Your SF Guide

Curated by a local tour guide. No ads, no fluff—just honest recommendations from someone who shows people around this city every day.

First Time? Eat & Drink Neighborhoods This Week Day Trips

Neighborhoods

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Russian Hill

Everyone comes for the crooked block of Lombard Street, but stay on Russian Hill and you discover hidden…

0 restaurants 1 things to do
The Richmond

The Richmond stretches from Arguello to Ocean Beach, foggy and quiet, with some of the best food in…

4 restaurants 29 things to do
Marina District

The Marina spreads along the waterfront where San Francisco meets the bay.

1 restaurants 7 things to do
The Mission District

Sunny-afternoon Mission. Burrito at La Taqueria, murals on Balmy Alley, park at Dolores, dinner on Valencia.

11 restaurants 21 things to do
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Where to Eat

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R&G Lounge

The salt and pepper crab is what to order. Bring four people so you can get it plus three or four other dishes family-style. The downstairs room has tablecloths, the upstairs has energy. Same kitchen.

$$$ Chinatown Chinese, Cantonese, Seafood

Taqueria Cancún

The carnitas super burrito is why people come here. Hit the green tomatillo salsa at the salsa bar. Less hectic than El Farolito if you want to actually sit and eat.

$ The Mission District Mexican

Chotto Matte

Go before 8pm for the food experience. After 9pm on weekends it becomes more of a scene. The robata grill is the strongest part of the menu. Reservations are a must.

$$$ Japanese

Tacos El Patron

The quesabirria with consomme is the order. Handmade tortillas make the difference. Go for lunch on a weekday.

$ Mexican
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Things to Do

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Classic

Seward Street Slides

Bring your own cardboard or grab a piece from the box at the top. The slides are faster than they look. At Seward and Douglass in the Castro, near the intersection with Corwin. Free and open during daylight.

free
Classic

Clarion Alley

Scrappier and more punk than Balmy Alley. Between Mission and Valencia, enter from either 17th or 18th Street. The art turns over fast so check back every few months.

free
Classic

Balmy Alley

One block long, between 24th and 25th on Balmy Street. Best in daylight for photos. The murals are political and they change, so each visit is different. Free and open 24 hours.

free
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Written by someone who actually does this every day

I've been a San Francisco tour guide for years. These aren't hot takes from a travel writer who flew in for a weekend—they're the answers I give people every single day.

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