It's Good Friday and I have been doing some test runs on which fish sandwich I should eat since meat was not on my bingo card and menu for my Good Friday meal. I was supposed to go to McDonald's and have the Filet -O-Fish but the filet I received this week has shrunk along with the buns and now it has half the cheese it used to have on it. So I decided to drop the fast food fishwich route and heads towards Fisherman's Wharf. I went to the place I had one of the best fishwiches in SF. It's literally located less than 100 feet from the drop of the Pacific Ocean in US waters and above is the Franciscan restaurant. On a Spring Tourist Trap stroll in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf USA , I landed at Frankie's Crab Stand located below the Franciscan restaurant. Inside they sell crabs, clam chowder , shrimp, and fish and chips ( even the British tourist would enjoy). I got the World Famous Fishwich. The bun was so soft and the fish was so fresh but a bit flakey like some in SF but it was tasty and crispy plus the coleslaw made it crunchy. The sauce of the fishwich was savory which packed a punch ( not punch the viral monkey). The fishwich came with some very crunchy garlic fries which put Oracle Park sometimes soggy garlic fries to shame. Overall a consistently great Fishwich sandwich which can be enjoyed during all four seasons at the tourist trap in SF. Franciscan restaurant is a legacy San Francisco seafood restaurant "brand" went to the place below associated with the Franciscan and got a Fishwich with flavor not like some in SF that are very"bland" you can eat it and hold the buns with your "hand" it's called the World Famous Fishwich at "Frankie's Crab Stand " Fisherman's Wharf in SF is called a Tourist Trap because of visiting Tourist it will "draw" to drop some money to eat seafood like shrimp, crab ,cioppinno and "red lobster claw"and in some establishments in SF you can watch live Dungeness crab "crawl"on Good Friday grab a fishwich which has soft buns with a tasty crispy fish fillet topped with crunchy "coleslaw" read more

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Nice soft shell crab sandwich with garlic fries for reasonable tourist prices. Clean bathroom Back faces the bay with incredible relaxing views. Albeit music blasting takes away the ambience of the bay. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I decided to stop in here after walking around the pier. It's a cute little spot, service was fine. You order at the register and they'll call out your number when the food is ready. I enjoyed the clam chowder in the bread bowl. I also ordered the crab sandwich with garlic fries, although the fries were tasty I wouldn't order this sandwich again. It had this bad bitter taste to it and the slaw was so bland. read more

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I try to go to SF for crab for my bday and this year I modified it. Fisherman's wharf is vastly different. Its been a few years and it was a bit desolate. This was probably due to Fleet week being greatly modified. Some the restaurants are not there. The hawkers still tried to get my business but I settled on this place. There was no one trying to wrangle me in and there was an Asian tour group giving them business as well as some local workers working on the docks. The menu isn't overwhelming which makes deciding much easier. I didn't go for the full crab, but settled on crab legs and of course you have to have the clam chowder bread bowl and with the boudin bakery across the way (literally) you know its fresh. Food came out quick and not over powering with seasoning. I could tell the crab was not frozen because usually the meats will stick to the shell. The clam chowder was tasty, but the was a noticeable lack of clams. There is ample seating inside and out. Nice stop for a quick lunch. Good for tourists and locals alike. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Crab legs. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This was the perfect place to have Valentine's Day lunch. If you're a garlic lover then you'll love the aroma in the air as you walk closer and closer to this restaurant. The service was great and efficient! The wait time for our food wasn't long at all. The pieces of fish in the fish n chips were big pieces that were cooked to the perfect crisp. The soft shell crab sando... out of this world! One of the best crab sandwiches I've had in a while. Now the garlic fries that come with the meals... phenomenal! If you want a quick bite definitely stop here. I'll be back again for sure! read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Cup of Clam Chowder, Fish n chips, & a soft shell crab sandwich with garlic fries (all combos come with garlic fries!) - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Walking pass, I seen how delicious the fish had looked, so I decided to go in and try it! I ordered fish & garlic chips (which are actually fries). The fish had a tasty crispy batter, and I liked it. The flavor of the fries were good too. I wanted clam chowder in the bread bowl, but I didn't like the fact that the bread was just sitting out. I didn't end up trying it. The service was decent. The food came in a good amount of time. The is indoor seating and plenty of outdoor seating available. read more

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Just stick to the Claim Chowder and Fish N Chips. The best claim chowder I've ever had, I'm picky with anything sea food and I've been to the Splash in Pismo(the worst for me). Got nothing on this and I tried all kinds of claim chowder in Morro Bay. I came back to this place for it. Claims bite size, not runny not too thick either. Honestly for all those 3 stars or less they're complaining about other stuff for sure. Who cares about the "dirty tables" wipe it yourself or "unsustainable ketchup packets" wash Yo Hands.. I'm here for food. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a good place to take kids, there are toy vehicles, trains, planes, etc hanging everywhere for them to admire. Seems they did a rebranding since the last time I was here so i thought it had changed businesses but the menu was pretty much the same. We were all happy with our food, the calamari, crab cakes and fish sandwich. We just wished we didn't have to get fried with every entree though they were good fries. Good spot to get a casual seafood meal in the area. read more

Nice spot after walking through fisherman's wharf. The clam chowder met my average expectation but wouldn't necessarily stand out from the ones in the strip. The garlic fries with calamari was delicious as an appetizer though. These dishes along with a margarita will definitely get you full. It was cloudy and chilly in SF so being able to eat clam chowder indoors with their homey vibe is a plus. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Popped in for a quick lunch while visiting some museum ships in San Francisco. It was conveniently located between the SS Jeremiah O'Brien and the USS Pampanito so I stopped in. I ordered the fish and garlic chips with a soda and a Mai Tai. I got the drinks right away and the order was ready within a few minutes. The fish was piping hot and delicious, and the fries were very garlicky. The Mai Tai was good and strong. I may have had a bit of an empty but even so I felt it going to my head by the time I was finished. The restaurant itself was clean, had a nice view of the bay, and was heavily decorated to the point of maybe being gaudy, though a little kid who was in the restaurant at the same time really seemed to enjoy all the little planes and cars and whatnot. So maybe he's more the target audience for that. It was a good, fast lunch in a pleasant environment. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - The Mai Tai in front of one of their windows looking out on the bay. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was excited to try this place due to my love of garlic and clam chowder. Sadly, it was just okay. I think they could have doubled down on the garlic more across the board. The clam chowder was good, but again just okay. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - garlic fries and garlic clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

$10 cocktails and big portions of food would definitely go back. The bread bowls were worth it

The environment is great location however the service personnel looked SUPER annoyed when we entered unknown to us at the time. So we order the fish sandwich and crab sandwich the taste was horrible but we thought maybe it was just us due to being so hungry. The French fries were AMAZINGLY GOOD, so we entered to attempt to order a 2nd order to be told we are CLOSED! Now we knew why the personnel was so annoyed, it would have been better to just say we are CLOSING SHORTLY and I would have completely understood and would have rather NOT gotten served bad food. Their choice so here my review for my experience. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - This is SUPER CUTE, great presentation but the taste was BAD. I really hoped for a better experience. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best Clam chowder in the bay and prices are amazing this is most definitely our go to place

This place is pretty solid, compared to a few other restaurants on this strip. The chowder is delicious, and the calamari is excellent, but the crab cakes are my absolute favorite. However, I do wish we could just order a basket of the calamari instead of getting it with the garlic fries. The garlic fries aren't bad though, but it just takes away from the amount of calamari you get. I also always order the lavender mojito--it's $10, strong, and so tasty! The staff are really friendly too. Every time I've been here, it's never overly busy, which I appreciate. read more

Decided to grab lunch to go from here and it was delicious! Fish sandwich was good and the soft shell crab sandwich was even better! I will definitely be back for the soft shell crab sandwich read more

This is a followup to my review a few days ago. I received a warm email from Rosemary Linden, that addressed my concerns and alleviated my issues with the way I was treated. I appreciate her response and look forward to visiting Frankies in the near future. Rosemary, thanks again for the follow up. Darryl M. read more

We were walking around the pier and came across this place. We had to try the clam chowder because we're in San Francisco! The food was good and came out pretty quickly after we ordered. This is a self service place which we didn't mind because we wanted something casual and low key. You have an option of sitting outside to overlook the bay as well, but it can get windy and there's lots of birds that will harass you. Very reasonable prices here for a tourist destination. They are also just across from a big (paid) parking lot. read more

What great staff, the inside of the place is nearly decorated and very much clean. The food were big portion and is perfect to share with a close friend or love one. read more

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We love the original restaurant, so was looking forward to checking this out. The exterior is charming, but definitely a fast-food operation. I couldn't eat here because the chicken sandwich is cooked in the same oil as the seafood. And I have a severe allergy, so we moved on. But the staff were very nice, sold us a beverage and let us rest before moving on. read more

This is a restaurant in California that refuses to serve customers that sit down inside their establishment that does not provide tap water at no cost to paying customers. Wanted to charge almost a dollar for tap water with the cup. read more

Frankie's Fish and Chips were great! The fish was high quality, and nicely fried. The chips were crispy how I like. and the beignets were so delicious, especially the sweet whipped butter they came with. This is really only a 3-star fast casual experience. I didn't like how unsustainable their ketchup and tartar sauce packets were. They get all over your hands when opening, and create a lot of waste. I wish they'd just have self service ketchup and sauce dispensers. read more

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Simple and tasty menu... they do have some of the best fish and chips. not a particular fan of a thinned out clam chowder.. I prefer it thick and creamy but none the less it tasted really good and works great with the sour dough bread bowl. Prices are decent and the establishment is clean given the area. Enjoy the pier atmosphere of Fisherman Wharf along with scenic views but not on the pier 39 touristy madness. Take the trolly .. enjoy this centrally located dive rain or shine read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here after exploring pier 39 and this was a great choice. I love fish and chips and this place does it right. The fillets are huge and the fries were good. I loved the overall ambiance of the place, super fun and I sat at the back which had a little view of the bay. Service was quick which was good cuz we were so hungry! read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Fish and chips - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We stopped by this spot to grab some Beignets while waiting for our cruise tour. The dining area was clean, service was fast, and the beignets were perfect!!! read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Beignet - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Do not patronize this place. I was there waiting for my wife to meet me there. I needed to use the restroom. They said I couldn't use it unless I ordered something. I walked out in disgust and went next door to Franciscan, which is first class. If I could give them zero stars I would. read more

Stumbled across this place while walking around Fisherman's Wharf and glad we did. The restaurant had a lot of open seating and a great view of the ocean. There were toy cars and trains hanging all over the ceiling which I thought was a nice touch. My husband and I shared a clam chowder bread bowl with fries and a drink. The clam chowder wasn't the absolute best, but still really good and worth trying it out. The fries were near perfect with the right amount of crunchiness and softness which was a plus. We did notice they charged for water, but service was pretty fast and the food overall satisfied our cravings. Would come back again to try their sandwich and fish and chips! read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Clam chowder bread bowl with a side of fries - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Still thinking about the beignets and the fish & chips!! You order at the counter and call out your number once the order is ready. Seating is first come first serve. read more

Had lunch here on Sept 25 and we were disappointed with the food. We had clam chowder and a soft shell crab sandwich. The chowder was just ok, needed some seasoning and less flour for our tastes. The crab sandwich at close to $20 was terrible, small, over cooked, and the slaw was not seasoned. The bun was so big and flavorless it could have held two crabs. Two stars for the garlic fries, tasty , albeit a bit greasy. Counter service only and the place was full of flies and pigeons walking around inside the restaurant. Won't be back! read more

Had the clam chowder bowl; not the best, not the worst. My son enjoyed his fish n' chips. Not sure I'd return, but we were very hungry after a few hours in the city and it hit the spot. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Clam chowder was decent but not the best. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped in on our way out of the Wharf due to seeing the beignet sign. I was excited to have my husband try because he has never had one. We weren't a fan. I had to let him know this is not how beignets taste. Or at least the ones I've had in New Orleans. The beignets were very dense and hard. Although they were fried fresh, they lacked the correct beignet flavor. Lots of powdered sugar, which was a plus, but the flavor and airiness of the dough was a miss. The inside was very dirty as well with mosquitoes flying all around. We overlooked that because they are located on the Pier and had all doors / windows opened. Not to mention, the inside had a weird odor on one side. read more

As I was wandering around Fisherman's Wharf on my first visit to SF I was looking for somewhere to have lunch. Luckily I stumbled across this place and had an amazing lunch enjoying their Fishwich. It was so good, served hot and freshly made. I enjoyed it so much I returned the next day for some clam chowder which was also delicious. Along with quick service and lots of seating make this a spot I'll return to in the future. read more

Decent food. We went and ordered and staked out a table. The inside is closed due to Covid but they have "outdoor" tented seating. Prices are reasonable and large portions. We tried the calamari (yummy), the fish sandwich (not that great), and the fish and chips (decent). Nice spot to go in. I would recommend sharing portions as we had tons Left over and my predications would be that the food would not be good once it got cold. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their beignets are SOLID. Mine came out hot. Inside was light and airy. The sweet cream added mild sweetness (which I love!). The employees were very kind and courteous. My food came out so quick. I would definitely come again to try more foods on their menu and beignets are a must every time. read more

Yes the fish & chips ARE that good! Highly recommend!! Paired with the Pinot Grigio, even from a can....Friendly service too.

Food is very good, first time trying soft crab and it set the bar very high, customer service is A1 (pro tip: get a drink, they are the best) read more

I have not been here in many years. It was amazing food in the past...not sure what happened but the food was horrible, restaurant was dingy and the service was mediocre. Definitely not returning. read more

Saturday at 4:30. Not super-busy. Food was cooked to order. Crab cake is fresh, dense with crab and very little filler (super-fine-sliced scallions and seasoning. No breading inside! Big patty, not at all dry. Crust is crispy, holds moistness of the patty in. Fries are super yummy and crispy. They have outdoor seating, over looking the bay, as well as indoor. The ambiance is fun. Old toys hanging everywhere, cars, trucks, buses, planes, boats, and of course-San Fran cable cars. read more

Frankie's Crab Stand - Crab cake burger with vinegar slaw and pickled red onion. Served with fries. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I'm vacillating between a two and a three. I may go order some beignets to see if the restaurant with redeems itself (but after eating some of the food, I decided against it)! The garlic is not as present as I would. Hope it would be... my garlic chicken sandwich just like a chicken sandwich. It does taste fresh, but isn't amazing. It is walk in and order type of food service and sort of like a upscale fast food ambience. There is seating both inside and outside. I do rather like the clam chowder bowl. It's thin if you like a thin chowder. It does have a bit more flavor than what I'm used to. All of the condiments are packaged like the tartar sauce is not a house tartar sauce it is Hines in a packet. But again the service is kind of walk in service. The sourdough bread may be fresh, but it's a little tough. Does have a sourdough taste that is good. I set my Sammy aside and fries for the teenage boys... they will eat anything and love it... read more

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crazy good soft shell crabwich for 17$!! and the owners nice and also the view is good