Mexico DF's communal table
photo: Kevin Bond
Reservations are notoriously hard to come by in San Francisco. Enter the communal table, which frequently serves as a refuge for the young and the reservationless. These oversized social networking hubs not only provide another alternative to bar seating, they also make it easy to break the ice while breaking bread with strangers. Hence, they're becoming a de rigueur design element in new restaurants such as Mexico DF (pictured above).
Looking for more communal tables? Check out these spots.