Waterbar

Located at the south end of Rincon Park on Embarcadero, this two-story restaurant, designed as an oceanic brasserie, has 19-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling aquariums filled with Pacific life and panoramas of the San Francisco bay and city skyline. An open kitchen is the focal point of the dining room, while a hand-blown glass "caviar" chandelier serves the same purpose in the bar area. Chef Parke Ulrich and his team churn out such dishes as marinated Monterey sardines, bay shrimp stuffed petrale sole, and smoked trout salad. Happy oyster hour is held daily from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with oysters just one dollar each.