Diners' Choice: American restaurants in San Francisco

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall American cuisine in San Francisco? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Saison

4.9

4.9 (13)

$50 and over

American

SOMA

About the restaurant

Saison is a two Michelin-starred, open wood fire restaurant under the leadership of Executive Chef Richard Lee, emphasizing the bounty of California’s evolving terroir and its incredible farmers, ranchers, and fishermen and women. Saison is driven by Lee’s dedication to purity and innovation, paired with a Grand Award-winning wine list in a dynamic space where guest and team celebrate an intimate, culture-shifting experience. Chef Lee builds upon Saison’s formidable foundation as the original fine dining establishment in the U.S. to use open hearth cooking, crafting nuanced flavors with intention that are inspired by the culinary diversity of Northern California.

Saison has one of the country’s largest and most remarkable selections of Old and New World wine, with a special emphasis on Burgundy, originally established by Saison Hospitality co-founder and Saison Winery winemaker Mark Bright and now curated by Beverage Director and Assistant General Manager Molly Greene.

Top review

RobertVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Saison is hands down the best restaurant in San Francisco. The quality and innovation, the incredible extraction of flavors from the ingredients, and the attentiveness of the staff cannot be touched by the 3-star Michelin restaurants in San Francisco.

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Experience

Saison Bar

Angler San Francisco

4.7

4.7 (249)

$50 and over

American

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Angler is a seafood-focused Saison Hospitality Group restaurant with one Michelin star on the Embarcadero waterfront, featuring views of our expansive wood burning hearth and the San Francisco Bay, where each dish is touched by fire and intended to be shared.

Our sourcing is deliberate and our menus closely follow the seasons of Northern California.

Chef de Cuisine, Joe Hou

Top review

Erik

Dined 5 days ago

Always great experience here. Came in on a Monday evening, 3 adults + 1 well-behaved baby. The staff was amazingly accommodating and considerate and interacted with our 7 month old throughout our meal. The Parkerhouse rolls were amazing per usual. Other standouts were the quail, deer Wellington, and the branzino.

Trestle

4.8

4.8 (2764)

$31 to $50

American

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Hi Neighbor!

At Trestle, we remember a time, not too long ago, where people took pause to enjoy a meal in the presence of great company, giving it the reverence and respect deserved. We provide a dining experience served in courses, with the satisfaction and warmth found at a family gathering, creating the foundation to a proper meal.

Every day we feature a changing 3 course prix fixe menu with choices on each course for $45/person. We will have an optional additional pasta course for $12/person. Unfortunately, we do not offer ala-carte options.

We are able to accommodate vegetarian options nightly. We do our best to accommodate other allergies/restrictions based on the menu for that evening.

Due to our limited spacing, we can accommodate parties of 8 or less only.

Top review

Terry

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

We're smitten with Trestle and it's become one of our more commonly visited establishments. The service is always superb and the frequently changing menu is always fresh, seasonal and fantastic.

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Experience

Ring In The New Year with Trestle

MKT Restaurant and Bar

4.7

4.7 (1262)

$50 and over

American

Downtown / Union Square

About the restaurant

MKT Restaurant Bar at Four Seasons San Francisco features seafood and steak in a retro urban-chic atmosphere in the SoMa district.

Top review

JonVIP

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Manuel was a fantastic server! The service was amazing and the drinks were properly made.

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Experience

The Bauble Bar by MKT

Perry's Union Street

4.8

4.8 (695)

$30 and under

American

Marina / Cow Hollow / Presidio

About the restaurant

Having recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Union Street, Perry’s remains an enormously popular San Francisco institution. Perry Butler initially opened Perry’s in 1969, bringing to Union Street the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood saloons of New York’s Upper East Side. The blue and white checked tablecloths, hexagonal tiled floor, wood-paneled memorabilia clad walls, and menu of American classics produced an atmosphere that has held true today-- comfortable, inviting and cool.

Testament to its timeless appeal, Perry’s is known today, as much as ever, for its classic American food, its warm personable service and a fun, bustling bar. Perry"s traditional yet innovative menu includes a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, pastas, steaks and grilled fresh fish.

Top review

JACKVIP

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Always a good selection of food and great service. Salmon, brown rice and vegetables are always a favorite. And there are usually 2 fish choices. And one friend thinks their burgers are the best !

Aliment

4.7

4.7 (944)

$31 to $50

American

Downtown / Union Square

About the restaurant

Aliment, is a family-owned and operated American Restaurant in Downtown San Francisco. Est. in 2013 and just a few blocks from Union Square, we serve organic new American cuisine with excellent choices of homemade cocktails, local Napa Wines, and local beers. Our team of chefs re-creates our menu on a seasonal basis. We pride ourselves in our belief in keeping San Francisco fun and unique by offering a diverse menu such as Lamb Chops, Grilled Seabass, Bread Pudding, and more!

Top review

Beth

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Alfredo and the team took incredible care of us, and manager Sam was so fabulous, too. Most importantly, the food tastes as good as it looks!!

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4.6

4.6 (7804)

$30 and under

American

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Chef Tyler Florence brings his passion for high quality and style to San Francisco with his new flagship restaurant, Wayfare Tavern. A classic San Francisco Tavern featuring authentic American dishes inspired by local cuisine at the turn of the 20th century, the menu ranges from classic comforts to rustic delicacies. The beverage menu features locally-sourced wines including a selection of Florence's own label, quality draft beers and organic root beer as well as classic Victorian-era cocktails.

All three floors of the restaurant have been designed keeping historical accuracy in mind making Wayfare Tavern reminiscent of a Victorian parlor and an Edwardian men's club, where anything goes from black-tie to blue jeans. Pull up a stool to the Chef's Counter at the open kitchen and look on as Chef prepares your lunch or head to the Library and Billiard Room for a game of pool. Wayfare Tavern is a truly unparalleled dining experience translated from a century ago. Photo: John Lee.

Top review

CarterVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Another exceptional night at the Wafare Tavern!! Food was on point and service was fantastic!

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Fried Chicken Sandwhich

Historic John's Grill

4.7

4.7 (7364)

$31 to $50

American

Downtown / Union Square

About the restaurant

John's Grill has been a San Francisco tradition since 1908. This historic restaurant is one of the city's oldest and most famous and is a favorite of celebrities who enjoy great steaks, expertly prepared fresh seafood with excellent service and a one of a kind atmosphere. John's Grill was a setting in author Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon.

Top review

Sara

Dined 4 days ago

John’s is just the very best of everything. The whole place is San Francisco’s very soul and the excellence in their staff and food are a direct reflection of that. There is no better place to feel the true spirit of this beautiful city and all who want to bask in its love. And the cheesecake is sublime!

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The Palm Court at RH San Francisco

4.8

4.8 (1767)

$50 and over

American

Potrero Hill / Dogpatch

About the restaurant

The Palm Court is located in RH San Francisco's Gallery at the Historic Bethlehem Steel Building. Recalling the distinctive glamour of San Francisco's Gilded Age, the stunning statement space is sheathed in Italian Calacatta gold marble and features a cascading center fountain, towering Medjool date palms and glimmering chandeliers. Adjacent to the restaurant, two luminous wine bars offer exceptional wines and Champagnes from around the world.

For group dining inquiries, please email: sfhospitality@rh.com

Top review

Jason

Dined 3 days ago

The Palm Court at RH was an experience. I came here for an anniversary dinner and the ambiance was like eating at a rich friends house. Like bitcoin rich. We were greeted as soon as we entered the door and brought to this magnificent and elegant dining room. Our waitress was very knowledgeable of the property and experience guest usually seek. Since it was our first time there we were shy, but she advised us to just grab a drink and explore the building like a museum. Each floor was like a page from a magazine. I loved seeing my girlfriend's face as every corner we turned she gained inspiration. On to dinner, we started with the mini Lobster/Caviar appetizer and for the main we had the Branzino and Wagyu Ribeye along with Baked Sweet Potatoes and some veg. Each dish tasted great. The fish was delicate and flaky and was cooked to perfection. A squeeze of fresh lemon really enhanced the sweetness of the fish. The steak was rich and tender. It had a nice char on the outside and it was our favorite dish of the night. Also don't sleep on the sides. The baked sweet potato was awesome. The marshmallow/butter cream was sweet and savory, I would get this unique side every time. For dessert we had the chocolate chip cookies and creme brulee. Both were executed very well. 10/10 experience and I can see myself coming back for their brunch.

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Popular dish

Rotisserie Chicken

Popular dish

Caramelized Banana Split

Popular dish

Wagyu Ribeye

Perry's - Embarcadero

4.7

4.7 (2341)

$30 and under

American

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Perry’s on the Embarcadero is a sleek waterfront outpost of the Union Street original, following the same combination of all-American favorite fare and comfortable, welcoming service that Perry’s first made a San Francisco hallmark in 1969. The décor is warm – murals reminiscent of the memorabilia made famous on Union Street, combined with exposed brick walls, a wood-burning fireplace and breathtaking views of the Bay and the Bay Bridge.

Perry’s is known today, as much as ever, for its classic American food, its warm personable service and its fun, bustling bar. Perry's traditional yet innovative menu includes a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, pastas, steaks and grilled fresh fish. Perry’s on the Embarcadero is conveniently located in the heart of San Francisco’s bustling financial district, across the street from the Ferry Building, less than a mile from AT&T Park and easy to reach by public transportation from all over the city and the greater Bay Area.

Top review

Carrie

Dined 2 days ago

Perry's is a go to for us for the location, food, and in the warmer weather we love to sit outside. Nonetheless, it's a great spot!

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