Locations and owners have changed more than once since this old-timer started as a coffee stand on the waterfront in 1849, but the crowds keep coming. Generations of regulars advise that simple sautés and panfries are the best choices. Try the cioppino during crab season (November to May), and the Pacific halibut between January and May. Happily, the old-fashioned house-made tartar sauce doesn't change with the seasons. There's counter seating, a few tables, and private booths (complete with a bell to summon the waiter), and a long line of business types at noon is inevitable. The crusty, white-coated waiters are a throwback to another time, and the old-school bartenders serve up martinis as good as the mollusks.
Posted by jharris from orland, ca on 6/28/07
My dinner was great and so was the service. The seafood was very fresh as you would expect in SFO. We will be going back every time we go to SFO. Only negative was that it was a bit loud but it is also a bar so to be expected.
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