Neighborhoods

From Moving to San Francisco

Please edit this page! This is just a start.

Contents 1 Tools 2 Neighborhoods 2.1 Hayes Valley / Alamo Square 2.2 Noe Valley 2.3 NOPA 2.4 Richmond 2.5 Inner Sunset 2.6 Outer Sunset 2.7 Haight 2.8 Marina 2.9 Saint Francis Woods 2.10 Mission 2.11 Fillmore 2.12 Castro 2.13 Potrero 2.14 Bayview / Ingleside / Hunters Point 2.15 Chinatown 2.16 South of Market (SOMA) 2.17 Downtown 2.18 Bernal Heights 2.19 North Beach

[edit] Tools

To look for a house or apartment, some useful sites:

• Craigslist: dominates the rental market in SF. There are other classified services but this being the home of Craigslist, it's just about the best way to find listings.
• Rent.com: lists mostly available apartment complexes. There are fewer apartment complexes in SF proper as you might find in other cities. They are mostly confined to certain areas like SoMa/South Beach.
• Apartment.com
• Walk the desired neighborhood. This isn't what people want to hear, but the best places are often not advertised anywhere except a little sign in the window. This often doesn't work for people moving in from far away. But once you live in the city for a while and learn which neighborhoods you are interested in, this is the absolute, best way to look for a place in conjunction with Craigslist.
• Walk Score: A great resource for comparing how walkable neighborhoods are in the city.

• Not for Tourists has a SF guide, I love the NYC one. The book is small enough to put in a coat pocket and very useful. It does two things well:
  • where is that neighborhood
  • what is in it, food, shopping, transportation etc.

• If you are going to have to be doing any sort of commuting, make sure you check your routes out not only during regular daily commute times, but also seasonal. Case in point: we bought a house in July with an acceptable commute (15 minutes) and discovered when school started that fall our commute more than tripled (went up to 45 to 75 minutes) because of parents taking kids to school.

[edit] Neighborhoods

Great neighborhood resource: SFGate's Neighborhood Guide http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/

[edit] Hayes Valley / Alamo Square

• Description: Centrally located, close to parks, close to great restaurants and shops at Hayes and Octavia. This is the home of the famous painted ladies, etc.. Most of the homes here are three-level flats. About half are nicely renovated and half are more "rustic". The streets are mostly quiet and nice for families. It's close enough to the Mission to enjoy it but not be bothered by it.
• Relative expense of housing: Mid to upper. 2BR apartments average $2800 in the area. When you see one that is lower, be suspect and check out the corner. As with most SF neighborhoods, "niceness" can change block by block.
• Family friendly? Yes
• Best restaurants: Suppenkuche, Sebo, Blue Bottle Coffee, Bar Jules, Nopa, and Frjtz.
• Good parks/museums, etc: Alamo Square is the centerpiece. Hayes Valley is a centrally located neighborhood so Dolores Park is within walking distance and Golden Gate Park is a five minute drive away.

[edit] Noe Valley

• Description: Located just west of the Mission and East of Twin Peaks, Noe Valley is a is a true neighborhood: a place where you bump into the same people each Saturday at the local farmer's market. Noe is safe and very family friendly, with access to Dolores Park, the newly-renovated Upper Noe Recreation Center, and Walter Haas Park (perhaps the best view of the city, and a magical walk from Noe up the little known Harry Street). 24th is stocked with pretty much every store you would need: post office, hardware, grocery, bakery, restaurants, library, and a farmer's market on Saturday's.
• Relative expense of housing: Mid to Upper.
• Family friendly? Extremely. And Pet friendly too (as is most of the city).
• Best restaurants: Firefly, Tamasei Sushi, Savor, Eric's, Toast, Lovejoy's Tea House, and Mitchell's Ice Cream.
• Good parks: Dolores Park, Walter Haas Park, Upper Noe Recreation Center, Billy Goat Hill, and Douglas Playground.
• Public Transport: J. Church runs right through Noe, and only a few blocks to the 24th St Bart in the Mission.

[edit] NOPA

• Description: Centrally located, close to parks. NOPA is located North Of the PAnhandle, the part of Golden Gate Park that sticks out to the east. Similar to Alamo Square area, close to shopping/eating on Haight Street and Divisadero Street. The University of San Francisco is located in this area.
• Relative expense of housing: Mid to upper. I have lived in a nice 2BR apartment for $2,000 in this neighborhood, I now have a studio for $1,400, and I would consider those prices on the low end.
• Family friendly? Yes
• Best restaurants: Green Chile Kitchen, NOPA, Blue Jay Cafe, Papalote, Herbivore (vegan!)
• Good parks/museums, etc: The Panhandle section of Golden Gate Park, and the end of GGP closest to it has a large children's playground, rose garden, Academy of Science Museum, De Young Museum.
• Parking/Public Transportation: Parking is do-able, not terrible, compared to other neighborhoods, relatively easy to find. Fun Fact: The DMV is located at the edge of the panhandle. Public Transit: Three bus lines going east/west to/from downtown (the 21, the 5, the 31), and three bus lines that go north/south (the 24, the 43, and the 22 nearby) go through this neighborhood.

[edit] Richmond

• Description: Not very public transport accessible, except by bus. Lines running downtown every other block.
• Relative expense of housing: Lowish
• Family friendly? Yes
• Best restaurants: Okina Sushi at 2nd/Cabrillo small and very good. Good Chinese restaruants and Irish bars on Clement between 2nd and Park Presidio. There are also several good Burmese restaurants in the Inner Richmond (Mandalay, Burma Superstar); several good Korean restaurants; many Vietnamese restaurants, etc. Probably most of these restaurants are not vegan, though....but there is a vegan restaurant in the Inner Richmond. I've never been to it, though.
• Good parks/museums, etc: Golden Gate Park is nearby.
• This should really be split into two entries, one for inner richmond and one for outer richmond.
• Mountain Lake Park is a small but great park in the northern part of the Inner Richmond. It has a playground, big grassy area, and dog run. And a small, natural, and pretty (but toxic!) lake.
• The northern part of the Inner Richmond is close to the Presidio, which has lots of great trails, including ones you can take to the beach. I walk to Baker Beach through the Presidio from my apartment on California and 11th Ave. in 20-30 min.
• A two-bedroom apartment in my building (@California & 11th) is renting for about $1900.

[edit] Inner Sunset

• Description: [Also referred to as "9th + Irving"] A lot of student housing but mostly clean and nice. This area is dominated by Golden Gate Park, is often foggy, but the green space makes up for it. An added bonus: The N Judah can take you right into Union Square from the Inner Sunset.
• Relative expense of housing: Low for SF
• Family friendly? Yes
• Best restaurants: Park Chow, Plutos, Good Earth, Ebisu, Bistro 9, Sushi Kazoo, Jimisan Sushi, Lime Tree
• Good parks/museums, etc: Golden Gate Park, Botanical Gardens, deYoung Museum, California Arts & Sciences Museum

[edit] Outer Sunset

• Description: Mostly residential, often walking distance from the beach, nearly always colder, windier, and foggier than most of the city. Bus or street car usually takes at least half an hour to get downtown, sometimes longer.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly? Yes
• Best restaurants: Pacific Catch
• Good parks/museums, etc: Ocean Beaches, Near Golden Gate Park

[edit] Haight

• Description: Counter-culture, alternative area with many former hippies. Upper Haight (the area around Ashbury, etc.) has become a caricature or museum of itself and I find it kind of depressing. The lower Haight is more interesting. Both upper & lower haight provide access to multiple muni routes.
• Relative expense of housing: $900-1000 per bedroom (check craigslist.org of course)
• Family friendly? nearby Cole Valley and Ashbury Heights (both to the south) are better bets, Upper Haight Street itself is full of character - lots of tourists and street kids/bums who beg for beer money all day and don't pick up after their cute, untrained puppies. Watch your step ;)
• Best restaurants: Cha Cha Cha (cuban), Magnolia, Thep Phanom, Blue Front Cafe
• Good parks/museums, etc: UPPER: Golden Gate Park and all of its neat spaces (and museums), Buena Vista Park, Corona Heights Park, Tank Hill... plenty within walking distance LOWER: Alamo Square, Duboce (dog) Park

[edit] Marina

• Description: Yuppie area with prices to boot. Per the name - close to the Bay. Also a lot of young families that were hold-outs from the last round of yuppies.
• Relative expense of housing: One of the most expensive and exclusive areas for professionals moving into the City.
• Family friendly: Family friendly depending on the time of day. Mornings both during the week and weekend are full of parents in shorts and jogging strollers. Late afternoon and evenings the twenty-something crowd is out in full-force.
• Best restaurants: Some great restaurants in Marina/Cow Hollow if you can tolerate the crowds at times.
• Good parks/museums, etc: Access to Crissy Field / Presidio / Marin cannot be beat.

[edit] Saint Francis Woods

• Description: Family oriented and expensive area with long distance from downtown.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly?
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] Mission

• Description: Gentrifying area combining long-time Hispanic businesses with artists and design professionals. Great sunny weather. Terrible parking. Great public transport access. Busy night life; a fun spot for bar hopping, dancing and live music.
• Relative expense of housing: Middle to pricey.
• Family friendly? Many gang/turf wars, lots of drugs/violence, especially to the east and south - the "deep mission" as the locals call it. The western side of this area is actually quite nice, I don't feel unsafe walking alone at night as a young woman, and there are historical Victorian houses, some of the oldest in the city.
• Best restaurants: Veg*ns will enjoy - Udupi Palace, Weird Fish, Cha-Ya, Cafe Gratitude, Herbivore
• Good parks/museums, etc: Delores Park, full of revelers on sunny weekends. Frequent plays, concerts, and outdoor movies which are more often than not, free!

[edit] Fillmore

• Description: Mixed area with cool shops but some close-by safety issues. The southern part of this area is a bit misleading. It butts up to the Western Addition and Alamo Square, but is much like a pothole in an otherwise amazing area. The corner of Geary and Fillmore is particularly sketchy, however, a few blocks north and you are in the heart of Pacific Heights. A few blocks south and you are in Alamo Square. Just stay clear of the pothole in the middle and don't be sold by The Fillmore Center's ads on Craigslist.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly? Between Geary and McAllister-ish it is safest to stay West of Fillmore street
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] Castro

• Description: The most popular gay area in San Francisco.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly?
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] Potrero

• Description: Similar to the Mission district, but with more owner-occupied and even more gentrified. Safety can be spotty in some areas - but it is pretty obvious which areas. Overall, it is safe and family friendly. It has decent access to public transportation, but as good as Mission/Noe
• Relative expense of housing: expensive. Avg 2Bd ~2500
• Family friendly? yes, many families with young children have been moving in over the last 6 -7 years. There are parks, and a great "neighborhood" strip with a bookstore, coffee shops, parking (if you need it).
• Best restaurants: many to choose from on 18th street - Chez Mama, Elizas, Farley's (neighborhood coffee shop with an amazing magazine selection and great community feel), Connecticut Yankee (sports bar, but has nice patio and great burgers), there is a Whole Foods in Potrero, too. Also the Dogpatch area has some up and coming new places, such as Serpentine, Piccino, and Blue Bottle Coffee, all of which use local/organic ingredients. The Dogpatch Saloon at 22nd & Third St. has live pick-up jazz every sunday afternoon
• Good parks/museums, etc: Great for walks if you like hills and some of the best views in the city

[edit] Bayview / Ingleside / Hunters Point

• Description: Best areas (changing) are condo complexes near AT&T baseball stadium for San Francisco Giants.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly? Notorious areas for crime.
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] Chinatown

• Description: Center of Asian culture and vibrant with tightly packed residents.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly?
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] South of Market (SOMA)

• Description: Trendy areas close to downtown. Busy with cars, but convenient commutes and great nightlife.
• Relative expense of housing: High
• Family friendly?
• Best restaurants: The Butler and the Chef, in South Park (South of 101, between 2nd and 3rd) - best breakfast/brunch in the city, small and superfriendly. Also a nice place to walk around/near.
• Good parks/museums, etc: SFMOMA, Zeum (good for kids

[edit] Downtown

• Description: New York style high rise living - not recommended for most. Tenderloin is often called "Downtown" or "Civic Center", can be fun for some because of nightlife, but is known for homelessness, drugs, drunks, and pretty much any other crime you can think of. Tenderloin borders are roughly east of Van Ness to about Mason and south of Post to a little south of Market.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly?
• Best restaurants:
• Good parks/museums, etc:

[edit] Bernal Heights

• Description: Mostly lesbians and families, Cortland avenue is the main street in the area and has nice cool coffee shops and bookstores, etc. but it quiets down earlier than other areas.
• Relative expense of housing:
• Family friendly? Very
• Best restaurants: Mudd's Ice Cream - has several flavors of vegan ice cream! Yelp review
• Good parks/museums, etc: Bernal Hill.

[edit] North Beach

• Lot's of restaurants
• Runner's dream: hills, Embarcadero to the Est and South, Marina/presidio to the Ouest

All without having to deal with crossing roads.

• Washington square park
• Tough to park if you don't have a garage
• The least fog in the city.

Other pages:

• Living costs
• Parks
• Museums
• Bookstores & libraries
• Transportation
• Cycling
• Schools
• Work
• Things to do with kids
• Entertainment
• Restaurants
• Outdoor activities