours to make – the only kind in the country. I can only imagine how diabetic it must be!

Further in this family-run shop, you can find more barrels of candy all around. It is literally children’s heaven!

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4. Goorin Bros

While not exactly Italian nor do they sell food, another interesting shop we passed on our Little Italy tour was Goorin Bros, the oldest hat shop in San Francisco. While they have other outlets in Elmwood, Haight Street and Union Square, the North Beach outlet is their original one.

Even if you’re not a hat fan, it’s worth giving this shop a look. They sell all different kinds of hats – mostly fedora hats – and it was great fun to try them (even if you might not be able to afford USD 180 fedora hats)!

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5. Acquolina

At first glance, I already like its indoor setting. Its large floor-to-ceiling windows lets in plenty of natural light, making it bright and airy. A Michelin star restaurant that serves unique flavours of the Mediterranean and Italian, we had a few bites of their specialties.

Their focaccia with smoked salmon is especially unforgettable. Made from scratch, their focaccia is crispy, thin and lightly burnt. Whatever you pick from here, pair them with some fine wine and you’ll have a dining experience to remember.

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WINE TOURS in San Francisco, USA

An iconic photo spot!

Well if you’re so close to Napa Valley, it is quite hard to resist not doing a wine tour to Napa Valley, so do it!

One of the tour operators we went with was Tower Tours. This is the second tour I’ve done with them now – the first was to Muir Woods across the Golden Gate bridge.

This time, we were on a full day tour starting from 9am. The whole duration of the tour is 8 hours. Tower Tours is usually able to do pick up from your hotel, or from a location close to your hotel, if you give them your accommodation in advance.

And off we went to the world-famous Napa Valley vine-covered hillsides to sample wines from 3 wineries!

 1. Madonna Estate Winery

With the weather being cool and foggy at nights and mornings in this area, not only is this conducive for wine-growing, but also for growing olives.

Founded in 1922 and now on to their fourth generation, Madonna is the second oldest wine maker in Napa Valley, and also the closest vineyard from the city.

While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines are their specialties because of the micro climate, they also a produce a variety of other wines, namely Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Muscat.

While you would think that with modern technology that they employ to transform their organically grown grapes into fine wines that you would find them in major wine retailers, they don’t distribute their wines at all. The only places you can find their products are either at the winery itself or if you’re enrolled in their wine clubs, thus selling about 10,000 cases in a year.

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2, Robert Mondavi Winery

Spanning 437 acres, entering the premises of Robert Mondavi Winery was an opulent affair, with the fountain and a large arch to welcome your arrival.

The first grapes were planted in 1945 in this third largest valley. Sticking to traditional methods of wine-making, over 90% of the grapes picked are still by hand, and they start daily at 3am during picking season.

Originally from Minnesota but now housed in Missionary-style architecture, Robert Mondavi now houses 1,100 barrels of wine alone in the First Year Barrel Room. They use French oak for its smoother texture.

Because of its large complex, you can look forward to Jazz concerts being held to celebrate summer.

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3. Andretti Winery

After stopping by the large-scale wineries earlier in the morning, it was humbling to be sampling wine from a home in Andretti Winery.

If you’re a race car fan, you’d find the name familiar. That’s because this winery is the brainchild of Mario Andretti, Italian-born American race car driver.

It comes as no surprise then that this winery is reminiscent of his Italian home. Everything around here seems quieter, closer to nature and more homely. We enjoyed walking around the premises and taking a slower pace of life.

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Because this is a full-day tour, we had a lunch stop at V. Marketplace in Yountville. This little neighbourhood is mostly filled with expensive restaurants which – I suppose – cater to the tourist crowd.

Sure, San Francisco is the mecca for tech start-ups and the world’s change makers, but who would have thought that this sprawling city offers such a plethora of food choices too? From wine to coffee, Italian to Chinese, you can find just about every type of cuisine to suit your palette in San Francisco, if you know how to look!

So tell me, which restaurant in San Francisco are you gunning most for?

Special thanks to the respective tours and restaurants for this experience! All opinions remain my own.

15 – 22 January 2020, Wed – Wed