San Francisco - Need advice - SF Hotels/Restos with kids

Traveling to San Francisco for the first time in Jan. 2012 for 3 nights and 4 days with family and mother in law. Traveling with two girls ages 7 and 10. Were planning on hitting the tourist spots. However I have a few questions. I have status with both Hilton (gold) and Marriott (silver). Booked one night at the Hilton Fishermans Warf, and wanted to spend 3 nights at another location, like Union Square. Was thinking of the Marriot Union Square and upgrading to a higher floor with a view. Any suggestions where to stay that offers convenience and great location. I was hoping for less than 250.00 per room. Also, need to satisfy the mother in law who has high standards.:D Lastly, I heard a lot of good things about Chez Panisse. Not sure if my kids would enjoy, any recommendations?

On accommodation, you need to decide where you stay based on what you plan to be doing. Fishermans Wharf is all about the tourist experience, whereas Union Square is all about shopping. Both are unbelievably crowded and both have large numbers of tourist traps crowding out the few good places. I won't comment about chain hotels as I avoid them like the plague.

On eating, the Bay Area probably has the best food in the USA outside New York and, as I'm sure you are aware, Alice Waters' Chez Panisse pretty well trailblazed much of what's now standard in modern gastronomy. You obviously know what your children enjoy, but I would make three points: first, it is in Berkeley, not SF, and a fair walk from BART so it won't be straightforward to get there; second, it no longer is at the forefront of fashion or experience; and, third, it also has a cafe which might be a less daunting, and certainly less expensive, experience.

SF itself has myriad fantastic restaurants, from seriously good traditional authentic Italian cuisine, through to some of the most innovative establishments on the planet. Decide what sort of thing you like to eat, buy Zagat, look at the SF Chronicle's respected food critic's (Michael Bauer) writings and experiment. Just remember to avoid any restaurant which advertises as the best don't have to.

Thanks for the info Ihrsfo. Looks like 1 day at the warf and the following 2 nights at Hilton financial district. The cafe sounds like a good compromise, I did notice the distance from the hotel to the restaurant. Planned on taking a taxi, but I'll bet the fare will be pricey.

Wait til Friday and check out the Omni's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. Rates will start at $99. Limited availability. Better location than Hilton FD, just a couple three blocks away, and right on California Street cable car line. They treat kids real great. Join their Select Guest program and get complimentary morning beverage service delivered to your room. Mother in law will be impressed.

Much good advice so far. I fully concur on Chez Panisse - it's more of a shrine that serious foodies will want to visit to "experience where it all began", but maybe less than the optimal fine family dining selection (especially given the distance/transport aspect).

One thing that may be helpful to know in suggesting alternatives is whether the two daughters are adventurous eaters, or they are more comfortable in a "child's menu" milieu (nothing wrong with that, it just helps to know).

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I decided that Chez Panisse will not be on our plans. Too far away. The kids are somewhat adventurous when it comes to food. Both enjoy sushi and are not picky eaters. They both love steak as well. If you have any other suggestions I'm open. If I need to make reservations in advance 1 month I hope won't be an issue.

~160 years old Tadich Grill is the iconic San Francisco restaurant. It is not the traditional foodie experience, but is good food served in a unique atmosphere.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I decided that Chez Panisse will not be on our plans. Too far away. The kids are somewhat adventurous when it comes to food. Both enjoy sushi and are not picky eaters. They both love steak as well. If you have any other suggestions I'm open. If I need to make reservations in advance 1 month I hope won't be an issue.

Good move for many reasons. Berkeley, my home for the past 13 years, is a beautiful and vibrant city, but it doesn't warrant an excursion in your situation. You don't need to leave San Francisco to have a very high-end dining experience.

I hope you'll venture away from the Wharf. It is in so many ways a generic American tourist location. You see the Bubba Gump's, the wax museum and salt water taffy vendors, and you realize that you could be anywhere. If you travel so far to see San Francisco, you should see San Francisco.

Good move for many reasons. Berkeley, my home for the past 13 years, is a beautiful and vibrant city, but it doesn't warrant an excursion in your situation. You don't need to leave San Francisco to have a very high-end dining experience.

I hope you'll venture away from the Wharf. It is in so many ways a generic American tourist location. You see the Bubba Gump's, the wax museum and salt water taffy vendors, and you realize that you could be anywhere. If you travel so far to see San Francisco, you should see San Francisco.

I'd like to say that I agree 100%, but I don't consider Berkeley to be either beautiful or vibrant. :p That said, the advice to get out of the wharf is great advice. I would also recommend not moving hotels and just staying put in one place. The wharf is really not far away from downtown (walking distance for the able bodied), so I would recommend staying downtown the whole time and taking the streetcar to the wharf for a day if you really want to see it.

I would also recommend not moving hotels and just staying put in one place. The wharf is really not far away from downtown (walking distance for the able bodied), so I would recommend staying downtown the whole time and taking the streetcar to the wharf for a day if you really want to see it.

+1

I'd like to say that I agree 100%, but I don't consider Berkeley to be either beautiful or vibrant. :p That said, the advice to get out of the wharf is great advice. I would also recommend not moving hotels and just staying put in one place. The wharf is really not far away from downtown (walking distance for the able bodied), so I would recommend staying downtown the whole time and taking the streetcar to the wharf for a day if you really want to see it.

I mostly agree with rjque's analysis, save the first sentence. He clearly does not know from which end he speaks on that very limited note :D I don't live that far from Chez Panisse, and enjoy the restaurant, but it isn't worth a detour over here - that is, unless you are cheese-obsessed, and want to visit the Cheeseboard cheese store, almost across the street.

I also agree with sticking with one hotel. The quality v. price ratio (lodging and dining) is much higher "not at the Wharf."

Other than a small handful of restaurants, reservations "one month out" will not be a problem - especially when you have flexibility with days of week and times.

I'd like to say that I agree 100%, but I don't consider Berkeley to be either beautiful or vibrant. :p

Hey, how many cities the size of Berkeley have this much culture and natural beauty? Cal Performances, Berkeley Rep, many jazz clubs, Zellerbach, Greek Theater, Gourmet Ghetto, UC-Berkeley campus, Lawrence Hall of Science, open space at the bay, Tilden Park, the hills, and so forth...

Hey, how many cities the size of Berkeley have this much culture and natural beauty? Cal Performances, Berkeley Rep, many jazz clubs, Zellerbach, Greek Theater, Gourmet Ghetto, UC-Berkeley campus, Lawrence Hall of Science, open space at the bay, Tilden Park, the hills, and so forth...

Not to mention a disproportionate number of amicable and helpful FTers ^

I would think that it would be a good idea to make a trip over to Berkeley for a day with the kids and (MIL) well maybe leave the MIL and Neiman Marcus. The cafe at Chez Panisse is a great experience especially for the girls who are not picky. The cafe shows a simple and enjoyable way to prepare fresh and local ingredients. It's not haute cuisine which I think which is what many people expect but it is a perfect farm to table experience. This is the cafe and not the restaurant. If you want to go you will need to make a booking 30 days before which is when the reservations open up and they are closed on Sundays.

A suggestion (if all are able bodied in the group) is to stay in the Renaissance Stanford in Nob Hill. It should be posh enough to satisfy the MIL and has some great views across SF. Its right next to the Top of the Mark and the Fairmont. Also there is the cable car right outside making it easy to get to Fisherman's Wharf and Lombard Street and an easy walk down the hill to Union Square/Chinatown. And the final plus is that it is a Marriott hotel.

With the kids one final suggestion I would make is going to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park and the Exploratorium.

With the kids one final suggestion I would make is going to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park and the Exploratorium.

Yes and yes! Right across from the Cal. Academy are the de Young art museum and the Japanese Tea Garden.

Tip for visiting the Cal. Academy -- right after you get in, go directly to the Planetarium (straight away from entrance, then go left). Get free passes for your group at the Planetarium for the next available show. That might be 1-2 hours later, depending on the crowd. The mistake many make is to show up at the Planetarium toward the end of their visit, only to learn that the next available showing is hours later. BTW, the Cal. Academy has an exceptionally good cafe with quick service and a wide selection of cuisines.

I'd like to say that I agree 100%, but I don't consider Berkeley to be either beautiful or vibrant. :p That said, the advice to get out of the wharf is great advice. I would also recommend not moving hotels and just staying put in one place. The wharf is really not far away from downtown (walking distance for the able bodied), so I would recommend staying downtown the whole time and taking the streetcar to the wharf for a day if you really want to see it.

I'd agree with this. I spent many years at Berkeley, and I would agree that it's not terribly beautiful or vibrant by the University. However, the locals would know of the nicer places, and I'd trust their judgement about the good spots.

I would also agree that the wharf is a total tourist trap. I would not devote a whole day there. I think it would be fun for the kids to see it, not the adults. Perhaps walk over in the morning if your hotel is there, check out the site, then leave the wharf for good food. Classic tourist thing to do is get bowls of clam chowder in the sourdough bread. If you go to Boudin (yes, it's a chain) to get that, it's quite good, but certainly not super high end, nor is it super fancy dining. However, it's an SF thing to do, like riding a cable car or going to Alcatraz. As a tourist, those are the things that tourists do, and there's nothing wrong with that.

If you want high-end dining, however, I'd recommend you really do some research. Just google michelin star restaurants in SF, and you really cannot go wrong with many of the restaurants that pop up. Just research the places, check their menus, etc, and see if you can get a reservation. I'd start reserving now, if you're coming in January (Gary Danko is probably already booked). Places that are popular are booked out weeks to months in advance, so start now.

Another good resource is the SF chronicle's top 100 restaurants (The annual list of the top 100 restaurants in SF). This is always a good resource. Just google this. Caveat: make sure you're looking at the 2011 list. Sometimes, the older lists pop up on google searches instead.

Here is a list to consider. Places that a 7 & 10 year old should be okay in (a little more casual) & that have good food and fairly high rated:

Zero zero
Bar Agricole
Nopa
Flour & water (good luck getting in)
Slanted door
Zuni cafe (classic San Francisco restaurant. The food is good, but not stellar. But it is an SF institution)
Delfina (good luck getting in)
Delfina pizzeria (amazing pizzas; expect to wait 2 hours in line)
Marlowe

A restaurant that's a category all its own is the House of Prime Rib. It is, in my opinion, the best prime rib in the country. I'm not a big fan of prime rib, but this place is just amazing. It is an SF institution, and if you like red meat, you cannot go wrong here. Your kids should be fine here, also.

I wanted to thank all the FT contributors to this thread. All this info has been great! SF flyer I'll definitely look into those restaurants. Hopefully I'll be able to get one or two reservations in there if I make it soon enough. As for my plans I have somewhat a flexible schedule layed out thanks to you guys.

Another good resource is the SF chronicle's top 100 restaurants (The annual list of the top 100 restaurants in SF). This is always a good resource. Just google this. Caveat: make sure you're looking at the 2011 list. Sometimes, the older lists pop up on google searches instead.

Here is a list to consider. Places that a 7 & 10 year old should be okay in (a little more casual) & that have good food and fairly high rated:

Nopa
Flour & water (good luck getting in)
I would disagree on Nopa and Flour and Water simply that they are full of hipsters/foodies and I don't think kids would feel very welcome.

Slanted door - now has an addt'l new location on BUSH, the Westfield Center Loc should be reopened by time you get here
Zuni cafe (classic San Francisco restaurant. The food is good, but not stellar. But it is an SF institution)
Delfina (good luck getting in) both Delfinas are bit easier for lunch
Delfina pizzeria (amazing pizzas; expect to wait 2 hours in line)


Some other ideas -
if you are hitting the haight ashbury at all, a few neighborhood places
Bambino's - pizza, pricey italian but they love kids and the food is good. Easy access on the N Judah MUNI line
Burgermeister - a small chain, very casual, kids meals , one near Bambino's and a few others
Crepes on Cole - near Bambino;s also, funky coffeehouse vibe but LOTS of families go there. Crepes, regular pancakes, burgers


For Downtown, the food courts underneath bloomingdales (NOT the one under Nordstrom next door) has good selections, can be noisy but you can have your choice of decent mexican, Pasta, sandwiches etc.

The cafe bistro on the 4th floor of nordstrom is a relatively undiscovered gem - good pizzas, entrees, a few sandwiches and salads and is a quiet lace to have a decent dinner. A little pricey but they accommodate kids and small groups well.


A restaurant that's a category all its own is the House of Prime Rib. It is, in my opinion, the best prime rib in the country. I'm not a big fan of prime rib, but this place is just amazing. It is an SF institution, and if you like red meat, you cannot go wrong here. Your kids should be fine here, also.

Nopa is filled with hipsters/foodies, but kids are also welcome. I brought my 14 year old nephew there for a midnight dinner, and I regularly see tables of people with kids much younger. After the head chef's baby was born it was not uncommon to see him expediting with the baby in one arm and the tickets in another.

My kids adored Tadich Grill and Zuni Cafe. So did we. Both are casual, friendly and offer good food at not insane prices. A great family experience is diving into the roast chicken at Zuni. ^

Nopa is filled with hipsters/foodies, but kids are also welcome. I brought my 14 year old nephew there for a midnight dinner, and I regularly see tables of people with kids much younger. After the head chef's baby was born it was not uncommon to see him expediting with the baby in one arm and the tickets in another.

I thought Richie left Nopa?

I thought Richie left Nopa?

Laurence. (But yes, Richie is gone and now making phenomenal ramen at his own place).

I forgot to post a follow up on my trip. My family had a great time, we arrived at SFO and used DPM limo for transport. We had a little mix up since we were waiting on the second floor (no baggage was checked in) and the driver was downstairs. Waited a few minutes for the driver to pick us up on the correct level. The first night was at the Hilton Fisherman's Wharf, great location to walk around to visit the warf. The hotel only had a few floors and did show its age. Overall it was not bad. The other night's we stayed at the Hilton Financial district. Had 2 rooms on the top floor and the views were incredible. We really enjoyed our stay here. In terms of the activities we were surprised how easy public transportation was to use. Especially using Google maps and selecting the bus icon. Routing and bus numbers as well as times came in handy to move around the city. Since we had 2 kids we took them to the California Academy of Sciences. Took the bus from the hotel, and saved a lot of money on transportation. The concierge was very helpful at the hotel, showing us a map and which bus to take. From there we took the bus again to the Golden Gate bridge. Then went back to experience the Cable car ride. The only thing I wish I had planned better was the dining experience. I was disappointed in the quality of food at the various places we ate at. Keep in mind that we did not make any reservations ahead of time and just went with the flow. I did try to make last minute reservations at Zuni Cafe, but they did not have anything at the time I requested. Can't remember all the names but did eat at Chinatown for Dim sum, an Italian restaurant near the Marriott Union Square, and at Tadich's Grill (sp?). It was a great vacation for the family overall, and I'm planning on going back for the SF marathon in July.

No one should ever be disappointed in the food in San Francisco. It is one of the great restaurant cities in the US.

When you come back in July, you might look at TripAdvisor and Chowhound for more ideas.