After having the sour dough French toast and the almond croissant for breakfast at the bakery--and watching the master bread bakers prepare bread in the kitchen, we knew we had to come back and check out the upstairs Bistro for dinner. First, the baked goat cheese is amazing. The cheese is creamy and delicious and comes with a dollop of pesto on top. The tomato sauce on which the goat cheese sits has a wonderful roasted flavor that stands out. The sour dough bread it comes with is toasted and buttered to perfection. We could have eaten two of them and been happy as can be. The pizza is on some of the best pizza crust we have ever had, and we eat a lot of pizza. It helps when the bakery is literally downstairs churning out amazing bread all hours of the day. Seriously, you have to try the Bistro and the Bakery when you visit San Francisco. Fun fact, I'm typing this review the next morning while sitting in the bakery, having enjoyed another flaky almond croissant and a blueberry scone. If Yelp allowed 10 stars that is what Boudin would receive from me. read more

Bistro Boudin - PEPPERONI pizza - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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TLDR: Decent service, Nice views. For a flagship restaurant for this brand, the food here is poorly executed. Just save yourself a few bucks and order up their staple chowder and sourdough from the informal cafe downstairs! We tried: CRAB & CORN BISQUE - A thick reddish chowder with very little crab in it. Thankfully for this, we ordered the chowder served in its bread bowl. The sourdough bread was perfect - crunchy/chewy on the outside and beautiful airy yet still dense texture within. (3.5/5) GRILLED HALIBUT - Three of us ordered this, and all were consistently dry and overcooked. You get a small slab of Halibut over broccolini. The Halibut was Dry Dry Dry.. overcooked - barely any moisture to it. We should have sent them back. Same goes for the grilled broccolini, where the crowns were totally burnt to a crisp. (Score: 1.8/5 - fail.) BLACKENED HALIBUT: - Same as the Grilled Halibut above - DRY. but they added a dash of mild blackened seasoning. (1.8/5) OUR RECS: Perhaps the pizza and pasta dishes are better here. They looked okay, but nothing to write home about. My dining colleagues said that the Cioppino was just alright/average. NET NET: The sourdough here IS good. Stick with their bread, sandwiches and chowders that you can just order downstairs for much less. For a flagship restaurant for the famed Boudin chain, this is unfortunately just another tourist trap. I've dined at their other cafes locally here in town and enjoyed the food more. I expected better from the flagship. read more

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After a day of fun in SF and a complete stroll through the Pier|Wharf, dinner was much needed. Initially I was thinking of just dining at Boudin- I'm all about a simple, straightforward menus. BUT!! Because I hadn't dined at Bistro Boudin, we took the chance to finally give them a go... Bistro Boudin is located on the upper level of the building. This is a full service, sit-down environment, and is equipped with a full bar. The best part of all is the beautiful panoramic views of the bay. The menu is higher end offering the freshest of the fresh, seafood options. Our party of 3 approached the stairs to make our way to the 2nd floor and was stopped by a male staffer quick to make sure we were fully aware that the Bistro was located in that direction. I must say that was a little off-putting but we continued to make our way up anyhow. We stood around and waited for a host to check us in. The wait time provided was about 20 mins and we took that extra time to explore the Boudin museum. We are finally seated and provided menus. Here is when we seemed to have been forgotten. It took for us to flag down staff to put in our drink orders. Our server was Alvin M and I must say, we were not impressed throughout the dining experience. Dinner: *Complimentary Sourdough Slices *GRILLED RIBEYE STEAK [MEDIUM RARE] *MAC AND CHEESE + ADDED BACON *FRIED CALAMARI *BOUDIN SOURDOUGH BREADBOWL - TRADITIONAL CLAM CHOWDER The fried calamari was great. This was not over battered and was cooked well- leaving a nice crispy, golden shell yet still being very tender on the inside. The mac and cheese was good but tasted even better with bacon- this comes highly recommended. The cheesy level was perfect for my toddler and that says a lot because she is pretty picky when it comes to her mac. The ribeye was not worth it's $47 price tag. The wine demi-glace was not good and the scalloped potatoes was missing more of the creamy rich profile you would expect. This side was a little bit dry IMO. Lastly, the clam chowder in bread bowl tasted how you would have expected it. Absolutely delicious but it honestly would have been cheaper getting it downstairs. 3 Stars overall. We unfortunately didn't receive the warm service other tables seemed to get from Alvin. The food taste and quality didn't justify the pricing. Ultimately, I wouldn't bother coming back to Bistro Boudin. The "Uppity" vibe that they try to sell was a bust for our first experience. read more

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This is the upper restaurant of the bakery boudin. They have a super yummy sounding menu. We got a clam chowder bread bowl, a corn bisque bread bowl and a ribeye steak sandwich with fries. They brought fresh sourdough with creamy butter after we ordered. Overall the food was good. There were very simple things to elevate the experience I feel like they missed out on. For example the fries only have salt. A little fresh herb or Parmesan on top would elevate the fries so much more. The service however was not good, it was pretty slow. Ambiance was really nice, with a wonderful view. I would def come here again. read more

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Ambiance was very disheveling and chaotic, extremely busy. The food and quality was alright, especially for the price point. I'd say it was lacking some flavor and I would not return read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you're looking for a good meal near Fishermans Wharf for lunch/ dinner, this bistro has you covered. The service was really good. Everything from sandwiches to fresh seafood. The clam chowder was good, just needed more seasoning , we added pepper to give it a better taste. The cheese bread, was very cheesy, crispy, crusty and delicious. The ambience is casual, the views of the bay are spectacular. I ordered a crab melt, it was good, of course wish there was more crab added to it. My husband got a steak sandwich, was good, had a lot of toppings also. My parents got the ribs and the sole fish . They both enjoyed it. We ordered a side of macaroni and cheese with crab in , was good just wish more crab was in it, and it was maybe about $10 cheaper. Everything is a little pricey, but you are in San Fran . read more

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Had dinner here after a long day of sight-seeing and tours--the clam chowder was a hearty and welcome change as it got chillier and windy outside. Soup was thick and flavourful, sourdough was great, and the seasonal drinks were delicious. I see what the hype is about. read more

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I grew up going to the local Boudin in my hometown and frequenting Fisherman's Wharf, but I never got to eat at Bistro Boudin. My first time on a Saturday evening showed me I was missing out! My group and I got clam chowder in regular-sized bread bowls, the crab and spinach dip, and I got the grilled salmon sandwich. When we were seated, they promptly gave us free bread and butter to snack on while we waited for our food. The crab and spinach dip was so good! It was flavorful, salty, and filled with crab. They served it with additional toasted baguette slices, but it was good even with the bread they previously gave us. The clam chowder bowls were good as well, a classic item of Boudin. I was thoroughly impressed with their grilled salmon sandwich as the salmon was juicy, the bread was buttery, and the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh. I even ate it as leftovers a couple days later, and it was still super good! I would totally come here again to bring visiting friends who want a different spin on Boudin. read more

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I think a lot of the reviews on this page are erroneously about the downstairs cafe, whereas Bistro Boudin is on the upstairs level of the beautiful facility in Fisherman's Wharf. Downstairs you can buy bread to go. You can eat at the casual cafe that has outdoor seating, and you can also watch the fascinating process of making the bread in the semi-automated kitchen. Upstairs is the fine dining restaurant with a great view of San Francisco Bay and a classic selection of menu items. Of course, there's the Boudin bread, which is what we all come here for, and it's complimentary. They also have a garlic cheese bread, which we tried, but I felt like the heavy coating of cheese really masked what's great about the Boudin sourdough flavor. We began with a Caesar salad, which is made in a very traditional way and was an absolutely perfect accompaniment to the bread and served with croutons made from their bread. Then we had two classic entrees: - A generous and delicious shrimp cocktail with extraordinarily fresh shrimp in a tangy cocktail sauce. - A wonderful serving of four oysters Rockefeller with just the right mixture of spinach and artichoke combining to form a creamy blanket for the perfect fresh oysters. Service was friendly, and the ambiance can't be beat. read more

Bistro Boudin - - Oysters Rockefeller - sourdough bread - shrimp cocktail - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great vibes on a sunny day! We went to the place downstairs where you order and the can find a table outside (no direct table service). It can get busy, but we were able to find a table quickly. The food is great, the clam chowder in a bread bowl is always my go to. The bread shaped animals are a great addition, although a bit hard to actually eat. read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

The clam chowder bowl is always what you expect. Extremely tasty good chunks of clam and of course the amazing sourdough bowl. You can't go wrong. Coffee nothing to write home about. The service was right down the middle. Nothing great nothing bad. We basically took your order and you waited for it. One tough thing and I'm not sure if they do this for speed of service, but it doesn't really seem to help as you can't order your coffee at the same place you order your food. At least when we were there you couldn't. There were two completely different lines both long. Restaurants pretty unique looking upstairs and lower. Fun place to visit. read more

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How can you visit San Francisco without a stop at Boudin's for their sourdough? The food was great as expected. The bistro is located upstairs with a great view overlooking Fisherman's Wharf. While the service was friendly, it was a bit slow. Prices are what you would expect in a heavy tourist location right on Fisherman's Wharf. read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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For casual dining do stick with downstairs for a bit upscale, upstairs is your go-to. They have a beautiful view of the bay and it was definitely worth dining. The food was a solid 7-8/10. It was worth trying and I wouldn't mind taking my fam here if they wanted to do a sit down restaurant after exploring fisherman's wharf. Service was good. We had a resy which made everything easier. They do get quite busy & my favorite of everything was their oysters! read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place had a lot of positives, but IMO did not live up to the hype. The food was pretty good and the server was nice enough. They were pretty busy so this could have been why our service was very slow. Maybe they were short staffed, who knows? The clam chowder and sour dough bread was good and the restaurant has amazing views of the bay. The bread museum that you can look at while waiting to be seated was a nice touch. The sangria was a tad watery and they did not offer any sweet wine options. Thought I would Mention as we asked and overheard the table seated just after us asking the same thing. read more

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First of all, there is a parking lot right next to the restaurant! I love how it's easy to park and you can just go eat and then go walk to the pier! I feel like you HAVE to come to Boudin for a clam chowder in bread bowl when you come to SF lol Anyways, the restaurant is pretty big! You order food and then get a table, and then pickup your food when it's ready. We ordered the clam chowder and tomato soup in a bread bowl and a sausage pepperoni hot honey pizza. Clam chowder was pretty good and sourdough bread bowl is just like how you imagine it. Pretty tasty overall! Ambiance is nice too- touristy but that makes it fun! They have merch you can buy inside the restaurant as well. read more

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After our red and white ride we stopped here for lunch. The upper floor ambiance is nice. There's plenty of booth and table seating looking out the bay. There's a bar with a long list of drinks. Service was great. We were sat right away and our waiters was pleasant came often to check and was patient as we decided what to order. We started with the crab artichoke spinach dip was amazingly delicious along with toasted herb bread. My son ordered the clam chowder. I had the crab cake sandwich (no lemongrass mayonnaise). She also brought sourdough bread and butter which was delish. Next to it is a small museum with history. Can see the making of the bread too. Building is two floors. The first floor consists of their bakery and coffee shop. Second floor is the bistro and museum. read more

Bistro Boudin - Vale orine decor at entrance of small museum - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everything was amazing. The best food i had in California during my 7 day stay. My waiter was the epitome of what one should be. He didn't interrupt conversation he didn't let a glass go empty , honestly the best service I've had in years. I wish I got his name :/ . We sat inside by the window that looked out on the pier. It was sunset . I'm not usually one for dessert but that crème brûlée was absolutely delicious. They make the cheesy garlic bread with their famous sourdough it was perfect. The short ribs were tender and flavorful . After dinner I went downstairs to the bakery and purchased a round of sourdough it was so good . read more

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A nice experience. We knew we had to get some good sourdough while in SF and though I hate a tourist trap more than anything Bistro Boudin kept coming up as the spot to get the best bread. Upon coming in we were quickly seated and our orders taken by a very friendly waitress. Though she was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning of our seating she provided IMPECCABLE service throughout our dining. We had the goat cheese appetizer which was very good and I would highly recommend. I had the cioppino as my main which while good was a bit bland. Others in my party had clam chowder in bread bowls and felt the same about their soups. Ambiance is actually quite nice here, the views of the pier are lovely and the place is well decorated. Overall if you need a decent meal and some good sourdough definitely pop into Boudin Bistro but do not expect amazing quality food. read more

Bistro Boudin - Cioppino - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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As we landed and got our car, we were headed up to Napa but wanted to get something to eat with all of our luggage in the rental car. My bf remembered of this location that has parking right at the front and is nice. If you park right there, they do offer parking validation for 2 hrs and a discounted rate for extra time! At first he wanted to eat in the downstairs area but I was more interested in the upstairs menu. We did a walk in and there were tables still available. As you walk upstairs, you can see where they are making the bread, it is nice! Once upstairs, the ambiance is more upscale feeling with a very nice bar and regular restaurant seating are. We were here in the fall so they had a spread display of their sourdough bread. The host was really nice and gave us a table right by the window with a great view (which included four car). I didn't take a picture but the bread and butter to share was delicious with their staple sourdough. We ordered local beers that they offered on tap that hit the spot after our flight. We just wanted something to eat before headed to napa so we decided to share a spinach crab dip and sourdough flatbread. The dip was delicious and highly recommended! It was very tasty and fresh, but we did use more bread than the provided one. The pizza dough was unique with the sourdough and for sure a must try! We could not leave without dessert so we got the sourdough upside down pudding bread and it was delicious! Overall, this might be seen as a tourist trap with a large store on the bottom floor for souvenirs and bread, but they have really good food and an upscale feel on the upstairs restaurant. read more

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On our trip to San Francisco, this was a must try for my girlfriend and I. This place is huge and it's so beautiful. There's two stories, plenty of decorations and little details, and amazing holiday decorations. There was even a Santa Claus at times. I bought an olive bread sourdough loaf (which was super good), and a clam Traditional Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl (also very good). Plenty of seating and plenty of options like high top seating, booths, or chairs, indoor and outdoor. Definitely a must try for tourists or locals. No parking lot though so plan accordingly. The service was also quick and easy although there was quite a long line. read more

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If you're looking for clam or crab chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, do yourself a favor and just bypass this place. There is no clams in the clam chowder and no crab in the crab chowder. I literally mean, none. No clams or crab at all. Terrible restaurant. The flavor of the crab chowder wasn't going d either. read more

Bistro Boudin - Crab chowder without a single piece of crab. It's all corn and potatoes. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I am obsessed with a french onion soup so I had to come and try it out here during my trip! It was super yummy! read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great views. Crab Louie salad was meh. Dressing had a glossy sheen that was unappealing and it also had no real flavor. Bread on bread bowl clam chowder was perfect sour taste. read more

This restaurant located inside the Pier 39. I ordered the crab sandwich. It was made with real Dungeness crab. But the size was small for $22. It wasn't that tasty and a little too dry. Needed more mayonnaise or sauce to make it better. Sorry! read more

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My friend told me about this spot, and I never knew it existed before this. I love that there is a parking lot right behind and you can get your ticket validated, super convenient. It's not fancy at all, but it's a decent sit down restaurant. The girl in the front was pretty rude like she didn't like her job. We were a bit late for our reservation, assuming there was a grace period we showed up, and they canceled it before the 15 minutes. We ended up waiting about 20 minutes, so we got a drink at the bar. The bread and butter was delicious, of course. We got 2 orders of rockefeller oysters and a crab spinach artichoke dip for the table. The rockefeller oysters were a bit bland for my liking, but the dip was excellent. I got the ribeye and my two friends got the filet. Everything was delicious and I will be back. read more

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I was so excited to have the clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl. Bistro Boudin did not disappoint. The restaurant is in the perfect location for anyone exploring San Francisco. Parking in front of the restaurant is slightly pricey, but worth it for the convenience. The restaurant itself is on the second floor. I would definitely recommend outdoor seating for the view. The service was excellent. The staff was attentive and friendly, checking in with us often. I ordered the Traditional Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl and Fried Calimari, and both were delicious. The chowder was creamy and served at perfect temperature. The sourdough bowl added a perfect touch. We also ordered a dessert. I don't recall the name of it but it was a bit too chocolatey for me. I tried a Paloma, which wasn't really to my taste, but that was just a personal preference. I looked up the history of Boudin while waiting for my food. I love their story, and it added so much to the overall experience. read more

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We were visiting on vacation to kick off our kid's summer. Obviously, a visit to Fisherman's Wharf, though super touristy, was on the list. The kid was crying hungry, so we decided to come here as it's always been known to have great food. Instead of the normal sit-down restaurant that is located upstairs, we decided to do the bakery/cafe for a quick bite. Ordered the crab chowder in a bread bowl, French Dip Deluxe and the pepperoni pizza. The chowder was amazing (as expected!) and the sandwich was also an unexpected surprise with the beef being juicy and tender, and the bread was fresh. The kiddo enjoyed his pizza, but sadly picked off his pepperoni. I LOVE pepperoni, so i ate them, and OMG they were delicious! He was totally missing out! As it is a touristy area, parking is a bear and expensive. The cafe is a great spot for a quick bite as they bang things out fast. Seating inside and out! read more

This place is poppin' during the summer. We heard tons of Europeans swarming pier 39 trying to get their hands on a cup of clam chowder. We walked into Boudin (a very touristy move) looking specifically for those breaded animals. It's like topiary but for bakers. They made turtles from their sourdough bread, teddy bears, and the most notable one, an alligator. Our kids were impressed to say least and it was a perfect summer treat almost like winning a prize at a carnival. The greeter at the door was helpful, holding the door for our monstrous stroller to allow us entrance. He told us to come in the morning before all the animals (made from bread) are sold out. I would also check out their baked goods- their display rivaled tartine's! read more

Bistro Boudin - The teddy bear bread- $10 - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I ordered the French Dip sandwich and the clam chowder bowl. The dip was pretty disappointing, it was more like a warm broth than anything rich or savory, and didn't really add to the sandwich eating experience other than to soften the bread making it easier to chew. The roast beef was also just decent, tender enough but nothing memorable. The clam chowder bread bowl is a staple here, but again, just ok. The chowder was creamy but also lacked any flavor. read more

Bistro Boudin - French dip sandwich and clam chowder - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I absolutely loved this restaurant. I hope to come back to this location soon. Some of the e items that I ordered were: Clam chowder - This was so delicious. I would have been so happy just to order a big bowl of this. I would recommend this 100% Chicken Milanese - This was very good as well. Very thin chicken with delicious breading and fried to perfections Mango jalapeño margarita - I love a good margarita and love even more a spice fruity one so this cocktail was amazing I plan on coming here agin when I come to visit again. read more

This is by far one of my favorite restaurants. Every time I go to San Francisco I have to come here. Everybody is always super friendly and excited to serve you and they know what to recommend. They definitely have the best clam chowder in all of San Francisco. I love the bread bowl comes in and their bread. There is just phenomenal. On the way out you just have to go and buy all the bread there in general. We also tried the crabcake for the first time and well it did not disappoint. The restaurant this one is so pretty inside and it has great views. This is definitely a must go to spot. read more

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Continuing on our food journey, we stopped by Bistro Boudin for some carbs. And carbs we had... potentially more than we anticipated, but we accept the madness we inflict upon ourselves. THE FOOD. - Boudin Sourdough Breadbowl (with Traditional Clam Chowder). It's like the bread is giving you a warm, chunky hug. Creamy soup of tender clams, potatoes, and onions. The sourdough bowl slowly absorbs the soup, creating this wonderfully soaked concoction of savory, tangy, and coziness all at once. Try it! - Sausage & Mushroom Pizza. Simple ingredients, but the cheese/sauce/toppings ratio was perfect. The crust was bubbly and airy. Recommend trying it out. - Fish & Chips. Lightly battered for that airy, crispy bite and mildly fishy. It comes with fries and coleslaw. - Bread (Complimentary). The crust is crispy with a deep golden appearance, while the interior is moist & chewy. Tangy in flavor, just like you'd expect in sourdough bread. So satisfying. THE DRUNK DRINKS. - Oyster Shooter. A shot of Bloody Mary with a shucked oyster at the bottom. The flavors are earthy and oceanic at the same time. Loved it. - Strawberry Guava Lemonade. A blend of lemon juice tartness, strawberry sweetness, and the unique (slightly tangy) aromatic flavor of guava. The result is a mellow lemonade. Incredible. Highly recommend. - Speakeasy Prohibition Red Ale. Smooth and slightly sweet up front, with a dry, crisp finish. THE VIBE. Industrial modern warehouse vibes. The restaurant is located on the second floor and is pretty expansive. You can also browse through their mini museum while waiting to be seated or after your meal. THE PARKING. There's a parking lot next to the restaurant. THE RETURN? Yep! It was a great dining experience and the food was fantastic. And... I love Boudin bread, periodt. read more

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Service was beyond great! Food was amazing! Nice mellow ambiance, super cozy. Our server (Cricelda) was very attentive and so was the manager (Magaly). Great experience! Will be coming back. read more

Bistro Boudin - SEAFOOD LINGUINE - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Decided on a non traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the family. The menu at bistro Boudin had enough variety for the whole family. Was a busy evening at the fisherman's wharf and parking was challenging. The restaurant was very full and busy but with our reservation we were seated immediately. With the crowds it was noisy and had a hard time hearing our server. Our server was amazing and helped us with our orders as we dealt with various food allergies. The cheesy garlic bread was crunchy and very garlicky. My fish and chips were crispy and moist inside. The house made tarter sauce was just the right complement to the fish. Did not try the other dishes but the family was happy with their choices! read more

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The place has not changed much. It is still a wonderful place to go to. The views are amazing. The food is still very good. Menu has not changed much. I recommend getting a reservation. It can get really crowded at times. read more

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We love this restaurant! Service was outstanding, from our personable and knowledgeable server to Shandel, the manager. He was so friendly and welcoming. The linguine with crab was excellent. The prawn cocktail was the perfect way to start the evening. The child's menu had such a great assortment of choices for the little ones. The pizza was delicious and large enough to take home as leftovers. The whole evening was wonderful. The drinks were delicious, the view from the second floor was breathtaking, and I cannot say enough about the staff. We will definitely go back. A+! read more

we had a lovely time celebrating my parent's anniversary at bistro boudin! we had excellent service all throughout our dining experience. the food did seem to take a while and it didn't seem like a particularly busy evening! however, the food tasted great when it did arrive. kids were thrilled about their food, and we all agreed everything tasted great. read more

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We came by to finally try the clam chowder in a bread bowl and ordered at the downstairs cafe. We got the clam chowder and crab melt to share and we're happy we didn't get 2 soups as the clam chowder is good but really creamy and quite heavy. I thought the chowder itself wasn't really special but the sourdough bread bowl really carried it with such a nice crusty shell and soft fluffy bread inside. Loved dipping the bread in the chowder. The crab melt was yummy as well, I liked the pesto and celery they add to balance out the crab and cheese and overall it didn't feel like too much for a cheesy, creamy sandwich and again the bread was perfectly toasted. I grabbed one of their cute breads to go as I couldn't resist the turtle bread. There's also a restaurant upstairs that I'll have to try sometime as well. Such a cute spot at Fisherman's Wharf for lunch! read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We waited roughly 25 minutes. Before getting to our table, which is pretty normal on a Saturday. The food was good. The service was good . It's a cute place to go. read more

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I have heard a lot of people claim that the clam chowder here in SF is "as good as anywhere else". I can say those people have never been back east as the chowder was no doubt good but not as good as New England! The restaurant itself was super crowded. Finding a seat after you got your food from the counter was near impossible and it was very loud inside and on the patio. It was a nice visit but not a place I really need to return to read more

Bistro Boudin - Traditional Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California