Food, customer service, ambiance was all 10 stars! We arrived prior to rush hour on a sunny Thursday in March. The music was softly playing in background while we enjoyed our conversation and still were able to take in the scenery. Vibes were on point bread and chowder was fresh! Deff returning when in Pier 39. read more

See all

This place is disgusting! We ordered the shrimp cocktail and crab cocktail. What we got was shredded frozen crab micro pieces and very nasty bay like shrimps. Didn't bother finishing the food. We also got the bread bowl clam chowder was exceptionally the worst I have ever had! Very salty and an added seasoning that eliminates the entire flavor profile that it should not be called a clam chowder. The crab melt was also a disappointment to say the least. Please don't waste your money here! You're better off getting these at the stalls on Fisherman's Wharf read more

Came to Chowders for lunch after an awkward encounter with the hostess of the restaurant I was initially planning to go to that made me feel too embarrassed to get lunch. The ambiance has a laid-back, 50s diner-esque vibe, and the servers were relatively friendly. I decided to get the clam chowder bowl. The service was unusually quick, as they served me my food before I even got the chance to sit down. I'm certain that the soup was likely prepared in advance, but it was still warm and the differences it had from other clam chowder places (such as the skin of the potato being visible) I went to made it clear that this was a soup made from scratch. The soup itself was good, and tasted amazing with the sourdough bread. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of sitting underneath a section of the diner that had a small ledge, which was wide enough for a pigeon to sit on it and poop on me while I was trying to eat. Luckily it didn't get into the food, but it made for an uncomfortable experience and resulted in me having to end my trip to San Francisco early. Despite it all, it was an alright experience. Had it not been for the pigeon, I probably would've rated this place five stars. If you want to go here, make sure to look above you to make sure you didn't choose one of the seats with said ledge. read more

Chowders - Clam Chowder Sourdough Bowl - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food was good for the price point. Busy crowd even on a rainy Thursday. Service was fast and the fries were piping hot when delivered. read more

Chowders - Clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We visited the pier and was craving chowder, we thought this place would be perfect. We were served the chowder bread bowls before we finished paying which was fast! However, the celery and potatoes that was in the chowder was not cooked, it was crunchy. The bread was really good though. If you're craving chowder, I'd recommend going elsewhere. read more

Chowders - Bread bowl - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I'm sorry to leave a 2 Star review.. I almost went with 3, but when I thought "would I go back" the answer was "no". It's in a great location, indoor or outdoor seating is nice and the service is quick, especially with the chowder bowls. We ordered clam chowder in a bread bowl (obvi) and the crab melt. The chowder was more creamy than actually flavorful, and sadly the bread bowl was just chewy and not really tasty. I almost didn't even want it. The crab melt was good, but a small amount of crab. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Our family is Bay Area local, and whenever it's chilly outside and we feel like "playing tourist," we head to Pier 39 for some clam chowder. They offer two types: the classic white chowder and the red chowder. The white is definitely the crowd favorite--rich, creamy, and comforting. The red is more like a minestrone with clams, still tasty but a different vibe. I personally prefer the traditional white chowder. If you can grab the back seat by the window, you'll get a great view of Alcatraz while you enjoy your meal. The soup here is really good--honestly better than many of the other bread bowls on the pier. Perfect spot for a cozy little tourist moment, even for us locals! read more

See all

We never fail to stop here every time we visit Pier 39. Shareable portions especially the clam chowder bowl. Fish and chips are tasty as well. read more

See all

White and red chowder were tasty. Everybody from our family (13 of us) loved it. The fried meals were good too; except for the onion rings that were TOO SALTY that it was left unfinished. Nice quick spot for a lunch or dinner. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Service was quick and process of ordering looked very efficient and quick to get diners in and out. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Super touristy, but why not? Visiting my sister and decided to play tourist on Pier 39. It was a beautiful day so it was extremely busy. You order and pay first then find a seat. They have front seating, inside and side seating outside. We only ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl. The bread is a good sourdough. The chowder itself was extremely salty. Definitely needed the bread or water to mellow it out. Not much clam pieces, lots of salt and potatoes. Order came really fast. Plenty of seating. read more

Chowders - Chowder bread bowl - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

While visiting Pier 39, I stopped by for a quick lunch. There was good crowd, but still I got a seat. Crab cake was my favorite item Sea food plater was good, but expected a bit more food. Everybody were ordering the clam chowder. So I also went for a clam chowder on a bread bowl. I thought that was ok. read more

See all

Good menu selection and beers to chose from. My lunch post Alcatraz tour. Staff were friendly and helpful when ordering. Food was freshly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Beer was a perfect pairing. read more

Chowders - Fish & Chips Modelo Beer - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food is too salty we order clam chowder And shrimp baskets, the fries is salty as well. Service is fast read more

Chowder's is the perfect stop for classic comfort seafood. The food is rich and satisfying, especially the chowder which is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor. Portions are generous and everything tastes freshly made. The service is friendly and efficient, making it easy to grab food and enjoy without a long wait. The ambiance is casual and relaxed, great for a laid back meal by the coast. Definitely a spot I would come back to whenever I'm craving good chowder. read more

Came here for the clam chowder bowl and it was expected. Tried their fried fish and chips but it was bland without the sauces. It's worth the visit and the service is friendly. The ambiance is casual with music playing in the background. read more

Chowders - Clam Chowder Bread Bowl - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is a good staple to bring people from out of town. Their onion rings are thick and delicious! Can't go wrong with clam chowder and their crab sandwich. Fast service and can get in and out quickly. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fast and friendly service. Chowder was full of all the good stuff. Bread bowl was perfect. Lots of seating inside or out. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Chowder with fresh ingredients and I actually wanted to eat the whole bread bowl if my stomachache allowed me!

The food came out quickly right after we ordered. The food was good for it being chowder but not my favorite spot. It was a convenient place to eat at since it's at the pier. There's lots of seating options both inside and out. read more

Chowders - Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

very good prices weren't too bad even in San Francisco. The food quality was amazing very fresh. Great customer service very clean. Can't wait to go back and try other things ... I should have tried their famous clam chowder. Definitely be back soon. read more

See all

Delicious chowder and the sourdough bread bowl seemed fresh. Prices aren't bad considering they're on Pier 39 and there is an extra fee you pay for employee insurance. They have water cups on the side of the counter so you don't have to buy an expensive drink. Seating available inside and outside. Outside can get pretty windy plus you need to be aware of the birds. read more

Chowders - Clam chowder in a bread bowl - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've always wanted to try these bread bowls of clam chowder! Safe to say it will be the last. Mediocre at best, and hyped up for no reason. It lacked flavor and was so bland. We also tried the tuna sandwich and it was completely flavorless. Super disappointed! As a party of 5, we all agreed and had the same opinion. I was so sad that we wasted our money here. I'm glad we tried it at least once, but it's a one and done for all of us. The service was ok, and the ambiance is good overall as it's located inside of Pier 39. read more

A good place to have clam chowder! This restaurant had no line compared to others and their clam chowder is pretty good! I liked how they actually fill the bread bowl, but they could've removed more bread on the inside. The potatoes and celery could've been cooked for longer. The potatoes were still slightly hard. They have a bunch of bread bowls prepped, so not sure how fresh the bread bowls are. It's a decent place to have chowder if you don't want to wait at other restaurants! read more

Chowders - clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I stopped by Chowders in San Francisco, and despite being a tourist spot, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. The clam chowder soup was absolutely delicious, especially on a chilly day. The service was top-notch, friendly and fast. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm usually not a clam chowder person but I just had to give it a try after reading reviews and it wasn't a fail. The clam chowder was very tasty, had lots of clams and potatoes. It was very full filling. I also ordered the shrimp and chip basket and shrimp and crab sandwich. The shrimp were crispy golden brown and yummy. I felt the portion for the shrimp and crab sandwich was a little small. read more

The chowder was average, nothing too special. I do wish the fried seafood was more crispy. I was kinda disappointed but overall it was ok. read more

Chowders - white clam chowder bread bowl, fried seafood - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We've been coming to Chowders since 2013, and it never disappoints. We swung by the other day for some clam chowder and it is still absolutely delicious (some of the best I've had, actually). We even brought friends who were visiting us from Germany and Norway here, and they loved it just as much as we did. Classic spot that continues to keep us coming back! read more

Chowders - Outside - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Chowders ended up being the perfect spot to hit the spot for the classic Clam Chowder served in a bread bowl. My parents never travel much. They only had one craving on the whole trip when we got to Pier 39 at the Fisherman's Wharf. They wanted the savory creamy white soup mixed with potatoes and clams sitting in a warm cozy bed of bread bowl padding. They also had the perfect food that my nephew craves which was chicken tender strips with fries. Chowders was perfect for us because they had a warm indoor place to sit like a Johnny's Rocket seating and the best part was that there were no lines. Happy to see my parents and the entire family happy. read more

I was looking for a good seafood and chowder place and this happened to be open at that time. I went here around 9:15pm on a Saturday recently and there was a short wait in line. This place is in a touristy area and one of the restaurants that closes later than others in this area, so that was another reason why I decided to try it! Anyways, we ordered the Seafood Platter and the White Clam Chowder Bread Bowl! I loved how the chowder had a good amount of meat and it wasn't too thin or too thick! Some chowder places I've been to was too watery for me, and this one was perfect! The seafood platter was good too and I loved the variety of calamari, shrimp, and fish it has. The main problem I had was with the seafood platter. The seafood platter only had ONE piece of fish and ONE piece of shrimp; that would make it difficult for people to share that platter. Other than that, the food was still good and we liked how crunchy it was. I'd recommend this place! All the food was good, but I wish the portion size of the seafood platter was a bit larger. read more

Chowders - Seafood Platter (front) & White Clam Chowder Bread Bowl (back) | IG: @nomwithelaine - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were visiting a friend in San Francisco recently, so we stopped by Pier 39. We walked past Chowders, and it was a pretty chilly day, so clam chowder sounded like a great idea for a quick afternoon snack to warm ourselves up. We only got the clam chowder, and it came out pretty fast. The clam chowder came in a bread bowl, and it was so tasty. It had so much clams, and the flavors were just perfect. The bread also tasted really nice too. It was just overall the perfect quick snack on a cold day at the pier. read more

See all

I had the bread bowl Clam chowder as well as a crabmeat melt with fries. Crab melt nice quality if pulled crab meat with cheese melted on sour dough bread, that was grilled. Nice crust on outside with soft and tasty inside. The fries were awesome, they were the nice thick steak fries and crispy as well. Clam chowder was nice, added some hot sauce to make it better and then the eating of the bowl!!! Yummy. read more

Chowders - Bread bowl with Clam Chowder. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Chowders is in a prime location around Pier 39 surrounded by many food spots and stores! I ordered the shrimp and crab sandwich. There was nothing bad about it, but it didn't impress me. I'm a big crab salad sandwich person when it comes to San Francisco, however, if you are too, I would recommend the stalls near Fisherman's Wharf over these. Nonetheless, the service was really good, and I loved there was ample seating both inside and outside even with the weekend crowds. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

For the convenience and quick service and yummy food, I'm glad I came here. The white chowder was thick and warmed us up from the chilly drizzling San Francisco night. The onion rings were well-battered and crispy. The fish sticks tasted great (and that's coming from someone who doesn't like cooked fish). The fried shrimp was also good but we got too much fried food so I got a little icked out after eating the meal. Regardless, it is a nice occasional treat and I'd love to come back here next time I visit SF. read more

See all

Been coming here many years for clam chowder in bread bowl but first time reviewing. Located within Pier 39, this is our spot for quick lunch. They have seating inside and outside. We ordered clam chowder in bread bowl, crab melt sandwich, and fried zucchini. The crab melt is not as good as it used to be, it's bland and lack of crab meat. Clam chowder is as good as I can remember but it was mainly bread. They did not remove much bread for clam chowder. It was mainly bread bowl. Should of order the soup in a cup. Fried zucchini is light battered and fried to perfection with a side ranch dipping sauce. This is a place to self seated and throw your trash out after done. I like eating here when I'm in the area or craving for clam chowder but will skip the bread bowl and crab melt next time. read more

See all

Chowders is one of those restaurants located at the heart of tourist attractions, serving the "must-eat" dishes, but not very worth it. This restaurant offers clam chowders, fish and chips, and many other seafood dishes you'd expect at a pier. My mom ordered the clam chowder and did not enjoy it. I ordered the fish and chips, and just by the looks of it, it seemed disappointing, and it indeed was. I'd say the price of about $12 is pretty decent, but the lack of quality and taste makes the fish and chips not worth it at all. The amount of fries is unforgiving as well. The restaurant is quite small and can be very packed--not ideal for large parties. It's very convenient to go here since it's at the center of the pier, but I highly suggest going to other restaurants that serve your seafood cravings. read more

Chowders - Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

WOW. We visited this location because who doesn't want to try chowder in a bread bowl. It did not disappoint. The young lady was happy and cheerful. Took our order and we had our bowl before the Apple Pay went through. Nice outdoor seating and aside from the pigeons sitting on the rail 2 feet away it was really nice. read more

Chowders - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

The quality of their seafood platter is solid. I just wish the fries can be crispier. Not a fan of soft mushy fries. read more

See all

Food: Bread Bowl: the sour bread balances the salty chowder Fried Seafood: very nicely done; fish, shrimp, fries and calamari are all included. Their tartar sauce is not too sour or salty Shrimp Louie Louie: not very recommended if you're not a salad person but the shrimps are fresh! Service: no tip needed, self service The speed to serve is pretty quick even during long weekend holidays. Ambience: the seats are pretty crowded, so if you're here to grab a bite, there's no issue, but if you'd like to have a nice place to chill, there are plenty of other choices around the area. read more

See all

A decently priced fast casual fish and chips establishment for a tourist area. The service was quick and easy, and I went with the seafood platter for my meal. Given the area and the other places around, I felt like 2 fried shrimp, 2 huge calamari wings, and a fish filet with fries for 17.99 was a steal. The fry on the seafood with the sourdough breading was light and fried to a perfect crunch. I'd say the only downfall of my visit was the workers being a tad rambunctious sitting down in the dining area to eat with other guests trying to come to the counter to ask questions or needing assistance. But that's a nit picky thing that wouldn't keep me from returning read more

See all

This might be one of the best clam chowders I've ever had. The bread bowl was excellent--the inside was soft and warm, and the crust had just the right amount of firmness without being too tough. The chowder itself was creamy but still had a hearty, chunky texture. The fish tasted fresh, and the flavors were rich and well-balanced. If I had to nitpick, the celery pieces were a bit larger than I prefer, but it honestly didn't take away from how good the chowder was. Service was impressively fast--we got our food within two minutes of ordering. There was plenty of indoor seating with music playing at just the right volume, and the outdoor seating was perfect for people-watching around Pier 39. The space felt clean and well-kept, aside from one rogue pigeon that made its way inside and jumped on a table, but a staff member quickly handled it. All in all, I'd definitely come back. Chowders is officially one of my favorite spots for clam chowder. read more

See all