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San Francisco Chronicle​

A reader seeks a quiet Bay Area restaurant. Here's what our critics recommend

Associate restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez and I often field highly specific requests from readers. Where can I book a private dining room for a holiday party? How can I make a good first impression on my girlfriend's gluten-free parents? Where do I find the best cinnamon rolls in Marin County? We respond when we can (and if we haven't answered your particular query, our apologies, please send all complaints about workload priorities to our editor) but recently we've been thinking: Shouldn't we be sharing this intel with a wider audience? Maybe you too have a girlfriend with gluten-free parents? So today we decided to open the mail bag and respond publicly, and if there's demand, we'll continue to do so every now and then. Could you use a restaurant recommendation for a specific dining occasion? If so, hit us up using this form, and we might answer your question in a future installment. I enjoy your reviews tremendously but keep looking for a mention that I can't find — communal tables. Are there any? A place where you can eat alone but with others? There must be more singles like me that would be interested. Even couples for that matter. I know the bar is always an option but it's not the same. — Eva You're right, Eva, the bar is not the same — although when I'm dining solo, I personally will take the bar over a communal table any day. But this is about you, not me! I would recommend checking out Galinette, a French 'beach bistro' in the Outer Sunset that opened last year. The front room and sidewalk have individual tables, but a second room is dominated by a large communal table that can fit 16 cozily. And a bonus recommendation for you: My former colleague Soleil Ho recently wrote an essay for Best Food Blog about experiencing social anxiety in communal dining situations, and they shouted out Jules, where 'reservation-less riffraff can still dig into nori guanciale pull-apart buns and sourdough pizza at the communal table.' — MacKenzie Galinette. 3554-3560 Taraval St., San Francisco. I have two recommendations: one is sleek and the other lively. Ilcha in San Francisco has a shared table that runs across the dining room, and it's the soul of the restaurant, filled with patrons gleefully nibbling on fried chicken and sipping soju. Shan Dong in Oakland's Chinatown, meanwhile, has three round communal tables outfitted with Lazy Susans. When I sat at one recently, the man sitting to my left was transfixed by my order of eggplants in a gleaming sweet-and-spicy sauce. I felt him salivating, so I offered him some, and he nearly leapt with joy. In exchange, he gave me a vegetarian dumpling, and the person across from us offered to share his spicy chicken. Since Shan Dong can get packed, staff offer smaller parties the quicker option of huddling up with others at a communal table. It's the best seat in the house. — Cesar I'm a Baby Boomer. Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who is also a Baby Boomer. She lives near San Jose and I live in San Francisco. She said she seeks out quiet restaurants wherever she is, and I've noticed a huge difference in my ability to hear when in a restaurant that has carpet on the floor. Could you do a search for the quietest restaurants on the Peninsula — approximately equal distance for both of us? The Boomers, and probably even younger people, will love it. — Christina If you and your friend are down for dinner instead of lunch, I would book a table at the Mountain House in Woodside. The front bar area, complete with taxidermy and a roaring fire, can have raucous roadhouse vibes, but the dining rooms in back are marvelously hushed with plenty of space in between tables. One of the rooms — almost entirely glassed-in, giving the illusion of dining among the redwoods — even has that coveted carpet. Don't miss the flourless chocolate cake. — MacKenzie If you're looking for a lunch spot (and your San Jose friend doesn't mind a slightly longer drive), check out Rasa in Burlingame. Specializing in contemporary Indian cuisine, the restaurant reopened last year after closing in 2022. Try to sit on the mezzanine level, which is styled with tropical wallpaper. It's much quieter during the day than at night. — Cesar A friend is in a new relationship, and I'd like to get her a gift certificate to celebrate a fresh chapter. Can you suggest a romantic, under-the-radar spot? — Laurie By some metrics, Aziza is definitely not under the radar; it's on our 2025 list of the Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area, and except for an extended closure from 2016-2019, it's been around since 1999. But the Moroccan restaurant's location in the Richmond District gives it the aura of an undiscovered secret. It can be found on a stretch of Geary that teems with excellent food, from Russian bakeries to destination dim sum, but most of the neighboring restaurants range from unfussy to extremely casual. I think your friend and her new paramour will adore the romance of stepping off the busy street, through Aziza's distinctive corner door and into the warmly lit dining room. They should have a drink at the Moroccan-tiled bar before requesting one of the tables with banquette seating. Also, if you're still reading, Eva — there's a communal table! — MacKenzie Aziza. 5800 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA. In my view, there's nothing more romantic than saving money. Sfizio in Oakland cares deeply about making its food accessible, offering a Cal-Italian menu where nothing exceeds $20. That means a couple could have a nice dinner filled with an appetizer, spaghetti with meatballs and a glass of wine for a sensible price. Extend the date with dessert by walking over to Tara's Organic Ice Cream for a scoop; my go-to: lavender on a black sesame-flecked cone. — Cesar