Can a place be both tourist-friendly and authentic? Tadich can. It’s a last bastion of old-school San Francisco, from white-coated waiters to sourdough on the tables to the roll of the dice to see who’s paying—a nearly lost tradition. Tadich doesn’t take reservations, but pre-dinner martinis and people-watching at the bar are part of the fun. Service is hurried but jovial, and the more local and simply prepared the dish, the better. Best bets are pan-fried sand dabs, cioppino (tomato-based seafood soup), calf’s liver steak with onions, broiled petrale sole filet, oysters Rockefeller and Dungeness crab Louie. Go in a group of six to snag a booth, sample more food and decrease your odds of losing the dice roll.

Tadich Grill Information:

• San Francisco seafood menu. Lunch, dinner. Closed Sunday.