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John's Grill
Categories: Restaurants Steakhouses Restaurants Seafood Steakhouses, Seafood [Edit]
63 Ellis St(between 4th St & Market St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Union Square
(415) 986-0069
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
333 reviews for John's Grill
Review Highlights
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"Nish: Oooh, this is the place with the Maltese Falcon." In 59 reviews -
"...Grill, I had to get the Sam Spade, and a "Bloody Brigid." In 12 reviews -
"Hands down BEST clam chowder I have ever had." In 19 reviews
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333 reviews in English
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Review from Michael S.
American Canyon, CA
5/20/2012
John's Grill! I have walked past this place many times on my way for a drink at Lefty O'Douls and never stopped in. My wife and I were going to the Symphony for our anniversary and was looking for a place we had not been to for dinner. Searching for a place in Union Square John's came up. I was intrigued to find it operating since 1908 and it's tie with Dashiel Hammett and "The Maltese Falcon."
On my online reservation I mentioned that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and after we were seated at a nice table we were brought a complementary glass of champagne and our waiter was perfect he gave us plenty of time to enjoy our drinks before taking our order.
Rib-eye steak cooled to perfection. (It's difficult to find a place with enough guts to cook my steak as rare as I want it." and my wife and the salmon, nice and crusty outside moist and tasty inside. Veggies cooked nicely. still with bit of a snap but not soggy. No frills food meat, seafood, veggies and potatoes. we also has a shrimp cocktail fresh big shrimp. The waiter warned us about the horseradish that came with the shrimp. Atomic horseradish. Hottest I have ever had. Just a touch with the cocktail sauce was perfect.
The meal was topped off with a complimentary house made flan with caramel sauce as part of our anniversary celebration.
We were treated like royalty! It was a great start to a special evening! Rarely does one find a restaurant that will go out of it's way like the folks at John's Grill did.
If you are looking for an old San Francisco experience. Go to John's Grill -
Review from Dan D.
La Mesa, CA
4/19/2012
No happy hour and no one seemed happy at all.
Sat at the bar, under the dirty bird, and had a beer. Listened to other tourists talk about their day.
Asked for the bill -- twice -- and it came 10-minutes later. C'mon, Jose.
Hmmm, $6 for a draft beer. Nope, can't justify that. I'll move along. Glad I didn't eat there.
I wouldn't recommend the bar at all. -
Review from Johnny W.
3/10/2012
I forget how my friend and I ended up here, but I believe it had something to do with either our original lunch destination being closed, or, more likely, us being too lazy and/or hungry to trek out to it. Being a block away, and having been here before with a client, my friend opted to eat here instead - immediate gratification won out over tastier food, unfortunately.
It's a bit tough for me to classify the decor of this place: a mixture of neat and kitschy, it's definitely geared towards an older crowd, and tourists too, at that, given its location. That said, not wanting to drop $30+ on a diverted lunch, I ended up ordering the deluxe burger for $13, while my lunch companion got their ravioli. Both dishes were decent, with the burger being a very simple one - but, for $13, I'm expecting an amazing burger (a la Thermidor).
Friendly service and okay food leaves these folks with 2.5 stars. -
Review from miguel l.
Wichita, KS
5/15/2012
I thought it was borderline awesome. According to the bitch-reviews its for old ppl and tourists, whatever (no it didnt have stupid hipster lounge tracks on a p.a. for goatee guys in porkpie hats and bright yellow glasses without lenses lol), I just saw a restaurant with a specific flavor, and service was great, attentive but not pushy or unconfident, just right. My swordfish was really nice. There was some oafish loudmouth complaining nearby but he wanted a free meal I think. It's a good dive for anyone, stop trying to feign elitism and accept the world has many kinds of boxes and many uses for them.
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Review from Lauren W.
Boston, MA
Updated - 4/24/2012
I have to update my review. The manager of John's Grill contacted me to apologize for the bad experience that I had. I appreciate his effort and understand that the restaurant industry is a tough one to be in.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/14/2012
I've had the privilege of dining at some really great restaurants. When I perused the menu of John's… Read more »
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Review from Megan J.
Bensalem, PA
4/19/2012
Ugh. Went to John's after hearing that it was a staple in San francisco. We were greeted and seated by the hostess immediately.
Off the bat I was turned off by the dated decor. This place needs a make over like no one's business.
My husband ordered a steak. He could have had better at applebee's. No offense to applebee's but when you are paying $48 or more a plate you expect a tad bit more than an unseasoned undercooked filet and a delicious baked potato.
I didn't even order a dinner. I had a caesar salad and baked potato. I do not drink, I had two ice teas and no dessert. The bill was $74. This place is over priced, needs a make over in the kitchen and dining room.
Go here with your grandparents for nostalgia but do not go looking for good food. And do not take anyone you are looking to impress. -
Review from Carley A.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2012
I must have walked by this place a thousand times, and always assumed it was either a tourist trap or a hole in the wall. Boy was I wrong.
My boyfriend and I went to John's Grille last night, and I couldn't be happier with the service and the food. I have lived in San Francisco for the past 11 years, my boyfriend is a Bay Area local, and I have to say that I think it was one of the best meals that I have had in San Francisco since living here. Bravo!
We started out with the Shrimp Cocktail and the Caesar Salad. Yum and Yum. They were both incredibly fresh... the shrimp melted in my mouth. We could have left there and then and been happy with our happy bellies.
BUT, we both ordered the Filet Mignon. Yummers! My boyfriends' steak was disproportionately smaller than mine, and he sent it back and got a normal sized one. Once it came, we dug in and we both loved the way that the steak melted in our mouths. Amazing!
We finished off the night with the cheesecake, and we were sent home with happy bellies. There was not a drop left on our plates. We had some yummy drinks thoughout the night including the John's special drink (which was ok) as well as champagne, wine, and kaluha (sp?) and cream.
Our waitress was amazing. She was very friendly and was happy to answer any questions. It was a throwback to the days where it felt like a night on the town was a night with amazing food and quality service.
In a city with amazing food, I felt like we hit a historic gem. I feel like every time I head out for a special (as in expecting good food for a good buck) meal, it is some fusion meal with a twist. This was just good ol' cooking of great food with amazing service.
Bravo John's! You made this San Franciscan one happy camper. I will be telling people to come that this is a great place to go for some good food. Thank you!! -
Review from Bruce H.
Discovery Bay, CA
4/20/2012
Yea! For once I was the guest rather than the host at a nice restaurant.
We visited without reservations just after noon and were seated promptly despite a busy lunch hour in a small dining room. Judging by the clientele, most were local professionals who were familiar with the location and staff.
Cocktails were first class and the house chardonnay very respectable.
My red snapper over garden vegetables was better than expected. A recent lunch of petrale sole at Scoma's had pretty cheesy vegetables but John's were crisp, fresh and delicious. Coming from someone who is not into vegetables, this is a serious compliment! My host had the Jack LeLane salad, reasonably priced and it would be on my list for another time.
Our wait staff were quick and friendly, good food and perfect for a business lunch. -
Review from Alexa O.
Hayward, CA
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
This restaurant is cool because it's been here so long, like a historic landmark. It's pretty casual and the prices reflect that. Great service and live piano music on a Tuesday night. The food was good, not fantastic, but good. Great clam chowder and a never ending basket of delicious sourdough bread! The tables were a little too close together. We were totally eavesdropping on the conversation at the next table.
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Review from Ray D.
Santa Monica, CA
Good solid steak and seafood in a very traditional, dark, good ol' boys club atmosphere. Walls are papered with signed celebrity photos dating back to the golden era. Good service. Friendly bartender.
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Review from Djoe p.
Santa Clara, CA
3/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Was expecting much better but was disappointed. The salads are good, the service was great but the entrees were mediocre. I had the ciopino and my bf had some fish with some sort of crab or seafood mix on top of it. Wish the ciopino had more flavor and I didn't find any crab in it but plenty of shrimp. The fish entree reminded me of wedding banquet food with some sad veggies on the side and a baked potato. We finished our bottle of wine and left our plate half empty and were still a little hungry. Our waiter surprised us with a complimentary dessert of custard and berries which was nice and creamy and not too sweet. Maybe if we ordered steak it would have been a different experience but this place is definitely not a good place for seafood.
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Review from Matthew M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Average food, average service, average prices. Nothing terribly remarkable about the place. I had the clam chowder, and it was palatable; neither great nor awful. Do yourself a favor and don't visit the website; with that awful background music, it's an exercise in obnoxious web design.
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Review from Sam L.
12/11/2011
The restaurant is over 100yrs old. Their steaks are from Harris Ranch and aged. The food was good and cooked properly though I needed to add more salt and pepper to my steak.
Their shrimp cocktail was mediocre at best (one of my shrimp was missing it's tail??) and the ambiance is chatty with an average age being approximately 45 or so.
The only problem I had was with our server. He was not interested in serving (asian, islander guy). I understand that anyone can have an off day and we all have personal stuff to deal with but leave that sh*t at the door and do your job properly. Servers on that level should have to wear name tags and remember, there are steakhouses on every other block in this city and they are all highly rated. That's all I have to say about that. -
Review from Corinne L.
Sacramento, CA
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
(from 12/17/11) Came to John's Grill on the spur of the moment with my friend for his birthday. We were seated right away upstairs, which was excellent as we were both hungry and I hate the idea of anyone having to wait for food on their birthday.
Started off with a Grey Goose martini, which was potent and good. Not sure where they get their bread but it's damn good (and I honestly have no business eating gluten). I also had the house salad with tarragon dressing - great mix of veggies and those itty bitty shrimpies. The dressing was delicious.
We both ordered the steak - I like mine cooked to medium. When our food arrived - which was faster than I expected - I was a little nervous that there wasn't any sauce to dip the meat in. No A1? What?? (Tip: they do have two sauces you can order on the side for an extra charge.) But I thought, this place has been here a damn long time, they know what they are doing. And they most definitely do. The steak was tender and moist and flavorful. I didn't miss the sauce and they obviously get very choice cuts of meat. You definitely get what you pay for here.
For those whining about a limited menu, or small portions for the money, get over yourselves: this isn't Applebees or TGI Friday's. This is a San Francisco legend and a truly legendary restaurant doesn't need to pad its menu with deep fried vegetable-of-the-week, nor does it need to cheapen its items by adding more to the plate. As Bruno the bartender at Persia Aub Zam Zam would say, "There's a place down the street you'd like much more, with a jukebox and everything." -
Review from Maureen M.
San Francisco, CA
11/28/2011
The very first photo you view as you approach the seating podium is that of my longtime beloved star, Lauren Bacall. While not dressed to the nines, I felt I was pretty well stylin' that day, and took a seat at the beautiful bar dressed in Christmas glory in anticipation of a midday dining experience. After all, my Bogey was busy that day, and would want me to be well taken care of, right?
I was presented with a wine list that was comprehensive and domestic- just the way I like it. I chose the Chalk Hill Pinot Gris which did not disappoint. Full and crisp, I enjoyed not one, but two by the time this pleasant meal ended.
After scanning the menu, it seems that John's meets the SF old school steak and seafood category of dining. It's a rare day when ravenous will I skip the steak. So I ordered the NY Strip. Baked potato and mixed vegetable adorned, and the steak needed nothing but a tad bit of salt and pepper to attain perfection. The sourdough bread was fresh and crispy on the edges, the service was attentive and I adored the comfy feel of the interior.
Located in a historically touristy area of town, you might want to arrive midday like I did for your meal. I don't have any idea why I hadn't tried this place earlier.
"How was your day, Angel"? It was great, baby..... -
Review from Bob B.
San Jose, CA
3/8/2012
I only wish John's was as good as Dashiel Hammett's writing, or it's own website. This place has so much potential, but when we were there, in the fall of 2009, it was strictly a tourist trap. (I realize this is a late posting, but we just joined yelp, and our experice was burned into my brain so badly that I just wanted to write about it...)The food, in my case seafood, was undercooked and my Old Fashioned was watered. The only thing that makes it worth going there is the atmosphere and that was pretty good. Dark wood panelling and crisp white tablecloths give you the feeling that Hammett, or for that matter Sam Spade, could walk in at any minute. Next time we're in the City maybe we'll give them another try. The place has been around long enough that sooner or later the penduluum has to start swinging the other way...... I hope.
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Review from Courtney M.
Fresno, CA
1/13/2012
My parents recommended this place to me while I was in San Francisco with my in-laws. We made reservations which I would suggest, they even let us choose the area we sat in (upstairs, by the window).
Environment- The restaurant is very old and very beautiful. There was a jazz player who was amazingly talented sitting directly behind us. He played the Beatles "Yesterday" upon my request (after I tipped him of course). It was a busy Saturday night so the place was packed with people talking (or yelling...if you don't like noisy places I wouldn't suggest this one on a weekend). I think it added to the ambiance.
Food- I got the Chilean Sea Bass, others at the tables got the Halibut, the Prime rib, the Oysters, and some amazing seafood soup (by far the best pick!). Everything was perfect! Each entree comes with a baked potato and vegies. For dessert we ordered the cheesecake which was small but very good, the chocolate mouse which had a bit too much dark chocolate for me but if you like dark chocolate then I would suggest it, and a bowl of mixed berries and whipped cream...yum!
Price- A bit pricey, but my in-laws were paying so I didn't get to see the overall total
Drinks- I ordered the signature drink that comes with a souvenir glass..it tasted like a spiked shirley temple and it was very good!
Service- Our server wasn't the best I've ever had, he rushed us a little bit with the drinks and didn't come back to refill our waters unless we asked him and even then it took him forever...but he was very busy so we all understood.
Overall amazing environment, amazing food, we had a blast and will definitely come back! oh...I hope the same Jazz player is there! -
Review from Brian K.
Los Altos, CA
1/1/2012
Food and service excellent. Seafood ciappino was overflowing with perfectly cooked seafood base was sweet no spice.
Ribeye steak was one of the best I've had. Seemed pricey. No small portion options and most meals were $30+ -
Review from Jake A.
Sebastopol, CA
2/21/2012
John's Grill is sadly over rated, I assume because of it's long history, the famous people who have eaten there and it's Union Square location - and there is a lot to be said for all of that. It's kind of a fun place to go - ONCE. After you get past the novelty, there is really not much else to get excited about. The ambiance is loud and spread over three floors This is not a good first date or romantic place to go. The bar area is very small - a drink at the bar before dinner is rally not an option.
Service: The service at the front end seems good. You are greeted by a doorman, and polite and professional hostess's. After that, serviced falls short very quickly. Our waitress was not well versed with the wine selection, we were constantly tracking her down to order drinks, our water glasses were always empty and we had to ask for everything. Generally poor service.
Food: Average at best. There are a lot of other much better seafood and steak places and prices were not that great considering the quality of the food. Limited menu, and no vegitarian items. All the dishes came to the table lukewarm. Out of 8 of us, only one was 'happy' (not excited) with her dish - grilled swordfish.
Bottom line- I would not go back. To many other great places nearby by. -
Review from Ryan L.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
My most recent book club meeting was noir/crime fiction. Our two selections were "Maltese Falcon" by Dashiel Hammett and "Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M. Cain. In keeping with the theme we decided to meet in SF, and John's Grill was a great selection since it was featured in the book.
I think the fact that this restaurant was featured in the Maltese Falcon is the only thing it has going for it. It's an expensive restaurant with a limited menu. It's expensive and the portions aren't huge. The good is kind of old fashioned cuisine typical of the early 20th century. The decor is dark, heavy and oppressive. I didn't feel comfortable or invited.
i ordered the hang town fry and it was decent. I thought it was a little bland and not the most interesting meal but it was ok. My other book club friends seemed to enjoy their food but no one raved.
This is a great tourist spot and was perfect for our book club. However, there are so many more interesting restaurants to eat at in SF that I don't feel a need to return here. -
Review from Erika C.
11/12/2011
This place feels very old school SF. Given the location and decor, I had low expectations. I don't know why we ate here. By normal standards, my OCD about knowing where I'm eating and what I'm eating there would not have allowed us to eat here... spontaneity in dining often ends in regret.
This was a really pleasant surprise in tourist central. The best mussels ($16.95) I've had and the filet mignon ($33.95) was decent. -
Review from Slavisa M.
St Paul, MN
3/16/2012
I was pleasantly surprised by John's Grill. I thought it'd be a super fancy, expensive uptight restaurant, but I did not have such a vibe at all. Very nicely furnished, it had a great bar and an adorable older (in his 50s) barman, who was simply great. Very entertaining and fun. He made some strong drinks, too, which was great. He couldn't really make much of the non-specialty cocktails I asked for, but the ones he could make were good. I guess that's my biggest issue. I did not have any food, but it did smell pretty good. Had some nice interactions with guests, too. Overall, a good place.
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Review from John R.
La Quinta, CA
9/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a very average old school place. It reminded me of a smaller, older dirtier "Palm" Restaurant. Primarily a steak and seafood house. We ate upstairs and were greeted by a filthy bus table right at the holding area before being seated.
Not wanting to waste much time on this review, I'll tell you that I started with the Dungeness crab cocktail weighing in at $17.95. It was not very good at all. It was not fresh by any means and had no taste other than the lemon I squeezed until death on the lifeless and most likely previously frozen crab meat. John Bob says, pass on this if you go here. I ordered the rib-eye. It was a very thin steak, surprisingly so. It was the size of a Denny's steak you might get with scrambled eggs sitting in a booth with hobos at 2AM. However, it did have an awesome taste.
Overall at this point I'm thinking, "I'm pissed I chose this place on my last night with so many great restaurants in town and I'm pissed I spent this kind of money for what I received." To top it off, I woke up the next morning burping steak and shitting steaming crab cocktails out of my ass... -
Review from Pamela S.
Raleigh, NC
9/28/2011
Headed here for dinner on the concierges recommendations from the Palace hotel.
Loved the live entertainment, but the food was a tad disappointing. Cocktails came at the same time as our food... I ordered salmon which was heavily covered in a sauce and over cooked. Felt rushed... not a favorite. -
Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
2/28/2012
Came here on a saturday night and it was fairly busy. This three story place can accomodate all sorts of groups, as ours had 10. The food was fanastic, one of the best salmon I ever had. I would say the price was decent due to its location, but the portions were also decent. I had the bloody brigid, which is the house drink, its very sweet and girly, so as a man, it should be avoided. The service was fast The guy at the front door was nice enough to hail us some cabs.
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Review from Brian J.
San Francisco, CA
2/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Can't find more character than this place. Quintessential San Francisco is found in every creaky booth. The menu and the pictures on the walls are just as interesting as the food.
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Review from Suzanne S.
Lexington, VA
1/20/2012
Boo! Hiss! We were looking for a place near our hotel for seafood. The concierge recommended John's Grill as a good place within walking distance for oysters and cioppino.
It was indeed a welcomed short walk, having put many miles in earlier in the day. We arrived about 6:15, party of two, and were seated right away but the place was packed.
The tables are placed VERY close. We love oysters and the oysters of the day were Blue Points. They also advertised a nice salad menu, seafood, steaks and my desired ciopinno. There was also a nice, reasonably priced wine list. I was feeling pretty good about the choice.
Unfortunately it all ended there. We both ordered the oysters, DH ordered the house salad and steamed salmon and I ordered the caeser and ciopinno. The table next to us was seated while we were waiting for our drinks. The woman was sitting less than a foot away and wearing perfume so strong my eyes watered. Then the oysters arrived. I seriously question whether they were Blue Points. They were about the size of a quarter, I wasn't feeling the love but then our salads arrived and they were actually pretty good. Up to this point our waiter was fairly attentive but the place was really starting to get cranked. Our main courses arrived. My ciopinno was ultra bland with everthing but the scallops over done. The waiter came by and I asked for more lemon and water. DH dug in to his "steamed" salmon that was actually grilled to well done. He is not a complainer, saying that the thicker parts were okay but he didn't eat the thinner parts. I finished my wine and water and never received my requested lemon or refills on either wine or water.
Normally I would have taken a stand on such a poor experience but it was so crowded and the situation so ridiculous that I just wanted out asap.
Our neighboring tables all ordered steak, since we were seated so closely there were no secrets and it was obvious that every singel table was unhappy with there over-done steaks. I saw three steaks returned because they were not prepared properly.
This was such a disappointment. We were in San Francisco on business and don't have the option of meal do-overs. This one was a lost cause and not an inexpensive mistake. Don't waste your time or money here. If you want to visit for the reputation then go in and have a drink but eat elsewhere. -
Review from Leslie P.
9/25/2011 1 photo
We visited John's Grill last October on a trip to San Francisco. It was recommended to us by the concierge at the Prescott Hotel. What a great recommendation!
We had a late lunch/early dinner there and it was one of my favorite meals in the beautiful city. We started with the very hearty Dungeness Crab Cocktail followed by the Broiled Deluxe Burger and the Fried Sea Scallops with vegetables. We enjoyed every last bite.
The Dungeness Crab Cocktail was fresh and extremely tasty. We were almost full after the appetizer and delicious bread until we saw our entrees. The Broiled Deluxe Burger was exactly what it said it was -- Deluxe! The lightly seasoned fries caused me to have plate envy, but the scallops were satisfying all the same.
The atmosphere and service was top notch as well. It was in between lunch and dinner, so the upstairs dining area was empty when I went up there to use the ladies room. With it being so quiet up there and the decor still remaining from the 1930's period, I could feel the history that has come through this place. It stopped me in my tracks and put a smile on my face. I highly recommend visiting John's Grill when you are near the Union Square area. -
Review from Nikki R.
Milwaukee, WI
8/16/2011
I went to John's Grill based on a recommendation from the concierge at my hotel. It was only a couple blocks away, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
I walked in and got seated promptly. The waiter wasn't too far behind with water and taking my drink order. I got a glass of St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon. I also ordered the filet mignon. I didn't have a choice of side because all the steaks come with a baked potato- or so I thought. There was a family at the table next to me with two "kids" (probably college age) who got seasoned fries with their steaks. I wish I knew that had been an option because I would've chosen that.
I wouldn't go out of my way to go back here because it was a bit pricey, but the steak was good and I was expensing it for work.Listed in: San Francisco
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Review from Steve B.
Round Rock, TX
2/29/2012
A friend and I had lunch here after a lousy experience at Fang. She'd taken her parents here before and it'd been a good experience.
I had a bowl of clam chowder and the Jack Lalanne salad. The soup was really good, nice and creamy with chunks of potatoes and clams without it being overpoweringly fishy. The salad had lots of crab and shrimp and what looked like an entire half of an avocado. It would've been easy for them to load it up with lettuce and just throw a few pieces of shrimp and crab into the lot of it, but they didn't skimp and I'm glad of that.
The one thing I would have appreciated was a stronger dressing. The salad comes tossed in a bleu cheese vinaigrette, but it had only the faintest bleu cheese flavor and none of the tartness I associate with vinaigrettes. It was really quite mild. The salad wasn't drowning in dressing, which was good; on the other hand, the dressing didn't really contribute much to the salad at all.
The place has been in business since 1908. I don't think a restaurant can stay open for over a hundred years by serving lousy food. This was really good and reasonably priced. If I get the opportunity, I'd like to come back and try a steak for dinner. -
Review from Foodie D.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/22/2011
To folks that say "the food is not up to date".... ((cclearing my throat)) Well, that's the idea... it's one of the oldest restaurants that's survived everything in S.F. and is still at 60-80% capacity.. Their cuisine is turn of the century and great!
"Never heard of "The Maltese Falcon"... look it up.. then you'll understand what this place is about.
I've been going here for 15years+, owned my own restaurant... So, step back in time to a day gone by and enjoy the food and atmosphere...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/23/2009
This is a S.F. Landmark! I've been going to John's for years. The best thing, besides the obvious… Read more »
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Review from Eric P.
Pleasanton, CA
11/20/2011
I have to say this was a spontaneous decision, and thankfully a good one. I thought the menu was priced a little high, but in the end, it was well worth it, and besides it is Union Square, and most people will pay.
After a 20 minute wait (and a decision to try and get into the horrible jazz place across the street while we waited and no one there even paid us a dose of attention upon sitting at their bar), we were ushered to our quaint table, as if we were honorable guests.
We both ordered the Filet, I had the peppercorn sauce and he had the baranaise sauce (both are just superb!) and was by far the best steak I've had in a very long time. The veggies and potato were great too, although super generic.
Best of all, the service was unreal. So professional, efficient and fast!
If you're into the old school SF atmosphere and want a good steak, I highly recommend John's! -
Review from Kelly C.
6/5/2011
Maltese Falcon? Never heard of it. But I must say this place seems like it's past its prime. Lots of pictures of famous people on the walls, but I didn't see any since about the mid-1980s when it may have been at its peak.
It seemed like the restaurant wanted to be very formal, but the food hasn't been brought up to date to match the prices and demands of customers.
After the initial apprehension based on the appearance, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the burger for lunch. -
Review from Julio A.
11/15/2011
Great old school SF atmosphere, great story, sorely disappointing food. In light of what Tadich Grill and Sam's Grill have been able to do in maintaining a certain standard of quality over more than a century, there's really no excuse for John's. Prices are outrageous and they seem to have embraced a tourist trap business model rather than one that locals can actually feel good about patronizing. No reason to come here with so many better options close by.
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Review from jack d.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2012
The wife and I ate here this afternoon while we were in the Union Square neighborhood, The restaurant is located on Ells St right across the street from a parking garage. I did not realize that this was the touristy Maltese Falcon famed restaurant and touts that it has been around since 1906. I just thought this was a rather old looking steak/seafood place to eat so decided to give it a shot. The restaurant is a bit on the crowded side as the tables are close to each other. The bar is very small in the corner of the restaurant and has about 5 bar stools. The service was efficient and attentive as a crowded restaurant can get. The wife had the broiled salmon served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies and a creamy tartar sauce. I had the sauteed dungeness crab legs with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, Both dishes were very good and I do love crab legs, so did my wife. We did the chocolate mousse for dessert, not a good call. I had a glass of house chardonnay, very tasty and smooth.
Being the first time here, very pleased. This place has an upstairs where the Maltese Falcon is located. Upstairs has the bathroom also.
I would recommend it, next time will try the steak. -
Review from Chris P.
Brooklyn, NY
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Classic San Fran, you go here because its an institution in San Francisco the food is average and so it the service but it has a very cool old school vibe.
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Review from Lil D.
Gaithersburg, MD
8/27/2011
Not sure why some of the negative reviews panned the atmosphere and "out-of-date" menu. It's a classic old city steakhouse people-it's going to be dark and crowded with an old-fashioned menu. If that's not your cup of tea, go try something trendy and fun.
Escargot in garlic cream are to die for - not for dieters or heart patients, but oh-so-good. Steak was good boring on excellent, service was reasonable for a Saturday night and friendly. The host recommended a great bourbon I'd never tried.
And if you haven't seen The Maltese Falcon, go rent it, really. -
Review from joan b.
Walnut Creek, CA
7/30/2011
We don't come here often only because it is overcrowded and we can't really relax and talk. Seems to be a big hit with tourists, but locals wanting a more sedate repast at the end of a busy work day tend to go elsewhere.
Has kind of an "old boy's" club feeling to it, with a beef-eating menu to match. -
Review from Brady S.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2011
It is only April, but this is the worst restaurant meal I have had this year.
I ordered grilled halibut and was disgusted that it was covered with a nasty brown thick mushroom gravy. Who does that to a piece of grilled fish? The veggies were old an limp - some were green, but most looked like canned beans. The cheesecake was not edible. My friend had their "famous" lamp chops and I have no clue what they are famous for, but they were tough and over seasoned, the baked potato was at least edible. Service was so-so and it does have some great photos on the walls, or I would have given it only one star. They are serving food here that is likely the same recipes as they served when they opened in 1906, but with so many other great restaurant choices in SF, why would anyone want a meal here? -
Review from Stacy T.
Cathedral City, CA
3/8/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The hotel recommended this place. It was great food, great service and I loved the upstairs with the live Jazz music. It was a surprisingly nice evening. Great ambience.
