The Secret Seating Hack That Can Make San Francisco's Michelin-Star Restaurants Affordable

Michelin-star restaurants are easy to come by and often difficult to afford. In San Francisco, there are 171 Michelin-star restaurants as of March 2025, and over 95 of them are considered the price of a "special occasion" and "spare no expense" dining experience. To put it in more common terms, this means there are three- or four-dollar signs next to these establishments' names when you research their price ranges. Wowza — we know! However, Bay Area locals found a loophole to dine like the wealthy on a dime, and it's a pretty sweet deal. The secret: sit at the bar.

Hearing Michelin-star is quite intriguing, but on the other hand, it may scare customers away. Their famed tasting menus are sometimes a package deal with a set price of more than $300 per person. The wine bar and cellar Saison, for example, has an eye-bulging price of over $328 per person, and Californios has a set menu for just under $310 per person. Instead of digging into your savings to live out your caviar dreams, you can still try their unique dishes without spending an arm and a leg by grabbing a seat at the bar. So, when you're scouring Yelp for places to eat during your next San Fran vacation, don't overlook these mouthwatering winners.

San Francisco has a range of eateries that'll make a foodie fall in love with the city. From enjoying stunning California views at an iconic revolving restaurant to stumbling upon a convenient café where you can get something quick by the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll never run out of tasteful experiences. Now, you can elevate your palate at a Bay Area Michelin-star restaurant without spending hundreds of dollars.

The SF Gate detailed a five-course experience at Saison Wine Bar for $78 in January 2025. The reporter mentions that the canapés, the dessert, and everything in between were worth every penny. In 2023, Eater reported that another fine dining spot, Sorrel, created a four-course, 90-minute meal for $98 a person. Bar Crenn also jumped on the bandwagon to entice more customers with a five-course snack menu at the bar for $125. While Bar Crenn's dips into the triple-digit price range, their normal per-person rate is $198 with a 3% San Francisco mandate fee, 20% service charge, and $5 order fee tacked on. 

It's important to be aware of the restaurants' bar policies. Some of these bars only have a small number of bar stools, like Sorrel with eight seats and Saison with six seats. Also, it might be worth the phone call to see if the bars are first-come-first-serve or if you need to make a reservation.

Many Redditors reveal they've been bar squatters to get a good steal on a pricey night. Solo Michelin eaters agree that staff at places, like Cotogna and The Morris, are friendly and knowledgeable. Places like Californios and San Wan Ho allow you to sit at the bar and give you a full dining service experience, as well. If there's anything everyone seems to agree with, it's that no matter the cost of the meal, the dishes are exquisite, and if you get the opportunity, it's worth trying even just the snack menu.

With 171 award-winning restaurants in the northern California city, there is a large umbrella of cuisines to try. Savory and sweet or creamy and crumbly, the chefs have carefully curated each tasting plate with refined detail. Whether you're trying a Venezuelan-style arepa at Californios or Wagyu at Saison, your taste buds will be happy you took them on a flavorful ride. You probably won't have to book a ticket to Spain to taste the world's most famous Michelin-starred cheesecake when you realize you can find a spongey carrot cake with cream cheese icing on Saison's bar menu in San Fran.