New Michelin Guide San Francisco 2018 Critique

Reviewer: Foodnut.com

New: Michelin Guide 2019 Commentary

Michelin Guide San Francisco 2017

New 2018 Foodie bible Michelin San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country Restaurants 2018 was released on 10/25/2017. This sells for $14 at Amazon.

There are omissions as usual..! Our commentary is below with Links to Foodnut.com reviews when possible. (Boy we’ve dined out a lot haven’t we?)

Michelin Star rated San Francisco restaurants for 2017:

3 STARS (Exceptional cuisine and worth the journey)

Benu – San Francisco
Coi – San Francisco – Upgraded to 3 stars and has a new chef
Manresa – Los Gatos – Finally an upgrade to 3 stars. $303 Tasting Menu.
Quince – San Francisco – Raise prices, remodel, finally hit 3. Best service in SF? $283 Tasting Menu
Saison– San Francisco – Our meal there was good, but we feel 2 stars is it. $513 Tasting Menu
The French Laundry – Yountville – Best restaurant in California for sure. $337 Tasting Menu
The Restaurant at Meadowood – St. Helena. $359 Tasting Menu.

How about some non tasting menu 3 star restaurants?

2 STARS (Excellent cooking and worth a detour)

Acquerello – San Francisco – Surprising. We’ll have to revist, never believed they’d get 2.
Atelier Crenn – San Francisco – Stuck at 2 stars? Too much beauty to the food?
Baumé
– Palo Alto – Inventive, gimmicky, maybe 1 star in our opinion
Californios – San Francisco – Finally some high end Mexican
Commis – Oakland – Getting more expensive..
Lazy Bear – San Francisco – Surprising. Maybe we finally need to go.
Single Thread – Healdsburg – New – Must go!

1 STAR (Very good restaurant in its category)

Adega – San Jose
Al’s Place – San Francisco – Borderline
Aster – San Francisco – Surprising newcomer – Also Borderline 1*.
Auberge du Soleil – Rutherford – They were wowed by the killer view.
Bouchon – Yountville – Best French Bistro in Bay Area
Campton Place – San Francisco – High end Cal-Indian – Demoted from 2*
Chez TJ – Mountain View – Surprising, seeing they have revolving door of chefs
Commonwealth – San Francisco – Finally there are here.
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant – Forestville – Decent but not stellar
Gary Danko – San Francisco
Hashiri – San Francisco
In Situ – San Francisco – Gimmicky but interesting
Ju-Ni – San Francisco
Keiko à Nob Hill – San Francisco
Kenzo – Napa – New
Kin Khao – San Francisco – Hmm. Borderline 1 star.
Kinjo – San Francisco – New
La Toque – Napa – Doesn’t belong up here!
Lord Stanley – San Francisco
Luce – San Francisco

Madera – Menlo Park – A stretch for 1*. More of a power scene.
Madrona Manor – Healdsburg
Michael Mina – San Francisco
Mister Jiu’s – San Francisco – A Shocker.. Doesn’t deserve to be here.
Mourad – San Francisco
Octavia – San Francisco – Yum. No Frances on the list
Omakase – San Francisco
Plumed Horse – Saratoga – Doesn’t deserve it
Rasa – Burlingame – really good Indian
Rich Table – Overrated
Sons & Daughters – San Francisco
SPQR – San Francisco – A bit too high, perhaps Bib only.
Spruce – San Francisco
State Bird Provisions – San Francisco – Hype city, but good!
Sushi Yoshizumi – San Mateo – Really very good
Terra – St. Helena
Terrapin Creek – Bodega Bay – Surprising
The Progress – San Francisco – Deserves it!
The Village Pub – Woodside
Wako – San Francisco
Wakuriya – San Mateo – A sleeper that is hard to get reservations for.

Michelin 2018 Bib Gourmand San Francisco Restaurants (two dishes and a glass of wine or dessert) for $40 or less, otherwise known as “Inspectors’ Favorites for Good Value”

‘āina – San Francisco – Great for Brunch
Anchor Oyster Bar – San Francisco – New
A16 – San Francisco
Backyard – Forestville
Bar Tartine – San Francisco – Removed
Bistro Aix – San Francisco
Bistro Jeanty – Yountville – Removed
Bistro 29 – Santa Rosa
Bravas
Brown Sugar Kitchen – Oakland – New
Bywater – Los Gatos – New
Chalkboard – Healdsburg
Chapeau! – We’d consider it for one star.

China Village – Albany – Surprising, but popular.
Comal – Berkeley
Cook – St. Helena
Coqueta – San Francisco – I think it will cost you more than $40.
Corso – Berkeley
Cotogna – San Francisco – This can easily cost more than $40!
Delfina – San Francisco – One star in our book!
Del Popolo – San Francisco – Not that great

Diavola – Wine Country
Dosa – San Francisco
Evvia – Palo Alto – Very hard to get a reservation – Removed
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai, San Francisco – OK, but Overhyped
Farmstead, Wine Country
FIVE – Berkeley
flour + water – San Francisco Removed – More Hype than greatness – Removed
Glen Ellen Star – Glen Ellen
Grace’s Table – Napa
Great China – Berkeley – Overrated

Hong Kong Lounge II – San Francisco – Can’t believe it, it is not that great.
Insalata’s – San Anselmo
Ippuku – Berkeley – Great Izakaya
Izakaya Rintaro, San Francisco
Kappou Gomi – San Francisco
Kokkari Estiatorio – San Francisco
La Costanera – Half Moon Bay – Yes it belongs down here – Not cheap either – Removed
La Perla, Wine Country – Removed

Lai Hong Lounge – San Francisco – Does not belong
Le Garage, Sausalito – Removed
Mamacita – San Francisco – Removed
Mason Pacific – San Francisco – New Chef – Removed
Michel Bistro – Oakland
Millennium, East Bay
Monti’s Rotisserie – Santa Rosa
M. Y. China – San Francisco
Nopalitao – San Francisco
Oenotri – Napa
Okane – San Francisco
Orchard City Kitchen, South Bay – In a Casino!
Pausa – San Mateo – OK, but stellar – New

Playa – Marin – New
Poggio, Sausalito
Ramen Gaijin, Wine Country – How about Santa ramen?
Redd Wood – NEW, Yountville – Deserving! Borderline 1*
Rich Table – San Francisco – Can be more expensive than $40 – Removed
Risibisi – Petaluma
Royal Feast – Millbrae – Overrated!
Scopa – Healdsburg
SHED Cafe – Healsburg
Sichuan Home – San Francisco – Hmm? Why?
Sir and Star – Olema
1601 Bar & Kitchen, San Francisco

Sociale – San Francisco – Overrated
Starbelly – San Francisco
Sushi Ran – Sausalito – Deserves 1 star?
Tacos Sinaloa – Berkeley
Thai House – Danville
The Farmer & the Fox, St Helena – OK but not great – Removed
Trestle – San Francisco – $35 prix fix – Great value
Tsubasa – San Francisco
Two Birds/One Stone – St Helena
Vesta (Redwood City) – Good pizza
Village Sake – Fairfax

wonderful, Millbrae – Hard to believe. Chinese regional food.
Wood Tavern – Oakland
Yank Sing – San Francisco – Expensive. How about R&G Lounge?
Yuzuki – San Francisco
Zero Zero – San Francisco
Zola – South Bay
Z & Y – San Francisco – Spicy and just ok

Many places removed are not considered in the future as we’ve seen very few re-instatements.

They forgot to include these restaurants in their lists starred or bib gourmand categories:

Restaurants they Missed:

Others that deserved to be on there:
Asian Pearl Peninsula

Boulevard – San Francisco – One of our favorites. Lost its 1 star
Bottega
Cala – Innovative Mexican
Chez Panisse dropped off several years ago, but really deserves at least 1 star. The Cafe is a great value.
Gialina – Bib Gourmand Pizza
Koi Palace – Forget about Mister Jiu
La Ciccia
Maruya – San Francisco – Too bad the chef just left.
Mission Chinese

Monsieur Benjamin – Fantastic French Bistro
Nopa

Perbacco – Deserves 1 star. Add Barbacco to Bib Gourmand.

Pizzaiolo

Redd – Yountville. Deserves 1 star
R&G Lounge
Sakae Sushi

Slanted Door (The) – Deserves Bib Gourmand
Tamarine
The House
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
Zuni Cafe

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