We've encountered service problems. I think that is negatively impacting them.

That would do it everytime. All the comments I have heard are from ITB folk. When I encounter service issues I do the best I can to ignore that problem and focus on the food/wine, but that is not always easy when it persists.

Agreed. They just have not been very welcoming in my experience. For example, multiple times in the last few months we've been discouraged from coming in at around 9.15/9.30 on a Friday/Saturday night for dinner whereas walking into Danko at the same time has resulted in a full blown dinner where we close the place - with the bartenders sharing in the merriment if you know what I mean.

?

I think that just as in 99% of the restaurants out there (if not more) a stranger walking in for dinner does not get anywhere near the service/experience someone that they know recieves. It seems to me that to be treated well these days one has to have an "in".

I have an "in" at MM in that I know Rajat Parr (Somm for the whole Mina group). I will say that the wine service at MM seems a little wierd to me. They have at least a half-dozen guys/gals running around the place playing Sommelier. They have years of wine experience/knowledge in the place except that it is six people with one year's knowledge each. Rajj is one of the most knowledgable wine guys I know and he does a good job but it is one of the hardest things to do in the world to teach something to someone that that someone thinks they already know everything about. There is no substitute for experience and most of these people have everything but experience.

Dined at Myth last night, and I left very impressed (thanks for the tips, JW1!). Service began a little slow, but once going continued at a very leisurely pace in harmony with our mood (we were in no hurry). We began with the 2004 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner "Langenloiser Berg-Vogelsang", Kamptal (half bottle), for $23 off the list, a great starter wine, spicy white pepper, minerals. Interesting to note that this was closed with a synthetic cork. This was great on it's own, and really morphed nicely when paired with outstanding Oysters Marinated in Cilantro and Lime with Yuzu Tobiko.

I then moved on to the Warm Sweetbread Salad, while Teri ordered the Simple Green Salad with Endive, Oranges, Pickled Beets and Moscatel Vinaigrette. The Sweetbreads were some of the best I have ever tasted, the dish was wonderfully balanced, and a delight from start to finish. Be warned, the Green Salad is HUGE, and it is delightful, the Vinaigrette is mild but delish.

For our red wine of the evening I engaged Alex, the Sommelier for suggestions, and we came up with something I never would have chosen on my own - the 2000 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore, $175 and not on the list (yet?). An absolutely stunning wine, with chocolate, cherries, tobacco, leather - outstanding complexity and purity, a excellent choice for the rest of our meal.

For entrees, I had ordered the Pancetta Wrapped Rabbit Loin with Beluga Lentils and Teri ordered the Braised Short Ribs with Horseradish Potato Puree. Of the two dishes, the short ribs won, and the horseradish potatoes absolutely make this dish! The rabbit was no slacker either.

We finished with the trio of cheeses - well chosen and nicely executed, except the onions for one was too strong an accompaniment for the cheese. We also enjoyed a glass of 1990 Maury and 2001 Ch. de Malle Sauturnes - both were outstanding, the Maury showing plenty of Grenache character and not overly sweet.

A great evening, we'll be back!

So I am looking for suggestions for the best CURRENT places to hit in SF for a very nice dinner. We'll only be there for one night.

So what place is firing on all cylinders right now? Where would you go?

thanks!

I hear Quince is doing very well. Good luck getting in though. Their reservation policy is The French Laundry like.

I like The Slanted Door which is in the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street, I've had several nice meals there. Get the Shaking Beef if you go.

I've liked Michael Mina. You can sit at the bar and get the same food as the restaurant. Get the Foie Gras three ways.

I had no trouble getting a reservation at Quince for six people with 3 weeks notice. I wound up giving up the table however when I discovered the corkage policy limited it to two bottles per table.

Bad food but interesting time.

We wanted to do something a little different last night and the kids came up with the idea of going toEspetus Churrascaria , a Brazilian all-you-can-eat whatever-you-can-cook-on-a-skewer sliced-right-off-the-skewer-at-your-table-by-gauchos place for $40 place.

The meat (and pork and chicken and lamb and dog and goat...) had some nice spices on them but they tended to either be over-cooked and dried out or really tough.

Their website (gets an A+) tells the story better:espetus.com

Corkage was $20. Glasses were fair (I suggest bringing your own) and a relatively nice wine list (2X markup) featuring, what else, a lot of wines from South America.

Last night the place was jumpin'! which is a metaphor for "noisy as hell". I would suggest this place for a party of six or more. Like I said, the food was only fair but passable and I think you would have a lot of fun (as we did).

Looks a lot like Fogo de Chao in Dallas

Last night was probably one of the best meals I have had in a restaurant in a long time...

Restaurant Picco in Larkspur (Marin)

Has Rubicon closed? I always enjoyed the food and service there.

I think it is still open but I don't know anyone who's been there recently...

Anyone hit Ame recently?

(from SF Bay Area and have been to everything below frequently and recently)

Gary Danko
Boulevard
Michael Mina
Masa's
A16
Myth (though it isn't as good as this thread would indicate)
Chez Papa
Rubicon (very good wine experience, still; but expensive list)
Zuni (not as good as above, but very good and typical SF Restaurant)
Aqua (if you like fish, the best in the city)
Delphina
Thep Phanom Thai Cuisine (don't go for the atmosphere, it sucks, but if you love Thai...no better
Chez Spencer - Terrible neighborhood, great place. Very SF.
and, if you don't want *perfect* food, but like good food with really interesting wines:
EOS Restaurant & Wine Bar


I would not put the following owing restaurants that have been mentioned in this thread in the same group:
Jeanty @ Jack's - Love it, but not in the same class. I like the building and atmosphere though.
Ritz Carlton - Honestly, if you like this place, you like very formal food in a formal setting. I like it but I wouldn't recommend it to someone I didn't know. I feel like I should be wearing a suit in here, whereas even in Michael Mina or Masa'sI feel like I can wear whatever I feel like. Not a typical good SF restaurant imho.
Jardiniere - If it wasn't for the theater nearby, it wouldn't be nearly as popular.
Slanted Door - WAAY overrated IMHO. Very good asian food; but that's about it.

We enjoyed a very nice meal at Delfina in the city. This meets my definition of a neighborhood restaurant - i.e. you better live in the neighborhood because there is no place to park. This is a relatively small place that updates the menu daily. We had 5 different dishes, two with white truffles. Food was great and the service very good. Take out the truffle supplement and the expensive Barolo that I sprang for (and enjoyed) and it is very reasonable.