San Francisco Bay Area: Your favorite things to do or places to go

[Taraz]

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I can confirm that Cordon Bleu is on Van Ness and California, and it is delicious. Great chicken and rice plates, relatively cheap, crowded everytime i go.

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On California and closer to Larkin St. Delicious food, but really, really small place if you're planning on eating in.

<u>Burritos</u>

Taqueria Guadalajara : New place on 24th st. and about Folsom. My new favorite burrito place since Vallarta closed down a few blocks away.

La Taqueria: It's alright. I think it's way overhyped.

Taqueria El Grullense (South Bay): Easily the BEST BURRITOS I've ever eaten (I've sampled around the Bay Area and LA). I guess you have to like Al Pastor and Carnitas, but they are unreal. Their tacos are also the best I've ever had. There are multiple locations but the best ones IMO are on El Camino in Redwood City and on the 84 in Redwood City.

<u>Tacos</u>

El Tonayense Taco Trucks : You can find these all along Harrison St. in the Mission. The best tacos I've found. All the tacos at the burrito places are pretty average in my opinion.

<u>Other restaurants</u> :

Ali Baba's Cave : Just to echo what other people have been saying, delicious Shawermas and Falafels. There's one on Valencia and one on Haight.

Axum Cafe (Ethiopian) : Great place on Haight st. I love Ethiopian food.

Barney's Gourmet Burgers : Really good sit-down burger place. Milk Shakes are really good.

Big Mouth Burgers : Great take-out burger place on 24th and Valencia. They have a couple beers on tap if you feel like sitting down for a while.

Mama's on Washington Square Usually a 45 min line out front on weekends, but well worth it. Best breakfast in the city and the best Monte Cristo I've ever had. Their banana nut french toast is ridiculously good.

<u>Pick-Up Basketball</u> (Anybody know of any good places?)

Dolores Park : Windy, uneven court. Crappy games. I think it sucks.

The Cage (on Webster and Bay) : Pretty decent court and games down in the Marina. Not much run in the winter, but plenty of games in the afternoons and weekend mornings/early afternoon during the other parts of the year. Really weird scoring system: new team starts with the ball, up to 12, 1s and 2s, switch sides and ball goes to the "winners" at 6 points. Just bizarre, but definitely the best pick-up I've found in the city.

[Banks2334]

Bridge School Benefit Concert at The Shoreline Amphitheater

For the past 20 years, The Bridge School has held a benefit concert in the fall to raise money for its school. The school was founded by Neil Young to help their son and other children with speech, communication and physical disabilities. Its a great cause and the shows are awesome. Major and minor acts from all types of music come to perform in the all accoustic format. This past year's lineup included Niel Young(of course), Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Brian Wilson, Gillian Welch, Trent Reznor(yes accoustic), Death Cab for Cutie, Dave Mathews. Over the years any major act you can think of has performed there form The Who, Van Halen, Paul McCartney, REM, Wilco, David Bowie, Tom Petty, CSNY, Elvis Costello, Tony Bennett etc. Too many to mention. You never know who will show up. Anyway, if your looking for some good music with a good cause, this is it, you won't be disappointed.

[Osprey]

How far south do you have to go for beach weather?


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Can you go to the beach in SF in the summer, or still too windy/chilly?

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too cold. I may end up moving there, but the lack of a real hot summer with beach trips and swimming bums me out to no end.

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[suzzer99]

Santa Barbara. Actually Stinson can get pretty nice in the summer, even swimming temps on El Nino years. And any beach, including Ocean Beach can have gorgeous days. Just never count on it. And if it's been nice for 2 days, it will be disgusting the next.

According to my cousin, who AFAIK is a pretty smart guy, this cyclical phenomenon in the summer is because of the central valley. It heats up, the air rises, and this sucks air from all around, including off the ocean through golden gate. This air turns foggy when it gets near land. The cool air cools the valley down, it stops sucking, and SF is nice for a few days. Then the valley heats up again and the process starts all over.

Which reminds me. the BEST THING about SF is when you get those rare freaky warm spells in the spring or fall. Where it can still be 80 at night and beautifully still. People are out in t-shirts at night. You can hear your neighbors for the first time because everyone is outside and has their windows open. Most magical time to be in the city, especially because it's so rare.

Sort of like in LA when you get that rare crystal clear day and realize you have a view of the mountains from your block. Magical.

[traz]

I have fond memories about a Sandwich joint named Pluto's, somewhere in the Marina area.


ahhh I love SF. I hope to move there sometime in the near future

[cbloom]

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Liberty Cafe in Bernal Heights has some of the best hamburgers ever, definitely not a standard hamburger, I'm not really sure how to describe it other than that its delicious.. on Wednesdays only (may have changed).

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Liberty Cafe is pretty cool in general, supposedly the best Pot Pie in the bay though I haven't tried it yet. Great place for morning coffee on the back patio. Also just a nice neighborhood to walk around and you go up to Bernal Hill Park which has great views.

[haakee]

Sunday brunch at Boogaloo's then walking over to Dolores Park to digest on a warm day rules.

I also love Izzy's. So underrated. I don't even think we've ever talked about Izzy's. I like the filet, and the creamed spinach is the best I've ever had.

I need to do the Anchor brewery tour. It's weekdays only. But, hey, why do I care? mad meetz and I are going to have to hit that up sometime.

Also, The Ramp's food is mediocre but hard to beat some eggs and a bloody mary sitting on a deck by the Bay when it's nice out.

[haakee]

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I like tacos more than burritos and pretty much get them without exception at northern california mexican places because I love all the different choices of meats. Which place do you think is better for tacos?

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Tacos at La Taqueria are excellent though I do usually get a burrito.

[haakee]

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For some outstanding fried chicken and soul food, Powell's Place is a great place to go. http://powellsplace.citysearch.com/p...9/Menu.html<br />
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Hard Knox Cafe at 22nd and 3rd has surprisingly good, cheap soul food.

[haakee]

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- Dittmer's Gourmet Meats and Wurst-Haus

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Seconded! I used to get lunch there all the time when I worked in Mtn View.