If you enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer with your meal, you don’t need us to tell you that alcohol can be the most expensive part of going out to eat. But if you squint hard enough at the SF restaurant scene, you’ll find a few spots with no corkage fees or fees under $10. These eight restaurants prove that the phrase “delicious affordable meal” is not an oxymoron.
At this small, modern joint the focus is on hearty, authentic Italian food. Russian Hill neighbors know it as the go-to spot for delectable crab ravioli in salsa rosa and Neopolitan-style pizza. Dishes here are affordable and though they have no liquor license, guests are welcome to bring their own beer and wine with no corkage fee.
What Shalimar lacks in ambiance—the dining room is about as simple as you can get—it makes up for in bold Indian flavors. A good place to fortify yourself with chicken tikka masala and garlic naan before heading to the bars on Polk. They offer free chai along with your meal but if you want something a little more alcoholic, Shalimar won’t charge a fee to BYOB.
This no-frills, hole-in-the-wall Shanghai dumpling house has a wide selection of dumplings and pan-fried goodies alongside more mainstream Chinese favorites. The xiao long bao—both the traditional pork style and the off-the-menu crab option—are solid and so are the pan fried pork buns and scallion pancakes. With no corkage fee, you won’t find anywhere else in the neighborhood with so much to offer at such an affordable price.
Pakwan has been a favorite for late night eats along the 16th Street corridor for years. The Pakistani and Indian food here isn’t fancy, but it’s delicious, ultra-affordable and available late. Stop at the liquor store across the street to pick up some beer or wine to enjoy along with heaping portions of lamb biryani and saag paneer.
One special day each week, Cole Valley staple Zazie waives its $20 corkage fee per bottle (minimum two bottles per table) for thirsty patrons. On Tuesdays, bring in your favorite bottle of wine to enjoy with the restaurant’s elegant brand of French Provençal cuisine which features traditional dishes like bourride, a monkfish, mussel and prawn stew cooked with leeks and fennel. Check out their daily prix fixe menu ($39 for an appetizer, entree and dessert) as a frugal complement to the evening.
At this charming neighborhood bistro specializing in French-inspired seafood dishes, the corkage fee typically runs an affordable $12 per bottle. But on Wednesday nights, lovers of steamed mussels fish served in sauces like beurre blanc and bearnaise can enjoy their own wine, fee free. The intimate space fills up quickly so make a reservation to save your spot.
Technically Mission Chinese has a $10 corkage fee. But when it comes down to it, how much you are charged (if at all) for corkage seems up to the whim of your server. Either way it’s worth the gamble. Order up some salt cod fried rice and kung pao pastrami and don’t forget to offer your server a sip.
When Sotto Mare opened in 2014 it followed in the footsteps of a long line of Italian restaurants that briefly thrived then quietly passed into history on the same spot. Today, this quaint diner-like bistro prepares Italian-inspired seafood favorites like crab cioppino, fettuccini with bay scallops in a cream sauce and oysters on the half shell. Sotto Mare has wine and beer available for purchase but if you would rather bring in one of your favorites, the corkage fee is just $10.