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Nopa Brunch, State Bird Provisions Dinner - Solo Walk-In? [San Francisco]

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Heading back to SF in 3 weeks and rounding out the dining agenda. Will be traveling solo for a conference but tacked on an extra 4 days for food and a few local friends, but much of the dining will be solo.

Provided I get there slightly before they open I assume a solo can nab a seat at either of the above - but how long are waits, on average, for a solo during say 7:00pm on a Thursday for State Bird or 1:00pm for Nopa on a Sunday?



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  1. I did a fairly detailed post on my SBP following a similar pattern.

    Short answer: at SBP, if you show up at 7pm, you'll probably get a seating at about 9pm or 9:30. Show up before 5pm and you'll be seated when they open at 5:30pm. The night we went, by 5:15 there was a huge line (I couldn't see the end --- 40 people? 50?).


    There's a little bar area where they seat solos (most people are couples and larger groups, I saw one true solo that night), and there are two or three seats. It's cramped, more so than the standard bar area with 6 seats. I didn't see this area fill up the night I was there - there was only one solo - and those previous times were for 2 person groups.

    I'm sure you've read the reviews - you want to be near the kitchen, because you get first crack at all dishes, where the "room" might not get everything.

    I think the way to try to fit SBP - and knowing your style, uhockey - would have to be take a cab over at the hour in question, have them wait at the curb, see if you get lucky, and have a fallback. Roll onward to Plan B if you're not lucky.

    I would not bother calling. The place is a madhouse and they'll be noncommittal although they will probably admit whether there is currently space for a single, which might save you a few blocks ride.

    2 Replies
    1. re: bbulkow

      Screw it - I'll just get there at 5:00 AND have an 8:00pm dinner reservation. Worst case scenario, I go to the second spot for dessert. :-)


      1. re: uhockey

        I look forward to the report, good luck.

        Usual caveats about prediction about the future, don't blame me if you don't get in on the first seating at 5pm. It's a highly variable thing.

        They took about the first 20 people that particular night for first seating, which might give you a judge of whether to move on when you see the line.

    2. I've had no problem walking into Nopa for brunch, though it has been a while. As they take reservations, I tend to do that now just to avoid the possibility of a wait. I'd think that unless it is a holiday weekend, you would have minimal wait.
      I'm guessing that someone may have a more recent reservation-less experience to report.

      1 Reply
      1. re: absc

        Works for me - thanks. Will probably just aim to get there when they open just in case.