Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes 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 reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Kapu Bar

4.7

4.7 (245)

$31 to $50

Polynesian

Petaluma

About the restaurant

Escape into a world of vibrant colors and flavors at Kapu Bar in Petaluma.
Enjoy a classic tiki cocktail or one of our house cocktails along side delicious island dishes that will leave you wanting more.

Top review

Kristine and David

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

Great drinks and pupus followed by an excellent dinner. The decor is the best, the drinks spot on and the service was great. Had lumpia, kapiolani dog, fries, and burgers. Everyone was happy!

The Speakeasy/Boardroom Novato

4.8

4.8 (17)

$31 to $50

American

Novato

About the restaurant

Situated in Novato, The Boardroom harks back to the Old Chicago Restaurants, serving as a favorite spot for locals to dine, drink, and socialize. Our menu, crafted from the freshest ingredients, promises to introduce bold and inspiring flavors to your palate. Join us today.

Top review

Alana

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

This is a little gem here in Novato! Really enjoy going there. There's a piano man, which is really nice. Food is yummy, there are also some nice little touches at the table, I won't tell though. It's a small place. Makes for a good night out.

Shadowbrook Winery

4.9

4.9 (537)

$50 and over

Winery

Walnut Creek

About the restaurant

Shadowbrook Winery has become the East Bay’s most decorated winery with over 75 medals. Shadowbrook is a small production family-owned winery located in the foothills of Mt. Diablo. We offer a diverse selection of exceptional red wines, along with some fantastic white wine options. Whether you're looking for a wine tasting experience, a glass or bottle to enjoy, or even a variety of local beers on draft, we’ve got something for everyone. Pair it all with our excellent food menu for the perfect experience.
We offer various seating options all with beautiful views of Mt. Diablo and our vineyards. There truly isn't a bad seat in the house! Most seating is outdoors to enjoy the scenery, with covered patios, shade, and umbrellas for warm days, plus heaters, a fireplace, and fire pits for cooler weather. We also offer indoor seating, though it does not have the same views. All seating is first-come, first-served. Please note we are reservation-only, so plan ahead!

Top review

Teresa

Dined 2 days ago

We started off with the Estate butters, the honey butter was my favorite with hand made seeded crackers are the best! For dinner we had the Carbonara and Steak Frites! Everything was so good! Then for dessert we had the ‘13 Cabernet Chocolate Mousse! It was so creamy and good! The food is always great, it doesn’t matter what you order.

The Caviar Co.

4.9

4.9 (46)

$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

Sooinvip

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

The Happy Hour menu is a great value- the Ultimate tasting is such a treat- probably good for 4-6 people

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Experience

Afternoon Tea

Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club

4.9

4.9 (821)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

About the restaurant

***Best Jazz Club in the City, by San Francisco Magazine***
Mr. Tipple’s is a craft cocktail bar featuring live jazz.
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Reservations have a 90min time limit from reservation time.
There is a $20/guest min for table service
Mr. Tipple’s heralds back to a 1950s NYC basement. Cozy. Dark. Boozy. The intimate setting features local jazz artists up close and personal. It’s a joint where you come as you are, hear great music, tap your toes, and sip a properly chilled cocktail.
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My name is Mr. Tipple. Just a simple and laughable bloke hailing from London. I run a recording studio. My friends joke that you’ll oft find me spinning cocktails, not reeling tape. After a few too many, I usually just sit back and enjoy the music, having forgotten to hit record. Regardless, the band is always jiving, the whiskey is always cold, and we’re having a smashing good time.

Top review

Heeji

Dined on Sep 26, 2024

I felt that the atmosphere was great and that it was a place for people who truly love music. The dim sum was so-so, and I was disappointed that the Hong Kong waffle didn’t suit my taste. However, the performance was absolutely amazing.

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Experience

Music Focused Prefered Seats - Late Night Table

Experience

Music Focused Preferred Seats Center Section W&Th

Experience

Entire Opium Den - Large Party - Limited View

The Mill at Glen Ellen

4.9

4.9 (371)

$31 to $50

American

Glen Ellen

About the restaurant

We opened our restaurant two years ago during pandemic on 8-25-2020!
We offer Traditional Californian, Healthy, and Modern Cuisine!
Our restaurant is situated in Jack London Village in Glen Ellen.
We make our own House Brewed Draft Beers!!!
We want you to feel like you are home away from home!
Best New Restaurant of 2021 in Sonoma!

Top review

Sheralynn

Dined on Sep 26, 2024

Great food and artful presentation. Attentive staff. Delightful location and ambience. A little pricey for the Vegetarian dishes.

Sobre Mesa

4.7

4.7 (101)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Oakland

About the restaurant

Created by highly acclaimed Top Chef Season 18 Contestant and "2020 Chefs to Watch" Chef Nelson German, Sobre Mesa is a chef-driven Afro-Latin cocktail lounge in Oakland featuring lively Latin music, lush surroundings and tropical refined libations inspired by German's Dominican roots and African ancestry. The cocktails are the star of the show while the inventive tapas are made to pair beautifully with the cocktails. We are open for indoor dining only.

Top review

Rashidavip

Dined 1 day ago

Always a good time! Service is so great and the people are just lovely. The food is good, great after work drink spot!

The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil

4.8

4.8 (4734)

$50 and over

French

Rutherford

About the restaurant

With 16 consecutive Michelin Star awards, The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil provides a memorable feast for the eyes and the senses. Nestled within a sun-lit hillside overlooking lush vineyards and distant mountains, the spectacular vista views from the intimate dining room or the expansive outdoor terrace serve as an idyllic backdrop for one of wine country's most renown fine dining experiences. Showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients, sourced from local purveyors, the Mediterranean-inspired menu is complemented by an extensive selection of international wines from the hotel’s award-winning 15,000 bottle cellar.

Enjoy a two- or three-course prix fixe lunch or your choice of a multi-course prix fixe or chef's tasting menu at dinner. Advance reservations required.

Top review

Samvip

Dined 5 days ago

A truly incredible experience. My wife and I were celebrating our honeymoon and it could not have been a better time. The good, ambience and service were all you could hope for from a highly touted restaurant. It did not disappoint in any way and I cannot wait to return.

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The Bar at Auberge du Soleil

4.8

4.8 (729)

$31 to $50

Bistro

Rutherford

About the restaurant

Join us at The Bar for a leisurely lunch, drinks and something to share, or an informal dinner at sunset. A favorite among visitors and locals alike, the venue offers an ideal mid-valley respite during a day of wine tasting, or a delicious meal on the terrace at day's end. Enjoy an integrated menu featuring both fine dining dishes and casual Bistro-inspired fare.

Advance reservations are encouraged.

Top review

Michaelvip

Dined 7 days ago

We returned after 30 years and it did not disappoint. The service and ambience were top notch. We very much enjoyed our salad fresh chicken and greens salad, calamari was excellent and we really enjoyed the pomme frites. Our glasses of wine were quite nice and the view of the valley spectacular. We will have to do it again but much sooner than 30 years.

Alter Ego Cocktail Club

4.8

4.8 (49)

$50 and over

Lounge

San Jose

About the restaurant

A dimly lit mysterious cocktail lounge tucked behind the curtain of the vinyl bar, Still O.G., boasting a diverse array of delicious and methodically prepared small plates in addition to wildly imaginative and carefully crafted cocktails.

Small plate offerings include dishes such as steak tartare with puffed rice served in a perilla leaf, Spanish octopus al pastor that is confit then fried and served alongside caramelized pineapple puree and pineapple salsa, and the namesake Alter Ego egg.

The diverse cocktail menu features 16 signature cocktails such as the Kyushu Coffee, a blend of Shochu, black coffee and kuromitsu topped with a black sesame foam or the Buster and Babs; a Rum and Brandy based milk punch inspired by the flavors of carrot cake served in a decanter with glassware for 2.

A seated experience with tableside service in an intimate space, reservations and walk-ins both accepted, although reservations are highly recommended.

ID required (21+ & up only)

Top review

Ryan

Dined on Sep 20, 2024

Fantastic atmosphere and service. A real San Jose gem!

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