Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated 05 May 2025

Looking for restaurants that are the best hot spots in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Vino Locale - Palo Alto

4.8

4.8 (109)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Welcome to Vino Locale serving downtown Palo Alto since 2005!
The only Wine Garden & Kitchen in downtown Palo Alto with Nightly Live Music in the back garden!

Check music schedule on our website www.vinolocale.org
Join us for Dinner, Wine and live music in the Vino Garden!
Dog Friendly Patio

Happy Hour (Tue-Sat) 3:00-5:30
Great wines from California and around the world
Wine flights with cheese pairings
Craft beers on tap & beer flights
Nuts and olive flights
Cheese & Charcuterie boards
Extensive Tapas Menu
Dinner Menu

Top review

Ben

Dined on 3 May 2025

A wonderful evening in a laid back backyard with great music and good food. Can’t believe that Palo Alto has something this nice and not overly fancy

Alter Ego Cocktail Club

4.7

4.7 (79)

$50 and over

Lounge

San Jose

About the restaurant

A dimly lit mysterious cocktail lounge tucked behind the curtain of the vinyl bar, Still O.G., boasting a diverse array of delicious and methodically prepared small plates in addition to wildly imaginative and carefully crafted cocktails.

Small plate offerings include dishes such as steak tartare with puffed rice served in a perilla leaf, Spanish octopus al pastor that is confit then fried and served alongside caramelized pineapple puree and pineapple salsa, and the namesake Alter Ego egg.

The diverse cocktail menu features 16 signature cocktails such as the Kyushu Coffee, a blend of Shochu, black coffee and kuromitsu topped with a black sesame foam or the Buster and Babs; a Rum and Brandy based milk punch inspired by the flavors of carrot cake served in a decanter with glassware for 2.

A seated experience with tableside service in an intimate space, reservations and walk-ins both accepted, although reservations are highly recommended.

ID required (21+ & up only)

Top review

Samantha

Dined on 14 Apr 2025

Great craft cocktails and very nice ambience! Food is relatively pricey, but great selection overall.

Z & Y Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (324)

$30 and under

Chinese

Chinatown

About the restaurant

Chef Han has served two Chinese Presidents and was the previous Executive Chef in the office of the Consulate General of China in San Francisco.

Z & Y Restaurant is an award winning and Michelin Guide recommended San Francisco Chinese restaurant which prepares all your favorite authentic Chinese cuisine, Szechuan regional specialties including spicy and non-spicy dishes, Mandarin style dim sum and family dishes.

San Francisco residents, as well as tourist and dignitaries from all around the world come to Z & Y Restaurant for business lunch, dinners, special events and to order our fast and reliable Chinese take out.

At Z & Y Restaurant, we prepare delicious Chinese cuisine that is full of flavor. We consider ourselves to be the best Chinese food restaurant around and with one bite from our amazing menu, we are confident you will feel the same. We invite you to come in and become a new loyal customer.

Top review

BerndVIP

Dined on 21 Apr 2025

Great food! The tables are a little close to each other, and there is some noise. The servers are professionals, but not too uplifting.

Altovino

4.5

4.5 (23)

$31 to $50

Italian

Nob Hill

About the restaurant

Altovino is a charming neighborhood restaurant offering a rotating menu of thoughtfully composed dishes that showcase the progression of the San Francisco seasons and capture the spirit of the regional Italian table.
The wine list encompasses a range of Italian wine, both classic and unique.

Top review

EllenVIP

Dined on 17 Jan 2025

Always Delicious! Wine list is generous. Whenever we are in SF we dine at Altovino. Hidden neighborhood gem!

Mezcal

4.4

4.4 (762)

$30 and under

Regional Mexican

San Jose

About the restaurant

Located in Downtown San Jose, Mezcal boasts one of the most distinctive dining rooms in San Jose. The brick exterior, metal work and indigenous Mexican motifs, sets the restaurant apart from its neighbors. Although the design is urban upscale, there is nothing watered down about the menu. Mezcal proudly serves authentic Oaxacan regional cuisine utilizing family recipes passed on from previous generations.

Top review

Bianca

Dined 4 days ago

Giovanni is the best! We had a wonderful Mother’s Day brunch. Food was delicious, service impeccable, atmosphere and overall dining experience was great!

Oeste

4.4

4.4 (66)

$30 and under

American

Oakland

About the restaurant

Oeste is a 100 seat bar and kitchen with a rooftop deck, located in the heart of Old Oakland. At Oeste, we are committed to providing an inviting and inclusive atmosphere, offering food for the soul, and pouring the highest quality spirits, wines and beers. We offer exemplary dishes by focusing on fresh, organic and sustainably farmed ingredients, fusing California cuisine with Latin, Southern and Asian influences. Enjoy one of our signature tap margaritas while lounging on the deck or watching a Warriors game at the bar.

Come solo or with friends and family and enjoy what Oeste has to offer!

Top review

Travale

Dined on 2 May 2025

Great Service, great food !! A must try in Oakland.

The Vault Steakhouse

4.4

4.4 (293)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Financial District / Embarcadero

About the restaurant

Located in the original bank vault of the historic 555 California St building on the Concourse Level, The Vault Steakhouse offers indoor dining, a lounge and bar with an extensive cocktail, whiskey and wine program for a special occasion, business function, and date night - all in one place. Enjoy classics steakhouse cuts, creative and fun sides, tableside touches and more.

Chefs Ryan Cerizo & Jason Halverson have collaborated to take all of the things we love about Steakhouse dining and elevate it with simple, delicious, modern day touches.

Onsite parking is available for $5 in our 24 hour secured garage.

Top review

Sandy

Dined 2 days ago

Lorelai was the best server. And all the staff were wonderful and made us feel so welcomed and special for our celebratory family dinner.

Discover more

Experience

Piano Lounge Happy Hour All Night every Friday!

Sushi Confidential - San Jose

4.3

4.3 (8)

$30 and under

Sushi

San Jose

About the restaurant

Sushi Confidential (San Jose) is located in the heart of historic San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose, just minutes away from the SAP Center (The Shark Tank). A bright, contemporary atmosphere, along with award-winning food, makes this a go-to place for San Jose locals, visitors, and celebrities alike. Sushi Confidential success started in downtown Campbell in 2012 which grew out of "Sushi Randy's" vision to bring fun and flair into the sushi dining experience.

Sushi Confidential (San Jose) has a contemporary atmosphere in the main dining room and a lively inside bar. A huge, trendy patio space on the San Pedro side of the property features an outside bar, along with lounge seating with fire pits. Come check it out!

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 18 Mar 2025

Great rolls and consistent quality with excellent service. .

The Garden by Tannery Bend Beerworks

4.0

4 (14)

$30 and under

Beer Garden

Napa

About the restaurant

The Garden by Tannery Bend Beerworks is an indoor/outdoor beer garden and full-service restaurant with beers on 20 tap and an extensive cocktail list. This classic brick building is an exciting addition to the new life of Downtown Napa’s WEST END district. First Street just got one block longer! Opened December of 2023, “The Garden” features coffee & fresh pastries in the mornings, delicious food, live music, and fresh beer, proudly brewed down the street at our brewery on Action Ave seven days a week!

Come on over and see what all the buzz is about!

Top review

Brendan

Dined on 4 May 2025

This place totally lived up to the hype. You can tell right away that it’s local in the best way—laid back, stylish without trying too hard, and full of people who seem to actually live nearby. The food was honestly excellent. Nothing gimmicky, just well-executed dishes with great ingredients. I had the smashburger and my wife got the brisket - everything was fresh, balanced, and came out hot. The space is beautiful. Lots of natural light, subtle garden elements, and thoughtful touches that make it feel calm and welcoming. The whole place is outside but it felt like the perfect mix of cozy and elegant. Service was friendly and on point—attentive without hovering. Everyone we interacted with seemed genuinely happy to be working there, which adds to the overall vibe. Definitely a spot we’ll return to. Great for a casual date night or a meal with friends. It just feels like a place that belongs here.

Dave & Buster's - Daly City

3.9

3.9 (74)

$30 and under

American

Daly City

About the restaurant

Each Dave & Buster’s has more state-of-the-art games than ever, more mouth-watering menu items and the most innovative drinks anywhere. From wings to steaks, we’ve got whatever suits your appetite and our premium bar assures we’re stocked to satisfy! Plus, you can watch your game on one of our massive HDTVs with epic stadium sound.

Top review

Char

Dined on 3 May 2025

I brought my son and his 6 friends to play and eat. They had a good time and most were good with the food. They were exhausted at the 2 hour mark.

Discover more

Experience

Trivia Tuesdays

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