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    Balboa Cafe

    3.5 (908 reviews)
    Open • 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Balboa Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    BALBOA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Balboa Cafe

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    Balboa burger on a baguette (too much baguette...you get a mouth full of bread that you can't taste the burger)
    Allena C.

    We took a walk down Marina District to grab some dinner, but did not have a destination. Balboa Cafe has been there for years (1913 according to the menu) and none of us have tried it, so we decided to check it out! And it was quite busy at 6pm on a Friday. We were able to snag a table for 3 inside without waiting. The menu wasn't too overwhelming with many options, so it didn't take us long to make our choices. We wanted a variety of appetizers and ate family style! All the food came out at once. I'm not quite sure if timing it that way was wise. I think it would have been better to come out with appetizers first, the entrees because some dishes were cold by the time we got to it. And food prepared hot just doesn't taste good cold! ***OUR PICKS*** AHI TUNA CONES ~ Scallions, sesame, sambal chili mayo, soy, pickled fresno chilies, lime. I thought it was bland and needed some more zest to the tuna, or the dressing did not stand out, possibly from too much mayo. Crispy cones, though. 3/5 BUTTERMILK FRIED CALAMARI ~ Spicy marinara, house tartar sauce. The way it was fried, it seemed as if the oil wasn't hot enough, so the flour absorbed more oil than it should. When biting into the calamari, I got a burst of oil. I've had fried calamari without greasiness. This was quite the opposite. 2.5/5 CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS ~ Soy glaze, toasted garlic, lime, sriracha aioli. Another oily-tasting appetizer. No amount of sauces helped cut the grease. 2.5/5 FISH AND CHIPS ~ This was probably the best out of all we had and it was the special for Fridays. The batter was crispy and fish was tender and not overcooked. Fries were also crispy, even though they were like steak fries. Pleasantly surprised that these fries were better than the shoestring fries that came with our burger! 4/5 BALBOA BURGER ON A BAGUETTE ~ house-made pickles & onions butter lettuce, shoestring fries. The 3 of us shared this by cutting it into sections. The burger had more baguette than meat, so we barely tasted the beef. And the bread wasn't toasted so it was cold, dry, hard but chewy. I think sourdough slices would have made it taste better or a brioche bun. It was bland even with jack cheese, as if it wasn't seasoned with salt and pepper. But the burger was cooked perfectly at medium to medium rare, but it needed other saucy condiments to liven it up like some mustard, mayo, or an aioli. Fries were not crispy or crunchy. It's better at McDonald's. 3/5 Although it's been a long-established restaurant, its food was mediocre. We probably should have ordered only entrees or just drinks. Realizing after eating, lots of what we ordered was fried. It was greasier than we wanted and we felt heavy after our meal. Probably our fault for choosing incorrectly. Thankfully, we walked here and we were able to exercise most of it off before going home. The dining area was pretty noisy, so we had to talk louder than normal. It's not a place you should go for conversations. Possibly sitting outside would have been more pleasant; however, it was windy and chilly, our food would have likely been eaten cold. If you're looking for a cocktail without deep conversations, this spot might be for you! It's lively and popular in this neighborhood. But for food, I'd go elsewhere.

    Chopped Salad, Risotto, and Porn Star Martinis
    Jordyn S.

    Fun spot in the marina - close to lots of bars if you want to stop here for dinner first. The pornstar martinis were delicious, but the stars of the show were the chopped salad and snow pea puree risotto. My friend and I were splitting these and the servers were kind enough to split the salad for us. The risotto was so light with the best chewy texture.

    Paella
    Anthony H.

    Wow love the paella! Definitely for sharing. The service and drinks here are next level truly. The old San Francisco feel is a lot of fun too!

    Kelly H.

    The drinks here are fantastic and the paella on Thursdays is totally worth it! You can certainly split the paella between two people because it's so big. It was very delicious, and the ambiance here is beautiful.

    Deviled eggs
    Cece Y.

    Service here is always excellent! Everyone is always so friendly and welcoming. The ambiance is classy without being stuffy. Their daily soups need improvement though. I always find them to be far too watery, e.g. the lentil soup and beef chili soup were both thin. They had too much broth to be hearty, which is very unlike the traditional recipes (especially for beef chili).

    Deviled Eggs
    Rosella S.

    Do they have their espresso martinis on tap? Because it was served quickly and efficiently within minutes of ordering -- and that's how you keep customers coming back! We were warmly greeted as we walked up to the front door and I was surprised that we didn't have to wait. There was a corner table at the green banquette next to the bar, which have us a nice view out the window to people watch. Although the place is loud, our seats allowed us to hear each other since we sat side by side at the corner. Our waitress checked in on us right away and was always attentive. We're definitely coming back with more people just to have the espresso martini tower. The cafe has a fun and lively vibe, and you can bring your dog with you and dine outside at the patio tables. The only complaint I had was a fly kept buzzing between the bar and our table, but that's a minor quibble.

    Around midnight on May 24, 2026, I was subjected to an unprovoked assault by security staff at Balboa Cafe. A guard [refer to image] threw me against the exit door, causing me to strike my head, and then shoved me into oncoming traffic in the middle of the road while threatening to fight me. The assault only stopped when a second guard intervened after I threatened to call the police. Following my online and direct reports to management, the security guard began cyberstalking and digitally harassing my wife as retaliation. He doxed her personal details online and posted disparaging remarks on her company's professional page using an anonymous account. After discussions with Balboa Cafe's manager and PlumpJack Group's Director of Operations, the security guard has been permanently barred from the venue. However, he remains employed by the third-party security company for the time-being, so please be aware and report him if you see him elsewhere in San Francisco.

    Drawing
    David S.

    Waiter gave us amazing incredible energy! I loved his morning 10:00 am vibes. We asked for crayons and started going offffffff. We had a circle competition first (not really shown) and then drew our own stuff. Vibes 5/5. The only reason why this gets a 4 stars tho is that the chicken was dry and I could tell. All else the dish was gr8.

    Ting L.

    In San Francisco sits the timeless Balboa Cafe, a working-man's saloon that first opened its doors in 1913. And today's block-party captured this beautifully: * Me, with a classic drink in hand. * A lively crowd in the Marina district. * Someone ... on the roof keeps it playful and unexpected. Balboa's specialty isn't only the burger on a baguette or the espresso martini craze of today. It's the continuity of place, the sense of belonging and the ties to the neighborhood. Here's to food, cocktails, community... and the roof-spot photographer who makes sure we remember it with a smile.

    Very annoying that when it's busy - which is often, you can't sit or stand anywhere. You try to sit outside or even just lean, and you get moved on. We weren't allowed to take drinks outside without a table. Move back inside and then some big oaf said you can't stand here in a rather rude way. I get they're busy, but when you spend$40 on two drinks it's not great to be spoken to like a child. Sign up for the waitlist they said. I did, then got taken off after waiting ages. Decent food, decent drinks, but not great. Definitely not worth the price. Plenty of better places with more reasonable prices. Don't believe the hype

    Shrimp pasta
    Richard W.

    Balboa is located in the Marina district and came recommended to me as a local favorite. It certainly didn't disappoint! Ahi Tuna Cones With chives, served in a thinly shelled mini cone. Needs to be more crunch versus ahi ratio because you eat all the yummy fish at the beginning then you run out at the end (cone isn't big enough to fit in fish at the bottom) Roasted Salmon Swiss chard, English peas, summer squash, miso beurre blanc. Wonderful dish - salmon served with such precise softly textured filet - I feel that it doesn't really need the beurre blanc but I'm a purist. Roasted Broccolini Lemon, garlic, chili crunch goodness - this one disappears fast so enjoy it while it lasts. Service is great - they'll move however fast you want to move and the wine list is impressive. Its versatile vibe allows you to visit for a business lunch or a casual gathering with drinks. That's all

    Caesar Salad
    Maricarmen C.

    First time trying this place after reading a lot of good reviews. We went on a Monday for an early dinner with no reservations. We were immediately seated. We tried their smash burger, Caesar salad and their Mangonada drink. Everything was delicious. Service was fast and the restaurant seems pretty spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. There is some street parking nearby. We got lucky and found one right across the street.

    Chicken and Mac and cheese
    Isabella R.

    Unfortunately this place is not a food spot - definitely come for the drinks. I got the braised short ribs, deviled eggs, Mac and cheese, and vegetable soup and it was not worth the hassle. Ambiance is not ideal for a sit down dinner since the bar is pretty active but the ambiance gives original joes vibes. The servers were good and attentive - the food came out rather quick but I will not be coming back for food

    Holiday decor

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    2 months ago

    Bar and security staff is extremely rude, unprofessional, and aggressive. Would not recommend.

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    Balboa Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Balboa Cafe

    Is there a cover charge?

    Not usually

    Is this restaurant open for lunch on Mondays, or open at all?? Open table shows no availability and no one is answering the phones?

    Balboa is open 365 days a year in a normal year. This Monday we had a construction project that was completed, but the smell from some of the materials was offensive so we decided to not open on Monday. In most cases, you can call the restaurant… 

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    Causwells - Americana Burger

    Causwells

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    0.3 mi•Marina/Cow Hollow
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    Wow what a knock out burger!…read more This place has the chillest most upscale vibes I've experienced in a while. Very friendly staff, Jessica was our server. We ordered a burger, a chicken sandwich, and the pull apart bread. Everything was hot, fresh, and cooked to perfection! We stopped by for my daughter's birthday lunch and they did not disappoint. If you're in the Marina I highly recommend popping by few a good bite!

    We came to this spot to meet up with friends visiting from NYC, who were being hosted by the San…read moreFrancisco's Tourism board. This place was included on a list of Sunday brunch recommendations. I had seen other fellow Elite Yelpers recommending it, so I wanted to try it. We had the French toast sticks, very good, as well as the classic breakfast dish, my partner had the breakfast burrito. Both dishes were decent, but we were there for the company mostly. The restaurant was quaint and cute, more compact, but had a secondary overflow area in a separate part of the restaurant. There were restrooms on both side, and Causewells served as a chill morning for us with our friends. The location had a cute bar set up for evening link ups, and the service was very friendly. The vibe is more of what you go for the food is decent but won't necessarily blow you away. Try them out and see for yourself. For tourists, or visitors of the city, the location is in the Marina District, so Golden Gate Bridge is near if you'd like to sightsee. This location is also very close to the Presidio theater.

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    Causwells - Photo 2: Bar

    Photo 2: Bar

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    Calibur - Like Burgers.... Love  Calibur!

    Calibur

    4.0(618 reviews)
    4.4 mi•West Portal
    •$$
    10 years in business
    Locally owned & operated

    This is what a neighborhood burger joint should be…read more Delicious burger with a perfectly medium-cooked patty. They didn't even ask for the temperature, but somehow nailed it. The bun was very good, and I really liked that they use fresh, regular lettuce rather than shredded lettuce. Raw yellow onions, cheddar cheese, tomato, and the sauce all tasted fresh and well balanced. The service was sweet, friendly, and welcoming. And those tallow fries! Amazing. Proper neighborhood burger-joint fries: crispy, flavorful, and satisfying without trying to be fancy. Everything is straightforward, affordable, and great value for what you get. No gimmicks, no unnecessary fuss, just a really good burger, great fries, and friendly service. An honest neighborhood burger joint. Exactly what West Portal needs.

    I was pretty sad after reading all the raving reviews of this place. I ordered through DoorDash and…read moredid a pick up, but maybe that's why the burger was just okay? Might have gotten soggy during transportation. The burger itself tastes like a burger I'd make at home. Maybe it's healthy?? Haha What saved my experience was probably the shoestring fries. They gave you a very generous amount of fries for cheap! Maybe I'll come back to try to dine in. But for now, I'll pass on this spot.

    Photos
    Calibur
    Calibur - L-R: Chili ($5.99), Double ($5.99+$1.99 bacon+$1.99 avocado), Double ($8.99+$1.50 cheese), Tallow Fries ($3.99)

    L-R: Chili ($5.99), Double ($5.99+$1.99 bacon+$1.99 avocado), Double ($8.99+$1.50 cheese), Tallow Fries ($3.99)

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    Gott's Ferry Building - Drink water

    Gott's Ferry Building

    3.6(3.2k reviews)
    2.3 mi•Embarcadero
    •$$

    Hubby & I's new baseball game tradition is grabbing food from Gott's! If you ask, they'll even put…read moreyour food in boxes, which makes it so easy to bring to the game! There was about a 20-30 minute gap between getting our food and actually eating it, and everything was still warm and really delicious! The fries were a little soggy, but that was completely our fault lol. The workers were working so hard and kept apologizing for the wait, but honestly, the wait was totally reasonable considering how many customers they had. Everyone was so friendly and doing their best to keep things moving! Mini edit: Totally forgot to mention that their icecream is one of our favorites & deserves 5 stars alone!!!

    Maybe I caught them on an off day or maybe it's psychological, but I feel that this location of the…read morefamous Gott's doesn't live up as highly as the Napa area locations. The food felt like it wasn't as good, but the main thing here was the wait times when we went. Compared to high traffic times that we visited their sister locations, this SF one was much longer in wait. That's fine, but something to be flagged. Staff here felt a bit more apathetic than their counterparts at other locations, but that's the city lifestyle for you. Tables were left dirtier/less frequently cleaned than other Gott's locations. There is a mixture of indoor and outdoor seating. The combination of these different things unfortunately brings the experience to be a bit less enjoyable to the fun that the Napa area ones have.

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    Gott's Ferry Building - Constant line after work

    Constant line after work

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    Balboa Cafe - bars - Updated September 2026

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