2223 Restaurant   

2223 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94114
415-431-0692
www.2223restaurant.com

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The cocktails are tasty and boozy; the cheery diners -- gay and straight -- are likely to chat with strangers at neighboring tables; the servers are bubbly; the walls are brightly muraled; the lights are dim; the plate-glass windows designed for people-watching. 2223 is fun. How much fun can depend on whether it's a weekend and if you're a cute guy (hey, it's the Castro), but the food is cause for celebration -- the robust, brightly flavored New American fare is a party on a plate. Classics are done perfectly, like crisp roasted free-range chicken topped with a mountain of outstanding onion rings, or a juicy double-cut pork chop slathered with gorgonzola and grilled fruit. The menu's apt to include at least one great pasta, like huge butternut squash raviolis with sage-brown butter and duck confit. Other standouts are grilled flatbread with a host of toppings and any of the soups. The wine list is small but affordable. Avoid weekend crowds and save some cash by showing up for a prix-fixe three-course bargain Sunday through Wednesday -- or brave weekend-morning throngs for ricotta pancakes, homemade sausage and biscuits and a spicy ''whatever mary.'' -- Julie Ross