That place in the Ferry building gets a lot of love.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:03 (fourteen years ago) link
My favorite is at La Fajita Grill on Market near 17th. It's not otherwise a great place but I really like their fish tacos.
I finally wnet to the Ferry Bldg place and I thought my tacos were fairly good but rather dear.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:06 (fourteen years ago) link
This may also be a steve shasta question but is there a good place to hire bikes from?
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:07 (fourteen years ago) link
Most of the bike rental places are in gawdawful Fisherman's Wharf.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I can't really recommend SF's fish tacos in general - that's more of a SoCal/San Diego thing
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I think I heard people like SF Cyclery on Stanyon.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:14 (fourteen years ago) link
Sinaloa taco truck has excellent fish tacos.
― Your heartbeat soun like sasquatch feet (polyphonic), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:14 (fourteen years ago) link
And I'm from San Diego, fwiw.
I can't really recommend SF's fish tacos in general
They're far too often made with salmon, which I just cannot abide. (Not salmon, per se, but salmon in baja style tacos.)
Where's Sinaloa, polyphonic?
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:15 (fourteen years ago) link
salmon doesn't sound like it belongs in a taco.
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:17 (fourteen years ago) link
That's where you're wrong, Ed.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:18 (fourteen years ago) link
Not with baja sauce, at least, Ned.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:19 (fourteen years ago) link
I'll allow that.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:19 (fourteen years ago) link
I don't know where this is either...?
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:21 (fourteen years ago) link
I will defer to ned on this, although I tend to avoid salmon on environmental/sustainability grounds.
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:22 (fourteen years ago) link
That's more than fair. I usually don't have it unless when I'm home in Carmel.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:22 (fourteen years ago) link
The fishmonger at my farmers' market on Sunday had sardines. I didn't think this weas sardine season but I'll find out and if they're really in season, I think I'm going to bbq some soon. (apropos of nothing but incited by talk of things icthyoid.)
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:23 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah, Ed, I'm not always the biggest fan of salmon (had oodles of it here as a kid) but I won't have anything to do with locally caught salmon right now and the farmed stuff tastes like fish paste, cardboard and a dab of glue all bound together.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:24 (fourteen years ago) link
didn't know you could even GET locally caught salmon here
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:25 (fourteen years ago) link
You have to cross the Bay bridge. ;-)
― Your heartbeat soun like sasquatch feet (polyphonic), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:26 (fourteen years ago) link
lol
altho honestly I have been going to the East Bay a lot more now that I have a kid (Fairyland!)
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Well, not now, Shakey but over the last several years...
Do I need a passport for that, polyphonic?
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:28 (fourteen years ago) link
Would happily eat sardines anywhere any time if available, A little rosemary and garlic. Where's good for fish?
also, what are good bars within spitting distance of the downtown hilton? (Not staying there but E's conference is there).
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Nothing good is near downtown.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Bar-wise that is.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:33 (fourteen years ago) link
That's the one on Geary, right, Ed?
Lefty's on Geary is an acceptable old school/tourist bar. The Owl Tree isn't far but I haven't been in ages and I don't know what the vibe's like. Tunnel Top on Bush above the Stockton Tunnel is fun sometimes. Foley's is okay in a faux-Irish pub kind of way. I don't drink there much but I would recommend going to John's Grill for a martini.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:35 (fourteen years ago) link
a former friend of mine owns House of Shields.... but I don't drink downtown.
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:35 (fourteen years ago) link
This is the impression I get, but worth a punt, what's the best direction to head?
(Is asking for what are good bars near the hilton for any city ever going to get a positive response? Best I can do is a short walk from one of the london hiltons to a really good byob burmese restaurant).
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Yup the one on Geary.
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link
Obv, Alex is more discerning than me.
House of Shields is fun (Thank god your friend saved it, Shakey) but it's not exactly spitting distance.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link
I'd hop on the underground or BART and either head to Lower Haight or Mission/Valencia.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:37 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah, bit of a hike I guess
x-post
― girlish in the worst sense of that term (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:37 (fourteen years ago) link
or the Castro
John's Grill - 63 Ellis (between Powell and Stockton). Opened in 1908 and has become essentially an old fashioned toursit kind of place but they make excellent martinis. Worth a stop, if only to look at 40 years worth of cops and pols on the wall.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:38 (fourteen years ago) link
I had a pretty good greyhound at the orbit room not too long ago.
― Your heartbeat soun like sasquatch feet (polyphonic), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:42 (fourteen years ago) link
House of shields looks nice and close enough. I have much more walking around time but for E it will be all working and networking.
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:42 (fourteen years ago) link
Even if people who yelp are scumbags they seem to like the orbit room.
― Mornington Crescent (Ed), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I don't go to any of those Union Square bars, but they are all nice to look at if you can avoid the people drinking in them.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I like the Orbit Room and it's good place not to get drunk cuz they take forever to mix your drink. ;-)
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
haha so true
― Your heartbeat soun like sasquatch feet (polyphonic), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:46 (fourteen years ago) link
If you like wine and a kind of sleek scene, Rouge et Blanc on Grant isn't bad. Honestly, and at the toal other end of the spectrum from Rouge et Blanc, I'd suggest Lefty's as a visit to a bygone SF. Lefty was a local ballplayer who played for the Giants and opponed this place. It hasn't been entirely spruced up or priced up for the tourist crowd even though it's at ground zero, tourist wise. Hofbrau style food, long bar, always a ballgame on, zero pretense (shitty wine), even a few locals. It should be seen, at least. Kind of like Dave's on 3rd Street, it's an old, American style bar of the type that's disappearing.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Actually Lefty's is a good bar if you a) want to eat Hofbrau food and b) want to watch a ballgame. If you want to drink/be social then it's not so good.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:52 (fourteen years ago) link
It worked for the schefter and me..
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:55 (fourteen years ago) link
Sorry drink/be social with complete strangers. It's got plenty of tables if you want to just do your own thing too which is nice and it's not loud at all.
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:57 (fourteen years ago) link
Sorry drink/be social with complete strangers.
Yeah, I'll grant you it's lame for that.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 17:58 (fourteen years ago) link
don't listen to all these married shut-in NIMBYS... ;-P <3
STEVE SHASTA GUIDE TO BARS DOWNTOWN SF:$$$$: Heaven's Dog, Rickstop (someone else paying? invite me too!)$$$: Rye, Ettiquete (both non-weekends!)$$: Tunnel Top, Owl Tree$: Ha-Ra, Brown Jug
― (*゚ー゚)θ L(。・_・) °~ヾ(・ε・ *) (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:47 (fourteen years ago) link
orbit room used to be THEEE best cocktail in SF but the main bartender jumped ship and does Youtube cocktail recipe shows.
ed what is your height/inseam.
― (*゚ー゚)θ L(。・_・) °~ヾ(・ε・ *) (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:48 (fourteen years ago) link
"orbit room used to be THEEE best cocktail in SF but the main bartender jumped ship and does Youtube cocktail recipe shows."
The wacky lady? Really?
― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 19:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Owl Tree was more fun before they changed the decor.
― Your heartbeat soun like sasquatch feet (polyphonic), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 20:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Heaven's Dog?! Really?! My neighbor takes me there all the time and I find it awfully expensive for the quality of the food.
I have to try Etiquette.
Steve, Ha-Ra isn't really downtown.
One of my favorites, which is FiDi downtown is Cafe Claude which has largely morphed from being a French watering hole to being a biz district lunch spot/date night dinner joint. There's a bartender there named David, from Uruguay, who's a total babe, really nice, and a rather serious bartender about wines and mixed cocktails and the drinks across the street at Gitane are pretty good, too.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 20:07 (fourteen years ago) link