valet parking

Restaurant Website: http://www.cliffhouse.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1090+point+lobos+ave.+San+Francisco&sll=37.782638,-122.401836&sspn=0.009277,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.777516,-122.511914&spn=0.009277,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

From a wall of windows, diners at this sweeping restaurant set at the site of the historic Sutro Baths are treated to one of the most stunning ocean vistas in the city—a true amuse-bouche. A mix of diners (heavy on the tourists, but increasingly more locals) come for special occasions. Time your most romantic dinner reservation to coincide with the sunset. The view also comes cheaper at brunch.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Although Sutro’s has never cultivated the foodie set, the decision to place veteran chef George Morrone at the helm is changing that. Morrone, who famously started Aqua, has his delicious signature tartare on the menu, but you’ll also find “New American” dishes such as citrus-and-coriander cured Loche Duarte salmon with beets, crab bisque and a thick cut of veal prime rib with marsala sauce and roasted parsnips.</p>

Restaurant Website: http://www.zareflytrap.comGoogle Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=606+Folsom+St.+San+Francisco&sll=37.753751,-122.407608&sspn=0.00928,0.013304&ie=UTF8&ll=37.786216,-122.396944&spn=0.009276,0.013304&z=16&iwloc=A

Those who remember the original Fly Trap, that bastion of classic San Francisco cuisine, will recognize this dining room; little has changed, decor-wise, since chef-owner Hoss Zaré took over. Walls are still a brilliant red and botanical prints still decorate the walls.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>While the interior design may not have changed much, the menu has been given a complete overhaul. Gone are the liver and onions and the Hangtown Fry, replaced by Hoss Zaré’s masterful Persian techniques and ingredients, such as braised lamb shank with pickled grapes, oversized meatballs stuffed with myriad delights and silky eggplant in a sun-dried yogurt sauce with walnuts</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=joey+eddies+,++sf&sll=37.77872,-122.404346&sspn=0.051829,0.107632&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.842868,-122.417908&spn=0.103568,0.215263&z=12&iwloc=A

Located in the space that formerly housed Moose’s, with a view of Washington Square Park, Joey & Eddie’s can’t be missed—literally—the oversized neon sign will lure you in. Owned by Bronx-born Joseph Manzare (Globe, Zuppa, Tres Agaves) and partner Eddie Maiello, this North Beach restaurant serving heaping helpings of old-school Italian is an homage to the East-coast red-sauce joints of legend.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Dig into rib-sticking plates of spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan and saltimbocca (and not fancified Cal-Ital versions of the originals, either), all ordered off of wall-mounted menu boards. The mood here is convivial and fun; come with a group so you can sample your way through the menu, but prepare to take leftovers home—and try, if you can, to save room for the boozy tiramisu.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=level+iii,+sf&sll=37.818192,-122.434044&sspn=0.051801,0.107632&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.798323,-122.408123&spn=0.024348,0.053816&z=14&iwloc=A

This capacious dining room, done up in an eye-popping palette of reds and oranges, has taken up residence on the third floor of the newly remodeled JW Marriott in Union Square, adjacent to the hotel lobby. Though the decor and service might have you thinking fancy, the whimsical food is pure fun.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>The kitchen, headed up by a French Laundry alum, presents upscale versions of familiar favorites—there is silky, crumb-topped macaroni and cheese, Kobe beef sliders on miniature brioche buns, topped with Lilliputian onion rings and a fancified version of chips and dip—geared to appeal to visitors and locals alike. Don’t miss the cooked-to-order chocolate soufflé with vanilla-bean ice cream.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=luce,+++sf&sll=38.056742,-122.365723&sspn=0.776381,1.722107&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.817921,-122.406578&spn=0.103603,0.215263&z=12&iwloc=A

The in-house restaurant of SoMa’s new Intercontinental hotel, Luce (Italian for “light”) takes advantage of its corner location with floor-to-20-foot-ceiling windows that flood the spacious room with sunshine. Modern silver pendant lights and white leather booths add to the airy feel.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Chef Dominique Creen (named a “chef to watch” in 2007 by Esquire) recently returned to San Francisco after stints in Indonesia and L.A; the Frenchwoman has created a menu for Luce that showcases her global experience while taking advantage of the best locally sourced products. Lamb (chops and cheeks) is served with a Moroccan-style apricot tagine; a pristine piece of John Dory is accompanied by classic French artichoke barigoule—a kumquat escabèche adds a nouveau twist. For dessert, order the signature “study of chocolate,” a five-way variation on the theme, paired with a glass of grappa off of a (100-plus bottle) list.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Yoshi's+,++sf&sll=37.839886,-122.44812&sspn=0.097336,0.215263&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.801375,-122.415161&spn=0.048693,0.107632&z=13&iwloc=A

Adjacent to the jazz club of the same name (and, yes, a sibling of the Oakland Yoshi’s), this vast restaurant, seating nearly 400, has soaring ceilings, a second-story lounge and an elegant private dining room, separated from the main room by panels of frosted glass. You can’t miss the open kitchen—take a look in for an impressive behind-the-scenes peek at the mastery behind the meal.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Refined Japanese is the order of the day at Yoshi’s, where chef Shotaro Kamio offers a veritable treasure trove of unusual ingredients, including fish selections flown in daily from the Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji fish market. Spare, elegant presentations and delicate flavors are the defining features of the offerings, which go far beyond the typical sushi rolls. Sparkling-fresh sashimi and meats cooked in the wood-fired oven are particularly special.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=369+The+Embarcadero,+San+Francisco&sll=37.787745,-122.398768&sspn=0.011836,0.019312&g=83+Minna+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&ll=37.78915,-122.394562&spn=0.011836,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=addr

The sister restaurant to Waterbar, Epic Roasthouse is Pat Kuleto’s homage to meat. The dining room, made to look like a pump house, is outfitted with deep leather banquettes, giving the room a clubby feel. Almost every seat offers spectacular views of the Bay.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>As you would expect at a self-described “roasthouse,” the focus here is on the beef. The usual suspects (filet, prime rib and porterhouse among them) are on the menu, joined by hearty lamb and veal chops. Sides are à la carte and include cream-rich scalloped potatoes, sautéed spinach and the requisite macaroni and cheese. Epic also serves what may well be the most expensive hamburger in town—a full three-quarter-pound, $25, ground-daily version. The chocolate soufflé, topped with caramel ice cream, is among the best in the city.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: The macaroni and cheese</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Waterbar+sf&sll=37.788488,-122.413015&sspn=0.007614,0.01339&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=37.799883,-122.399712&spn=0.028891,0.053558&z=14&iwloc=A

2009 EDITOR'S PICK: Best New Restaurant

One half of Pat Kuleto’s megaproject on the Bay, Waterbar has floor-to-ceiling windows that take full advantage of the gorgeous view of the water and the Bay Bridge beyond. The restaurant’s design centers on two 19-foot-tall aquariums (stocked with fish found in our local waters) and a raw bar.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>Naturally, the focus of the menu is on seafood—both raw and cooked. The kitchen, headed by Farallon alum Parke Ulrich, has a knack for restraint. Shell-on prawns are simply roasted in the wood oven and accompanied by lemon wedges; petrale sole is set on a bed of shredded brussels sprouts. Even those richer, more elaborate dishes—such as bone marrow topped with Dungeness crab, black truffle and cream—aren’t overwrought. Desserts, such as the pineapple tart (pineapple custard in a buttery pastry shell), are homey and satisfying.</p>

Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=339+Taylor+St,+San+Francisco,+CA&sll=37.80346,-122.425525&sspn=0.006476,0.013454&gl=us&g=1450+Lombard+St,+San+Francisco,+CA&ie=UTF8&ll=37.787691,-122.411277&spn=0.006478,0.013454&z=16&iwloc=addr

This sweet restaurant, located in a small Union Square hotel bordering the Tenderloin, is co-owned by Frank Klein and John Duggan (whose grandfather founded the famous Original Joe's). The narrow space is dressed up with bamboo flooring and chocolate browns and lined with tufted banquettes and booths. There's a small private room called the Fish Bowl that's perfect for 20-person-or-fewer events.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>After coming in first place for 7x7's "Burger Bonanza," the burger—a sopping mess of saucy deliciousness—has become a runaway hit. But chef Chad Newton's down-home, farm-forward menu includes plenty more worth considering, particularly the seasonal pole-bean salad tossed with a dill crème fraiche dressing or the fried Petaluma chicken with vinegar slaw.</p>

Decked out in pop-arty Japanese baseball memorabilia, this restaurant-cum-lounge located in the Kabuki Hotel—managed by the Joie de Vivre hotel group—is serving up some of the most successfully inventive Japanese-influenced food in the city. Come for the happy hour to watch sports on the flat-screen; stay for dinner. Dates might want to proceed to see an art flick at the Kabuki Sundance Theater down the road. Eats:What's on your menu.: If the only thing on offer here were the ultracrisp chicken wings in a sweet-and-savory ginger sauce paired with a glass of cold sake, it would be worth a visit. But read on: The menu is constructed to give diners the option of nibbling or full-on dining. Divided into lounge food, yakimono (grilled items), shared plates, rice, soup and pickles, it allows you to drop in for a burger with maitake mushrooms, broiled sardines with lemon and salt or a dessert of pillowy, just-sweet-enough coconut mochi topped with sections of blood orange.