Best Restaurants for Birthdays in Downtown / Union Square

Clearly one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. We had the 9-course tasting menu, chef Claude’s signature. Usually for such menus there’s always one or two less interesting. Not here, no miss, everything was exquisite. Very polite and knowledgeable service staff. Quiet. Really a fantastic experience.

Excellent service from beginning to end. Our waiter was superb. Food was heavenly as always. Always a special treat to celebrate occassions here. Disappointed though they don’t do the complimentary birthday desserts anymore. We ordered desserts but HOPR used to also do a fun little free birthday dessert for the birthday guests.

This was our 31st year celebrating Christmas at Boulevard. We have had the same table every year . Even as our family grew, the birth of our son, then his girlfriend, who became his wife. Even as the world has changed Boulevard has been the one constant that hasn’t. From beautiful decor, amazing food and wonderful people. Thank you Boulevard for making another Christmas perfection. I hope to see thirty more years of Celebrating at your amazing restaurant.

My wife and I recently took my sister and her husband, who were visiting from Charlotte, to State Bird Provisions, and it was nothing short of amazing. The food was absolutely exceptional—each dish was a perfect blend of creativity and flavor. My sister and her husband couldn’t stop raving about how unique the food was, especially the bold use of spices. It was a hit with all of us! The ambiance was also fantastic. The space has a warm and inviting vibe that strikes the perfect balance between trendy and comfortable, making it a great spot for both special occasions and casual nights out. What truly elevated our experience, though, was our waiter. He was excellent—extremely friendly, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu. He had such a genuine enthusiasm for the food and shared thoughtful recommendations, which we greatly appreciated. At one point, we mentioned we’d heard Ryan Gosling had dined here, and he surprised us by saying he’d actually been Ryan’s waiter! He even told us about the time Ryan came in with Eva Mendes and their two kids. Such a cool story to hear directly from someone who was part of it! State Bird Provisions delivered on every level: amazing food, great atmosphere, and top-notch service. My sister and her husband loved it as much as we did. We’ll definitely be back and can’t recommend it highly enough!

Official first date for me and my new guy. Christmas Eve Dinner was great. Service was awesome, live music was really good so was the food.