Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Francisco using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. 7 Adams
- Rating: 4.3/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1963 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Sorella
- Rating: 4.3/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1760 Polk St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Bouche
- Rating: 4.3/5 (947 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 603 Bush St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Bottega
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1176 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1132 Valencia St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Pasta Shops, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Sotto Mare
- Rating: 4.3/5 (5464 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 552 Green St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Seafood, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Gozu
- Rating: 4.3/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 201 Spear St. Ste 120 San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Benu
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1234 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 22 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Chapeau
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2935 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 126 Clement St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Acquerello
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1288 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1722 Sacramento St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Niku Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.4/5 (775 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 61 Division St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Trestle
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1216 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 531 Jackson St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Fog Harbor Fish House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (10841 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 39 Pier San Francisco, California
- Categories: Seafood, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Pearl
- Rating: 4.4/5 (513 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6101 California St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Aphotic
- Rating: 4.4/5 (298 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 816 Folsom St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Nisei
- Rating: 4.4/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2316 Polk St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Kokkari Estiatorio
- Rating: 4.4/5 (5309 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 200 Jackson St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Birdsong
- Rating: 4.4/5 (442 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1085 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lazy Bear
- Rating: 4.4/5 (826 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3416 19th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Gary Danko
- Rating: 4.5/5 (5983 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 800 North Point St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American, French, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Liholiho Yacht Club
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2804 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 871 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Bars, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Seven Hills
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1406 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1896 Hyde St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Abrazo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (207 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2000 Hyde St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Spanish, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#8. San Ho Won
- Rating: 4.5/5 (644 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2170 Bryant St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Korean, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
#7. O' by Claude Le Tohic
- Rating: 4.6/5 (213 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 165 O'Farrell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Kiln
- Rating: 4.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 149 Fell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Savor
- Rating: 4.7/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 Irving St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Yakiniku Shodai
- Rating: 4.7/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1420 Market St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Anomaly SF
- Rating: 4.8/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2600 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Sato Omakase
- Rating: 4.8/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1122 Post St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Noodle in a Haystack
- Rating: 4.8/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 4601 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Ramen, New American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
