Now on Resy: Gary Danko, Bouchon Bistro, Violet’s, and More Local Favorites
From Thomas Keller’s Yountville gems to a fine-dining stalwart in Russian Hill, these are just a few of the beloved Bay Area spots that are now bookable on Resy. Right this way.
Note: This list will be updated regularly with new additions each month, so be sure to check back often. For San Francisco’s newest restaurant openings, head here.
Bouchon Bistro Yountville
Newly added!
When one of America’s best chef-restaurateurs opens a Parisian-style bistro, as Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Per Se fame did with this Napa Valley favorite in 1998, you know that everything is going to be flawless. And Keller and his team more than deliver, with pâté de campagne, salade lyonnaise, steak frites, and every other Gallic classic you could dream of.
Ad Hoc Yountville
Newly added!
Thomas Keller creates some of the country’s most sophisticated cuisine at The French Laundry just up the street, but he’s an ace with more casual fare, too, as is shown nightly with Ad Hoc’s ever-changing fixed-price menu. Get ready for dishes like Caesar salad and grilled flank steak, but if the famous buttermilk fried chicken is available, don’t miss it.
Violet’s Central Richmond
Newly added!
Richmond locals have long been fans of this neighborhood staple, especially for its reliable burger, Old Bay chips and dip, and the “Big Ass chocolate chip cookie.” But it’s hard to pass up things like salmon tiradito, zippy ceviche, and a Latin-inspired cioppino.
Sobre Mesa Downtown Oakland
Newly added!
Because this downtown Oakland spot isn’t just some themed cocktail-focused spot; it’s a full-on tropical escape. Think lush plants and a cool retro design, with reggaeton and cumbia playing overheard. Modern and classic cocktail boast island vibes, and the cheese empanadas, peri peri chicken wings, and Gulf Coast shrimp lollipops simply do the rest.
Gary Danko Russian Hill/Fisherman's Wharf
Newly added!
Chef Gary Danko’s fine dining stalwart still impresses with its tasting menus, massive cheese cart, wine list, and suited servers. Signatures like glazed oysters and Osetra caviar, creamy lobster risotto, and lemon-pepper duck breast are never out of style.
Secrets of Tiger Emeryville
Newly added!
This colorful and vibrant local’s haunt is known for Thai staples and unique creations. For every plate of pad Thai and tom yum soup, there’s beef satay sticking out of a building-size hunk of toast, sfogliatelle-looking curry puffs, and excellent Thai fried chicken.
The Rustic Larkspur Larkspur
Because The Rustic comes courtesy of Restaurant Chez Panisse veteran Zoti Ali Turap, and at this Marin County offshoot of the San Francisco original, you can expect the same, fresh, California-accented Italian food. Think housemade pastas (gluten-free options are available), artisanal pizzas, and a skillfully chosen wine list. Big bonus: complimentary focaccia is served on request.
mijoté Mission District
The word mijoté translates to “simmered” in French, which refers more to the thoughtful approach to chef Kosuke Tada’s food than to the actual cooking technique. Local, seasonal ingredients plucked from prime farms and vendors fill the ever-changing prix–fixe menus. Full of exceptional natural wine selections, the drinks list shifts appropriately.
The Black Cat Downtown Livermore
You might be here for the music, but the food isn’t an afterthought. A perfect date spot, this Tenderloin supper club features great live jazz and food to match. Choose from classics like crab cakes, shrimp and grits, big salads, and steak frites, or get a set menu to keep decisions simple.
The Rabbit Hole Bernal Heights
This is the place to go to when you want youtiao — long, golden, deep-fried Taiwanese doughnuts — and spiked boba cocktails for brunch, or sesame peanut noodles or a smash burger at night.
Bungalow on Rose Danville
The room is charming, and the service is friendly and accommodating — everything you’d want in a go-to Thai spot. The menu brings a coastal vibe, with dishes like fried calamari with tom yum aioli, jumbo prawns in red curry, and lobster tail smothered in yellow curry, alongside more familiar dishes like crab fried rice and noodles.
Collina Russian Hill
The former tenant of this Nob Hill space was the well-loved Seven Hills, which moved a few blocks away in 2019 — but the team behind it doubled up by installing this market-driven Italian gem in its place. The signature dish is an egg-filled raviolo, but don’t miss daily specials like local albacore carpaccio or hand-cut pasta with black truffle butter.
Wizards and Wands Marina District
Magic and fantasy are the themes at this grown-up wonderland beneath a towering dragon statue. Bewitching murals, Harry Potter references (you will see a Quidditch broom), and an eerie, light-streaked floor help set the scene for a menu of conjured-up libations (yes, there is Butterbeer) and a menu full of dishes like deviled dragon eggs and an enchanted burger.
Prik Hom Jordan Park
The narrow, minimalist space belies the bright, aromatic, and flavor-packed dishes that come out of this kitchen. This is Thai food with a Michelin nod, after all, where the menu ranges from sweet scallops with shredded lemongrass and chili jam to beef cheek curry, spicy papaya salad with fried quail, and inky squid stir-fry. A glass or two of skin-contact wine, some mango sorbet and sticky rice, and you’re set.
Kaiyo Restaurant SoMa
Much like Kaiyo Cow Hollow and the rooftop restaurant just an elevator ride away, Nikkei cuisine is alive and well at this iteration on the hotel’s ground floor. Peruvian and Japanese flavors and ingredients abound, from individual oysters bathing in leche de tigre to super shareable plates of lomo saltado. The drink menu differs from the rooftop, so consider one here, one there, and call it a night.
Friends and Family Uptown Oakland
This Uptown Oakland spot is one of the best places for a first date. Maybe it’s the lighting that makes everyone look fantastic, maybe it’s that excellent carrot cake that begs for sharing (a good barometer to see if they’re worthy of a second date), or just the whole “everyone’s welcome” vibe of the place. Cocktails are the beating heart — try Mom’s Rosy Cheeks, a rose-scented chiller for hot nights — and some snacks, or a crisp, crushable beer, zero-proof sipper, or glass of wine on the patio.
Kuma Nori Burlingame
The small space filled with Japanese daruma dolls and good luck cats looks like something you stumbled upon in a Tokyo alleyway. The food feels just as intimate and inviting — things like a breaded pork cutlet over scrambled eggs and steamed rice (a mainstay) and the quirkily named “stupid tuna roll,” most likely named for the absurd amount of tuna sashimi and uni draped over the sushi roll.
Society Eatery & Lounge Burlingame
The crowd’s young, purple lights and neon create a cool vibe, and everyone’s digging into puffy-crust pizzas, dips, and skewers. Stick around for late-night hookah.
Harrington’s Bar & Grill Financial District
They may be trying to reinvent history at this iconic, nearly 100-year-old bar, but the place still has soul. The old and new commingle — yes, there’s a perfect pint of Guinness waiting for you, but also an espresso martini or Negroni — and you can never go wrong with a Scotch egg. Or a smash burger, for that matter.
Napizza Marina District
How can you not have fun at a place serving wood-fired pizza topped with hot dogs and French fries? Everyone seems to be having a blast here, where the wine flows easily, and the pies come hot and bubbly from the oven. There are classic toppings, of course, plus shareable starters like meatballs, arancini, and arugula salads.
Casaro Osteria Marina, San Francisco
Sometimes you feel like you’re in the heart of Italy here, and not sitting in the Cow Hollow sibling to Il Casaro. It could be the colorful rooster plates, face-shaped cups, or maybe the perfectly chewy Neapolitan pizzas and al dente housemade pasta. Whatever it is, it’s precisely where you want to be.
