Tourist tips

[aprilmaybe]

Hi all--

I'm heading to San Francisco for this weekend. Generally I'm pretty self sufficient but my mom and sister set this one up. I'm looking for some restaurants ideas. Mom is 75, hasn’t traveled at all really and doesn’t walk very well

They have a wine trip booked for Sunday and mom wants to go to Ghiradelli Square and Chinatown. We won’t actually be there that long so I’m sure we will have way more to do than time. We’re staying at a small hotel between the Presidio and Marina so some local-ish recommendations will be great.

I'll need a drink too I love my mom but there is reason I live on the on the other coast

[duckwrench13]

If you drop a line to Tigre... go here: http://ducatimonsterworldwide.org/index.php?action=profile;u=87 ...he may have some extra tickets to the AMA races at Infineon Raceway this weekend, Fri-Sun. [moto]

It's about 45 minutes north, in Sonoma, and there will be a gaggle of MOBsters up there... all of Tigerbike Racing is comprised of MOB kids.

Heck, bring mom 'n sis along too! DTM's dad has the rv set up, there's plenty of food and drinks , lots of shade, plenty of chairs, and just a lot of good folks there in general.

Come on out and hang out withthe rest of your extended desmo family.

[aprilmaybe]

You have no idea how much I'd love to go. I'd get disowned though

A bunch of people from my work are going to be there.

[enzo]

My office used to be in Ghirardelli Square, and to be honest I never understood the attraction.  There are some nice views, but after that it's tourist shops and bad to okay food.  Fritz is a good spot for lunch if your Mom drags you there.  Great beers and fries. 

If you want a more local scene with great views and some fresh air, find a way to get to Crissy Field. It's right next to the Marina, and since it's supposed to be warm this weekend it'll be great for people watching, including windsurfing, dogs, and a guy who can stack rocks like nobody you've ever seen before.  It's a bit detached from the city as it is right along the bay, but it's probably the best place to see what people are like here.

Sounds like you're staying on or near Lombard.  There are some good restaurants on Union and Chestnut.  The Marina is one of the nicest, but in some ways blandest areas fo the city, so it's great for those who don't travel much.  The worst you'll encounter, if anything, are plastic yuppies who don't approve.  So if the group is up for it, walking those two streets will yield some good options for food, as well as shopping if that's what you're looking for.

Check out yelp's restaurant section for the Marina/Cow Hollow.  SF has tons of restaurants, so it comes down to what your'e looking for.

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Marina%2FCow+Hollow%2C+San+Francisco%2C+CA&cflt=restaurants

As for getting a drink, I don't hang out much in the Marina, so I can't help you much.  If you ditch Mom, then head towards the Mission for the better bars.  Fewer Marinachicks, more dirt.  Valencia between 16th and 24th is where most of the bars are centered, with exceptions of course.  If you're looking for "biker" bars, check out Zeitgeist (monthly MOB hangout) and Kilowatt, in and around the Mission.  Again, yelp is a good resource.  There are also some good bars 'round Nob Hill and the Tenderloin, but the 'loin isn't exactly the safest place.

[Jaman]

My favorite bar in that hood is Mauna Loa - it's on Fillmore, just down (north) of Union.  Kinda dive-y - pool, foosball, cheap-ish beers/drinks (nothing's really cheap in this city)  Most of the bars in Marina/Cow Hollow area are pretty lame.

Many good restaurants, all over the city, but in that neighborhood -

Jackson/Fillmore = really good italian (up a really steep hill, Fillmore, I would take a cab)  make a reservation, or go early - it gets packed, and it's a small place.

Plumpjack = good food "California cuisine", again, need a reservation, on Fillmore - a little pricey

Betelnut - trendy, Asian/fusion kinda place - again, reservation - not a big fan of the employees, but the food is good. On Union

Pluto's - great salads & other stuff, choose your fixin's salad bar, carved meats, sandwiches - good food, quick & easy - Scott @ Chesnut

If you like Chinese food, Eliza's on California & Divisadero is awesome - not really "traditional" Chinese, but healthy "Americanized" Chinese food, ie, not greasy, veggies are crisp, etc.

+1 on avoiding Ghiradelli Sq/Pier39 mess...

[aprilmaybe]

Thanks for the info, it will help alot

Mom just found out she can see Sea Lions at Pier 39 so that just went onto the must do list. It will be fun anyway, maybe I can do some sort of spot the fanny pack drinking game

[ducati_tim]

If your going to be at Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf/Ghiradelli Square area at lunch time, head south to North Beach (my 'hood) for a good meal. There are lots of mediocre places but a ton of good ones, too. Here are some of my faves (from North to South):
India Curry House (Columbus and Francisco) - Whenever I have my team from India in town, they want to go there. Also, it share a space with Kennedy's, which is a fabulously seedy bar.
Piazza Pelligrini (Columbus and Filbert) - Really good Italian food, and a good place to bring a 75 year old mom.
Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store (Columbus and Union) - My favorite place in North Beach. Awesome sandwiches and Italian-style pizza.
Cinecitta (Union between Columbus and Powell) - Roman pizza. Yummy.
Curly's (Powell between Union and Green) - Diner with some Japanese selections. They have a really terrific breakfast.

If you're looking for a good lounge type bar that is not over run by tourists and bridge and tunnel folks, try Tony Nicks (Stockton between Union and Columbus). Order a Fernet-Branca with a ginger back. Shoot the fernet and sip the ginger ale. It is the drink of the city 

[Michael Moore]

India Curry House (Columbus and Francisco) - Whenever I have my team from India in town, they want to go there.

Tim, that is a hoot. You fly halfway around the planet to eat the same food you get at home.

Oh, I just realized there are McDonalds in Paris. Nevermind.

[Juan]

Since you will be some where near Presidio, I will recommend Pres A Vi for a very good dining experience with your mom.

http://web.mac.com/presavi/Pres_a_Vi/Pres_a_Vi_Home.html

For San Francisco I like to use this web site to plan my dinners.

http://www.opentable.com/start.aspx?m=4&n=5

enjoy..!!

[Hollywood]

If you and the family like garlic. I highly recommend The Stinking Rose. On Columbus.

[bigiain]

Bigiain's list of essential places to go when visiting San Francisco:

Zeitgeist at Valencia and Duboce - drink Coopers Pale. Repeat. Repeat. eat tamale, go to step 1. (but not on a Saturday afternoon, unless you've got fake tits and tan and huge sunglasses)
Ritual Roasters on Valencia near 22nd - order many ristrettos (and then hit the music store across the street, Aquarius I think)
The ice cream place diagonally opposite the north east corner of Delores Park (and get the salted caramel!)
The burrito place on Mission @ 24th St Bart (the one with the lighthouse on the sign) - go every day, eat everything on the menu (including offal burritos)
DNA Lounge on 11th (try and hit a goth or industrial night, not a regular friday or saturday)
Atlas Cafe on 22nd and Alabama (get the turkey samwich, but avoid normal lunch times)
The french vietnamese restaurant on Potrero at 25th
Bissap Baobab - try to get to the little one on 19th st when there's live music on.
Lush Lounge at Post and Polk - drink cocktails, hope my friend Squishy is playing trumpet!
Jazz Bistro on Ellis - on a Wed or Fri to see my friend Barbera's boy play drums (and laugh at the tourists)
The Exploratorium - near where Divisidero hite the water at Marina.
The Apple Store ('cause I'm a geek!)

'course I'm a _lousy_ tourist, I've been to SF dozens of times on the last 10 years, but I've never been to Alcatraz or Fishermans Wharf or SFMOMA...

Oh, and out of all of these, I suspect only Atlas and Jazz Bistro are places I'd take my mother...

big