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We ordered the chowder and the French fries. The chowder was okay, but the French fries were crispy and delicious. The service was friendly, the outdoor seating area was comfortable, and I really liked the view. Overall, we had a nice experience and would come back again, especially for the fries!
Crab meat sandwhich 2/10 No flavor,bland very disappointed for making this my 1st time. Bbq chicken sandwhich 6 /10 A little dry on the chicken Garlic fries 7/10 convenience store Presentation 8/10 Very disappointed the fact that it was our 1st time trying this and we are from Los Angeles so you know we came with an appetite. But failed us miserable especially after paying nearly $70
You have to have seafood in Pier 39 but be careful which restaurant you choose. Clam chowder was okay here but the shrimp Louis was very odd. It was served in a tortilla shell and was full of celery pieces which outnumbered the amount of lettuce. Tomatoes and mushrooms were the only other ingredients. The shrimp was good but a Louis needs boiled egg slices and preferably has avocado slices also. I did not understand the tortilla shell and all the celery. The dressing was good.
I stopped by while at the pier walking around. I ordered at 1:37pm. I got the seafood platter with fish, shrimps calamari, and fries. The food was ready at 1:42pm, which was quick. It was crispy and tasty but could've used more seasoning. Staff was friendly. I ordered at the counter and then picked up my food from the counter when it was ready.
Honestly kind of regretted eating here when there were so many other options on the pier. We came here because we wanted to try the chowder and also get parking validation, but they don't do that here since it's not a full-service restaurant, so keep that in mind. The chowder was okay and there wasn't very much clam meat. The bread was good though! But definitely not worth the price, you can probably find better chowder elsewhere on the pier.
Food, customer service, ambiance was all 10 stars! We arrived prior to rush hour on a sunny Thursday in March. The music was softly playing in background while we enjoyed our conversation and still were able to take in the scenery. Vibes were on point bread and chowder was fresh! Deff returning when in Pier 39.
Came to Chowders for lunch after an awkward encounter with the hostess of the restaurant I was initially planning to go to that made me feel too embarrassed to get lunch. The ambiance has a laid-back, 50s diner-esque vibe, and the servers were relatively friendly. I decided to get the clam chowder bowl. The service was unusually quick, as they served me my food before I even got the chance to sit down. I'm certain that the soup was likely prepared in advance, but it was still warm and the differences it had from other clam chowder places (such as the skin of the potato being visible) I went to made it clear that this was a soup made from scratch. The soup itself was good, and tasted amazing with the sourdough bread. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of sitting underneath a section of the diner that had a small ledge, which was wide enough for a pigeon to sit on it and poop on me while I was trying to eat. Luckily it didn't get into the food, but it made for an uncomfortable experience and resulted in me having to end my trip to San Francisco early. Despite it all, it was an alright experience. Had it not been for the pigeon, I probably would've rated this place five stars. If you want to go here, make sure to look above you to make sure you didn't choose one of the seats with said ledge.
I'm sorry to leave a 2 Star review.. I almost went with 3, but when I thought "would I go back" the answer was "no". It's in a great location, indoor or outdoor seating is nice and the service is quick, especially with the chowder bowls. We ordered clam chowder in a bread bowl (obvi) and the crab melt. The chowder was more creamy than actually flavorful, and sadly the bread bowl was just chewy and not really tasty. I almost didn't even want it. The crab melt was good, but a small amount of crab.
Our family is Bay Area local, and whenever it's chilly outside and we feel like "playing tourist," we head to Pier 39 for some clam chowder. They offer two types: the classic white chowder and the red chowder. The white is definitely the crowd favorite--rich, creamy, and comforting. The red is more like a minestrone with clams, still tasty but a different vibe. I personally prefer the traditional white chowder. If you can grab the back seat by the window, you'll get a great view of Alcatraz while you enjoy your meal. The soup here is really good--honestly better than many of the other bread bowls on the pier. Perfect spot for a cozy little tourist moment, even for us locals!
We visited the pier and was craving chowder, we thought this place would be perfect. We were served the chowder bread bowls before we finished paying which was fast! However, the celery and potatoes that was in the chowder was not cooked, it was crunchy. The bread was really good though. If you're craving chowder, I'd recommend going elsewhere.
3 months ago
Chowders is one of those restaurants located at the heart of tourist attractions, serving the "must-eat" dishes, but not very worth it. This restaurant offers clam chowders, fish and chips, and many other seafood dishes you'd expect at a pier. My mom ordered the clam chowder and did not enjoy it. I ordered the fish and chips, and just by the looks of it, it seemed disappointing, and it indeed was. I'd say the price of about $12 is pretty decent, but the lack of quality and taste makes the fish and chips not worth it at all. The amount of fries is unforgiving as well. The restaurant is quite small and can be very packed--not ideal for large parties. It's very convenient to go here since it's at the center of the pier, but I highly suggest going to other restaurants that serve your seafood cravings. read more
I had the bread bowl Clam chowder as well as a crabmeat melt with fries. Crab melt nice quality if pulled crab meat with cheese melted on sour dough bread, that was grilled. Nice crust on outside with soft and tasty inside. The fries were awesome, they were the nice thick steak fries and crispy as well. Clam chowder was nice, added some hot sauce to make it better and then the eating of the bowl!!! Yummy. read more
2 years ago
For the convenience and quick service and yummy food, I'm glad I came here. The white chowder was thick and warmed us up from the chilly drizzling San Francisco night. The onion rings were well-battered and crispy. The fish sticks tasted great (and that's coming from someone who doesn't like cooked fish). The fried shrimp was also good but we got too much fried food so I got a little icked out after eating the meal. Regardless, it is a nice occasional treat and I'd love to come back here next time I visit SF. read more
WOW. We visited this location because who doesn't want to try chowder in a bread bowl. It did not disappoint. The young lady was happy and cheerful. Took our order and we had our bowl before the Apple Pay went through. Nice outdoor seating and aside from the pigeons sitting on the rail 2 feet away it was really nice. read more
Food: Bread Bowl: the sour bread balances the salty chowder Fried Seafood: very nicely done; fish, shrimp, fries and calamari are all included. Their tartar sauce is not too sour or salty Shrimp Louie Louie: not very recommended if you're not a salad person but the shrimps are fresh! Service: no tip needed, self service The speed to serve is pretty quick even during long weekend holidays. Ambience: the seats are pretty crowded, so if you're here to grab a bite, there's no issue, but if you'd like to have a nice place to chill, there are plenty of other choices around the area. read more
Nice small spot at pier 39. Counter service only. Order there and pick up at the counter. Music playing... good music. The menu is a primarily seafood, so know that much! I didn't get a photo of our clam chowder bread bowl because we were starving... but it was delicious! The Shrimp Louie was inside a strange hard tortilla bowl... which wasn't the best...salad was good though. The best Melt I've had in a long time! They keep the doors opened here, so if it's hot, you will be extra steamy. If it's cold, dress warm!! Parking garages are across the street. Or you can Bart and Uber. The restrooms are not too close. read more
A decently priced fast casual fish and chips establishment for a tourist area. The service was quick and easy, and I went with the seafood platter for my meal. Given the area and the other places around, I felt like 2 fried shrimp, 2 huge calamari wings, and a fish filet with fries for 17.99 was a steal. The fry on the seafood with the sourdough breading was light and fried to a perfect crunch. I'd say the only downfall of my visit was the workers being a tad rambunctious sitting down in the dining area to eat with other guests trying to come to the counter to ask questions or needing assistance. But that's a nit picky thing that wouldn't keep me from returning read more
1 year ago
This might be one of the best clam chowders I've ever had. The bread bowl was excellent--the inside was soft and warm, and the crust had just the right amount of firmness without being too tough. The chowder itself was creamy but still had a hearty, chunky texture. The fish tasted fresh, and the flavors were rich and well-balanced. If I had to nitpick, the celery pieces were a bit larger than I prefer, but it honestly didn't take away from how good the chowder was. Service was impressively fast--we got our food within two minutes of ordering. There was plenty of indoor seating with music playing at just the right volume, and the outdoor seating was perfect for people-watching around Pier 39. The space felt clean and well-kept, aside from one rogue pigeon that made its way inside and jumped on a table, but a staff member quickly handled it. All in all, I'd definitely come back. Chowders is officially one of my favorite spots for clam chowder. read more
Came here to order the iconic clam chowder in a bread bowl (around $15). The speed that it came out was surprising - literally took one second as the person we ordered from in the counter turned around and put a ready one on a tray within one second of ordering. The chowder itself was pretty good but not the best I've had. The bread bowl was soft and served as a filling end to the chowder. Also got the popcorn shrimp ($8) which was fresh out of the fryer, super hot and crispy, and came with a delicious cocktail sauce. Not too much searing but we were able to find a table outside. read more
Went on a Wednesday night. They had both indoor and outdoor seating. I got the white chowder bowl ($11.99) and the red chowder bowl for my dad. Seafood prices were reasonable, but we were sad that we hadn't gotten the calamari after seeing the big rings the table over had ordered. The white chowder was good and came out steaming, but not too many pieces of bacon or clams. It was definitely filling. A pigeon has wandered in a few times and had to be shoo'ed away, as country music played in the background. 2023 #10 read more
Delicious fresh clam chowder bowls! Our order came out fast. Can be very crowded and tricky to wait for a table since everyone else is looking for a table as well. Outside patio can be windy but great view of Alcatraz and the seals on the water. Inside is very crowded, shoulder to shoulder. Love the creamy chowder and freshly baked sourdough bowl. Fish and chips was a large portion and shrimp and chips as well. Definitely will return. read more
2 years ago
For a place called Chowders, I wouldn't recommend ordering either. Addressing the namesake first, 13.99 is the same price as most other seaside, family establishments on the pier (particularly Boudin). It was also large enough to feed a little more than one person. However, the white chowder was way too salty when eaten on its own. Even with the bread, I constantly had to drink water to not feel like I was eating the ocean. The "red chowder" was closer to marinara sauce given out at school cafeterias than something even equivalent to chowder. Without it having much meat inside, the white chowder somehow edged it out in terms of quality. The bread also wasn't toasted, so eating it was incredibly chewy and difficult to tear apart with the plastic spoons given. Near the end of the bowl's lifespan, my brother said it was like "chewing hardtack", which I simply had to agree with. To contrast, the rest of the meal was far more pleasant. The seafood platter with crispy albeit small calamari rings, delicious French fries, and surprisingly lengthy but mildly dry fish strips were still a godsend in comparison to the bread bowls. Another note to add- the sauces were free upon asking. In the year 2024, I could appreciate it. Tatar sauce more than compensated for the strips being sort of dry. The shrimp and crab sandwich was also refreshing in a banquet of fried food, although I would've like it to be a bit bigger as it didn't really fill up my mom's small appetite. The only notable service interaction was when I had asked if I could get something to clean the outside tables myself, was told it'd be a short moment, and then never seeing an employee step out of the restaurant. At the time I asked, they weren't particularly busy with no line indoors so I doubt they were overwhelmed by a weekend rush. Overall, I wouldn't visit again but it did okay for an affordable place by the pier meant for convenience. read more
Chowders is really good. The quality of food service and price point are fair especially for seafood - this is one of my favorite places to bring people to when visiting this area. I'd recommend the bread bowl even though there's another popular spot nearby theirs is just better! read more
This place was ok. I like how the kitchen area is open so you can see the staff cooking the meals and they all appear to enjoy working together. The white clam chowder was pretty delicious. The crab melt sandwich left a lot to be desired. It was very bland and there was hardly any meat in the sandwich. I had to show the staff the small portion that was in the bread and they did rectify things by giving me a little more on the side, which I really appreciated. The crab cakes were just ok as well. They tasted like there was more dressing/ stuffing than actual crab added in it. That could be because the crab that was used for it was not very seasoned if I were to guess why they tasted like they do. I recommend this place if you require unseasoned food due to allergies, etc or if you want a pretty good clam chowder bowl. read more
Second time here and noticed a lot of changes since 2008. This eatery in between Wipeout and Mrs Fields on the boardwalk is an excellent counter service spot in the Pier 39 area. Plenty of seats inside and out. The ramp next to it leads to tables with a view of the pier (very chilly though). Price was still reasonable considering the location. Service was fast and efficient. Food was excellent. Had the Crab Melt and an Anchor Steam beer (don't judge) for lunch this time. Remembered this place for decent chowder from 2008, returned and still liked the place and food. Highly recommended. read more
Never had clam chowder before so I'm not sure if my review is trustworthy. But, I enjoyed it! Served in a sourdough bread bowl, the piping hot clam chowder was creamy and perfect for the raining weather. It was $12 but $14 after tax. A nice little bite in Fisherman's wharf. Plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor seating as well! read more
Mi gente!! Let me start by saying WOW! This small spot on the boardwalk is PHENOMENAL!! Looks like is family owned at least the ppl that were running it today were all family! Super friendly, n down to earth ppl! Chowder is SUPER flavorful, had to try the shrimp sandwich(they give u the option of regular Mayo or Chipotle Mayo) Chipotle Mayo on it makes it soo much better! Highly recommend!!! read more
3 years ago
There was a bit of a line however it moved quickly. We ordered a bread bowl and crab cakes to share amongst us two. The bread bowl was pretty loaded and the bread was delicious. The crab cakes were tasty and went well with the sauce. Overall the pricing was reasonable for being seafood. I wish there was combo plates instead of offering everything a la carte. read more
7 months ago
This place has options for indoor and outdoor seating. The food came out quickly for our big group. I had the clam chowder in the bread bowl. The chowder had big chunks of fresh tasting celery and the texture of the soup itself was not too thick. The bread bowl was perfectly chewy and the sourdough flavor came thru. We also got the fried fish filet and fries. The fish tasted fresh and the breading was not too thick. The tartar sauce was the perfect accompaniment. The fries were not the best, flavorless with an underdone texture, otherwise I would've given 4 stars. We enjoyed the view from our outdoor table and the location is right in the middle of all the wharf excitement! read more
Quick and easy way for San Franciscan tourists to check that box off and get their clam chowder bread bowl fix on. The cost is about the same everywhere you go around and at the Embarcadero but you won't have to leave a tip here and you can have select your own ocean view seat at the backside of this cute little spot. We tried the red chowder bowl too which I don't recommend unless you really like tomatoes- it has a red (tomato) base and tasted like spaghetti sauce with bits of clam and celery. The white chowder was great, enough for two to share. The sourdough is super fresh and hearty and the clam chunks salty and plentiful! read more
5 years ago
One must-have when visiting San Francisco for the first time is a bread bowl of hot chowder soup. The visit was not for me, but tourists I took along with me. Although I would have preferred they have it at Boudin down the street, they were pretty okay with just having it here. (Plus we were kinda hungry for a snack since we kinda got done just doing walks around Pier 39 and its surroundings.) We put in our order at the counter and we were told they'll call us when we're ready. We ended up with 2 bowls and an order of shrimp and chips. The bowls were ready immediately and the shrimp/chips plate would follow. It was a semi-cold SF afternoon, so it wasn't a big deal getting seats outside. We opted to sit all the way at the back to get a small view of the pier. It was a bonus watching other tourists gawk at the seals where they normally post at. The bread bowls were warm and gave off that slight sourdough aroma, and the chowder was hot HOT HOT! Given we were outside, it didn't take long for it to cool down. VERDICT: it was okay, mediocre at best. The broth was smooth and thick seasoned with that familiar clam flavor. However, the overall flavor wasn't poppin' as I'd hope it would. Don't get me wrong: it was good, but it can be better. The shrimp and chips plate was slightly better. Cooked to order, it was a good snack for four. The shrimp batter was just right and the fries were a good crisp. FOOD: 3.5. SERVICE: 3. Very little interaction. They were slammed since there were a few customers they were tending to. VALUE: 4. Not bad especially given they're right dab smack in the middle of a tourist spot. PARKING: None. Park at the structures or lots somewhere around the area. If rideshare is an option, it'd be a better one. OVERALL: 3.5. I'm not around this area often and there are other places to try before coming back. But good first run. I wouldn't not check them out again, and I probably would once I've made a run on other places nearby. read more
9 months ago
White Clam Chowder served in Sourdough Bread! When you are visiting Pier 39 and feeling the chill of the breeze that blows over the Bay, you may wish for something hot and tasty to satisfy your hunger and make you warm. One of the more popular choices by visitors in Fisherman's Wharf is the famous White Clam Chowder soup served in sourdough bread. Chowders is one of the many places that serves white clam chowder soup. It is located on your left side near the entrance of the pier. It offers a limited menu that includes fried seafood, sandwiches, a few sides and of course red and white clam chowder soups. They have outside sitting available in front of the store (see my photo below) or towards the back facing the marina and Pier 41 where you have a partial view of beautiful SF Bay. I have tried the Fish & Chips and White Clam Chowder Soup at Chowders and they are good. If you are looking for a quick bite so you can get on your way to the rest of your must see places on the pier, Chowders is a good option. read more
white chowder bowl $11.99 - good and creamy but not much soup. most of it was sourdough bread. Menu says "loads of clams," but honestly not much clams, potatoes, bacon or veggies. Crab & shrimp sandwich $12.99 - good but so small! read more
5 years ago
Located at pier 39, near the entrance, on the left hand side. Close to Mrs. Fields cookies. Clam chowder is decent, chunks of potatoes and clams. Regular clam chowder Bowl is $7. They do have a kids menu $7.99 for the usuals with fries. (Fish & chips, dinosaur nuggets & chips) Food is decent, prices are decent. $90 for 4 with 2 kids. Meals and drinks. read more
2 years ago
Searching for a good clam chowder place and found this one on Google. It's inside a busy strip mall and it has both indoor and outdoor seating. The chowder is a white one, served with bread bowl for 10.99 or a cup size for 2 dollars less/8.99. They don't have any bigger size though. Their chowder is thick and full of clams, we also found celery inside. I like it more than the Splash Cafe in Pismo Beach. We tried their crab melt sandwich and it's very yummy. Lots of crab meat and freshly made. read more
2 years ago
Food here was decent. The white chowder bowls were more saltier than usual. I would always come here with my family back then and there was no problem, but after reading a few reviews on this place, I see that I'm not the only one who noticed the change in the clam chowders. The calamari rings were $14.99 for only 4 of them and a side of fries. I wouldn't recommend paying $15 for only 4 rings, but they were decent. The service was okay, I had to repeat my order three times to get it right but it wasn't too big of a deal! We sat outside towards the back to get a good view of the Bay and Alcatraz. Would I come back? Maybe, it wouldn't be top of my list but I wouldn't oppose to it read more
Average place to me since I couldn't eat the clam chowder (it has bacon and I'm a pescatarian) but my partner seemed to enjoy it! I had the shrimp & chips which were good but nothing amazing. Has a local diner feel to it as well as nice outdoor seating! read more
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Walked around Pier 39 after our Alcatraz tour. This place was packed, but it closed early at 9PM on a Saturday. The fellas wanted seafood so we ate here after seeing others around eating clam chowders. They're named Chowders for a reason. Clam chowders are a hit here, but it was just ok for me. We also had the seafood platter which was also ok. The shrimp tasted like the shrimp that you'll find in the frozen section of your local grocery store. Fast and friendly service though. read more
More info about Chowders
2 Beach St
Fl 1st
Bldg A, Level 1
San Francisco, CA 94133
Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Directions
(415) 391-4737
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http://www.chowderspier39.com/
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Chowders - seafood - Updated July 2026
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