Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area

Best Neighbourhood Gem Restaurants in Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Price
Cuisine
Regions
Neighbourhoods
Top Rated
Dining Options
Seating Options
Award-winning
Accessibility

165 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club restaurant
1. Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club
4.9
Exceptional(900)
Price: Moderate
• Cocktail Bar • Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Booked 33 times today
***Best Jazz Club in the City, by San Francisco Magazine***Mr. Tipple’s is a craft cocktail bar featuring live jazz.-Reservations have a 90min time limit from reservation time. There is a $20/guest min for table serviceMr. Tipple’s heralds back to a 1950s NYC basement. Cozy. Dark. Boozy. The intimate setting features local jazz artists up close and personal. It’s a joint where you come as you are, hear great music, tap your toes, and sip a properly chilled cocktail.-My name is Mr. Tipple. Just a simple and laughable bloke hailing from London. I run a recording studio. My friends joke that you’ll oft find me spinning cocktails, not reeling tape. After a few too many, I usually just sit back and enjoy the music, having forgotten to hit record. Regardless, the band is always jiving, the whiskey is always cold, and we’re having a smashing good time.
A photo of Hayes Street Grill restaurant
2. Hayes Street Grill
4.6
Exceptional(4340)
Price: Expensive
• Seafood • Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Booked 48 times today
Hayes Street Grill is a beloved neighborhood gem, nestled in the heart of San Francisco's Civic Center district. As one reviewer puts it, it's 'a caring restaurant with good food and good service' that retains the tradition of a classic SF gem. The restaurant specializes in seafood, with reviews consistently praising the freshness and quality of the food. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with ever-competent wait staff, making it a go-to spot for both locals and visitors alike.
A photo of ¡Chao Pescao! restaurant
3. ¡Chao Pescao!
4.3
Awesome(650)
Price: Moderate
• Latin American • Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Booked 10 times today
Chao Pescao is a new casual Latin Caribbean restaurant from longtime San Francisco restaurateur Rene Denis inspired by his Cuban-Colombian heritage. The name, translating roughly to “see you later alligator,” captures the friendly and fun spirit of the restaurant. Cocktails are inspired by many of the traditional drinks from Latin America, while the food pulls from the comforting Cuban and Colombian home cooking of Denis’s childhood. The menu is rounded out with other Latin American favorites with particular emphasis on dishes designed for delivery. Chao Pescao is located in the Civic Center Plaza at the heart of the city, across from City Hall.
A photo of Zuni Cafe restaurant
4. Zuni Cafe
4.6
Exceptional(7923)
Price: Expensive
• Modern European • Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Booked 100 times today
Zuni Café opened in San Francisco, California on February 15, 1979. Our daily changing menus are inspired by seasonal organic ingredients and incorporate traditional French and Italian cuisine. As Zuni continues to evolve, in its own distinctive and delicious way, it strives to remain the way it’s always been: at the same time rustic and cosmopolitan, audacious and familiar, intimate and convivial.RESERVATIONS ARE TAKEN UP TO 4 WEEKS IN ADVANCE.TABLES ARE RESERVED FOR A 2 HOUR TIME LIMIT.
A photo of The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus - San Francisco restaurant
5. The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus - San Francisco
4.7
Exceptional(6214)
Price: Expensive
• Contemporary American • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 77 times today
The Rotunda serves afternoon tea seven days a week beginning at 1:30 p.m. A tea experience reservation is necessary to enjoy our daily tea service. Any dietary restrictions must be noted at least 24 hours in advance of your reservation.Please use link below to reserve your tea experience.https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=889&restref=889&experienceId=35326Let THE ROTUNDA® host your next Baby or Bridal Shower. We pride ourselves on creating the perfect menu and ambience for your event in our chic and inviting atmosphere. Pamper the glowing bride- or mother-to-be in your life with the shower of her dreams or a lavish luncheon.*February 22, the outside elevator is under construction. Enter through any of the outside NM entrances, take any elevator to the 4th floor.
A photo of Che Fico San Francisco restaurant
6. Che Fico San Francisco
4.6
Exceptional(1952)
Price: Expensive
• Italian • North Panhandle / USF
Booked 62 times today
Che Fico, is a California Italian restaurant from Chefs David Nayfeld and Matt Brewer in San Francisco's NOPA neighborhood. The food focuses on Italian cuisine through the lens of California. It’s our vision of Northern California as if it is a region in Italy, our connection to the region, and our love for Italian culinary practices. The rustic, market-driven menu features handmade pasta, pizzas, antipasti, housemade salumi, meat, and fish plus dishes from the Jewish-Roman heritage known as “Cucina Ebraica.” The beverage program focuses heavily on both Italian and Californian wines with a cocktail program that utilizes a variety of spirits, amaros, and seasonal ingredients. Che Fico is a place to gather with friends and enjoy warm hospitality, food, and drink, through an approachable menu and convivial ambiance.
A photo of Little Original Joe's -- Marina restaurant
7. Little Original Joe's -- Marina
4.8
Exceptional(78)
Price: Moderate
• Italian • Marina / Cow Hollow / Presidio
Booked 35 times today
Welcome to Little Original Joe's -- an Italian-American neighborhood eatery featuring pizza, pasta, and parmigiana in San Francisco's Marina neighborhood! Limited reservations are available for up to 6 guests -- we look forward to seeing you soon!
A photo of Nopa - San Francisco restaurant
8. Nopa - San Francisco
4.7
Exceptional(3589)
Price: Expensive
• Californian • North Panhandle / USF
Booked 101 times today
Nopa is a San Francisco gathering place north of the Panhandle, serving urban rustic food and specializing in organic wood-fired cuisine. We serve simple dishes created with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms and purveyors.
A photo of Elena's restaurant
9. Elena's
4.7
Exceptional(619)
Price: Moderate
• Mexican • Forest Hill / West Portal
Booked 138 times today
Welcome to Elena's -- a place where a family’s love for authentic Mexican food is celebrated and combined with California-inspired elements and signature Mexican-American dishes. We offer reservations for up to 8 guests via OpenTable. At the time of your reservation, we kindly request the entire party be present to be seated. Tables will be held for up to 10 minutes after the reservation time. For parties that arrive later, the table will be released but we will do our best to accommodate the reservation with the next available table. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to Elena’s!
A photo of Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar - Fairmont San Francisco restaurant
10. Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar - Fairmont San Francisco
3.7
Very Good(1823)
Price: Moderate
• Unspecified • Nob Hill
Booked 10 times today
*Please note that Laurel Court will temporarily only be offering carry-out or to-go food. Guest will not be permitted to dine inside the restaurant. We apologize for any inconvenience.*

How is content generated

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
  • Peter C.VIP
    San Francisco Bay Area •3 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 1 day ago
    Our lunch today was simply outstanding. Classic Zuni Cafe .....low-key quality and consistency. Delicious oysters; memorable lemonade; the best hearth baked bread and butter; a citrus salad that tasted incredible; an always tasty cheese burger; and (drum roll) a citrus Pavlova that we hoped would never end. So Great! So Zuni!
    More info
    Zuni CafePrice: Expensive• Modern European• Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
    •
    4.6
  • MarciaVIP
    San Francisco Bay Area •21 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    Hayes Street Grill has offered quality and value with consistency over the decades. Always a pleasure to dine here
    More info
    Hayes Street GrillPrice: Expensive• Seafood• Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
    •
    4.6
  • DonnaVIP
    San Francisco Bay Area •28 reviews
    4.0
    Dined 3 days ago
    Love this restaurant at Neiman’s San Francisco, but boy is it loud and busy. Never have gotten a good table but the bar tables are nice enough. The food was great and so was the bartender who was our server!
    More info
    The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus - San FranciscoPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Downtown / Union Square
    •
    4.7
  • TerryVIP
    San Francisco Bay Area •110 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 6 days ago
    What a fantastic spot! We chose Mr. Tipple’s mostly for its proximity to the Bill Graham Auditorium, but almost immediately upon entering wondered “how did we not know about this place?” The space is very intimate and inviting, and from the front desk to everyone who served us, the staff was friendly and efficient. The dim sum format was perfect for the venue and delicious. Oh right… and wow: the quartet playing that evening was five star.
    More info
    Mr. Tipple’s Jazz ClubPrice: Moderate• Cocktail Bar• Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
    •
    4.9
  • Elyse
    New York City •4 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 6 days ago
    My husband and I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Our table server was fantastic and her service was great. We did notice that it was difficult for the server to get back to us quickly to follow-up on drinks and food, but I don't think this was due to her. The place was busy and it seemed like all servers were also responsible for tending the bar. Maybe they were down staffed, but either way we really did love being there. The service only became an issue because after 1.5 hours at a bar table, the host (Not our server) told us we would need to finish up in the next 5 minutes because people were waiting. We were on our way out, so it wasn't a problem, but it did feel rushed. If there is a limit on table time, it would be helpful to have that noted when you make a reservation.
    More info
    ¡Chao Pescao!Price: Moderate• Latin American• Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
    •
    4.3

Discover best neighborhood gem restaurants in Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Discover the charm of "neighborhood gems" in the vibrant Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness area of San Francisco. This eclectic district is renowned for its unique dining experiences that cater to both locals and visitors seeking something truly special. Each restaurant in this category offers a distinct ambiance and menu, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry of San Francisco. From cozy, intimate settings perfect for a romantic evening to lively, bustling atmospheres ideal for a group night out, there’s something to suit every taste and occasion. The dining scene here is characterized by a commitment to quality and a flair for creative culinary expressions, making each meal memorable. Enjoy the blend of excellent service, innovative cuisine, and a warm welcome that defines these neighborhood gems. Whether you're a long-time resident or a first-time visitor, these restaurants promise a delightful exploration of local flavors and gourmet craftsmanship.

Explore OpenTable

Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Open for Business Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo