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First, it's a bit of a stretch to say this is the Castro. It's in the "crossroads" between the Castro and other hoods. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this to a traveler, but certainly to locals. (Travelers should check out Anchor Oyster Bar on Castro). That having been said, I had a terrific meal here. THe food isn't too expensive, the atmosphere is busy without feeling crowded and the waitstaff is smart and fun. I had a great Halibut and my friend had crab, both were successes. I can't wait to get back and try the Lobster Rolls (maybe go for lunch). Well worth a visit.

The Castro theatre is one of those amazing old movie houses that still hints at it's old beauty. It's of another time where people would pack into single theatres to watch one movie. These days they have live shows, the frameline gay film festival (among other festivals) and art pics and mainstream pics too. I love the organ player who plays while you are waiting to see a film, it's worth going early to hear.

You don't really come to Harvey's because the food is great, but it's actually not bad. The hamburgers are really great and the salads good too (but I'm not much of a salad person). But the wait staff is always flirty, the other patrons are way gay and if you can get a window seat you can be entertained by the passersby in this, the heart of the Castro.

I have often stopped here (or in their little attached cafe) for a great dessert after a show. It's within walking distance of the opera house (ballet & opera) and the symphony (where I saw Kathy Griffin). It's great for dessert and the dinner's pretty good too. Only real complaint is that it's a bit small so always seems crowded. I heard recently that they would be closing later this year, sad if it's true, so get it while you can.

I stumbled into Pizzeria Mozza on accident (it looked nice from the outside), before I knew about all the buzz about this place (I'm not a fan of celeb chef places and Mario Batali doesn't do anything for me). The pizzas were amazing with different ingredients than your standard pizza fare. This reminded me a lot of my hometown's Pizzeria Delfina - high end pizza and italian fare. And the desserts: amazing! We sat at the bar and ate (which meant we got right in), so that might be a good way to beat the crowds.