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Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"This joint is a classic. My husband spotted it as we were strolling down Ellis, and we decided that its Dashiell Hammett affiliation, as…" read more »
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I've been meaning to go here for years. Staff was friendly and knowledgable. Our waiter Barry has been there for 19 years, very nice and attentive. I ordered petrale sole and my friend ordered something like Bresolle fish (I know I'm spelling/saying it wrong). My fish came with roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts, everything was fabulous!
We arrived about 6:30p on a Wednesday and had about a 45 min wait for 2. This place was bussling! At least 15 people milling around the entrance waiting to be seated.
If I could give Tadich Grill 3.5 stars, I would. I loved, loved, loved the food. I ordered the cioppino, which was amazing. I craved it for weeks afterwards and would love to return for another bowl full of the delicious seafood and spicy broth. My friend ordered a baked shrimp and crab dish and she loved it, too. The portions are generous and they don't scrimp on the crab meat at all. The decor was also great -- it definitely has that old time feel and the enclosed booths surrounding the restaurant would make for a cozy date.
I wasn't as thrilled with the service. Our server seemed irritated when we only ordered a half bottle of wine and when we asked for a few more minutes to review the menu. He also told us that other people were waiting for our table when we didn't clear out quickly enough, which has never happened to me before.
With that said, though, I would certainly return. Not the cheapest place, but worth it for a special dinner.
I came here at 11:45am on a Tuesday and it was packed! I was looking for a light lunch so I had the crab leg salad. It was basically a bed of iceberg lettuce with some tomato and cucumber but the crab meat on top was really great. A good amount of meaty, flavorful crab. Comes in a little pricey at $23 but it is a San Francisco institution afterall. My dad used to come here when he lived and worked in the city so it was fun to come here with him 30+ years later. He had the smoked trout (which was really good) and the broth-style clam chowder (Manhattan but I think they called it something else). If I come back, I'll be sure to try one of their fish dishes.
Would have given 4 stars if the service was better. Our waiter may have been there since they opened the place and had zero personality.
This place is great.
The food is fantastic; old fashioned seafood, but prepared with real class. I enjoyed one of the best seafood meals I've ever had when I ate here.
The service was good, and quite accommodating.
One of the memorable parts of the meal was sopping up the sauce in which my seafood came. The bread alone makes this place worth the trip.
One minor gripe: the enclosed booths can be cramped with a large party.
But the food and atmosphere cannot be beat.
When you walk into Tadich Grille, you're walking into a piece of San Francisco history. Don't expect top notch service when walking into the restaurant, turn it down a notch and expect service as you would going to the local pub. Staff wear white lab coats, when we walked in and stood up front at the door, the staff behind the bar just kind of stared at us as if he was thinking "are you expecting us to seat you, go sit down at any table." He did come from behind the bar and did guide us to a table.
The food:
Clam Chowder (Choice of Boston or Coney Island): Ordered the Boston style clam chowder. Good until I started to get the sandy grains which I dislike when I get clam chowder.
Clams in garlic broth: Okay, not enough garlic or butter, the clams were fresh. I found when the waiter gave us a bottle of tabasco sauce when the clams arrived, he most likely intended for us to have it with the clams because after adding a few drops to each clam, it masked any clammy taste and gave it a smooth taste along with the garlic. Went really well with the clams.
Sauteed Scallops: Large portions of scallops with a side of broccoli and pilaf. I was pretty much done for before I had the scallops after all the clams, I think we went too far with the seafood. I had one scallop which was massive in size. It was bland and did not have much flavor other than the fishy scallop taste which I believe it was undercooked.
Minute Steak : 9 oz new york steak - Simply cooked steak. Nothing fancy, just a grilled steak with no flavorings. Add some A1 sauce, Lee and Perrins and you're good to go.
I'll give it 3 stars because they are keeping it simple and close to I guess how it has always been without changing its menu. I expected fine dining, but it was no more than pub food.
Sadly, this place sucks. I'd like to come back to Tadich Grill one day when I have more money, more time, and am not forced to order the Sand Dabs!
#67 Big Eat SF List - Sand Dabs at Tadich Grill. Blah. Sand Dabs are gross. They were extremely flavorless and came with bok choy, which in my opinion is straight up weird. After offering to debone them, we said yes (even though I had a total of 20 minutes to get in and out since I had to get back to work), yet they were still served to us with a ton of bones.
It was extremely crowded when we walked in, which resulted in slower service. Our server was good though. He was very understanding of my need to be in and out and worked as quickly as possible. It's a classic old and famous SF restaurant with a long bar in the middle of the restaurant and small-ish tables and booths in between.
I did not like how there was a minimum dollar amount you have to pay in order to dine at Tadich Grill. You have to spend at least $11.50 and it's an extra $9 to split an entree!! What? You may as well just oder two entrees.
We also had an order of calamari, which was no bueno. The calamari was bigger than any I'd ever seen, but rubbery and not chewable. Ugh. The cocktail sauce also tasted weird...
Tadich Grill is a San Francisco institution. It and its earlier permutations has been in San Francisco not for decades, but centuries!
It is your classic old school restaurant, with its long bar down the middle and private wood framed rooms along the left side, with two rows of small tables in between. They have all the classic old seafood and meats you would expect in an old school institution in the heart of the FiDi on California street.
But it isn't living up to the legend of its reputation. Yes, it is still packed on a Friday night, with a wait to get a table. Our party of two put in our name and were told a 30 minute wait. So we sidled up to the bar and tried to order a drink. We pulled out the Credit Card, made motions to order, but couldn't get the bartender right in front of us to serve us a drink. He only had one speed, and that was slow and ignoring his potential customers. We never did get a drink before we were seated.
We looked over the extensive menu and order a drink from our waiter. 10 minutes later, we still had not received our Stella Artois and Tanqueray Tonic.
We finally ordered from our French waiter, who was also inattentive, and wanted fresh oysters and Clams and Pasta. He said he was out of the clams and pasta! This is 9:00 pm on a Friday night? Huh?
I asked, did you run out of Pasta or Clams? WTF?
So we changed our order to 1 soup and salad and 1 salmon entree.
Our waiter served our oysters with cocktail sauce, but took another 5 minutes to bring us Tabasco and Horse Radish. I can't eat my oysters without Horse Radish mixed with Cocktail Sauce!
Before we could finish our last oyster, the waiter picked up our oyster tray and whisked away our sauce and condiments! We had to ask for them back! Not very attentive, just getting through with his Snooty French attitude!
The Clam chowder was too thick, with perhaps too much clams (I guess they were out of Pasta, because they had plenty of Clams!) How can you run out of Pasta? I was dumbfounded!
The Salmon was fine, served with grilled potatoes and broccoli. The tomato salad with anchovies was decent
I would rate this place at 2 stars, if it were not for its great, long tradition in San Francisco. That memory is fading fast.
I come in for a cocktail at least once a month, it's been a long tradition of mine. Bartenders are friendly, and there are plenty of locals and tourists. The San Francisco Twins also are spotted there on a regular basis (I love those women).
Though I don't eat there very often, the seafood is always very fresh and simply prepared. Good place to take out of town visitors who would like to experience nostalgic SF and skip the lousy restaraunts at Fisherman's Wharf.
Old skool fo sho!! This is the type of place you mosey on up to the counter and sit next to the construction worker on one side and the bank CEO on the other. The place is run by old timers and basically for old timers who want some delicious seafood. Today I treated my husband to lunch for all his hardwork this past weekend. We had chowder and bay shrimp salad and petrole sole. And everything as always was superb. The chowder is the best I've ever had, thick and spicy and oh so filling. Also its like they read my mind because the fish was served with steamed brussel sprouts and roasted potatoes. This place is $$$$ so be prepared to spend even for a simple lunch!
One of my all time favorites. I've been there numerous times for lunch and have never been… Read more »
Went for lunch on a Saturday and was surprised at how full the place was. But not so full that we had to wait for a seat at the bar, which seems to comprise most of the seats in the joint. The old SF ambiance is a hoot, and I was in love with everything (delish sourdough, amazing caesar salad and clam chowder) until my main course arrived. I got one of the daily specials: pork shoulder. The meat was juicy, but lacked any notable flavor. The vegetables were very simple, but decent; the potatoes had a bit of flair with rosemary.
We shared a bread pudding for desert, which was OK as far as bread pudding goes, but a bit cold in the middle.
I will still go back, but I think I'll focus more on their seafood. Again--the white clam chowder was fantastic, so definitely get either that or the perfect, wonderful caesar to start.
Stop two out of three on our marathon Big Eat SF Lunch: Tadich Grill.
We enter in a flurry, quickly grab two seats at the bar, and then are immediately informed we can't order food from there. We are moved to two seats on the other side of the bar, where eating is allowed.
The ambiance of Tadich Grill is very "hustle and bustle", which we appreciated at this point in time, particularly the hustle. But we lost the hustle and it turned into just a surrounding bustle as we sat there waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Can someone take our order please?? We were informed that someone would be there to assist momentarily. I would classify the time that passed as at least 4-5 moments, but who's counting....
Jenny started to panic as her lunch hour was winding down. The plan was going awry and our chances of hitting up spot number 3 were dwindling. While waiting, we saw a note on the bottom of the menu stating that:
1. There is an $11.50 minimum food charge for each person
2. There is a $9 charge to split a dish.
Ok....wtf. There goes our plan to split the one item from the list. Apparently, only the well-to-do with hefty appetites are welcome to dine at the Tadich Grill. Pressured for time, we made a quick decision to add the fried calamari to our order to meet the table minimum.
Our waiter finally arrives, and with full understanding that we are completely obnoxious, we ask if it is reasonable to hope that we can order, get our food, eat, and pay within 20 minutes. He says he'll put the rush on, so we go for it. And rush they did, we got our food in a very speedy fashion. And now the report:
- #67: Sand dabs at Tadich Grill. Never having had sand dabs before, I did a little research online. Sand dabs are supposedly considered a delicacy in California, but not so much in the rest of the world. I've gotta agree with the rest of the world on this one. Tasteless and bony (even though we ordered them deboned). I like almost all seafood, but I will go out of my way not to eat sand dabs again.
- Fried Calamari: I always thought there was no going wrong with calamari. Lesson learned. These pieces were huge and tough to chew. Even the deliciousness of being fried couldn't save this calamari.
I ate at Tadich Grill about 5 years ago and remember it being very good, so this trip was quite a disappointment. The food itself I would classify as awful, but our waiter was incredibly helpful and accommodating to our time issues, so the second star is for him alone.
I would consider returning to give Tadich Grill another try, but only if someone else were paying. I'm not going to forget spending $40 on crappy seafood to meet their table minimum anytime soon.
On a business lunch, I stepped into a wedge of 'Old San Francisco' with mostly guys in suits on their 2 martini lunches, wheeling and dealing.
If you plan to go during the lunch rush, expect to stand shoulder to shoulder along the wall as you wait for your party to be called - they don't take reservations.
I recommend the semi-private 'booths' if you can snag one - they are little rooms with mainly dark wood walls (like cubicles) that open out to the main drag. You get a bit more elbow room in these.
Food is old school good. I had the 1/2 avocado + mini-shrimp LARGE salad. Pricey, but filling. They have a good range of seafood, meats, pasta, salads (large & small - I recommend the dressing on the side), appetizers, and dessert. Service is bustling + efficient.
For years we've been wanting to try Tadich Grill since we are SF residents. It takes friends visiting from Austin, TX to finally get us there. We were a little concerned about going on a Friday night knowing that they don't take reservations. My friends got there early, got us on the waiting list and found 2 stools at the bar for drinks.
Tadich Grill is one of San Francisco's oldest restaurant. It's in a wonderful location in the Financial District. The restaurant has a lot of character. Definitely feels like old San Francisco. Loved the ambience!
The bartenders/waiters have a lot of character as well.
Had a house Chardonnay and it wasn't too bad. We ordered calamari at the bar while waiting for my husband to arrive. Calamari was lightly coated and very tender. Just the way I like it!! Husband arrived right when our table was called. He unfortunately missed the calamari--one of his favorite dishes!
The restaurant has boothes and tables. We were lucky to get a booth. It had a lot of privacy where we could talk without shouting. Our waiter was definitely old style--very efficient without a lot of personality. Didn't look like any of the wait staff there was under 45 years old.
The menu is extensive. It was really hard to make a decision. I finally chose the crab cakes. Hubby chose the seafood platter and both of my friends chose a seafood dish "a la monza". We weren't sure what that meant but the waiter explained that it was cooked in a Italian red sauce. One thing really interesting about Tadich's menu is their daily specials. They mention that they might run out in the evening. One of my friends ran into that issue when ordering the special ravioli of the day. At least there are a ton of other options.
The portions are large. They serve wonderful sourdough bread. It's thick and chewy just the way I like it. The crab cakes were delicious. Came with rice and a huge portion of creamed spinach. Everyone else was pleased with their meals as well. Also tried their clam chowder that was thick and loaded with ingredients.
So delighted to have finally been able to eat at the San Francisco landmark! We're definitely going to go back again to try something else on their extensive menu.
This my fav seafood restaurant in SF. I came back here yesterday and had the calamari steak and clam chowder with a few of my work colleagues. BEST CALAMARI STEAK THAT I EVER HAD!
We got a table within minutes during a crowded night.
Thanks Tadich Grill................
Old San Francisco feel and culture. Great seafood, steaks, chops.
I have been coming here for…
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I am in love. Can't really describe the feeling any other way. If I lived in San Fran, I'd be hitting up this place like crazy. My hubby and I were just gonna check it out because Bourdain has been here and also it is the oldest restaurant in San Fran. We did not expect much. Turns out, This place gave me one of the most enjoyable dining experience of my life. Not all upscale restaurants are created equal. For a truly best restaurant, there is history and experience that seeps in the food they make. That's what I got from this place.
I had the Chilean Seabass Special. That piece of fish was extremely special to me. The thickness, that crusty outside with plumpy juicy white meat goodness just blew me away. Major food-o. My hubby got the Ciopinno and while it was pretty good, I still cannot compare it to that fish. We both agreed that this is the most fantastically cooked piece of fish we've ever had. I could not stop talking about how good it was until long after we left the restaurant. These people really know their stuff. You just had to be there to taste that goodness, that craftsmanship that is involved in their cooking.
We sat at the bar. I recommend that you do. It is so much more enjoyable than just sitting at the table, let alone cutting down the waiting time. Don't forget to order a drink or two while you are there. Man... I loved the drinks!
No wonder why it can be the oldest restaurant in the entire state of California, and the third oldest in the United States. No wonder it can be selected as the best seafood restaurant by several different sources. I am wowed. When I return for another San Fran trip, this will be my ultimate dinner destination.
The first time for me wasn't a charm and it took me awhile to warm up to this place. So two weeks ago I came in again on Saturday at 12 noon after the worst thunderstorms in SF in many years.
I heard you all slept thru it.
I'm confused by you sleeping thru types. What's with you people, do you put Qualudes in your hot chocolate ?
So after not having any sleep all night I wandered into this place to be greeted by a host shouting, HELLO, HOW ARE YOU, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU THIS MORNING!!!
Holy mother of God, I basically mentally fainted on the floor. So a seat at the noisy packed bar is where I skulked too. Yes, I said skulked. Then regained some color.
So I'm seated next to a guy who's about a million and a half years old eating an enormous sauteed calamari steak, kill me now, and on my other side is a Chanel number five wearing seventy old lady who thinks fried sand dabs are just the bomb !
Basically I have to admit they were probably my parents in another life.
It was time to order.I looked at the menu and was a bit confused so I just pointed to a sixty five year old guys Tuna with Broccolli .
If I've forgotton to mention I ordered a few Pinot Noirs. Pinot Noir at 12:20 is considered respectable while your shell shocked from a thunder bolt that sounded like three bombs went off above the building and causing everyone to run into the street at 4:30 am.
So now we wait.
But it's OK because at the bar they present a show, it's called Tadich Waiters on Wheels.
Did you ever see that commercial where they show the dog watching something going back and forth and his face is going left to right constantly.
Just loving my life this morning.
Alright so I try to talk to Mr.Calamari, but I get no response .
So I try Chanel #5 but she's too busy slurping on something.
WAITER ANOTHER PINOT NOIR PLEASE
Finally after what seems like watching an entire season of Shouting Waiters of San Francisco County my food arrives.
It was Tuna Steak, and Broccoli and a ton of wild rice.
Perfectly done for the most part. Definitely a large plate of food.
Tuna steak was cooked medium/rare perfect, the huge bunch of Broccoli was tender and the rice was very good. Food 4 stars. The waiter was a doll. 4 stars
So here's what I think
I love this place because I like the idea of this place. And I've come back to the bar after I realized they actually had a bar .
Katherine to Waiter, Oh you have a bar, where is it ?
Waiter to Katherine, Yes we do Katherine, it's right over there at the beginning of the bar .
Sometimes I swear I'm legally blind .
So as in life we get off to slow starts but thanks to the lure of great food and good liquor they pull us back in.
And I left Mr.Calamari & Ms.Sand Dabs at the bar in the quiet of 2pm just one seat away from each other......mmm ....hope !
What a classic spot. Friendly bartenders, speedy service, old-school vibe, oodles of history, and fresh fish - what else do you need? Their crabcakes are to DIE for - and the crab & shrimp dinner salad with blue cheese is divine. Stop there, and you'll be satisfied - but you won't stop there, because you need to try the cioppino, the sand dabs, and crab & prawns a la manza. Mangia!
Heard a lot of great things about this historical SF restaurant so I dined here with raised expectations. Tadich certainly did not dissappoint. The layout of the restaurant is very old school. There's a long span of seats along the counter like you would see at a diner. Most people sit on the counter (vs. booth seating). The look and feel of the place and the servers are very old school, feels like you are dining in the 60's.
Tons of selection for food with most dishes feature seafood. Cioppino is a big hit, saw many people make like babies and put on bibs to tackle the dish. I ordered the Lobster Casserole which was crazy rich and good. Big chunks of meaty lobster covered in thick cream sauce baked in the lobster's shell. It came with a solid portion of buttery and chunky side vegetables and potatoes. Afrer finishing the whole meal, I think I had a slight case of cardiac arrest but it was well worth it.
This restaurant can't be adequately rated by Yelp. Try a different league such as Michelin.
-Seafood Curry Casorole- crab on the bottom, crab in the middle, I thought this dish was supposed to have rice, I can't find it between all these jumbo prawns and crab meat.
-Ciopino- savory
-Grilled seabass- largest whole fish entree I have ever seen on a single plate in this country.
This restaurant can't be adequately rated by Yelp. Try a different league such as Michelin.
-Seafood…
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"The Original Cold Day Restaurant" is what is advertized on the front window of the oldest restaurant in San Francisco (1849). As a buddy of mine put it, "It's kind of like the Peter Luger's of Seafood". Old school with large portions, gruff waiters that don't want to hear your BS, and a tried and true system. Get in, eat large, and then get out.
Don't expect any kind of fancy fusion or green movement menu, but do expect excellent renditions of cioppino, seafood sauté, clam chowder, herring, smoked trout, oysters, etc...
If offered, don't shy away from eating at the bar.
First off, kudos for surviving a fire on Tuesday and quickly re-opening on Wednesday. Second, man, you are PACKED on a Thursday at noon.
This is definitely not a place you want to go if you want a quick lunch. Or even a power hour lunch. After a brief (15 minute) wait, we were whisked into our booth. It felt like time has stopped for us just to enjoy our lunch.
Our server was extremely friendly and knowledgeable; didn't hurt that he called us his "lovely ladies" the entire time, either.
We had the seared ahi tuna (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), breaded petrale sole (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), and the sand dabs (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
Don't be fooled by a seemingly small amount of food. I am stuffed to the brim, and ready for a nap.
Almost halfway through that 7x7 list...
I was very happy here! It reminded me of Galatoire's in New Orleans. It is old, has old tile on the floors, lots of character. Everything was really good, from the bread to the salad to the clam chowder, to the entrees (filet and tortellini/salmon). Our waiter was a very nice French guy with a good sense of humor and caring. I will definitely go back here. They were out of lobster thermidor so that was disappointing, but it was all good. No reservations, first come, first served.
I loved Tadich's classic, homey feel; I wouldn't have been surprised to see Don Draper sitting a few booths away. The food was hyped up to me immensely by my relatives, and Tadich Grill largely met those expectations. The cioppino was hearty, filling, full of variety, and epitomized classic San Franciscan cuisine. The mahi mahi steak was a delicacy: selected and cooked by professional artisans, and was a bargain when compared to the volume and quality of fish served at a sushi restaurant. I couldn't afford to eat here every week, maybe even every month, but I'll definitely keep Tadich Grill in mind for when I want to impress a date or treat a friend on their birthday.
Tadich borderlines on five stars, but the service was not up to snuff. The staff us served old bread and they nearly forgot to give one of our dishes to our group. At the end of the meal, the waiter offered us coffee. We waited for close to ten minutes and the man never returned with a cup for me, even though the coffee pot was within arms reach of my seat. It wouldn't have been a big deal if they had been super busy, but it was 2:30PM and the place was half empty.
I think my favorite thing about this place is the blast from the past vibe. It's got a classic saloon feel for some reason.
The food was good, but I think it's a little overrated. Everything is very rich and a little too flavorful for seafood, in my opinion. The oysters rockefeller were pretty yummy...Who would've thought of basically putting creamy spinach dip on top of oysters and baking it? But I think once was good enough for me to try it. I also had this seafood risotto type dish that was pretty good, but i couldn't finish it. My date had a pork roast with apple sauce that was really good, but it did taste a tad dry. It was a cool experience to try the SF historic landmark a try tho!
Ok, I really had my prejudices against this place beforehand. I mean, it's "famous", right? It's the place to go for "old-school" San Francisco, and all that. Gotta be a real tourist trap, yeah?
Holy crap, was I surprised.
On his recommendation, a coworker and myself wandered in just before the dinner rush, and promptly grabbed two seats at the long wooden bar. I ordered up a mineral water and a Manhattan, both of which were delivered promptly. The drink was an exercise in perfection - I'm a fan of the classic cocktails, and Tadich Grill just bloody nailed it. My Manhattan was a pitch-perfect proportion of whiskey, bitters, and vermouth served chilled, but not ice cold. A better cocktail I've not had in quite a while. As a bonus, it was barely over $7, which is a relative bargain for a mixed drink in this city.
I had a simple green salad tossed with oil and vinegar and a spot of ground black pepper to accompany my entree. It was all it needed to be - basic, fresh, light, and green. For an entree, I ordered a whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass, which turned up cooked to perfection. Crispy on the outside, light, tender and flaky on the inside. I could have eaten two had I wanted to be a glutton. Dressed with a little olive oil and lemon, this was an outstanding fish. The quarter-round of crusty sourdough bread Tadich provides was put to good use mopping up the plate afterward. Bless them for serving Brussels sprouts as a side veg, too. I love the things, though most people unfairly seem to dislike them with a passion.
My desert was a real classic - almost a relic, really - bourbon bread pudding, which was chock full of nuts, berries, raisins, and apples covered in a surprisingly not-cloying bourbon caramel sauce. I had to stop halfway on this, and I'm not a guy who blithely discards desert. It's really rich stuff, but it went a treat with a cup of coffee to end the meal.
For those that are used to the new school of restaurant service that includes an overly chipper server chirping the specials of the day at you after introducing themselves and kneeling down at table level to talk, I'm sure that the Tadich staff might seem a little stern. They're not, though. They're efficient, professional, and no-nonsense, and they're really good at keeping things moving in a busy place while not making you feel rushed. And you know, I prefer it that way.
So, if you're visiting San Francisco, just go here. It's one of those rare places that actually lives up to its reputation. I'd go back in a heartbeat, even if work wasn't footing the bill.
I smiled when this came on bourdain's new show on SF. I have been here numerous time with my family, first when i was a young boy, about 5. I ate a whole plate of escargot and my family has never let me live it down since...(remember that time hahahah!).
Always when I came here I knew I was in for a good experience and a great meal. People lined up at the bar for after work drinks and that normally where i'd wait with my family, sipping a diet coke. The waiters here are a bit surly, but in a nice way. you tend to expect it from a place of this caliber. My mom and dad always got the shrimp cocktails and I know my dad thinks the crab louie at this place is to die for. I would normally do a filet or something with a baked potato and it was always on point.
So many memories...it's a place when my grandpa ate and a place where i want to take my grandchildren.
It was the right meal at the right time. We were craving for something hearty and wholesome, and Tadich hit the spot. We ordered the Cioppino, lamb chops, and steak. It was perfect.
The Cioppino is a crowd favorite, and I can see why. There's a bite of seafood in every scoop. The garlic bread that comes with it was excellent as well...about $25 for the dish.
The lamb chop...$33, and steak...$28, were seared nicely, charred and blackened. Although it wasn't really seasoned much, the freshness of the meat made up for all of the flavor.
Service was friendly, the bartender was extremely entertaining and funny. Great place.
I tagged along today with some folks from work for a "special" lunch at the Tadich Grill. I wasnt really familiar with the place -- I had a vague notion of a stuffy old-style San Francisco businessman's joint. However, immediately we entered the place, I was impressed...! When you walk in, you're immediately presented with a long, classic bar in a comforting, wood-paneled area. There are attentive white-aproned waiters, the youngest of which seemed to be at least 60. We were greeted warmly and seated in a booth along the wall, a very private area. Fortunately, we got there at ~11:30, as the place very quickly filled up for Friday lunchtime.
I ordered a "surf & turf" choice, the Fillet Mignon and Jumbo Prawns, and I was delighted with the excellent beef and (obviously - for a place where seafood is a specialty) shrimp and tasty Brussel sprouts. My colleagues got the signature seafood cioppino and Crab Louie, and everyone was extremely pleased. A very pleasant surprise and a most enjoyable lunch. I am going to make a point of going back -- now that I know the place. Needless to say, it's fairly pricey -- but you certainly get what you pay for. A very good venue for a special lunch. (And I'm guessing it'd be a very cozy winter location...)
This old school joint features the BEST cioppino I've ever had. I would give the cioppino five stars.
However, the rest of the food is good, but not great. The service is uneven, ranging from cheerfully attentive to grumpily inattentive. I've been here three times and have had the cioppino twice. It is delicious. This rich seafood stew consists of large portions of scallops, clams, mussels, halibut, crab, and prawns in a savory tomato-based broth. It contains no "filler" starches or vegetables and comes with two large pieces of buttered garlic bread with which you can sop up the broth. The portion is large enough for two meals if you want to avoid afternoon food coma.
Most recently, I had the pan fried sand dabs (#67 on the 7x7 Big Eat SF 100 list, http://www.7x7.com/con...) and was a bit underwhelmed. I'm not sure why 7x7 chose this dish over the ciopinno. The fish was undoubtedly fresh and I appreciated that the filets were deboned, but the dish was unremarkable. The pan fried preparation obscures the fish's distinct flavor and tasted very similar to my friend's pan-fried petrale sole. The fish entrees came with roasted squash and pan-fried potatoes (both were solid).
Next time I'll stick with the cioppino. When you get the cioppino they give you a plastic bib to protect your clothing - a nice touch.
Try to go here each time I visit San Francisco.
The food is fresh and flavorful and I love the rustic feel of the place. Try the pan fried trout...awesome!
Some words of caution:
1. They DO NOT take American Express...don't even try.
2. It can get really busy in the evenings and they do walk in only, no reservations.
#67 on the 7x7 List: Sand dabs
-Tasty? I don't know, because we didn't get that far
-Service: Polite but the "policies" of this place killed us
-Ambiance: Cramped, stuffy, old-school for old-time business people who uphold a certain uptight attitude
-Worth the trip/try? No. First of all, it's sand dabs, a flat bottom feeder fish without a ton of meat. Second, they have a splitting charge of $9. I can understand maybe a $3 charge but $9?? Third, each person in the party must order at least $11.50 each. This does not mean an average $11.50 per person for the table. For example, if Bob orders a $23 fish, Jane must order something $11.50 even though the average would have been $11.50 with Bob's order alone.
These policies are pretty ridiculous, considering that we already had three other "dinners" this night and we cannot fit an entree each in us. We weren't allowed to tack on a dessert with the sand dab either.
Lastly, they only take up to 4 credit cards and each must be charged the same amount. Why? How hard is it to jot down whose card wants what amount?
So, instead of killing ourselves with way-too-much and possibly-bad food and service, we just got up and left. I don't care that this is the oldest restaurant in SF. There's an "oldest restaurant" in every city.
Hello, this is America! The customer should be free to order as much or as little as he or she wants.
Growing up in SF, I've heard of Tadich Grill through misc editorials, but it was never on the top of my list of places to go, given the wealth of other restaurants out in the city. But finally after seeing it featured on Anthony Bourdain's - No Reservations, and hearing it almost got burned down, I figured it was time I sampled this old time establishment.
First off, you go in, put your name down, and wait your turn to be called. Do yourself a favor, find a seat at the bar and order up a few drinks, because on a busy night, you'll be waiting for a while. If you're not sitting at the bar, be sure to listen out for your name being called, because it will only be called once, and if missed they skip to the next party.
We started off with the clam chowder, with a generous helping of clams. It was good, but the gf agreed that the taste wasn't what she expected from a clam chowder. It wasn't bad, just different. Then came the ciopinno, mouth watering seafood goodness. Comes with two pieces of garlic bread to soak up all the juices. Again, a generous amount of seafood, all very fresh, and done just right.
Overall, it was a good experience, staff has that old style charm, atmosphere was a little mixed, but excellent food.
We had a customer to take out for drinks after work and headed to the hotel bar across the street from Wells Fargo, but there were no seats at the bar or tables. So we headed out for a walk.....I am always "up" for trying a new spot to have a beer.
We wandered into the Tadish and found 3 seats at the bar around 5:30 pm. This is a classic spot, been there since the 1850s and I don't think much has changed. At part of the long circular bar you can eat and drink, and at our spots you could drink.
Excellent bartender, friendly, good drinks, and good conversation....but not too overbearing. Easy for the three of us to chat, and we all had a cup of soup. I had the Clam Chowder and it was EXCEPTIONAL -- so good I wanted another.
We stayed for about an hour, and after several cocktails and the soups the check was under $100 (hard to believe I didn't have to pay).
We did ask if we could have dinner where we sat, and the answer was only for apps, and the wait was 20 minutes (they don't take reservations).......so we headed out to find another spot....
I love the Tadich. I've now been there 3 times and I've been very happy every time. I'm definitely a creature of habit and when I find something I like I do it the same every time.
I visited yesterday for an early lunch with my good friend. I knew already I was getting the Petrale Sole, my friend ordered the Clam Chowder and Caesar salad. I was thrilled, because I could try her food too.
My Sole was the same as before. Just perfect. Its a fat bomb, but so, so good. The sides are just so/so but I really wasn't there for the sides. The Clam chowder was great, a little too thick, but has great flavor and lots of clams and potatoes. The caesar was excellent, not too eggy with yummy (mild) anchovies.
I've only ever sit at the bar because the waiters crack me up. So very serious, but with a twinkle in their eye.
Ask to take a look at their book while you wait the 5 minutes for your food.
Ok, this place was AMAZING. Went on a Saturday night when I was in town visiting a friend. The place was packed, lots of regulars. Everyone knew everyone else's name. The bartenders and waiters were all happy and positive and friendly. You have to wait a long while to get in, but they make it interesting. Once you're in, you're treated like gold. The waiters are all old school and know how to do classy service. The food was exceptional (especially the cioppino and the bread pudding). I would recommend this place to anyone, anytime, anywhere and i'm definitely going back.
Ok, reading over my previous review, I realized that I must have been high. Or just stupid. I claimed, "the food isn't spectacular."
Wrong.
Stopped by for lunch on Friday after arriving in the city and ordered the Mahi-Mahi with mango salsa. Excellent. A friend had the homemade meatloaf. More excellent. Another friend had a whole fish on his plate, from which his dinner stared at me for 30 minutes. That's ok--his was excellent too. Great lunch, great experience.
The Tadich Grill IS San Francisco. Period. You have to visit and have a drink at the bar, or a meal… Read more »
Tadich Grill was one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. It is the oldest restaurant in SF and had that old skool cozy feel to it. The bartenders were funny and welcoming, no one working there seemed under 45 years old, but that kept with the ambiance. We had cocktails at the bar while we waited for our table, the drinks were good, the house red wine was good as well. I ordered the cioppino and my husband had the steak. Ridiculous! You could definitely tell that the soup had been stewing for awhile, the seafood had marvelous flavor and nothing in it seemed over or under cooked. The steak was exactly as ordered with wonderful flavor. It definitely gets busy, but rightfully so, this place is deserves high marks and is a must if you visit! I also hear that the lunch is good, but the dinner is outstanding!
holy house of seafood. everything about this place was fabulous...
Being originally from the midwest now transplanted to Texas, one does not typically trust seafood in Indiana/Iowa/Central Texas. I knew I had to partake during my visit to San Francisco. I heard rave reviews about this place from everyone I asked for seafood restaurant suggestions, so my mom and I went to try it out for ourselves.
We walked in to the restaurant and saw the huge mahogany bar, waiters bustling around, the older white jacketed bartenders/hosts behind the bar yelling friendly banter at eachother (and guests), people lined up the entire entrance wall waiting to be seated. We went around 7 or 8 on a Saturday night and waited about 45 minutes for a table (expected).
Our server was Barry. He made the experience even better--if you're going for the warm fuzzies waiter that coddles you--he's not for you. If you like someone that is efficient, tells you the best things on the menu, and dishes a little bit of sass--he's PERFECT!
I was being really indecisive and asked him to help me make up my mind--he said I should have the cioppino. Explained it as seafood stew--I kind of gave him a weird look. That didn't sound very delicious. After he said-TRUST ME, and walked away, I ordered it.
Best. Decision. Ever. HUGE scallops, prawns, dungeness crab meat, clams, and halibut with a tomato/white wine broth. It's sinful and amazing. I was really mad that I had filled up on the bread and couldn't eat all of the cioppino. My mom also has a gluten and dairy allergy-they were great about working around her and helping her find something she'd enjoy. They cooked hers sans butter and double checked everything to be sure it would be safe for her to eat. She had the seafood saute and ate every bite.
The first thing I did when I got back to Austin was find a recipe for Tadich Grill's Cioppino...I'm going to make it for a dinner party once I get paid again! I'll need the paycheck to be able to afford the recipe-SO much seafood in it. mmmm.
I just love this place. Had the Lobster Thermidor special and it was delicious -- lots of big lobster chunks and a great sauce. It amazes me that they have such a huge menu and do everything so well.
I really like these old-school places with traditional -- albeit heavy -- cooking. A welcome relief from so many precious Bay Area restaurants where the parsley decorating the plate rim is considered a vegetable course and you end up leaving hungry.
Great, old-school place. The waiters are a trip -- crisp, professional and efficient. Such a relief… Read more »
Cioppino, Cioppino, Cioppino!!!!!
This place is my favorite and I am long overdue to write a review
I love the fresh Alaskan halibut steaks as well when they available.
Service is always good. I like sitting at bar when there is just two of us. Bread is awesome.
This is a must do on my frequent trips to the Bay Area
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