Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the San Francisco area by diners

Written by:
爆料TV
August 28, 2024
Javier Volcan // Shutterstock

Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the San Francisco area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all 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 and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 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鈥攁 French style of serving with a set menu鈥攂ecame the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' 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, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the San Francisco area using data from . 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 June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

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#30. Sotto Mare

- Rating: 4.3/5 (5709 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 552 Green St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Seafood, Italian, Bars
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#29. Benu

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1245 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 22 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Wine Bars, Seafood
-

#28. Chapeau

- Rating: 4.3/5 (2981 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 126 Clement St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French
-

#27. Acquerello

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1321 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1722 Sacramento St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
-

#26. Trestle

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1290 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 531 Jackson St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American, Desserts
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#25. Niku Steakhouse

- Rating: 4.4/5 (873 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 61 Division St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Steakhouses
-

#24. Fog Harbor Fish House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (11846 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 39 Pier San Francisco, California
- Categories: Seafood, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
-

#23. Fermentation Lab

- Rating: 4.4/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1700A Post St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Seafood, Asian Fusion
-

#22. Kokkari Estiatorio

- Rating: 4.4/5 (5464 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 200 Jackson St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
-

#21. Birdsong

- Rating: 4.4/5 (469 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1085 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
-

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#20. Ofena

- Rating: 4.4/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2529 Ocean Ave. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Bars
-

#19. Lazy Bear

- Rating: 4.5/5 (861 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3416 19th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
-

#18. The Holbrook House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1 Sansome St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
-

#17. Okaeri Japanese Bistro

- Rating: 4.5/5 (415 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3515 20th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
-

#16. Nisei

- Rating: 4.5/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2316 Polk St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese
-

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#15. Taksim

- Rating: 4.5/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 564 4th St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Wine Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
-

#14. Gary Danko

- Rating: 4.5/5 (6059 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 800 North Point St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American, French, Cocktail Bars
-

#13. Liholiho Yacht Club

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2907 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 871 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Bars, New American, Seafood
-

#12. L'Ardoise Bistro

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1475 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 151 Noe St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Desserts
-

#11. Seven Hills

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1481 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1896 Hyde St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
-

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#10. Abrazo

- Rating: 4.5/5 (237 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2000 Hyde St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Spanish, New American, Seafood
-

#9. O' by Claude Le Tohic

- Rating: 4.6/5 (226 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 165 O'Farrell St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: French, New American
-

#8. San Ho Won

- Rating: 4.6/5 (792 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2170 Bryant St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Korean, Barbecue
-

#7. Tavola Rustica

- Rating: 4.6/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 215 Church St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Italian, Modern European, New American
-

#6. Merchant Roots

- Rating: 4.7/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1148 Mission St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
-

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#5. Savor

- Rating: 4.7/5 (280 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 Irving St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Tapas/Small Plates
-

#4. Yakiniku Shodai

- Rating: 4.7/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1420 Market St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Japanese, Barbecue
-

#3. Sato Omakase

- Rating: 4.7/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1122 Post St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars
-

#2. Anomaly SF

- Rating: 4.8/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2600 Sutter St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: New American
-

#1. Ox & Tiger

- Rating: 4.9/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 552 Jones St. San Francisco, California
- Categories: Filipino, Japanese
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.

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