I was super bummed to learn that Pacific Cafe will be closing within the next week or two. They are truly a San Francisco institution! So many fond memories there that I had to make it out there for one last meal. If you plan on going, I think the sweet spot to make the first wave of tables is right around 4pm or so. We got there at 320pm and we were 2nd in line. The person ahead of us arrived at 240pm! I really miss the oyster bisque and lobster bisque that they used to have (I should've asked if they had it). Our order: Crab Cake, Salmon & Shrimp combo, Halibut Parmesan. As always, the food was delicious! When we left at 6:40pm, the line outside was about as long as it was at 4:10pm, except now there were more people inside in the waiting area. Hopefully everyone made it in! Enjoy your retirement, you've earned it...but you'll definitely be missed! read more

See all

14 days left to enjoy the excellent food, staff and Frank the owner. Here is how it works now. 4:15 in line squeaks you into the first group. 4:20 we were in second group. Ramone passes out the free wine:) we left at 7:30. No line. Delicious and worth the wait. Frank knew all his regulars and spent detailed time asking about their lives. A woman server sang. Wishing everyone well in retirement. Thank you for decades ( yes since 80s) of fun. read more

This was a truly San Francisco experience. We came with our very good friends who have been here many times before. They give you free wine while you're waiting for a table. My husband and I don't drink but it was such a nice little thing. I feel like you have to get seafood here, it's the house specialty. Clam chowder $8.25, Shrimp Louie salad $8.25 were delicious starters. I had the Petrale Sole Newburg $35.45 with a lovely lobster sherry cream sauce. We split a rich chocolate torte for dessert. You can tell there are a lot of local regulars here, it felt like the place was filled with friends. Tables are close together, opportunities to chat with the other guests as you squeeze by them. read more

See all

Local restaurant in the neighborhood. No reservations here, first come first serve. They do offer complimentary champagne while you wait. Decent restaurant to come for a seafood fix. read more

Pacific Cafe - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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

See all

My first visit to Pacific Cafe was a mixed experience. We came because we heard they'll be closing at the end of the summer after an impressive 52 years in business and wanted to experience this longtime San Francisco institution before it's gone. Unfortunately, the experience fell short of expectations. We were quoted a 30-minute wait but ended up waiting about an hour. Once seated, service was minimal and it was difficult to get attention from staff. The overall atmosphere felt subdued, and while it's understandable that the upcoming closure may be affecting morale, it seemed to show in some of the interactions. As for the food, it was underwhelming. Most dishes were quite bland and lacked seasoning. The calamari steak, in particular, was heavily drenched in oil, which wasn't what I expected and made it difficult to enjoy. Hubby is usually someone who finishes everything on his plate, but even he didn't finish his meal here. I'm glad I had the chance to visit a restaurant with such a long history, but based on my experience, the food and service did not live up to the reputation. read more

We're going to miss this place. Our family and friends have been dining here over the years. We returned with friends before they close down permanently in August to retire. The line outside was filled with past customers, including locals and a couple who drove down from Sacramento. The glasses of wine kept us occupied until we were seated. The 2 of us really enjoyed our Crab Newburg. It was tasty and the sauce was delicious. Hubby liked his grilled salmon and fried shrimp special with pilaf. BFF's baked scallops were perfectly cooked. We made room for the Mitchell's toasted almond ice cream and strawberry sorbet and a chocolate cake. We plan to make a trip back soon. read more

See all

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

Been going here more than 50 years and over 600 visits. Don't think I have to give details about how great this pace is. But I do feel I need to comment on how some reviewers ding Pacific Cafe for its chowder. I've never been a fan of the ultra creamy New England chowder types, which this is not. It's more like an Irish soup with potatoes and nice chunks of clams in it, which I (and many others) find quite yummy. As for the criticisms about the fish not being tasty enough, this comes from people who love sauces on their food. Just give simply prepared, via a broiler, fresh seafood like salmon, halibut, ahi tuna or trout a chance and you will see that sauces aren't necessary. One last thing, though, Pacific Cafe closes up shop soon. If you don't want to wait 2 to 3 hours I suggest you get in line no later than 4 pm to make the first seating at 5. read more

Great food, friendly servers, FREE GLASS OF WINE! And all in a place that takes me back to my first days in San Francisco in the 70's!

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

See all

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

See all

My friend and I went to Pacific Cafe for dinner on Wednesday 6/17/26 and it was, as always, terrific. The owners are looking for a buyer to continue the restaurant, as they are retiring this summer. 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

See all

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

See all

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

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

See all

Loved our entire dining experience here. What a treat from waiting in line and being served wine until we got our table, to the ambiance and delicious crab cakes and entrees. Staff was friendly, warm and welcoming and the overall vibe felt like a close knit community. Highly recommend to anyone. read more

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

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

See all

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

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

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

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

See all

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

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

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

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

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

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

See all

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

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

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