What are you in the mood for? Take a look around. A variety of cuisines line the streets.

The choice of restaurants in San Francisco can feel overwhelming. We have more restaurants per capita than any city in the United States.

Embrace the opportunity. Next time you’re visiting San Francisco, or any other city for that matter. Just pick a restaurant.

Outside of the big tourist areas, restaurants need to be good because if they weren’t, they wouldn’t last. San Franciscan’s have a lot of choices, and we love to talk about food. Word and restaurants spreads fast: is the place great, good, fine, or to be avoided? Also, people who go through the difficult and byzantine process of opening a restaurant (a task omitted as one of the 12 labors of Hercules as being too daunting even for him), have a passion to provide the best food possible.

On a walk the other day I took note of what there was to choose from on just half a block on Post street near Jones in Lower Nob Hill.

Different restaurants in the 700 block of Post St, San Francisco.

The Public Izakaya next to Pearl’s Deluxe Hamburgers next to Chuy’s Fiestas next to EM Korean Deli next to iThia Bangkok . That’s what I could fit into one photo. Just up the street next to Goodwill is Farm Table.

Ramen or burgers or a burrito or kimchi konjack or tom kha gai or a sandwich of the day made with locally sourced ingredients.

So what are you in the mood for?

Remember this rule of traveling: Stop trying to make every dining experience mind-blowingly special. Some places will be better than others, but rarely (unless you insist on dining at Fisherman’s Wharf) will it be disappointing or terrible. Especially in San Francisco. And there’s more to eating than the food. There’s the atmosphere, vibe, and location. It will be special if you experience it like a local and just enjoy.

The Public Izakaya, 700 Post St. 5pm-2am 415-658-7588
Pearl’s Deluxe Hamburgers, 708 Post Street St Mon-Thu 11am.-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun Noon-9pm 415.409.6120
Chuy’s Fiestas 710 Post St 10am-11pm Mon-Thurs., 10am-12mid Fri-Sat., Closed Sunday 415-529-1323
EM Korean Deli 714 Post St San Francisco 11am-9pm 415-374-7639
iThia Bangkok Street Food 720 Post St 11am-12mid Mon-Thurs, 11am-1am Friday, 4pm-1am Sat-Sun. 415-345-9999
Farm:Table 754 Post St. 9am-2pm Thurs-Sat., 10-3pm Sunday 415-300-5652

Best Bar with an Ocean View in San Francisco. The Beach Chalet.

I frequently get asked by my tour guests, “Where is a good bar with a view of the ocean?” In theory, there are a number of places. If you get up high enough on any of the hills, a bar will have a view. The ocean will be off in the distance, obscured by some buildings, but visible. In these cases “bar with ocean view” is about as honest as an AirBnB listing.

The Beach Chalet is located as far west as one can go in San Francisco. It sits next to the Great Highway, a self-aggrandized moniker if there ever was one. Beyond that is the aptly named Ocean Beach. It is a beach on the ocean. What the name lacks in imagination (such as “Great Highway) it makes up for in clarity. After that is the Pacific Ocean and on those rare clear days you can see the Farallon Islands 30 miles out floating on the horizon.

You observe all of this from The Beach Chalet. Time it right and you can also watch the sun set while having a drink and something to eat.

A photo of the Beach Chalet in San Francisco.

Credit: The Beach Chalet Website

The Brief and Colorful History of the Beach Chalet

The Beach Chalet began in 1925 as a bathhouse and restaurant for ocean swimmers. In the mid 1930’s the lobby frescoes, murals, and carvings were added as a WPA project. It was a barracks in WWII, and after that leased to the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars). They turned it into a club house with pool tables, added a downstairs bar next to the art, and very soon the Beach Chalet had a bad reputation. Bikers would hang there, and there would be the occasional fight with beach gangs. Most residents of the city avoided the place.

The VWF moved out in 1979. Restoration begin in 1981, the same year it got protection by being placed in the National Register of Historic Places. It reopened as a restaurant and visitor center in 1996.

A locals place worth the trip west

The Beach Chalet, though distant from the usual visitor haunts of Chinatown, North Beach, and the Haight Ashbury, is easy to get to. And you should go explore those neighborhoods. But a smart traveler, which I assume you are because you’re reading this, is always looking for the places most tourist miss. Going to the Beach Chalet is like sitting at the cool kid’s table.

You could walk there from the museums and public promenade on the east side of Golden Gate Park. You could even walk there from the west edge of the Haight. It’s only three and half miles, and downhill. You could walk along JFK Drive, past the Bison Paddock, exploring a lake or two along the way. It would take a leisurely 90 minutes, 60 if you really book. Either way you’ve earned a drink.
You can also take the 5 Fulton Bus which runs along the north side of the park.

Map of East Side of Golden Gate Park

The East side of Golden Gate Park, near the Haight-Ashbury, DeYoung Museum and Japanese Tea Garden.

Map of West side of Golden Gate Park.

West Side of Golden Gate Park. JFK Drive, Bison Paddock, lakes, and the Beach Chalet. The 5 Fulton bus runs along the north side of the park.

A brew pub by the ocean, with food and vintage art

Entering the Beach Chalet, there are murals, mosaics, and sculptures from the 1930’s. There is a model of the park, and visitor information. The lobby on its own is worth the trip west, and a shrine to a time when the government paid artists to create art for the benefit of the public.

Murals and mosaics in the Beach Chalet Mosaic in Beach Chalet Mural of bathers in Beach Chalet

Upstairs is the restaurant and bar. From 4-6pm on weekdays they have a happy hour, with great beer prices, because the Beach Chalet is also a brewery. As someone who enjoys wine, the wine could be a better deal, but they probably aren’t going to start their own winery on the edge of the San Francisco, so I’ll stop whining.
I haven’t eaten dinner there, but I can attest that if the rest of the menu is as good as the Truffle Parmesan Fries, you can’t go wrong.

Restaurant in Beach Chalet

Monday is Prime Rib Night, where you can get a hunk of red meat with four sides included. They have a weekend brunch 10am-2:30pm.

Live music 4 day a week.

As if the art, food, house made beer wasn’t enough to entice you to the western edge of the city, Friday through Monday features live music, sometimes with a vocalist. Jazz Friday 5-8, Saturday/Sunday 11-2 is solo piano, Jazz Saturday 5:30-8:30, and Monday 5-7pm.

Jazz duo and vocalist at Beach Chalet

Getting away from the usual tourist places takes a little effort, but is rewarding. Discovery and getting off the well beaten path lets you experience the city the way us locals do, enjoying the venues, food, and landscapes that make San Francisco the unique place it is. And when you find a great bar with an ocean view, one that most visitors don’t know about, you also get bragging rights and make your family and friends back home jealous. Which is one of the reasons to be a good traveler.

HOURS
Monday – Wednesday 9:00am – 8:00pm, Thursday-Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday 10-9pm Sunday 10-8pm.

Tel: (415) 386-8439 (FUN-VIEW) See what they did there. Clever and informative.
Email: info@beachchalet.com

The Best of San Francisco Wine Bars. I discovered a new wine bar. It’s a hidden gem I should keep secret, but I’m here to serve you so I won’t. You’re welcome.

If you give a cursory read of my website you will soon understand I love San Francisco wine bars. I’ve written about include InoVino, Hotel Biron, and Amelie. With wine bars, as with all drinking and dining establishments, atmosphere is the most important element. Serving good food and wine in a room with blank walls and bland furniture would make the experience purely functional, like having a serving of burrata and drinking a glass of good Zin in a drab hospital room. I know “drab hospital room” is redundant but you get the idea. You want your wine bar to have a personality, a personality that you enjoy and and look forward to spending time with. You don’t want it to have the personality of the dull uncle you fear getting stuck next to at family gatherings.

The patio wine bar in San Francisco Wine and Cheese.

San Francisco Wine and Cheese–A True Hidden Gem

San Francisco Wine and Cheese not only has a charming personality, it has good wine and good food. Putting the “hidden” in hidden gems, it is a store you would easily walk by, not knowing it existed, let alone open. I know I did many, many times.

You have to ring a bell to be let in. The owner, Shirley, got tired of people walking in and walking out with wine or meat or cheese or whatever else they could grab. So you must ring for Shirley, who will greet you with a big smile and welcome you inside.

The door of San Francisco Wine and Cheese.

In the front is the shop, well stocked with wine, charcuterie, cheese, snacks, and tea. Through the store is the back patio, where you can order glasses of wine and food. And, if you buy a bottle of wine for $30 or more, you can drink it on the patio for free. Since the standard measurement is 5 glasses to a bottle, this is a screaming deal, possibly the best deal in town.

The enclosed bar area has the unassuming feel of a neighbor’s backyard patio. There are potted plants, crowded shelves, assorted chairs and stools and tables and barrels that serve as tables. It is casual, it is friendly, it is small as wine bars go, and all pretensions have been left outside. Just enjoy.

The kind of place you brag about discovering.

This is truly a locals treasure. As a good traveler, which I assume you are because you’re reading this, you want to find places like this one: the neighborhood spots and that many of the residents of the city don’t know about, and certainly very, very, few visitors. They have the personality of the owner, and are therefor unique. You will brag about finding San Francisco Wine and Cheese when you return home, where the less skilled travelers will be envious of you.

The charming patio, with plants, in San Francisco Wine and Cheese.


I’ve revealed a secret. It is up to you to take advantage and enjoy it.

You’re welcome.

San Francisco Wine and Cheese

141 Gough St. San Francisco, CA 94102

Tuesday to Saturday, 12am–8pm PST

Phone: 510-816-4508

Map of Immigrant Influence of San Francisco’s food culture

San Francisco has more restaurants per capita than any other American city. And many of those restaurants reflect cooking from their home country. This map shows the history and influence of various cuisines. And some are origin stories of what are now familiar food.
This includes audio stories about each restaurant or store. This map is a project of the California Migration Museum.

Melting Spots Immigrant Food Map

Immigrant Food Map of San Francisco

By the way, the Garlic Noodles at Thanh Long are worth the trip to the outer, outer Sunset District. They will change your life. Plus very few visitors ever make it out that far, so you not only have an amazing meal, you will have bragging rights.

Were should we eat? A link that will get you started on San Francisco restaurant search.

San Francisco is a food town. We have more restaurants per capita than any other American city. Not more restaurants, because San Francisco’s population is small compared to other cities. We’re smaller than Columbus, Indianapolis, and Charlotte. But per person, we have more places to eat than New York, LA, and Chicago.
The choice can be overwhelming. There is anxiety to get the best meal possible every time you eat. It is best to get rid of this fear, because while every meal may not be mind blowing, it’s going to be pretty damn good. Unless you eat at most of the places on Fisherman’s Wharf, but that’s another story. A lot of the restaurants there thrive on the visiting tourists, not repeat customers.
Because San Franciscan’s love food, each neighborhood has many excellent restaurants that cater to the locals. If they weren’t good, they’d go out of business.
I’ve listed a lot of restaurants on my website. I also have recommendations I send to my guests.
The San Francisco Chronicle is a good resource for searching. The Chronicle has excellent food critics, and their recommendations and articles can be found here:
San Francisco Chronicle Food.

The search tool is a bit wonky, but worth a go. I’ve found the articles more useful.

 

Specs’–the Best Dive Bar in San Francisco

Years ago in Hamburg a friend I and were wandering and came across Harry’s Harbor Bazaar. As I remember it was two buildings, connected by an upstairs doorway created by bashing through adjacent walls. It was a three story warren, a maze, a labyrinth, crammed with stuff supposedly collected from an old pub that accepted things like masks, shrunken heads, carvings, idols, and musical instruments sailors brought from their travels and traded for booze. You could buy most anything on display, but the majority of people just walked the aisles stunned not only by the oddity but the sheer vastness of the collection. It has changed owners and locations since I was there, but it still retains the charm of an overstuffed Natural History museum storage room arranged in haste for an inspection.

One of the many idols you will see at Specs. The walls and shelves at Specs are filled with antiques, treasures, and oddities.

The collection at Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Café, or Specs’, isn’t as big, not by a longshot. It’s a bar, after all, not a warehouse-as-museum. But what it lacks in size more than makes up for by serving drinks to a cast of North Beach regulars who fit nicely into the ambiance the artifacts create.

There is dust on the upper shelves and stuff too far away for someone to reach, because if someone can’t touch it why bother dusting it? The walls and ceilings are brown from decades of burning tobacco and occasional pot, a reminder of times when smoking was allowed indoors. It is cramped and therefor friendly. You will likely have to squeeze by other patrons, maybe even share one of the bigger tables, and the close proximity inspires spontaneous casual conversations.

Some of the North Beach regulars hanging out at Specs.

If you’re lucky, you may wander in when there is music, book reading, or sketch class.

Mr. Lucky and the band performing at Specs.

Spec’s is the kind of bar a good traveler hopes to discover. It’s off the tourist path, has a unique eccentricity, and caters to the locals.

I encourage my guests to get a drink here, Tosca across the alley, and Vesuvio’s across the street. The three bars put together give a good overview of the spirit of North Beach.

Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe

12 William Saroyan Place, 94133  Phone 415-421-4112

4pm-1am, 2am Thursday-Saturday

The Blue Danube–Good coffee, good food, and the chance to read someone else’s journals.

A coffee shop, a good local coffee shop, not a chain that has outlets across the street from each other, is a simple joy. It reflects the taste of the owner and the character of the neighborhood. It should feel inviting. It is a place to relax and a cheap way to expand one’s living quarters. People go to coffee shops to get away from the familiarity of their apartments or house, and to be with people while not being obligated to interact with them. On a trip, it is a way to get a sense of what it feels like to be a local.

Blue Danube coffee house on Clement St.

Novelists and screen writers, both professional and would-be, have been writing in some place that served coffee since the caffeine was extracted from the bean. I’m going to bet when the first café opened it was soon filled with customers scrawling poems on parchment. Coffee allows thoughts to flow.

The Blue Danube invites customers to leave those thoughts in blank books. At this writing, they total more than 45. Past volumes are on a shelf for anyone to read.

Journals at the Blue Danube coffee shop on Clement St. Journals at the Blue Danube Coffee shop on Clement St. in San Francisco.

These books are filled with drawings, musings, observations and confessions. Some pages are from travelers writing about their experience of San Francisco. Children write jokes, draw, or play tic-tac-toe. Some write about people they love. Others write confessions of shame, anger, or infidelity.  It is like getting permission to read other people’s mail or diaries.
Page from a journal in the Blue Danube Coffee Shop on Clement St. in San Francisco.Page from a journal in the Blue Danube Coffee Shop on Clement St. in San Francisco.Page from a journal in the Blue Danube Coffee Shop on Clement St. in San Francisco.Page from a journal in the Blue Danube Coffee Shop on Clement St. in San Francisco.

The Blue Danube is located on Clement St, one of favorite streets overlooked by visitors. I’m going to write more about Clement St. in the coming weeks. It is the sort of location that, when I’m giving private tours of San Francisco, I encourage my guests to experience.

Best Dim Sum in San Francisco and it’s not in Chinatown—Xiao Long Bao

Chinatown boasts a lot of good dim sum bakeries. The Good Mong Kok sports huge lines on weekends, which I’m guessing is a result of being Instagramed and Yelped to death. Not that it isn’t good, it is, but rare is the dumpling worth investing 30 minutes standing on a sidewalk for and so far I haven’t found it.

Xiao Long Bao Restaurant in San Francisco--Best Dim Sum

Even at Xiao Long Bao I’m only waiting 10 minutes. OK, maybe 15.
This is located on Clement St, which is under visited by tourists. Which is too bad because there is much to discover on this Richmond district street. On the other hand it may be a blessing, because I’d rather Clement St not be invaded by hoards of wanna-be influencers taking selfies holding a soup dumpling while making duck lips.

Xioa Long Boa display counter filled with delicious food

Because Xiao Long Bao is busy serving neighborhood locals, the dumplings, scallion pancakes, buns don’t get a chance to sit around for long. Everything is fresh, and soups are made to order.

Xiao Long Boa Big Menu

The menu is bigger than most dim sum places, and it doesn’t include everything available. There are items in the case they didn’t have room for.

Don’t expect the crew to be overly friendly or effusive. They are trying to serve up food quickly to many hungry people. They are glad to answer questions, but only to a point. If you’re really confused about what to order, take your chances and order what looks good. It probably will be. And maybe order a few more things than usual because if you get something you don’t like, you can move on. Dim sum is cheap and worth the little risk.

By the way, anyone who knocks stars off a place like this because the didn’t like the service is a self-involved idiot. Maybe they just didn’t like their duck lips.

MONTESACRO: It’s pinsa, not pizza, and you want it

This SF Insider Tip takes you down a bright alley off a sketchy street that even some overly nervous locals ridiculously avoid.  Montesacro is a restaurant worth seeking out–I often recommend it to my private tour guests staying near Union Square.  It serves pinsa, which if you haven’t had it, you want it.

A pinsa is a Roman flatbread, made with rice, soy, and wheat flour, and leavened for at least 72 hours. That makes a difference, as the result is much easier to digest than typical American pizza.

Roman pizza--Insider tip with private tour San Francisco.

But easy digestion is not the reason to go to Montesacro. All the food is simple, delicious, made with top quality ingredients, many imported directly from Rome. Montesacro is named for an area outside of Rome, and the interior makes you feel like you’ve stepped into one of its neighborhood restaurants.

Roman pizza--Insider tip with private tour San Francisco.

There is an interesting wine list, many of which are little known Italian imports, and offer a chance to drink something outside the usual Zin and Cabs. Tell your server what style of wine you like, and at what price. and they will make several suggestions.

Reservations are usually a good idea, but they do hold space for walk-ups.

You will probably have to walk past some of the local folks who live and hang out on 6th street. They’re not going to hassle you. Remember, they’re poor, not dangerous.  It’s their neighborhood, and they see people like you all the time, whether you’re going to have pinsa from Montesacro or Pho Bo from Tu Lan (the celebrated Vietnamese place on 6th St/Market You’ll probably walk by it.)

MONTESACRO

510 STEVENSON ST (at SIXTH STREET)

SAN FRANCISCO

415-795-3040

Amelie–Lively Wine Bar with Great Selection of Wine and Cheese

Seek and ye shall find.

It is easy to stick to favorite restaurants and bars. It makes the decision making process easier, especially after a long week and all I want is a glass of wine in a comfortable place with no surprises to price or atmosphere. What I tend to forget is that the usual places I love were at one time new discoveries.

I discovered Amelie a few weeks ago. It was a night my wife and I were searching for a good glass of wine and some good cheese. We started at a place in the Financial District (or the FiDi, as it is known to those who are very busy and overscheduled and to prove it to us lesser mortals must use an acronym at every opportunity.  By the way, “San Fran” drives me up the wall as well. But that’s another post. Anyway….) which was way overpriced for both the wine and the cheese plate. The portions on the cheese plate seemed to come from scraps tossed onto board as the waiter rushed by the kitchen, and wine, while good, not worth the price.

Great wine bar--private tour San Francisco

Here’s a rule of thumb I share with my private tour guests: if the wine menu doesn’t have at least one glass of wine under $10, consider going somewhere else. If nothing is under $15, run like the wind. You can get good wine all over the city that won’t bust your budget.

Undaunted I searched for “best cheese plate” and Amelie came up as a favorite several times.  And with good reason. It is a lively bar with a large selection of wines by the bottle and glass. The Monday night we were there the special was a bottle of wine and a cheese plate for $35. A steal. The wine was earthy with some spice, not the fruit bomb that is woefully common these days, and the cheese plate had proper portions, not the insulting dainty servings that are far too common.

The attention to good wine and food served at a reasonable price may have something to do with the French atmosphere of Amelie, and the staff, who are also international. They take good wine and food as a birthright, as an indispensable part of life. I couldn’t agree more.

Ameie 1754 Polk Street  (at Washington Street)
Open Seven Days a Week 5:30pm – 2:00am
Happy Hour From 5:30 – 7:00

(415) 292-6916

Check out the wine list

Hotel Biron–Small Wine Bar and Art Gallery

My wife and I have a standing date on Friday night, known as the Wine Hour, even though it lasts longer than that. The Hotel Biron is one of our favorite destinations to mark the end of the week.

Hidden wine bar--private tour San Francisco

It has a rotating wine list with 50 wines or so wines, about of those available half by the glass. The pours are generous, but unless you’re going to sample several different wines (which I endorse) , tell the bartender what sort of wine you like, ask for a taste, and if it is good, buy the bottle. The glass to bottle price at the Hotel Biron makes it a deal. There are 5 glasses to a bottle, so if your group, (or just you) are going to have at least three glasses, get the bottle. You can cork the leftover and take it with you.

The Hotel Biron is one of those places off the tourist path–although it’s conveniently located near Hayes Valley (a favorite stop for my private tour guests who like to shop). It is a small, brick lined place that is not on a main street and doesn’t have a big sign blaring its location. It also doubles as an art gallery with shows by local artists. The last time I was there the one piece I really wanted had already been spoken for. Fortunately, there was wine to ease my pain.
Wine Art--private tour San Francisco

Hotel Biron

45 Rose St., Near Market and Gough 415-703-0403

www.hotelbiron.com

INOVINO–a neighborhood wine bar easy to get to from downtown

Hidden gem discovered on private tour San Francisco If you’re staying downtown, there are many good reasons to hop on the N-Judah street car and take a quick ride to Cole Valley, and the Inner Sunset. There you will experience San Francisco neighborhoods that most visitors miss, and restaurants and wine bars locals love. A private tour is about seeing the city like a local, and discovering hidden gems, and I love telling guest about the neighborhood gem that is Inovino.

Get off the N-Judah at Carl and Cole. Inovino is steps away. Inovino is an intimate restaurant that has simple, good food, and large selection of wine. The happy hour (from 4-6 weekdays, 3-6 Saturday and Sunday) is one of the best deals in the city.

Francesco, the owner knows his wine and has a extensive and interesting list. He created a restaurant where the neighborhood loves to hang out. Is is where my wife and I have our weekly Friday night “wine down.” This is the sort of place you go home and brag about finding.

Inovino, 108 Carl St., 681-3770

The InnerFog–a neighborhood wine bar next to Golden Gate Park

IT IS WITH SADNESS I MUST REPORT THE INNER FOG CLOSED IN NOV. 2019. I’M KEEPING THIS UP FOR THE MEMORIES IT BRINGS ME.

I love New York City, and New Yorkers are quick to tell me I’m correct in this assessment because New York, not the sun, is the center of the universe, or at least the only part of the universe that matters.  I will then concede that when it comes to theater, art, fashion,  pastrami, tall buildings, and corrupt real estate barons, New York outshines San Francisco. But when you want a decent glass of wine under $10, San Francisco doesn’t win, because to win would be to assume there is competition. There isn’t. You can’t get a glass of wine in New York for under a sawbuck unless it can also be pressed into service as nail polish remover. When it comes to wine under $10 a glass, New York City just can’t produce a dog for the fight. There’s no contest. (By the way, I would be glad to be proved wrong on this, so anyone out there who would like to offer up a contender for good, inexpensive wine in NYC, the comment box is open.)

The InnerFog at 545 Irving in the Inner Sunset is one such wine bar that New York lacks. I love showing guests the Inner Sunset on their custom private tour, as it is off the usual path, next to Golden Gate Park, and it is easy to get to especially if you’re staying downtown. Take the N Judah, get off at 7th Ave, and it’s right across the street.

The InnerFog is welcoming anytime, but the happy hour deals convince you you should get off the sidewalk and get inside.  From opening each day (currently 5pm Mon-Wed, 4pm Thurs-Sun) until 7pm Friday you can get good wine for only $7 a glass. The happy hour wine changes every few weeks. Currently I like the Tuscan Sangiovese , but whatever they have whenever you will show up there will be satisfying.

If you can’t make it for happy hour, come anyway. The wine list is well catered and reasonably priced. They have craft beer on tap if that’s your beverage. There are small snack plates if you’re hungry. Art by locals artists. Knowledgeable staff. A friendly group of regulars. All the usual suspects and amenities you want from a neighborhood wine bar.

If you want to brag that you’ve gone off the beaten path and discovered a local’s place in San Francisco, head to the InnerFog. You’ll not only get good wine at a good price, you may win an argument with a New Yorker.

inner fog--a favorite place to be dropped off after a custom private tour of San Francisco

The Best Margaritas in the Universe are in San Francisco

A few years ago I was in Edmonton, Alberta taking time off from giving private tours in the MINI to be a part of the biggest and oldest Fringe Theater festival in North America. I, or rather my alter ego, Sebastian Boswell III, was invited north to perform. Sebastian is a master of “mental mysteries and physical wonders” such as mind reading hammering a 4-inch nail in his nose. Yes, really.

One night after the show, Mrs. Boswell and I found the El Cortez, which boast an extensive tequila menu, and variations on margaritas, that, frankly, took liberties with the purity of a margarita and featured concoctions that were more at home in a Tiki bar than a Mexican restaurant. In their heart they do know and appreciate tequila, and it was proved by the Tommy’s Margarita on the menu, named in honor of Tommy’s Mexican, home of the best margarita’s on Earth.

Tommy’s Mexican out at 24th/Geary is one of those off the beaten path places that you’ll love, and be able to boast about visiting when you get back home.  tommy's -- the best margarita on the best custom private tour of San Francisco

While the restaurant is good, the real draw is the small bar serving up 100’s of different tequila. I wish I could say I appreciated them, but I don’t. I look upon the shelves packed with bottles and brands most people, especially me, have never heard of, and realize it is my shortcoming that I lack the curiosity to explore.  I have the same attitude toward beer. I’m know there are delights and subtle wonders to discover, but I’ll never know. It is my narrow devotion that wine is the alcohol I appreciate and am attempting to gain knowledge of.  I can hear you say “Why does it have to be one or the other?” It doesn’t.  It’s not you tequila, it’s me. So I don’t stray from what I like which are the house margaritas. I could be more adventurous, but I am happy with their perfection, made with quality tequila and fresh limes–no premixed stuff.

For those who want to explore, Julio, the son of the owner and genius behind the bar, literally, will gladly walk you through the many brands and their subtle distinctions. If you are truly devoted, he offers a Master’s Degree in Tequila.

The restaurant is big, but the bar is small, because its original inception in the 1960’s was a comfortable holding place while waiting for dinner. Get there early if you want to be sure you get a seat. Neighborhood regulars, and people who come to San Francisco regularly and make it point to trek out to the Richmond district and will settle into stool for a good chunk of the evening, even though food is not served at the bar after an early hour. But even if you don’t get a seat the atmosphere is friendly and you won’t mind standing.

Julio, (pictured) is the mastermind behind creating “The Greatest Tequila Bar on Earth.” He has been featured in numerous magazines and television show. If Julio is there when you are, he will treat you like a friend and long time regular.

julio--a person as unique as a custom private tour of San Francisco

It’s out in the little-visted Richmond district (out in the Avenues, as we say), but easy access from down town on the 38 Geary bus. And you’ll want to take public transportation, because you should never drive in San Francisco anyway, but especially after enjoying the best margaritas you’ll ever have. Of course I can drop you off there after your private tour, but I won’t be drinking, at least until I get the MINI back safely in the garage.

http://tommysmexican.com/

Cheap food (and water) on Fisherman’s Wharf. Don’t be a sucker–be like a local.

This is a rule everywhere in the world: get 2 blocks off the main tourist street, you find local treasures. I’ve experienced this in Lisbon, Manhattan, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, London, and Edmonton, Alberta, just to name few.
Yes, Edmonton gets tourists. People from Red Deer and Athabasca need to vacation too.

Fisherman’s Wharf, like any other tourist destination in the world, has overpriced food and even more overpriced water. A bottle of water will set you back $2 if you’re lucky, but more likely $3 or more. And the restaurants are, for the most part, over priced and mediocre quality.

Fortunately if you walk 2 blocks off the wharf and the main drag of Jefferson St, you can save money and eat better. And experience the major tourist destination like a local.

At the corner of 401 Bay St. at Mason, there is a Trader Joe’s. For 29 cents you can get a bottle that would cost ten times that much on the wharf. You can also buy sandwiches, salads and snacks.

Trader Joes north beach where guests of the San Francisco custom private tour of stock up

Shop like a local at Trader Joe’s

cafe franciso where I often pick up people for their custom private tour of San Francisco

Hang out like a local at the Cafe Francisco.

Cilantro restaurant a favortive of the custom private tour in San Francisco

Eat like a local at Clinatro

If you want to sit down to eat, there is the Cafe Francisco (2161 Powell at Francisco). No only is the food good and reasonably priced, it is a local’s hang out.

Down the block at 2257 Mason at Francisco is the Cilantro Taqueria , which serves up great burritos, tacos, and other Mexican food.

So after you’ve enjoyed the highlights of Fisherman’s Wharf, which are few and quickly appreciated, walk a couple of blocks and experience the city like a local.

Inner Sunset—the hidden neighborhood next to museums in Golden Gate Park

Most visitors to San Francisco make it out to Golden Gate Park, at least the East end of it. Aside from being a beautiful place to stroll, this is where there are museums, gardens, and other sites worth seeing. The Conservatory of Flowers is a world famous example of Victorian greenhouse architecture (upper right corner of the map).

San Francisco Private tour

Nearby are the Academy of Sciences, the DeYoung Museum,

San Fransico Private Tour DeYoung

and Japanese Tea Garden, located around Music Concourse Dr.

But what remains unknown to most visitors is they are on the edge of neighborhood that has a lot of great restaurants and interesting shops. The Inner Sunset is just a 5 minute walk from the museums along Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. to 9th Ave.

MINI Cooper Tour map of Inner Sunset

Along 9th Ave. you’ll find Misdirections (one of the few brick and mortar magic shops left), Ebisu (my favorite sushi restaurant), and Nopalito for traditional Mexican food.  Turn left at Irving, and within a few blocks there is Amazing Fantasy comic books (8th Ave), Inner Fog (great wine bar, between 6th and 7th), the Crepevine (good and inexpensive food, especially for breakfast and lunch, between 7th and 8th) and several coffee shops. Turn right at 9th and Irving, and down the street (between 11th and 12th) is San Tung, where people line up for the Dry Fried Chicken Wings.

Those are just some of the places to discover in this neighborhood. And after you’re done exploring getting back downtown is a snap on the N Judah.

Tony’s Pizza–worth the wait

You know you’re in for some seriously good pizza when the front of the menu proclaims “Respect the Craft.” Tony is a real guy,11 time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani. It doesn’t take much searching on the web to find hundreds of raves, so I won’t go into a long review, other than to say my favorite is the Picante (found under Classic American.)

They don’t take reservations, so plan to wait either at the bar or somewhere else (they will take you cell phone number and call when your table is ready. Fortunately, since Tony’s is in the heart of North Beach (1570 Stockton at Union), there are a lot of bars and coffee shops nearby.

http://www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com/index.php