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Dalida
Patricia Chang

14 Romantic Restaurants for a Night Out in San Francisco

Snuggle into a plush booth and enjoy a great meal at these dinner destinations

by Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria, and Eater Staff Updated
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Dalida
| Patricia Chang
by Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria, and Eater Staff Updated

With such a stellar collection of cuisines and restaurants, San Francisco makes it easy to enjoy a delicious night out. But where should you go when you want to take that special someone somewhere that screams romance? While there will always be the classic steakhouses or red-checkered tablecloth joints, there are also lots of gems that pull off the aura of romance just as well.

Romance is more than just candles or a hushed atmosphere, so we’ve made a list of 14 of the most romantic restaurants in San Francisco — each of which has just a little something extra to take date night up a notch. Some have plush booths for snuggling and others have white tablecloths or impressive views, but all are delicious choices for wooing or keeping that spark alive.

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Cafe Jacqueline

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This is slow food at its best, with each savory-and-sweet, sky-high, handmade soufflé made only by chef Jacqueline Margulis. Service in this tiny North Beach restaurant is decidedly old school, and reservations are taken only by phone. The French food takes time here and is meant to be shared, so make sure you go with someone you’re happy to spend a few hours with.

1454 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 981-5565
(415) 981-5565

Also featured in:

Dalida

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Nestled into the Presidio, Dalida serves Eastern Mediterranean cuisine that’s perfect for a date and can easily pair with a walk through the area’s picturesque natural spaces. But inside the stunning restaurant, the food and drinks will also vie for attention with dishes such as a 12-hour lamb tandoor and sea urchin tahdig, or the Anatolian martini made with olive oil-washed olive leaf gin with dry and blanc vermouths and olive brine. The dessert menu is also worth a glimpse if you’re looking to stretch out the night.

101 Montgomery St Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 237-1999
(415) 237-1999
The bar and dining room at Dalida. Patricia Chang

Also featured in:

Bix

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Tucked away on a narrow street in Jackson Square, this swanky supper club offers plush booths and balcony seating in a classic Art Deco setting, complete with nightly live piano and jazz. Dine on fancy deviled eggs or the restaurant’s famous chicken hash, and don’t pass up a seat at the lively bar to watch classic martinis being shaken or stirred by bartenders sporting bow ties and white jackets.

56 Gold St, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 433-6300
(415) 433-6300
Bix

Trestle Restaurant

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Tucked into an inconspicuous space off Colombus Avenue, Trestle’s narrow dining room makes for an intimate dinner setting. Dark brick and cinnamon-colored woods fill the room, where savvy diners know they can find a prix fixe menu that costs just $42, a steal in this city of Champagne and caviar. There’s the option to add a pasta supplement but the ever-changing menu typically includes a seasonal salad, hearty entree, and dessert. 

531 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 772-0922
(415) 772-0922
Trestle

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Empress by Boon

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Go to Chinatown and take an elevator up to the top floor where the iconic Empress of China restaurant used to be. In its place is Empress by Boon, serving modern Cantonese food in a sleek atmosphere with impressive views. Only a prix fixe menu is offered, but you can order a la carte at the bar. Be prepared to doll up to dine here, as there’s a dress code of no t-shirts or shorts.

838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 757-0728
(415) 757-0728
Patricia Chang

Also featured in:

Boulevard

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Chef Nancy Oakes’ quintessential San Francisco restaurant sits in a historic building right near the foot of the Bay Bridge, perfect for pairing dinner with a romantic walk along the waterfront. The menu is unabashedly Californian and dialed into what’s local and seasonal, and you get to savor your three courses in a redesigned dining room that still retains artisanal mosaics and blown glass.

1 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-6084
(415) 543-6084
The renovated dining room at Boulevard. Patricia Chang

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EPIC Steak

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For those who associate romance with dinner at a steakhouse, why not choose one that has Bay Bridge and water views? Located right on the Embarcadero with huge windows and a large heated patio to soak in the vista, EPIC offers a menu that has all the classics, from shrimp cocktail to béarnaise sauce to pour over grilled steaks. Wash it all down with a big, bold glass of red wine or sip on a classic cocktail instead.

369 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 369-9955
(415) 369-9955

Also featured in:

Ula Mediterranean Dining & Cocktails

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Art Deco meets gorgeous under-the-sea fixtures in this seafood-centric Union Square restaurant. The large space mixes booths, tables, and a balcony if you want to get a birds-eye view of the action below. Want live music? Have your oysters on the half shell or lobster agnolotti in the Jellyfish Room as you listen to jazz, funk, or soul (reservation and fee apply).

450 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 999-4950
(415) 999-4950
Ula Mediterranean

Also featured in:

Sociale

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Walk down a narrow alley past a floral shop and emerge onto a heated patio with a secret garden feel in Presidio Heights. Nibble on fried olives while you peruse the Italian-influenced menu where pastas are the star, and don’t forget to leave room for dessert, especially the chocolate oblivion cake that has olive oil, sea salt, and amaretti cookie crumbles.

3665 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 921-3200
(415) 921-3200
Sociale

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L'Ardoise Bistro

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French-speaking waiters and chalkboard menus complete the cozy bistro atmosphere in the Castro where you can dine indoors or outdoors among the trees. All the French mainstays are served here, from escargots to duck confit and coq au vin — and the mostly old-world wine list offers plenty of choices to partner with the classic fare.

151 Noe St, San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 437-2600
(415) 437-2600
L’Ardoise

Frances

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With its striking black-and-white paint job and long, narrow dining room, chef Marissa Perello’s Frances achieves an effortless cool that makes the restaurant more than just a neighborhood standard. The menu, spearheaded by chef de cuisine Jordan Whittrock, spins local and seasonal ingredients into elegant plates like a cured crudo with stone fruit and gulf snapper with black rice and dragon tongue beans.

3870 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 621-3870
(415) 621-3870

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DAMNFiNE pizza

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If you’re looking for a date spot in the Sunset that won’t crush the bank, Damnfine Pizza is a good place to pick up a wood-fired pizza and it has a full liquor license. There are classic pizzas like the clam pie, pepperoni, or Margherita, before things get playful — for example, the purple potato pesto pizza with pancetta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The cocktails skew both classic and original, but it’s never not an occasion for the Damnfine spritz, which pairs well with pizza.

3410 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Damnfine

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Penny Roma

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From the folks at Flour + Water, Penny Roma specializes in Roman pasta served in a heated courtyard in the Mission outfitted with a retractable roof and lush plants. Dishes from other regions in Italy complete the menu, from crudos to a 32-ounce bone-in ribeye with bone marrow salsa verde. The easy-to-understand wine list features Californian and Italian bottles broken down into natural and classic categories.

3000 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 826-7004
(415) 826-7004
Patricia Chang

Also featured in:

Foreign Cinema

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String lights illuminate this magical courtyard in the Mission where diners are treated to both dinner and a movie after dusk. The California-Mediterranean menu includes oysters, snacky starters, lots of vegetarian options, and a cocktail list peppered with cinematic references. Use the drive-in speakers next to each table to turn the volume up or down depending on how interested you are in the evening’s flick being projected on the wall. 

2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-7600
(415) 648-7600
Foreign Cinema

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Cafe Jacqueline

1454 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

This is slow food at its best, with each savory-and-sweet, sky-high, handmade soufflé made only by chef Jacqueline Margulis. Service in this tiny North Beach restaurant is decidedly old school, and reservations are taken only by phone. The French food takes time here and is meant to be shared, so make sure you go with someone you’re happy to spend a few hours with.

1454 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 981-5565
(415) 981-5565

Dalida

101 Montgomery St Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94129

Nestled into the Presidio, Dalida serves Eastern Mediterranean cuisine that’s perfect for a date and can easily pair with a walk through the area’s picturesque natural spaces. But inside the stunning restaurant, the food and drinks will also vie for attention with dishes such as a 12-hour lamb tandoor and sea urchin tahdig, or the Anatolian martini made with olive oil-washed olive leaf gin with dry and blanc vermouths and olive brine. The dessert menu is also worth a glimpse if you’re looking to stretch out the night.

101 Montgomery St Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 237-1999
(415) 237-1999
The bar and dining room at Dalida. Patricia Chang

Bix

56 Gold St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Tucked away on a narrow street in Jackson Square, this swanky supper club offers plush booths and balcony seating in a classic Art Deco setting, complete with nightly live piano and jazz. Dine on fancy deviled eggs or the restaurant’s famous chicken hash, and don’t pass up a seat at the lively bar to watch classic martinis being shaken or stirred by bartenders sporting bow ties and white jackets.

56 Gold St, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 433-6300
(415) 433-6300
Bix

Trestle Restaurant

531 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Tucked into an inconspicuous space off Colombus Avenue, Trestle’s narrow dining room makes for an intimate dinner setting. Dark brick and cinnamon-colored woods fill the room, where savvy diners know they can find a prix fixe menu that costs just $42, a steal in this city of Champagne and caviar. There’s the option to add a pasta supplement but the ever-changing menu typically includes a seasonal salad, hearty entree, and dessert. 

531 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 772-0922
(415) 772-0922
Trestle

Empress by Boon

838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

Go to Chinatown and take an elevator up to the top floor where the iconic Empress of China restaurant used to be. In its place is Empress by Boon, serving modern Cantonese food in a sleek atmosphere with impressive views. Only a prix fixe menu is offered, but you can order a la carte at the bar. Be prepared to doll up to dine here, as there’s a dress code of no t-shirts or shorts.

838 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 757-0728
(415) 757-0728
Patricia Chang

Boulevard

1 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105

Chef Nancy Oakes’ quintessential San Francisco restaurant sits in a historic building right near the foot of the Bay Bridge, perfect for pairing dinner with a romantic walk along the waterfront. The menu is unabashedly Californian and dialed into what’s local and seasonal, and you get to savor your three courses in a redesigned dining room that still retains artisanal mosaics and blown glass.

1 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-6084
(415) 543-6084
The renovated dining room at Boulevard. Patricia Chang

EPIC Steak

369 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105

For those who associate romance with dinner at a steakhouse, why not choose one that has Bay Bridge and water views? Located right on the Embarcadero with huge windows and a large heated patio to soak in the vista, EPIC offers a menu that has all the classics, from shrimp cocktail to béarnaise sauce to pour over grilled steaks. Wash it all down with a big, bold glass of red wine or sip on a classic cocktail instead.

369 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 369-9955
(415) 369-9955

Ula Mediterranean Dining & Cocktails

450 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Art Deco meets gorgeous under-the-sea fixtures in this seafood-centric Union Square restaurant. The large space mixes booths, tables, and a balcony if you want to get a birds-eye view of the action below. Want live music? Have your oysters on the half shell or lobster agnolotti in the Jellyfish Room as you listen to jazz, funk, or soul (reservation and fee apply).

450 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 999-4950
(415) 999-4950
Ula Mediterranean

Sociale

3665 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94118

Walk down a narrow alley past a floral shop and emerge onto a heated patio with a secret garden feel in Presidio Heights. Nibble on fried olives while you peruse the Italian-influenced menu where pastas are the star, and don’t forget to leave room for dessert, especially the chocolate oblivion cake that has olive oil, sea salt, and amaretti cookie crumbles.

3665 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 921-3200
(415) 921-3200
Sociale

L'Ardoise Bistro

151 Noe St, San Francisco, CA 94114

French-speaking waiters and chalkboard menus complete the cozy bistro atmosphere in the Castro where you can dine indoors or outdoors among the trees. All the French mainstays are served here, from escargots to duck confit and coq au vin — and the mostly old-world wine list offers plenty of choices to partner with the classic fare.

151 Noe St, San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 437-2600
(415) 437-2600
L’Ardoise

Frances

3870 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

With its striking black-and-white paint job and long, narrow dining room, chef Marissa Perello’s Frances achieves an effortless cool that makes the restaurant more than just a neighborhood standard. The menu, spearheaded by chef de cuisine Jordan Whittrock, spins local and seasonal ingredients into elegant plates like a cured crudo with stone fruit and gulf snapper with black rice and dragon tongue beans.

3870 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 621-3870
(415) 621-3870

DAMNFiNE pizza

3410 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

If you’re looking for a date spot in the Sunset that won’t crush the bank, Damnfine Pizza is a good place to pick up a wood-fired pizza and it has a full liquor license. There are classic pizzas like the clam pie, pepperoni, or Margherita, before things get playful — for example, the purple potato pesto pizza with pancetta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The cocktails skew both classic and original, but it’s never not an occasion for the Damnfine spritz, which pairs well with pizza.

3410 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Damnfine

Penny Roma

3000 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

From the folks at Flour + Water, Penny Roma specializes in Roman pasta served in a heated courtyard in the Mission outfitted with a retractable roof and lush plants. Dishes from other regions in Italy complete the menu, from crudos to a 32-ounce bone-in ribeye with bone marrow salsa verde. The easy-to-understand wine list features Californian and Italian bottles broken down into natural and classic categories.

3000 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 826-7004
(415) 826-7004
Patricia Chang

Foreign Cinema

2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

String lights illuminate this magical courtyard in the Mission where diners are treated to both dinner and a movie after dusk. The California-Mediterranean menu includes oysters, snacky starters, lots of vegetarian options, and a cocktail list peppered with cinematic references. Use the drive-in speakers next to each table to turn the volume up or down depending on how interested you are in the evening’s flick being projected on the wall. 

2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 648-7600
(415) 648-7600
Foreign Cinema

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