Classy mealtimes are all well and good, but every once in a while, we recommend shaking it up with a dinner date that’s a bit more outside the box. If you’re in the mood to play with your food, check out our roundup of San Francisco’s most unconventional dining experiences.
Via The Game Parlour
(1342 Irving St // Inner Sunset)
San Francisco’s first-ever board game cafe is, for our money, still the best of its kind in the city. For just $7, stay as long as you’d like and play a few of the hundreds of tabletop games housed in the cafe’s bright, welcoming space. And did we mention the menu? Savory waffle sandwiches, sweet mochi waffles, ice cream, waffle fries, cozy hot chocolate … it all tastes good enough to soothe the pain of losing at Clue!
Via Urban Putt
(1096 S Van Ness // Mission)
Drinks + mini golf = the ideal combo for the kid in all of us! Heck, it's totally an adult thing too. This spot serves up drinks and simple grub like pizza and sliders to fuel you as you tackle the 14-hole course. Reservations are a must if you want to swing by (Get it? Swing? OK, we’re sorry).
Via Lazy Bear
(3416 19th St // Mission)
Lazy Bear — a two-Michelin-starred spot in the Mission — sells “tickets” (not reservations) for its dinner service. Diners are served the restaurant’s impressive high-concept tasting menu, themed after American nostalgia and focused on hyper-seasonal ingredients. For the full send option, book Dessert in the Den, which takes you upstairs after your meal for dessert and “curated beverage experience.”
Via The Pawn Shop
(993 Mission St // SoMa)
For all intents and purposes, The Pawn Shop looks like exactly that: an unassuming pawn shop with various wares. Speak to the proprietor, and you'll be shown through a hidden door to a full-blown tapas bar with a lengthy wine list. They hold tables for walk-ins, but you can make advance reservations as well.
Via The Dinner Detective
(333 Battery St // Financial District)
If you’ve always wanted to live out your Agatha Christie fantasy, this interactive murder mystery dinner theater show is for you. Unearth clues in between courses and try to solve the crime. There are actors hidden amongst the diners at every show, so anyone in the room could be the murderer. Keep an eye on your butter knives, folks!
Via Tonga Room
(950 Mason St // Nob Hill)
No list of unique dining experiences would be complete without the Tonga Room, the mother of all SF tiki bars. Complete with over-the-top tropical decor, tons of fruity cocktails, a literal pool, and frequent indoor “rain showers,” it remains an iconic destination for a night of island-inspired fun.
Via Warakabune
(307 Church St // Castro)
Set sail on a sushi sea at Warakabune! Here, sushi rolls are placed atop miniature “boats” and floated to diners on a watery conveyor belt. Each plate of sushi is priced differently, but most are under $10, so don’t worry — this delicious nautical voyage won’t break the bank.
Via AsiaSF
(201 9th St // SoMa)
The vibe at AsiaSF — part cabaret, part nightclub, part Cal-Asian fusion restaurant — is always lively. Make a reservation for their dinner show experience (the price ranges from $69 - $89) and enjoy dancing, lip sync numbers, comedy, and more from the fabulous Ladies of AsiaSF while you eat.
Via Osito
(2875 18th St // Mission)
Osito, another Michelin-starred beauty, has a unique gimmick going for it: everything on its tasting menu is cooked over a live fire. When you visit here, you’ll be seated at a big communal table, where you can see the chefs preparing dishes over open flames in the nearby kitchen. It’s not just about the song and dance, though! The food is also, ahem, fire.
Via Instagram
(332 Clement St // Inner Richmond)
Drop it like it’s hot (pot) at Mokuku, which specializes in all-you-can-eat hot pot, shabu shabu, and wagyu beef. This place takes the hot pot dining experience to the next level: they have a traditional tatami-style dining room and a karaoke room that you can rent out for up to 40 people!
By Grace Orriss
Need a drink after all those activities? Check out one of The Bay's Best Wine Bars!
