I had always wanted to visit San Francisco since I was a little girl and I finally made it. Now although I had a really good time I will say that I was caught off guard by the amount of homelessness and drug use in some of the areas. However, not all areas are like that and overall I still felt safe, but I also kept myself protected as well. Here are some things that I did during my quick trip.
I stayed at the Orchard Hotel and it was absolutely beautiful however it wasn’t like most hotels that I stayed in meaning the restaurant didn’t stay open long and there really wasn’t much to do. I didn’t mind it because I had a full itinerary. If you are looking for a place that is quiet and in a safe location I would recommend staying here. The room was nice and the staff were great and very friendly. Although they don’t have a shuttle to get you to and from the airport they are happy to help you book a cab.
CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar is a Black owned winery located in Oakland. I was a little nervous going in because I didn’t know what to expect or the proper protocol going in. However once I came in and looked around someone greeted me and was very happy to explain to me the event going on that night and where I could sit. Everyone there was fairly nice.
A few things I was disappointed about was that I could not do a wine flight after 7pm and you have to use a credit card. A few things that I did like about it was that they gave you samples of wine and they have a lot of Black wines and spirits, they offered food, and they had a live performance which I thought did really good. The food also was not bad as I had caviar nachos that come with three caviars atop Crème Fraiche and Capers over potato chips. I enjoyed it but I probably would replace the crème fraiche with a more creamy sauce or cheese. I ended up leaving there with a bottle of wine that I was so excited to take back to Ohio with me.
Next, I headed over to the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar located inside the Fairfield Inn. Let me just say that if I ever go back to San Francisco I would absolutely love to stay there because it was so beautiful and seems as though there is so much to do. I felt like I was walking into a mall/museum. The staff was really nice in helping me navigate the big building to get to the restaurant. Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar makes you feel like you are in a jungle with the esthetics. The restaurant seems to turn into a party as the night progresses and I can understand why as they have an amazing band that plays different genres of music throughout the night.
Some things to note is that they do not accept reservations unless you are staying at the hotel and there is a $15 fee that’s added to all bills for the entertainment. What I loved most was the vibe of the place. My server was so nice and I learned he was from Thailand. We had a wonderful conversation about his journey and time in the states.
The drinks are really strong I had the Zombie 1934. I don’t know if it was because of the wine I had at the previous place or what, but all I needed was one. They also serve water in this pretty cool glass that I thought was nice. As for the food, I had the Grilled Miso Salmon and it was perfect. The only part of it that I didn’t care for was the rice as it was a little too spicy for me.
The next day I started my morning at Arsicault Bakery. It’s a very popular place and they have about three locations. I went to the one closest to my hotel which was in Union. The line as out the door but it goes pretty fast.
I got this cute pastry which was flaky and fluffy on the inside and had a little sweetness to it. I especially it all to be soft but that’s okay because it was still good although a little messy I also got the Carmel macchiato which I was expecting coffee but instead received a small shot of expresso. Clearly I didn’t know how to order and felt too overstimulated to ask questions. 😅
I sat outside because I’m comfortable in all environments and wanted to people watch. You will see homeless people and you may see them on drugs. Just a warning.
After the bakery I had to go to my breakfast reservation at this cute little place called Son & Garden (Polk Location). As soon as I walked in I felt like Barbie. It was so cute and the people were really nice. I got two drinks and I enjoyed the first drink (Cloud 9) better than the second (Into the Forest). For food I got Deep Fried French Toast. Overall the food was good, but I was sorta stuffed from the bakery and taking a few bites so I allowed it to cool and that was a mistake because when I tried to eat more it wasn’t as good because of the mascarpone cheese in it. But the presentation was super cute, not sure if it was all edible as I opted to put it to the side but I know the butterflies in my drink were so the other stuff could have been.
After eating all of that food I needed to walk it off so I thought that was the perfect time to head to Ghirardelli for the Chocolate Experience. Unfortunately I had to rush because I wanted to get some place else before they closed but I did get to walk around a bit. When I went into (insert location) it was like a chocolate lovers dream, they had many options and gift boxes to choose from. Since I like variety I choose to fill my own bag with chocolate and then I was charged based on the weight. I got a lot of chocolate for under $30 so it was worth it to me.
After Ghirardelli exploring and buying souvenirs, I headed over to Dumpling Home and although this place wasn’t in Chinatown it was still a top place and I would go back. I must warn you that you should be prepared to wait depending on your party size it can be 30mins to an hour. I waited a smooth 30minutes. But it was worth it. I ordered the Juicy Pork Bao and the Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao because they were rated the most popular. They did not disappoint. They were so juicy and flavorful. I had a great time stuffing my face.
Once I was done with my lunch I wanted to take a nap but I had more stuff to do. I headed over to Pier 39 where I enjoyed a fun experience called Wine Tasting on the Bay where I was able to enjoy samples of wine while taking a ride towards the Golden Gate Bridge and then riding past Alcatraz island. Let me just say that it was a vibe, the music was right and both the captain and the host were fun and amazing. From talking to the host it can be a pretty packed boat but I thankfully did not experience that as it was getting close to their whine down season. It was myself and 4 other people which was super perfect for me.
After the wine tour I was nice and buzzy so I decided to explore the pier a little since there was a lot of action going on and then I went to dinner at Fog Harbor Fish House.
You can make reservations but they also note that they have plenty seating for walk-ins since it was just me I decided to just do a walk-in. I probably waited about 10 minutes before I was taken to my table.
I loved the elegant fisherman look and feel that it had, I also enjoyed where I was sitting as it was overlooking the water and it was a beautiful view once the sun began to set. I ordered the Lobster Stuffed Salmon and it was pretty good. The presentation was also wonderful. Now I will say that they give you rolls and I wasn’t really a fan of those but it was nice that they give them.
That pretty much concluded my time in San Francisco. Special note that they charge 25 cents for bags and some places have additional taxes called a San Francisco Mandate or San Francisco Employee tax and that is not including a tip. Hope this was helpful and if you have been to San Francisco or Oakland I’d love to know some of your favorite places.
Adventures with Ny 