Elroy's

Elroy's
300 Beale St.
San Francisco
(415) 882-7989
Food type: Creative European/American
Average entrée price: $18
Bender rating: 4
Credit cards: all major
Famous dish: Anything from the Raw Bar (seafood)  

At Elroy's, SoMA Meets George Jetson

In this huge, two-story space south of Market and a block from the concrete underbelly of the Bay Bridge, real San Franciscans -- read, legions of dot-commers -- congregate to schmooze, cruise, throw back martinis and scream at each other over the din.

Some even come for the food: fragrant grilled chicken and corn pizzas with basil pesto, seafood paella, with chorizo sausage and saffron rice; and modern interpretations of hearty classics like herb-roasted pork chops (served with ratatouille, fried green tomatoes and carrot coulis ) and seared medallions of beef (with a chile rub, arugula salad and sweet corn polenta.

As you enter, it's hard to miss the neon sign glaring "Raw Bar," and the array of oysters, lobsters, prawns and crabs behind glass, ready to be cooked and assembled into tall plates of architectural wonder. Another thing you're bound to notice -- besides the hip, young crowd, that is -- is Elroy's "welcome to the future, circa 1958" aesthetic. There's a video "fireplace" and twisted, sculptural chairs that would fit right in at George Jetson's. After all, that's where the place got its name.

-- Lisa Tsering