Best Illegal Restaurant
Ghetto Gourmet
The Ghetto Gourmet, the Bay Area's hottest illegal restaurant, is a roving event produced by a band of culinary outlaws who host under-the-radar dinner parties (sans permits or licenses) at different locations in San Francisco and the East Bay. The four-course meals are cooked by guest chefs of great distinction, the entertainment is live and eclectic (comedy and music ranging from hippie to hip hop), and the vibe is friendly. Because event size is limited (generally to under 25 or 30 folks), many attendees won't know each other at the beginning of the night (people tend to come in ones and twos), but the intimate venues and cozy quarters ensure that many new friends are made by the end of the night. Ghetto Gourmet evenings are BYOB, and foodies and wine geeks show up unassumingly to drink bottles of the finest Burgundy from the mismatched "Ghetto Glasses."