HAYES VALLEY. Remember the Alamo...for exceptional seafood that is! This popular restaurant, owned by the same man as the beloved Baker Street Bistro, is applauded regularly for fantastic food and reasonable prices. Salmon and crab cakes alone keep the place at the top of any food list, and fish can be sauteed, grilled, or blackened and then topped with any number of lush sauces. Everything is fresh too, from homemade breads to mussels and classic Continental desserts. A French tendency colors the menu, adding a touch of earthy sophistication.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT. Lauded for its incomparable cuisine, this much-loved restaurant builds its reputation on unfailing consistency in quality and atmosphere. Each visit, in fact, is meat for fond memories. The restaurant's specialty, however, is seafood. Lobster tail, in the kitchen's accomplished hands, becomes a work of art, and fresh fish receives just what it needs to become a rich feast or a light revelation of flavors. Beautiful presentation is a given, as is Aqua's popularity. Tasting menus, a well-selected wine list and exquisite desserts add to the allure.

UNION SQUARE. Albeit a tiny space with bar dining downstairs and a handful of tables upstairs, Bar Crudo has made quite a splash with its exquisite seafood. Impeccable preparation and spot-on flavors distinguish the fare, whether you choose chilled shellfish or their crudo (raw fish) items. The latter get a kick with fennel, mint, tobiko, ginger, and blood oranges. Seafood chowder, with its base of applewood-smoked bacon, pleases folks who want something hot; other possibilities include tuna confit, an artisan cheese plate, and sherry duck liver mousse. The bar's spotlight shines on an array of Belgian beers.

PACIFIC HEIGHTS. This hip, bustling place takes as much pride in its social atmosphere as in its fabulous seafood and famous raw bar. Live jazz is common, and patrons relish sitting at the bar and sampling littleneck clams, cracked crab, and steamed mussels. The dinner menu, then, offers (in a quieter dining room) a host of seafood-heavy small plates and large-plate entrees like pan-seared bass, braised lamb shank, and grilled pork loin. Specialty cocktails include martinis, oyster shooters, and the house's classic mojitos.

NOE VALLEY. Eric's, known for inventive dishes and pleasant environs, is a top area restaurant for great Chinese food at affordable prices. Shanghai chicken and mango beef hint at the kitchen's talents, and five-taste chicken ­ battered, fried, and dressed with sweet and sour sauce ­ always proves a favorite. Folks with lighter appetites will be pleased to discover an array of seafood and vegetarian selections.