When we have guests visit from around the country, dinner choices become a week-long discussion weighing "uniqueness" against "comfort". Many of our guests don't have the adventuresome restaurant choices in their hometowns that we have in the Bay Area. An out-of-town guest restaurant should be fun and original without scaring the guest! Here is our list of favorite restaurants to take out-of-town guests. We'll keep updating it as we get more ideas!
Chow (SF) - Comfort food at its best, and really cheap! This place is the best for a comfortable, reasonably priced dinner with a little SF flair. The open-air patio in back and exposed kitchen give this place plenty of character to start a conversation. (Yelp)
Cafe de la Paz (Berkeley) - Fun second-floor restaurant overlooking the Gourmet Ghetto of North Berkeley. Looking down on the Gourmet Ghetto for half the price of take-out across the street at Gregoire. Not Bad. (Yelp)
Yoshi's (Oakland) - Go for a show, or just go for dinner, or just go for wine/sake and sushi. You actually get to take off your shoes and sit on the floor. Bring the whole family. (Yelp|Reservations)
