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Best Authentic Restaurants in Downtown / Union Square

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216 restaurants available nearby

A photo of The Parthenon restaurant
4.6
Exceptional(46)
Price: Moderate
• Mediterranean • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 10 times today
Welcome to The Parthenon, your gateway to the authentic flavors of Greece nestled in the heart of San Francisco. As a Mediterranean Wine Bar and Mezes, we offer a rich tapestry of Greek culinary delights that will transport your taste buds to the sun-kissed Greek islands.Our menu is a celebration of traditional Greek cuisine, with a contemporary twist.Pair your meal with a selection from our Mediterranean Wine Bar, and don't forget to save room for our delectable sides, including Greek Fries and Garlic Fries.
A photo of O' by Claude Le Tohic restaurant
4.8
Exceptional(456)
Price: Very Expensive
• Contemporary French • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 5 times today
Located on the 5th floor of ONE65 San Francisco, O' is Chef Claude Le Tohic's inaugural solo venture after earning Meilleur Ouvrier de France, winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef in America and carrying the coveted 3-Michelin star rating at Joël Robuchon Las Vegas. Luxurious but not pretentious, O’ offers modern French cuisine with elegant and attentive service. O' offers a 5-course Tasting Menu for $210, and a 9-course Grand Tasting Menu for $295. Optional wine pairings are available, along with a wine list of 1000+ selections from the USA and France. Please note that 20% service charge (which includes gratuity) and 1% San Francisco Health Mandate is added onto every check.Though dinner attire is always encouraged, we ask our guests to abide by "smart casual" dress code; no shorts, t-shirts, or sandals.
A photo of Corzetti restaurant
4.5
Awesome(331)
Price: Expensive
• Italian • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 19 times today
Step off the bustling streets of Union Square and into a glamorous, coastal Italian getaway. Corzetti is a Ligurian restaurant and bar that evokes summers spent on the Italian Riviera where life moves at a slower pace, and seaside restaurants serve up menus influenced by the day’s catch and peak-season produce from the region.Chef Tali Missirlian's focus on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and handmade pasta reflects our commitment to sustainability and quality. You'll find fresh seafood-forward dishes on our menu including pizza, pasta and more, which pair perfectly with creative cocktails from our bar and an extensive list of Italian wines. Come in for lunch, happy hour, or a quick dinner before a show. Host birthday parties and get togethers in our private dining room. From our cozy and intimate atmosphere to our knowledgeable and attentive service, Corzetti invites you to savor the essence of Liguria's relaxed seaside culture in the heart of the city.
A photo of ABSteak by Chef Akira Back - San Francisco restaurant
4.3
Awesome(17)
Price: Very Expensive
• Korean • SOMA
Booked 10 times today
Korean steakhouse with dry-aged meats, expertly crafted cocktails and world-class service where the heart and soul of authentic Korean flavors seamlessly intertwine with the essence of a fine steakhouse.We officially open October 8th.
A photo of Historic John's Grill restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(7296)
Price: Expensive
• American • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 59 times today
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.
A photo of Bodega SF restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(44)
Price: Moderate
• Vietnamese • Financial District / Embarcadero
Booked 20 times today
Bodega SF is an evolution of Matthew Ho’s family's restaurant, Bodega Bistro, which operated from 2003-2017 out of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, serving traditional Northern Vietnamese cuisine. The brand’s success continued as Ho organized pop-up events, eventually transitioning to meal packages throughout the pandemic to meet demand. In 2022, Ho and his partners opened Bodega SF’s brick-and-mortar location, again located in the Tenderloin District, bringing high-quality Vietnamese cuisine back to the community with a modernized, casual fine dining experience. The family-style concept allows visitors to sample its variety of authentic, creative dishes.
A photo of bota tapas and paella bar restaurant
4.4
Awesome(934)
Price: Expensive
• Tapas / Small Plates • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 5 times today
Bota is an authentic Spanish style tapas and paella bar located in the heart of Union Square in San Francisco. A place to go to share food, savor rustic flavors and enjoy Spanish wine in a casual, yet chic, environment. Inspired by the concept behind our name “BOTA”, a vessel to share wine with the people around you.
A photo of Bouche restaurant
4.6
Exceptional(1906)
Price: Expensive
• French • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 10 times today
Bouche is a California-French restaurant with an oft-changing seasonal menu created by the renowned Parisian Chef Jeremy Blaringhem. The beer and wine list is centered on small producers from both California and France. Our Kitchen Is Exclusively Offering seasonal Menu.A brunch service a la carte is offered Sat & Sun 11am-2.30pm in our outdoors heated parklet area only.Items on the menus are subject to change with seasonOur goal is to share our passion for food and wine in our romantic & sexy "hole in the wall" restaurant. Come and fall in love with our recipes and style of cooking served by our wonderful team wearing a big smile. Be Brave enough to order our signature dish "The adventurous". A blind dish created to challenge your palet and boundaries.Nothing Fancy... Simply expect real food, real ingredients , real people , real laughs ... a love experience.As a small family business we really appreciate your support.Bon appétit
A photo of Dirty Habit restaurant
4.3
Awesome(837)
Price: Moderate
• Unspecified • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 4 times today
Our bar-centric concept plays host to a vivid social scene and creative craft cocktail menu with an emphasis on rare brown spirits. In a prime location perched five floors above the streets of the developing high-tech start-up epicenter in SOMA, Dirty Habit serves as an intimate hideaway for locals seeking inventive offerings and a sociable dining atmosphere, both inside the restaurant and on the spacious, heated outdoor dining room.
A photo of Matador - San Francisco restaurant
4.4
Awesome(190)
Price: Expensive
• Mexican • Downtown / Union Square
Booked 7 times today
Matador – San Francisco is a restaurant serving authentic Mexican cuisine. It offers delivery and takeout, and also provides catering services. The restaurant is recommended for lunch and dinner, and has garage and street parking. It is a good place for groups, and the attire and ambiance inside is casual. Matador – San Francisco offers full alcohol bar and the noise level during peak hours is average. The restaurant offers free WI-FI access and has outdoor seating as well.The menu at Matador – San Francisco includes classic Mexican dishes such as carnitas tacos, guacamole, mezcal with pineapple syrup and lemon, house salad with shrimp, salsa, and pozole. The waiting staff is friendly, courteous, and fast in taking orders and serving food.

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See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
  • Mark
    San Francisco Bay Area •5 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    John’s Grill is one of my most favorite restaurants in SF. The staff are efficient and friendly. The ambiance is great, and I enjoy taking first-timers to this gem. The food is great, and my favorite is Jack LaLanne seafood salad with a glass of Chardonnay. Steaks and pasta dishes are great too! Make a toast or two to Hammett, Bogart, Astor, Greenstreet etc. Save a bit of time to check out The Maltese Falcon and other film noir items upstairs. Enjoy the day!
    More info
    Historic John's GrillPrice: Expensive• American• Downtown / Union Square
    4.7
  • eunji
    New York City •3 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    The decor is so well done and the restaurant looks amazing! The quality of meat was superb as well. Drinks were tasty and the drink menu was extensive. My one qualm is we had a reservation for 6 guests and we were seated at a large table with another party. Usually they give separate tables or even a divider so it was def a diff experience. They also had private party rooms that weren’t in use for the duration we were there. We ordered 3 diff types of meat and all were so yummy. Give the yukhoe a try. It’s so well presented. And the dwaengjang jiggae was so perfectly seasoned. Overall the food, drinks, and vibes were great!
    More info
    ABSteak by Chef Akira Back - San FranciscoPrice: Very Expensive• Korean• SOMA
    4.3
  • Amber
    San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 3 days ago
    What a gem of a family restaurant! My husband and I went here before going to a play at the SF Playhouse. The owner served us at the bar. He was so gracious, friendly and attentive. His family members were equally welcoming and lovely. I consider myself to be a bit of a Greek food snob. My mom was from Greece originally and I travel there often. I am always looking for good Greek food in the States. The Parthenon exceeded my expectations. Every dish was outstanding. It’s rare to find a kebab that is not too dry. The lamb kebab was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The Pastitsio was delicious and fresh. The tzatziki was great and their own house dipping sauce for pita was even better. If you go, best to go on the early side or make a reservation as this place has been discovered and gets packed. We were there when they opened at 5 because of the timing of our play. By a little after 6 they were already busy. We will definitely be returning!
    More info
    The ParthenonPrice: Moderate• Mediterranean• Downtown / Union Square
    4.6
  • Illya
    San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 5 days ago
    Celebrated our anniversary at O - and we enjoyed every moment of it. From personalized menus, to the attention of the staff and quality of the food. We had a 9 course meal and it took us from 7 pm to 10.30 pm to go through all of the portions. The portions are small l but by the end we were full - even though I skipped a lunch before coming there. The restaurant gave us a small cake at the end of the meal to mark the special occasion but we had to get it to go as we were full.
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    O' by Claude Le TohicPrice: Very Expensive• Contemporary French• Downtown / Union Square
    4.8
  • Barbaravip
    San Francisco Bay Area •61 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 5 days ago
    Three of us dined here before our show at the Curran, just one block away. Started with the large sized Cesar to share. I had 2 appetizers- I eat pasta and pizza at home. So the Kampachi crudo was great as were the meatballs. Plenty of food and a chance to try more things. One friend had the chicken leg confit over polenta and she loved it. The other had the spaghetti with clams and loved hers. A very good meal, excellent service and lively atmosphere. We will definitely be back.
    More info
    CorzettiPrice: Expensive• Italian• Downtown / Union Square
    4.5

Discover best authentic restaurants in Downtown / Union Square

Discover the charm of authentic dining in the heart of San Francisco's bustling Downtown/Union Square area. This vibrant locale is renowned for its diverse and dynamic dining scene, offering a plethora of options that cater to lovers of genuine, high-quality meals. Whether you're craving the rich flavors of Asian American cuisine, the delightful bites of European tapas, or the classic comfort of Italian dishes, this district has something to entice every palate. Each restaurant in this selection is celebrated for its commitment to authenticity, from the carefully curated menus to the thoughtfully designed interiors that reflect their cultural heritage. Patrons can expect not only a feast for their taste buds but also an engaging atmosphere that enhances each dining experience. These establishments stand out for their ability to merge traditional recipes with local influences, creating a unique dining experience that is both genuine and innovative. Perfect for food enthusiasts and culinary adventurers alike, Downtown/Union Square is truly a cornerstone of authentic dining in San Francisco.

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