Need San Francisco gaming info

[MrFilthyIke]

In addition to the asian foods, any good INDIAN places? Good tandoori? vindaloo? Other scrumptious tid bits??

That's the hardest part of traveling for me, not knowing where to get a decent bite to eat, and resorting to fast food.

 

[AdvntrGuy]

Something we noticed several trips back: all the staff are Chinese, none of the patrons are. Nan King is definitely California-Chinese, not authentic. (I wouldn't call it Americanized, because that connotes horrible mid-west food to me.) I've had authentic Chinese in Chinatown: not for me. The walls are lined with "best of the bay" awards from local papers for the past several years, so many think the food is good. Food is even worse that D&D rules though: everyone has different tastes.

Can't really help you with Indian food.

AG

 

[Snapdragyn]

For Indian (& assuming you're not going to the previously mentioned high-priced but worth it if you can New Delhi), I'd recommend a place on Market (I'm terrible with names, sorry) that's just up from... Sweet Inspirations! (Noticing a trend, here? ). Follow the previous directions for Sweet Inspirations, but go a few doors further down (away from the hill) on the same side. Friends & I eat there about once a month; I recommend the kashmari nan, butter chicken, & saffron rice.

 

[johnnype]

Many people come to SF to see the sites (Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, etc.). I think that is a waste of time. They're just tourist traps. You will find exactly 0 locals at FW (maybe the bridge and tunel crowd but that's it) and the only locals going to the GGB are using it to get to the North Bay. My advice is to stay away. If you absolutely, positively must do the touristy thing then do the bridge or better yet, do Haight Street. FW is terrible.

Instead I suggest you visit Union street and Chestnut street. Filmore street is also lots of fun. The South of Market area is great for bars, clubs and some excellent hidden restaurants. My wife and I like Irving Street. We call it the poor man's Union street. You also have Golden Gate Park nearby.

SF is about the food. It's all about the food. I'm going to say that again just to make sure you understand. SF is all about the food. Unfortunately the best food is expensive as hell (Boulevard, Bacar, House, etc.). If you can afford it great but if you can't then you are in luck because there are a number of excellent inexpensive alternatives as well:

Gordo's - The best burritos on the planet, bar none. They have several locations around the bay. In SF they have one on 9th Avenue right off Irving Street (and half a block from the park). Cheap as hell.

Ebisu - very popular sushi restaurant. Burt Wolf actually featured it on his TV show. Not exactly cheap but worth it. Arrive early and you can avoid the line. It's located right up the block from Gordo's.

Nan King Road Bistro - Best chinese I've had in the city (that is not dim sum). Cheap as hell and guess what? It's up the street from Gordo's (next block up). What I love about this place is that it manages to avoid the greasy food experience you are likely to get from most of the hole-in-the-wall "authentic" chinese restaurants in SF.

PJ's Oysterbed - Best cajun food in the bay area. AWESOME! not cheap but not too expensive either. They have a website. Look them up. Also right on Irving Street.

Truly Mediterranian - on Haight street. the chicken shawerma is fantastic. Falafels are fantastic. Cheap as hell. They have a second location on 16th street right across from Ti Couz, yet another excellent restaurant (crepes).

Cha Cha Cha - Great cuban restaurant. Come for the food. Stay for the Sangria. Great big pichers of it. Near the end of Haight street. A block from GG Park.

I could go on and on but I'll leave it there. I suggest you stick to the city. Two days is a very short amount of time and you don't have time to waste on a long trip to Berkeley just to visit a game store. Chances are that anything that you are looking for Gamescape (which by the way is near Haight street) will have and then some. Berkeley is great and deserves a day all on its own but come back some other time. It will still be there.

Lastly, I was just at Gamescape a couple of weeks ago. Unless they just got rid of all of their used stuff recently you should be able to find quite a selection.

 

[Belegbeth]

... I suggest you stick to the city. Two days is a very short amount of time and you don't have time to waste on a long trip to Berkeley just to visit a game store. Chances are that anything that you are looking for Gamescape (which by the way is near Haight street) will have and then some. Berkeley is great and deserves a day all on its own but come back some other time. It will still be there.
...

I agree with most of what you said (especially the importance of avoiding FW -- unless you really like annoying and crowded tourist traps). But given that MrFilthyIke is staying at Union Square, it might actually be faster and more convenient for him to go to Berkeley by BART (20 minute ride) than to track down Gamescape.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

I agree with most of what you said (especially the importance of avoiding FW -- unless you really like annoying and crowded tourist traps). But given that MrFilthyIke is staying at Union Square, it might actually be faster and more convenient for him to go to Berkeley by BART (20 minute ride) than to track down Gamescape.

Gamescape seems to be only a 2 bus ride, not bad at all, and we've kinda decide to skip Berkley/Oakland/etc till next time, so it will most likely be Gamescape.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Lastly, I was just at Gamescape a couple of weeks ago. Unless they just got rid of all of their used stuff recently you should be able to find quite a selection.

*Mr Burns voice* "Excellant, Smithers..."



I loooove used games, you do NOT understand...

 

[johnnype]

Gamescape seems to be only a 2 bus ride, not bad at all, and we've kinda decide to skip Berkley/Oakland/etc till next time, so it will most likely be Gamescape.

Actually it depends on what bus you take. Sure you can do the 2 bus route if you like but If I were you I'd walk to Market street (a couple of blocks from your hotel) and hop on the 7,71 or 71L. I think the 6 or 66 will also work but you might want to ask the driver if the bus crosses Divisadero before you get on just in case. Take it straight up to Divisadero and walk a block and a half to Gamescape. The buses come by all the time, you only have to take one bus and you don't have to bother with a transfer (although you should ask for one for the ride back).

Oh, one other thing. If you want french food then I suggest you visit Belden Lane in the heart of downtown. The street is only a block long and is closed to vehicles but has quite a bit of color and some of the funnest (and tastyest) french restaurants in town. Not cheap but not overpriced either. I'm partial to Plouf or B44 but Cafe Bastille is also fantastic (I had my rehersal dinner there).

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I second Cafe Bastille, very fun place.

I also back the No Fisherman's Wharf initiative - it really does kinda suck. The stores are waaaaay overpriced, the restaurants are *meh*, and the only fun bit was the medieval torture museum and I don't even think it's there anymore. And the last time I got dragged there they had mimes everywhere. BLOODY MIMES!

If you want to do something touristy though, I have two recommendations.

1. Take a cable car. It's a great view, and even being a local, I still take it sometimes for fun. My girlfriend's uncle is a veteran gripman and he lets us ride for free. I recommend the Powell/Hyde line which you can catch near Ghiradelli Square for the best trip through the city, although the Califonia line takes you up and down an awe-inspiring hill.

2. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) on Third is an amazing museum if you're into that sort of thing. It's also near the Mission district where you get your good Mexican eats.

 

[roytheodd]

Games of Berkeley is at 2151 Shattuck Ave Berkeley, CA 94704, which is literally right across the street from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station. You'll come up an escalator from BART and you'll be looking at a Washington Mutual bank, but when you turn around there is GoB in all of it's splendor.

Their store hours are 10am - 9pm from Monday through Saturday. Sundays they are open from 11am - 7pm.

This place has been under new ownership for the past year and they stock absolutely everything that is a game. They are total product whores and when you walk in it's possible to be overwhelmed. The only thing they don't stock is old or used product, but if something was in print in the past year, they'll have had a copy and I lay good money on the odds they still do.

The only thing you really need to be aware of is that their customer service is poor. If there is something you're looking for, ask. If you just want to browse and get lost in the most games you've ever seen under one roof, then they won't pester you.

EDIT: In case you want it, their phone number is 510-540-7822.