Clement Street, Inner Richmond

The Richmond is a district of San Francisco.

Get in

The Northern boundary is Lincoln Park and the Presidio, the Eastern boundary is Arguello Boulevard -- equivalent to First Avenue, the Southern boundary is Golden Gate Park, and in the West, beyond 48th Avenue, the Pacific Ocean. It is split by Highway CA 1, going North to the Golden Gate Bridge: Park Presidio Boulevard, the equivalent of 13th Avenue, into an Eastern part -- the Inner Richmond, and a Western part, the Outer Richmond.

The central East-West artery is Geary Boulevard, with very frequent buses (line 38) from downtown via Union Square. Even though it is only 8 blocks North to South, there are parallel bus lines 1, 2, and 4, north of Geary Boulevard; while lines 31, and 5 run south of Geary Boulevard, also from downtown.

Do

Movie Theaters

• 4 Star Theatre - Clement St at 23rd Ave - Independently-owned theatre showing Hong Kong and alternative world cinema.
• Balboa Theater - Balboa St at 38th Ave - Catch a double-feature for $8.50 at this historic independent movie house.

Eat

Inner Richmond

There is a major Asian shopping district on Clement Street from 2nd to 12th Avenues with restaurants and markets. There are a number of dim sum (Cantonese snacks, literally `touch-the-heart') vendors, Hong Kong style bakeries, as well as Japanese, Thai, Burmese, and Korean restaurants, and tapioca drink places. Most other ethnic cuisines are represented as well. Not many tourists here.

Restaurants

• Giorgio's Pizza and Italian Dining - Clement St at 3rd Ave - Fun Family style pizza and italian restaurant. Great authentic italian pizza and pasta dishes in a warm and cozy environment. Can get busy during peak dinner hours, also has pizza by the slice for fast take-out. 415-668-1266.
• Burma Superstar - Clement St at 4th Ave - Outstanding Burmese restaurant that draws people from all over the city. Get there early; it will be crowded.
• Cafe de Pera - Clement St at 5th Ave - Turkish/Mediterranean cafe with occasional live music and some outdoor seating.
• Clement Street Bar & Grill - Clement St at 8th Ave - Traditional American food in a casual environment. A popular spot for weekend brunch.
• Clementine - Clement St. at 3th Ave - Traditional French cuisine in an elegant, romantic environment.
• King of Thai Noodle House - Two locations on Clement St (at 8th and 5th Aves) - Cheap and consistently good.
• Mandalay Restaurant - Burmese/Chinese at California and 6th Ave. (one block north of Clement) is a friendly, local favorite.
• Nizario's Pizza - Geary Blvd at 3rd Ave - Pizza by the slice.
• Pho Hoa Clement - Clement St at 4th Ave - Super-cheap Vietnamese pho and sandwiches.
• RoHan Lounge - Geary Blvd at 2nd Ave - Cozy lounge featuring soju, a traditional Korean liquor distilled from rice, barley and sweet potato.
• Schubert's Bakery - Clement St at 7th Ave - Cakes, pastries, cookies, and more; first opened in 1911 by a German immigrant.
• Spices! I - 8th Ave at Clement - One of the best and most popular Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood. Try one of the many varieties of "stinky tofu", a popular street food in Taiwan. The name identifies the dominant flavor.
• Spices! II - A second location on 6th Ave at Clement with a larger dining area. Open late.
• Sweet Delite - Clement St at 6th Ave - Excellent tapioca drinks and a large selection of Asian sweets.
• Taiwan Restaurant - Clement St at 6th Ave - Famous for their dumplings. Cheap.
• Q - Clement St at 3rd Ave - Modern American comfort food. Good wine list and several local beers on tap. A fun place to eat and almost always busy.

Food Markets

• New May Wah Supermarket - Clement St at 7th Ave - Huge (compared to others in the area) authentic Chinese supermarket. They have just about everything.
• Village Market - California at 8th Ave - Small, inviting food market featuring organic produce, wine, beer, and coffee to-go.
• 4th and Geary Farmer's Market - Geary at 4th Ave - inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables, and a decent selection of your basic grocery needs which might not be covered as well by the local Asian groceries, only takes cash and check

Outer Richmond

Restaurants

• Aziza - Geary Blvd at 22nd Ave - Unique Moroccan cuisine made with local organic indredients. Named one of San Francisco's 50 Best Restaurants by San Francisco Magazine. Reservations recommended.
• Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant - Located above the Golden Gate Park Visitor's Center where the park meets the Pacific Ocean - Brewery and restaurant featuring live music, American bistro cuisine, hand crafted ales, and a panoramic view of the ocean.
• Chapeau! - Clement St at 15th Ave - Classic French bistro offering prix fixe dinners. Small, intimate dining room.
• Cliff House - 1090 Point Lobos - At the far end of the Outer Richmond is the Cliff House, overlooking the ocean, with a great restaurant (Sutro's) and a more informal bistro. Ideal to watch a sunset or a fogbank over the Pacific Ocean.
• Gordo Taqueria - Two locations: Geary Blvd at 19th, Clement St at 23rd - The best burrito shop in the Richmond.
• Joe's Ice Cream - Geary Blvd at 18th Ave - A classic American ice cream parlor with an Asian twist.

Drink

Inner Richmond

Bars

• 540 Club - Clement St at 7th Ave - Friendly bar with cool art, above-average beer selection, free wi-fi, and a great Sunday trivia night.
• The Bitter End - Clement St at 6th Ave - Two-level Irish bar with billiards, darts, pub food, and Tuesday night trivia.
• Last Day Saloon - Clement St at 4th Ave - Live music, cheap drinks, and foosball.
• The Plough & Stars - Clement St at 2nd Ave - One of the best Irish bars in San Francisco. Traditional live music almost every night.

Coffee Shops

• Blue Danube - Clement St at 4th Ave - Small coffee shop with good sandwiches and a few sidewalk tables. Computers and paid WiFi available. Cash only.
• Java Source - Clement St at 5th Ave - Excellent coffee. Large front patio is usually buzzing with locals playing games and drinking coffee, and smoking. Sometimes is open until 1am.

Outer Richmond

Bars

• Tommy's Mexican Restaurant - Geary Blvd at 23rd Ave - Self-proclaimed "Premier Tequila Bar on Earth". A must-visit for tequila and margarita enthusiasts. Arrive early to avoid the (drunken) crowd.
• Trad'r Sam - Geary Blvd at 26th Ave - Popular tiki bar featuring specialty blender drinks. Gets loud and crowded on weekends.

Coffee Shops

• Royal Ground Coffee - Geary Blvd at 17th Ave - Local chain serves good coffee and sandwiches.

Buy

Inner Richmond

• 6th Avenue Aquarium - Clement St at 6th Ave - Small store selling aquarium supplies and fishes, but in a small scale beats many public exhibits for fun and colorful fish.
• Green Apple Books & Music - Clement St at 6th Ave - Renowned independent book and record store dating back to before the Beat Era. Both used and new books.
• Kamei Restaurant & Household Supply - Clement St at 7th Ave - Huge, affordable selection of kitchen supplies and household items.
• Super Tokio - Clement St at 4th Ave - Tiny store packed with Japanese snacks, toys, and other goodies.