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Dom's Recommended Bay Area Businesses
A collection of some of my favorite Bay Area businesses!
- 3516
- 451
- Elite ’24
71 Places
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Dominic’s 5-star review: Came by on a Saturday evening for a friends birthday. Arrive before 11pm to avoid cover. Bottle service for the evening. Upon arrival, our table space was prepared in a few minutes and we were able to get settled. Arrived early, before the majority of the group, so ordered a drink from the bar in the meantime. Also to grab a drink before it got much busier in the evening. Skylark Thai Tea - Skylark Thai tea, cognac, half and half - my favorite drink here. Thai tea is made in house and has a rich and creamy flavor without being overly sweet. Pairs well with the cognac where you can taste it but the alcohol isn't overbearing. Half and half rounds it out. Birthday girl arrived and before you know it, our table was filled with our group and bottle service came shortly after. Exciting, eye drawing presentation. Custom sign with sparklers and a parade of staff members hyping up the service. Ultimately has such a great time. Skylark's has possibly one of the friendliest teams and the music is definitely bumping and a good vibe. -
Dominic’s 5-star review: One of my favorite pizza spots in SF. Walked in on a weekend afternoon to order to go. Not too busy with dine in but a steady stream of delivery orders. ordered two small pizzas which took about 20 min. Loading dock, which is always a go to for me. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, soppressata, sausage, mushroom, garlic, thyme, parmesan. Soppressata is always great on pizza. This pizza gives me classic pizza vibes but leveled up. A must get. Meatball, which was a first time order for me. Tomato sauce, house made meatballs, provolone, ricotta, roasted garlic, calabrian chili paste, parmesan. Savory with a little bit of heat from the calabrian chili paste. Flavors combined really well but I don't think this is one for me only because I don't really do spicy. If you like a little heat though, this is for you. -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: My go to smog check place in the city. I've had a car for several years and I think I exclusively have gone here. Walk in accepted. I typically come right at opening to avoid any waits. Pull up and park right out in front. Check in at the smog check counter where you'll hand off your keys. If there's no one ahead of you, they'll be done in like 20 min and they have a waiting room you can hangout in if you like. Easy, quick, and they'll submit the smog check to the DMV. -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: Only Cuban bakery in the Bay Area found in Soma. Ordered for a work conference as part of a snack break. Catering menu is available and easy to communicate. Ordered a mix of mango cheese pastry, chicken pika pastry, spinach and feta pastry, and Cuban sandwiches. Cuban sandwiches cut into 3 for easy sharing. Coordinated a time and drop off was made by one of the owners, Terry. You can definitely tell there is a lot of love and authenticity in what Social Cafe delivers. From the real Cuban bread to in house pork to fresh made pastries and more, you can't really go wrong with anything you order. My favorites include the mango cheese, chicken pika (which has just a bit of heat), and the Cuban sandwiches. With sweet and savory options, there's definitely something for everyone. Additionally, the sweet pastries are not overly sweet which is always a win to me. -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: Blind Butcher never fails to deliver. We booked for a party of 8 around the holidays. Upon arriving, we were warmly welcomed, we confirmed our reservation and were escorted to the back of the restaurant where a large table was arranged for us. Ordering was simple for such a large group. What I enjoy about this restaurant is that there are individual dishes one can order, but also a new butcher board with a selection of their best meats and sides all on one menu item. This was the perfect shareable item, which we also added a few additional à la carte orders to ensure everyone's happiness of food selection. My favorites include the iconic prime ribeye, which is fatty and incredibly tender to the point that it melts in your mouth, and the braised short rib, which literally falls right off the bone and compared with creamy mashed potatoes. My favorite accompanying dish is the truffle lobster mac & cheese, which is loaded with chunks of lobster and is incredibly ooey gooey cheesy. Keep in mind that this is a new American steakhouse so the menu is meat heavy. There is a fantastic whole branzino dish available if you want to offer for fish. The ambience of the restaurant intimate, moody, and sexy. The lights are low, the vibe is dark, the booth seats are vibrant red. The atmosphere is perfect for a date or gathering. -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: I really like Starlite. Made a reservation for 4 on a Sunday at 6pm. Definitely recommend a reservation if you're hoping to visit for sunset as everyone is coming to see it. 21st floor of Beacon Grand hotel, located in Union Square. 360 degree views of the city from downtown that are stunning. Live vinyl DJ. Bar was recently brought back to life with new renovations and menu. Vibe is classy and feels like you're in a different decade. Staff was friendly and our waitress was attentive. Menu has a unique selection of cocktails. One page has an overview of all the drinks but further in the menu, there is a dedicated page detailing every drink. Shareable food menu inspired by food people used to order back in the day for room service. Colorado Bulldog - vodka, griffo coffee liqueur, mexican coca cola, vanilla cream, mexican cinnamon - really enjoyed this drink. Like a white russian with coke and a thick cream on top Baghdad by the Bay - patron reposado, ortolan rosolio, bordiga red bitter, lemon, grapefruit, coconut cream - tequila flavor came through without being overbearing and paired nicely with the citrus, mellowed out by the coconut cream Hot Chicken Buns - szechuan flavor. Well steamed buns, tender chicken. Wasn't craving the szechuan flavor but objectively tasty Tuna Crudo - best dish I've had so far. Really fresh tuna with yuzu and olive oil Furikake French Fries - savory and crispy with a citrus creme fraiche Baked Oysters = roasted with herb brown butter. Tasty but a bit too buttery -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: One of my favorite spots to grab a drink in the city. Came a bit after opening and grabbed a seat at the bar. Been a few times before and the one thing I love above all else is the high level of creativity and uniqueness that goes into every single cocktail. I've been to many bars across the world and a number of the world's top 50 bars and the creativity, quality, and seasonality here never ceases to amaze me. 30 min souffle - tarragon infused fords gin, egg whites, cold pressed citrus mix, straus milk cream, honey + blood orange cordial, time. They only serve 20 of these cocktails per day. Don't worry, it doesn't take 30 min to make upon ordering. Poured tableside and the foam rises. Very Instagrammable and very delicious. Light and bright with a bit of mouthfeel. ricotta salata carajillo - skrewball peanut butter whiskey, cold brew, licor 43, ricotta salata. Creamy, lightly sweet, and very flavorful. Perfect change up from an espresso martini and perfect pick me up. -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: So sad that Kagawa-Ya Udon is officially closing this Friday, December 22 so I had to make sure to swing by to grab a fresh hot bowl of nikutama udon. Kagawaya is my favorite spot for udon in SF and this final visit did not disappoint. I swear by the udon noodles; they're perfectly bouncy with a good bite and the broth clings perfectly to them in every bite. The nikutama broth is savory and comforting with a note of sweetness. It comes loaded with a generous serving of meat. It was the ideal meal on a rainy afternoon. I paired my udon with a shrimp tempura, which was delicately fried and paired with tempura sauce. Thank you Kagawa-Ya for the most wonderful udon! -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: Came by for a quick ice cream scoop. Arrived around opening as the operations is small and wait times can build up. While small, the business is mighty and delivers a very unique product - the Milkbomb Sandwich. As mentioned, only opted for a single scoop. Very unique flavors, many with Asian influence. Opted for something truly unique - ube s'mores. First bite and the s'more flavor really kicked in. Well balanced, sweet, but not too sweet. Ube came in next to round out the flavor. Service is friendly and authentic. You can tell a lot of work goes into making each product. -
Dominic’s 5-star review: Possibly my favorite brewery in Oakland and one of my favorites in the entire Bay Area. Really unique selection of beers with an emphasis on Asian centric brews. Walked in on a weekend afternoon. Few groups of customers but plenty of space to grab a seat. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Casual space, laid back. Asian snacks also available for sale if you're craving. A few recommendations on beers: - Kimchi sour - one of their iconic beers. Tart with a slightly spicy finish. - Yuza blonde ale - light and crispy with bright notes of yuza - Dokkaebier IPA - high quality IPA packed with bold flavor I've tried a majority of the varying Dokkaebier flavors and I've enjoyed almost every single one. If there's a flavor you enjoy in the taproom, you can also buy a pack to take home. -
Dominic’s 5-star review: Came by Chic n' Time to grab lunch with a friend on a weekend afternoon while we were in the area. We walked in and were able to place our orders for food right at the counter. After placing your order, you can find a seat anywhere that's open and the food will be brought out to you. My go to order is always the Taiwanese chicken steak or the five spice chicken. This time around, I opted for the chicken steak. You also get the choice of either rice or garlic noodles Typically, I opt for garlic noodles, but just to be a bit healthier, I went for the rice instead. That being said, I love the garlic noodles here and they're quite unique as they are very flavorful but don't feel overly heavy or buttery. The chicken steak itself is huge; probably at least 6 oz. This is quite generous as many restaurants offer 4 oz or less. Every time I've been here, the chicken is juicy and loaded with flavor. There's also a side of like a sweet chili sauce that comes with your order that is the perfect accompaniment. Staff is very friendly. The restaurant is smaller but the staff interact kindly with everyone and the whole space is clean. Definitely one of my go to spots! -
Dominic’s 5-star review: Visited the Sea Star for a quick cocktail before attending an evening function on a Friday night. We walked in as a group of 5 and were able to grab a seat upon entry near the front of the bar. Upon entry, there was also an Angel's Envy rep on site that night that was providing whiskey cocktails to sample, which was a nice coincidental occurrence. I only ordered one drink, Spill the Tea, which I got directly at the bar. This drink consists of mezcal, amaro, earl grey, cola, and lemon. I've really been into mezcal recently and was very pleasantly surprised by how well balanced the cocktail was. It was smooth and the mezcal smokiness peaked out just right but didn't overpower the drink. I didn't particularly taste the cola but the earl grey also stuck out and wasn't over powering either. Definitely would order this as a go to drink again -
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Dominic’s 5-star review: Located in the historic Cathay House in Chinatown, Blind Pig is a stunning speakeasy-esque bar. The cocktails are all original recipes from an award winning bartender/owner that have unique Asian influenced flavors. We arrived as a large party on a weekend right when they opened and we were the first two arrive. The atmosphere is gorgeous, with a blend of historic and modern accents and second story views that overlook the street. We were sat down in a large area that included both couch and chair seating all around a tables big enough for us all. The drinks themselves were all incredible. I ordered the Ming-Shi Highball which consisted of Ming River baiju, Van Gogh mango, Americano Rosa, pineapple cordial, lime, basil, and cucumber. It was served in a super cute ceramic rabbit cup and had a fantastic flavor; I was really impressed that the baiju did not overpower the drink. Unfortunately, as of recently, Blind Pig is closing this location but their drinks are being served at a new bar, Dragon Horse, while they look for a new location. -
Dominic’s 5-star review: Had to come back to North Beach Cantina to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. We showed up around 8:30pm, as a party of two, and it was slammed for the holiday, which was great to see! When you walk in, you step into a line in order to order at the counter, where you place food/drink orders and are then provided with a number to bring to your table so they know where to bring your order. We came with the intention of only grabbing drinks and went for two mango margaritas, which are our favorites. The drinks are very reasonably priced, honestly one of the best deals in the city, and they're absolutely delicious. While mango is our favorite, they have a number of other marg flavors, as well as an extensive selection of tequilas and mezcals. We opted for standing space since all the seats were taken but we were totally fine with that since we were just drinking and chatting. After our one round of drinks, we were content, but definitely had a small appetite, so we ordered some food to go. We got elote and a burrito to go, which we're prepared pretty quickly. I personally ate the burrito, which I've had before. It's loaded, we'll distributed; and flavorful; a perfect way to end the evening. -
Dominic’s 5-star review: I've known about Bourbon & Branch for about 6 years and finally made the journey out to try it on a weekday evening. I made a reservation online for this essential SF speakeasy, which was an easy process. Bourbon & Branch functions like a true speakeasy that requires a password, which was emailed to me the morning of my reservation. Upon arriving at this discreet building, there is a buzzer to push that will call someone to the door, which you must tell both the password and reservation name. Upon being welcomed in, we were escorted to a table more towards the back. The atmosphere is very prohibition era speakeasy, and it feels like you're transported to another time. One thing to note is they have a rule against phones, so I kept mine out of the way. We ordered a round of drinks from the very extensive menu. While extensive, the menu is broken down into different categories and flavor profiles to help patrons narrow down their preference. The drink I ordered included a egg white foam on top and was well balanced and delicious. Prior to visiting, I also knew there was supposed to be a secret library bar within the business, with a secret door. I noticed an unusually placed bookshelf and was able to confirm this was the entrance to the library speakeasy. Our waitress escorted us there after we finished our drinks. One thing to note is that you must close out your tab at Bourbon & Branch before heading to the library. The atmosphere within the library was dimly lit, mildly spacious, with a slightly more relaxed vibe. The menu is significantly shorter, with all the drinks on a board behind the bar, but equally delicious. It's super cool how there's two separate unique spaces and I definitely would recommend this bar as a must try in SF.
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