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

[nyc999]

I'm a big fan of City Lights for independent and political books. This probably isn't news for anyone who lives in the city.

Edit: Also like the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park

[El Diablo]

Daver,

At Yuet Lee, the following are some standouts:

BBQ Pork Chow Mein (so much better than what you'd normally expect from this)
Sweet and Sour Pork with Plum Sauce (best sweet and sour pork I've ever had)
All the fish dishes (many of them they'll steam whole then cut it open and debone it right there at the table for you. Also, they go grab a live fish from the tank for your approval. That's cool.)
Beef w/ asparagus and black bean sauce.
Beef tenderloin.
As you noted, the specials.

Everything is cheap ($8-10ish) except for the big fish dishes ($20-30ish). With four, 2 meat dishes, some chow mein, and a fish is a good amount of food.

This place is also open super-late, something like 4am on the weekends.

[theBruiser500]

Boston should be next, I've probably seen more in SF than I have in Boston and I haven't done anything in SF.

[El Diablo]

All,

The Buena Vista (near Fisherman's Wharf) is famous for their Irish Coffee. Very good stuff.

After visiting City Lights, head to some bars in North Beach before getting some food at Yuet Lee.

Tosca is old school. The drink of choice is a cappucino/brandy mixture that is delicious. They do all sorts of coffee/liquor drinks. Just get the house special, it's the best. They have tons of glasses lined up and ready to go.

If you're in more of a beer mood, Vesuvio is great.

Savoy Tivoli if you want to meet some girls and be at a livelier and louder bar.

Bubble Lounge if you want sophisticated older champagne vibe. I'm not a big fan.

Cigar Bar for, well, cigars. And expensive alcohol. Often a cover here, but worth it if you're in the mood for a cigar on the patio.

Kell's if you want to meet some young girls in a crazy college-bar type atmosphere.

Grant & Green if you want to listen to some live blues while you drink.

Gino & Carlo's if it's 6am and you are ready to drink w/ some crusty old Italian locals. This is a pretty sweet bar, actually.

Kennedy's if you are in the mood for some great beers (HUGE beer selection, cheap great beers) or some curry - yes, it has an Indian joint in the back! Also, foosball and other games.

Li Po (or The Buddha Bar across the street) if you want to venture over to some Chinatown bars on your way to Yuet Lee. Buddha Bar features one of the drunkest, most insane bartenders in the city. Also, if you go, you must have some shots of "The Chinese." You can also get The Chinese at Li Po, just look for the ceramic pots.

That's a small fraction of the bars right in that area. Good times.

[PITTM]

Golden Gate Park is one of the nicest parks i have ever been to. Steinhart Aquarium(im not sure if it has moved or something?) is the 2nd best aquarium i have ever been to, with Monterey Bay Aquarium Winning out here.

The Dragon Well is in the top 3 Chinese Resturants I have ever been to.

I've been to the San Francisco Opera House twice and it is the most beautiful building I have been to in the United States.

This one should be pretty obvious, but ATT/SBC/PacBell park for Giants Games. This is my 2nd favorite baseball stadium after Wrigley field. The view is just spectacular.

The whole area by Fishermans wharf is pretty sweet. I am a seafood lover and the clam chowder/all dishes around here are just fantastic. As is the sourdough pizza. damn, now i want some sourdough pizza. My uncle's favorite restaurant is Scoma's, right by Fisherman's Wharf, but i prefer Pompei's Grotto.

I had a few friends who went to SF State, I def got drunk and partied and met lots of cute girls there on a few occasions, fun part of town. Also, that long beach near there rules. Isnt it called Ocean Beach or something?

I live about an hour from SF, so this is the best i could do. Like Evan said, i couldnt part with the delicious Mexican food that Taqueria Santa Cruz makes me almost daily. Seriously ridiculously good.

[wadea]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been to the San Francisco Opera House twice and it is the most beautiful building I have been to in the United States.

This one should be pretty obvious, but ATT/SBC/PacBell park for Giants Games. This is my 2nd favorite baseball stadium after Wrigley field. The view is just spectacular.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT. My wife and I went to the SF Ballet at the Opera House last weekend. That is a SPECTACULAR building. The ballet, by the way, only cost us $18 for way-top balcony seating.

SBC Park - or whatever they're calling it now - was masterfully designed. Every time you walk into that building, it's like being transported to the Willie Mays era. It's exactly what I imagine things looked like when my grandfather went to games. Until you see that they're selling wine in the upper levels.

Cliffs: Opera House and SBC Park = great calls.

[hawk59]

See the seals(sea lions?) hanging out at Fisherman's Wharf.

[nyc999]

For people coming into town - I've stayed at 6-7 hotels in SF, and here are my favorites:

<u>W Hotel</u> (Soma) - Great atmosphere, nice rooms, excellent location. Downside is it can be pricey and is always booked.

<u>Hotel Monaco</u> (Union Square) - a nice boutique hotel. Nice touches everywhere, centrally located, not overpriced and they have a free wine tasting every night of the week.

<u>Pan Pacific</u> (Union Square) - this is your run of the mill "nice" hotel - think Hilton, etc. Central location, is fairly nice, and isn't too expensive.

I'm sure others can chime in.

[El Diablo]

nyc,

If you like the W and Monaco, other hotels you would like are the new Hotel Vitale (across from the Ferry Building) and the Clift (near Union Square). These are all sorta "hip, stylish, relative expensive boutique hotel" vibe.

Those are all relatively pricey, though. Expedia usually has tons of much cheaper hotels in SF that are totally fine to stay at. Except if there's a big convention in town, at which time prices get ridiculous.

[El Diablo]

c,

Memphis Minnie's is far from superb BBQ. It is marginal at best, though I guess decent enough for SF BBQ. You're not from the South, are you?

For BBQ in SF, you can get ribs at Big Nate's, which are pretty damn good. Also Brother-in-Law's BBQ used to be very good, I haven't been back since they reopened as Lily's. Assuming it's the same, they make excellent ribs and brisket and sausage. That's pretty much it when it comes to BBQ in the city. Oakland has a few good places. I've only been to Everett &amp; Jones, which is pretty good - I like the brisket. But apparently there's better over there.

For some outstanding fried chicken and soul food, Powell's Place is a great place to go. http://powellsplace.citysearch.com/page/o459/Menu.html

"there's something satisfying about a place where you can get a dinner of smothered pork chops, liver and onions, or ox tails (with two sides plus corn muffins) for under $10."

That says it all. Legit. I prefer to just get the fried chicken to go from there with a bunch of sides, so good.

Magnolia is indeed a good brew pub with very good beers, but a sorta crowded bar area. 21st Amendment and Rogue are two other excellent brewpubs that have better bar areas.