Bix

"It’s impossible to miss the live music set-up at Bix. The old-school American restaurant in Jackson Square is centered around a grand piano, with a nightly schedule of solo pianists and jazz duos or trios. Whether you’re upstairs, downstairs, or perched on a bar stool next to the martini glasses chilling on a mound of ice, there’s no bad seat in the house. Just sit back, enjoy a middling burger or a slightly too-wet caesar, and let a tie-wearing cellist serenade you." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"Wander through picturesque Jackson Square and down Gold Street, and step into the time machine that is Bix. The two-story restaurant immerses diners into a sleek, speakeasy, jazz club-type space, where the city outside melts away with a classic martini or Manhattan. The “modern American” food is excellent here; don’t skip the steak tartare or the “Potato Pillows”: puffed, fried squares of potato topped with caviar. It’s hard to go wrong from there, but a word to the wise: If Bix’s summer tomato cart option is available, go for it and watch as the tomatoes are dressed tableside in mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. It’s pure summer magic." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"This American restaurant in the Financial District reminds us of a 1930s supper club, with nightly live jazz, martini glasses chilling on huge mounds of shaved ice, and a grand staircase you’d find on a cruise ship. It’s also where to go when you want to order an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, all for you. Because grilled pork chops and shrimp cocktails are what you should be eating when a pianist in a tie serenades you." - julia chen 1

"Wander down Gold Alley and step into Bix, a San Francisco restaurant that’s been stirring and shaking up classic cocktails in a transportive Art Deco setting since 1988. Splash out on decadent lobster spaghetti or a veal pot pie, but if it’s summertime, you’ll want to order Bix’s heirloom tomato cart, where sizable slices of heirloom tomatoes are dressed tableside with burrata, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Bix also features live jazz music during the dinner hour, perfect for blissing out during the meal." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri

"At Bix, you’ll get serenaded by a jazz duo in suits, enjoy free bread from a velvet armchair, and eat American food straight out of a 1930s supper club. The Financial District restaurant drips with old-school charm—martini glasses are chilled over a humongous mound of ice, a mural of a lively dance floor overlooks the two-story space, and there’s not a white sneaker in sight. The food is just fine, but you’re not here for the best steak tartare in the city. You’re here to drink classic cocktails and pretend you don’t know what Bluetooth is.  " - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1