Best Neighbourhood Gem Restaurants in Daly City

174 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Original Joe's Westlake restaurant

1. Original Joe's Westlake

4.8

Exceptional(4876)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • Daly City

Booked 53 times today

After a two-year closure, Original Joe's, San Francisco’s quintessential Italian-American dining destination, revitalized iconic Daly City institution Joe’s of Westlake, and reintroduced it into the community as Original Joe’s Westlake. An anchor of Daly City from 1956 to 2014, Original Joe’s Westlake underwent an extensive two-year renovation, complete with a front-to-back interior remodel, including the kitchen and all dining spaces, and an exterior and landscaping overhaul. Following the Original Joe’s tradition, Westlake continues to prepare unpretentious, old-school Italian-American fare in an open kitchen for all to see. The menu is carefully crafted to reflect a past-meets-present hybrid of what Joe’s of Westlake used to be and what Original Joe’s Westlake is today.

2. Elena's

4.7

Exceptional(471)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Forest Hill / West Portal

Booked 94 times today

Welcome to Elena's -- a place where a family’s love for authentic Mexican food is celebrated and combined with California-inspired elements and signature Mexican-American dishes. We offer reservations for up to 8 guests via OpenTable. At the time of your reservation, we kindly request the entire party be present to be seated. Tables will be held for up to 10 minutes after the reservation time. For parties that arrive later, the table will be released but we will do our best to accommodate the reservation with the next available table. Reservation requests via phone or email are not available at this time. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to Elena’s!

3. Ofena

4.8

Exceptional(44)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Parkside

Booked 1 time today

“Cooking, for me, is storytelling.” —Tim Humphrey, executive chef. Finalist in both “Best Italian” & “Best New Restaurant” in SFGate’s Best of the Bay. Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s Lakeside District, Ofena draws inspiration from family roots in the quaint sheep-herding village of the same name in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Chef Tim Humphrey proudly presents his ode to Italian cuisine in the form of an expertly crafted menu showcasing the bounty of California and emphasizing the flavors of Italy. Ofena takes modern Italian cuisine to the next level with a fresh, ingredient driven menu. Enjoy inventive craft cocktails in our fully stocked bar and satiate your pasta craving in our warm and intimate space. Located in the old Lakeside Cafe, we aim to continue the tradition of bringing the neighborhood together to be welcomed the Italian way - as family! Come be apart of the story at Ofena! Buon Appetito!

A photo of Firefly Restaurant restaurant

4. Firefly Restaurant

4.9

Exceptional(3004)

Price: Expensive

• Contemporary American • Noe Valley

Booked 10 times today

We serve food that, more often than not, accesses that part of our deepest soul where genuine expression can flow forth. We have always tried to give our food and service our best selves, as honest and vulnerable as we can muster. We strive to be a place where you might actually have a real connection; maybe with your server, maybe with your food or maybe with your possibly gracious host who is ACTUALLY glad you’re there. Oh, you wanted a restaurant description? Sorry. Can’t really help you there. We’re not so big on labels. Our food is hard to nail down as we are constantly evolving and entirely seasonal and personal. We’ve used “Food you eat” as a tag line on occasion and that remains accurate. We could also describe it as “Food we really want you to eat”. When you’re here, tell us what you would call it.

5. La Ciccia

4.7

Exceptional(2715)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • Noe Valley

Booked 12 times today

We are currently open for both Indoor and Outdoor dining. - San Francisco can get very chilly at night. Please do not forget your jacket.La Ciccia is a cozy and intimate restaurant located on the edge of Noe Valley. The chef is committed to use the freshest and the most authentic ingredients from Sardinia resulting in pungent, lively, flavorful food. The all Italian wine list, 150 labels selection represent every Region with more than a quarter devote to Sardinia in order to pair the traditional earthy flavors as well seafood influence of Sardinia cuisine. La Ciccia is a tribute to Sardinia an experience not to be missed.

6. NOVY

4.7

Exceptional(703)

Price: Moderate

• Greek • Noe Valley

Booked 21 times today

We do our best to make as many tables available for reservations, but we also keep some seats in our bar area available for walk-ins SO if you don't see a table available, please call in and we will do our best to save you a spot! NOVY is a Greek restaurant in the San Francisco Noe Valley district. We are a family-run and woman-owned Greek restaurant. NOVY is our nickname for Noe Valley. We are a neighborhood restaurant serving Greek food alongside fresh California favorites. All of our beer and wine is on tap to do our part in eliminating waste. NOVY strives to provide a personal and delicious dining experience in a polished setting.

7. Bistro Ember

4.7

Exceptional(224)

Price: Moderate

• Fusion / Eclectic • Noe Valley

Booked 14 times today

Bistro Ember in Noe Valley, San Francisco, is a beloved neighborhood gem. Reviewers frequently describe it as a 'gem of a neighborhood eatery' with 'greater ambitions', praising the delicious, beautifully presented food and warm, efficient service. The restaurant's unique blend of local-Californian and Mediterranean flavors, crafted with fresh, organic Bay Area ingredients, consistently impresses. Ember's cozy atmosphere and attention to detail have made it a 'standout' in the neighborhood, and a favorite among locals.

8. Chou Chou Bistro

4.3

Awesome(2378)

Price: Moderate

• French • Forest Hill / West Portal

Booked 5 times today

ChouChou (pronounced "shoo-shoo") strives to bring the spirit of Paris to Forest Hill. The casually elegant bistro showcases rustic Old World cooking with a modern French twist, paired with a thoughtful wine list. Chef mina invites you to experience the warm personalized service that is ChouChou. Bon Appetit! All of our reservations are indoors both dinning room and patio are indoors.

9. 3rd Cousin

4.6

Exceptional(570)

Price: Very Expensive

• Californian • Bernal Heights

Cozy, intimate and romantic...Chef Greg Lutes has created a unique, innovative dining destination in Bernal Heights. Renowned for his Uni Crème Brûlée as well as well as his global approach to Californian Cuisine. Take a journey of the senses with his tasting menu or sit back and create your own menu. Polished service and a extensive wine list make dining at 3rd Cousin an event to savor and remember.

10. Memento SF

4.5

Awesome(92)

Price: Expensive

• Fusion / Eclectic • Noe Valley

Welcome to Memento SF. A New American cuisine in San Francisco’s Noe Valley. An oasis in the center of the city, where tastes and atmosphere collide in the perfect song. We feature a small, eclectic menu that hits every note to perfection. From extraordinary takes on the familiar to the truly unexpected, experience a vibrancy bursting from every dish. More than a restaurant, Memento SF is an expression of love. A celebration of local art and music tucked in a welcoming neighborhood hotspot. The perfect place for a cocktail or cozy date night, whether it’s your first meal together or your 20th anniversary. Our featured dishes include our famous Crispy Curry Chicken and our Za'atar flat bread has become a fan favorite. Try some of our low ABV cocktails and you'll be pleasantly surprised; specifically Purple Rain which has also become a top item on our menu.

‘About the restaurant’ descriptions have been generated using an artificial intelligence model comprised of OpenTable proprietary data that has not been independently verified by OpenTable. The content is presented as-is, for informational purposes only.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

C
Carlos
Tahoe / Reno Area •8 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Here’s the revised review: I had an excellent experience overall at Elena’s! The drinks were fantastic, and the atmosphere was perfect. The bartender was awesome—super attentive and friendly. The busboys were amazing, going above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Honestly, they gave me better service than my waitress, who wasn’t quite on the ball. While her service left something to be desired, the rest of the staff really stepped up and made it a great night. Big thanks to the team at Elena’s for making it memorable!
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Elena'sPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Forest Hill / West Portal
•
4.7
S
Steven
San Francisco Bay Area •2 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Exceptional good, great service, didn’t feel rushed at all. Server made some excellent g suggestions for both food and drink. It’s a lovely place and we will be back.
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Firefly RestaurantPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Noe Valley
•
4.9
K
Kath
San Francisco Bay Area •14 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
We had a wonderful evening at Ofena! Our large group celebrated 5-years of co-founding a neighborhood nonprofit. The Ofena team made this so special! From the festive Schramsberg sparkling rose to the delicious desserts and everything in between, we were delighted. The private room is beautiful and perfect for family or work events.
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OfenaPrice: Expensive• Italian• Parkside
•
4.8
S
SusanVIP
San Francisco Bay Area •15 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
The holiday experience is in full swing at Joes of Westlake. It’s beautifully decorated. The waiters were bustling around, very busy. We had a 3 pm reservation and they seated us by a lovely open fire pit. The only drawback was that our waiter left and as far as we could tell, a new waiter did not take his place until we called someone over to us to ask about our waiter. We were told he left, and two other waiters came to help us. So it all worked out in the end.
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Original Joe's WestlakePrice: Moderate• Italian• Daly City
•
4.8
R
Randy
Fresno / San Joaquin Valley •1 review
5.0
Dined on 11 Dec 2024
Opened the door with a warm welcome. Wine and food unique delesious and beautiful.
More info
La CicciaPrice: Moderate• Italian• Noe Valley
•
4.7

Best Neighbourhood Gem Restaurants in Daly City

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174 restaurants available nearby

1. Original Joe's Westlake

2. Elena's

3. Ofena

4. Firefly Restaurant

5. La Ciccia

6. NOVY

7. Bistro Ember

8. Chou Chou Bistro

9. 3rd Cousin

10. Memento SF

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