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Historic John's Grill, San Francisco, CA

Historic John's Grill

4.7 (7568)
$31 to $50
American
63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 48 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Lively
John's Grill has been a San Francisco tradition since 1908. This historic restaurant is one of the city's oldest and most famous and is a favorite of celebrities who enjoy great steaks, expertly prepared fresh seafood with excellent service and a one of a kind atmosphere. John's Grill was a setting in author Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:15 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
  • Private party contact
    Events Team: (415) 986-0069
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Cross street
    Powell Street
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Private dining

What 7,568 people are saying

Historic John's Grill reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Historic John's Grill in San Francisco is a revered dining destination, celebrated for its "historic charm," "wonderful service," and "excellent food." Guests enjoy live jazz music, creating an "authentic San Francisco experience." The menu features standout dishes like filet mignon and Petrale Sole, with many visitors praising the "unpretentious, hearty fare."
7,568 Reviews
  1. James VIP

    New York City6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lamb was grisly and over cooked. A 5% service charge before taxes and tip is a bad precedent. Blaming on the city is even worse. Service was good, so adding 5% makes some want to reduce the tip%.

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  2. Christine VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area66 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Chose to eat here as it was close to the theater. We were pleasantly surprised. The food was really good and it was nice to have some live music during our meal. An old (1908) and funky place, but a lively vibe. We will be coming back. Thank you!

    Is this helpful?

  3. john

    Unspecified1 review

    2.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    As an overseas tourist, I had high expectations for this classic restaurant, especially given its long history. Upon entering with my wife, we were greeted by an ambiance reminiscent of an old-school eatery, which I truly appreciated. The restaurant was bustling with office workers during lunchtime. Once seated, our server welcomed us and took our orders, though he didn’t introduce himself. We decided on a prix fixe menu that included lobster bisque, filet mignon, and dessert, along with a New York steak sandwich. Since we only ordered one prix fixe menu, the server kindly separated the lobster bisque for us, which we thought was a nice touch. It was flavorful and enjoyable. However, both of our steaks were disappointingly dry. We had ordered one medium and one medium-rare, but neither was juicy, which was quite disappointing. Unfortunately, we ended up leaving half of our plates uneaten. Given the price point—our total came to $129—we expected higher quality food.

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  4. Judy VIP

    Seattle / Eastern Washington54 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We love this place - great food, great service & good location

    Is this helpful?

  5. Johnny VIP

    New York City9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place! We really enjoyed our food and the service!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Tom

    San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    An enjoyable experience as always. Food and service were wonderful.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Dennis

    San Francisco Bay Area31 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The filet mignon and baked potato were excellent. The vegetables, meh.

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  8. vickie VIP

    New York City12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A great dining experience! A wonderful menu to choose from. Now you can hear Jazz musicians playing in the evening.

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  9. Cyndy

    Portland / Oregon34 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was our anniversary and we were greeted with two glasses of champagne at our table. They had a live jazz duo playing just feet away from our table so it was a little loud. The food was absolutely top-notch. The service was wonderful as well. I wish we had this place where we live in Washington. 

    Is this helpful?

  10. Mary

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great lamb chops. Great drinks. Perfectly cooked steak.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Historic John's Grill offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 986-0069.

Historic John's Grill is rated 4.7 stars by 7568 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Downtown / Union Square

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 48 times today
Google Map for Historic John's Grill

63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Powell Street
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:15 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
  • Private party contact
    Events Team: (415) 986-0069
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