Nob Hill Eats – Latest Reviews
February 11, 2013 in Alternative Cult-ure, Travel
These are some highlights from my latest dining experiences in San Francisco.
NEIGHBORHOOD: NOB HILL. It’s very hilly here; if have a hard time walking, dining in Nob Hill probably isn’t the best place for you.
Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
2 out of 5 Stars; Expensive
950 Mason St
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 772-5278
If you are looking for an experience that’s a cross between a tacky wedding reception and a luau, this place is it. There’s a band that plays classic hits from a boat. There’s also thunder and a fake rainfall. I ordered a $12 drink of the menu that appeared to be in a coconut. I asked, “does this drink come in a coconut?” The waitress said yes. But it was a fake coconut glass. The drink wasn’t bad. I went here on a date; it’s a local place at a very fancy hotel. We had no reservation so sat at the bar area, which wasn’t much different from the restaurant but there was a $7 cover per person. We ate from the full menu, so this fee was a bit silly, especially when 15 minutes after being seated there were a whole bunch of seats in the main dining room that opened up. The food was mediocre Chinese; the orange chicken was similar to a dish you can get order at Best Wok in Manhasset, New York (for a totally random reference point). I wouldn’t come back again, unless perhaps I took some LSD first. That would be a totally authentic San Fancisco experience. Prices: about $15/per drink; around $26/per entree.
Honey Honey Cafe & Crepery
4 out of 5 Stars; Inexpensive
599 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 351-2423
I have been here 10 times since moving to San Francisco proper. It’s delicious. Sometimes I order two breakfasts, such as a Nutella banana crepe and an egg dish. The crepe comes with a side of whipped cream or ice cream. (Yum, yum, yum!) I’m not too sure why I am not giving this 5 stars–I guess I reserve that for something I really, really love, but it’s definitely a 4.5 in my mind. Note that it is not full-service; you wait online to order and they bring the food to your table. There is some outdoor side-walk seating. Prices: I usually spend $10-15 on food and $3 for a coffee drink.
NEIGHBORHOOD: SOMA. It’s often sunny in downtown San Francisco.
Chaya Brasserie
3 out of 5 Stars; Expensive for Dinner / Excellent for Happy Hour
132 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-8688
I went to Chaya with a date; I planned something special for my new boyfriend’s 35th birthday. It was a bit of a disappointment for me that they didn’t seat us in the upscale section of the restaurant. Despite having a reservation, there was no table ready for us and we sat near the bar. In terms of food, I remember that the steak was good and not over cooked.
Previous to this experience, I went here for happy hour, which was a way better experience. A group of friends and I sat outside. I had the salmon skills rolls and thought that they were too hard and rubbery. I also had french fries that were excellent. (Salmon skin rolls and french friends, what a pair!). The atmosphere of sitting outside near the bay was great. I ignored the visibly intoxicated table of office workers who enjoyed the happy hour for too many hours.
In conclusion, I highly recommend happy hour, but I won’t be coming back for a fancy dinner.
>> Read more reviews on my new Yelp account http://lizardgallery.yelp.com (I think I signed up for Yelp four times, so: Yelp, it would be cool to be able to combine those accounts somehow.)
