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[Erico]

When you walk around the Tenderloin (and other parts of SF), just keep in mind the shit you see on the sidewalk probably didn't come from an animal.

Other than that, go see the Golden Gate from Fort Point.

 

[hawk2025]

If you are feeling adventurous, try out Flour and Water:

http://www.flourandwater.com/


And sample/share as much of their menu as possible.
There are also tons of bars around, so put your name down on the waiting list, have some fun, and come back for amazing food.

 

[hungryhuman]

Did anyone mention Ike's for sandwiches? I would stop by there for sure and also one of the things I would go for is the burritos, El Farolito is good and I've never had a complaint taking anyone there, but there's another one called La Taquiera that kills, them and Papolote are crazy good experiences ...but here's the kicker, El Farolito has the BEST flan.It looks not so good and I would give it a stinkeye if I didn't know better, but mannnnnnn....I will commute just for that flan.

You might want to also hit the Pier just to say you did it and maybe see if you can catch a nice day at the beach to top it off.Have fun!

 

[otapnam]

If u like live music Theres a ton of small to medium venues

The independant
The fillmore
Slims
Great american music hall
Rickshaw stop
Bimbos 365
Mezzanine
1015 folsom
Ruby skye
The chapel
Warfield - larger
Billy graham - larger

 

[PassiveObserver]

If u like live music Theres a ton of small to medium venues

The independant
The fillmore
Slims
Great american music hall
Rickshaw stop
Bimbos 365
Mezzanine
1015 folsom
Ruby skye
The chapel
Warfield - larger
Billy graham - larger

Add Bottom of the Hill and Brick and Mortar. Smaller venues and cheaper tickets too.

 

[maxcriden]

I can steer you to a couple of fun and worthwhile restaurants, both in Outer Richmond:

Ton Kiang

Legit dim sum. No carts IIRC but the quality more than makes up for it.

--

Kowlong Tong Dessert Cafe

The sweet and savory abound here. We've loved going here whenever we've been in SF. Here's a review I wrote for Roadfood with some more pics including the ridiculously extensive menu:

http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/6943-7484/kowloon-tong-dessert-cafe

dim sum:

Chinatown: ....... I'm not a huge fan of it in chinatown..... lol.

Yeah, it's really odd that the dim sum quality seems lower in Chinatown itself.

--

Also, I personally think despite how crowded they are, the piers + embarcadero are a lot of fun to walk around. You've got the Boudin Bakery tour there, too, which is fun. Also also, Sausalito is lovely to visit and walk/drive around.

 

[M52B28]

Add Bottom of the Hill and Brick and Mortar. Smaller venues and cheaper tickets too.

Bottom of the Hill is cool, but it's in a mainly residential area with nothing but a Whole Foods around it.

 

[hairypeckpeck]

One more thing,

Try to walk the length of the bridge, and back. It is a marvel. I did it in the rain, and I will remember that day. It was awesome.

i want to do that but my girlfriend said she'd rather rent a bike and do it since we'll be hiking multiple times during our trip.

Garaje was definitely my little hidden gem when living in the bay area. Go for their sangria, zapatos, and fusion tacos.

seems like a chill spot with reasonable prices. thanks for the tip.

The difference between Union Square and the hotel you had in the TL is negligible. The Opal is on the very edge of the TL, away from the real gudda stuff on Eddy and thereabouts. If you stay on using Sutter as your thoroughfare towards Union Sq, you'll be actually walking through the "Tenderknob" which is the area between TL and Nob Hill with plenty of galleries and art students along the way.

Visit the Mission to really get a vibe of what SF is like nowadays. You have the old Mexican neighborhood culture right next to the of trendy expensive food and boutiques, and plenty of good coffee scattered throughout. I'd recommend Yamo (the ultimate hole-in-the-wall) for no-frills Burmese and Duc Loi for their bomb $5 banh mi sandwiches, and check out that alley with all the murals.

going off yelp, i'll make going to burmese my priority. if we have the time, i'll definitively hit up the other two

rent a bike or scooter

we're going to try to rent bikes to go across the golden gate bridge. i think it'll be interesting to capture that on a time lapse with my go pro

Has anyone mentioned Sweep Maple yet? The bacon is literally fucking God.

The Walt Disney Museum is the Presidio, as well. I'd suggest trying to get a tour of Lucasarts, but.... you know.

my girlfriend and i love disney stuff (i've had my annual pass to disneyland for 3 years now) and we'll be hitting up the disney museum since it's relatively near inspiration point.

Tip: Any bar that doesn't serve food you are allowed to bring your own, though I haven't tried this anywhere nice.
The Sycamore: http://thesycamoresf.com/ - My personal favorite bar in the city, though might be biased because they have a nice outdoor patio you can smoke in. They've got usually 8 (good/craft/cali) beers on tap and rotate after every keg, so it's pretty much different every day. Food is a bit pricey but decent, though if you want some delicious Burmese food, Yamo a block away is killer and really cheap, though be wary there's not much seating.

the food looks ok from what i'm seeing online. since i doubt we'll be able to hit up other breweries, we may just stop by here to get a glass or two of some local stuff.

GAF may have saved OP's life...

i remember watching dave chappelle's standup in SF (for what it's worth) and he joked about the tenderloin being "rough, the opposite of tender" guess he was serious.

i am indebted to everyone in this thread who (potentially) saved my life

Did anyone mention Ike's for sandwiches? I would stop by there for sure and also one of the things I would go for is the burritos, El Farolito is good and I've never had a complaint taking anyone there, but there's another one called La Taquiera that kills, them and Papolote are crazy good experiences ...but here's the kicker, El Farolito has the BEST flan.It looks not so good and I would give it a stinkeye if I didn't know better, but mannnnnnn....I will commute just for that flan.

You might want to also hit the Pier just to say you did it and maybe see if you can catch a nice day at the beach to top it off.Have fun!

my girlfriend has been to the El Farolito in fullerton she said it was meh at best, maybe the on up there is better?

papolote looks crazy good. i'll make it a point to go there.

thanks everyone for the suggestions. getting more excited for this trip lol

 

[MrPressStart]

I had a blast in San Fran, except for getting thrown up on by a heroin adict!

La Boudin (i think is how you spell it) has awsome chilli bread bowls. They are by the wharf.
Check out the street entertainment by the wharf as well, and See's candies is delicious as well.

Also, the sea lions are always fun to watch.

 

[MiniBossBattle]

Tenderloin is rough but the parts inbetween Nob Hill and The Tenderloin are okay (Bush/Sutter from Van Ness to the Union Square) We called it The Tender Nob when I was living there. Good indian food around there too.

 

[eternalthree]

skip bstar or Burma superstar for Burmese. I'm Burmese. I'm forbidden from eating at those two establishments. mediocre food at best.

 

[Giant Robot]

Anchor Steam Brewery tour is really cool if you can get a reservation in. It's usually 3 months out, but you may be lucky if someone drops. Drakes and 21st Amendment is outside of SF, but not too far.

Try to hit up Napa and spend a day there if you can.

Rosamunde's for sausages and Toronado's right next door for a bar on Haight. Rosamunde's will deliver if you're in the bar as well. Just beware of the attitude and super dive-y atmosphere haha.

 

[stuminus3]

Drive a 68 Mustang down a hill as fast as you can.

 

[PassiveObserver]

skip bstar or Burma superstar for Burmese. I'm Burmese. I'm forbidden from eating at those two establishments. mediocre food at best.

What's the best in the city then? I like Yamo and Burmese Kitchen (Pagan is OK), but there must be more.

 

[Syriel]

Yep Tenderloin is not a good place to be walking around.

back to the topic, you should check out Golden Gate Park and Crissy Field.

The Tenderloin isn't great, but it's not nearly a bad as people make it out to be. Seriously, if you've ever been in the "bad" part of a big city (Chicago, NYC), the Tenderloin is like the sanitized, tourist version of that. You might see a prostitute on the street or get offered drugs, but it's not like you have to worry about getting shot.

It's fine, if a little boring. Pretty much everywhere in the city is nicer than the Tenderloin. It's not really a walkable city so you'll have to take cabs or public transit everywhere.

You need to visit SF. Anything outside of the Sunset is walkable. Chinatown to SOMA? No problem.

Garaje was definitely my little hidden gem when living in the bay area. Go for their sangria, zapatos, and fusion tacos.

Garaje is a fav. Also, near the same area:

Farmer Brown's Little Skillet on Ritch street.

It's a hole in the wall that serves great chicken and waffles. You sit in the alley to eat.

Here's the SF OT for reference.

We have an OT? Cool.

i want to do that but my girlfriend said she'd rather rent a bike and do it since we'll be hiking multiple times during our trip.



seems like a chill spot with reasonable prices. thanks for the tip.



going off yelp, i'll make going to burmese my priority. if we have the time, i'll definitively hit up the other two



we're going to try to rent bikes to go across the golden gate bridge. i think it'll be interesting to capture that on a time lapse with my go pro



my girlfriend and i love disney stuff (i've had my annual pass to disneyland for 3 years now) and we'll be hitting up the disney museum since it's relatively near inspiration point.



the food looks ok from what i'm seeing online. since i doubt we'll be able to hit up other breweries, we may just stop by here to get a glass or two of some local stuff.



i remember watching dave chappelle's standup in SF (for what it's worth) and he joked about the tenderloin being "rough, the opposite of tender" guess he was serious.

i am indebted to everyone in this thread who (potentially) saved my life



my girlfriend has been to the El Farolito in fullerton she said it was meh at best, maybe the on up there is better?

papolote looks crazy good. i'll make it a point to go there.

thanks everyone for the suggestions. getting more excited for this trip lol

If you're renting bikes, do this:

1) Rent downtown.
2) Ride to GG.
3) Ride across GG.
4) Ride downhill to Sausalito.
5) Catch ferry from Sausalito to downtown SF.

Other places:

Bourbon and Branch - Be sure to get the password before you go, otherwise they won't let you in. SRSLY. Call ahead. And check out the hidden room.

Bar at the top of the Marriott on 4th/Mission. Pricey drinks (you don't have to buy if you're on a budget) but great views.

Buddha Bar in Chinatown - Play liar's dice with Mark. Get a shot of "the good stuff."

Bissap Baobab in the Mission - Plantains to die for.

Sushi Hunter - Average looking place, but legit AYCE sushi.

Ryokos - Excellent sushi and live music. Be careful not to miss it when you walk by. It is literally in a basement. Zagat rated.

There is plenty more, but you should at least consider these for your list.

 

[Syriel]

Anchor Steam Brewery tour is really cool if you can get a reservation in. It's usually 3 months out, but you may be lucky if someone drops. Drakes and 21st Amendment is outside of SF, but not too far.

21st Amendment is on 2nd street in downtown SF.

 

[DashReindeer]

Folsom Street Foundry

If you two are gamers, you seriously need to go do this. Go on a Tuesday or a Thursday and you will have a blast. All sorts of games from Mario Kart 8 to Street Fighter V to Hearthstone to board games. they recently got their liquor license too, so there's plenty to drink if that's to your liking. This place is awesome and you can meet a lot of cool people there if you're sociable enough.

Tuesday Game Night

Not quite sure how long a few days entails and if you'll have time to get outside of the city, but hiking up by Point Reyes National Park. It's not too far outside of the city, and if you rented a Zip Car, you could make a day of it. You could also go even farther North and hit up Tamales Bay and get some super fresh oysters and go night kayaking to see the phosphorescent algae. I went recently with my gf and it was awesome.

Inside SF, I always recommend the Exploratorium if you are into hands on sciencey-type fun. Also, you have to at least tolerate children to enjoy it. If you did decide to go that route, I enthusiastically suggest you book a spot in the tactile dome. It's a pretty unique experience, and one that I always enjoyed even as an adult.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/west-gallery/tactile-dome

Also, I heartily urge you to go eat burritos at El Farolito like many others have already mentioned. There's a reason so many of us are recommending it. It is simply the best burrito in the City (though there are a lot of contenders for that crown). Actually, even more than I love their burrito, I adore their quesadilla suiza, so look for that if you go.

Something key here is: There are many El Farolito locations. They vary in quality. The good one is located at 24th and Mission in the Mission district. The others really aren't worth visiting.

If you are a bruncher/breakfaster, SF also has you pretty well covered in that regard. Great places include:

Mama's
Brenda's French Soul Food
Dottie's True Blue Cafe
Nopa
Ella's

Just be prepared to wait.

 

[Giant Robot]

21st Amendment is on 2nd street in downtown SF.

Sorry, meant to say that if he's gonna visit Drake's in San Leandro might as well hit up 21st Amendment since they just opened up one there.