Best Restaurants for Birthdays in Pacific Heights

Excellent service from beginning to end. Our waiter was superb. Food was heavenly as always. Always a special treat to celebrate occassions here. Disappointed though they don’t do the complimentary birthday desserts anymore. We ordered desserts but HOPR used to also do a fun little free birthday dessert for the birthday guests.

My wife and I recently took my sister and her husband, who were visiting from Charlotte, to State Bird Provisions, and it was nothing short of amazing. The food was absolutely exceptional—each dish was a perfect blend of creativity and flavor. My sister and her husband couldn’t stop raving about how unique the food was, especially the bold use of spices. It was a hit with all of us! The ambiance was also fantastic. The space has a warm and inviting vibe that strikes the perfect balance between trendy and comfortable, making it a great spot for both special occasions and casual nights out. What truly elevated our experience, though, was our waiter. He was excellent—extremely friendly, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu. He had such a genuine enthusiasm for the food and shared thoughtful recommendations, which we greatly appreciated. At one point, we mentioned we’d heard Ryan Gosling had dined here, and he surprised us by saying he’d actually been Ryan’s waiter! He even told us about the time Ryan came in with Eva Mendes and their two kids. Such a cool story to hear directly from someone who was part of it! State Bird Provisions delivered on every level: amazing food, great atmosphere, and top-notch service. My sister and her husband loved it as much as we did. We’ll definitely be back and can’t recommend it highly enough!

Service, quality, flavor: all impeccable. The gardiniera was so perfectly balanced, fresh and interesting with celery, radish, and fennel. I knew it would be great, but was even better than that. My table mate who doesn’t generally care for anything pickled was blown away. The chicories were gorgeous, colorful, and delicious. The tagliatelle was absolutely stunning both texturally and depth of flavor. Tiramisu and chocolate budino are exquisite, truly. Save room for dessert. I loved the NA passion fruit cocktail and sparkling blanc de blanc. Such a treat to have something n thoughtful and delicious for folks who aren’t drinking. It’s a beautiful dining room. I sat on the banquet on the south wall and felt like I was under a spotlite. A little less overhead light intensity would take it from a 9 to a 10.

We always try to eat at Gary Danko when we are in town (from Hawaii) for special holidays in this case Christmas Eve. So grateful they were open and able to accommodate us. This is always our go to place because our daughter in law is gluten intolerant and they always graciously accommodate her (even to the point of having gluten free bread). Many restaurants will not accommodate because of possible cross contamination, but Gary Danko always welcomes us. We love the selections of courses and look forward to the muffin they give for breakfast the following morning. The only criticism I have is that there is no valet parking - so we take taxi/uber weather can be severe. You have to try this and you will keep coming back!

Solid food and been here a few times. Got there during brunch and highly recommend the Chicken Thighs.