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Hog Island Oyster Co
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
1 Ferry BldgShop 11
San Francisco, CA 94111
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
(415) 391-7117
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 8 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1464 reviews for Hog Island Oyster Co
Review Highlights
"The grilled cheese sandwich is rich & decadent."
(in 222 reviews)
"still my favorite happy hour in the city."
(in 475 reviews)
"The Acme bread is incredible and super crunchy."
(in 58 reviews)
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1463 reviews in English
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Review from Sue Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
(((( CALLING all oyster fans ))))
Seriously, no joke...
If you love oysters, a stop at Hog Island should be one of your life's goals.
It's like :
... eating macarons from Laduree for a macaron lover
... slipping on a pair of louboutins for a shoe whore
... owning a chanel purse for a girl
..........point proven?
=======
YAY for happy hour + saturday farmer's market dollar oyster prices! Otherwise I'd seriously go broke here.
Like seriously. -
Review from Ryan H.
Boston, MA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I couldn't bring myself to order a grilled cheese as my entree at a seafood restaurant, even though it was so frequently written up on here - and looked amazing on other tables. But I was by myself, and couldn't justify 3 dishes... so I passed.
Instead, I went out on a limb and got the special for the day - a gumbo. Tons of shellfish (Hog Island oysters, Penn Cove mussels, manila clams, roasted chicken, and linguica sausage... all in a rich stock with just enough heat to do the gumbo proud). I paired it with a salad of little gem (kind of a butter lettuce-meets-romaine), fuji apple ribbons, toasted marcona almonds, and navel orange supremes - all tossed with a champagne vinaigrette and topped with grated ricotta salata. It was a perfect pair - sweet and nutty and cold, with spicy and rich and warm. The crusty bread rolls were local and were a perfect accompaniment.
Naturally, I kicked it all off with some wine - their bottle list was great, but I had a hard time picking one I really wanted that was available by the glass.
The atmosphere was great - I sat on the deck, overlooking the Bay Bridge.
The service was very good - consistently friendly and attentive, but not aggressive.
The menu was short, but definitely gave me exactly what I wanted for a leisurely Sunday lunch. -
Review from Joe M.
My pals were visiting from San Diego and insisted that they revisit Hog Island for their amazing clam chowder during the trip. After a long walk across the entire city during the day, our group made our way toward the Ferry Building for some chow before the closed. There was a fairly long line, but we managed to get seated before the closing bell.
We ordered two large platters of oysters and clam chowder for all. The oysters had the cleanest finish of oysters I've ever had, and were amazing with some Tabasco and lemon. The clam chowder was very nice, and had dozens of small clams in it. It was the oysters themselves that did it for me and I could eat those all day if I could afford it. Absolutely delicious!
I've been wanting to try Hog Island since moving back to the day and am really glad I finally got the opportunity. The long lines speak kindly to the popularity of the place and it's a great place to enjoy a meal with friends at the bar. Service was pretty good too and it's fun watching the fellas shuck the oysters across the bar. I can't wait till my friends come back so we can bring them back!
Food: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: 8/10 -
Review from Sofia R.
A bunch of friends wanted to get lunch and decided they wanted to try this place. I didn't complain.
The last time I was here for a big meal, the wait wasn't as absurdly long as it was the day we went. We waited for 30 minutes to be seated. This is not just because we had a big group (5) because others waited for quite a while as well. The good thing about this wait is that we had a lot of time to decide what we wanted to order so we were able to order our food right away.
We were finally seated outside. We ordered 6 Kumamoto oysters to share (poor college students, sorry). I ordered the Mizuno salad and split an order of the Casino baked oysters with a friend. Everyone else ordered clam chowder, grilled cheese, and the Little Gem salad respectively.
The oysters were good, just kinda small. I still consider their oysters the best I've ever had. My friends liked them too.
I didn't like my salad that much. It was rather bland and not as exciting as the description seemed. The other friend that ordered a salad said the same thing about his. You can order Boquerones (Spanish anchovies) with your salad for $2. I didn't think I needed them, but I ended up adding salt to my salad so....I guess getting the anchovies wouldn't actually hurt.
The friends that ordered the clam chowder enjoyed their meal, but complained about the fact that the shells were still in the soup. They're also not quite used to a more liquidy chowder, but I feel like their chowder is quite good and worth getting.
The Casino oysters were delicious. Flavorful and fresh! I wouldn't mind getting them again.
The one who was most satisfied with his meal was the friend who ordered the grilled cheese. It was not the prettiest dish, but it was the heartiest and the tastiest (based on his description and based on the few bites that I stole). Comfort food at it's best. I'm quite picky with grilled cheeses that are sold in restaurants because they're usually not as great as I make them but this one was awesome. I recommend.
Overall, good place. The wait can be killer depending on when you go but it's a place worth going to as long as you order the right thing!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/31/2011
I've been to both the little stand that hangs out in the middle of the ferry building and I've been… Read more »
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Review from Teo B.
East Bay, CA
2/5/2012
Came here to start my birthday celebration last Friday. We walked thru the entrance of the ferry building and I had forgotten that the location was in the back portion. We ended up discovering the place like how I planned.
All these time I thought that the restaurant was big but it was the opposite. Inside it was almost a hole in the wall but a little bigger and they do have an outdoor sitting. You either sit at the bar area where you can see them shuck and make your food or there's the 3 chair tables available inside.
The menu sample they have online is pretty much what they have. The special of the day might change and the rest of the menu is the same. After all, the oysters is their main star. The prices for the oysters is a $1-$3 more than what you see from the menu pictures taken by other Yelpers. The cost of things always goes up every year so don't be surprised.
We had the manila clams that came in white wine sauce with chick peas and scallions and boy it was pretty good. I'm thankful for the extra bread the servers give because it just soaks it right up but don't leave it in there for too long because it will be to salty like what my bf did. You can actually split it and there's plenty of clams in it to share. I've been craving oysters forever but wanted to try the varieties so I ordered their oyster bar mix. I wasn't able to tell the differences of taste in the oysters so next time I'm just going to get the Hog Island Sweet Water or the Pacific. All I cared about was just getting the medium to large size and EAT! If you're a beginner and afraid to slurp the oyster down, try a smaller one like the kumamoto.
I noticed that their cocktail mix is more like a marinara with a little bit of horse radish in it. Normally I like to eat mine with tons of it but this time, I didn't because it tasted funny (I'm used to the bottled version I guess). The lemon juice did it for me rather than their mignonette. We didn't order any beverage this time so with 12 pcs of mix oyster, manila clams, tax and tip we spent around $60.
I would definitely come back but like what everyone else says, HAPPY HOUR IT IS!!! -
Review from Roger F.
Orange, CA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Baked oysters! You can't go wrong here.
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Review from Ivy N.
Pasadena, CA
2/6/2012
oh em gee! this place is ah-mazing!! first of all the view is gorgeous good thing we went there around the time the sun was setting it was beautiful seriously!
We ordered:
24 of the Hog Island Atlantics - they were so fresh and the mignonette sauce that they came with was to die for! They were so cold & fresh it was definitely an experience.
I also got an order of the "steamer" clams. The broth that it came with was so delicious I was sipping it like it was soup. I could taste the wine in it and it was so light and tasty! I dipped my bread into it and it just made it that much better!
the view plus fresh oysters I mean ... it just can't be beat!! -
Review from Gustavus B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
What ever is on the menu you are sure to enjoy. The service is outstanding makes the tight space comfortable. The clam chowder is fresh and made to order..
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Review from Michael D.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
I was terrified of oysters before I came to Hog Island Oyster Co: Why would I willing slide something down my throat that, for all intents and purposes, might not be completely "dead" dead by the time it reached my table? But then they came, the little sea angels that they are, resting comfortably chilled on a bed of frosty crushed ice. Suddenly it all made sense-- Cool, refreshing, and briny, a dozen grows into 3 dozen quickly here, especially with a good IPA.
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Review from Rebecca C.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
Love this place -- go on tuesday and thursday Happy Hour for fantastic oysters for $1 (or maybe slightly more). Even though they don't serve hog island oysters for happy hour, the substitute is still quite good, and always fresh and served clean (rather than sandy which could break one's tooth leading to an unwilling dentist appointment!)
Hog island oysters are probably one of my favorites, with a sweet delicate taste. I could eat 50 of these at one sitting given the right situation!
the clams are quite good as well. -
Review from Gina C.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
Excellent oysters, but everything else is WAY overpriced. $9 for a beet salad? With no cheese? Damn. Go here for happy hour oysters ($1.35 a pop and super delicious, Monday and Thursday 5-7pm) and eat the rest of your dinner elsewhere. All of the other oysters are $3. Get here at 4:45 sharp to avoid a super-long line!
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Review from Isaac T.
San Leandro, CA
1/21/2012
Fresh oysters without the need to get down and dirty like we do at Tomales Bay. Prices are fair and they have many appetizers and entrees to try too. I heard the clam chowder was awesome. The gumbo was great for the amount of seafood they put in there.
On a side note, they charged me $148.04 on my credit card when I wrote $84.14 I initially freaked but I called Hog Island and spoke with Craig (sp?) the manager and refunded the difference right away. He even asked if I wished to give the same amount of tips.. which was considerate.
Everything was fixed in the end so that little incident didn't affect my rating of the restaurant. But maybe something to look out for on your next visit. (84.14 to 148.04... dyslexia?) -
Review from Isaac V.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great place for oysters and wine by the pier. The service is always excellent. May be a bit of a wait but it is well worth it.
Must try the oyster stew and grilled cheese ... to die for o.O -
Review from J M.
Oakland, CA
1/28/2012
Fresh, delicious oysters (a dozen Bar Mix for $36).
Grilled cheese was decadent and wonderful though a little pricey ($14).
Clam chowder consists of a thinner base, hunks of potato, pieces of bacon, and clams in the shell ($12). I had two clams that didn't open. If you are expecting a hearty, thick chowder from Fisherman's Wharf or Boudin, this isn't the chowder for you.
Dinner service was polite though a little slow though the restaurant wasn't full. I sat outdoors and the view of the bridge was awesome.
I enjoyed my experience though I may just come back here for happy hour or oysters and drinks. -
Review from Alicia C.
Citrus Heights, CA
1/19/2012
I love oysters. My boyfriend and I were very excited to get to have them again on our vacation, and this was the second place we went to to have oysters (definitely the better of the two as well). I actually found this restaurant on yelp and it seemed very promising.
The actual restaurant is small, I'd say including the bar it probably seats about 20 people. We came at 9:15 on a Tuesday night and still had to wait about 10 minutes. Not that bad, but we only had 2 people which was perfect considering that most of the tables sat 2. There was a group of 4 who waiting when we got there and they had to wait a few minutes longer than us. They also do not take reservations. It was freezing when we went but the patio looked like it would be gorgeous during the day, right on the pier overlooking the water. If you're a tourist be careful finding it, it's in the ferry building, a building that looks like all the other buildings on the pier and is only identified by the plain lettering declaring it the ferry building. There are no signs saying that the restaurant is in the building.
The service is very good. There are only a handful of people working in the entire place, but they keep the place running very smoothly. They're well informed about the oysters and can answer any questions you may have,
The oysters are the best part of course. I'd suggest the sampler platter so you can try all the variety they have. Every oyster has a distinctive flavor, all amazing and fresh. Don't worry if the oysters are smaller than you might see at other restaurants. Oysters are a delicacy and often the smaller ones are the most flavorful. These are the freshest oysters I've ever had-something that makes them the best. I do wish they had crystal sauce.
Don't go here if you don't want oysters, that's pretty much all there is on the menu.
Lastly, be aware of the price. I rarely get to have oysters so we factored in getting to overspend to make it worth it, but know before you get there it won't be cheap. We spent over $100, including a tip and small beer (and a great lemonade they make in house). We got 36 oysters, all samplers-first two dozen and then they were so amazing we ordered an extra dozen. Not bad at all for such high quality oysters, but if you aren't used to oyster prices then you might be surprised. -
Review from Lily S.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Now I know what the hype is all about.
I LOVE Hog Island Oyster Co.
Sunday morning after Hiking Yoga - what a better way to start off a Sunday than fresh seafood and a Farmers Market
Even though the Ferry Building was bustling and the line seemed really long, the wait was only 15-20 minutes (not bad at all for SF).
We sat outside overlooking the Bay with a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge and the water. Times like these that make me fall in love with the city all over again.
THE FOOD - Crisp, inventive, and mouth-watering flavors
My friend and I ordered one of everything and shared it:
1. Free bread - can't beat bread and butter.. that's free
2. Salad with apples, clementines, candied walnuts, lettuce, and a vinaigrette dressing - very light and the fruits really made the salad so much more wonderful and unique. I am usually not a fan of salads and I absolutely loved this one.
3. Baked Oysters with Lobster and garlic - Amazing and so fresh. Enough said.
4. Mussels with tomato sauce - Could've done without. A little too salty and tasted like canned tomato paste.
5. Clams Steamer - Really light yet flavorful. Enough for two people.
Overall, I loved everything, with the mussels being my least favorite and the oysters being my favorite. I would definitely come back and try the raw oysters that everyone raves about (I'll be more adventurous next time...) and the infamous grilled cheese with gruyere.
Man.. I love San Francisco/West Coast and its fresh seafood! -
Review from John A.
Redway, CA
2/5/2012
Well... it was interesting to find that this place was packed and bustling with business, while the place directly next to it, looked closed (but it wasn't). Everybody that's in-the-know, knows Hog Island rocks! Super fresh oysters and steamers. A little skimpy on bringing us more sourdough though. What's up with that? This is San Francisco, right? C'mon... bring us more bread to soak up the salty, steamer broth will ya? Ok... ok... they were busy and we were only having apps and a few beers in the late afternoon. He had bigger oysters to shuck (fish to fry). Great outdoor seating where you can watch the parade of people and ferrys coming and going from Marin. Nice place to take some visitors from out of town or if you are from out of town.
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Review from Chris L.
Updated - 1/11/2012
I really like the set up of this place, as it has a nice oyster shucking ring side seat, and is very casual. The prices are great, as they don't have to charge for an exceedingly fancy setting. Great views of the SF bay, tucked in the Ferry Building.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Tomales Bay atlantic oysters, which were extremely fresh and didn't have a drop of sediment in a single shell. The bar (it's the primary seating area other than the patio) is a little small, but this is an excellent place to bring first time oyster-ers, as the quality and selection is excellent here.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/9/2012
I really like the set up of this place, as it has a nice oyster shucking ring side seat, and is very… Read more »
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Review from Kevin R.
Temecula, CA
1/24/2012
The wait is kind of absurb, especially when there is plenty of empty seats and they actually told people "we don't want to overburden the waitress". Lame.
But the raw oysters were top notch quality - had the mixed selection as most do.
The baked oysters were crazy tasty, especially the lobster one. I'm an oyster purist, so didn't think I'd like them overwrought like this - but it was really damn good.
The pricing seems very high on the baked items ($3 per oyster). So this is definitely a "special treat" kind of a place, but certainly worth coming to occasionally. -
Review from Kristen T.
San Jose, CA
1/1/2012
Mmmm clam chowder soup...
My fellow foodie friend told me that this place had the best clam chowder soup he's ever tasted. So after year of knowing this, I finally managed to make the trip out to the Ferry building to try it. My brother and I were seated immediately. We ordered the famous clam chowder and grilled cheese sandwich. The chowder came with about 6 clams and a few potato bits. You can definitely taste all the bacon that they added in the soup which made it mmmmm mmm good! The only thing I wish they would've done was made the broth a little thicker..it is chowder after all! The grilled cheese on the other hand, was good, but not great. Don't think I would order this dish if I came here again. -
Review from Damon L.
Baltimore, MD
1/16/2012
Great Oysters and friendly service.
Sunday Gumbo was excellent, Raw oysters were too, everything else was average (Grilled Cheese, Chowder and Steamers) -
Review from Judy Z.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Oysters are fresh with the salt water still in there.
Five stars if you aren't the one paying the bill :) -
Review from Alen K.
Oakland, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Real clams in the chowder, if that's not enough to convince you to come here, I guess you'll have to continue reading this review for more motivation.
First off, I came here on Jan 2, which many businesses were still closed for new years. Surprisingly, most of the Ferry Building was open, and that included Hog Island Oyster. I was actually here at the Ferry Building last week but I didn't have room in my stomach for more food at day.
The wait was actually not too bad compared to the other reviews I have read. My party of 4 didn't wait more than 20 minutes with about 12 people in line (roughly 3 groups). We got a table outside and proceeded to place our orders, chowder, grilled chesse, and some oysters of course.
I ended up splitting the chowder with my girlfriend because we were saving room incase we were going to order more. Even with the split, each of us got 8 clams in our bowl of chowder. My friends each counted 16 and 18 respectfully. The clams were amazing, cook just right, and the broth wasn't overly creamy like in canned soups.
The grilled chesse was great, I had to try it because I saw the reviews, but I think we could had done without it for this meal as we were getting full.
Our waitress informed us that happy hour was coming up and that she'll take our order and put it in right at the start of it. We ended up getting more oysters for the table.
We ended the meal at $91 for 4 people, I accidentally calculated our tip for $10 and returned back to personally give our waitress $10 more. She had this look on her face when she was punching in our original tab and when I handed the $10 to her with our apologies, she was back to her positive spirits, I still feel sorry for making her feel bad for that brief moment.
By the time we left, there were over 25 people in line. Guess their wait was going to be longer... -
Review from Elisa L.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went with 3 other friends, had to wait for a little over an hour - but it was worth it. The service was great - one of us never ate oysters before, and the chef explained how to eat them properly, and what condiments to add depending on our tastes.
We had a seat outdoors and our meal occurred right near sunset - happened to be clear skies so it really provided a great atmosphere.
These oysters were delicious - I like them with the tabasco sauce, but actually prefer them raw. I believe we had the Pacific ones. Me and a friend also ordered clam chowder - best chowder Ive had. Great with the bread that comes with the meal.
I would definitely come here again, the price and wait being both totally worth it. -
Review from Van P.
Orange County, CA
12/14/2011
HOG ISLAND OYSTER.
Translation: I hogged all the oysters.
....no really. I devoured most of the oysters when I came here to eat with my Norcal friends. I was the most selfish mofucker at the table. HAHAHA
This place is gorgeous !! The view of the Bay is breathtaking & serene !! The experience is something you gotta do when you visit SF. Keep warm though, it gets pretty cold & windy. It's the Bay. Duh.
While waiting, we got in touch with our adventurous side...checking out the farmer's market & shops offered here. It's nice to have something to do while we waited. Once we got seated, we ordered a bottle of their best Chardonnay (forgot the name of it but it was so crisp & clean & yummy).
Here at Hog Island, they offered various oysters, which to me tasted all the same when you're buzzed. Trust me I have really good palates & taste but these oysters all tasted the same to me !! YUMMY SAME that is !! =D
I LOVEEE seafood so coming here was zeeeeee bessstttt. You can dip your oysters in lime-salt-pepper sauce. And if you're in a group, don't hold back. Eat all you can & look like a complete asshole for taking most of the oysters. You won't regret it =P
Service here is spot-on !! Our waiter checked up on us plentiful !! No mistakes to be made !!
So come here, sit back, enjoy the amazing view, and hog all the oysters. That's why it's called Hog Island Oyster. Duh -
Review from Tony S.
Durango, CO
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
The house oysters were good, but not spectacular. When we commented that the oysters seemed a bit small, we were assured that the reason they had mid-size oysters (vs large) was to avoid "chewy" oysters. However, we had just sampled some top-notch oysters minutes earlier at Waterbar, which were less expensive for Happy Hour, larger, and more rich/flavorful. So, we tried some of the other NON-Happy Hour oysters at Hog Island. Again good, but not amazing.
They did have a couple of decent craft beers beers and good bread. The service was ok, but not very friendly or attentive. We had to ask for more oysters & drinks.
FYI - The place is pretty small, we we opted to sit outside so that we could still qualify for Happy Hour time frame. The moonrise over the Bay Bridge was amazing. If you do choose that outside option, make sure and bring a heavy coat as it got quite cold. -
Review from Eloise W.
Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2012
I enjoy this as much as Swan Oyster Depot. The farm is a must-see.
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Review from Shira H.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
Hmmm, I'm hearing good things about the happy hour, so I must go back for that. I've only experienced the clam chowder, which is good, and the oyster po'boy, which is overly salty. Must go back for the fresh oyster's for sure.
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Review from Sam T.
12/7/2011
Came here with a small group of visitors. The GF said this place was a must try. Waited a good 30 minutes for a table at 11am (really..) on a friday afternoon. While in line I was starring at the Menu which really consisted only a few items. Lets just say if you're not down for oysters, clam chowder, grilled cheese...you should probably skip out of here =) No pun intended.
Food:
Know for their clams still in shell clam chowder. I'm not big on clam chowder. I prefer the small joints off the pier over this. Had a stench I couldn't point out and a few crunchy moments from the sand in the soup. I opted to order a fish dish which was pretty decent.
Service:
A bit on the slow end. They were pretty busy so I didn't expect prompt service
Environment:
Sat out in the sun overlooking the water and the bay bridge. Prime real estate here..at least I know our overpriced meal went to a great view =
Price:
I think it was $14 for a bowl of clam chowder...yea...that is very pricey, but I guess the marketing and branding warrants the price for most people.
If you're following that SF checklist of places to eat I'd stick this one on the lower end of the list.
Food: 3
Service: 3
Environment 5
Price: 2 -
Review from Toru K.
Cupertino, CA
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pricy, crowded and narrow, but delicious. The last one does count.
We went there for Saturday lunch just before noon, expected to wait for a while in line. We needed to wait about twenty minutes or so in fact. It was worth waiting, definitely.
We ordered Hog Island sweet water oysters, baked oysters (Casino), and clam chowder. They were all delicious. Especially oysters, tremendously fresh and juicy.
The clam chowder here is different from a typical San Francisco speciality. Light taste, clams in their shells, and not served in a (sour) bread bowl. And, it's still (or, for this reason) very good.
There is another seafood bar on the other side of the place. I hope Hog Island merge that bar and expand the space. -
Review from Cathy S.
I think they have oysters here...
We didn't want to over eat for dinner so... Oysters it is!
Miss the men in Boston with their burly forearms from shucking many a oyster...
This will have to do on the West Coast.
After disclosing that this was our first time here we asked the waitress what she would recommend. Her reply was the Oysater Bar Mix to start off with, clam chowder and a grilled cheese sandwich. That would have put us into a food coma so, we opted for just the oysters.
Oyster Bar Mix http://www.yelp.com/bi.... $32.00
The Hog Island Sweetwater oyster were our favorite so, we ordered 6 more at $15.00.
Hubby had a beer and I had a chard, the only chard on the menu available by the glass.
Great service, great bread and great location make it a great first dinner in SF!
Oysters and bread - 5 Stars
Service - 4 Stars
Ambiance - 5 StarsListed in: I left my heart in SF
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Review from Eunie k.
Los Angeles, CA
12/7/2011
Love Love Love this place!
located inside the ferry building marketplace it has a beautiful view of the bay and the oysters are super fresh and just divine to eat.....
I highly recommend you come here about 15mins before they open cuz the line gets crazy long -
Review from Lisa P.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012
Went here looking for some good clam chowder and boy was I impressed! The clams were plentiful and fresh in a tasty broth that wasn't thick like your typical chowder. It was delicious and reasonably priced. The place is small and the seating is kind of tight, but the service was outstanding so I'll definitely be back when I'm in town.
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Review from Christine Z.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2011
Killer spot in the Ferry Building.
Amazing view of Bay Bridge and the bay.
Bomb ass Happy Hour.
And, fantastic oyster selection, which rotates very often... giving you only the freshest oysters to pick from.
People flock in hoards to Hog Island... so either come early, or be prepared to wait (especially if your party is larger than two!). -
Review from Diana D.
Pasadena, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
The oysters here are amazing. Gets crowded but its great sitting outside people watching. The sauce is amazing with the oyster. I would recommend get there right when it opens, cause it does get hectic. And sitting outside is the best view.
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Review from Nina N.
Garden Grove, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here during my 3 day vacation in SF. This is what I ordered
Grilled cheese Sandwich: love the crunchy bread and the pickles
Oyster bar mix ( 24) : very fresh, my favorite is Kumamoto
Kumamoto oysters ( 6): it was so good that I gotta another order
Baked oysters: too much butter for my taste
Scallop with shiitake mushroom: best dish
It was a long line when I got here. The waiter asked if we wanted to sit outside patio but no heater. I guess nobody wanted to sit outside when it was 50 F and super windy so there were few tables available. We didn't want to wait so we sat outside. It has nice view but so damn cold
TIP: bring your thick jacket and hat in case u want to sit outside. -
Review from Shalin D.
12/3/2011
There's really nothing more refreshing than oysters on crushed ice and a glass of crisp white wine while sitting alongside the Bay. Even better: you can see the Marin ferries dock and depart, watch the seagulls cajole for crumbs, and listen to the hum of tourists and locals alike buzzing excitedly about San Francisco.
But, as much as these things are the draw, they're also what keeps me away.
The oysters are good but when you order a tray of dozen mixed on the half-shell, you can end up with some that are quite excellent and others that are on the scummy side. Luck of the draw, I guess. The atmosphere can be great when the Ferry Building isn't busy. But, more often than not, the building is packed. And that noise coupled with the long lines that inevitably form here can be frustrating. And the tourists crowding Hog Island can sometimes be oppressive; there's only so many times you can hear a visitor describing the "awesome" view from the CoIt Tower.
When you net things out, this place ends up being good but not great. -
Review from Jia min C.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
The Hog Island oysters are the first raw oysters I've ever had. I sampled them at Outside Lands a few years ago and their representative at the press tent was more than gracious with me even though I acted like an idiot, telling him I'd never tried raw oysters and I literally did not know what to do.
Since my first taste of the Hog Island oysters, I've become an oyster fiend. Definitely my gateway drug into oysters. They are the standard against which I measure other oysters, although admittedly I had some oysters when i was in Vancouver BC which were arguably better (gasp!).
To me, these oysters are perfectly sized because I'm sometimes still squeamish about the idea. I ordered raw oysters at the Boiling Crab in San Jose and they were big and super gross. I gave the rest to my friend because I couldn't stomach. The Hog Island oysters, however, I will eat by the bucket (or truckful?).
The oysters by themselves are wonderful, but I love love love the hog wash mignonette. The oysters come on a round metal tray, beautfully presented on a bed of ice, on a half shell, with the mignonette at the center. I actually hate cocktail sauce and would never put it on an oyster and will judge you severely if you use it.-- mainly due to my distaste for 80% of all tomato-based products.
I crazily one morning went to this place with a friend and shared a dozen oysters, along with a beer. Now, raw oysters and beer sounded like a nightmare waiting to happen for the rest of my day, but the pairing oddly worked. I think that if it wasn't going to work out, the waiter would have told me. Oh, and the bread is from Acme and it is fantastic. I'm not a huge fan of bread as a generally matter, but this bread is super yummy and acts as a vehicle for me to basically eat butter. It's really fresh and soft too.
I've also gotten the oyster stew, which was sooooo rich and creamy. I dream about that dish. It was so luxurious. My ideal rainy Saturday may very well be to grab a spot at Hog Island, order some raw oysters, and then drown myself in the deliciousness of this stew.
The location itself is pretty tiny and they get tons of business, though I've never had to wait an unreasonable amount of time for a table. There is also outdoor seating which I have yet to take advantage of because of the generally cold SF weather, especially by the Bay. It's definitely pricey, but so so worth it.
My next steps are 1) go here for happy hour and 2) learn how to shuck oysters and go to their farm in Tomales Bay. You'll be seeing me again soon, Hog Island. -
Review from Troy v.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011
My first time eating oysters in SF. I ate many many bushels of Atlantic oysters when living in Charleston, SC. I wanted to know what sweet water oysters tasted like so naturally I ordered a dozen. They were yummy! I could have eaten more if I knew when happy hour was (Thanks to a special someone, her nickname now when we go out is "Happy Hour"). $25 bucks for 12 medium sized oysters is a bit pricey. The yellow beer was good too. The fish was good, but again, pricey for a flat piece of 2"x4" fillet. I would definitely come back when I find out the time for Happy Hour. All in all, it was a nice experience.
The only thing I would change is not to sit outside when it's cold and drinking cold beers and having my back toward the water. I missed the gorgeous view of the bay and the bridge. Next time, next time indeed. -
Review from Annie Z.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/5/2011
I've been thinking about this place for a long time. I love oysters! Now that I work and live in the city this place is a short walk away! woohoo! My coworkers & I came here twice last week and both times we just kept ordering more oysters. I really love their grilled cheese and I tried their clam chowder for the first time and it was also pretty delicious.
The best months to eat oysters are months that end in R. I guess we'll be coming back a lot more this month! =PListed in: Oysters Galore!
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7/17/2011
I miss Hog Island every day since the last time I came here. I've always stopped by for happy hour… Read more »
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