Dominque Crenn's Atelier Crenn is her own creative studio, where she and her chefs tell a story every night. Based on a poem written for her father, the menu progresses from a surprising version of a Kir Breton to an otherworldly parade of desserts from pastry chef Juan Contreras. Not everything is what it seems, but it all tells a story.

It's not often you'll find a high-end tasting menu that pulls culinary inspiration from Mexico instead of France or Asia. But that's what Californios is doing, with dishes like barbecued and roasted carrots in a guinea fowl broth. That's in tandem with the sly hip hop softly playing on the speakers, and the highly curated sets of plateware.

Hashiri can be prohibitively expensive ($250 per person to start), but the price is worth the experience. An experience that includes incredibly attentive and informed service, down to details like presenting you with a tray of sake cup selections when you order a bottle. The amount of food is generous, with 12 pieces of sushi on top of the precious, subtle kaiseki menu. Don't be intimidated by the serious sushi chefs — they are very friendly upon interaction. As for the decor, it's as provocative as the food is traditional and service is warm, and that juxtaposition is delightful.

In Situ has brought the world to San Francisco, replicating dishes from the globe's best chefs and allowing diners to travel far without leaving the 7x7. It is awesome to eat a dish from a chef in Berlin, followed by one in Copenhagen, another in Bangkok, and then New York City. It would be a fail if not executed flawlessly, which In Situ certainly does.

Lazy Bear employs a service model entirely its own, one in which diners eat communally and chefs present each dish with a passionate speech. There are a lot of foraged ingredients, which come together in the tastiest of manners through surprising and expert preparations. Dishes don't say on the menu for long, ensuring an equally surprising visit every time you go.

Eating at Mission Chinese is sensory overload — the music is too loud, the lights glow too red, and the food is too spicy. All those "too's" lead up to just right, though, in a way that only Mission Chinese can seem to successfully pull off. Just submit yourself to the crazy ride, and let delight wash over you.

One dish in particular at this newly-opened Japanese izakaya is awe-inspiring, and it's the whole chicken cooked in brioche. You have to plan 24 hours in advance for this one, but if you do, you're rewarded with an entire sous-vide chicken tucked inside fluffy brioche. The brioche is opened tableside, at which point the chicken is carved, covered in miso butter and shiso chimichurri, and left to your devices.

The menu is only half of the fun at State Bird Provisions, where trays of inventive dishes roam the dining room, and all you have to do is point and eat. It's a style that's centuries old in traditional dim sum restaurants, but State Bird is breathing new life into the model with dishes like persimmon with kinako and black sesame or squash mochi with maitakes, brussels sprouts, and grated burgundy truffle.