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  3. These 12 San Francisco restaurants ace outdoor dining
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These 12 San Francisco restaurants ace outdoor dining

A photo of Red logo
by Becky Duffett
Updated May 30, 2024

Outdoor dining flies any time of year around San Francisco—provided you bring a jacket. So grab an extra layer and take advantage of these top-tier alfresco setups.

An enormous courtyard at a New American restaurant transforms with the seasons. A beloved dim sum spot also serves sweeping Bay Bridge vistas. Fire pits, city views, and shareable snacks from an acclaimed chef dazzle at a triangular rooftop.

These places show off Golden Gate City’s most scenic side. Read on for a guide to 12 San Francisco restaurants that nail outdoor dining.

A photo of Waterbar restaurant
4.6
4.6 (10971)
$31 to $50
Seafood
Financial District / Embarcadero

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

San Francisco’s iconic seafood restaurant rocks a big waterfront patio, set on the edge of the Embarcadero with prime bay and bridge views. Sit among baby palm trees and white umbrellas and watch the world walk, jog, or rollerblade by while relaxing with lobster rolls and Champagne. Wander past the oyster bar and up the stairs, and you’ll find a private dining room with a deck overlooking all the waterside action.


Top review
KarenVIP
Dined 1 day ago
Love the Waterbar, especially the service. Excellent staff who know their menu and ingredients. Fabulous.
About the restaurant

Foreign Cinema is home to one of San Francisco’s most renowned patios. The outdoor space has gone strong since 1999, with classic films projected onto the garden wall. Nothing beats dinner and a movie under the stars alongside Foreign Cinema’s Californian Mediterranean menu, which includes oysters on the half shell, peppercorn-spiced duck breast, and roasted za’atar chicken. If you go for brunch, don’t skip the crowd-favorite housemade fruit pop tarts.


Top review
NingVIP
Dined today
It was a perfect birthday dinner for our girlfriend. Thank you again for another wonderful evening!
About the restaurant

This contemporary American spot is all about an enormous courtyard with decor that changes seasonally—it becomes a full-on winter wonderland in December and is lined with floral curtains, twinkling lights, and plenty of greenery throughout the year. Covered and heated areas (plus blankets) mean it’s comfortable in all kinds of weather. It’s the kind of chic, atmospheric spot you’ll keep coming back to for a solid Cali-accented menu featuring asparagus crab dip and Wagyu steak frites.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Jan 11, 2025
Overall had a great experience and meal at the vault. The heaters were the perfect temp. I chose the restaurant based on location near the Jay hotel and menu offerings. The crab dip was fantastic. The fried brussel sprouts were a bit burned. The risotto had great texture but I wasn't a fan of the mushrooms but that was personal taste. Overall a pleasant experience. Will try the Vault steak house next time in the city.
A photo of Barcha restaurant
4.7
4.7 (1633)
$31 to $50
Mediterranean
Financial District / Embarcadero

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Cane chairs, colorful rugs, and intricate wooden dividers (for plenty of privacy) make the patio at this Mediterranean and Parisian-influenced bistro one of the city’s coziest. Barcha’s lunch menu is a workday treat, known for top-notch shawarma and kebabs. Other winning Middle Eastern dishes include fattoush salad brightened with mint and sumac or pistachio and fig jam baklava.


Top review
Diane
Dined on Jan 15, 2025
The food is always fresh and flavorful. One of my favorite restaurants in the city.
About the restaurant

This Italian restaurant’s third location is the best for outdoor dining, opening up to a sceney rooftop deck with retractable black-and-gold striped awnings (which can be cranked open on sunny days). Pizza and pasta are Fiorella’s specialties, and a locally leaning beer list, regionally sourced produce, and city-themed murals and wallpaper make it distinctly San Franciscan. Pro-tip: Stop by after a stroll through Golden Gate Park for an especially satisfying open-air meal.


Top review
Eric
Dined on Jan 18, 2025
Service was amazing all around from the moment we walked in being greeted by the host to updates when our table would be ready. We got lucky to be seated right next to the fireplace. Service was attentive and often throughout the evening and was more than we could ever ask for. I think our server was named Jeremy (sorry if I’m mistaken) and he was fantastic. Excellent, excellent job Fiorella. We will be back and telling everyone.
A photo of Harborview Restaurant & Bar restaurant
4.5
4.5 (1469)
$31 to $50
Chinese
Financial District / Embarcadero
About the restaurant

The only thing better than devouring a perfect shrimp dumpling might be doing it with a view of the Bay. You can feast on the finest dim sum up on the deck at Harborview, including baked barbecue pork buns and full Peking duck platters. The family-style Chinese meal pairs well with the photogenic Embarcadero surroundings, which includes the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge.


Top review
VictoriaVIP
Dined 3 days ago
Our waiter was excellent. The food was delicious. The hostess need some training. Overall we enjoyed it.
A photo of Buena Vida Cantina restaurant
4.5
4.5 (139)
$30 and under
Contemporary Mexican
SOMA

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

This Mexican outdoor star sits behind Moscone Center and Yerba Buena Gardens and features a heated parklet that’s surprisingly secluded and lush with greenery. Kick back and relax with watermelon margs, esquites, and cochinita pibil tacos. The chef is originally from the Yucatán—where the slow-roasted dish originated—so the pork is seriously succulent.


Top review
Araceli
Dined on Oct 19, 2024
This is a hidden gem. I live close by and had never been here before. I celebrated my birthday with pitchers of margaritas that were perfect. The food was delicious but would benefit from more options. The mole enchiladas were delicious. The flan was also delicious. I will come again.
About the restaurant

One of the most loved Peruvian restaurants in San Francisco sits between the docks at Pier 1½, where some diners even park their boats during dinner. La Mar has a new bar and massive dining room, among other beautiful spaces, but the best seat in the house is on the deep patio, which is both covered and heated to ward off the fog. Dig into fresh cebiches, empanadas, and pisco cocktails while watching the ferries float out past Treasure Island.


Top review
THOMVIP
Dined on Jan 15, 2025
Gorgeous location. Fabulous service. Delicious, different, flavorful food. Wonderful time!
A photo of Greens Restaurant restaurant
4.6
4.6 (11193)
$50 and over
Vegetarian / Vegan
Marina / Cow Hollow / Presidio
About the restaurant

This groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant first opened in 1979, and it’s still feeding diners fresh spring rolls, giant bean tagines, and seasonal pastas. Greens boasts a beautiful home in one of the Fort Mason warehouses, where rich wood interiors look out onto the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The restaurant recently built a wooden “pavilion” outside, so you can dine to a soundtrack of lapping waves and gulls—with plenty of space heaters to cut the fog.


Top review
Carol
Dined 1 day ago
I’ve dined at Greens numerous times over the years but this meal was by far the best ever. I love the Asian influence. The cabbage was great and loved everything else. It was reasonably priced and the setting is iconic San Francisco with views of the bay.
A photo of Charmaine's Rooftop Lounge restaurant
4.5
4.5 (1379)
$31 to $50
Californian
Downtown / Union Square

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

About the restaurant

Ride the elevator to the top of the swanky Proper Hotel and step out onto a space studded with fire pits. Charmaine’s occupies a triangular rooftop with city views up and down Market Street. The menu is anything but an afterthought, since acclaimed chef Jason Fox (of MICHELIN-starred Commonwealth fame) took over the hotel kitchen. Snack on huitlacoche-stuffed potatoes, chopped salads, or cheeseburgers, and sip a Pimm’s cup with a curly cucumber garnish as you take in the striking skyline.


Top review
Eleanor
Dined on Jan 22, 2025
Lovely experience. Meeting before a Sf Sketchfest event. Good service, lovely weather (thankfully) and all around good time.
About the restaurant

A recent renovation brought a hidden back patio to this easygoing Californian restaurant. Squeeze through the railroad-style dining room into a garden oasis, featuring multiple levels of wooden decks, heat lamps, greenhouse awnings, and lush plants. It’s a cozy backdrop for seasonal hits like a grilled pork chop on ratatouille, plus a brunch menu—now served seven days a week—that features sweet baguette French toast and a pitch-perfect eggs Benedict.


Top review
Arend
Dined 6 days ago
My wife and I had our birthday lunch there, which was excellent. We were also given a surprise birthday dessert. Wonderful food, great service!
A photo of Shelby's Rooftop restaurant
4.5
4.5 (328)
$50 and over
American
SOMA
About the restaurant

Reservations are highly recommended at this rooftop bar on the 12th floor of the Canopy Hotel, where the vibe is luxe penthouse. Score a spot on one of the lounge sofas topped with throw pillows that line the railing for an epic sunset view (there are heaters for colder nights), and sip on a house-aged negroni or old fashioned. Things stay low-key from Sunday to Wednesday, but if you’re looking for a more action-packed night, go on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, when a live DJ sets the scene.


Top review
Ever
Dined today
Great ambiance and vibe. I wish they had more food selections but overall the food was good.
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