ATwater Tavern Reviews

We had a large group meeting at the place for happy hours. Excellent location, right on the water, this place can offer great views on a nice weather. Decent selection of tap beer and lots of other drinks. The finger food is what you should expect from a bar, nothing too fancy but good enough to accompany the drinks. We liked d the place. Service was quick at the bar so big plus on that.

Great location to both the Chase Center and Oracle Park. Terrific service: from front of house to server (Robbie was thorough and thoughtful) and to the folks that brought our food. Mocktail was delicious - I had The Rickey. Two of us split the Surf Contadina mixed grille and added the Brussels sprouts (so we had a vegetable). Fun, lively location right on the water. Patrons were in mix of baseball jerseys and glitter blazers and hot pants (Oracle Park had a Giants game, Chase had Kylie Minogue). The combo works! Quality food, fast competent service. Easily recommended!

We tried this on our own once again. The balcony was not open for service. The happy hour menu included calamari. This is a favorite. We had never had calamari such as this. It was tough to chew and fried to a crisp. The Ahi plate was interesting but not worth the price. Won't be returning...

ATwater Tavern is the waterfront's new hidden gem. The views of ATT and the bay are stunning. The place has a lively vibe with a friendly staff. The outside spaces are perfect for enjoying a nice day. Cocktails and wine are all very well priced for San Francisco. The food is very good across the board - modern upscale tavern food. Not a lot of fried pub food. The mixed grill is an excellent way to try a variety of the mixed grilled meats. The burgers are also excellent as was my wife's pork chop. If you are driving you do need to be aware of Giant's games as traffic can be a challenge. This is a real up and coming neighborhood in SF (just look at all the new buildings!) and ATwater is a great addition. Highly recommended.

Went with my son and his friends before a Warriors game and very pleased. We were seated immediately out on the patio with a view of the bay. Katie was very attentive and had our cocktails made in a flash. Seagrams Gin, Dewars, Jack Daniels and a Local SF Lager. We were all pleased. The Turkey sandwich looked really good while three of us snacked on the Cheese & Meat tray. Very tasty. Very convenient to Lot A parking and an easy walk to Chase Center. Will certainly return.

Back at ATwater for dinner before a Warriors game. Parking on LOT-A is next door. Fast and efficient service. The food is pretty good the atmosphere is great! I’ll keep coming back

Average at best. Over priced. Long wait-short staffed in kitchen. Great bartenders. Nice location on the water.

This place is terrific the location is right on the bay spitting distance from the baseball stadium and the new basketball arena. The tavern burger with kobi beef served perfectly medium and the crab cakes slightly spicy made for a great lunch. Finished with a huge piece of moist carrot cake. ATwater has a nice wine list and dozens of beers. The service was flawless and the owner John Cain seems to know and be liked by everyone in SanFrancisco.

I would have given this place 1 star, but the manager and the way she handled our bad experience redeemed it somewhat. We actually had 2 experiences: first, we stopped by for appetizers during Happy Hour. There were 3 of us at the time. Our server Alexandra was fantastic! Always there when we needed her, met all of our needs and then some. Food was good. Had the Shrimp Shooter ($3), Pt. Reyes Blue Ranch potato chips ($9), Potato Fries ($8) and oysters ($1 each), plus drinks. Later, we returned for dinner with a party of 5 and sat on the upper level of the patio. Time after time our server (can't recall his name) either got our order wrong or completely forgot that we had asked for something, i.e. how about some plates, forks & napkins in order to eat our appetizers, a bit of lemon, a drink refill, etc? This happened so frequently that it got to the point of ridiculousness. (my daughter swore he was high). Dinner was sides only for one party (grilled asparagus & focaccia which was good), Alaskan King Crab Legs iced 1/2 lb which was 2 complete legs good ($35), and a prime rib, not on menu but a special that night, ($45). I ordered the prime rib medium rare. When I got it it was very rare. I sent it back and it was returned to me very well done and tough. I couldn't eat it, not only because of the cooking, but the taste was awful, too. My daughter's halibut ($25) was overcooked & dry. All in all, it was not a very good experience except for the appetizers, drinks and crab. Upon leaving the lady manager asked how things went and we told her. She was good enough to refund $65 of a $300 dinner bill. Bottom line is I think this is a good place for drinks & appetizers, but not dinner until they hire a new cook. Also, they're pricey for the portion sizes, but then again, it's San Francisco.

Dinner on the water. Kinda cool. Ahi tuna salad was good and others enjoyed their meals as well. Nothing special but a decent place to try if in the neighborhood Would not come back. Didn’t wow me.

Have now been 3 times - because it is a truly great venue with comfortable seating, nice bar and counter to watch the kitchen. Very friendly staff. Absolutely nothing to complain about! Great for a date or an outing with friends. The food is solid, but never quite rises to the level "very good" or "great". This is NOT a foodie hang. It's based on the grill with simple combinations of ingredients that stand on their own and never quite blend to create a more interesting meal. Maybe I should stop expecting more from this basic cuisine and go straight for the burger next time. Good idea!

We picked this one because we could all get there by public transportation from out of the city, or park in front, easily. It advertises a waterfront view, but the view is not great. A narrow water way between industrial buildings, and cranes. Seriously? Not "the view" I was expecting. They do have a deck on which to sit outside and drink or eat, but the weather has to be just right. It was a bit breezy for us, so we chose a spot inside. They also leave the rather wide sliding doors to the deck open, so all that wind comes inside as well, which eliminates some seating areas if you don't want the wind on you. Anyway, we managed to find a good spot. Our waiter was very cordial and helped us pick the perfect spot for 7 of us to gather for eats and conversation. There are choices for vegetarians, which is a concern for some of our group, so no problem. We tried the crab cakes for starters, and they were good, but not great. The most appealing choice for some of our party was the burger, which they all said was good. I had the cobb salad, which was a good dinner size. We all shared some dessert. It was a nice casual place for us to gather. It was busy when we arrived at 5:30, because the Giants game had just finished, which is very close to the restaurant. I happen to like being in a lively place, and enjoyed the ambience. However, by 7:30, it was almost empty, except for us. It was a week night, so perhaps the weekend are livelier. I would not have stayed had it been so quiet at first. The staff were very nice about taking a group photo of us before we left.

Friendly staff, solid cocktails, and did I mention incredible view? Recommend for brunch or apps/dinner.

We visited the tavern tonight and ordered the pizza and fish and chips. Both meals tasted like they'd been reheated from the freezer. My fish was very overcooked with thick breadcrumbs, and the chips were like rocks! Won't be eating here again.

In October, six of us visited San Francisco from the Charlotte area. We took the advice of a friend to be sure to eat at ATWater Tavern. We were not disappointed! The restaurant is close to the water and has outside dining, but it was too chilly, so we ate inside. We all had different dishes, ranging from pizza, to shrimp cocktail, to hamburgers and oysters on the half shell - no complaints from anyone. The food is reasonably priced and very good in taste. The wait staff was very attentive and he recommended excellent wines! Fanny stopped by our table several times to make sure we were satisfied customers and we were!

We dropped in here after the Cirque Du Soliel. We were a walk in. The interior is cute and trendy. The open kitchen and bar are nicely done. The service was friendly. The main plate of mussels, clams, and chorizo was good. The bouillabaisse in saffron was a disappointment. The flavor was average. The ingredients were only half of what was stated on the menu. We brought up the obvious lack of crab at the beginning and the waiter scrabbled with a ridiculous excuse. We did not even bother with the missing rockfish and squid. -- so weird. The fish was fresh. I do not recommend this restaurant.

After a long day of wandering around the touristic things to do in San Francisco, we decided to go away from the noisy crowds, and came across this incredible place. Ambiance was just perfect: quiet yet lively. Awesome service and the food was phenomenal!! Beeing previously at Fisherman's Wharf, was craving a succulent mix of seafood and is just what I had here!! Seafood Bouillabaise..amazing, fresh, tasty and just like I imagined it would be! A nice whole bottle of wine made it perfect. Don't miss to pay a visit to this place.

Catching a Giants game, near Lot A, a short walk to the stadium... food comes out pretty fast and the service was excellent and on this evening we had a group of 10. Would defiantly stop in again.

Excellent location. Nice atmosphere. Staff extremely happy, helpful and efficient. Good menu we had Salmon and Scollops and Mussels and Clams. Followed by ice-cream with espresso coffee poured over it. A first for me and delicious. The whole experience was outstanding. Very much recommended.

There is dining inside or a fun balcony/patio that looks over to AT&T Park. Great fun on game days. We were a little shocked at the happy hour burger for 18. It was a good one though!

A friend and I stopped by and thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon here. The gin mules were yummy and the oysters were excellent. We ordered a kale caesar and the fish & chips - both were very nice. Skilled servers were gracious and attentive throughout. The waterfront patio has a somewhat narrow view of the a mostly commercial waterway - I had fun watching container ships, tugs, and sailboats way out in the estuary and the fueling barge that docked right in front of us. The ATwater Tavern is a good spot!

We had dinner here before a Warriors game. Great location by the water. The service was very good. Food and drinks was good. We will stop here again before a game

A bit out of the way, however, a must for indoor or patio dining. Lively, younger crowd. Tables are close together so be aware your conversation will be overheard and vice versa. Excellent attentive service. Mussel & Chorizo highly recommend. Large bowl $27. Santa Maria Chicken was awesome $28. Brut $12. Reasonably priced. Beautiful bar to have a cocktail and or dinner. Very welcoming.

This is on the dock that was a bit run down and bar-like. Good for a burger with the guys but not for a nice dinner on the water.

Our party at Atwater Tavern was four adults and two elementary school boys. We were able to stay outdoors the entire time; a concern with COVID since the boys were not vaccinated. That was a plus, not to have to walk through the restaurant. The outdoor seating was very nice with a view of the Bay, and there was plenty of room. The service was good, but not fantastic. There were a lot of tables for our waiter to serve, so he was a little stretched thin and got one entrée wrong. He was friendly and helpful, but not present as much as I would have liked. There were long periods of time between being seated, taking our order, getting the food, etc. The food and drink were very good. Adults each had one alcoholic beverage, and they were all yummy at a cost of $13.00 each + $6.00 for a local beer. The food was tuna poke at $23.00, mussels at $24.00, a BLTA salad at $18.00, side order of fries for $13.00, fish & chips for the boys at $21.00 each, and a turkey sandwich for $16.00. The cost with tip totaled $248. Yes, four adults and two kids ate, but that seems like a lot to spend for a small dinner. I guess I am not used to "big city" prices, but wanted to warn people that although nice, the place is expensive. Maybe next time we'll go for just drinks and appetizers.

I was looking for a place with a wide variety of foods for my group and ATwater Tavern worked great. We had steak and frittes: very good, salads: fabulous, burgers:great and french fries: fabulous. Everything was prepared with care and it all tasted great. I can't wait to come back.

San Francisco Bay Pub across from AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. Just another trendy, over-priced bar with excessive drink prices. My cocktail was over $12.00 and served from a bartender who lacked any notion of a personality. Great location. Cement floors, sterile, uncomfortable setting. Was there for the Kentucky Derby and waiting for the Giants-Rockies game to start. The place was empty. I just don't understand how a boring Bar can serve a product that costs $2.00 to serve but $12.00 to $13.00 to buy.

My husband and I were exploring the area around AT&T Park pre game and came across this restaurant on the wharf near the parking for game attendees. My husband had a local beer (they have a good selection) and I had a mule made with 209 gin (we had been looking for the 209 distillery but failed to find it🙁). We ordered a flatbread pizza to split before the game. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The patio seating is on the waterfront but the surrounding wharf cuts down on the view.

A stone's throw from ATT park, Atwater is on the bay and has a decent menu. The halibut was excellent although slightly overcooked. The burger was large and served with a generous portion of fries. Prices were not outrageous. However, service was very slow and not very attentive. Also, since it's on the bay they could use patio heaters or fire pits as the wind off the water, even in July, is brisk.

I am not sure. But I do not think many tourists find this place. But many locals do. Had great chicken sandwiches and a fantastic funny bartender. Because of him we give 5 big stars

We ate at Atwater once before and thought it not bad. Not this time! We had lunch, hosting a couple who we thought would enjoy a bayside experience. The bartender/server and the waitress were friendly although they served the table next to us, who came in about 5 minutes after us, before us. Probably regulars... The food was served at room temperature and none of it was up to the standards of your average fast food joint. Two mediocre salads, a cold burger with limp fries, two of the worst crab cakes I ever had, awful (actually inedible) calamari and tempura vegetables topped off by two beers and a glass of wine set us back $155.00. Oh, and the looming view of the prow of an oil barge just 20 feet away (what Bay view?), topped it off! There are too many other great choices in SF to waste your time...

We had dinner there recently, going to Cirque du Soliel at the tent in the AT&T parking lot! The menu was varied as well as the wine selection. Our server was attentive and the presentation and serving was prompt, even though the restaurant was packed.

We recently had a work happy hour here. The view was fantastic and the food was really good. I would come back here again.

Came here after work and, although we didn’t have a reservation, we managed to get a table on the deck to enjoy the evening sunshine. Service was quick, although one of the specials was ordered and then not available, so perhaps communicating to wait staff from the kitchen could be better. Having said that, the food was excellent - a fantastic salad with berries followed by the blackened salmon. Accompanying this with a Lagunitas IPA made for a great way to unwind after a tough week.

My wife and I were honoured to take part in a beta test event (wedding anniversary party) at this quite new restaurant in San Francisco's blossoming Dogpatch neighborhood. It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon and the waitstaff really wanted the event to be a succes. Unfortunately, the kitchen kinda let them down. The sides were terrific but both our entrees were rather dry and flavourless. Too bad, because it was a great party! BTW we understand that Joe Montana will be doing his Big 6-Oh Birthday Bash here! Happy Birthday, Joe!

Have visited ATwater Tavern about 3 times now -- it's a convenient location and good option for those attending Giants games or those who are looking for a nicer dinner option in Mission Bay (which lacks a lot of variety). My food experience has been hit or miss -- some dishes good, some very poor. Would not seek this place out but OK to stop by if you are in the area.

A solid average experience. The The fish and chips were tasty. The portion size was good. The french fries were extra crispy, as I ordered them. My friend was not overwhelmed by the chicken sandwich. The calamari portion size was good and they tasted okay also. Service left a bit to be desired. More than 17 minutes sitting at the table before the server ever stopped by. Large group at the table next to us getting all the attention. I'm definitely not complaining about the restaurant or the food, but it just doesn't deserve much more than a three.

Friends wanted to go here. I read the reviews on TA, so I was wary. This place is GREAT. 1. The Food. There is a brand new chef, so don't rely on prior reviews about the so so food. We started with drinks and apps. The charcuterie plate was the prettiest I've seen. And delicious. Meat, bread, and cheese, of course. But also fresh honeycomb, Marcona almonds, fig delight, raspberries for some color. DELISH. Then we had housemade potato chips with bleu cheese dipping sauce. Don't order these if you are not a self-regulator. For dinner, husband loved his burger and I snuck a few (!) fries. Crisp on the outside and tender on inside. I had the BLTA salad which was served on a plate atop a large slice of artisan bread. Beautiful and tasty. They also serve weekend brunch. 2. The View. I'm perplexed by the comment that there is little or no view. There are two spacious outdoor patios--one at street level and the other rooftop. And lots of blankets if you get chilly. I agree the view is not like a saucelito view, but it is lovely and interesting--- generous view of the bay, skyline, and Giants Stadium. 3. The Location. The Mission Bay Area can no longer be considered remote. It was a $5 uber ride from downtown. Even I could throw a baseball from the roof top deck and hit Giants Stadium. And it's RIGHT ON THE WATER with lovely bay views. 4. The Service. We were enthusiastically greeted when we arrived. Our servers both upstairs and in the main dining room were attentive and friendly. No issues there. 5. The Space. I already mentioned the outdoor areas. In addition, there are indoor dining rooms (both with bars) upstairs and downstairs. We opted for downstairs so we could watch the chefs in the open space kitchen adjoining the dining area. The decor mixes the original cement pillars and exposed duct work with sleek wood and metal finishes. Great spaces for private parties. 6. The Vibe. Not stuffy at all. A young vibrant crowd. Probably lots of Giants fans on game days. You get a real "local" casual vibe here. 7. Suggestions. I would like to see a more expansive wine list. Let's get some central coast wines on there! Delicious and more affordable than Napa. (Disclaimer: I live in Pismo Beach!). I really liked this place. Definitely worth a try before the hotels and condos are completed across the street and you can't get a table.

A true gem in a fast growing neighborhood. John Caine is an extremely experienced restaurant and bar operator on the bay (Hi-Dive), and Atwater fully displays his ability to spot an area before it’s hot. The servers are very friendly and helpful, and the food is excellent and reasonably priced. They also make excellent cocktails. The crab cakes and fish and chips are excellent, as are the steak frittes. Well worth a visit if you are going to a nearby Giants or Warriors game, or just want to try something new on the waterfront.

My husband and I went for a leisurely, late lunch before attending a Warriors game. Our server appeared to be working the bar as well as attending to diners and did a pretty good job, considering. Between us, we had a cheeseburger & fries, iced tea, calamari and a salad ... all of which were good. Our post-meal coffees were lukewarm, but the view from our waterside table on a beautiful sunny afternoon more than made up for that. As we were leaving, we observed more wait staff working. We plan to return before attending another event at Chase Center.

ATWater Café is striking in that it is located in a somewhat depressing industrial area in Mission Bay near China Basin. There’s really is not much there so it sticks out and makes you scratch your head. Of course, that’s going to be temporary; the area is a hotbed for new condos and office buildings. It’s a fairly quick but uninspired walk from public transit. The cuisine is a generic mix of American with some Spanish influences. Many items come in two sizes making it suitable to mix and match based on party size. The only items we had here the night we ate were the Contadina Mixed Grill and a side of grilled asparagus. This is a meat-eaters dish all the way and the family sized portion is enough for at least three people and includes forgettable focacia and three just OK sauces. So, we quickly filled up and had no room for anything else. Looking around it’s pretty clear that the potions are uniformly large making this place a San Francisco bargain. The monstrous bowl of Cioppino looked impressive and appeared equally messy to eat; definitely something for seafood lovers. The California based wine list was depressing. However, they have a good beer list and a full service bar with reasonably priced cocktails. Service was adequate though pacing is not their strong point with long waits and absent servers. The atmosphere is definitely tavern-like. Being close to the bay you might expect a view. Well, don’t because there really isn’t any even on the outside patio. The upstairs patio does offer a glimpse here and there but may be unavailable due to private parties. If you’re looking for an upscale tavern experience for less money than you would expect, ATWater will definitely fill the bill.

What a great spot. The ATWATER is absolutely perfect place right on the bay. It's far enough away from tourist town which makes it perfect for a day or night on the bay. The food is excellent and the craft cocktails are perfect. Our bartender Ben made my vodka martini up slightly dirty and dry absolutely perfect. My wife's Manhattan not to sour not to sweat was spot on. The ATWATER is a must when in San Francisco.

I reserved this place before a Cirque du Soleil show, since it’s just steps away. My friend and I were seated at the patio near the water. The patio was enclosed with plastic, so views of the bay were not stellar. I ordered the salmon special and my friend got the mushroom raviolis. Food came out fast and our server, Tristan, was excellent. My dish was great! My friends sauce tasted liked store bought Alfredo, but the mushroom raviolis alone were good. I bet the atmosphere during a sunny day without the plastic would be wonderful. Perhaps brunch before a Giants game is planned next:)

Our family had dinner here during a brief trip to SF. We were staying at the nearby Luma Hotel, so ATwater was an easy walk for us. The location and ambience was great, our server was friendly, and we enjoyed the food. It seemed a little odd that their kitchen closed at 8pm on a Friday night, but perhaps their operating hours are geared toward a baseball pre-game crowd (Oracle Park is just a few blocks away). We did find the prices rather high even by SF standards, but for a vacation splurge it was an enjoyable visit!