Fisherman's Wharf Restaurants: My 20 Top Picks in San Francisco

Are you looking for the best Fisherman's Wharf restaurants for your stay in San Francisco? My list includes ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I also included a list of some of the best seafood spots in this lively district.

Among my top picks are Hollywood Cafe, a popular brunch spot, Boudin Bakery, the best place for sourdough bread, and Gary Danko, a high-end Michelin star restaurant.

In addition, you'll find options that fit every budget.

5 Best Places for Breakfast in Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco

1. Hollywood Cafe

The place to be for the finest breakfast in Fisherman’s Wharf, the Hollywood Cafe, continually gets rave reviews for its traditional breakfast offerings, which is why it's the first restaurant on our list.

The varied menu of dishes includes eggs Benedict, classic sandwiches, and a choice of meat breakfasts at prices from $18 and up.

This is a must-visit cafe for anyone spending time in San Francisco, and one where superb service comes first with friendly staff and quality cooking. Check out their film star-themed dishes, too, for something unique and original.

2. Eight AM

For a traditional American breakfast, Eight AM comes highly recommended. The avocado toast is among the most popular dishes that this friendly and welcoming restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf offers.

They are frequently reviewed as one of the best restaurants in the region by regular visitors.

Serving a choice of breakfast dishes from 8 am onward – hence the name – this is a pleasant place to enjoy a relaxed breakfast before your busy day in and around SF.

Outdoor dining tables are also available.

3. Cafe de Casa

A welcome taste of Brazilian cuisine is on offer at Cafe de Casa, a delightful eatery in Fisherman’s Wharf.

The signature dish at Cafe De Casa is the traditional feijoada, a wonderfully rich blend of black beans with sausage, pork, and beef served with a side of greens and orange and simply oozing with flavor.

This is a breakfast to savor, and one that will certainly set you up for the rest of the day.

They are open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday - Saturday and 8 am to 5 pm on Sunday. 

4. Eagle Cafe

Occupying a picturesque waterfront location, Eagle Cafe is a long-established San Francisco cafe offering a full range of American-style breakfast dishes.

Priced around $14 to $23, choose from standard offerings such as bacon, sausage, and egg breakfast, to a range of specials including a stunning bacon and cheese burger, plus everyone’s favorite, avocado toast.

Make sure to add on the sour cream, green onions and beans to their home fries. It's an extra $3, but I loved them and it added just that little extra flavor that went really well with the rest of my breakfast. 

This historic cafe is popular with locals and visitors, and as a family-owned establishment, is a friendly and relaxing place to eat.

You'll find them on the second floor of Pier 39 near the entrance.

5. Pat's Cafe

The colorful and bright façade of Pat’s Café – in North Beach just a couple of blocks from Fisherman’s Wharf – is familiar to locals, as is the wonderful traditional American food served here with a smile.

Waffles, pancakes, traditional breakfasts, omelettes, and many more popular dishes make up a comprehensive menu, with prices ranging from around $10 to $20.

A wonderful place to start the day. They offer breakfast and lunch, indoors or outdoors, from 7:30 am to 2 pm every day.

>> Find additional breakfast ideas around SF

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Fun Things to Do Around Fisherman's Wharf

5 Top Fisherman's Wharf Lunch Ideas

1. Bistro Boudin

Popular with locals and visitors, Bistro Boudin is a fine dining experience in Fisherman’s Wharf with superb views of the water, should you choose a table by the windows.

They are famous for their sourdough bread, especially their bread bowls filled with hearty clam chowder.

The menu also offers a mix of American cuisine plus pizza and fine steaks, yet for many diners, the menu to go for is the seafood one.

Superbly cooked whole Dungeness crab and traditional fish n' chips range in price from around $25 to $55. This restaurant comes highly recommended.

2. Buena Vista Cafe

Famous for its signature Irish Coffee, the Buena Vista Cafe offers a fantastic lunch menu. It's also a great spot for dinner and breakfast on the weekends.

With everything from omelettes to quality steak, plus many more fine dishes, this is a place where you will enjoy the pleasant atmosphere as well as their exceptionally fine coffee.

The clam chowder comes highly recommended, as do the steaks and burgers, and the cafe is rated as a ‘must visit’ destination by customers.

We recommend enjoying your meal with an Irish coffee as this cafe was the first to introduce the tasty cocktail to the US in 1952. 

>> Learn more about visiting Fisherman's Wharf

>> More great spots to eat outdoors

3. Wipeout Bar & Grill

Occupying a prime spot at Pier 39, Wipeout Bar and Grill is well known for its wide variety of affordable yet superbly cooked lunch dishes.

Everything from fish and chips to steaks and burgers, plus a choice of surf and turf dishes, is on offer at this lively and enjoyable cafe-bar. With prices starting at around $16, this is an excellent choice for a family lunch.

Check out the range of pizzas for some excellent options.

4. Sushi Go Go

This is a great option if you are in the area and looking for a casual lunch with quick service that gives you more variety than your typical American fast food.

The fish is fresh, and the servings and prices of the rolls are very reasonable compared to other sushi places. Try their popular Lion King roll for just $12 or their California or shrimp tempura rolls for $7.

It's also fun to order a few different items and share them. Their combination boxes are a great value for the range of flavors you get to try.

5. Freddie's Sandwiches

If a quick grab-and-go sandwich is what you want for lunch, there is no better place to go in Fisherman’s Wharf than Freddie’s Sandwiches.

Offering online ordering with a wide choice of sandwiches, popular choices include the 6-inch deli turkey sandwich, the bigger 8-inch Italian combo sandwich, and many more, with prices starting at around $11.

The cafe comes highly recommended by locals and visitors.

Fun Food Tours Around SF

5 Top Fisherman's Wharf Dinner Spots

1. Surisan

Offering a variety of Korean dishes, the menu at Surisan – one of the most delightful restaurants in Fisherman’s Wharf – is extremely appealing. It's one of my favorite picks for dinner here.

Mixing Asian cuisine with American favorites gives us options like mango salad, pork dumpling soup, Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice, and many more delicious bites, yet it is the Korean BBQ sets and fried chicken dishes that prove the most popular.

Also, if you love bacon, don't miss their bacon flight with four yummy slices with very different flavors! 

With a BBQ set for two priced at $49 and single menu items ranging from $12 to $27 each, I believe Surisan to be excellent value.

2. Blue Mermaid

One of my new favorites in Fisherman's Wharf is the Blue Mermaid. They recently hired a new executive chef, Amod Singh, who is taking their menu in an interesting direction.

While you will still be able to find some of the staples you expect to find at the restaurants in Fisherman's Wharf, he's also adding some new and interesting menu items. The Blue Mermaid's new menu items feature a combination of Indian spices that really make the flavors pop.

Some of my favorites here are the Tuna & Kale "Tacos" with sashimi-grade ahi and chickpea-battered kale and their "Flavor Bomb" signature dish, shown in the picture above. I also really enjoy their Blue Mermaid Cioppino "BMC" with the right mixture of seafood and spices.

You will find them next to the Argonaut Hotel at 495 Jefferson Street. 

3. Gary Danko

Lovers of French cuisine should head to Michelin star restaurant Gary Danko, where old-school cooking and dining is combined with quality food and a superb atmosphere.

Having served Fisherman’s Wharf for more than 20 years, this established restaurant is a favorite for locals and a must-visit destination for visitors to the area.

Choose from 3, 4, or 5-course meals starting at $120, and enjoy some of the finest meals you will find anywhere in SF.

4. San Francisco Brewing Company

For a casual night out, little can beat dinner with locally brewed beer in the glorious beer garden of the San Francisco Brewing Company.

A popular hangout for locals, and equally frequented by visitors, the menu offers a mix of pizzas, local classics such as fish and chips and clam chowder, and a variety of American favorites. Vegetarian dishes are also offered.

We highly recommend a visit to this Fisherman’s Wharf delight as it's one of the best restaurants on the list. Prices are very reasonable at around the $18 to $25 mark.

>> More great breweries around SF

5. New Thai Elephant

This is a casual dinner spot, but the service is very friendly and the food is not only tasty but a great value. 

Some of my favorite dishes here are the pad see-ew noodles and the papaya salad. Their curry dishes with sticky rice or roti are also an excellent option. Main dishes here are around $15. 

You can relax in this simple but tasteful restaurant, adorned with Thai elephants. The colorful food and drinks also make this a very appetizing option. 

5 Best Fresh Seafood Restaurants in Fisherman's Wharf

1. Scoma's

Serving its famous ‘Pier to Plate’ menu of locally sourced fish dishes since 1965, Scoma’s is the local’s favorite Fisherman’s Wharf fish restaurant.

Starters begin at around $20 for a simple yet delicious shrimp cocktail, while mains include dishes such as Dungeness crab, a classic mixed platter, and traditional beer-battered fish and chips.

If seafood is not your thing, the wagyu beef is sensibly priced at $36, and prices for other plates are generally between $20 to $40.

There is also a selection of chicken dishes plus a sandwich menu. You also can't beat the waterfront views! 

2. Fog Harbor Fish House

One of the most respected fish restaurants in the region, Fog Harbor Fish House concentrates on traditional seafood dishes made from locally caught and sourced ingredients.

Choose from a varied menu that ranges from simple fish and chips to luxurious scallop and crab risotto. Their fresh fish include Pacific cod, halibut, and more.

From the basics to the exotic, prices begin at less than $10 for clam chowder to a glorious shellfish platter at $88 for two.

Fog Harbor Fish House is a must-visit restaurant. You'll find it on Pier 39.

3. Crab House at Pier 39

If crab is what you're looking for, look no further than the Crab House at Pier 39. Their specialty here is the "Killer Crab," a more than 2 lb Dungeness crab roasted in garlic sauce and served on a sizzling skillet.

If you want to try a novel twist to familiar comfort dishes, go for the crab chowder or the crab fried rice. They even serve crab enchiladas!

The restaurant is right on the water, on the second floor of Pier 39, so you'll get views of the bay with your delicious seafood meal. You can expect to spend about $30 to $50 per person here.

4. Pier Market Seafood Restaurant

For the best in quality seafood dishes in Fisherman’s Wharf, you should check out Pier Market, an established fish restaurant on Pier 39.

This charming and friendly eatery is popular and has a reputation for offering traditional seafood at competitive prices. The classic New England clam chowder, for example, is a bargain at less than $8 a bowl. 

A mixed grill of salmon, cod, and shrimps is priced at under $30. The menu also offers a choice of burgers, steaks, and chicken dishes.

5. The Codmother Fish & Chips

Fish and chips is a legendary dish in the San Francisco Bay region, and there are few better seafood outlets than The Codmother, a locally famous food truck occupying a permanent spot on Fisherman’s Wharf.

Traditional fish and chips, sourced locally, are priced at $16.99, and alternative dishes including fried calamari, fish tacos, and New England clam chowder are equally reasonably priced.

There are few tables for sit-down meals, but the simple and delicious seafood dishes make a visit worthwhile.

>> More great seafood spots around San Francisco

>> More great cheap eats around SF

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