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Anchor Oyster Bar
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
579 Castro St(between 18th St & 19th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
(415) 431-3990
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sat 12 pm - 10 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
475 reviews for Anchor Oyster Bar
Review Highlights
"Clam chowder is fresh and thick and delicious."
(in 155 reviews)
"cheesy garlic bread - holy mother of---SOOOO gooooood."
(in 67 reviews)
"Oh sweet mother of Mary, the crab cakes."
(in 41 reviews)
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475 reviews in English
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Review from Caro S.
East Bay, CA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Brings a whole new meaning to finger licking good!
Be prepared to wait in line, get there an hour before the hunger beast hits because it is typically an hour plus wait. Be sure to write your name on the chalkboard as soon as you get there. The place is small but tables empty out fairly quickly so stick around in case your name gets called.
Their clam chowder and bread is delicious. They always have a great assortment of oysters which is why I love going to this place but what really makes the meal is the cioppino! They have the best cioppino I have ever had in my life! It makes you want to lick the bowl and ask for another, yup that good. In fact just writing about it makes me want to go and have some.
The reasonable prices, great oyster selection, amazing food, and great service make Anchor worth the wait.Listed in: Dontcha wish ur Oysters were…
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Review from Erica S.
I knew this place would be a wait if I didn't get here as soon as they opened so we got here before noon on a Saturday and waited patiently in the cold for them to open. Find parking on the street. They have bar seats and tables and chairs. Enough for about 30.
For starters, we had a dozen fresh oysters. There were 3 types that day, but kinda pricey: $2.50 a piece. I guess I'm used to happy hour prices on oysters! They don't have a huge selection of raw stuff like Swan Oyster Depot so if you're into fresh raw seafood, you'd probably be more interested in Swan. But this place is good if you're in the mood for some fresh seafood and sandwiches in a calm environment.
I decided to have the Steamed Clams while husband and friends had that day's special, Crab Burger, which was a fresh cold dungeness crab sandwich with spring mix salad and a cup of clam chowder. I had my friend's chowder and happily enjoyed it for him. It was a very good chowder and the texture was just right for me; not too thick, not too watery. Even recently featured in 7x7's "100 Things To Eat Before You Die."
My steamed clams was a pretty big portion with about 20 clams and had big chunks of clam meat. I enjoyed it, but didn't care very much for the broth as all I kept tasting was the herbs since the broth was filled with various types. I wished it was a white wine broth instead. Then I would have loved to soak the bread in it, The crab burger was filled with luscious fresh Dungeness crabmeat. I love cold crab sandwiches, but I wished they used a better tasting bun. This one was just a sesame seeded plain burger bun.
All in all, food was pretty good. Service was great and friendly. Enjoyed the calm environment and I liked that we didn't feel rushed as you would at Swan. -
Review from Laina T.
I had a craving for some steamed clams and decided last minute that I wanted to go to Anchor Oyster Bar. After an hour drive on a Sunday night, I scored VIP parking right in front of the restaurant! I walked in and there was an empty table calling my name. Scored... no wait.
I started with the soju oyster shooters. It was delicious! There was just enough alcohol for me to feel a little tingly. By the way, I'm a lightweight.
The clam chowder was good, not too rich and creamy and definitely made fresh with just enough potatoes and clams. Don't forget to add the oyster crackers for an extra crunch.
This time around, I decided to get the steamed seafood combo. It was good, but not as good as the steamed clams by itself. The combo consisted of clams, mussels, green lip mussels, and shrimp. I'm not a big fan of mussels but I thought I would give it a try. The broth was nice and light with aromatics such as thyme, basil, lemon, and garlic. The toasted garlic bread was definitely a good way to sop up the natural sweetness of the shellfish broth. After I finished the bread, I just got a spoon and dug right into the bowl.
The Mexican Corvina sea bass was another hit. After the oyster shooters, clam chowder, steamed shellfish, and garlic bread, I was concerned that I had ordered too much food. Thankfully, the sea bass was a very light dish. It was more like a salad. The sea bass was lightly fried with a nice crispy edge on a bed of lightly dressed spinach. There were roasted carrots and fingerling potatoes. What tied the whole dish together was the fried garlic bits. I love texture in my food, so the crispy garlic was a nice bonus.
Anchor Oyster Bar is a great place for fresh seafood. It's a small, quaint place with eight seats at the bar, three tables that seat four, and two tables that seat three. Come here and enjoy some seafood with a glass of wine for a relaxing meal. Too bad they don't have dessert. -
Review from C S.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
YUMMMMMMMMMM! Can you say crab-licious! Clearly I love this place. Don't love the no reservations though...it gets cold out there. In a month I have eaten there 3 times. With so many places to choose in SF how could that be? Oysters expertly shucked, crab is ridiculous and the steamed artichoke amazing. For the price this is a real find! Service can be so-so and you wait a bit to have someone take your order. The guy who seats you though...great. I don't really agree with others on the clam chowder, its okay but not the best. I personally prefer my chowder with more "stuff".
Buy a bottle of wine from across the street..the restaurant wine is hit or miss and they do not charge corkage. Booth tables great and roomy but the other tables and the bar are really tight!!!!
Regardless......YUMMMMMMMMMMMM! -
Review from EC N.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012
Two things I want on the day I die 1) lunch at the Anchor Oyster Bar. Start with the clam chowder, then move onto the fresh crab in a garlicky stock. This is the best meal in SF. Add some garlic bread and I'm in food heaven. There is a reason you will wait to get in and pay a premium it's the quality. 2) make love one last time.
It's been a good life. -
Review from Maria C.
1/17/2012
LONG WAIT. be prepared. very intimate setting, don't recommend groups more than 6 (and 6 MAX, a bit tough to fit). there's only a few tables and a bar.
bf and friends got the anchor special. what i could partake in (since i'm a veggie): garlic bread (YUM), potatoes with aioli sauce (which the waiter let me just order a side of and was enough for me in addition to everything else -- good but not special), and MMMM clam chowder (didn't eat the clams... i do broths, so sue me). the oyster crackers were good too, we were so hungry we snacked on them! our waiter was SUPER NICE. i think we were all so hungry and tired we didn't comment much on the food so i can't give you any insider info on the seafood, but i think we regretted not ordering the pasta since it seemed like something everyone was doing (AND LOOKED SO GOOD).
cute little place. wish i knew it was BYOB with no corkage fee before i went though! darn! -
Review from Stephanie L.
New York, NY
1/7/2012
BYOB (with no corkage fee), varietal oysters, impressive seafood entrees, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in a bustling LES locale without the NYC wait time -- who wouldn't want to eat here?
We went with a group of 4 and our night was fabulous. The excellent service and awesome vibe made us quickly fall in love this place, and if we were locals we would surely be regulars! -
Review from Janina T.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2012
My boyfriend and I are HUGE foodies and LOVE trying new places and we somehow had never been to this restaurant until last night when we stumbled upon it on Yelp so we decided to give it a shot and I must say it was one of the most amazing meals and definitely one of the BEST seafood restaurants I've ever been to. They don't take reservations so we had to wait about 30 min (on a Tuesday night at 7pm!) but it is well worth the wait. The Cioppino was out of this world, and the homemade rigatoni with steamed mussels was unbelievable! The chef is VERY talented. It's definitely not cheap, but the portions are huge! The service was great and the staff is so friendly! We'd eat here every week if we could!
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Review from Mo W.
Berkeley, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
The place is very very (very) small. The wait is quite long.
My bf and I were on a mission to try all the places in the "Big Eat 100 Things to Eat Before You Die. " We got the clam chowder togo, and just ate on the bench outside. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The soup was perfectly cream, not too chunky and not too watery. They included bread with it also! Definitely great for cold weathers. -
Review from Katie Anne N.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
Lately I've been on this oyster/seafood kick. All I want are oysters and beer and or any type of seafood and beer. Needless to say, I'm a repeat offender. I repeat offend seafood restaurants that I know and have grown to love. Enter...Anchor Oyster Bar. I don't live in the neighborhood but I will gladly get out of bed, get in my car, roam around for parking, just to have a meal here. I've been here many times (no idea how I even forgot to review the place) and I've never been disappointed with my meal.
Last weekend my coworkers and I decided to come for dinner. We were greeted and seated immediately. The waitstaff are always so friendly and personable. I'm pretty sure they think I'm this weird crazy stalker lady since I'm there all the time. I just love me some oysters. There is bar seating with ample tables. It is VERY popular so come early if you want to avoid any waiting. The decor is simple, not overdone or tacky. It has always looked clean every time I have visited.
Anyway, we enjoyed the clam chowder (so good on a chilly day), shrimp salad and the half order of the Anchor special (oysters, steamed clams, and chilled prawns). Yum. It is by far my favorite plate on the menu. We also shared some of the crab, which was surprisingly very tasty. I hardly ever get crab outside of Asian restaurants (its just the Asian in me) but I really liked Anchor's crab. My coworker has the crab cakes as an entree and she mentioned that she loved it. It was cooked to perfection, not soggy or mealy. She described it as "just like how they make them on the Food Network." Whatever that means.
I'm always here. So there is no point in telling you that I will come back. But I highly suggest checking them out. Great food, awesome service, clean and inviting atmosphere. Highly recommend! -
Review from Nicole Mandy S.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
I came here with my friend, place is pretty small fits about 30 people &the wait was about 20 mins .. Around 8pm the clam chowder was okay.. everyone said its the best clam chowder in sf .. i think the ones at the pier are much tastier, the oysters were so fresh &yummy ! but they were pricey... 2.50 a piece &lets just say they are VERY rainbow friendly :) I would definitely come back for more oysters !! not so much the chowder..
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Review from Gina E.
Mt Horeb, WI
1/19/2012
We showed up right at opening on a Friday morning and had no wait, but around 11:30 or so, people had to start writing their names on the chalkboard.
Delicious: The daily special of "Crab Burger" which was not what I expected. What I expected was a crab cake on a burger bun. What I received (and happily devoured) was hand-picked Dungeness crab on a burger bun with a house tartar sauce that should really rename itself to something better like "XYZ aioli". I don't like tartar sauce; I really enjoyed this sandwich.
Also Delicious (and why you come here!): The oysters. We had a half dozen to get a fair sampling of the 3 types on the daily menu. They were all fresh and delicious, and the local ones were very different than the East Coast oysters I'm accustomed to. Creamy, briny, and just about the cleanest taste you can imagine.
Delicious, but not nearly as much as everyone seems to think: The Clam Chowder. And this is more of a personal preference. I like a creamier, thicker clam chowder, and this one is a bit more soupy. That said, the flavors are delicious, and it's a great side to whatever else you're getting to eat. This is pretty much the only thing preventing me from giving 5 stars here.
It's places like this that have me asking why I live so far away from SF. -
Review from David P.
Corona, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
WOW! All I can say. Everything in the reviews is spot on. This place is TINY... Three 4-tops, One 3-top, and One 2-top, plus the bar that seats about 6. So get there when it opens (learned that trick last night) or be prepared to wait.
Our first visit we arrived there was about 3 names ahead of us it took about an hour to seat us, which was fine. While waiting the manager greeted all of us waiting with small cups of the Clam Chowder. Now, I normally don't like Clam Chowder, but OMFGG, this stuff was amazing. So creamy, hot, delicious. Filled with good veggies, clams, and seafood wonderfulness. I had already made up my mind on what I was going to have, so I knew next time I would order it.
Our first visit we shared the steamed artichoke appetizer. Well cooked, great house made aioli, perfect for two to share. My only complaint is that is was a special and not always available. We also shared a half carafe of the house chardonnay. Now normally I don't like box wine, but this was really nice, and well priced. We also got the house garlic bread. Its awesome (not my husbands fav, but I liked it)
I got the dayboat scallops special for my entree... WOW! My husband got the 1/2 seafood platter. His was awesome, 6 oysters, 2 chilled prawns, and about 8 steamed clams. The white wine sauce that the clams were steamed in was the best part. Well the clams were good, but that sauce. I could just drink it!! YUMMMM-O! Great to use the bread and garlic bread to mop up the sauce.
Our second visit we got 8 oysters to start. We ordered Kumamotos, but we got the last 6, so the other 2 sweet waters that were served were on the house. The oysters are so fresh, awesome cocktail sauce, and the best mignonette. We each got a cup of the amazing Clam Chowder as well. Just as good as I remembered from that sample the manager passed out.
For entrees I got the Caesar with crab, my husband got the crab cake entree. The Caesar was awesome, great dressing, crunchy Romaine, and MOUNDS of fresh crab meat that was so perfect with the Caesar dressing. The croutons were made from their house garlic bread and really a great match. The crab cake are awesome. I don't even know what was holding these together, there was minimal breadcrumbs or other filler. Perfectly cooked and paired with a great house tartar sauce. My husband said the tartar sauce almost upstaged the crab cakes.
But overall, awesome food, great service and perfect location. -
Review from April rose D.
Pleasanton, CA
12/27/2011 2 photos
I've had one too many fishy tasting oysters so I'm always a little weary when eating raw oysters..but this place has some delicious, succulent and fresh oysters! I've never loved raw oysters so much! I'm so happy we found this place after we found out the other restaurant we wanted to try (Swan Oyster Depot) was closed. We arrived a little after 5 on the Monday the day after Christmas and this place was already packed. We were asked to write our names on the board just outside of the restaurant and to take a seat outside. As we were waiting, a waiter handed us a cup of their clam chowder. It was not thick and more soupy than what I'm usually used to, but was very tasty and wholesome. Also, there are many shops in the area to check out while you wait..
And for people that gave low reviews who didn't even try their oysters..Hello!! Read the name of the place - Anchor Oyster Bar. Don't knock it if you only tried their garlic bread and clam chowder. -
Review from Tracey A.
San Anselmo, CA
12/12/2011
Rumor has it that the owner plans to add heat lamps to the waiting area (the bench in front of the restaurant). That'd be a great move since this place takes no reservations, has only 5 tables plus a small food bar area, and is very popular.
Three of us enjoyed:
Crab cake entree with side of soup ($25.95)
Crab salad ( $24.95)
Artichoke w/ lemon aioli ( $10+)
Bowl of clam chowder ($6.50)
The food was good but pricey. Woodhouse Fish has pretty much the same menu, ambience, and flavors with a lower price point.
The long, cold, drink-less wait for a table with little oversight of the waiting list had me on constant high alert to the possibility that someone was going to slip their name in above mine. A naked Santa strolled past, momentarily distracting me from my wait-list vigilance. If I was on my toes I'd have seized that opportunity to slip my name up a notch or two. -
Review from Elaine N.
Ladies and gents, may I present to you Tubby Tubster? She packs on five hundy into her 62.5 inched frame (vertically). Yipyep, hello everybody!
Now everybody wants to know-- what's her secret? What in the world could possible contribute to her (and soon to be America's) chronic obesity?
Anchor Oyster Bar.
Anchor's chunky clam chowder that you may souse with a dozen packets of oyster crackers. Their ample St. Louis crab salad with hidden pockets of creamy Thousand Island Dressing. Their uber-stuffed St. Louis crab burger slathered with house-made tarter sauce. Their extra cheesy open-faced sandwich that makes you moan like Sally Albright at the delicatessen. Their buttery garlic bread, hot and toasty from the oven. The friendly pair and the Arnold Palmers they deliver to your table with their infecting smiles.
Stop reading and eat already!
W and I always end up spending at least $30 a piece here with happy bellies flopping all over the place (picture Steve Jobs during his last few moments with Homer Simpson's tummy). Pricey enough to keep us from hitting one thousy, but reasonable so we may visit at least a few times a month. -
Review from Eric A.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome place. I had no idea I had a seafood restaurant so close to where I live. It's a definite must in the Castro.
I had their Garlic Roasted Crab, I really liked it! The Rosemary was a good kick.
I can't really compare it to PPQ since it's more American, but it's pretty damn good. -
Review from Mike T.
Fremont, CA
1/2/2012
Went here since I saw the amazing reviews and was not impressed. Had a bowl of there $7 clam chowder and I was expecting to actually find a clam in there.
Next had the half order of the anchor special and the oysters were okay, the clams had a grainy texture to them which I didn't care for.
The only thing that saved it was the 2 jumbo prawns which were top notch.
Service was good and friendly just a tad bit slow. Would not go back especially for the price. -
Review from Beth J.
12/4/2011
Being from Sydney I love my seafood, so when we came on holidays to the US and were staying 50m up the road in Castro i HAD to visit Anchor Oyster Bar. I walked past every day on the way to the station.
The queues are epic, but even as tourists we figured out the best thing to do is jot your phone number on the white board and duck across the street to drink wine in the cute little bottle shop/bar across the road. Brilliant way to kill time.
Once inside the service is quick and snappy. Food is amazing, beer is cold. Between 3 of us we tried the oysters (not the usual selection available as it was Labour Day Holiday weekend), the mussels, the crab cakes, the bread (OMG even the bread was amazing), and the scallops.
Check this place out!!! You won't be disappointed! -
Review from Mar A.
I genuinely wanted to give this place 5 stars, but I couldn't bring myself to it. There are definitely 5 star traits.... but having this experience only warrants 3 stars.
You can't deny the freshness of this place. The oysters were on point! We ordered a half dozen and our server described where each oyster was from. I wish we were given the choice, because I think we all preferred the oysters from Canada, as opposed to the locally grown (the locally grown were large, but we preferred the sweetness of the other oysters).
Buckets of oyster crackers lined the side of the restaurant, and there was another heaping basket of crackers on each table. This is a hint to order the clam chowder. Clam chowder was delicious, and was hearty, but could have used more clams.
We ordered clams and mussels for the table. The clams were delicious! And the broth was heavenly. We must have asked for extra bread 4 or 5 times to dip into the garlic/wine broth that the clams were bathing in. However, the mussels.... ick. I love mussels, but these tasted weird, and I had a sick feeling in my stomach after eating a couple.
I ordered the pasta special. YUM!!!! The tomatoes and pasta absorbed the seafood flavors beautifully. Though it was a very large portion, I did not feel overstuffed after eating a majority of it. Such a satisfying feeling :)
Others at the table had the Petrole (YUM!), crabcakes (flaky and not dry), and mussels. The portions were large for all of the servings.
Overall a good meal, and great service. However, the mussels really soured the experience for me. We spent about $200 on the meal for four of us, and to leave not feeling well was just not a good thing. -
Review from chris r.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
OMG! All the great reviews underestimated the excellent experience we had there! The food, the service, the experience were ALL outstanding!! Definitely going back...again and again and again...
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Review from Chai S.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Holy crap! The seafood is http://bomb.com here. Everything was SUPER delicious.
Garlic roasted crab was full of garlic and butter flavor. The crab was full of meat. Something about that sauce just completely put this dish on another level.
Their calamari penne pasta was super yummy. It had a little kick to the marinara but that only enhanced the flavors of the calamari and pasta.
The cioppino was nice and full of CHUNKS of delicious, fresh seafood. Nice and tangy.
Definitely gotta add this to your "To Eat List". I guarantee that you won't be disappointed. It's kind of pricey but the portions are huge and enough for 2-3 people to share. And shout out to their waitstaff. Real helpful and on top of their game. -
Review from Tiffany C.
Daly City, CA
11/5/2011
Accessibility (Parking / Wait Time)
0/1 Star: It's street parking so we circled a couple times and ended finding parking in the neighborhood. They also don't take reservations so we tried to get there around 5:30pm. Got our names on the list and waited half an hour.
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Taste (0=Not Edible / 1=Edible / 2=Good (average) / 3=Must Try!)
2/3 Stars: We got the garlic bread and clam chowder. I loved the garlic bread! Warm, crunchy, and golden. The clam chowder was ok, but not mind-blowing, which surprised me given the 7x7 list and yelp reviews.
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Service (Waiter / Cleanness / Ambiance)
0/1 Star: I was very excited to come here to try the clam chowder since it was on the 7x7 list, but the service definitely affected the whole experience. I understand it can be crowded and people try their best to get to everyone, but we waited patiently for the waiter to take our order. Since no one came after 10 minutes, we had to ask for someone to take our order. At the end of the meal, no one came by even though we raised our hands, tried to get the attention, and stacked our dishes to indicate we were done.
_____
Overall Experience
2/5 Stars -
Review from Katarina L.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
EAT HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! UNSANITARY FOOD PREPARATION TECHNIQUES.
this is one restaurant where i almost walked out when i saw how the food was being prepared. but i decided to stay, primarily so i could continue to observe the atrocity of it all and report back to fellow yelpers.
1. the same rag is used to: hold the oysters while shucking, wipe down the food preparation area, take pans out of the oven, and clean off your plate to make it presentable before it is served to you.
2. cook had two friends visiting him on the night i patronized this place. one was his girlfriend, the other a male friend. both were drinking wine and eating food in the kitchen. where did the food come from? let me elaborate a little further. cook prepares customer's food in oven or stove. when ready, dishes some on friends' plates and then dishes the rest on the customer's plate.
3. cook takes baked scallops out of the oven, gives a couple to his friends, gives the rest to the customer's plate. realizes he gave too many to his friends and goes back to their plate, removes some and puts on customer's plate. Wipes around the edge of the customer's plate with rag mentioned in #1 to clean it off & make it presentable. Dish served to customer.
5. cook went into the bathroom with his girlfriend. 5 minutes later, comes out & wipes mouth on the back of his hand and resumes preparing food for customers.
6. cook's girlfriend, who is probably tipsy at this point, comes to food preparation area with food in one hand, glass of wine in other. Talks & laughs with mouth full over food that is being prepared.
7. cook's girlfriend eats & talks over a pan sitting on top the oven. When she leans over, the pan is less than 5 inches away from her mouth. Pan is used later on in the night to prepare food for a customer.
8. not inappropriate for food preparation rather a demonstration of how unprofessional the wait staff is. I was with my parents, it was around 8pm, rainy & cold and the only space available was 3 seats at the bar. I ordered a beer, my parents did not order drinks. After taking our order, the waitress at the bar says to a coworker in a voice loud enough so we can hear her say "I don't know why you would take up space at the bar if you're not ordering drinks." Mind you, we just ordered raw oysters, clam chowder, two appetizers, and three entrees. The name of the establishment is "Anchor Oyster Bar." Not "Anchor Bar."
I had a difficult time swallowing the 6 oysters I ordered (oh normally yummy kunamotos). The rest of the food was hard to enjoy after watching how other patrons' food was being prepared. I'm sure stuff like this happens in other kitchens. But those kitchens don't happen to have a large window into their kitchen. The owner / host did try to move me and my parents to another table once he noticed we were watching the food preparation. He also went to talk to the cook, who was then EXTRA careful when preparing the remainder of our food.
I am going to lodge a complaint with the SF Department of Public Health.
On another note, I waited two weeks to write this review so emotions from the unprofessional waitress comment would not influence my review. I have only documented only what I observed. SF DPH does keep a public record of their inspections. Anchor Oyster Bar has had multiple violations over the past couple of years with regards to food storage / preparation and cleanliness.
zero stars if i could. -
Review from Michelle H.
Daly City, CA
1/13/2012
I had the best crab there. Go get it. I will be back
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Review from Pearl C.
11/4/2011
Since they don't take reservations, I was a bit worried about getting a table but 9pm on a Tuesday night was perfect timing to grab a table for 5.
Staff was delightful and even offered eye glasses to someone at our table who couldn't read the menu.
The food was amazing. For starters we had a sampling of oysters, an artichoke & dungeness crab salad, and a plate of bread kept on coming out of the kitchen.
Meals that were ordered were clam chowder, mussel stew, trout, and the pasta dinner.
I got a dinner salad with shrimp that was simply okay but I have to kick myself for getting that because the trout (and everything else) was far superior.
Definitely heading back to Anchor Oyster Bar next time I'm in town. -
Review from Allan L.
San Francisco, CA
10/24/2011
Came here several months ago and the only thing we remember was the poor service. When they seated us and gave us our menu, nobody came to take our orders. We had to flag down a staff member to tell them we were ready, at which point our waiter actually came by. After our meal, they never brought us our check. I went up to the bar counter to ask for it and I saw our waiter in the back roll his eyes. The food itself was average but our experience was tainted by the lack of service.
My tummy gives Anchor Oyster Bar...2 Stars! -
Review from Gabe T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/27/2011
I went again last night and I have to say, that this place never disappoints me. We arrived early (about 4:30 PM) because this place can and will fill up quickly. I highly advise a game plan of some sorts and/or dine alone for a better chance at success. You can easily wait a good 45 minutes for a chance to eat. But once your in, it's definitely worth the wait. Why, last night Chef's Rose & Taylor had a wonderful Seafood Chowder on the menu that was simply amazing. First of all, it was huge! You could very easily share this with another person and walk away satisfied. It had all the fixings of their Cioppino, except it was in this creamy, white sauce that went straight to the soul.
I highly recommend ordering oysters when you dine here. They tend to have a small selection of premium oysters. Which, to me is a good thing. Three or four of the highest quality oysters should be enough for any discerning gourmand or glutton. We did a sample of each variety and needless to say, every single one of them were as fantastic as they were different. Great Selection!
Another reason that I love this little restaurant is that they let you bring your own wine, beer etc. NO CORKAGE FEE! That is really cool. And when you finish what you brought in, order wine from the menu. They have a decent selection of beers and wines to choose from.
I really do love this place. The best quality seafood, in a convenient locale with a truly wonderful staff and talented chefs. Why go anywhere else?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/31/2007
Love, Love, Love it! The best Cioppino in The City, hand's down. It is not always on the menu but if… Read more »
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Review from Jenny G.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Heard about this place through a friend and decided to try it out yesterday after Fleet Week air show with my boyfriend. This place is really small with just about 5 tables and a bar seating area. We got there at 615 on a Saturday and waited no more than 20 minutes, which isn't bad.
We ordered the steamed shellfish combo and a bowl of clam chowder. The chowder is really good, it isn't thick like chowder from other places and it's sweet with load of clam taste. For $6.50, it's a bit on the pricy side, but I think it's worth every penny of it. The steam shellfish is super bomb!! I'm not a mussels kinda girl, but I loved the mussels here. All the clams and mussels soaked up the soup they were cooked in so it marinated them and is very sweet and tasty. You can truly taste the freshness of the seafood. I will most definitely order the combo again!
The service here is good, but we were waiting to have our order taken for at least 10 minutes. They only have 1 guy who takes orders.. Other than that, the ambulance is great. You see the open kitchen where food is being cooked, and i loved cute boats decoration around the restaurant. They're restroom is a bit awkward to get to--you need to walk through the kitchen...
I'll be back to dine again. Just wish parking isn't so hard. -
Review from Sourma K.
Evanston, IL
9/19/2011
This meal was probably one of the best meals I've had thus far. We did wait a while because they don't take reservations but I promise you it was worth the wait. I love the area as well right next door was the office of the famous Harvey Milk which is now the Human Rights Campaign office. The area is eclectic, swanky, funky and gay as can be which is why I love it so much.
We started off with their garlic bread, it was the perfect amount of fresh garlic, parsley and of course parmesan cheese....WOW! Then for the appetizer had a half order of oysters there were three different kinds but of course I'm not gonna remember they were all too die for ate some with the vinegar mixture or cocktail sauce with a hint of fresh horseradish. Then for the main course, I had the special pasta dish, a Mediterranean pasta with mussels in a meyer lemon butter sauce. It was too die for, creamy, lemony but light and the perfect amount of mussels in a mostaccioli type pasta.
I cannot wait to come back. -
Review from Jennifer W.
San Francisco, CA
10/30/2011
Put your name on the board and WAIT!
Well worth it!
I was just looking for seafood and this place poppped up on my mobile yelp app and we went. It's a little place with a board by the front door where you put your name down and wait for a table. The parties ahead of us had waited over an hour.
We waited only about 20 mintues and it was so worthwhile. I love places like this, simple, but perfectly done. Great music and lighting, simple decor and very quaint and intimate. Even though it's tiny and busy, they don't rush you.
We had the crabcake appetizer, honestly the crabcakes were a bit on the bland side, but their homemade tartar sauce was great. I had the sole for my entree and it was fabulous, as well as enormous, it came with whipped potatoes and steamed vegetables My husband had oysters, I'm not a huge oyster fan, but he had nothing but positive reviews about the ones he ate.
I'd highly recommend this place and will come back! -
Review from James O.
Lanark, IL
12/26/2011
Talk about one of the best meals I have ever had! I have told friends about this place whenever they come to San Francisco. Every time I am back in the Bay Area, I make a point to visit this particular restaurant. The coziness of the place, and the quality of the food, as well as the friendly staff and cook bring me in.
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Review from Kurt L.
San Francisco, CA
10/29/2011
The fish stew, not quite Cioppino without the crab, is amazingly, deliciously phenomenal. Beware of the orgasmic response after you dip the garlic bread in the sauce and touch it to your tongue. It will be hard to make another selection next time I go there.
The wine list is small but decent, and they have a nice variety of beers.
The dining room is small, but the ambiance is warm and cozy. I loved hearing the soft voice of Ella Fitzgerald while we ate.
Definitely going back. -
Review from Sofia R.
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I were grabbing lunch and we decided we wanted to try something different. It felt like clam chowder weather and lo and behold, Anchor Oyster Bar was closeby!
The place itself is easy to get to if you take muni. It's pretty small so you might pass by it without noticing, but it's a pretty cool place. Very lovely inside.
We ordered the sauteed garlic prawns entree (with roasted potatoes, veggies, and a cup of clam chowder) with a side of garlic bread.
The garlic bread came in a huge basket. It was toasted nicely with a good amount of cheese and garlic flavor. Definitely worth getting. -
Review from Christine L.
New York, NY
10/6/2011
AMAZING FOOD.
-FRIED OYSTERS
-GARLIC BREAD
-DUNGEONNESS CRAB stuffed with sole fish and mashed potatoes
-house special Pancho (or panko?? its not listed on the menu)
I was playing tourguide in the city, and my boyfriend wanted to eat SF seafood for dinner. I asked my brother to look up a place (since i still do not own a smart phone) and he redirected us here.
For starters we had the house special FRIED OYSTERS which is what everybody raves about. They. Were. Amazing. I recently became a fan of charboiled oysters (I HATE the texture and taste of regular raw oysters), and these fried oysters were GREAT!! Then for entrees we ordered the special for the day which is a DUNGEONNESS CRAB stuffed with SOLE FISH and mashed potatoes. I've been wanting to try the dungeonness crab for forever, as it is not an east coast delicacy so I was incredibly excited to try it!! and just let me tell you, it lived up to my expectations and more! The sole was also amazing and delicious. My man ordered the house special PANCHO (or panko? i forget what it's actually called) which came with GARLIC BREAD. It's a soupy seafood extravanganza.
Ok. To be honest, the first bite of the garlic bread is very par. However, after you get past the first bite, omg. the Garlic bread is delish just like everyone raves about!
Overall, it was one of the better seafood meals i've had in my life. It's so amazing. OMG definitely a MUST GO!!
Etc - This place is super CUTE! You put your name, party quantity, and time of arrival at this white board outside, and you can wait in the seats for them to come get you when there's a space available. The area is super COZY and quaint with cute decorations. The bathroom is super cute, organized, and pretty! It's tucked back into a little corner behind the kitchen.
The kitchen is kind of in an open space behind a circular open window thing in the back, but you can definitely see them preparing your food. At the end ,I gave the chef and sous-chef my regards and I think they really appreciated it! The food was so amazing I love this place. Can't wait to go back out and try other restaurants in the castro district. I wish the east coast had a Castro district / Anchor oyster bar as well.
Note - while i was sitting outside waiting for my name to be called, a naked pair of old wrinkly men walked past me in the chilly sf weather. hahaha. oh man. only in castro.... -
Review from David B.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Been back to this place several times over the last few months -- still deserves all 5 stars with enthusiasm, but make sure to try all their different kinds of oysters by getting the full special plate. I never knew that oyster of different species/from different climates could be so different -- it's fun to see what the differences are by getting the sampler.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/1/2011
A notable exception to the general rule that the Castro doesn't have good food -- this place is even… Read more »
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Review from Elaine W.
Updated - 8/25/2011 4 photos
This has become one of our mainstays when we're too lazy to cook at home and want to treat ourselves. During our most recent visit, we shared an order of garlic bread (possibly the best garlic bread on the planet) and clam chowder, crab cake entree for him, one of the daily specials for me (steamed Alaskan cod with lemon & thyme, mashed potatoes, and asparagus), with iced tea & white wine to drink...our bill was just under $60. A tremendous value compared to most meals we've enjoyed at this caliber in SF.
As this establishment is small, and gets busy, I recommend dining early. We love having early dinners here around 5-6pm during the weekdays, and right when they open at 4pm on Sundays. We're able to take our time and don't feel the pressure of having to rush through our meal to make room for waiting customers. Also, make sure to check out the daily specials written by the door and up above the bar's dry-erase board. They're always a treat, and almost never repeated twice.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/15/2010
Everytime we've attempted to eat here it's packed with at least a 45 minute wait time. No… Read more »
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Review from CTP p.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011 1 photo
Anchor Oyster is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by you if you haven't already been seduced by its deliciousness. From the quaint and sparkling interior to its friendly staff-- your entire dining experience is top-notch. This is my go-to spot with out of town guests wanting fantastic seafood, especially since the entire dining experience has a wonderful neighborhood feel in a adorable space.
Go for the daily specials and oysters. They never disappoint. Chef Taylor knows how to create magic in your mouth. The things he can do with seafood has diners turning heads as plates parade out from the kitchen. The garlic bread is to die for too.
Pricing is on the higher end but you pay for quality and innovation. -
Review from Raquel Y.
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
4.5 stars? 3 stars for me. Ok place, but kind of overrated.
Why?
1. we waited for almost an hour and a half for 5 people
2. small place
3. no bathrooms
4. food wasn't anything special
More detail:
1. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT come here with more than a party of 2 if you don't want to wait. There's literally 3 tables, 2 tiny tables for couples, and then a bar for maybe about 6-8 more people, allowing about 25 customers max to feed for a place this popular. We waited for an hour and a half. AN HOUR AND A HALF. It can take me 10 minutes to finish a meal if I'm super hungry! But, they were very nice and reciprocated to this by giving us a lot of free samples for being so patient. They gave people standing/sitting outside cups of clam chowder. When we finally got our table, we got free bread and butter as well as garlic bread! And they were chowed down in no more than a minute because we were starving. So yeah, come when it first opens or with no more than 2 people.
2. Look at number 1
3. Yeahh... self explanatory haha
4. People talked about the clam chowder being "perfect" but it wasn't really. Too thin, being creamy and thicker would've made it perfect. The garlic bread was good though, nice and crunchy. We ordered a seafood pasta the server recommended that wasn't in the menu or board. He said he had calamari, clams, white wine, some tomato sauce, basil, etc (he talked really fast I couldn't catch everything). It was really good, but not too special for the wait we had.
Overall: Ok place, nothing special, good service, but would try something different rather than coming back here. -
Review from Noah G.
Manhattan, NY
12/16/2011
During an extended trip to San Francisco, I found my way to Anchor Oyster Bar more than once. I enjoyed a range of dishes, from daily selections of shucked oysters, flavorful garlic bread, dungoness crab cocktail, intensely flavorful cioppino, clams in wine with herbs, creamy clam chowder and more. The flavors were great and while the menu is fairly brief, it delivers a range of tasty an flavorful seafood dishes. The waits were fine for me and the service was friendly and casual. I would prefer some more vegetable/fresh flavors to balance the intense buttery/garlickly fare, but once you have prepared yourself for that lack, this place is a hit.
