KEY2 Pick
Best restaurants in San Francisco
Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.
KEY2 Pick
Chinese • $$$
Mister Jiu's
Modern Cantonese cooking in a historic Chinatown banquet hall, Michelin-starred and reservation-only.
Best for: Special Occasion / Group
KEY2 Pick
Korean BBQ • $$$
San Ho Won
Chris Kiyuna's Michelin-starred take on Korean barbecue with binchotan-grilled short rib in the Mission.
Best for: Date Night / Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
New American • $$$
State Bird Provisions
Dim-sum-style carts deliver inventive small plates in a perpetually buzzing Fillmore dining room.
Best for: Date Night / Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
Seafood • $$
Swan Oyster Depot
A 15-stool 1912 fish counter shucking oysters and pouring clam chowder with no reservations and no shortcuts.
Best for: Solo / Casual
Burmese • $$
Burma Superstar
A no-reservations Richmond District favourite famed for tea leaf salad and long neighbourhood queues.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Californian-Mediterranean • $$$
Foreign Cinema
A Mission courtyard restaurant that projects films on a warehouse wall behind diners eating oysters and roast chicken.
Best for: Date Night
French-American Fine Dining • $$$$
Gary Danko
A long-running Fisherman's Wharf-adjacent tasting menu room that has held a Michelin star since 2001.
Best for: Special Occasion
Seafood • $$
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Ferry Building oyster bar shucking Tomales Bay bivalves with bay views through the arcade windows.
Best for: Casual / Group
Steakhouse • $$$
House of Prime Rib
Tableside carts of English-cut prime rib in a clubby, wood-paneled room that hasn't changed its formula since 1949.
Best for: Group / Celebration
Greek • $$$
Kokkari Estiatorio
A firelit, taverna-style Financial District room grilling whole fish and lamb for a suited weekday crowd.
Best for: Business Dinner
Mexican • $
La Taqueria
No-rice Mission burritos wrapped tight and griddled, regularly cited among the best in the country.
Best for: Casual / Quick Bite
Hawaiian-Inspired • $$$
Liholiho Yacht Club
Hawaii-raised chef Ravi Kapur's beef tongue nuggets and pork belly saimin in a lively Tenderloin room.
Best for: Group / Date Night
New American • $$$
Rich Table
A Hayes Valley kitchen from a chef couple, known for porcini doughnuts and a constantly rotating seasonal menu.
Best for: Date Night
Bakery • $
Tartine Bakery
The morning bun and country loaf that launched a hundred imitators, still worth the Mission Street queue.
Best for: Breakfast / Casual
Californian • $$$
The Progress
The State Bird Provisions team's family-style sibling next door, built around shareable seasonal courses.
Best for: Group Dinner
Questions, answered
What are the best restaurants in San Francisco?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for restaurants in San Francisco are Lazy Bear, Mister Jiu's, San Ho Won, State Bird Provisions, Swan Oyster Depot. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value restaurants in San Francisco?+
For $$-level restaurants in San Francisco, consider Swan Oyster Depot, Burma Superstar, Hog Island Oyster Co., La Taqueria.
What are the best restaurants in San Francisco for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends Lazy Bear, Mister Jiu's, San Ho Won, State Bird Provisions. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book restaurants in San Francisco in advance?+
The most popular restaurants in San Francisco fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
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