Pier Market

location: pier 39 (fisherman's wharf)

i recently marked pier market off of my list in my ongoing search for the best clam chowder in san francisco. if you can handle pier 39 on a freezing day in the summer at the height of tourist season, i suggest checking it out now. for those of you less interested in the spectacle that is pier 39, wait. i went with l on a thursday night trip to the wharf so it was pretty crowded but the restaurant was able to accommodate us with a really nice window seat inside, instead of under a worthless heat lamp. i already knew what i wanted when i got there so i didn't really peruse the menu, particularly because based on the prices listed i had no interest in over paying for something i guessed would be mediocre. the clam chowder & salad combo is probably the best deal they offer. at $10.95 it's the same price as some bowls of chowder down in that area and it comes with a nice side salad. it did not top my list, but i wasn't expecting it to. the chowder had a low potato ratio which is important to me, it tasted fresh and the sourdough bread bowl was the perfect size.

recommendation: if you're already at pier 39 i recommend. may not be worth travelling a far distance for.

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: okay!

service: yay!

Blue Mermaid

471 jefferson street (at hyde), fisherman's wharf

touristy meets tasty at the blue mermaid chowder house, located in the lobby of the argonaut hotel. i had walked by a few times and thought it looked really cute inside and wanted to check out their chowder. t & h came to sf for dinner so i thought what better than to take them to a cheesy wharf restaurant to acquaint them with my new neighborhood.

the inside of this restaurant is festive in every nautical way possible. anchors, ropes, steering wheels, and waiters in stripes! the decor is cute, to say the least (the lobby of the argonaut hotel is also really nautically cute).

we settled into our table after a short wait at the bar where beers were less expensive than i was expecting. $6 for an anchor steam draft, i've paid more for a bottle down at the wharf.

the menu offers 4 different kinds of clam chowder! i went for the original chowder in a bread bowl and was surprised by the delicious taste of bacon! the other options had corn in them which i do not like (see my review of the buena vista, just up the block from the mermaid).

we shared a half crab which was overpriced and didn't taste as fresh as other crab i've had down there but it was still very satisfying soaked in melted butter. the popcorn shrimp and fish 'n' chips did not disappoint either.

i can't really think of a reason you'd jump out of your seat and hurry down to this restaurant but the food was really good. the service, although a little slow, was very friendly.

recommendation: take a visiting family member!

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: okay!

service: okay!

The Buena Vista

location: 2765 hyde st. at beach, fisherman's wharf

the buena vista is quite possibly one of the most famous attractions in san francisco, and for good reason. they invented and perfected the irish coffee there in 1952 and they are still using the same recipe today that they made over 50 years ago. growing up my parents would tell stories of afternoons and nights spent sippin' irish coffees (bailey's for lw) so it seemed fitting to take mom there for mother's day. the buena vista has a small interior with a long bar for seating and several window tables overlooking the hyde st. cable car turnaround and aquatic park.

we promptly ordered our coffees and i have to say, they were perfect. i have attempted to make an irish coffee or two and they always taste more irish than coffee. being that the buena vista is in fisherman's wharf and that it's so famous, the prices are on the expensive side, although our bill wasn't too crazy for 3 people, a few drinks and an appetizer, it seemed like some menu items were a little overpriced. i had the crab melt sandwich offered on the daily special menu, which was a delicious crab concoction with melted swiss, open face on an english muffin. it was savory, filling and had to be eaten with a fork (read: messy). we had the calamari which was pretty standard but accompanied by a perfect cocktail sauce, possible the best i've ever had. we shared the clam chowder which is wasn't very impressed by due to the presence of corn in the soup. i believe that clam chowder should not have corn, it has very few ingredients and corn should not be one, that being said, it was pretty good but bland. our waitress was lively, attentive and shouted every time an irish coffee was ordered, which i enjoyed. on a nearly perfect spring day, the buena vista is the best place to start out your afternoon.

recommendation: get over there and call me before you go (i live around the corner!)

tastiness: yay!

food vs. price: yay!

service: yay!