Kaiyō Rooftop

At this SoMa rooftop bar (located in the Hyatt Place), great views go along with a scene that’s as close to an exclusive, no-jeans-allowed club as you can get in San Francisco. There are velvet ropes out front, projections of waterfalls and mountain landscapes on the wall, and little lamps placed on every table once it gets dark (presumably to maximize picture-taking capabilities). Almost everyone here will be snapping photos of the skyline or filming boomerang cheerses—just lean into it. The food is similar to its sister restaurant, Kaiyō: Peruvian-Japanese dishes like empanadas, chicken karaage with rocoto aioli, and ceviche in a citrus-y leche de tigre that we always end up drinking every last bit of. It’s all much more interesting (and well-executed) than what you’d find at your average rooftop bar. Plus, there just aren’t many places in SF where you can drink a nice cocktail on the 12th floor—so we’re happy to head to Kaiyō Rooftop for date nights, birthdays, and big group celebrations.