San Francisco/South Bay/Sonoma suggestions?

Re: San Francisco/South Bay/Sonoma suggestions?

• [Deleted User] member

  January 2014

  Wine tasting in Sonoma! Don't forget there's a beach in SF. There's a lot to do in Golden Gate Park, including a pretty amazing playground - look it up on yelp. Have fun!

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• EMarieMe member

  January 2014 edited January 2014

  The City, food, by neighborhood, with price range and child go/no-go recco. I'll move down the peninsula after we do the city:

  • House of Hunan- SoMa, Chinese, an SF staple, moderate price, child go
  • Koh Samui and the Monkey - SoMa Thai, moderate price, child go
  • Restaurant Lulu- SoMa, Steak for two, not cheap, but not crazy expensive, child no-go
  • Sociale - Presidio Heights, well knows SF Italian, not cheap, but not crazy expensive, child no-go, full disclosure, this one's owned by a family member
  • Kennedy's Irish Pub and India Curry House - North Bech, Cheap, tons of beer, open till 2 AM, great after a night out, child no-go
  • Golden Boy Pizza - North Beach, counter service, cheap, arguably best pizza in the city, child go
  • Gary Danko- Russian Hill, Spend all the money, child no-go, Taste Explosions, book reservations now
  • Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen - The Mission, delish, another discoslure, owned by friends, bring all the babies!
  • Mama's on Washington - Telegraph Hill, brunch, go early to avoid a wait, child go
  • Yank Sing - Financial District, dim sum, shanghai dumplings, pork buns, child go
  • You're on your own for burritos, as that's not my thing, but anywhere in the mission should do you just fine.  Ask someone who looks like a hipster (dudes in headbands/anyone protesting a Google bus)

  Stuff to do in the city: 

  • Cal Academy of Sciences - Awesome sauce, kiddo will love it
    
  • Aquarium of the Bay, in Fisherman's Warf. Small, but fun. Look for discount tickets via Groupon or Amazon Local
  • Fisherman's Warf in general - Meh. Don't eat there. It's all chain food, although Boulange is not bad for a quick breakfast bite, and your kiddo might like to watch the bread being made.  FW is pretty much a tourist trap, but it's worth a few hours.  Staples, water, lip gloss, etc. are ridiculously overpriced, so try not to forget that stuff.
  • SF Zoo - Brand new giant playground. Awesome.
  • Japan Town - Toy stores, decent ramen, Yakitori grill, sushi boats, crepes, snow cones, anime, expensive art, and Daiso (Japanese dollar store) I freaking love that place. Fun for kids. This is almost a mall really, well three malls connected. It's just super awesome. I would go here over Chinatown.
  • Alcatraz - I'm torn on this. It's incredibly interesting if you listen to the recordings, but I'm not sure how you would handle that with the kiddo. Not sure at 18 months how much the babe could handle.  

  Moving down the peninsula on food:

  • San Mateo - Santa Ramen, one of the best ramen joints in the peninsula, child go, cheap, owned by an amazing Japanese family
  • San Mateo - Voignier, my current favorite restaurant, not cheap, mouth watering, child no-go
  • San Carlos - TOWN, brunch, bottomless mimosas $15 with a petite fillet with blue cheese crust. Bring your own wheelchair to get out. Brunch is fine for kids, but not dinner. Moderate to median price. 
  • Redwood City - Milagro's Cantina, blood orange margaritas, carnitas, spicy steak, guac, basically high end Mexican. Good for kids. Moderate to median price.
  • Palo Alto - NoLA, Lousianna/Cajun fare. Moderately priced. Cheese grits. Good for kids at lunch. Ask to sit in the "garden"

  Stuff to do on the peninsula:

  • San Mateo - CuriOdyssy, fun little zoo and conservatory. Playground. Cheap tickets available via Amazon Local or Groupon
  • San Carlos - Hiller Aviation musuem, small but fun for a short afternoon. Cheap tickets available via Amazon Local or Groupon
  • Palo Alto - Stanford. It's a beautiful campus and worth a quick walk.
  • San Jose - West Wind Capitol Drive-in Theater: Depending on what your kid is able to stand, catch a double feature! We spent many a night here while on maternity leave. Park to the sides so you don't get too much dooby smoke. 
  • San Jose - Santana Row. Good outdoor shopping area. Fun stores and has the only two chain restaurants I will put on this list, Maggiano's and Yardhouse. Both fine for kids. Not exemplary dining, but okay for lunch.

  Apologies for the god awful grammar, inconsistent formatting, spelling mistakes, etc. I'm tired and don't have my work laptop where I keep my "list" so was just word vomiting it from memory. We don't spend much time in San Jose so sorry for the lack of food recco's there.

  
  

  Have all the fun! Bring a warm coat. Let me know if you hit up any of my recco's and whether the food or service was lacking.

  Report1 Reply
• caladpi02 member

  January 2014

  Hi! I was on this board when it started and I got bored. So excited to see it is lively again.
  Rule #1: Do not call it San Fran!
  Safari West is in Santa Rosa and it is super cool. I highly recommend it.
  For Sonoma I would suggest Train Town for the LO. I was obsessed with this place as a kid.
  Food I would say El Molino Central for Mexican, El Dorado Kitchen and the Girl and the Fig for more upscale stuff.
  If you want to wine taste and bring LO, you might want to try Francis Ford Coppola's winery in Geyserville. It has a display of movie things, bocce, wine, restaurant, pool, etc. and is designed to be an all family thing.
  
  SF
  I agree with most of EMarie except for Mama's, I find it totally overrated.
  My restaurant two cents:
  Perry's (Cow Hollow) amazing people watching and extremely popular. American food. Kids.
  Cafe Des Amis (Cow Hollow) French. no kids
  Park Tavern (North Beach) American. no kids
  Seven Hills (Russian Hill). Italian. Small, romantic and it would be really cozy and nice for an anniv. dinner.
  
  I personally think there is really no such thing as a kid friendly restaurant in SF...
  

  

  Report2 Reply
• legalbeagle1 member

  January 2014

  Holy crap guys.  Thanks for the really complete lists and ideas.  Is it sad that the thing I want to do most of all is go to this pupuseria in the South Bay where I used to eat like three times a week?

  Also, I lived in South Bay for two years right out of college so haven't been back in nine years (except for one small weekend trip like five years ago).  Am slightly afraid the place will have the ghost of my ex-boyfriend living there -- I broke up with him when I went to law school but ended up regretting it.  Isn't that silly despite having a great husband and an awesome kidlet?

  

  Report0 Reply