The Resy Guide to Splurge Restaurants in San Francisco and the Bay Area

Chef Kristina Liedags Compton best showcases her fine-dining experience (Range, Atelier Crenn, Avery) in a fun five-course Chef’s Adventure menu — it’s so much more than just brunch for dinner. But if you really want to go for it, consider the rolled omelet add it on, cooked with bonito butter and topped with seven generous grams of caviar.

San Francisco fine dining institution Gary Danko transports you into another dimension once you step into its doors. Their choose-your-own adventure tasting menu gives you the choice to pick three, four, or five courses from any section of the menu. Go for the five — the more, the merrier here.

There’s a reason Hi Felicia is one of the most buzzed-about restaurants in the Bay Area: With its communal supperclub vibes, it’s one of the most unique, special dining, and enjoyable dining experiences in the Bay Area.

On Monday nights, Izakaya Rintaro transforms into Kappo Rintaro, a restaurant within a restaurant of sorts, featuring a seasonal omakase menu by Sylvan Mishima Brackett, with optional sake pairings. The $175 multi-course affair features dishes not on the regular menu, lobster cooked over binchotan. It’s a chance for them to cook dishes that are too intensive to cook during regular izakaya service.

The Liberty Farm Peking-style roast duck at Mister Jiu’s is a stunner—the crispy skinned beautiful bird comes out glazed and glistening, sliced and served with housemade pancakes, peanut butter hoisin, cucumbers, cilantro, and scallions. It takes one hour to arrive so order it as soon as you sit down, and is priced at $145 and serves two to three easily — a very justifiable splurge.

Because it’s Chez Panisse.

The best way to experience the fiery Thai fare at Nari is by going with the Chef’s Pick Menu. It’s $115/per person, and gives a portioned and paced, balanced experience of the entire menu. Grab a couple cocktails and/or a bottle of Riesling to really do it right.

You can still splurge and not have to spend the coin. Case in point: the banh khot with caviar at Bodega, which features the turmeric-tinged mini pancakes stuffed with shrimp and topped with caviar for only $12. You can get it a la carte during the dinner menu, or find it featured on the “Ask Billy” tasting menu option.

While you may not necessarily have to splurge on the food at Heirloom Café, you can cellar dive deep into Heirloom Café’s extensive wine list. Let head somm Stephen Hallenbeck be your wine guide and show you the way.