Why did we dine here? – Rich Table is the work of Husband and wife Chefs Evan and Sarah Rich. (Bouley, Coi, Michael Mina) Pretty casual but full of middle aged well dressed foodies, this loud restaurant has a rustic, barn like setting. Our last visit was in Summer 2026 when we found them on the Chase Sapphire list!  They also run RT Bistro next door. Insider Tip – Make reservations months in advance! Cuisine – California Cuisine Location – San Francisco, Hayes Valley Opened – 2012 Service – Rich Table had very good service with a helpful server providing for our needs. He came around every once in a while and did not need to be chased down. Good pacing. Verdict – Rich Table has improved with age. Even though it no longer has a Michelin Star, we found the food and service excellent. Rich Table Signature Dishes – House-made levain, Tonnarelli, Sardine Chips Rich Table’s Menu changes from time to time and features lots of interesting ingredients, local, organic, sustainable items. There are only a couple vegetarian options. Website Rich Table Menu Rich Table Food Review 2026 NA Pod Culture ($18) is an expensive NA drink with a […]

This post originally from Rich Table Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Why did we dine here? – Happy Crane is a brand new modern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco that has been eagerly awaited after a successful popup. In Chinese culture, the crane symbolizes longevity, wisdom, and nobility, while the name itself also pays subtle homage to the charming, storybook-style names found in traditional English pubs. Chef James used to work at Benu among other prestigious kitchens. We’ve eaten at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, where he had worked. Definitely see the influence. This restaurant continues the movement toward modern Cantonese food in San Francisco. It builds upon the momentum of Four Kings and Mister. Jiu. We have eaten here twice. It is located in the former Monsieur Benjamin location. Needless to say it was hard scoring an Opentable reservation, but we managed to get in a couple weeks after they opened. They just started accepting walk-ins for the bar! Insider Tip – Setup OpenTable alerts to score a rez Cuisine – Modern Chinese Location – San Francisco City Hall Area Opened – 2025 Service – Happy Crane was competent but not omnipresent. Order was taken faster than expected. Food came fast. Slight delays in some refilling and some pacing issues. […]

This post originally from Happy Crane, San Francisco

Why did we dine here? – Dumpling Home was featured in the SF Chronicle for Xiao Long Bao or Soup Dumplings making us really want to try it. We are big fans of these delicate little steamed dumplings and have eaten them all over the world including Shanghai. The two best spots in the past have been Din Tai Fung in Santa Clara and Yank Sing, SF. We have dined here many times with our last visit was during Winter 2024. Dumpling Hours in Walnut Creek is their sister restaurant with an identical menu.  We ate there in September 2022 and found it substantially identical. They opened Dumpling Story on Fillmore street in San Francisco in June 2023. 90% of the menu is the same. Fewer boiled dumplings. Numb & Spicy Pork Bao, Fried Tofu with Sweet Soy Sauce, Seasoning Pork Intestine Noodles, Tomato & Egg Noodles, Braised Eggplant. Some say the dumplings here are slightly better or worse. In the middle of 2025 we visited Shanghai and ate at Lai Lai Xiao Long Bao – The current top spot for XLB. Dumpling Home is about 90% as good as them! Not bad. Yangs Dumpling Shanghai is definitely a lot […]

This post originally from Dumpling Home, San Francisco

Absinthe is a popular French restaurant in Hayes Valley, right near the symphony and War Memorial Theater. It has long been a favorite of art patrons before performances. Why did we dine here? – We have never dined at Absinthe. Been here for drinks and always had it in the back of our minds that we needed to eat here. This restaurant is one of the highest rated on Yelp in San Francisco. Being huge fans of French food, it was just a matter of time. Our last visit was summer 2022 during the Pandemic. We dined at their parklet outside Summary – Absinthe fulfilled our expectations by serving excellent food in a romantic setting. Put it on a short list of candidates if you are in the area. 4% healthy SF fee. Insider Tip – Make reservations in advance, Absinthe is fairly small and fills up fast. Cuisine – French Chef – Adam Keough Location – San Francisco Hayes Valley Opened – 1998 Decor, Vibe – Absinthe features redish wall decor with lots of mirrors and French posters. The restaurant was filled with well dressed diners. Clearly there is an early crowd that crams a meal in before a […]

This post originally from Absinthe Brasserie Review, San Francisco

Be sure to check out the Zuni Cafe Book Zuni Cafe is a popular American restaurant on Market street near Hayes Valley. Judy Rodgers has served classic fare that stays timeless since their inception in 1979. She passed away in 2013, but her tradition continues. Menu changes daily, yet the classics stay one. Zuni uses sustainable and humane ingredients. They are packed most of the time. Bar tables are available first come first serve. Our last meal was takeout during the Pandemic in 2021. Pandemic Zuni Notes: They use a reusable takeout container system from Dispatch Good that you need to return to them or other restaurants using this system.  Great to prevent garbage, but bad if you live outside San Francisco. It took us 20 minutes to get home and we had to re-heat the fries and bread salad Zuni chicken for 2 ($58 with $10 donation) was good but a little dry Avocado and grapefruit salad was decent ($16)   Decor, Vibe – Zuni Cafe is an odd, pie shaped building with exposed brick, large windows, large bar area and oyster bar. Noisy and crowded with Lots of folks in their 30’s to 50’s, better dressed, a bit […]

This post originally from Zuni Cafe Restaurant Review, San Francisco

This post originally from Lers Ros Restaurant Review, San Francisco