I love love love this place! Always giving exquisite memories! Great restaurant overall. People are amazing! Food is sublime! Great location, ambiance and history! Definitely a must try! read more

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Came here for the viral clam chowder in a bread bowl deal. Not really a huge chowder person so couldn't tell you if it was a good batch or not. However their bread SLAPS. read more

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The convenient location just a few blocks from our Kimpton Alton Fisherman's Wharf hotel we as a perfect stop for a chocolate croissant ( pan su chocolate) while enjoying the bobbing of fishing boats on the bay. Cecilia ( pictured here) was so helpful to us as we navigated the sandwich menu for or road trip: When she heard me ask about buying sourdough bread, she saved us a trip through another line- everything at one counter! Thanks, Cecilia. BOUDIN is a great stop for unique sourdough souvenirs: totes, Bread-making paraphernalia is fun. Great Ambience ad scrumptious treats. read more

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Hands down the best bakery in San Francisco went here with my family and everyone was kind and friendly if you don't live in San Francisco and you are in Disneyland, they actually have a secret location inside Disneyland, California adventure if you go to the Aunt's cases café, they'll have the exact same thing as this restaurant does didn't get the experience the upstairs but the downstairs was hands-down the best and everything was so neat and wonderful. Definitely coming back here. read more

Looked very busy!! The ambiance was wonderful. I had to wait 20 min for a window table. It was worth it. A lovely view of San Francisco Bay accompanied my meal. The real reason I chose this restaurant was the picture outside of the sourdough bread bowl with some kind of soup in it. I am crazy for sourdough bread and they have a bakery downstairs from the restaurant where they make the bread. The baked sour dough bread smell was AMAZING! I had the meatball appetizers and the sour dough bread they served when u sit down. The huge meatballs were tender and delicious and served in a wonderful marina sauce. Plenty for a meal. This is my new favorite San Francisco restaurant. And it's conveniently located next to the bay and the cute tourist area that was walking distance from my hotel. There is also a streetcar stop in front. read more

Bistro Boudin - Don't miss this place, YUM! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A friend was visiting from Japan and she asked me to take her to this famous bakery that is well known even in Japan. I havent been in 9 years, since its very touristy, but i thought I would give this another try. Unfortunately the quality was much worse than i expected. At first i was surprised that the 14$ price gives so little soup in the bread bowl. Shrinkflation has indeed hit this place hard. Quality has suffered a lot as well. The soup lost its creamy texture, and it's basically just a small upgrade from drinking water. There is no small chunks of clams and very little pieces of potato, overall it leans towards bland. The sourdough isn't very tasteful either and its quite cold, like its been sitting out for quite some time. What a shame. The famous Boudin of San Francisco is now reduced to nothing more than a fast food joint. Would not recommend for any visitors or locals. read more

Bistro Boudin - Clam chowder - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I hadn't been here in years and I found it very delightful. The menu is a little different from what you'll find in the cafe downstairs, with additional entrees and variety of appetizers that are best served in the full restaurant style. It's also much quieter with a slower pace so you can enjoy your break for a nice meal. The views are pretty cool with the ocean right outside the window. Unfortunately the pizza oven wasn't working during our visit, and we got lucky enough that we weren't hoping to order one this evening and I hope anyone else wanting one found something even more enjoyable to eat. We had the beef stew, which was perfectly tender. Half the carrots had a little more bite than I expected, but very delicious. I wanted the crab and corn bisque but my daughter thought tomato would be better in the bread bowl, and the bread bowl is never something I'd pass on. The nice option is they have small and large bread bowl soups to choose from. And finally, the sourdough beignets were the perfect ending to the meal. Don't expect something like New Orleans, but closer to a churro option and sooo good. Definitely give this spot a try while in fisherman's wharf. read more

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Clam chowder bowl, $16 after tax, had four pieces of clam in it. I'm going to try not to come back here ever again.

Everytime I get off a cruise ship in San Francisco I always pick an extremely disappointing place to eat. This time..we scored a home run! Went in just in the downstairs quick service area to get a bowl of Crab corn soup in a sourdough bowl, while Hub got a French dip. The food was absolutely delicious and piping hot. I took parts of my bowl and dipped it some of his au jus and it was so tasty. Hub could not stop talking about the sandwich...and I loved they had other soups besides clam chowder...that crab corn bisque was out of this world......YUM! read more

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This place is home to the iconic sourdough bread bowl. They have a location on Pier 39 but if you walk closer down to Fisherman's Warf you'll pass this huge Boudin. Upstairs is for sit down dining but we were too hungry and eager so we opted for the fast casual counter on the main floor. I ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl and my friend ordered the chili. It took a second to get through the ordering line (even at 2pm on a Monday) since it seemed like a lot of tourists that didn't know what to order. However, once we placed our order it took all of 2 minutes to get our bread bowls. We had no trouble finding a spot outside on the patio and enjoyed every last bit. It was so fresh and filling. Definitely a must! read more

Bistro Boudin - Boudin Sourdough Bread Bowl - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

The lines are long but well worth the wait. Freshly made facachia with sauce and a veggie was yummy. The salted caramel brownie was very good. Outdoor and indoor seating right by the Wharf. read more

We were left alone for a while horrible service trying to up charge on us for group of 5 they charged us 20% when we got basic meals and didn't receive our food an hour after. Would not recommend the clam chowder. read more

I've previously been to Boudin but decided to try out the restaurant upstairs and I was not disappointed at all. From the host to the server, they were friendly and provided great service! Everything that my table ordered was AMAZING! I highly recommend the crab, artichoke, and spinach dip, the crab cake sandwich, the salmon Veracruz, crab and corn bisque, and the angel hair pasta with shrimp. Everything was delicious! Also, there's a cool restaurant museum upstairs and you can see the bakers making sourdough bread. Boudin is a must visit when in Fisherman's Wharf! read more

Bistro Boudin - Crab and Corn Bisque - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had high expectations for their food since their sourdough is good but the clam chowder and the mac 'n cheese was totally mediocre.

This is what a five-star restaurant is. First off, the place is beautiful and aside from the rather gruff person who greeted us downstairs, the service was really first class. You've got to love a place that makes some of the best sour dough bread, drop off fresh bread at your table right away. The clam chowder in a bowl of sour dough bread is divine. You could taste the ocean in each bite and there was an ample amount of clams and perfectly cooked pieces of potatoes. The soup was creamy but not too thick. All four of us loved the food. Would absolutely consider going back again when we visit the waterfront in San Francisco. Great Job!!! read more

Bistro Boudin - Now that is a great bowl of clam chowder!!! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Me and my wife wanted some oysters while in the Fisherman's Wharf area and came across Bistro Boudin. It had a bunch of good reviews when I looked on Yelp, so we stopped on in. It's a pretty big establishment! There is a downstairs area (which seems to be more grab and go type stuff) and an upstairs area (which is more sit-down/table service kind of deal.) We asked for a table of 2, and only waited about 5-10minutes. It was pretty busy when we arrived and there weren't too many tables, so I'm glad we were able to snag one. We sat at a table by the window and had a really nice view of the bay. We ordered some fries and oysters and both got a drink. The server also brought some table bread too. The oysters were SO GOOD. They were fresh and had all the nice components. The fries were hot and crispy too. It was a perfect little snack before our dinner later in the evening. The service was pretty good too. Our server kept checking on us the entire time and made sure we were okay. I loved the ambiance of this place. It was casual but still felt very upscale throughout. I would love to come back and visit again! read more

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One of the worst service experiences I've had in San Francisco. From the very beginning, the host who seated us showed no smile or greeting at all. Our server (name on the receipt: *Karla J.*) also never smiled once, and she didn't even bring us bread until we specifically asked for it. While dining, I noticed this wasn't just our table -- almost no staff in the restaurant smiled or seemed happy to be there. The runner who brought our food looked stressed the whole time, the same as our server and the hosts. Even at checkout, there wasn't a simple "thank you." It honestly felt like the staff were being forced to work and desperately needed a break. The contrast became even clearer when we walked a few blocks afterward to Ghirardelli Chocolate, where every single staff member was warm and welcoming. It truly felt like stepping out of "hell" into "heaven." That said, I have to admit the food at Boudin was decent, which makes it even more of a shame that the service brought the whole experience down. If management doesn't improve the service culture here, I can't recommend this place -- there are simply too many better options in San Francisco. read more

We were told it would be a 20-minute wait, so we waited at the oyster bar that had no oysters. A waiter dropped a glass coffee cup, and glass shards hit us in the face. The lady on the other side of the bar got some glass in her hair. The manager came over to apologize. We waited for 50 minutes and was given no discount or free meal. Customers' service is non-existent now a days read more

Bistro Boudin - Broken glass - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5/4.0 Stars. Two of us like the tomato soup bread bowl, and two the crab and corn bread bowl. The service is responsive when you get their attention. You can see Alcatraz through the window. We parked in public parking but if we'd parked in the lot next to the restaurant they cover two hours. We didn't know this but that lot was full. read more

My family and I go to the regular Boudin pretty often so when we saw that there was a fancier version upstairs at their SF location, we knew we had to try it. I was honestly a little disappointed. I think they make their dishes more fresh, but it tastes different. Their clam chowder tasted fishier and wasn't as creamy as the regular boudins. My kids were also disappointed they didnt have the krafts mac and cheese haha, at Bistro Boudin, they make their mac and cheeses from scratch. We ordered the fish and chips, which isn't served at the regular Boudins so that was nice. read more

I came here on a recommendation from the bus driver from the tour I went on. I had done some research of the bay area but never knew this place was famous for its bread bowls. Now I love me some soup bread bowls and with this being so close to the bus company I decided to walk my way over. This location is very convenient to get to since its in the pier 39 area so very touristy. The place was busy but I still managed to get a table near an outlet. The line was kind long but it went by quickly, the staff was nice and answered all my questions. I decided to eat inside the main cafe since outside was kind of chili and the upstairs at the time was full or you had to be put no the waitlist. The soup itself was very good, my go to is broccoli and chedar. The bread itself was the star of the show, made from scratch, soft and fresh. I also had a caesar salad and it was average. I would like to go back and try some of their other soups if I had a chance. read more

I went here with my boyfriend earlier tonight and had a wonderful time! To start, we ordered half a dozen oysters and the crab, spinach, and artichoke dip. The dip was delicious, perfectly seasoned and great with the iconic sourdough they gave us with it. They also gave us a basket of bread to start, which was also yummy. The oysters were delicious. My boyfriend loves oysters, so we've gone to a bunch of different places in the city for them. These were among the best: sweet and juicy, decently large, and quite fresh. I was going to get the clam chowder, but I decided on the crab and corn because I've gotten the clam chowder quite a few times before and wanted to try something new. I'm a big fan of the clam chowder, and it's a classic that's hard to outdo. The crab and corn was pretty good too, a lot more unique than the clam chowder. However, I probably won't order it again because the clam chowder is just so iconic. I kind of wish I had gotten it instead. But the bread bowl was as delightful as ever. My boyfriend got the ribeye steak, which came with a side of asparagus and this layered potato thing. The potato thing was interesting, I wasn't the biggest fan but he liked it. The steak was well cooked, a perfect medium rare. Boudin is a SF classic, and for a good reason. It's in a perfect location, right in a very busy area and across the street from two different candy stores (in case you're looking to get dessert). We had a gorgeous view of the ocean from our table, and it added to an overall perfect date night atmosphere. Make sure to try out Boudin Bistro if you get the chance! read more

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My first review of the year (2024)! First time here and wow... I had no idea Boudin also had a restaurant. After living in The Bay all my life, I thought it was only a bakery-- a huge bakery! Nope. It's a bakery/ cafe/ gift shop/ restaurant or bistro with a bar! The Bistro is located up the stairs where you can see where all the bread action is made! It's pretty cool tbh. Once you're upstairs, you check in with the hostess. There's a small Boudin museum with some fun hxstory and more great views of the pier and of the bread making. We were seated by a window, a fun view of the pier with Alcatraz in the background. The lighting for my food pics was also amazing lol The menu was great. A nice variety of what to eat. They also have a kids menu! They have (I believe) a full bar so beer, wine, cocktails, etc.! For drinks, I got an espresso martini and Dario O. ordered their Holiday Cocktail which was a pepperminty Christmas treat! I definitely enjoyed both drinks. For food, calamari, Dungeness crab Mac and cheese, clam chowder bread bowl (of course right??), and their sourdough garlic bread! Each dish tasted delicious. I'm a huge fan of their calamari! Their clam chowder here tastes a little different to me. More creamy yet thin? I can't explain it but man, it beats the other clam chowder bread bowls at a Boudin! In my honest opinion. Service was good! Our server checked in not too much and not too little. They validate parking if you park in that one lot behind Boudin btw! Overall, a warm start to my 2024! HNY & SYOY, Rachel C. read more

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One of the best clam chowder spots IMO. Me and my wife love going upstairs and having diner with an ocean view of the Bay and Alcatraz. Service is always great and the Clam chowder bowl is perfect on a chilli evening. read more

Bistro Boudin - Bay view at Pierre 39 - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hello, parking is street and nearby parking garages. Busy street it's on. Great view, I cannot eat bread but they're big thing are the fresh sourdough bread bowls and chowder. I tried to order the crab claws from the gluten free menu. They were confused when I asked but they had a whole menu. The menu states garlic butter has panko breadcrumbs so I asked if all the butter has that and he's super confused, I ended with just seeing when it comes, if anything is in the butter, but they were all sold out. A bit pricey, but I got the salmon, it was a pretty big portion. No gluten free bread options. Also did not come with condiments at all and the server who brought tit out said sorry you'll have to ask your waiter but normally they go tell the waiter or just bring it out as they were a food runner (job is to run the food to the tables, not taking orders) so I had to wait and let my food get cold to ask my waiter, which was frustrating. The people I was with had pasta and they were happy with it. They had the chowder and thought it was decent the bread was the star of the show. They were busy and slow service, disappointed with the lack of choices and how pricey everything was but at the end of the day the food was decent and it's in a fun location. So points for view, poor service, and okay food read more

Bistro Boudin - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My husband and I decided to spend the day in San Francisco for our anniversary and decided to stop in at Bistro Boudin for dinner after walking up and down the waterfront from the Ferry Building to Fisherman's Wharf. We felt like having dinner service and I had a hankering for fish & chips, so instead of ordering from the walk-up, we went upstairs to sit down and order. We ordered the ahi tuna ceviche to start, I got the fish & chips like I wanted, and the hubby got clam chowder in a bread bowl. It was relatively quick and everything was great. The fish was perfectly battered and the chips (fries) were perfectly textured and had a nice, great crisp to them. The sourdough, of course, is perfection. They gave us a basket of it as we waited for our food. Lots of carbs. It was filling. We didn't get to finish the bread, which was tragic, but everything we had was delicious. read more

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We love it here and always eat here when we are visiting San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf. We enjoy being seated over looking the Bay. Our usual visit is during lunch or early dinner. This visit we shared a Cesar Salad and Steamed Clams. My lunch date got Ribs and Fries and I ordered a bowl of Clam Chowder. The Sour Dough Bread is the best! I definitely recommend this fabulous restaurant. We'll be back again. read more

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Had dinner with coworkers here and they have a nice selection of options. It's a nice place to take anyone who visits SF for the first time. The bistro is located upstairs (or on the 2nd level by elevator) Reservations recommended as the place was full for a Wednesday evening dinner. Although there were tempting soup and bread bowl options I opted for the chicken with fries which was nice. The chicken has a crispy crust from being roasted and the ju with pesto was a nice pairing for both the chicken and fries. The chicken itself wasn't overly dry but also wasn't the juiciest and the ju did get cold fairly quickly would be my only negative notes. The fries were delicious and because everyone's benchmark is Mc D's fries. They were similar in crunchiness but not as salty as the golden arches fries. Eating them with the ju was addicting. The interior is fairly standard with tables in a shared dining room. You do get the added benefit of being able to enjoy the views of the pier and also see the housing bakery in action. Downstairs is a popular gift shop where you can pick up some souvenirs or treats read more

Bistro Boudin - Organic Free Range Chicken ' Frites ' - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great spot with spectacular views! The clam chowder here is hands down the best we've ever had -- perfect consistency, not too light or too thick, just right (5/5). We also tried the crab cake, which great and crispy (4/5). For mains, we had the Boudin's burger (solid 4/5) and the Cioppino, which came in a generous portion and was absolutely delicious (4.8/5). On top of the great food and views, our server was outstanding -- attentive, friendly, and made the experience even better. Definitely recommend! read more

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Boudin Bistrp, a more upscale tourist cattle fooderie of Fisherman's Wharf, is a Mecca of Meh. Food? The oysters were quite good, but their signature sourdough bread bowl with chowder? The chowder was dull, unflavorful, lacking all but prototypes and very flour heavy milk with little of the creamy, clammy contentment that chowder cries out to be. The crab and corn chowder was likewise watery under seasoned glop. Star down. The "host" who wanted to send me out of the restaurant to the public bathrooms across the street when they were ten feet to the left? Star down. Bartender doesn't like my choice of bourbon, calling it "boring" and patronizingly pushing third rate stuff that I wouldn't wish on my enemies, as I'm trying to tell him that I write about this stuff and opinions should be left to reviews, not a discussion with your bartender when you know what you want. Ambiance is nice. No view of the Bay here, but if you like a view of the view of the restaurants with a view of the bay, this is your joint. Won't be back. read more

Bistro Boudin - Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food is not great. The bread is the only good part. Staff was very busy but got orders out.

Great spicy chicken sandwich, cocktails, and bread, but the experience overall was disappointing. Upstairs service was extremely slow, and we were incorrectly charged for an extra bread bowl plus gratuity that came out to nearly 40% instead of 20%. Manager called it a mistake, but it was about $70 in extra charges. Also watched a recently used table get reset without replacing touched silverware/napkins, which turned me off completely. Food was good, but I won't be returning. read more

Disclaimer we go here every year as a family to celebrate a birthday, and it is our tradition carried on for years. Honestly, the dishes are hit or miss. But overtime we have been able to solidify which ones we prefer and have good quality and taste. The five stars definitely go towards the superb service that we are given every year and the tentative weight staff that have helped us. The location is great. If you are looking for a short walk to Pier 39 and you wanna sightsee it is a beautiful spot to walk around and experience the allure of San Francisco. TIP: the restaurant gives free two hour parking validation if you dine in. OK onto the food I would say the clam chowder is worth it don't get too full on the bread but make sure you try their famous sourdough. The kids meals are large portions and great for 12 and under. The calamari is also worth getting. I would skip out on the salad and the pasta. The salmon sandwich is a favorite of mine, and as you can read from the reviews, the crabcakes are definitely worth getting. What is great about the spot is when we have birthdays they give us a free small cake (we are a large party of 9...and growing). The short ribs are good too and I would say get dessert there if you have room. read more

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Only stopped for the bread. Smells of bread were delicious and options were endless. Didn't spend much time here but felt comfortable and welcomed by the staff. The area was clean, and open spaces for shopping or eating read more

Bistro Boudin - Brad on bread - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Bistro Boudin is located in the upper level of the massive Boudin Factory Building at Pier 39. We had lunch downstairs earlier today and enjoyed our meal so much that we decided to come back and try their full service restaurant upstairs. We arrived at 7.30p with reservations and were greeted immediately by the nice and friendly hostess. We were seated right away and our server assistant came promptly to give us 2 glasses of water and the basket of fresh sourdough bread. Then, our server came almost right after to greet us, and offered to take our drinks order... everything went so perfectly and so smoothly!!! It is REALLY HARD WORK to make things go this smooth and seemingly effortless. Way to go Boudin!! Good was also EXCELLENT ... Linguine w clams was perfectly cooked al dente linguine, fresh clams in shells... with perfect seasoning. The pasta also stays hot-warm during the entire meal... exactly the way I like it and evidence that the pasta is freshly cooked to order. Excellent dish all around and one of the best I've had. And of course, no meal at Boudin would be complete without a bowl of their clam chowder in their world-famous Sourdough bowl... Yum!! read more

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Super touristy and not necessarily my first pick for a meal, especially as an SF local. However, my cousin was visiting from out of town for Fleet Week and wanted to grab a quick sandwich from here, as we waited along Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf for the Blue Angel's show. The sandwich options are pretty standard, and of course they have pastries and other snacks available. My cousin got a turkey sandwich, but had to wait 20min for his order before the team member who was calling out the orders finally checked on his order and saw that it was either lost or put in wrong. They made the sandwich for him quickly after addressing the mistake, which he really appreciated. I enjoyed the patio seating though; it's relatively family-friendly and there are plenty of tables read more

French dip had hardly any meat. It was all bread. No horseradish mayo. Charged me for a fruit cup they didn't have and couldn't replace it with anything or give me my money back. If you want mediocre tourist food go for it. Otherwise save your money on street food, it's probably better read more

Bistro Boudin - Very little meat - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've walked by the Boudin building so many times, and never realized they had a bistro restaurant upstairs with an entirely different menu, granted at a much higher price point. In my first time here, there were things we loved and other we'd skip next time around. Once you enter the building from the ground floor, you walk up the stairs and they have a separate host up there. We had my dog, and were able to get a table outside with wonderful views. Let's start with the good. The corn and lobster bisque in a bread bowl was fabulous and delicious, it's a really good tasting soup, highly recommend. The Alaskan halibut ceviche was tasty, fresh, and big pieces of fish, really refreshing. The kumomoto oysters were tasty, and the horseradish and cocktail sauce mix was a nice topping to pair with. All these things I'd order again. The things I didn't enjoy as much, the cocktails (margarita and Paloma) both were just eh tasting and honestly could go without. And lastly the crab spinach and artichoke dip was very bland and under seasoned. Big pieces of crab, but not something I'd go for again. We got a lot of food, and a couple drinks, which came out to nearly $140 after taxes and tip. Not a cheap lunch by any stretch but also not surprising given the area it's in. read more

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I honestly didn't think getting bread cut could turn into a defining life moment, but here we are. I stopped by Boudin expecting a quick, simple errand: grab a loaf, have it sliced, leave happy. That's it. I wasn't asking for artisanal advice, a behind-the-scenes bakery tour, or a loaf blessed by the spirit of sourdough past. Just... cut the bread. Instead, I found myself waiting a full 10 minutes. Ten. Entire. Minutes. Standing there. Watching time pass. Aging visibly. At first, I was patient. I told myself, *It'll be any second now.* I admired the smell of bread. I read the menu. I reread the menu. I made eye contact with the bread slicer like we were in a standoff. Other customers came and went. Some ordered full meals. Some probably sat down, ate, reflected on their lives, and left. I was still there. With my uncut loaf. No one acknowledged the wait. No "Sorry about that." No "We'll be right with you." Just the quiet understanding that my bread and I had entered a long-term relationship. By minute seven, I had time to reflect on my choices. By minute nine, I was emotionally invested. By minute ten, it became the principle of the thing. The wild part? The actual slicing of the bread took about five seconds. Five seconds. Which means I waited 10 minutes for an action that could have been completed during a single deep breath. Look, I get it--things get busy. But if I wanted to feel forgotten while clutching carbs, I could've done that at home. Boudin is literally famous for bread. Cutting bread should be the speed-run level of the operation. The loaf itself was good (because of course it was), but every slice tasted faintly of inconvenience. I left with bread that was technically perfect and spiritually exhausting to obtain. Would I come back? Maybe. But next time I'll block off my calendar, bring a snack, and emotionally prepare for the possibility that my bread may remain whole longer than expected. read more

The lower floor was busy so we thought we'd dine in at the restaurant above. There was a 10 minute wait but there's a little but pleasant museum inside that will keep you busy. Service was great, view was beautiful, atmosphere was cute, food was OK. The spinach, artichoke and crab dip was really good but the others could've been more flavorful. We ordered spinach, artichoke, crab dip and garlic bread to start. For dinner, we had the sausage and mushroom pizza, spicy chicken sandwich and pasta with meatballs. The chicken sandwich wasn't very spicy and the fries could've been better. The meatball was good and juicy. The pizza was OK, nothing too special. The garlic bread was a let down. A great restaurant to take someone if you're at the wharf looking for a nice place without a long wait. read more

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