Marin’s Michelin one-star is helmed by chef Ron Siegel who shapes the ingredient-driven cuisine with French and Japanese flavor and technique. An “experience” of eight or 11 courses may be dictated by the seasons, but small plates of Mount Lassen trout with Romanesco, chicories with black sesame, and Jidori egg with candy cap/pine nut crumble are creative and pleasure-packed.
Wine pairings lean classic European plus Japanese sake. Spare, wooden tables and modern art lining the walls glow from well-placed candles and lamps.
Don’t miss: Flannery Rib Eye with Porcini' King Salmon with Tokyo Turnip and Dashi; Black Cod with Comté Potato and Red Wine
Heading towards 40 years in business in 2026, Sushi Ran has seen it all – a current Michelin Bib Gourmand is just one of its honors for excellence in Japanese cuisine.
The wine bar bustles as much as the dining room and seats at the sushi bar are as hard to score as ever. The vibe? It’s as casual or as formal as your mood, thanks to consistent service and spare décor. The cuisine embraces Pacific Rim flavors, most obviously in “from the kitchen” dishes like roasted cauliflower with red curry or miso-glazed black cod with mustard. For sushi, all we have to say is: Let the chefs curate an omakase for you. The meticulously sourced and cared for fish is divine.
Don’t miss: Hon Maguro, Umi Masu, Uni, Miso-glazed Black Cod
The epic views over Tiburon to the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge are best experienced during the day at lunch or brunch with a Golden Gate Manhattan in one hand and a crispy Italian bacon panini in the other.
At night, the mood shifts to something more elegant with linen-draped tables and couples dressed up for date night. Though brunch is served anytime, most come for the seafood and steak menu like bone-in filet mignon, abalone doré, and Dungeness crab crisp.
Classic cocktails and a wine list featuring mostly American, Italian and French bottlings match the mood and the view.
Don't Miss: Bone-in Rib Eye; Kurobuta Tomahawk Pork Chop; Tuna Carpaccio; Abalone Dore
The legendary risotto may be the only dish that never leaves the menu (rice is eternal) but it, like the rest of the tight menu shifts with the seasons. Today’s Nashville hot chicken sliders replace yesterday’s Brussels sprouts with Pink Lady apple – it’s all good.
Walk past the impossibly bustling bar to snag a table amidst the families and tight-knit groups out for ladies’ night. Everyone is friends here, enjoying the warmth of the scene, snug in banquettes against exposed brick walls hung with brightly colored art. All that’s missing is everyone shouting “Norm!” in unison.
Don’t Miss: Kampachi Crudo; Avocado Bruschetta, Crispy Pork Schnitzel
Well-seasoned staff and a menu of time-honored fare (oysters bingo, marinated skirt steak with salsa verde, smoked chicken wings) practically define Marin’s food and restaurant consciousness. Layer in heaps of Gemütlichkeit (the German idea of a situation or place that invokes a cheerful mood, social relaxation and sense of calm or unhurriedness) and you’ll understand the winning formula the team executes night after night. There are no off notes here, just dependable favorites and some new, never outlandish flavors and ingredients to keep things interesting.
Don’t miss: Oysters Bingo; Wedge Salad; Beef Brisket; Chili-Lime Brick Chicken; Key Lime Pie
The reincarnated Sula restaurant at the Lodge at Cavallo Point is as elegant as it is stylish. The Fort Baker setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands is stunning with food at breakfast, lunch and dinner to match.
Settle into your comfortable, cozy banquette and feast on poached Oishii prawns with umami fries, miso halibut with coconut broth and black garlic mushrooms, and lobster mac and cheese. Classic wines and desserts by Chef Monique Feybesse add up to a special experience with all the vibes.
Don’t Miss: Grilled Lamb Chops with Crispy Squash, Black Garlic Eggplant Tartine, Post Ranch Margarita
