Hayes Street Grill

Name: Hayes Street Grill
Address: 320 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94102
Telephone: (415) 863-5545
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.4

4.4

3797 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Top Tags:

Hayes Street Grill is a neo-traditional fish house in San Francisco's Civic Center district, across the street from the Performing Arts Center, opposite Davies Symphony Hall and a block from both the Opera House and City Hall. We use an international mix of recipes, unified with a theme of fish and seafood. Above every other consideration, we want the freshness and pristine quality of the fish, produce, and naturally-raised meats to speak for themselves.

The Hayes Street Grill's walls are covered with autographed photos of the artists who consider the restaurant their club. Though we've remodeled since our opening 33 years ago, the original brass coat hooks along the walls remain, as does our founding philosophy of cooking only the food we would serve at home to our families, albeit dressed up a little, with a religious dedication to wholesomeness.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 7, 2023

7:30 PM

Booked 38 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Cuisines
Seafood, Californian
Hours of operation
Sun 12:00 pm–6:30 pm Lunch Fri, Sat 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(415) 863-5545
Website
http://www.hayesstreetgrill.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Patricia Unterman
Private party facilities
We are happy to arrange for special events or private parties in any of our three rooms at the Hayes Street Grill. The largest dining area can host parties up to 75 seated and 90 standing; the bar room can host 35 seated and 50 standing; lastly, our private alcove can host 25 seated and 30 standing.
Private party contact
Carlo Togni: (415) 863-5545

Location
320 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Cross street
Franklin Street
Parking details
Here is a helpful parking map showing all street parking spots and garages with real-time prices: https://www.spotangels.com/san-francisco/hayes-street-grill-parking
Public transit
Bart Civic Center stopMUNI Van Ness and Hayes21 Hayes bus down the street of the restaurant...............
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

6 Chelsea Gem Oysters on the Half Shell$19.00
1/2 Cracked Local Dungeness Crab$26.00
with Lime-Green Chile Mayonnaise, Avocado and Citrus Salad
House Pickled San Francisco Bay Herring$15.00
with Creme Fraiche, Rye Crisps
Crispy Fried Eureka Night Smelt$15.00
with Pimenton Aioli
Grilled Monterey Calamari and Butter Bean Salad$16.00
Smoked Trout Toasts with Radishes$16.00
Avocado and Citrus Salad$16.00
with Butter Lettuce
HSG Chopped Salad$15.00
with Beets, Fennel, Walnuts, Pt. Reyes Bay Blue Cheese
Green Salad$10.00
with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette
Warm Goat Cheese Salad$15.00
with Toasted Pecans
Caesar Salad$14.00
White Bean and Farro Soup$12.00

Grilled Fish

With french fries and choice of sauce. Sauces: Sichuan Peanut Sauce – Seka Hills Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – Cilantro Lime Salsa – Beurre Blanc; Tartar Sauce – Lemon and Caper Butter. Note: Braised Mariquita greens may be substituted for french fries or can be ordered a la carte $7

First Nation Quinault (WA) Steelhead Salmon$30.00
San Diego Yellow Tail Jack$29.00
San Diego Opah$29.00
meaty, buttery, delicious!
Local Swordfish$29.00

Other Main Dishes

Shad Roe (Bull River, GA)$33.00
with Hobbs Bacon, Watercress, Pan Roasted Potatoes
Grilled Scallops (NJ)$33.00
with Butternut Squash-Potato Puree, Spinach, Brown Butter, Crispy Capers
Black Cod (WA) and Hog Island Clams$33.00
Kabocha, Shiitakes, Shungiku, Dashi, Rice
Crescent City Petrale Sole$32.00
with Oregon Hedge Hog Mushrooms, Fingerling Potatoes, Thyme
Ft. Bragg Rex Sole (On the Bone) Meuniere$28.00
Watercress, French Fries
Pan Fried Ekone (WA) Yearling Oysters$28.00
with Tartar Sauce, Cole Slaw, French Fires

Grilled Meats

Grilled Niman Pork Chop$30.00
with Mashed Potatoes, Purple Haze Carrots, Apple-Cherry Chutney
Grilled Stemple Creek Pasture Fed Flatiron Steak$38.00
with Mustard Butter, French Fries

Sides

Baby Bok Choy$9.00
with Ginger
Braised Mariquita Farm Greens$7.00
Bowl of French Fries$7.00
Steamed White Rice$5.00

Desserts

Fuji Apple-Huckleberry Crisp$12.00
with Whipped Cream
Old Fashioned Devil's Food Cake$14.00
with Mocha Buttercream, Coffee Ice Cream
Creme Brulee$10.00
Meyer Lemon Chiffon Mousse$12.00
with Candied Buddha's Hand
Sticky Pudding$12.00
with Creme Anglaise and Caramel
Hot Fudge Sundae$10.00
with Toasted Pecans
Yerena Strawberry Ice and Frozen Straus Yogurt$10.00
with an Orange- Nutmeg Cookie
Vanilla or Coffee Ice Cream$8.00

What 3,797 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

Sort by

2
2forever1
San Francisco
91 reviews
vip
5.0
91 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Dining at the Hayes Street Grill is always a treat! Great, fresh food done to perfection and served well. Nice pre-theatre vibe to the place. And, BEST of all, fantastic service: friendly, helpful, attentive, and professional. Simply the best!
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have eaten here quite often and find it consistently good. I have favorite dishes but will also choose throughout the menu. It is all good. The waiters are professionals and know how to keep us on time for the venue we’re headed to. My only suggestion would be to reduce noise level - ceiling panels? When full, the restaurant is a bit loud. The greater the noise, the louder everyone has to talk!
DF
DavidF
San Francisco
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience3
I have been here many times over the years, and I am sad to report that the place has gotten quite tired. The food is OK at best, which is not OK given they are charging prices one would pay at a higher-end SF restaurant with more elaborate offerings (dinner for three was ~$160 without drinks, wine or desert). The black cod was tasty, but it was served with plain white rice and an unimpressive veg mix that could have come out of a birds-eye packet. The paella was not an actual paella but a mixture of seafood in a red sauce over rice. There were no vegetarian entree options on the menu, which is unthinkable in today's day an age. Service was friendly and efficient, but it felt like they were rushing the food at us as quickly as possible--we were finished 30 minutes after we showed up.
BO
BobO
Portland
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Very well-prepared, fresh seafood. Have been eating at Hayes Street Grill since its opening!
S
Susan
San Francisco
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We ate there for lunch and the Celery/Mushroom Soup was superb!! Then we shared a delicious Mixed Beet Salad over the mixed green salad. Light fare and perfect for a lunch meal.
DK
DKdiner
San Francisco
22 reviews
vip
4.0
22 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience4
Well prepared seafood. Some of the best fries in the City. Hot fudge sundae for dessert is a must.
RS
RegS
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience5
The usual good dinner. Simple food, well prepared.
BM
BobM
San Francisco
63 reviews
vip
5.0
63 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The HSG is our "go-to" restaurant before Symphony and Ballet performances. They efficiently serve us to enable us to get to the performance on time. Their fresh fish is always excellent and cooked to perfection. Their french fries are the best I've eaten.
WC
WalnutCreekEric
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Nobody does fish as well as HSG. Very fresh and they tell you source. Well prepared. Very nice appetizers too. Nice little wine list with prices for any budget. This is our go-to restaurant before the SFO. Oh…and great service too. And if they have the Basque Cheesecake, try it. Unique and scrumptious.
S
Samavati07
Central Coast
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience5
This understated historic restaurant specializes in fish - fresh, well cooked nicely presented.
AC
AntonioC
San Francisco
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Good food and good service. Great location before a symphony concert.
LM
LisaMV
San Francisco
21 reviews
vip
3.0
21 reviews
Dined on May 29, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
I guess you're paying for the location - near the symphony and SFJazz. The ambience is like a generic hotel. The food is of good quality but with absolutely no imagination - simple grilled fish and coleslaw or fries will set you back $35-$38. Salads were nice. Skip dessert - the strawberry pavlova was just like a yogurt parfait with a meringue cookie on top, for $13. Service was very good. It's perfectly adequate, just not worth that much money.
SH
StevenH
San Francisco
17 reviews
vip
3.0
17 reviews
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience2
A "classic" restaurant that has been serving approximately the same thing for the past 50 years or so. On the plus side: the fish is always good and fresh, and the portions are decent if not huge. On the downside: relatively plain preparation and presentation, and somewhat on the pricey side. Usually packed for the 'early bird' time slot 5:30-7:30 (pre performing arts) and there are too many tables to avoid the noise of adjacent diners. Service is brisk and perfunctory (so don't worry about missing your show!). Possibly worth trying for a relaxed later meal where perhaps the ambiance and service would improve.
CH
CynthiaH
San Francisco
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall3food1service5ambience4
The table for four setup was not very convenient for talking (a booth corner), especially considering the noise from the crowd.
e
eatoutfun
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was delicious, piping hot, creative options. Service was super fast, wait staff were very courteous and polite. Overall, a very enjoyable experience.
c
cqwtz
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
After all these years in business, Hayes St Grill still delivers. None of it feels tired.Great fish, beautifully prepared. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the service was attentive. My companion and I were so pleased. We were going to a concert, but there was no ballet or opera that night. I know that it can get hectic in peak symphony, opera, and ballet times (in which case its no worse than the other restaurants crowding this corridor), but if you go in the late spring, or after 7:00, you will have everything good about Hayes St Grill and a restful delicious dinner.
SH
SteveH
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We were there for a small birthday celebration. As usual, terrific place for dinner with terrific service. Timing is everything: since it was an SF Arts & Lectures and SF Symphony night, the place cleared out at 7:00 turning the cafe volume down a notch or two.
DH
DianaH
Minneapolis
10 reviews
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall2food5service1ambience3
This was the ideal location for dinner before an event at the Sydney Goldstein Theater and a City Arts & Lectures event. The food was excellent, though the prices are high for what you get. We spent $100 for two people, splitting an appetizer, salad, main course and single glass of wine. Pre-theater it is crowded and noisy; totally fine if you like a convivial, buzzy atmosphere, but not great if you're with someone who is hard of hearing. Service overall was not good; food was delivered fast, but the waiter disappeared when it was time to leave the check and then was very surly at being called out. It was an issue because we had to depart for the show (as did many in the restaurant; it emptied out at show time).
RY
RobertY
San Francisco
30 reviews
4.0
30 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
A fun time at Hayes St a good dinner with great banter from our server!
CN
CarynN
San Francisco
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hayes Street Grill is consistently good. Great service and food. They checked in if we were going to the Symphony ahead of our meal. No rush, but prompt service and we had a leisurely meal and got to the show with plenty of time.
SG
SheilaG
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food choices and ambiance of old San Francisco in Hayes Valley.
CC
ChrisC
San Francisco
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience4
Unlike years of loving Hayes Syreet Grill, Thursday salmon over cooked dry and tasteless; fries were from the dregs …small pieces, hard dried out…like left overs. So disappointing. Also I ordered a whiskey sour and it was not a real whiskey sour… glass full of crushed ice and no egg white. Great waiter however on site of the jam packed restaurant.
LM
LinelleM
San Joaquin
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hayes Street has been a reliable dining spot for me over many years. Besides offering excellent seafood and the best French fries, nice wine selection and varied desserts, its location makes it perfect for pre-symphony, opera, ballet, jazz performances.
JK
JuliaK
San Francisco
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hayes Street Grill was terrific as always! Great food and terrific service. A pleasure for a long lunch.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
7 reviews
vip
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
The server asked right away whether we were attending a show, which was appreciated. We were not and said we were in no hurry. Despite this extra attention to detail the service was inconsistent. Apparently we got caught between pre-show and dinner service and at one point our original server was no where to be found. After a lull in service a new server appeared and said our original server had left. No hand off or transition. Starters of the grilled asparagus, oysters, soup, avocado & citrus salad, shrimp salad and the (old-school!) goat cheese salad were all stellar. Main courses of halibut & scallops were excellent. Their interpretation of “paella” needs more menu explanation, it was rice topped with seafood stew. The lightly breaded petrale sole stayed crispy even with the sauce. We struggled with the black cod special. It was not boned and it looked like they had trouble with the grilling, it was a bit broken up and inconsistent. Desserts were basque cheese cake, strawberry pavlova was more of a parfait/Eaton Mess and the cannoli ice cream, while more of a custard was tasty. Interestingly when our guest ordered vodka grape, the grape was white grape juice, not grapefruit! And I would and expected that they would have made a proper whiskey sour, or at least asked if I wanted it with/without effect white. Lessons learned, be specific and ask questions. Our purpose for gathering was just to gather and overall it was a pleasant evening.
SN
StevenN
San Francisco
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Great location near Davies and the Opera House. Reliably good food. Warm goat cheese salad and fried oysters were very good.
GB
GeneB
San Francisco
50 reviews
vip
5.0
50 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We both tried different dishes from previous visits and were quite pleased. The staff remembers us and are quite friendly. The mushroom and celery root soup was very tasty. The salad with bay shrimp was quite good.
DS
DinerSF
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent seafood. Our go to before opera and symphony concerts.
DP
DoloresP
San Francisco
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A good variety of seafood/fish dishes which is great! The HSG Caesar salad is tops! Also the warm goat cheese salad which my husband and I both shared. Fish dishes were varied and delicious. Our waiter was fine, too and recommended a good Syrah! Thank you!+
D
Discrimanating
San Francisco
102 reviews
vip
5.0
102 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Another GREAT night at Hayes Street Grill before attending a concert at SF Symphony. The special treat tonight was Soft Shell Crab which was perfectly prepared. Combined with GREAT Service and a relaxing atmosphere, it was a PERFECT evening.
R
Rick
San Francisco
40 reviews
vip
4.0
40 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
The food was very flavorful, nicely presented and generous portions. Our server, Sherman, was attentive and quite entertaining with quick quips and repartee.
c
carmencat
San Francisco
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
This restaurant never disappoints. Everything is perfectly prepared and beautifully and simply plated-- no faddish elaborate presentations that add expense but not value. The Hayes Street Grill offers a reliable, delicious, gracious and comfortable dining experience.
CC
CharlieC
San Francisco
41 reviews
vip
4.0
41 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
The noise was high, but the location can't be beat. This standard option for efficient dining in the Civic Center area has been around for long enough to be a smooth operation with good food. The service up front was great. Upon request they held our table for what turned into a 30 minute delay (Bay Bridge, collisions) without a hitch. We placed our order and the food arrived promptly. Unfortunately this efficiency did not last, as we waited over 10 minutes for our check. Otherwise, a good show.
E
Eppisessen
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our wait staff, especially our waiter Feliciano, was efficient, attentive, friendly and extremely accommodating. The food was very well prepared, delicious and served promptly. All in all, a very enjoyable experience.
S
Spooky
San Francisco
23 reviews
vip
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great place for consistently wonderful food before the theatre or opera or symphony. You must have a reservation! They are so nice an accommodating. We had an initial reservation for 2 but a friend came along and they fitted us in no problem in a lovely cubby. So nice and the food is really really good.
j
jesss
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
French fries?? Really? French fries are fine w a burger or lots of choices. But w a piece of halibut, half the size as the pile of fries? Gorge myself on fries while snacking on my halibut? I'm not paing for a super-size serving of fries and cole slaw as an option seems so KFC.
DS
DinerSF
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always excellent. One of our favorites. 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋
B
mrB1
San Francisco
86 reviews
vip
5.0
86 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of my favorite restaurants anywhere. This is the greatest in SF for me
M
Martin
San Francisco
38 reviews
vip
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect cocktail, excellent Chablis & rose, fresh oysters, swordfish and black cod all cooked just right. Three lemon mousse, a cheesecake and a crème broulet- all were happy. Friendly efficient service by Jerry.
t
thomasef53
San Francisco
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, attentive but not overbearing service, quiet atmosphere.

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Hayes Street Grill is rated 4.4 stars by 3797 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 7, 2023

7:30 PM

Booked 38 times today

320 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Additional information

Cross street
Franklin Street
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Hours of operation
Sun 12:00 pm–6:30 pm Lunch Fri, Sat 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Seafood, Californian
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Here is a helpful parking map showing all street parking spots and garages with real-time prices: https://www.spotangels.com/san-francisco/hayes-street-grill-parking
Public transit
Bart Civic Center stopMUNI Van Ness and Hayes21 Hayes bus down the street of the restaurant...............
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Patricia Unterman
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.hayesstreetgrill.com/
Phone number
(415) 863-5545
Private party facilities
We are happy to arrange for special events or private parties in any of our three rooms at the Hayes Street Grill. The largest dining area can host parties up to 75 seated and 90 standing; the bar room can host 35 seated and 50 standing; lastly, our private alcove can host 25 seated and 30 standing.
Private party contact
Carlo Togni: (415) 863-5545

Hayes Street Grill

Make a reservation

Additional information

French Fries

Local Swordfish

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

First Courses

6 Chelsea Gem Oysters on the Half Shell$19.00

1/2 Cracked Local Dungeness Crab$26.00

House Pickled San Francisco Bay Herring$15.00

Crispy Fried Eureka Night Smelt$15.00

Grilled Monterey Calamari and Butter Bean Salad$16.00

Smoked Trout Toasts with Radishes$16.00

Avocado and Citrus Salad$16.00

HSG Chopped Salad$15.00

Green Salad$10.00

Warm Goat Cheese Salad$15.00

Caesar Salad$14.00

White Bean and Farro Soup$12.00

Grilled Fish

First Nation Quinault (WA) Steelhead Salmon$30.00

San Diego Yellow Tail Jack$29.00

San Diego Opah$29.00

Local Swordfish$29.00

Other Main Dishes

Shad Roe (Bull River, GA)$33.00

Grilled Scallops (NJ)$33.00

Black Cod (WA) and Hog Island Clams$33.00

Crescent City Petrale Sole$32.00

Ft. Bragg Rex Sole (On the Bone) Meuniere$28.00

Pan Fried Ekone (WA) Yearling Oysters$28.00

Grilled Meats

Grilled Niman Pork Chop$30.00

Grilled Stemple Creek Pasture Fed Flatiron Steak$38.00

Sides

Baby Bok Choy$9.00

Braised Mariquita Farm Greens$7.00

Bowl of French Fries$7.00

Steamed White Rice$5.00

Desserts

Fuji Apple-Huckleberry Crisp$12.00

Old Fashioned Devil's Food Cake$14.00

Creme Brulee$10.00

Meyer Lemon Chiffon Mousse$12.00

Sticky Pudding$12.00

Hot Fudge Sundae$10.00

Yerena Strawberry Ice and Frozen Straus Yogurt$10.00

Vanilla or Coffee Ice Cream$8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Sort by

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

How is Hayes Street Grill restaurant rated?

Is Hayes Street Grill currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information