Ever-changing menus take center stage at chef James Syhabout’s intimate Commis, the East Bay’s only two-starred MICHELIN restaurant. Expect dishes that spotlight local ingredients with Southeast Asian influences, like the fan-favorite slow-poached egg yolk with smoked dates and onion cream, all in a modern 12-seat space that feels like you’re eating in someone’s cool living room.

Fine dining vet and James Beard finalist Geoff Davis returns to his roots with this totally fresh take on California soul food. Expect iconic dishes like barbecue shrimp and boiled peanuts alongside heirloom tomato salads and slow-simmered collards. The retro design and vintage plates make every meal here feel like Sunday supper with family—no wonder Food & Wine named Burdell its 2024 restaurant of the year.

Open since 1949, this legendary destination is the king of San Francisco steakhouses. From luxurious carved-to-order prime rib rolled out on carts to chefs spinning salads to extra-large martinis with sidecars, every meal in the restaurant’s old-school dining room decked with ruby-hued booths is rollicking and unforgettable.

Eating at a MICHELIN-Starred restaurant can feel like a serious event, but that’s never the case at State Bird Provisions. The hardest—and best—part about eating here is sticking to your order, as a dim sum cart rolls by with plates like cheesy sauerkraut pancakes and other New American dishes with Asian accents. Thanks to an ever-changing menu from James Beard Award-winning chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, each visit is better than the last.

From the bright, two-story space to the shareable California-inspired plates, this MICHELIN-Starred spot from James Beard Award winners Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza lives up to its motto: the greatest dinner party ever. Start with the whimsical caviar potato “cloud” before digging into show-stopping dishes like the Liberty Farm duck topped with crispy peanut fried rice—you won’t be disappointed.

Drop a pin in Chinatown for your mapo spaghetti needs—the playful Four Kings pop-up now has a permanent address. Watch chefs Franky Ho and Mike Long prepare crowd favorites like fried squab and chili crisp pig head in an open kitchen in the lively dining room, complete with retro '90s and Y2K Hong Kong memorabilia and a Cantopop soundtrack.

Expect bold, seafood-focused dishes cooked over an expansive wood-burning hearth and equally outstanding Bay views at this MICHELIN-Starred stunner. With exposed brick, wood paneling, and a prolific taxidermy collection, the sophisticated lodge-like space is a lively setting for digging into standout dishes like grilled hand-dived scallops and hot-fried frog legs with cardamom crème fraîche.

This Presidio restaurant—where the food is just as stunning as the Bay views—is founders Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz love letter to the Eastern Mediterranean. The menu is meant for sharing; the fluffy pitas are a must-order with hummus and muhammara. Better still, go for the chef's menu, so you can get the best of Dalida's juicy kebabs and seafood that landed it a spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurants list.

Packed since it opened its gilded door in 2019, this swanky steakhouse is the spot for prime Japanese and American Wagyu, dry-aged at the next-door butchery. Grab a seat at the 18-seat chef’s counter to watch Dustin Falcon (of Lazy Bear and French Laundry fame) throw down the tomahawk steaks and crispy pig ears that helped the one-of-a-kind restaurant earn one MICHELIN Star.

Chef Gary Danko’s namesake institution is where you go for classic French fine dining with a California twist. While the menu changes seasonally, the dishes are always peak luxury—seafood-studded risottos, decadent souffles, and extravagant cheeses served tableside by smartly suited servers. With an award-winning, 15,000-bottle wine list and lavish floral arrangements, the restaurant is the ultimate destination for special occasions.