Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Sushi Hashiri

5.0

5 (216)

$50 and over

Sushi

SOMA

About the restaurant

A progressive approach executed from a deep history of Kappo and Omakase Edomae Sushi. Two of Japan’s historical culinary concepts brought together combining hyper-seasonal ingredients and premium fish selections direct from our private purveyor inside the world renown Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Japan. Hashiri’s focus is to exemplify its re-evolving cuisine to showcase Japan’s richest seasonal ingredients.

HASHIRI "KODAWARI EDOMAE SUSHI" - $300
Hyper seasonal multi course Kappo & Omakase Edomae Sushi dining experience at the sushi counter.

HASHIRI " OMAKASE EDOMAE SUSHI" - $200
Hyper seasonal Omakase Edomae Sushi dining experience at the sushi counter.

Due to our limited seating and the effort involved in curating our menu with internationally sourced ingredients, we kindly ask for your understanding regarding our cancellation policy. Cancellations or no-shows within 72 hours of your reservation will incur the full cost of the dining experience.

Top review

ShigeVIP

Dined 7 days ago

great experience overall - great service and food!

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Experience

"OMAKASE EDOMAE SUSHI"

Experience

"KODAWARI EDOMAE SUSHI"

Velvet 48 Wine Bar

5.0

5 (73)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Burlingame

About the restaurant

Velvet 48 is a premium wine bar in downtown Burlingame started by 20-year wine industry veteran, Jason Cooper. We offer over 40 wines by the glass, 1100 wines by the bottle, a cultivated beer selection, and a variety of delicious savory and sweet small plates.

We have wines across every price point so there is something for everyone, from the casual wine drinker to the wine aficionado, who will be impressed by a wine collection that houses some of the finest wines in the world. We aim to cultivate an experience for our guests that starts with a complimentary splash of our house label, Velvet 48 Sparkling wine, followed by outstanding service from our Wine Specialists to guide you through our expansive list. We offer a discount of 25% off bottles purchased TO GO.

Due to the nature of our alcoholic license, we are unable to allow anyone under 21 on the premises, including infants.

Thank your for your understanding.

Top review

StacyVIP

Dined 1 day ago

One of our favorite spots in Burlingame. The flights change frequently and are always innovated. The staff is fantastic- all are friendly and knowledgeable. We only have have small plates and everything we’ve eaten has been great. We can’t recommend Velvet 48 enough!

Blue Plate

4.9

4.9 (1524)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Bernal Heights

About the restaurant

The Blue Plate opened in 1999 as a casual spot where friends and neighbors can enjoy the best ingredients our seasons have to offer. Owners Cory Obenour and Jeff Trenam have created a space that feels like a home, with three distinct dining rooms each appointed with the work of local artists. In the back, a lush, night-fragrant garden offers an exotic retreat from the bustle of the city. The kitchen stays committed to using the highest quality local produce and meats in classic American and rustic Mediterranean dishes. Through a working friendship with Bay Area farmers, the Blue Plate is expanding the notion of "the blue plate special" to include dining that is casual, affordable, delicious and responsible.

Top review

AndrewVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Great food and service. Definitely a treat to dine at Blue Plate in San Francisco

Piqueos

4.9

4.9 (1186)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Bernal Heights

About the restaurant

RESTAURANT POLICIES :
*NO GUARANTEED ON TABLES LOCATION, Limited to availability.
Outdoor & Indoor seating choice on Open Table is a preference only.
*Tables will be assigned depending in reservation time and table availability.
*Due to Limited tables, every table has a time limit of 90 minutes.
*Punctually is important, we will patiently wait 10 minutes past reservation time, then table will be given away to waitlist.

Fusion Peruvian Cuisine. Artful ambiance. These are the ingredients that create this dynamic San Francisco restaurant, Piqueos. In our cuisine you will find an unmistakable touch of Peru. In every dish the distinct flavors of regional spices come through.

Top review

Pauline

Dined on 1 Dec 2024

Incredible food and ambience. Hidden gem. Also with pup menu!! Will definitely go back.

Sushi Shin - Redwood City

4.9

4.9 (29)

$50 and over

Sushi

Redwood City

About the restaurant

Sushi Shin is an Authentic Japanese Fine dining. Featuring an Omakase menu, which is chef's choice for the most fresh, top quality of fish and seafood. Mostly imported from Tokyo fish market. Other best ingredients from all around the world. Serving Japanese Sakes and bottle Japanese beers. You can experience authentic Edomae-style sushi.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 14 Nov 2024

Best sushi in the city, hands down. Incredible service and experience.

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Experience

Sushi Shin Omakase

The Caviar Co.

4.9

4.9 (54)

$50 and over

Seafood

Tiburon

About the restaurant

The Caviar Co. Champagne Lounge is nestled in charming downtown Tiburon. Our menu features caviar flights, light bites, and an extensive champagne list to indulge in. Whether you are new to caviar or a seasoned connoisseur, our tasting room has offerings for every palate!

Our tasting room is currently licensed for guests 21+.

Top review

Drusie

Dined 6 days ago

Perfect location for delicious caviar and champagne. Service was exceptional and we liked the feel of the space. Thank you!

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Experience

Afternoon Tea

Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki

4.9

4.9 (22)

$50 and over

Japanese

Saratoga

About the restaurant

We, Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki, deliver the experience of “kaiseki ryori,” a type of Japanese fine dining which historically developed to be served in the Japanese tea room. The tea room, as a space, symbolizes the home of the Japanese tea ceremony, a simple yet transformative experience offering a pause in time to appreciate the seemingly small experience of sharing tea. As such, we’ve designed both the architecture and the experience, to condense an infinite expanse into an extremely small space.

The space is designed sans distracting elements. Lighting will be subtle and architectural details are clean yet warm. Designed to allow dishes to remain the focal point of the experience, our space represents the endless potential for an intimate dining experience that continues to linger on pallet and in mind well after the end.

Top review

Kevin

Dined on 14 Dec 2024

One of the best Kaiseki experiences in the Bay Area!

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Experience

Chef's Tasting Kaiseki Experience

Saison

4.9

4.9 (13)

$50 and over

American

SOMA

About the restaurant

Saison is a two Michelin-starred, open wood fire restaurant under the leadership of Executive Chef Richard Lee, emphasizing the bounty of California’s evolving terroir and its incredible farmers, ranchers, and fishermen and women. Saison is driven by Lee’s dedication to purity and innovation, paired with a Grand Award-winning wine list in a dynamic space where guest and team celebrate an intimate, culture-shifting experience. Chef Lee builds upon Saison’s formidable foundation as the original fine dining establishment in the U.S. to use open hearth cooking, crafting nuanced flavors with intention that are inspired by the culinary diversity of Northern California.

Saison has one of the country’s largest and most remarkable selections of Old and New World wine, with a special emphasis on Burgundy, originally established by Saison Hospitality co-founder and Saison Winery winemaker Mark Bright and now curated by Beverage Director and Assistant General Manager Molly Greene.

Top review

RobertVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Saison is hands down the best restaurant in San Francisco. The quality and innovation, the incredible extraction of flavors from the ingredients, and the attentiveness of the staff cannot be touched by the 3-star Michelin restaurants in San Francisco.

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Experience

Saison Bar

Sushi Hon

4.8

4.8 (453)

$50 and over

Sushi

Mission District

About the restaurant

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District, at 2598 Harrison Street, Sushi Hon is more than a restaurant; it's a revered institution for extraordinary Japanese cuisine. Our reputation rests on our exclusive Omakase, where we meticulously source the finest fish and produce from across the globe to craft an exceptional 19-course dinner. Whether you choose to dine at your table or immerse yourself in the culinary theater of our Chef's Table, we are unwavering in our commitment to bringing the best of the market directly to your plate. At Sushi Hon, excellence is not just a standard; it's a tradition.

All parties will be subject to a 20% service charge.

We look forward to serving you soon.

Top review

Shaymaymay

Dined on 24 Nov 2024

The team was super attentive from the second we checked in. Knowing we were celebrating a birthday, Bo and his team made sure our birthday person had a good experience. The overall ambiance is good, with fun Japanese music in the background allowing guests to have conversation but not overwhelmed by other noises. The chef presented beautifully made 19 course omakase. He too was polite and paced our meal based on the flow of our group. We didn’t try the beverage pairing this time, but there will be a next time!

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Experience

| Sushi Bar | Exclusive Omakase at Sushi Hon

Experience

| Sushi Table | Exclusive Omakase at Sushi Hon

Nisei

4.8

4.8 (76)

$50 and over

Japanese

Russian Hill

About the restaurant

Nisei presents a contemporary approach to Japanese American cuisine by combining deep Japanese flavors, refined cooking technique, and Northern California's finest ingredients. The restaurant is a personal reflection of Chef David Yoshimura's unique experience as a Michelin starred chef and second generation Japanese American, or Nisei.

Nisei can accommodate most severe allergies with advance notice, however due to the nature of the tasting menu format, we can not meet all dietary restrictions or aversions. In order to maintain the spirit of our cuisine, the following items can not be removed: Salt, sugar, soy sauce, and egg cooked into items.

All Experience prices below reflect a 20% Service Fee and 8.63% SF Sales Tax applied to the base price of each experience. This Service Fee goes towards paying our employees a livable wage as well as providing health insurance.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 6 days ago

It was a beautiful experience, so much flavor with a lovely combination of different textures and ingredients. Marvelous service they were all very sweet and nice.

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Experience

Winter Menu Reservations at Nisei

Experience

New Year's Eve at Nisei

Experience

Osechi Ryori

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