American Restaurants

Luna Park is a hip and lively place for visitors and San Franciscans to dine. Its cuisine is mostly French- and Italian-based with American and Asian influences. Their signature dishes include a Warm Goat Cheese Fondue, Hawaiian Tuna "Poke" with wonton chips, and Make Your Own S'mores for dessert. This restaurant turns into a fun-filled bar scene as the night goes on, which is perfect for singles to mingle. Luna Park is also suitable for a date with its intimate and dimly lit atmosphere and lush velvet curtains and chandeliers.

Centrally located on Post Street just off of Union Square, Postrio is the sort of restaurant San Francisco is famous for. Innovative food that draws from a myriad of cultures, a wine list that has both breadth and depth, a well-designed interior adorned with the works of famous local artists, and an atmosphere at once refined and relaxed makes Postrio one of the finest restaurants in the Bay. Priced reasonably enough for regular fine dining, the restaurant also offers standout dishes to turn any occasion into a special one.

It may be surprising to find a fine dining restaurant that specializes in familiar flavors when so many chefs prefer the exotic, but Town Hall takes the good ol’ American meal to its highest peaks. A large dining room designed to feel like an old school house provides an ambiance as comforting as the food. Executive Chefs Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal along with partner and maitre d' Doug Washington, share their love for refined tradition with dishes like Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Peanut Tasso Crusted Pork Chop. Some diners may even forget the surrounding skyscrapers of SOMA, San Francisco.

Once you locate tiny Gold Street, one slender block in San Francisco’s Jackson Square area, you’ve won half the battle. Now just look for the neon sign pointing the way inside and you will be lavishly rewarded upon entering Bix. The surprisingly spacious interior is pure elegance, like the dining room of a luxury Ocean liner from the 30’s. The lighting is dim, the cocktails are chilled to perfection, and whether you are on a sexy date or a buttoned down business dinner, you’ll know without a doubt that you have made the right choice. A sumptuous dinner awaits all …

When it comes to restaurants, Zuni Café is a San Francisco institution. Its warm and inviting space, unpretentious feel, and delicious food are reasons to come back again and again. Judy Rogers cooks the way mom might if she had access to all the best produce and hours of time. Whether it is the classic Chicken-For-Two with a side of bread salad, a perfect cut of meat, or the heavenly Ricotta Gnocchi, the dishes are all wonderfully executed and mouth-watering. It’s near impossible to sample everything San Francisco has to offer, but if you’ve had a chance to dine at …

With its white marble stairs, towering Roman-style columns, and expansive dining room, Michael Mina is a monument to gastronomy. Its décor, awash in a subdued mauves, brown leathers, and soft creams, manages to be highly modern and chic, while still evoking a timeless, stately elegance. Chef de Cuisine Chris L’Hommedieu, who has had extensive experience working under Executive Chef Michael Mina in the past, expertly executes Mina’s New American culinary vision, presenting decadent prix-fixe menus showcasing fresh ingredients, culinary creativity, and epicurean artistry at its finest. Michael Mina’s namesake restaurant delivers a decadently pleasurable culinary romp in a calmingly demur …

As the self-proclaimed “modern American restaurant with a New Orleans accent,” The Elite Café offers Southern-inspired dishes in an Art Deco dining space. You may reminisce about being in the Big Easy while you enjoy the house-made Biscuits and Gravy, the Fried Oyster Po-Boy, or the Roasted Quail with Cornbread. A cocktail list with the likes of a Cajun Martini – made with jalapeno-infused Skyy Vodka and jalapeno-stuffed olives – might even inspire you with a Southern sense of hospitality too. And let’s not forget the 100-bottle wine list either. The Elite Café hopes it can draw out the Southern …

Farmerbrown dishes up Southern comfort food in a space that’s hip, young and sexy. It may be just the place to impress a date or out of town guests, as its off-the-radar location guarantees people will think you’re in-the-know about San Francisco’s dining scene. Don’t miss the Rocky Range Fried Chicken. And step up to the bar for some excellent Southern-infused cocktails served in mason jars. The fresh Mint Juleps and other luscious concoctions beg to be accompanied by fan-favorites like the Sweet Potato Steak Fries, or a plate of Jalapeno Corn Muffins with blueberry butter. Don’t forget to save …

NOPA, like the city of San Francisco, is a study in duality. Both are cutting edge yet firmly rooted in the past. This is reflected in the contrast between the restaurant's sleek yet rustic design and masterfully prepared food. The intent at NOPA is to find and procure only the freshest and most seasonal ingredients and serve them in a manner that only enhances their quality. The restaurant is a welcomed addition to its namesake, North of the Panhandle neighborhood, as it has been extremely popular since opening in 2006. The bar is urbane without being fussy, the food is …

Simplicity is bliss: local ingredients, fresh flavors, and charming surroundings, converge to offer a truly blissful experience at Spruce. This communal watering hole encourages diners to dine, socialize, and relax, with the help of a menu that highlights the very best of contemporary American cuisine. The in-house temperature controlled curing room caters to the impressive charcuterie selection, and up to 80% of the produce used at any time may come from the restaurant’s own private farm. Savory delights include the Hot and Cold Foie Gras, the Buttered Main Lobster, and the Charred Berkshire Pork Tenderloin.

Whether you’re joining friends for a great conversation over better bites and wine, or you’d like to savor an intimate moment with a fine meal, Terzo will surely accommodate. The elegant and vibrant dining space is home to a custom-made zinc bar, a communal wine-tasting table, and a variety of small party tables. The Pan-Mediterranean cuisine menu features small plates like the Seared Monterey Calamari and the Grilled Halloumi Cheese. Large plates include the Grilled Steelhead Salmon, the Grilled Organic Pork Chop, and the Linguine alla Carbonara. Some of the sweet treats are the Chocolate Chaud, the Fresh Ginger Cake, …

Split Pea Seduction may sound like a complicated yet sensual concept, but everything else about this small eatery/catering company is simple. Their daily changing menu focuses on simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients with one item remaining a constant: the restaurant’s namesake, Split Pea Seduction soup. The menu features a dozen or so items each day, with scrumptious selections suitable for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner. All of the unique dishes are hand-made from scratch in the restaurant, ensuring a short trip from local farms to your plate. The menu usually boasts unique sandwiches, salads, and egg dishes that one would …

It may have all began with the bread, but now it’s about so much more. Bistro Boudin is located on the upper level of Boudin at the Warf, serving up heaping helpings of bay-front views with every loaf of sourdough they turn out. Bistro Boudin continues to honor its roots by featuring its famous sourdough prominently on the menu, while representing San Francisco’s rich heritage with classic seafood specialties and more contemporary takes on old recipes. To complement the menu and region, Bistro Boudin also presents guests with a wine list saturated in the area’s award-winning varietals. Whether you’re enjoying …

The Village Pub not only serves the appetite for food, but it also hopes to satisfy the entire being. Whether you’re looking to tread new ground, or you’re simply hoping to be greeted by the familiar, The Village Pub has the menu and character to keep you intrigued. Executive Chef Mark Sullivan constructs his contemporary American cuisine by drawing from classic French and Mediterranean traditions, and locally cultivated ingredients. The dinner menu highlights dishes like the Shaved Foie Gras Torchon, while the pub menu offers lighter fare – the Pork and Garlic Sausage is made in-house. The truly staggering wine …

Monetta White grew up in the Fillmore district during its jazz heyday, when it was known as “The Harlem of the West”. As she grew older, she saw the area’s decline and wanted to give back to the neighborhood that helped shape her. With the opening of their San Francisco restaurant in 2008, she and her husband, executive chef David Lawrence, made it happen. 1300 on Fillmore's jazzy, 1930's theme is very relaxed and entertaining, and its soulful American cuisine makes you feel right at home.

Doing its part to be environmentally sound and organic is Lalime’s philosophy: local farmers markets and small distributers provide the restaurant’s produce, and the availability of such ingredients directly influences the menu. This health-conscious mindset manifests itself in a menu that balances freshness and flavor. Cold appetizers like the Cold-Smoked Scottish Salmon highlight fresh, natural flavors , while the Rack of Sonoma Lamb satisfies the appetite and fuels good intentions. Local regional wines also have a place on the menu, and are balanced nicely between Old and New World varieties.

No matter that Chouquet’s was not intended to be the next big thing; it took off just the same. Chef Laurent Guillaume’s ability to meld old and new flavors into delightful light dishes; the service staff’s attentive and unpretentious care; and the stylish dining space meant to compliment, not distract from, the food, all converged to give Chouquet’s the attention it deserves. Brunch is offered on the weekends in place of the weekday lunch menu, and dinner is served nightly – the Effigham Oysters are seductive mignonette mint and shallots; and the Rigatoni with truffles, chanterelles, and foie gras is …

The past, present, and future, converge into one moment captured by the dramatic and stunning décor and the innovative cuisine of Circa. Chef Erik Hopfinger lends his experience and imagination to such dishes as the Lobster and White Truffle Mac-n-Cheese and the Buttermilk Battered Fried Chicken. The visual eloquence of Circa’s dining space was conceived by Michael Brennan, and he selected Neil Seth Levine’s artwork to encapsulate the restaurant’s theme of “a moment in time.” Vibrant flowers seem to burst into bloom right before diners’ eyes as they linger over tasteful bites, and savor moments soon to be lost… if …

Providing a lively backdrop for mingling with friends over cocktails, lingering over a romantic meal, or simply absorbing some live entertainment, First Crush aims to please. Intimate dinners and large parties alike are welcome, and encouraged to sample the many small plates, large entrees, and the staggering exclusively California-based wine list. Tickle your taste buds with petite samplings like the Baked “Crush” Salad and the Dungeness Crab Cake, and then commence the feast with the Pan Roasted Hawaiian Walu or the Crush “Kobe” Burger. Dining at First Crush begins with the same giddiness of its namesake experience but can easily …

Fish and Farm is a chic restaurant committed to the principles of the sustainability movement. The restaurant is dedicated to pleasing your palate with all-natural and organic, local ingredients and to composing fantastic interpretations of old favorites that have a distinctive freshness to them. By dubbing their work “New American Seafood and Artisan Meats,” the owners of Fish and Farm have attracted curious food connoisseurs from all walks of life. The energy and service at this devoted eatery is as zestful as its clientele. With all this in mind, Fish and Farm remains a must for locals and visitors alike.