Skool

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Address:
1725 Alameda Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Neighborhood:
SOMA

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Cuisine:
Seafood

Price: $30 and under

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Skool Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.skoolsf.com
Phone: (415) 255-8800
Hours of Operation: Brunch: Saturday - Sunday: 11:30pm - 3:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30 pm;
Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm;
Dinner: Monday, Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm

*Skool will not take or honor Open Table Reservations for Happy Hour, Happy Hour is only in the bar area.
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Seafood, Japanese
Executive Chef: Moto Nagano
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Catering: We can cater and tend to private events and hope to meet all needs of each specific request for a special event.
Private Party Facilities: We have a small private patio than could seat 10-12 and have a large redwood and resin semi-private table in the corner of our space.
Private Party Contact: Andy (415) 255-8800

Getting there

Cross Street: Corner of De Haro St. and Alameda St.
Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: We ample street parking during late afternoon, nights and weekends.

A word from Skool

Skool restaurant is a fish-focused restaurant with Japanese flair. We are committed to serving the freshest dishes with special attention to local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. Skool in located in sunny Potrero Hill and has a warm and welcoming large private patio. Skool's full bar… serves up great artisan and seasonal cocktails in addition to beer, wine, sake and much more.
Skool serves lunch, dinner and brunch. Skool also has 'Detention Hall’ our version of Happy Hour at our bar and patio. Come be a part of our Skool at the corner of Alameda and De Haro in the Design District of Potrero Hill.Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerSeafood
Diners' Choice WinnerOutdoor Dining

Skool - Best Restaurants in SOMA

Diner Reviews

"We were there for brunch. Dinner may be different, I hope. Pros: great space and location. Good service. Cons: overpriced ($18 for so so steamed mussels! the burger was good but seam overpriced as well)"
Dined on 7/20/2014
"I was pleasantly surprised at finding this restaurant. I am not from San Fransisco and was trying to find a restaurant that would help me with lactose intolerance and gluten free. The staff was very accommodating. The rest of my party could eat anything and they enjoyed the food also. We happened to be there during their weekend brunch. The presentation was lovely. We were able to sit outside under umbrellas on a beautiful sunny day in San Fransisco."
Dined on 7/19/2014
"Easily my favourite SF restaurant. The food, the drinks list, the staff are all fabulous. Of particular note is the squid ink spagghetina - probably in my top 5 favourite things that I have ever eaten."
Dined on 7/16/2014
"The menu changed to more variety and thoughtful creations"
Dined on 7/13/2014
"Not great for a party of three since the host will try to seat you at a table designed for two. Putting aside the fact that three pairs of legs will not fit comfortably under the table positioned next to a glass wall, try ordering three plates, with drinks, glasses of water, etc..."
Dined on 7/11/2014
"I think they do a brisk lunch business but evening are quiet in that area. I live nearby and I want this restaurant to be here forever. I'm not a person who gives five stars easily, so please don't see that as a negative. I did, however, give 5 stars for ambience because the garden deck is one of the most pleasant environs I've ever dined in. The interior is good too, though the seats are not meant for lingering. The food is fantastic, and so well prepared. I'm generally skittish about anything approaching "Asian fusion," but every dish I've had there has been a beautiful melding. The specialty cocktails are exemplary too. Just go, please?"
Dined on 7/5/2014
"Great meal at Skool. A must is the uni flan which was a first for us. Yummy unusual flavors with great texture, a must! Trout and Sea Bas were fabulous and a plentiful portion as well."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"nice decor. intersting menu. food didn't agree with me."
Dined on 7/1/2014
"Not just the 3rd time; the other two as well. This place is just great if you're looking for an authentic, down-to-earth, dining experience, this is it."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"This is my second time there. I brought a friend to enjoy their food. As always, they are friendly and nice. We noticed a bit of dirt/residue on the plates and glasses but it wasn't that bad. Their food was great. It was fresh, seasonal and well-balanced. Their drink menu is great too."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"Love this restaurant - their Uni flan alone is worth a visit. Their house-cured fish platter is also fantastic, and I enjoyed the mushroom fries and sweet, delicately flavored oysters. Our main courses were the mussels, squid ink spaghetti, and rainbow trout - everything was beautifully prepared and our guests who dined with us from France on our most recent visit were blown away by the experience. It's very easy to do boring Asian fusion, but their use of flavors (curries, spice, soy, bonito) is extremely well balanced and interesting. The only drawback to the restaurant is that is it very loud and therefore hard to have a conversation with your dining companions. But the noise is worth it - we will be back!"
Dined on 6/17/2014
"I have been coming here for years and am so glad that my job has brought me back to the neighborhood. Skool not only has wonderful friendly service but an amazing spread of food. I am also delighted to be able to sip a glass of Sauv blanc on the patio at lunch time or happy with friends and take in all atmosphere has to offer. They are dog friendly too! Love it!"
Dined on 6/17/2014
"Skool was a very interesting restaurant. Food was great, drinks were great, service was a little slow between courses but with a great atmosphere, no where to be and a good friend to talk to we didn't notice too much. It was a little expensive for my normal budget but was doing dine about town so it was fun to splurge a little and a great place to do so."
Dined on 6/12/2014
"What a pleasant surprise this restaurant was! The patio was inviting and beautifully landscaped. (We didn't eat there this time but will next time!) Three of us took advantage of the early bird special which allowed us to select an appetizer, entree, and a glass of wine, sake, or sangria. What a deal! I shared the kale salad and cerviche with my husband. Both were excellent. I liked his duck better than my bass, though both were delicious. The fourth person in our group got the Dining About Town special (about the same price as our dinners) and got an appetizer, entree, and dessert from the set menu. I want to back for a late summer dinner and enjoy the patio, heated by the sun or deck heaters."
Dined on 6/12/2014
"A truly superb meal. My friend and I shared a beautiful Scallop Sashimi...pristine and sweet. Then came the Butter Fish, Langoustine and Mango Ceviche which I'm keeping digits crossed stays on the menu long enough for me to get back there and have an order all to myself, no sharing. It was balanced and totally delicious. Then the Chef's Risotto and an order of the sauteed veggies. The risotto was just so good...Petrale Sole, Manilla Clams, Country Ham and Horseradish Butter with a texture that was textbook perfect. Just so I don't come off sounding like a relative of the chef, there could have been maybe a whiff more horseradish flavor, but highly recommended. Guess I'm gonna have to consign myself to a session of "Summer Skool"."
Dined on 6/9/2014
"This was my second time at Skool, and everything was pretty darn good. We came with nine people for a birthday, and we requested the large table in the back with the bench seat. The food was very good, and the service was excellent. It's great that the menu offers such a wide range of items and price points. I'll definitely be back."
Dined on 6/8/2014
"My husband and I (and our dog, Myles) have been frequenters of Skool for a few years. It is a wonderful restaurant: excellent, excellent food, attentive and kind owners and staff. We especially enjoy any and all of the seafood dishes, as well as the tasty burger they serve at brunch. And to top it off, their dog-friendly patio is comfortable and fun. (They also make gluten-free dog biscuits, so your doggie can join you in enjoying Skool.) GREAT restaurant/bar."
Dined on 6/8/2014
"We were very impressed with the quality of the food at Skool - unusual, creative, thoughtful, and delicious! We had the tartare and the spaghetti and loved them both. Nice people, too. And they have a reasonably priced, quite good house wine! (If you want to be able to talk to your dining companions without shouting, sit on the deck -they have heaters -or at the bar."
Dined on 6/7/2014
"Ridiculous amount and taste of dishes for the price. Dinner for 2: 1 glass of cheap wine, 1 martini, 4 tiny pieces of cured salmon, small overcooked cod and 1 scoop of orange sorbet....OVER $105.00 !!!!!!!!"
Dined on 6/6/2014
"Very noisy, difficult to have a conversation. Great food, very fresh and delicious fish. Great for getting close on a date - you're forced to lean across the table to hear each other!"
Dined on 6/6/2014
"Very much appreciate their gluten free menu options."
Dined on 6/4/2014
"the wait staff and kitchen seemed a little lost. the waitress was MIA most of the time and didn't come to check on us. service was slow and no one came around to refill our water. there were pieces of broken shell in our oysters and food wasn't as good as on previous visits. "
Dined on 6/1/2014
"Skool offers a fantastic gluten free experience with wonderful local fish fair. The wine list and drinks were expertly selected and crafted. This is a restaurant you do not want to miss. "
Dined on 5/31/2014
"Aptly named, these chefs prepared farm fresh produce and "right off the line" seafood,wonderfully with layered flavors and unusual combinations (for ex. black sesame seeds in a coconut milk custard). Sea bass or rainbow trout on a bed of black rice pilaf was sublime. Many sashimi offerings but plenty of choices for non-sushi lovers like me."
Dined on 5/29/2014
"We had a lovely afternoon - great food - mussels were fabulous - very attentive service. And the pudding dessert with the coconut cream topping is a must have! Thanks!"
Dined on 5/29/2014
"Love the outdoor patio and you can't beat the $4 Mimosa's!"
Dined on 5/17/2014
"Went at 2:30PM on a Sunday and the place was full, but not packed. Oysters were fresh, benedict was great, squid ink pasta was amazing and the mussels were delicious, though need to come with much more than the two little pieces of bread for soaking up the sauce. Servers were quite pleasant, though the time we waited to be greeted, have our orders taken and food to touch down afterwards was quite long (I am a recent east coast transplant, so maybe that is normal in California). Finally, major points for having a dog friendly patio. We will definitely return with our dog!"
Dined on 5/11/2014
"Horrible service except for the bus boy when he arrived. Good food when it finally arrives. Good attention to dietary restrictions. Way too LOUD!!!"
Dined on 5/10/2014
"So enjoyed the oysters! The Nicoise was different, but good. Appreciated the kale shot before the meal."
Dined on 5/10/2014
"My experience was below average. We had a table of 9-10 ppl & waited 10+ min to get more water & 15+ min to order our main course. We tried repeatedly to flag other wait staff to help us & they seemed to intentionally ignore us. I went there specifically for their UNI Flan & they said they only had 6 flans to start the day and sold out by 12:30p. Terribly disappointed. Later, the busser hit my friend w/ a patio umbrella, & denied doing it after we told him. No apology offered. Lastly there were A LOT of dogs. I love dogs but 1 table had 2 dogs which kept barking, growling at the neighboring table's dogs. I found dog hair in my salmon benedict (gross) and the bread they used was as hard as cardboard. Not a good day at Skool. "
Dined on 5/4/2014
"I booked it a couple of weeks in advance for a work dinner with 8 people. In short, everything was great, except that I won't book a party of that size again. The table where they sat us was not really big enough for 8 people, and they said that that was the biggest table they had. It was tight (and we were 2/3 men, 1/3 women.) Other than that, the food was great, as was the service. I'll definitely be returning."
Dined on 4/30/2014
"This was my 2nd visit to Skool. The food was great both times. Must eat recommendation is the uni flan...to die for!"
Dined on 4/25/2014
"I just luck into this spot the food was great and the service was the best . Went for Easter brunch and I will be back."
Dined on 4/20/2014
"This is one of my favorite restaurants for brunch in San Francisco. I'm addicted to Squid Ink Spaghettina! It's not traditional Japanese food, but I appreciate the use of Japanese ingredients and cooking methods. Food is always beautifully presented as well. There is something for everyone on the menu, and the restaurant is kid-friendly. I highly recommend it!"
Dined on 4/12/2014
"What a great place for food, friends and fun. Sunday was a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy the scene. The food is always spot on and no better bloody mary's in the city , plus how bad could it be with a piece of crispy bacon to top it off..who needs celery sticks."
Dined on 4/6/2014
"This place was a hit. I would say I had a similar experience with Saison in terms of refined dishes. As I am Japanese from Japan, I could tell they used the ingredients only Japanese chef would use, like Nikki (Japanese cinnamon) in the Coconut milk panna cotta. The ambiance was good. Although I was surprised by some groups who brought their infants. Luckily they didn't cry to break the mood. The location was actually a little sketchy, yet easy to park."
Dined on 4/5/2014
"Fun place for groups. Owner really friendly and food tasty and different. Ambiance and wait staff great. Nice outdoor area."
Dined on 3/30/2014
"Great food - kobe burger, salads and fresh seafood with an japanese twist."
Dined on 3/26/2014
"It seems Skool raised the prices recently, for a standard brunch at least. The squid ink spaghettina was very good though."
Dined on 3/16/2014
"The food was very good and the kitchen takes food allergies, restrictions, sensitivities very seriously and goes out of the way to make tasty substitutions. I think the server could have been friendlier. My 3 year old son was with our group and I needed to order something additional for him as well as ask for smaller cutlery so I waited and then finally went to the register to put in the extra order (was able to find smaller forks and spoons myself). She acknowledged my request but wasn't very friendly about it."
Dined on 3/15/2014

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