I knew this was gonna be good but wow it truly exceeded expectations. My girlfriends and I have girl dinners each month and I'm so glad we picked this spot. I've been driving past this restaurant for years and it's definitely going to be a favorite. The decor was so cute and really gives off the old San Francisco vibe. We were greeted with free shots of clam broth and I could absolutely drink this everyday forever. It was so flavorful and warm and comforting. We ordered the calamari and friends platter, oysters, cioppino, clam chowder and the petrale sole piccata and all shared our dishes. No notes. Everything was beyond perfect. We finished off with the crème brûlée and wow, it was gone in seconds. Our server was warm and friendly and cracking jokes, 10/10 service. I already can't wait to return. This will be a new favorite place. read more

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I used to come here a lot as a kid with my mom. We mostly came for the clam chowder (5 stars) I came in as an adult this weeend and tried quite a few things. Oysters were a bit too fatty and thick for my liking. Fettuccine was divine! Would come back for those noodles and sauce. My husband is super picky and he was blown away. Cioppino was just alright. It wasn't awful but it was hard to eat after the clam chowder and fettuccine. It was tomatoey. Calamari was also just okay. I wish they would have added a different type of sauce to dip it in. The marinara sauce doesn't pair well with it. Clam chowder was just as good as I remember. I would come back over and over for the clam chowder. I was very impressed with how good their latte was. Don't judge me but I tried the tres leches, crème brûlée, cheesecake, and chocolate cake and I only liked the cheesecake. The chocolate cake, crème brûlée, and tres leches were just okay. The cheesecake was the best overall because not only did it have a great flavor but the strawberry reduction on top paired perfectly. Service was great. Love the vintage decor. They have a great story. It's literally one of the oldest restaurants still in its original location. Who doesn't love a great story. I'll be back! read more

The Old Clam House - You'll never have to worry about the TP here - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Okay, this is the first place I've visited so far during my temp living situation near SF. And oh my goodness will it be hard to top this place!! You walk in to an old restaurant decorated floor to ceiling with decorations. I came in solo and the place was practically empty when I did. Quiet but warm vibes, and I had the pleasure of being served by the older Italian(?) Gentleman. Be kind, and I feel that he'll be kind back. You can tell he's been in the game for a long time and knows his stuff. He talks with his face and I had a great time watching him work. I started with that little clam broth shooter they give to every guest, then a hot and spicy clam shot. A cup of clam chowder came out with a dirty martini (filled to the brim) and then I had the Crab and Asparagus Spaghetti per the Gentleman's recommendation between the top three pasta dishes. Clam broth: warm, savory, light, amazing freshly-cooked clam flavor Hot and spicy Shooter: good, nice spice, nice clam flavor as well Cup of Clam House Chowder: it really was a bowl of clam chowder and it was fantastic! Big pieces of clam with bits of bacon and potato Crab and Asparagus Spaghetti: oh. my. goodness. The pasta was cooked perfectly, there were so many perfect pieces of crab and the asparagus was cooked just right. The sauce was creamy but not too heavy. Delicious. I can see why the Gentleman recommended it. I finished my visit with a cappuccino. Quite good. Espresso didn't taste burnt or too acidic. I will be coming back during my time here in the Bay. Many thanks for the Gentleman for making it such a pleasant experience. read more

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I went there today after church with my grandson, and unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. The service was terrible, and our waiter Giuseppe was rude.I ordered the shrimp, clams, and clam chowder, while my grandson ordered a whole crab. The clams tasted like they weren't cooked enough, the shrimp had no flavor, and the crab my grandson ordered was also bland. The only thing we really enjoyed was the clam chowder. they even monitored how many slices of lemon we could have who does that .The Old Clam House used to be the best. With the new management and new owners, the atmosphere and service have really changed for the worse. We were very disappointed. I would give this experience 2 out of 5 stars. read more

Food was great and quality! Service is A+! Ambiance is nostalgic! I love it! The best for me of course was the Clam Chowder and the Lobster Ravioli! read more

The Old Clam House - Fish and Chips and Lobstet Ravioli. - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Established in 1861 and operating continuously in its original location, The Old Clam House stands as one of California's and the nation's oldest restaurants. It is not simply a dining venue; it is a living institution that preserves the culinary and hospitality traditions of historic San Francisco. From the moment guests walk through its doors, they are immersed in a setting that reflects authenticity and heritage. The warm wooden interiors, historic photographs, and maritime character create an atmosphere that feels both intimate and timeless. The cuisine honors classic Italian foundations with a strong coastal influence. Signature dishes such as the cioppino and house-made pastas demonstrate a commitment to flavor, consistency, and tradition. Each plate reflects generations of refinement; balanced, honest, and deeply rooted in culinary heritage. Equally remarkable is the service. The staff exemplifies professional hospitality; attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented. Every routine is executed with discipline, every interaction handled with care. It is clear that service here is not incidental; it is intentional and refined. The Old Clam House is more than a restaurant; it is a landmark of culinary continuity. It is the type of establishment that invites return visits not out of novelty, but out of respect for quality and tradition. A place worth experiencing at least twice a year--because some institutions are not merely visited; they are honored by returning. read more

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Always looking for the perfect fish and chips, I think I've found it! San Francisco natives, my husband and I often drive by The Old Clam House on Bayshore just up the road from Lowe's and Grocery Outlet. He always suggests we stop in and I say, "Nah, I think they're closed." Almost noon, this time we stopped, I popped my head in to find it empty but open. It looked clean, and so hey how bad can it be? Fun eclectic atmosphere, our waiter called me "Madam" and presented us with menus followed by complementary hot clam juice. A good sign for baby-boomers, the menu was a mix of traditional large-portioned seafood and creative dishes, cocktails and craft beers. Nicely done! Aioli sauce (an easy ask,) Victor (our waiter, white shirt-bow tie, bought El Hubbo a super Sea-wich (sandwich tempura crusted fish filet with spicy fire roasted pepper aioli) and I had...you guessed it, Fish and Chips. Three pieces, a mountain of chips light and tasty. No long lines, excellent service, a very good eating experience, one that we'll put on our "do-agains." The clientele is a generational mix, the old oak bar - a serious one. Very date-worthy, millennials and young families might give it a try as the walls are filled with distractions. That means if your date is destined to fail, at least you'll have something to look at. And don't be freaked out at lunch by the empty "set" tables adjacent the windows. I guess that's an add-on set up for show. One last bonus: It's quite near SCRAP so if your a wanna-be artist, and that date's a hit, SCRAP is a must. read more

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The drinks were great, but took a long time to arrive (15-20 mins) and came out at the same time as the appetizer. The complementary clam juice was amazing, I wanted more. We had the Calamari and Friends appetizer, the cup of clam chowder, a dozen oysters which were the freshest I've ever had, and the fish and chips. Everything was incredible. Zero complaints - it was a lovely meal. My only qualm is the service was slow while it wasn't very busy. Slow but nice. Enjoy the vintage decor at CAs oldest seafood restaurant (since 1861 OMG)!! solid 4/5! I may return this weekend for more!! read more

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The food are delicious and the service is good. The interior and exterior design are beautiful and unique. I highly recommend it. We celebrate my husband's birthday with his friends. read more

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We had a reservation, showed up early, they sat us. The clam shot they serve was AMAZING! My husband had the seafood rossioto, I had the salmon piccatta with mash and grilled veggies. We had oysters on the half shell. The food was incredible and reasonably priced for what we ordered. Delicious to the very end. Jose was our server, he couldn't have been more accommodating. It's like the old place on the corner. Great atmosphere. The Old Clam House has been here since 1861. Charming, casual and cool, not to mention the great selection of dishes!!! We will be back, we are bringing friends! read more

Historic restaurant with Great and Fresh seafood. Once seated, you will be served with water and clam juice which was perfect on a rainy day. If server ask if you want bread & butter...BEWARE it's NOT FREE...it's $3.00 We started with fried calamari as appetizer and this is the way I love my calamari! With tentacles and body with lightly battered. I was not a fan of the dressing on the side...I wish it was garlic aioli instead. We got the clams & friends and the risotto crab & scallop. Wow!!! It was so delicious! Risotto was cooked to perfection! I wish we could have tried some dessert but we were full already. Love the ambiance it's very nostalgia Come early as street parking can be difficult. read more

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I've always driven past here and always noticed this place since it looks so out of place compared to other stores in the area. What really fascinated me was that this restaurant was established in the 1800's and as a history major, that blew my mind. When I saw it in an article that it was an SF classic; I knew I had to to try it. Clam broth (5/5): You get a complimentary shot cup of clam broth. The richness just overpowered my tastebud with such seafood delicacy. Clam chowder (5/5): Definitely does not taste like a typical clam chowder. It comes with nice spices that enhances the dish. Cioppino (4/5): This tomato-based broth comes with clam, mussel, fish, and shrimp. It also comes with a stick of bread. The portion of seafood was great, but I thought it was missing a carb side (besides the bread), like rice of noodles. I thought it would've really enhanced the experience of this dish. Clam and friends pasta (5/5): This one actually blew our minds. First they do not skimp on the seafood, so you are getting the bang for your buck. It comes with shrimp, mussels, clam, and octopus. The cherry wine created an exquisite experience. Overall, really enjoyed my experience and will definitely be coming back. It also met the hype and now understand why it's been around for so long. read more

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Love this place. The food is good and reasonably priced. The only bad thing is parking. Not that easy to find. read more

The Old Clam House - Lobster sandwich - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for family dinner and we all ordered different pasta dishes. They were all amazing, especially the fettuccine with crab added. Definitely recommend! read more

The Old Clam House - Fettuccine Alfredo with crab , so delicious! - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ambiance: Very old restaurant (I think one of the first in SF??) with so much charm. They have inside and a few "outside" tables that are more like sunroom vibes - closed room with big windows so you don't have to worry about the weather, but still have a well lit area. It's not super noisy, but every time I've been a patron, it was off peak hours. Service: The food comes out pretty fast after you order and the wait staff is friendly. They bring out the food in courses and wait until you're done with one or another before bringing out the mains. Food: Along with a carafe of water, they give you a shot of clam juice when you order and it's so good! I'm glad they're still doing this after all these years. Bread and Butter - soft baguette with little pats of butter. Great to order if you're ordering anything saucy. Saute of Clams - there's a good amount of clams and the leftover sauce is a great dipping sauce for the bread, even though they give you little crostinis Caesar Salad - lots of cheese (my favorite) and very dressed, with a few anchovy fillets, making this dish a little salt heavy for my personal tastes Clam House Cioppino - large chunks of fish, shrimp, mussels, clams, and squid in a tomato/cream based soup. Very flavorful and fresh. read more

I've been to The Old Clam House before and the food is always good--fresh and flavorful. But this time, the service was trash. The waitstaff was running around ignoring loyal customers of color. We had to get their attention multiple times just to be acknowledged, and even then it felt like we were inconveniencing them. Waiting over 30 minutes without proper assistance is unacceptable. What really stood out--in a bad way--was one of the Hispanic women working the floor. When we spoke to her politely, she gave us a mug and then completely ignored us, while actively attending to other tables. If you're bussing tables or assisting service, you're supposed to make your rounds equally, not half-ass it when you finally get to one table. It genuinely felt like we had to force our way into getting service. What makes this worse is that you're located in this community, yet the lack of care and respect shown is honestly insane. Food is solid, but service like this ruins the entire experience. Please do better read more

The Old Clam House - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been here a few times when I'm in the area. Bartenders are friendly and attentive. Food is top notch. I rotate between the linguini of the sea or the clams and friends. Both are excellent fresh pasta dishes. Make sure to get the bread too! read more

The Old Clam House - Linguine Of The Sea - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been on the perpetual hunt for a Bloody Mary that can rival The Ramp's at mission bay. This cioppino Bloody Mary at Old Clam House comes very close. Made by bartender Krystal, this version is surprisingly good. Very deep vegetable and tomato flavors with a heavier/thicker base that holds up after vigorous shaking. This is the way! I had no problem finishing this one :) Dinner was a bit hit and miss--the petrale sole plate was extremely salty from the caper brine, but the amazingly buttery mashed potatoes made up for it. Regardless, I'm definitely coming back for that bloody! Thanks Krystal! read more

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Overall great experience, love that there's a seafood restaurant in this area. Restaurant is decorated well, and service is good. Ordered the fried calamari, clams, risotto, and cioppino. The calamari was a bit on the saltier side but good portion and fried well. Clams were my favorite dish, super fresh and flavored well. Risotto was fantastic as well, lobster tail was not overcooked, and generous amount of seafood. My partner got the cioppino and it did look like it was on the smaller portion for the price, but he said the flavor was good. Overall, would come back! read more

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Stopped by for lunch again. Friendly server helped us... didn't get her name but she spoke Italian. She was quick and efficient. Started with the excellent clam broth. I had the Seawich fish sandwich with Caesar side salad. My coworkers had the burger, clam chowder bowl and shrimp Louie salad. My sandwich was very good: crispy moist filet, buttery bun and tasty tartar sauce. My Caesar was excellent with large shavings of Parmesan cheese. My buddy's shrimp Louie had large grilled prawns, which was a nice touch. We'll be back! read more

The Old Clam House - Seawich and side Caesar Salad - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food is good Highly recommended ‍‍ crab spaghetti with asparagus it's good and lobster pasta good read more

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My family and I have been dining at this awesome establishment serving absolutely delicious sea food cuisines for about 40 years! We enjoy dining and reminiscing our old days here. Everything here is absolutely wonderful, fresh, tasty, delicious. It just a tad pricey but good food is not cheap. Stellar service. Beautiful decor and seatings. I hope this restaurant will stay in business for many more years! read more

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My husband and I had an 8:30 PM Valentine's Day reservation, and unfortunately the experience was disappointing from the moment we walked in. When we arrived, no one greeted us. The hostess stood there without acknowledging us, and we were left unsure whether she even realized we were there. After an awkward pause, she finally asked if we needed a table for two. I let her know we had an 8:30 reservation. She said "okay" and walked away without giving any indication of wait time or next steps. We continued standing there with no communication. It was already past 8:30 at that point. She then seated another couple while we were still waiting. My husband finally asked whether we were going to be seated, and she responded that the other couple had an 8:00 reservation -- despite it being well past our own reservation time. We understand that Valentine's Day is busy and delays happen. What was frustrating was the complete lack of basic customer service. Not even a simple "How are you doing tonight? We'll be right with you," or "We're running behind but it will be about X minutes." That kind of communication goes a long way and would have made a big difference. After feeling ignored and unclear about whether we would be seated at all, we decided to leave. Please do better with your customers. We drove from the east bay to have dinner here. read more

Everything went great ! I loved the food and ‍ service dog! :)))))))))))!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

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I recommend trying this place! The service was truly excellent, and the atmosphere felt warm and inviting. The seafood was absolutely delicious. read more

This quaint little restaurant has been here for quite some time. It's not in the best part of town but rest assured the food there is absolutely delicious. The staff there are friendly and helpful. In addition to water, they also serve you "clam juice" which is a tiny cup of delicious clam broth! I ordered the Angry Shrimp linguine and they were so generous with the # of shrimps! Overall, a great experience. read more

The Old Clam House - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Early dinner about 4:30 on a Saturday. Seated immediately, server was prompt and attentive, food was really good and an exception value anywhere but especially for San Francisco. I had a cup of clam chowder (fantastic) and the linguine of the sea and my wife the petrale sole piccata. Both well executed. It's an old place and God bless them for leaving it alone, not trying to update the decor or the menu. Come here for the timeless, not the trendy. Would absolutely return. One observation, not the fault of the restaurant, the neighborhood is a bit rough. This is one of the few businesses without bars on the windows. As we were going to Lowes down the street, we parked there and walked. Not sure on parking situation. read more

Service was good. Need to bring back the escargot & the fresh baked bread & fix the TV's

Decided too pop out at the old clam house with the homies and enjoy a nice birthday dinner. I wanted too get shitfaced cause you know it's my BDay so I ordered 3 of the pisco punch and damn those things were hitting. Our server had a French accent and really made the experience feel like a real old school steakhouse. I ordered the calamari as an appetizer and it was pretty good. Really liked the marinara sauce they came with. I also ordered the crab and scallop risotto and that shit was fire!!!!! I loved it. Everything came out pretty good and the service was great. Definitely plan on coming back and trying that lobster roll. If your wondering if you should check this place out, peep my review and just know I never lie. Audios read more

The Old Clam House - Scallop And Crab Risotto - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Celebrated my son's 18th birthday here. Everyone was satisfied with there plates. Service was good, very attentive.

Mmm calamari and fish and chips were delish! service was friendly and quick, while the ambiance was almost like a real life Cheers bar - cozy friendly and filled with SF locals. read more

This place is an institution! And tbh outlr server, Victor made the experience absolutely amazing! He was attentive, funny and personable. Not only was the food phenomenal, the service just rounded out the experience. 10/10 would recommend read more

As always, this place did not disappoint. My wife ordered the clams and friends pasta dish and I ordered the cioppino. Both dishes came out piping hot and were delicious. All I recommend is they should serve the cioppino with slices of lemon and maybe some hot sauce, but it was still very very scrumptious. Our way to old school ran the white shirt, black apron and black pants and the place is dressed up like rustic Italiano Americana style. Almost like a scene where the mafia would come and eat that. His service was impeccable, although otherwise she came back to ask us if we wanted refills on drinks, even if it was just Water read more

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Great food place with amazing history and pictures. Had a great trip here today. Kevin was very helpful and checked on our table frequently. We had the fried calamari which had a great dipping sauce. The cioppino was very flavorful and not spicy. Could have used a little more seafood broth but still would order it again. The lobster roll was seasoned just right and the fries were great. The bathroom walls were definitely something to see. Will definitely be back. read more

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The Food was Amazing and the Service was Outstanding!!!!!!!! I am so grateful that you ALL survived COVID-19!!!!!!!!! It can be done!!!! Top Notch!!!!! The experience was AWESOME!!! read more

Perfect ambience Authentic Italian waiters Outstanding clam chowder Attentive service Very cool memorabilia read more

Food was pretty good lobster ravioli, but the service could be better. Came there for dinner and to enjoy my little vacation for a single person. Enjoyed my time, all the decorations was nice. If only I could've gotten a little bit more service it would've made my experience a little better. read more

The Old Clam House - Lobster Ravioli - Seafood Near Me - San Francisco, California

My family and I had a great time eating delicious food at this restaurant. Oscar and the Italian server were very friendly. The atmosphere was awesome too. We'll be back (: read more

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Heard about this very old restaurant and we decided to visit, last night. Wednesday so main room was not busy but the bar was watching the Giants / Cubs. Very little street parking but found parking pretty close. Walked in and was overcome with the rich, garlic, tomato, pasta aroma - decades of cooking was awesome! Loved the historic and celebrity pictures on the walls and the old-school booths - don't change a thing. Started with mussels in a butter garlic sauce, then mixed seafood linguine, and crap & asparagus spaghetti - everything was wonderful! Waiter, sorry don't recall his name - was professional, attentive, but not pushy. Looking forward to returning. read more

I ordered the clam chowder and a shrimp Louie to go. The clam chowder was good. It had lots of little clams. Not too thick and not too thin. The Shrimp Louie was nothing special. It's Just a basic salad with shrimp. But the shrimp were not clean! I had to clean out the poop! Usually a shrimp Louie has some nice plump Gulf Shrimp since the shrimp is the star of the dish. I'm afraid these shrimp were the much inferior shrimp from Asia. I hope not farmed. I won't be back. Lots of restaurants have good clam chowder. read more