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

[proell]

Some of my faves:
Lucky Chances
Sunsets from Bolinas Ridge.
Breakfast at Point Reyes Station
Running/walking/biking along the water from PacBell/ATT/Balco Park to the GG Bridge.
Joe's Cable Car (tasty overpriced burgers)
Martha & Bros for coffee every morning.


the kids love:
Paddle-boats at Stow Lake (2 boats and some water guns make for a fun family naval battle)
breakfast at the Beach Chalet
Yerba Buena (playground, bowling, ice skating, zeum) + metreon


Love SF but can really hate it in the summer when I haven't seen the sun for a week and I know that just 10 miles away it's like 90 degrees.
So we just get out more in the summer.

It can be a love/hate thing with the weather.
But raising kids in the suburbs is not for me.

[haakee]

[ QUOTE ]
check out lingba lounge on potrero hill. fun tiki bar vibe, good tropical cocktails, generally a hot girl or two and maybe a good dj spinning.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good Thai food there as well.

[bdaddy]

A lot of good info here. I'll try to name a couple things not mentioned, mostly food related.

Bissap Baobab- Senegalese restaurant on 20th/Mission/ couple doors down from Cha Cha Cha...great mixed drinks like Pomegranite Margarita. Excellent food and good value.

Tartine- bakery in Hayes Valley and 19th/Guerrero...delicious pastries baked fresh every morning and the hottest lil' french girls working behind the counter. Dolores park is just a couple blocks away.

Kate's Kitchen- lower haight...good ole American breffast foods, but try the French Toast Orgy= giant plate of french toast, syrup, granola, yogurt, etc.

Daimaru- sushi joint on corner of Sanchez/16th...the chef is former pro golfer and used to work with Nobu in LA back in the day. I used to live 2 doors down from here and ate there 2-3 days/ week.

Elixir- pub on corner 16th/Guerrero....basic neighborhood pub, but good beer selection and great place to watch sports events like March Madness. Doesn't get nearly as crowded as other sports bars, like Kezar or Final/Final(which are both decent in their own right)

Playa Azul- Mexican food restaurant at 30th Mission/Valencia...Pacific style Mexican food with some great seafood. This is a super popular family place for many Hispanic mission residents, complete with mariachi band. Try the crab/shrimp NAchos and the Camarones El Diablo [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Kirin- authentic Chinese food place on Geary/25th Ave. I was just introduced to this place 2 weeks ago by Chinese friend of mine. This place was ridiculously good!

...and a shout out to Oaktown, where the whistle tips go whoooo whooo!

Koryo- sushi and Korean BBQ on Telegraph/43rd.....this place is always packed on weekends. Also, open late on weekends, which is rare in Bay Area

Bake Sale Betty's- corner of 51st and Telgraph...small corner bakery. The signature is a Fried Chicken Sammich with a slaw in a light vinegarette,with some jalapenos and onions mixed in, served on sweet roll. This is a must try in Oakland.

[Zeno]

Do not think this has been mentioned yet but it is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival, lasts at least a week). So, I would think that right now some fun and festive things would be going on in San Fan (Chinatown) and surrounding area that would be enjoyable to see or participate in.

It is the Year of the Pig (or boar) so celebrate and make a pig of yourself.

-Zeno

[El Diablo]

b and others,

Very good recommendations. I especially wanted to highlight one: Tartine - just an amazing bakery.

[KJS]

No trip to SF is complete, for me, without hitting Amoeba Records. They have one on Haight St and one on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley. Reserve several hours.

KJS

[DJ Sensei]

[ QUOTE ]
Hayes Valley has some really good burger joints, too. The name of my favorite is escaping me at the moment, however.

[/ QUOTE ]

Flippers? that place is great.

I live in hayes valley, and yes there are some solid places around here, although it does seem to cater more to yuppies than some other neighborhoods. (Of course theres a tranny bar right next to flippers). I often end up in the mission for dinner, because there is no good mexican food in hayes valley [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img].


My addition to the list: Suppenkuche.
Its a very good german restaurant in Hayes Valley, which naturally also serves a wide selection of amazing german beer on tap. They have a 2-liter boot and a 3-liter giant stein as well, if you want to drink out of those, although if somebody else is already using it you have to wait for them to finish. It is always very crowded, so go on a weekday. Expect to be seated at a table with people you dont know, because there is space there. I think its a cool concept, leads to meeting new people and sharing some beers and laughs over your delicious german food.

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]

Very good recommendations. I especially wanted to highlight one: Tartine - just an amazing bakery.

[/ QUOTE ]

The new Bi-Rite Creamery right next to it is awesome also. Great block to get fat on now (dinner at Delfina).

[claudenm]

El_D:

I just moved to 18th and Dolores. The block between Dolores and Guerrero on 18th is a pretty sweet block. Bi-Rite Creamery (pretty decent/ funky ice cream, but pricey). Bi-Rite Supermarket-- over priced but nice to have. Delfino Pizza, supposedly excellent, but I haven't had a chance to eat there, and of course Tartine. Further to your point about Tartine -- there is an article in German in the window that says they have one of the 3 best breads in the world.

Thoughts on tapas places? I've only eaten at Cha Cha Cha's and Ramblas. I think Ramblas probably has supperior food, whereas Cha Cha Cha's has better Sangria.

Claude

[Jihad]

My favorite thing to do in San Francisco is something that my father and I do every summer whenever I get to come into town. We drive up very early in the morning on a Saturday, launch his sailboat, and sail into the downtown slips. We get out and walk to a Giants game and get bleacher seats. Usually sailing back just in time for sunset.