In the recently-launched Zagat SF/Bay Area 2011 Restaurant Guide, San Francisco ranked the worst when it comes to tipping. (Side note: Is $2 too much for a $10 cab ride? Please advise.) Bay Area diners polled in Zagat note that they tip an of average of 18.6%. Which is to say, you're cheap, San Francisco. (Ideally one should tip at least 20% for decent service, yes?) In today's Between Means on Inside Scoop, Michael Bauer dares to suggest that Healthy SF's three or four percent -- the small fee added to you bill to make health care services accessible and affordable for uninsured residents -- is to blame. more ›

Last night at Park Tavern in North Beach, Gary Danko, Google's Marissa Mayer, and your very own SFist editor, among other gastronomic/media types, eschewed SF Cocktail Week's kickoff to attend the the Zagat SF/Bay Area 2011 Restaurant Guide launch. For the second year in a row, Gary Danko took top honors in several key categories. For your consideration, here are the 2011 'Top Food Overall' top ten in San Francisco/Bay Are. Behold. more ›

On its site today, Google announced that they purchased dining and entertainment guide Zagat for an undisclosed amount. Thrilled with the company's recent purchase, Google VP Marissa Mayer noted, "Moving forward, Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering—delighting people with their impressive array of reviews, ratings and insights, while enabling people everywhere to find extraordinary (and ordinary) experiences around the corner and around the world." more ›

"Is it too little, too late for Zagat?" That's what TechCrunch asked after Zagat finally - finally! - gave its site a much-needed facelift. The new site boasts Zagat restaurant reviews, new stats, links to third-party reviews, user photos and rankings. But. It's pretty much Yelp with a Zagat whiff of fanciness. Will it take off like Yelp? Probably not, at least not here in the Bay Area. Not too long ago, Menu Pages tried to break the Yelp's Bay Area stronghold to no avail. [TechCrunch, Eater] more ›

We just received the 2011 Zagat Guide this morning from our friendly Fed Ex man, and once again Gary Danko takes top honors, with Zagaters ranking his spoon as the best joint in town. Following Danko's dust, in order, are Boulevard, Slanted Door, French Laundry in Yountville, Cyrus in Healdsburg, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Zuni Cafe, Kokkari, Chez Panisse Cafe and A16. more ›

It's sure to cause controversy, which Eater SF editor Paolo Lucchesi openly acknowledges, but Eater has just inaugurated The Eater 38, a non-ranked list of the best, most beloved restaurants in the city which they would gladly recommend, with some emphasis given to neighborhood favorites over big destination spots. more ›

We suspect that the only people who rely on the Zagat Guide in the Bay Area are recent New York transplants and elderlies who pick it up in the bookstore in Danville, but we reserve the right to be wrong. Anyhow, the 2010 guide hits the stands today, it's probably more accurate than the SF Weekly Readers Poll, and its democratic readership has again voted Gary Danko into the top spot for food and popularity, beating out older winner The French Laundry and new rising star Cyrus. Saigon Sandwiches and In & Out won for Best Bang for Your Buck. The recently re-opened Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur won for Best Decor, but perhaps readers really just meant "best view." And Top Chef Masters runner up Michael Chiarello's Bottega in Napa won Best Newcomer. more ›

Zagat drops their San Francisco Nightlife edition tomorrow. Survey top-spot winners include Auberge du Soleil ("overall appeal"), the St. Regis Lobby Lounge ("décor"), the Four Seasons Bar ("service," "cocktail expertise," "quiet conversation"), Absinthe ("popularity"), El Rio ("queer"), La Trappe ("beer"), Toronado ("dive," "jukeboxes"), Hotel Biron ("wine"), and Specs ("best buy"). Oh and, hey, look: here's the Zagat guide getting a nod on How I Met Your Mother, a show that makes us want to rip off our eyelids and smash our face through a window. Anyway, if we can move away from the press release for a second, we have to admit that the Zagat Nightlife Guide does comes in handy, especially if you're a slave uncovering new local nightspots in which to get trashed. So, invitations to tomorrow's top-drawer Zagat launch party aside, we totally recommend it.
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