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  • Franciscan Crab Restaurant

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Reserve at Franciscan Crab Restaurant

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Franciscan Crab Restaurant
Franciscan Crab Restaurant

Franciscan Crab Restaurant Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://www.franciscancrabrestaurant.com
  • Phone: (415) 362-7733
  • Hours of Operation: Daily 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
  • Payment Options: Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Seafood
  • Executive Chef: J.C. Becerra
  • Dress Code: Smart Casual
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: Semi-private dining with seating from 28 - 58 people. Banquet menus available.
  • Private Party Contact: Vinny Kim (415) 362-7733

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Taylor
  • Public Transit: Muni: F-Line
  • Parking: Public Lot
  • Parking Details: Public Lot in front of the restaurant.
    Two hours free parking with validation.
A word from Franciscan Crab Restaurant
"Hands down the best food you'll find on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf" proclaimed Sunset Magazine. An extensive renovation has revitalized the Franciscan Crab Restaurant, a Fisherman's Wharf institution since 1957. White tiled walls, beautiful marble bar and twenty foot windows overlook the… bay and Alcatraz. Terraced dining affords views from every table: hand blown glass shades and chandeliers dazzle, black and white photos of celebrity patrons adorn the stairs and walls. Continued
Foodspotting photos
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerScenic View
Diner Reviews
  • "They made my Anniversary dinner memorable and special"
    Dined on 7/20/2014
  • "Service: pretty good for being very very busy (of course, it's fisherman’s wharf), it took a little while for the waiter to show up but he was friendly/helpful with any questions. The corkage fee was $10 per bottle so we brought our own, it did take a while for the sommelier showed up to open the bottles, thank goodness that two bottles were screw top, I would have had cranky people without open bottle of wine. The food: Some were better than others. The crab chowder; fantastic, the clam chowder; good. The crab cakes; tasty. The crab salad looked good, which my wife enjoyed. The shrimp was good, the mussels were good till I ate one that tasted like the bottom of the sea which turned me off. I would go back again to try other menu items."
    Dined on 7/19/2014
  • "We went in a family of 5 had 2 different waiters would of preferred just the 2nd waiter the first was a waste he didn't bring any of the appetizers, and a bottle of wine, that we had ordered or drinks, and when asked several times he blamed it on other servers, needless to say we never saw the bottle of wine and the appetizer came at the end of the meal, really? He went and told his manager and then told us that we got him in trouble, really? Do your job or get out of the customer service industry field. Because of this waiter I would not return to this restrauant again or refer anyone to it."
    Dined on 7/19/2014
  • "Absolutely amazing from beginning to end. Arrived 10 minutes early and was seated 5 min before reservation. We greater by our waiter quickly, our appitizers arrived 5 minutes later. Dinner 10 minutes. Loved the view absolutely amazing feels like your on a cruise ship! Great place to spend birthday"
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "we ate at several seafood restaurants while we were in san francisco. this one had by far the best view and the food was very good."
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "The food was okay, nothing great. I had the crab alfredo which was bland. My husband had the braised pork ribs which were really flavorful. Both of our desserts were okay. The strawberries on the cheesecake were frozen not fresh and my chocolate Sunday had very little chocolate and was mostly vanilla ice cream. Very disappointing for the money we spent. :("
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "We enjoyed the spectacular view of the bay and the service was outstanding. The prices for lunch was quite high. A mixed tropical drink at 11.95 seemed excessive. The rugs in the dining area were very dirty and needed to be replaced. The rest of the restaurant was fine and the view of the bay made up for the rug issue."
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "Very nice view of the ocean and bay. We had a nice meal of crab and fish and chips. The service was ok."
    Dined on 7/13/2014
  • "This restaurant had absolutely wonderful food. We had the surf and turf with a filet mignon and it was perfect. The crab was great and fresh, as well. The only complaint we had was it took a while for us to be served (about 20 minutes after we sat down), but the food lifted our spirits."
    Dined on 7/12/2014
  • "When you go to SF you want crab! Just don't get it here. Their "special" garlic butter sauce has no garlic and has some kind of herb (tarragon?) that just overpowers the flavor of the crab. And it's not cheap. The views are amazing but get them in while you can. They rush you in and out, and service is no where to be found during the meal. Such a disappointment."
    Dined on 7/11/2014
  • "After attending the SF Giants game we hustled over to the restaurant for dinner and were cordially greeted and seated...the wait staff is excellent and the menu was different...but the Crab Sliders and the Crab Louie were great...."
    Dined on 7/10/2014
  • "My husband had the Prix Fixe - fish and chips and loved the easy choice and price. I had the roasted shrimp and mussels and it was delish! We loved all the famous people pictures on the wall and the whole retro look of the place. I would definitely recommend this place."
    Dined on 7/1/2014
  • "If you're not afraid of wearing a bib, try the seafood cioppino. It was amazing!"
    Dined on 7/1/2014
  • "Had guests from the Midwest passing through. Had dinner during the week. The service was great and the food was fantastic."
    Dined on 6/30/2014
  • "The Dungeness crab was not very good and the bathrooms were horrible. The table had a beautiful view though."
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "Excellent food and service. I have been to this restaurant many times and plan to come back any time I return to SF."
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "I read all of the bad reviews and service, but the place looked nice, so we tried. What a disappointment! We tried the Crab Fondue, that I had read good reviews on. It was more like soup, with crab and curdled cheese at the bottom,yuck! Tried the shrimp, skillet and fried. They were tiny shrimp, like you would expect in Nebraska. The reviews panned the service and timing, so I was prepared, but still dissapointed. Try something else! Don't do it!"
    Dined on 6/27/2014
  • "Took my 92 year old dad for dinner. The decor is really high end kitsch -- mermaids and all that, red leather booths, aqua and red color scheme. Huge windows on the glorious bay let us watch ferries zip in and out. Gorged on briny, fresh oysters, rich and gooey crab fondue, roasted crab, fish and chips, crab enchiladas and a vanilla sundae. Everything was super tasty, piping hot and came quickly from the kitchen. Our waitress was really swift and efficient and our bus "boy" was attentive and so cute with my dad. Definitely going back, but arriving earlier so I can visit Laughing Sal at the Musée Mécanique just a few doors down. Dinner for three of us with tip, a glass of wine and one cocktail: $175."
    Dined on 6/27/2014
  • "We loved the food,view and vibe of this restaurant . It was our last night in San Fransico and it was an excellent way to complete our vacation."
    Dined on 6/26/2014
  • "We ordered the too two crab feast for three(share) two full crabs are served at your table n a steaming hot grill platter One of us ordered the enchilades, they were not the traditional kind. The sauce was more indicitive of marinara sauce,and did not suit the crab inside. The drinks were traditional except the mermsid margarita was good. This restaurant is not cheap, but the view is spectacular. Our server was a gruppy guy that seemed put out by our requests for questions to be snswered. He let us know that he would bring us some bread to keep us happy,even though everyone gets bread with the meal. Great food, just luck of the draw for poor service."
    Dined on 6/26/2014
  • "This place is kitschy, but that's to be expected of anything on Fisherman's Wharf. However, the food is pretty good and if you get a seat by the windows, it's totally worth it. My fish was great, and the wine was good. Service was a little slow, but definitely a fun place to try."
    Dined on 6/25/2014
  • "I enjoyed the Dungeness Crab a lot, Hot Plated Shrimp is just OK. Even the Salad is great. Service is good and the view is nice. Only complain I have is the price. 2 Dungeness Crab for $72 seems a bit pricey"
    Dined on 6/22/2014
  • "Tasteless oysters....green mussels.....spicy shrimp pasta seemed more like noodles and shrimp bathed in Heinz 57."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "This is the fourth time we have visited. The menu remains consistently good, while being traditional warf food with an updated twist. Our server was on top of it and even brought a birthday dessert for my son. Will be back."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "Our dining experience at Franciscan Carb was outstanding. The food was great and the service was superb. We were seated at a round booth overlooking the bay at sunset. Highly recommend."
    Dined on 6/20/2014
  • "The food was as I remember; delicious and the service was great. I thought it was overpriced but the view was incredible. It seemed a little run down- it was noted to have been remodeled but I didn't notice a difference. The bathroom was dirty and the papertowel holder wasn't working."
    Dined on 6/18/2014
  • "The staff were kind, helpful, sat us right away at a table w/the view I requested, left us alone so we could have our special visit but tended to us in an expeditious manner and didn't rush us at all. It was the perfect day for my special occasion."
    Dined on 6/16/2014
  • "The staff were just overwhelmed and confused. It was a busy father's day dinner time. We were a large group and they should have had a waiter/waitress who is responsible for a few tables only. Our waitress was all over the place waiting on many other tables and we couldn't get her attention when we needed something. Even water was not refilled! The food was decent, but the service was a BIG FAIL."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "Group of 8, had our table ready ahead of our 6:30 reservation. Server didn't great us for a good 15 min. Had to ask for water three times. Dessert was delivered prior to dinner plates being cleared. The ordering of dessert is a clear signal to bus the table. Great views of the bay. Crostini and calamari were yummy. Everyone said their entrees were good. Homemade custard was good too."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "Was looking for the perfect seafood place to complete our tour along Fisherman's Wharf. The view of Alcatraz was amazing .. and as we just did the tour earlier that day, it was a perfect end to our evening. Food was good and filling .. we did the seafood skillets. Service was great. The only downfall .. the lady's washroom was a mess."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "We asked for seating with bay view and we reserved via OpenTable weeks in advance. The hostess told us the tables with views are only to those who made a reservation. What the heck was the advantage then for making a reservation online with OpenTable? We were seated to the side of restaurant with no view at all. The food was just average to me. My crab enchilada was dry and there was hardly any red sauce on it. My vegetables were overcooked too. The only good thing about our experience was our waiter. He was very attentive to us. However, we will never dine at this restaurant again...it is over-rated."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "Great views from every table. Food was fresh, delicious and reasonably priced."
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "Our table was ready at exactly the time we had requested, and our view was amazing! The staff was so enjoyable and service was top-notch. Our meal was perfectly prepared and the portions were ample. This will be a "must do" for dinner anytime we travel to the city!"
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "The food was excellent as was the service. Our waiter was obviously a bit older and very experienced. He did a very nice job. It was noisy, lots of people having a good time, but we could still enjoy conversation. The view of the bay is very nice. All things considered, a great dining experience"
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "loved the whole dining experience. it is quite a view, the service was excellent, the food was delicious and loved the menu/recipe book."
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "Scenery was nice. Food was ok. Good place to take out of town visitors."
    Dined on 6/13/2014
  • "We've been to the restaurant many times and food is always great. But this last time, the service was very mediocre. They first brought our special and gave it to the table behind us then the waiter realized it was supposed to be ours...the other table didn't touch it, but still didn't feel right. Then we had to ask for the crab utensils (bib, cracker, etc). Our main waitress didn't come to check on us once and we had to look for her to ask for the things we needed. I saw that they had wiki sticks on our way out, but my two kids weren't even offered any. Maybe it was just that day, but I've had better service there before."
    Dined on 6/13/2014
  • "I did not expect much from a restaurant on fisherman's wharf. But we wanted a crab dinner and google led us here. The crabs were huge and very tasty (and messy). The shrimps were cooked perfectly. This place has an amazing view of the bay. I had filet mignon too and this was not terrible but not nearly as good as the crab. This is a great place to take an out of towner for an sf crab dinner."
    Dined on 6/10/2014
  • "I think the Franciscan is THE place to eat while visiting Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. The view of San Francisco Bay is unsurpassed by any of the other restaurants in the neighborhood. The menu is large and the food is very good and the sour dough baguettes are to die for!"
    Dined on 6/8/2014
  • "This is one of my favorite resturants in San Fransico, Because it has great food done well. I,am a happy camper !!!!"
    Dined on 6/7/2014
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