Highest-rated restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in San Francisco by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in San Francisco, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Akari Japanese Bistro
- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1155 Folsom St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Al Carajo
- Rating: 5.0/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3224 1/2 22nd St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Ox & Tiger
- Rating: 5.0/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 552 Jones St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Filipino, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Bay Of Burma
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1174 Folsom St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Burmese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. ChiliCali
- Rating: 5.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1566 Carroll Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Pop-Up Restaurants, Caterers, Indonesian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Planet Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 244 Gough St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Internet Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#24. SF Organica
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 500 Larkin St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Basil the Bold
- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1661 Tennessee St. Ste 2J San Francisco, California
- Categories: Thai, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#22. San Francisco Meat Co
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 320 Fell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Butcher, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Shampa's Pies
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Categories: Desserts, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Kiwa Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 615 Cortland Ave. Shared Space Lunch San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ararat Kebab & Gyros
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 612 O'Farrell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Kebab, Turkish
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Aedan Koji Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 613 York St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Specialty Food
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Crêpe Hearts
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 United Nations Plz San Francisco, California
- Categories: Caterers, Food Trucks, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Alimentari Aurora
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 1415 18th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Specialty Food, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Cocina Mamá Cholita
- Rating: 5.0/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3471 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bocconcino
- Rating: 5.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 516 Green St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tahona Mercado
- Rating: 5.0/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1168 Leavenworth St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Jasmin's
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 809 Bush St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Bento Guys
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 398 7th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Food Delivery Services, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Marrakech Magic Theater
- Rating: 5.0/5 (1397 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 419 O'Farrell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Comedy Clubs, Magicians, Dinner Theater
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Pistachio Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 1535 Franklin St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cafe Gonzalez
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1600 Guerrero St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#7. La Fromagerie
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 2260 Chestnut St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Cheese Shops, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Ken
- Rating: 5.0/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 252 Divisadero St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Teruaki
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 6903 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Boochmania
- Rating: 5.0/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 685 Harrison St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Kombucha, Mediterranean, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Elena
- Rating: 5.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 347 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#2. The Check-In Lounge
- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 201 Ocean Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Burke & Black
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 380 Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Caterers, Wine Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
