San Francisco, verified August 9, 2026
SF Restaurants Open on Monday: 5 Reliable Picks
Mondays have a way of thinning out San Francisco's dining options: the marquee kitchens that draw weekend crowds often go dark to start the week. Finding a table that is genuinely worth leaving the house for takes a little more work.
We pulled together five spots that are confirmed open on Mondays, spanning a Mission film courtyard, a Russian Hill trattoria, late-night Korean BBQ, a Northern Thai newcomer, and an Outer Richmond dumpling counter. Each entry sticks to what our notes actually verified: hours, signature dishes, and the caveats worth knowing before you go.
1. Foreign Cinema
Foreign Cinema is a Mission-District institution open since 1999 that pairs ambitious seasonal California-Mediterranean cooking with nightly film projections on the wall of a large open-air courtyard, run since 2001 by chef-owners Gayle Pirie and John Clark. It is a "classic establishment" and unique dining experience that reads simultaneously as date-night destination, celebration spot, and brunch staple.
2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA | $$$ | american, bar, californian, mediterranean
A Mission District institution, Foreign Cinema pairs ambitious seasonal California-Mediterranean cooking with nightly film projections in a dramatic open-air courtyard. Dinner runs Monday through Thursday from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, which makes it a memorable way to start the week.
- Serves dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- California-Mediterranean cooking paired with nightly film projections on the courtyard wall
- The five-spice duck breast and lavender-brined pork chop are consistently praised across reviews
Reservations are recommended roughly a week ahead; walk-ins can face 30 to 45 minute waits. The surrounding Mission area can be gritty at night; arriving by rideshare is advised. A mandatory ~6.25% SF city surcharge is added to every check.
View on Google MapsNotes updated August 3, 2026
2. Amarena
Amarena is a 20-plus-year-old, family/owner-run neighborhood Italian trattoria on Russian Hill (Larkin & Green), known for homemade pasta and old-school hospitality rather than culinary spectacle . The owner, Paolo Galli/G., came from Sicily to open the restaurant and is still a visible, hands-on presence in the room .
2162 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA | $$ | bar, italian
Amarena has spent more than twenty years as a family-run Italian trattoria on Russian Hill, trading on handmade pasta and old-school hospitality. It opens Monday evenings from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, a cozy, intimate setting for a classic neighborhood Italian dinner.
- Open Monday evenings from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- A family-run neighborhood Italian trattoria known for homemade pasta
- The orecchiette with sausage and the tiramisu are repeatedly singled out as standout dishes
Service can slow on busy nights; one July 2026 review cited 20 minutes for a drink order. Reservation-holders have occasionally been seated 15 to 20 minutes late during peak times.
View on Google MapsNotes updated August 6, 2026
3. 707 Sutter
707 Sutter is a casual, late-hours Korean bar-and-restaurant in Lower Nob Hill/Union Square serving BBQ, stews, fried chicken, and banchan with a kpop-soundtracked, "pocha"-adjacent nightlife energy layered on top of a workaday neighborhood Korean menu . Regulars describe it as their reliable "go-to Korean spot" for years running, not a novelty .
707 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA | $$ | bar, korean
707 Sutter is a casual Korean bar and restaurant in Lower Nob Hill that stays open late on Mondays, all the way to midnight. The room runs K-pop videos on the walls and sends out generous banchan alongside spicy pork, fried chicken, and hearty stews, ideal for a post-work or late-night fix.
- Open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 AM to 12:00 AM
- Serves Korean BBQ, stews, fried chicken, and complimentary banchan
- The room projects K-pop music videos on the walls, spacious with a casual, late-night energy
Third-party sources disagree on exact closing times; confirm same-day if dining late. The space can feel like a club at night, though recent reviews note it remains easy to talk. Staffing can run lean, but service is generally fast and attentive.
View on Google MapsNotes updated August 6, 2026
4. Wanjai Restaurant & Bar
Wanjai Restaurant & Bar is a small, recently opened Northern Thai restaurant and bar in San Francisco's Lower Nob Hill/Tenderloin border, built around a Khao Soi-centric dinner menu and Thai-inspired desserts and specialty drinks . One early reviewer explicitly frames it as a new opening ("I know the place just opened up") that has quickly built a loyal following among Thai-food seekers .
678 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA | $$ | bar, dessert, thai
Wanjai Restaurant & Bar is a recently opened Northern Thai spot in Lower Nob Hill that has quickly drawn a loyal following for its Khao Soi and Thai-inspired desserts. It opens daily from 5:00 PM, Mondays included, in a small, upscale-casual room.
- Open daily for dinner, including Mondays, with hours listed as 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM
- Khao Soi is the signature dish, an extremely decadent soup base with a rich, coconutty curry broth
- Reviewers call the cozy, decorative interior upscale but not bank-breaking, with walls in a rich Thai ice tea orange
The room is small and fills quickly; reservations are recommended for evening dining. The restaurant has been known to close entirely for private events on short notice. Some items, such as the Thai fried chicken wings and Bananas Foster, have received mixed reviews.
View on Google MapsNotes updated August 3, 2026
5. Fuwa Dumpling
Fuwa Dumpling is a small, family-run Northern Chinese (Shenyang-style) dumpling counter on Balboa St in the Outer Richmond, built around made-to-order handmade dumplings you can watch being folded on site . Multiple aggregators independently describe it as a family-owned neighborhood gem rather than a destination dining room .
3608 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA | $ | chinese
Fuwa Dumpling is a family-run Northern Chinese counter in the Outer Richmond, open every day except Tuesday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM and again from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM. On a Monday it is a dependable stop for handmade soup dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, and a standout cucumber salad in a clean, casual setting.
- Open daily except Tuesday, including Monday: lunch 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, dinner 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Known for handmade dumplings made to order, including Xiao Long Bao and pan-fried pork, shrimp, and chive dumplings
- Small, clean, and casual, with an open setup where diners can watch dumplings being folded
The kitchen is small, so wait times can increase during busy hours. No evidence in our notes addresses whether this is suitable for business dinners or date nights.
View on Google MapsNotes updated August 3, 2026
Whichever way your Monday leans, there is a table here for it: Foreign Cinema and Amarena for a polished, full-service dinner; 707 Sutter and Wanjai for livelier, more casual energy; and Fuwa Dumpling for a quick, affordable, family-friendly meal.