
What we’re about
This group is for visiting San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and other events that have foodie interest or a food centric theme. Such as food and wine festivals, Eat, Drink San Francisco, the San Francisco Chocolate Festival and San Francisco Street Food Festival.
While food and beverages are of primary importance, this is a social group for having fun, making new friends and keeping touch with others, trying something new, or visiting an old favorite, yet again. Join with a friend or two, or eat with strangers and find common and uncommon feasts of food, conversation and an occasional butterfly.
Attendees
Please be prompt or message your host directly (perhaps use the new chat feature) comments are delayed by as much as an hour. Dress is usually casual, use your own judgement, on a rare occasion a jacket, dress or no shorts may be required. And please take pictures of your food and upload them to our group, San Francisco Foodies maintains that the photographer maintains ownership of their art. If you want to take pictures of guests please remember to ask their permission before. Bullying and derogatory remarks are causes for removal from an event and this group. Not paying for your ordered items most likely will result in legal action.
Administrative Trivia
There are no dues. However some events require a deposit for joining. A deposit is spent toward an attendee’s bill (restaurants sometimes charge a deposit from $5, $50 or the entire cost of a meal and beverage $400).
Events are usually free to attend but each member and their guests pay for their respective meals, drinks, some events have split appetizers or family style meals where each person pays the same price and all share the meal. These details are in each event. Restaurants usually charge city tax and a mandatory gratuity. In San Francisco a percentage for employee insurance. Expect 30% to 35% added to your order.
Some Events ask for attendees to prepay a portion of any deposits or venue costs. These are paid events.
Nonprofit Fundraisers are where a donation is requested, a nonprofit is selected, usually rated 100% (some local charities are not nationally rated but all of their donations are 100% used to support their activities). For our events San Francisco Foodies asks donations to be given to the nonprofit directly, any donations collected are forwarded (100%). These are also marked as paid events.
Event Organizers are unpaid volunteers, however, some may charge a fee. Those will be paid events and full disclosure of where fees go are in each event's description. San Francisco Foodies is always looking for new volunteers as organizers and adding new events.
Use of Meetup Comments and Chat for spam is forbidden. Suggesting events is encouraged. If the event is in another group please contact an event organizer to co-host with our group. Much better to become an event organizer with our group and host an event yourself.
Be Well, #Eat San Francisco.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Trestle: Table for 7 (Revisit)Trestle , San Francisco, CA
Food Favorites featured restaurant #4: Trestle
A Bib Gourmand recipient for their innovative, affordable and delicious dining experience. Most reviews seem to mention their price point first, probably because that is astonishing for their continued pursuit of excellence.
Trestle offers a four course, often changing daily Prix Fixe (Sample) MENU featuring fresh seasonal ingredients. Join me for this intimate, elevated dining experience.Menus and Reviews
Trestle (yelp!)
Trestle (Michelin)Administrative Trivia
Dinner pricing is listed $52 per person, supplements and beverage will increase this amount. Each diner is responsible for the total cost of what they order. Take raw bill x1.35 for your total payment (tax, tip, SF mandate). Organizer will manage one singular bill and form of payment for the check. Please be prepared to pay the organizer by Cash, Venmo, AppleCash.
Dress is business casual.
Please allow for plenty of time for parking, prompt attendance is appreciated. Full party must be available to be seated.Attendees and Waitlist, Please have consideration manage your reservation 48 hours prior to event if you are no longer interested in this event.
Parking and Transportation
Trestle is by the corner of Jackson and Columbus in San Francisco’s North Beach district. There is a parking garage directly next door on Jackson St (Closes at 11PM), one across the street on Columbus (Closes at Midnight), and parking at the Hilton on Washington is a 24 hour option. - Cocktails at Top of the Mark: Table for 8Top of the Mark, Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco, CA
Top of the Mark
No full dinner here, only tapas and cocktails, celebrating the end of another week in paradise. A full 360 degree view of San Francisco, a plush dinning room in a historic building. To further convince you there is this CBS News Video celebrating their 85 years in business.Since we'll probably be drinking, I suggest you leave your car at home, but parking is available - valet, or garage and street parking an be found a block or two away, but your walk may be steep, very steep.
I suggest the California Street Cable Car, but arrive early.
And.. I have another event following for a late dinner.
History
The Mark Hopkins Hotel was built by George D. Smith[1] on the site of the old Mark Hopkins mansion, which had burned down following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The hotel was dedicated in 1926, and the penthouse suite was rented exclusively to Daniel C. Jackling, reputedly at US$1,250 (equivalent to $22,000 in 2024) per month,[2] until he moved to his house in Woodside in 1936.[3] In 1939, shortly after emerging from a 1933 bankruptcy, George Smith convinced the trustees of the Mark to spend US$110,000 (equivalent to $2,493,000 in 2024) to convert the 11-room penthouse on the hotel's 19th floor into a glass-walled cocktail lounge,[3] which became known as the Top of The Mark.[4]
Marjorie Trumbull won fame in the 1940s for her radio interviews of celebrities broadcast on KSFO and conducted from the Top of the Mark.[5][6]During World War II, when San Francisco was a major transit point for troops going to the Pacific Theater, servicemen traditionally had a farewell drink before shipping out while watching the sun set over the Golden Gate Bridge.[7][8] The northwest corner was known as "Weeper's Corner" after the wives and girlfriends who would gather there for their final look at departing ships.[9]
*A new tradition was established during the Korean War, when squadron members would sponsor a "squadron bottle" to be kept available at the bar. Each member would sign and date the label after claiming a free drink, and the man who took the last drink would keep the signed bottle and purchase a new bottle. By the end of the Korean War, thirty-two squadron bottles were in use.[3][10] *from Wikipedia
Menus and Reviews
Top of the Mark
Top of the Mark (Wikipedia)
Top of the Mark (Instagram)Administratriva
Top of the Mark's menu has tapas (small plates) for about $25 each, and cocktails are about $20-$25 each excluding tax and tip. Estimate about $50 depending on how much one drinks.Dress is Polished or Cocktail Attire
Taxes and Restaurant Fees
Dining in San Francisco has a sales tax (8.625%) and probably an employee health mandate (3-10%), a tip (20%) may be automatically added, even on individual bills, if not we expect a 20% minimum tip to be paid for individual bills.Each bill should be per individual.
Please bring cash or have Zelle or Apple Cash available.
Transportation to Top of the Mark
MUNI: California Cable Car
Finding street parking is not that difficult.
Restaurant has valet.
Parking garage can be found nearby
Use event comments for Car Pooling and Ride Sharing.Many thanks for the photos and history from wikipedia and restaurant websites
- Blue Whale Restaurant for Contemporary Cantonese: Table for 8Blue Whale Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Blue Whale Restaurant
San Francisco Foodies held an event during our inagural year at Empress by Boon, Blue Whale is their sister restaurant for more casual a la carte based dishes and they also have large party rooms for banquets, perhaps starting the recent San Francisco Restaurant Trend (followed by Wayfare Tavern and others). Setting International trends is something Chef Ho Chee Boon has done all his career.Chef Ho Chee Boon defined or helped design upscale Cantonese dining for the world during his time as chief Chef for Hakkasan and opening their flagship locations including two star New York, London and here in San Francisco, where there was never an empty seat. He decided to call San Francisco his home and has been bold, creative and kind channeling the best of San Francisco's history.
Beautiful innovative architecture and decor from floor to ceiling and amazing food coming from their Chef de Cuisine Michelin starred Zhineng Chen. A Chinese-Cantonese-Fusion. Chinese and South East Asian (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia fusing with Shanghai and Hong Kong) traditional spices and dishes with the best ingredients and cooking techniques.
A joyous place to hold your wedding banquet according to many social media sites, but San Francisco Foodies is there to sample their menu.
This meal follows our Cocktails on the 19th floor of the Mark Hopkin's hotel, Top of the Mark (and perhaps a cheating tapa or two), so the time is more around when I enjoy my weekend evening meals. 9p.
Come to both or only one, but always #EatSanFrancisco.
History
At Blue Whale Restaurant, dining is more than just a meal—it’s a journey. We are a leader in sustainable Chinese fine dining, blending traditional Chinese techniques with modern innovation. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do.Our story begins with the majestic blue whale, a symbol of strength, endurance, grace, and wisdom. Like the blue whale, we embark on a culinary voyage. We explore the depths of Chinese cuisine using responsibly sourced ingredients and eco-friendly practices.
Every dish at Blue Whale tells a story—one of heritage, craftsmanship, and environmental responsibility. Enjoy delicate dim sum, savor bold Cantonese flavors, or indulge in a contemporary twist on a classic dish. Experience the perfect balance of sustainability and fine Chinese dining.
from restaurant websiteProfessional Review
Cantonese cuisine is Chee Boon’s specialty, and that’ll be central here, too. But so will the foodways of Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Indonesia. Rojak, a kind of fruit salad with spicy peanut dressing, is one favorite Javanese dish that’ll make the menu. Sharing a pan-Asian menu of salads, small bites, entrees, and rice and noodle dishes is how the chef wants to educate diners about the meals of his childhood in Malaysia and working across Asia. Lemongrass, peppercorn, and other indigenous ingredients from across these countries will appear, but as inspiration strikes chef says he’ll involve other techniques as well. Chee Boon is particularly excited about crab meat xiao long bao, a San Francisco dumpling favorite. Blue Whale has a full liquor license, with drinks coming from Brandon Clements who cut his teeth with the Bacchus Management Group, the team behind Spruce, Selby’s, and more.
from eatersf (full article link below)Menus and Reviews
Blue Whale Restaurant
Blue Whale Restaurant - Food Menu
Blue Whale Restaurant (Instagram)
Blue Whale Restaurant (EaterSF)
Blue Whale Restaurant (7x7)Administratriva
Blue Whale's menu shows three courses at dinner pricing is about $70 per person, excluding tax and tip. Alcoholic drinks can easily increase this average. We can do family style and share more dishes if desired.Dress is Comfortable Cocktail Attire
Taxes and Restaurant Fees
Dining in San Francisco has a sales tax (8.625%) and probably an employee health mandate (3-10%), a tip (20%) may be automatically added, even on individual bills, if not we expect a 20% minimum tip to be paid for individual bills.The host calculates each diner's orders separately and rounds the final payment up to the next dollar. Unless they allow separate orders and/or separate checks.
Each diner is responsible for their own orders and costs but we will have to consolidate and divvy up the final bill accordingly.
Please bring cash or have Zelle or Apple Cash available.
Transportation to Blue Whale Restaurant
MUNI: 45 (late night Muni may have stopped)
Finding street parking in Cow Hallow is usually difficult.
Use event comments for Car Pooling and Ride Sharing.Many thanks for the photos and history from restaurant and EaterSF websites.