Had to go to Pacific Cafe at least one more time before they potentially close. To say this is an SF institution is an understatement. The food and service here is top notch. Honestly, the complimentary wine has always been a nice touch. They usually hand out wine if you're waiting to be seated. We got there at 4:30pm to make sure we were in the 1st wave. Love the ambiance of the seafood restaurant. It's so homey. We got the crab cake entree, petrale sole newberg, clam chowder and lava cake for dessert. We were stuffed at the end. read more

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I can certainly see the draw. We happened to be in the area looking for some food to go, when we saw the line out the door waiting for Pacific Cafe to open at around 4:40pm. We thought, it must be good, and funny enough, when I first looked at the menu, I wasn't all that enticed. But my partner being a seafood fanatic did all the ordering. And we were able to order before they opened, and the staff also gave people waiting in line a glass of complimentary white wine. The server did warn us that the food would not start being prepared until they opened at 5pm, which was fine with us. We ordered a bowl of clam chowder, the crab cakes, and the parmesan halibut, which ended up being switched to petrale sole due to halibut supply issues. When we got our bag around 5:10pm, what a nice surprise to also find a 1/4 of a large sourdough in the order as well. The food lasted the 1.5 hour drive home, and when we opened everything up, all was in tact. Honestly, we were too hungry to take pictures at this point. The crab cakes still had some crunch to it, and really great flavor. The sourdough bread was soft and warmed from the food. The parmesan sole, was perhaps a tad salty due to the parmesan, but flaky, not overcooked, and was balanced out nicely with the broccolini and the side salad we ordered. The one miss for me was the clam chowder. It may just be a preference, but the broth itself was more potato forward than cream. Otherwise, plenty of clams, and general flavor was good, but texturally, a little broken with all the potato in it. While we didn't eat at the restaurant, service was great, from the complimentary wine to the host/server who took our order, to the final delivery and packaging of the meal. I can see why this place is a local gem. read more

We heard about the sale of the restaurant and will close if there is no prospective buyer. Imagining they are in the industry for over 50 years. We live near the restaurant and I had been here two times only. As soon as I heard about this, I told my friends so we went last Friday. There was no reservation and it was first come first served basis. We arrived at 4:30 pm and fell in line. Mostly the patrons were elderlies. Before 5 pm they asked people to enter the reception area. We waited and later the staff asked how many parties from each of us who were inside. The server started giving a complimentary glass of white wine to individual while waiting for a table. We waited for a little while and finally by 5:10, the staff started sitting the people basing by the number of parties. When everyone sat down, the server started giving us water. She came back a couple of times as we were not ready ordering. And we had another friend finding her parking as it was hard to find street parking. Finally she came and the server gave her a complimentary glass of white wine. We started with the appetizers of the Calamari Vinaigrette and two Dungeness Crab Cakes. The baked sourdough bread paired with a chunky butter on the side was delicious. The crab cakes came flat instead of thick cakes. They were very good and tasty. The server saw the bottle of Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Sterling Vineyards that my friend brought from home. She knew it was not from the restaurant. She opened the bottle. We knew already about the corkage fee of $15 because I called beforehand. Later we ordered the main courses namely Grilled Trout, Grilled Snapper, Halibut Parmesan, Petrale Sole Newburg. We opted for a cup of chowder. I did not realize that they serve half rice pilaf and half veggies of broccoli. I got the rice only. When I asked the server, she gave me instead a plate of broccoli. That was nice. The chowder was creamy and delicious. One friend does not eat seafood but she still ordered the bowl of clam chowder. She scooped the clams and gave them away to another friend. She used the bread dipped into chowder. She knew about the restaurant and still came to experience eating at the Pacific Cafe. The seafood was fresh and delicious. The service was warm and attentive. The restaurant had a great atmosphere. My friends did not mind coming back. Hope the restaurant keeps open until new buyer comes along. read more

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Got here around 4:15/30ish on a Friday night and there were already a few parties ahead of us waiting for the place to open. Around 4:45 they let us into the waiting area inside the restaurant and started serving complimentary wine to those waiting. Once we were seated, the service was quick and very friendly (shoutout to Roy!). The crab cakes + tartar sauce were delicious and so was the chowder. My halibut Parmesan was yummy as well! The tables are mostly set for 2s and 4s so I'm not sure if I'd recommend bringing a big group here but the vibe inside was great! They even had Halloween decorations up which were so cute. read more

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I really enjoyed this restaurants style- it's intimate, homey, and very welcoming with staff handing you wine while you wait to be seated. It gives a nostalgic nautical vibe. The complimentary heaping amount of bread and butter placed on the table at the start also gives it classic diner vibes. The price is on par with what you might expect for seafood/fish in SF for a plate, but it does come with a small cup of clam chowder and a side. The dishes themselves could use some more flavor like the grilled trout and salmon. I found myself wanting to put sauce from other dishes onto my fish to flavor it. However, the grilled options are quite healthy with that being considered. The tastier menu item was the Parmesan halibut. I think this place is worth a visit for a cozy vibe but wouldn't be my go to seafood recommendation for an out of towner. read more

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Our party of 12, Came here on a Saturday night to celebrate the wedding of our daughter. They don't take reservations but we were stood in line at about 5:30. We were seated within about 30 minutes. They serve wine while you wait your turn to be served. Service was great. They found out what we were celebrating and gave us some freebies which we appreciated. Offerings were plenty and quite delicious. Scallops were perfectly seared, calamari steak was wonderfully seasoned and prepared. The sour dough bread was warm and soft. Everything was truly delicious. We had nothing to complain about. Do recommend and will be back. read more

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You could improve the way you treat clients . Really not respect at all . They have waiting people on line to came in no writing names or no restaurant buzzers . It is chaotic the way they organize who comes first . Prices are elevated and it is nothing special about their food read more

The food was great but the service notsomuch. We had the complimentary glasses of wine, grilled scallops with fries, and fried oysters with rice pilaf. We opted for the clam chowder accompaniment. It was great to sit down and have sourdough to enjoy with butter. The food was delicious and we told the chefs since we were seated so close to the kitchen area. read more

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Seafood as good as ever for past decades and they still graciously give free glasses of wine to anyone who has to wait for a table. Cute corner restaurant in the outer Richmond District. No reservations so it's first come, first serve. They have tables in booths so it's best to come if you have 2-4 people in your group. They usually hand out white wine while you wait but you can nicely request red wine and they will oblige. Good variety of choices on the menu from appetizers, salads, entrees to a few desserts. And of course you can order more wine or beer off the menu. Look for specials posted on the wall. We enjoyed the grilled red snapper, with Cajun spice that wasn't too spicy and it had good flavor. We also had the calamari steak which was tender. Our entrees each came with either clam chowder or a side salad. We had the shrimp Louie side salad which was very good and had a nice amount of baby shrimp. We also had for one of the entrees the side cup of clam chowder which had a decent amount of clams. You also get a nice quarter of a round of sour dough bread and butter while your meal is being prepared. It is great food, service and very reasonable prices for all that you get here. We did wait an hour for our table but time went by fast especially with the compliments glasses of wine. Thank you. We will keep coming back. read more

Pacific Cafe - Grilled red snapper, Cajun spice. With a side of baby carrots. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Service was great. Neighborhood vibe which was nice. If you need to wait in line for a seat they give you a free glass of wine. Which was a nice thing to do. But the food was merely OK. The clam chowder was actually potatoe soup. And the Ahi Tuna I'd ordered rare was overcooked. My wife's trout was very good. So all and all an ok place to dine. But not great read more

Not to be confused with Pacific Catch like my dyslexic self often does....this cafe / wine bar / chill spot / one of my fave places in the city offers everything a basic human needs 1. Vibes 2. Deliciousness 3. Good A** Seafood. As my mom used to say "go to pacific cafe for a great time" (she's korean but I'm sure she would have said this if she lived here) read more

Pacific cafe is in its own way a love letter to the San Francisco of old. The ambiance inside makes you feel like you are in a restaurant from another era. I have been many times and can say this is the only restaurant I have ever been to where you are perfectly happy to wait for a table. The reason is the complimentary wine they serve you while you wait. On my most recent visit we got there right as they opened and were already behind several other patrons. Our unfortunate/fortunate timing meant we had to wait for a table to clear. But they brought even a second round of complimentary wine to make the wait go by quickly. Once you sit down, they quickly bring out complimentary bread and butter. Most modern places you have to wait to order bread. As other reviewers have mentioned they don't have an extensive entree menu, but what they do they do exceptionally well. We opted not to get appetizers this visit but I have never been disappointed with their calamari. The Entree's we ordered were the scallops baked in garlic butter and grilled salmon. My personal taste is I would rate the scallops 5/5 and the salmon 4/5. But the portions are very generous regardless of you personal preference. I have ordered other menu items in the past and been satisfied every time. We opted not to get dessert as well, but I have tried their ice cream and cheesecake in the past and really enjoyed it. I think they source the desserts from other local spots in the city. Overall, you wont be disappointed in this place and it is a great value. The prices are a bit high with the entree's being in the $30-$40 per plate range. But the prices are more than justified given that it is seafood and all of the other elements of service they provide. read more

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Just had dinner with friends. I feel the quality is back up and the service was really good this visit. We had entrees and shared a few desserts. The fish was fresh and perfectly prepared. The scampi shrimp was delicious- so much butter and garlic. Their fries are so good. Dessert was good. The cheesecake was thick and creamy. I do wish they would bake the crust. The chocolate cake was good but needed the ice cream as the cake itself was dry. Overall a good solid four star restaurant. The owner, Frank, is a superb manager and host. Of note - we arrived 29 minutes before opening and the place was nearly at capacity with first seating. If we go back we will either arrive even earlier or go later after - say 7:40? The lines are back. Good thing they serve free wine while waiting! read more

A cozy seafood restaurant with a no-frills menu in a nice & walkable neighborhood 15 min away from Legion of Honor. Fish was really fresh, specifically the grilled salmon and the Petrale sole. The following two things they did were lovely: 1. They served the house chablis for free while we waited 2. Sourdough with butter was already on the table when we got seated I had a great time! read more

Pacific Cafe - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

A return visit to a local Outer Richmond neighborhood Pacific Cafe with friends!! The complimentary glass of wine is nice if you're not able to get first seating when it opens for dinner since it's such a popular eatery. Service is always warm and accommodating. Pacific Cafe continues to be a solid spot for seafood and to spent time with family and friends. Tip: add the shrimp to your green salad that comes with your dinner choice! read more

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Old school spot and I am here for it! Coming here feels like stepping back in time in the absolute best sense. They lured me in with free wine and are absolutely keeping me with those crab cakes. Next time I'd get the salad over the clam chowder. My partner really liked the fried prawns, not too much breading just good seafood. Potatoes were pretty plain and we didn't eat them, but took them home and fried them up with eggs and cheese and hot sauce and made a great breakfast out of them the next day. :) read more

A wonderful restaurant that has been in business since the early 1970's. The service is always friendly and efficient and the seafood is always local. The entrees include delicious rice pilaf, pommel frites, or vegetables AS WELL AS a choice of delicious clam chowder, shrimp Louie salad or Caesar salad. And for over 50 years they are still serving complimentary glass of wine. Pacific Cafe is an excellent historic and local dining experience. read more

So good. This place has been here for decades but has not lost a beat. Clam chowder. So good. Had the patrale sole. Delicious. Glass of wine while waiting. I hate to say this is so good since I am letting the secret out. But you have to go. read more

Pacific Cafe - Patrale sole with half rice, half fries. Carb heaven but so good. So many mushrooms you can't see the fish. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food and service were good. It has lost the charm it once had. I haven't been there for a while and was looking forward to a dish I used to get. It no longer is on the menu. The choices have been narrowed. The crowd trickled in and the majority were older people. I always went with friends and had a great time. Again, food and service were great--just not sure it's worth the drive. read more

On top of being a very quaint little eatery, the food AND service is exceptional! The owner, Frank has built one of the finest restaurants I've ever been. The menus is not large which enables them to really concentrate on what they serve. I highly recommend Pacific Cafe!!! read more

Came to the cozy and charming Pacific Cafe on a date night and we were delighted. The atmosphere is unfussy, the staff is absolutely wonderful (right down to offering to loan us an umbrella when it started pouring as we began to leave), service is fast and the food is delicious and fresh. We shared a cup of creamy clam chowder and the crab cakes to start. Both were terrific and the crab cakes are very rich. Following that, I had the filet of sole newburg which was piping hot and full of flavor, while my SO had the grilled snapper... also fantastic. Parking is not too difficult and just know that there is always a line right when they open. Get there early, enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and have fun! It's now a favorite spot, and I look forward to returning. read more

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When you want good, fresh, original seafood prepared in clean, tasty ways, try this. This is our go to casual seafood restaurant.

Unfortunately, while this restaurant has a cozy and romantic atmosphere at night my date and I weren't impressed with the food. Service was great and our waitress offered us wine but we don't drink alcohol. My broccolini was bitter and still wrapped with a rubber band when served, which I almost ate because it was black. My date had the clam chowder (fairly watery, not very clam-y, just tasted like potato soup) and stuffed fish dish but the inside was still cool. He's worked in restaurants and has had the same dish before many times and wasn't impressed with the flavor either so he initially sent it back to be microwaved again but ended up canceling it in the end. I had the Parmesan fish which I thought could have also needed seasoning. I have never used a salt shaker in a restaurant in my life but this was the first time I was tempted to. I just kept squeezing lemon over it to try and give it more flavor. The crab Louie salad that came with it was also not with crab but with shrimp so I felt tricked. The bread and salted butter was the best thing at the table. If it were just one thing I'd still give a good review but all of these things just added up and made for an awkward date night. The waitress was nice and gave us ice cream to share after but we don't eat icecream so it was even more uncomfortable sending that back as well. Unfortunately, we were looking forward to trying this place for a long time but it ended up being a waste of money. read more

Our go to seafood restaurant in San Francisco! Been coming here a long time and the food quality has always been fantastic! Pro Tip: COMPLEMENTARY white wine while you are waiting for your table, so make sure there's a line when you arrive.. although we have never been there all these years where there was no line ..... read more

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One of our favorites. Consistently excellent seafood and chowder. Always great service. And BTW, "yes" to anchovies on the salad! So good. read more

Always great service and delicious seafood selections. Can't recommend this hidden gem enough for a casual dining experience.

Happy 50th anniversary, opened 7/4/74, for this iconic legacy SF restaurant. One of my favorites over the decades. When I found out they were celebrating their 50th, I called up my BFFs and headed over for dinner. The men loved their sole newburg and ate every last bite with rice pilaf. I jumped at the fried oysters with rice. The breading on the 6 oysters didn't hold up as well compared to the past but they were fresh and delicious. BFF loved her baked scallops with fries. I was a tad disappointed with the chowder. It was more starchy-potato-y tasting than seafood but still decent amount of clams. They gave everyone a tiny complementary bit of their celebration cake. They now have a raspberry drizzled cheesecake and no longer carry Zanze's. Mr. Z deservingly retired a couple years ago and the recipe was sold to the owners of Little Joe's where you can find boxes of the cake in the freezer but it no longer tastes the same. But glad to know local Mitchell's ice cream still served here. We're big fans so we had to purchase their 50th anniversary t shirt. 100% cotton, $25. Can't wait to come back for dinner again. Happy to see the staff and Frank, the mgr, who has been there 49 years! read more

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Came to Pacific Cafe for the first time tonight, based on all the positive Yelp reviews. Gotta say, those reviews did not steer us wrong. We arrived shortly after opening and the place was completely filled. So, we were the first ones on the wait list. The wait couldn't have been more than 20 minutes and during that time we were given a complimentary glass of white wine... Nice way to wait. Once seated, we were served by Joe, who, along with associate staff members made sure we were well taken care of. I was very pleased with the service. And waiting for us on our table was a big portion of very fresh sourdough bread along with a decent supply of butter! On to the food... I had the Caesar salad, which I quite enjoyed. The dressing had a good balance of garlic, lemon and anchovy. There was a healthy portion of Parmesan cheese and the croutons were wonderfully crunchy and garlicky! My partner had the clam chowder, which definitely tasted house-made and was thick and filled with clams. She enjoyed it. For entrees, I had the petrale sole dore, which was pan fried and served with capers and the freshest mushrooms. Really well prepared and delicious. It came with a side of rice pilaf which was also very tasty. My partner had the combo of grilled salmon & fried prawns. The fish was perfectly cooked and she loved the prawns, which she said were crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. She also enjoyed the rice pilaf as her side dish. The house-made condiments of cocktail sauce and tartar sauce were two of the best I've tasted. To end our meal, we chose to go with the raspberry swirl cheesecake, which did not disappoint. The cheesecake was creamy and not overly sweet, and was served on a bed of raspberry sauce. Sharing a single order was more than enough to satisfy us. I did notice some reviews complained of the pricing, but I felt for the quality, portion-size and service that we received, that the pricing was more than fair. Would I come back again? Most definitely! read more

Pacific Cafe - Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake! - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

We visited Pacific Cafe over 45 years ago, and little did I realize they are celebrating their 51 year. We brought our daughter and son-in-law who are San Francisco residents, and hadn't frequented the restaurant. Come to find out, partial owner is a person who was the host way back then. He appeared to be enjoying himself, talking to the patrons, and helping out when needed. I had the sole with mushrooms, while my husband had the oysters. We both enjoyed the salad with shrimp louie sauce that came with it. We look forward to our return, and it won't be 45 years from now..! read more

Love it!!! Great positive atmosphere!!! From the complimentary wine just inside the door to the terrific fish served so many ways... and the best fresh sourdough! We've been regulars since our children were babes... they're now in their 40's and live away. So many celebrations we enjoyed at the Pacific Cafe! read more

The pacific cafe has been in operation since 1974; they are approaching their 50th anniversary and celebrating this coming week. I was a little disappointed because the effects of Covid -19 and the economic impacts they've had to make some menu changes including fish options due to the cost of products today. As a result the fish option have been scaled back. However this is a group of employees that own, and work this business and have worked together as a family side-by-side all this time. You see the same familiar faces in the kitchen and dining room. It's a secret place no one likes to talk about because it's so popular for locals who know about this spot. I only gave them 4 out of 5 because of the menu limitations. The food is always great. read more

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One of the best restaurants in the Richmond and the city! Cozy, non-pertinacious neighborhood joint. With a simple yet incredibly fresh seafood menu. The whole team at Pac Caf is amazing. If you haven't been, you're missing out! read more

Pacific Cafe - Crab season! Best place to get crab in the city! - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I went there with a friend and was excited to see fried oysters on the menu. I immediately ordered them and was completely satisfied. The oysters were fresh, not prepackaged, not corn mealed to death (which I think this place uses none). The decor reminds me of old school seafood restaurants with old school wooden booths and takes me back home to where I grew up ages ago. And the service, food and price was very good and I recommend this place without hesitation. read more

The food was good and plentiful. The free glass of white wine offered before our seating was good, but not a white I'd order, still - free! I had the grilled scallops, which were small but plentiful, I think there were eight. They were good, but not outstanding enough to be memorable. I wish I'd had the crab Louie salad instead of the chowder. One friend had the salmon, which she says is consistently delicious. My husband had the grilled scampi, which he was very happy with. The prices are very reasonable & the wait staff are friendly and attentive. We'll go back after a visit to the Legion of Honor, and then down to Trad'r Sam's for a cocktail! read more

I visited San Francisco on a solo trip a few years ago and rented an Airbnb in Outer Richmond. I mainly chose my location for proximity to the beach, the rental prices and the quiet at night. I did not expect to be a few blocks from a San Francisco institution. Anyway, I was in California and I wanted seafood. So on my second evening there, I walked over after having spent the day walking and exploring other neighborhoods. I was told to expect a wait by others in the know and I did wait a bit, but not an excessive amount of time. The wait was even enjoyable, as a waiter came out and poured a glass of their house white wine for everyone. He even refilled me once after I downed the first (I have an old habit of drinking cold drinks quickly). So with a couple glasses of wine in my otherwise empty stomach, I finally was brought inside to my table. I had a cup of clam chowder and dungeness crab cakes. Which were delicious. And yet another glass of wine. I also had a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. And more wine. By the time I left I was stuffed to the gills and very happy. I was really happy the walk back to my Airbnb was all downhill, let's put it that way. read more

Food is OK. Service is minimal,our waiter had a definite attitude. When presented with the bill ,the lowest amount to tip was 18 %,when I mentioned that I tip 15% he got upset and threw 3.00$ on our table,and he is a part owner. read more

This place is a one of the best seafood restaurants in the city and the Richmond district is luck to have it! Service is excellent! Very cozy atmosphere in this warm and inviting restaurant is like being at a seaside resort! read more

If you are looking for high-end fancy, this is not it. But if you are looking for cozy, neighborhood friendly and a feel of San Francisco out in the Avenues, then welcome! Unless you start your dinner early, there's always a wait here. But, it's okay. They give you wine as you wait. It's not too bad really and it's quite romantic. You sip your glass and watch the fog rolling in and out in the distance. You start to get a bit philosophical in thought, too. It's normal, at least that's what I tell myself. I really enjoyed our dinners here. It could be the wait, but I'm famished by the time we get our table. I love the scampi prawns. And this place serves Zanze cheesecake for their cheesecake fans out there. Cheers. read more

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My wife and I go to Pacific Cafe whenever we go to San Francisco. It's an amazing place. A neighborhood restaurant. Completely unpretentious. Simple seafood, great service. We can't recommend it enough. The free wine they pour you while waiting in line is just part of what makes them so great. Always a line out the door. read more

My favorite SF Cafe since the 1970s... Our go to place for birthday celebrations. Very consistent, great service, friendly staff and visitors. Large portions, free glass of wine, choice of soup or salad with entree. Entree comes with vegetables or choice of boiled red potatoes or fries. Dana All the French bread and butter you can eat... My favorite French bread! When you consider the wine, large salad or soup, bread and entree with a side, this is a good deal for a seafood restaurant. Our Favs... Fried oysters (in season... Fall,winter) and fried calamari. Their appetizer squid vinegret is awesome as is the chocolate cake. And I love that they have fabric tablecloths and napkins. This makes it even more special! read more