18 Best Restaurants In San Francisco With A View (2024)
Want to enjoy the best restaurants in San Francisco with a view? We’ve got you covered with these iconic places around the city.
San Francisco is a beautiful waterfront city with world class dining options.
The clam chowder and bread bowls are a must, as well as trying some of the restaurants in Chinatown.
You’ll get the best views at the hilltop restaurants and the restaurants down on the Wharf, which offer vastly different views.
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Best Restaurants In San Francisco With A View
These are the best restaurants in San Francisco with a view.
1. Pier 23 Cafe Restaurant & Bar
Location: Pier 23, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Pier 23 Cafe is a family owned business on San Francisco’s waterfront that has been around since the 1980’s.
Here you’ll see views of Telegraph Hill from the Embarcadero, views of Treasure Island from the Beer Garden, and enjoy waterside dining on the back patio.
2. Fog Harbor Fish House
Location: Pier 39, Unit A-202, San Francisco, CA 94133
Fog Harbor Fish House has been named the best seafood restaurant in San Francisco and is ranked in the top 5 restaurants in San Francisco on Yelp.
This waterfront dining experience is on the famous Pier 39 and is family owned.
It’s also the first restaurant on the wharf to serve 100% sustainable seafood.
At Fog Harbor Fish House you’ll enjoy views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge and complimentary sourdough bread baked in-house every hour.
3. Scoma’s
Location: 1965 Al Scoma Way, San Francisco, CA 94133
Scoma’s has been a waterfront restaurant in San Francisco since 1965.
They serve locally sourced seafood that is dropped off daily at Pier 47 where the restaurant is located.
You can get complimentary valet parking here and validated parking for the Triangle Parking Lot down the street.
4. Coqueta
Location: Pier 5, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Coqueta is a restaurant on Pier 5 by chef Michael Chiarello, who also has a location in Napa Valley.
The menu here is California inspired Spanish cuisine.
The variety of tapas and their reasonable pricing makes this a great restaurant for those that like to try a little bit of everything.
5. Crab House at Pier 39
Location: Pier 39, 2 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Crab House is another restaurant on the famous Pier 39 or Fisherman’s Wharf.
They have been named the best crab restaurant in San Francisco.
Here you’ll be able to try their award winning crab and clam chowder.
I also highly recommend their crab and shrimp fettuccine.
Their most well-known dish is their famous Dungeness Killer Crab, which is roasted in a secret garlic sauce.
6. La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
Location: Pier 1 1/2, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
La Mar is a Peruvian restaurant in the Embarcadero district.
It’s in a well preserved historic building, which elevates the dining experience here even more.
The unique menu here allows you to explore the flavors of Peru while also meeting any dietary restrictions you may have, especially if you’re vegetarian or gluten-free.
7. The Waterfront Restaurant
Location: Pier 7, San Francisco, CA 94111
Waterfront Restaurant has been serving seafood on Pier 7 since the 1960s.
The restaurant is a converted longshoreman’s bar and offers views of San Francisco Bay.
This world class restaurant regularly hosts celebrities, presidents, princes, and travelers from all over.
8. Slanted Door
Location: 1 Ferry Building, Unit 3, San Francisco, CA 94111
The San Francisco location is undergoing an extensive renovation and will re-open in late 2024.
The Slanted Door serves elevated Vietnamese cuisine with sustainable local ingredients.
Their teas, wine pairings, and craft cocktails are also a big part of the dining experience here.
9. The View Lounge
Location: 780 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103
The View Lounge is at the top of the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.
Here you can enjoy hand crafted cocktails and locally inspired small plates.
While most other restaurants on this list offer waterfront views, this is one of the few that offers city views.
10. Waterbar
Location: 399 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
Waterbar is one of the best seafood restaurants in San Francisco.
It’s known for sustainable dishes and having a great variety on the menu.
From this location in the Embarcadero district, you can enjoy panoramic views of the bay, Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and the San Francisco skyline.
11. Red Window
Location: 500 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
The Red Window is in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.
They offer modern European cuisine for brunch and dinner in an immersive setting.
The views you can enjoy here are the colorful aesthetic of the restaurant, complete with stained glass windows that bring the space to life.
12. El Techo
Location: 2516 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
El Techo is located in the Mission district.
They serve Latin American street food and cocktails.
Their rooftop location has great views of San Francisco.
It’s open with rain or shine because they have heat lamps and wind screens.
It’s very popular, so you’ll want to arrive early to get a spot.
13. Beach Chalet
Location: 1000 Great Hwy, San Francisco, CA 94121
Beach Chalet is a great option for breakfast on the beach or brunch on the weekends.
You can also enjoy happy hour in the afternoons and live music on the weekends.
I highly recommend trying the seafood deviled eggs.
14. Red’s Java House
Location: Pier 30, San Francisco, CA 94105
Red’s Java House is a small, casual food stand that has been around since 1955.
They are known for their burgers being served on San Francisco sourdough bread with onions, pickles, and yellow mustard.
They do not serve tomatoes or lettuce on their burgers.
You can also get hot dogs, french fries, onion rings, fish & chips, and daily specials.
They also offer a full breakfast menu and a full service bar.
15. EPIC Steak
Location: 369 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
EPIC Steak offers alfresco dining with waterfront views of the Bay Bridge.
The heated outdoor patio makes it a great option all year to enjoy cocktails and wine.
EPIC Steak also serves sustainable seafood, organic local produce, and pasture raised cattle.
You’ll still get the indulgence you expect of a steakhouse, while also being able to enjoy other dishes that are lighter and cleaner.
16. Top of the Mark
Location: 999 California St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Top of the Mark is on the rooftop of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco Hotel.
This unique rooftop bar offers views of the city and the water.
Top of the Mark has been around for over eight decades.
You’ll want to try their signature martinis that have been enjoyed by dignitaries, celebrities, and tons of visitors from around the world.
A tradition here dating back to World War II is for servicemen to enjoy a “Squadron Shot”.
17. Hog Island Oyster Co.
Location: 1 Ferry Building 11A, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Enjoy sitting at the oyster bar in the historic ferry building, overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
They serve fresh seafood, produce from local farmer’s markets, and a seasonal rotating menu.
18. Greens
Location: 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94123
Greens has been serving up food in San Francisco since 1979.
This vegetarian restaurant offers a rotating menu of seasonal dishes with ingredients grown at their very own farm.
Here you’ll enjoy views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands.
The Best Place To Stay in San Francisco
When you’re in San Francisco, it pays to take advantage of being in the middle of all the action.
Between walking, trolleys, buses, and ride share, San Francisco is so easy to get around.
✅ Club Quarters San Francisco
This hotel is just a couple blocks from the Transamerica Pyramid and a short walk to the Embarcadero.
It’s very affordable for it’s location too.
You can check out the full walk-through of our room in this video on our YouTube Channel!
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Fun Things To Do in San Francisco
While you’re taking in the scenic views at the best restaurants in San Francisco, you can also check out the areas best sites.
☑️ Visit The Walt Disney Family Museum
This museum contains memorabilia from Walt Disney’s entire life and career.
You can also get one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge from inside this museum.
☑️ The Famous Alcatraz Island Night Tour
To really get the full experience, I highly recommend the night time tour to Alcatraz Island.
You’ll get to explore the former prison and hear some spooky (and true) stories about the happenings here.
☑️ Muir Woods National Monument Easy Half Day Hiking Itinerary
Just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge is Muir Woods.
There is a short loop that’s accessible for almost everybody, plus other branches of the loop if you’re looking for a longer hike.
👉 Click Here To Book Your Muir Woods and Sausalito Half Day Tour Today!
☑️ The Complete San Francisco Food and Drink Guide
If you’re looking for all the best restaurants throughout San Francisco, we’ve got you covered!
☑️ The Best San Francisco Attractions To Visit
There are enough attractions to visit here to keep you busy for at least a week!
Explore More Of San Francisco With GoCity!
A great way to see all that San Francisco has to offer is with a GoCity Pass!
We’ve used them in several cities and it’s a great way to get discounted deals on many attractions around town.
GoCity attractions cards offer included admission to over 400 top attractions, activities, tours, and museums for one low price!
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Choose from two options: Go City’s All-Inclusive Pass offers admission to top attractions and activities for one low price with a savings of up to 50%.
Build Your Own Pass allows you to customize a pass and save up to 20% on top attractions!
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Conclusion: Best Restaurants in San Francisco With a View
With so much waterfront real estate and hills for days, you can see some amazing views all throughout San Francisco.
These are some of the best restaurants in San Francisco with a view where you can enjoy the bay, the bridges, and the city skyline.
