Swan Oyster Depot Reviews

The wait was ridiculous for a Friday afternoon. I’m just not one of those who thinks that it’s “hip” to wait in standing lines for 35 minutes just to have the privilege to pay money to eat in some ones restaurant. Even though the oysters were excellent and priced well, there are some other restaurants that have oysters for less at happy hour time. I would go back if I didn’t see a line.

I loved the place so much that I came back a second time, though I was only there for four days. The seafood is exceptionally fresh and delicious. The staff is engaging. It's not fancy and not cheap, but it is exceptional crab and shrimp.

Yes, you're going to stand in line to get in because there are only 18 stools at the counter and they fill up the minute the restaurant opens. If you are a seafood lover, this place is worth the wait. Everything is super fresh. The portions are large and the guys who serve you are genuine characters who will tell you everything you want to know about the oysters, sea urchins, crab, or lobster you are eating. No, this isn't an elegant experience. It's all about the seafood so if you're looking for more you'll be disappointed. But if you know what you like, you'll be spoiled by the experience and have a hard time finding fresher seafood anywhere. Besides, this is a San Francisco landmark you need to try at least once.

We ate the salad combinations. It was okay but not so special. I dont know about the oysters. The atmosphere was great and the people were so kind.

It’s been a few years since we visited Swan Oyster Depot; it’s as good as I remembered!! We got there at 10:30 when they opened on a Monday and waited about an hour and half (the line got longer when we left). The Restaurant is small, all the seating is along the counter/bar. The customer service is amazing; all the guys were attentive and helpful. Despite the long line outside, they don’t rush you at all. Very causal atmosphere. The food... everything was very fresh! We got clam chowder, combination seafood salad, combo seafood cocktail, smoked salmon, and sashimi plate. The seafood salad was amazing!! So much fresh crab meat, bay shrimp and a few good size shrimp; as far as I am concerned, this is the best deal and a must! For the seafood cocktail, you get a little bowl of crab, shrimp w an oyster on top and you get a little bowl of cocktail sauce which you season to your liking and dip the seafood in. The smoked salmon plate was very good, just seemed a little over-priced for four slices of bread w single layer of smoked salmon on top. I am glad we tried their mixed sashimi plate; loved the olive oil and the capers. But if you have a good sushi place.... I wasn’t too impressed w the clam chowder. It was flavorful and wasn’t full of big chunks of vegetables which I can’t stand, clam pieces were small and hard to find, but it was a bit running and oily on top (I don’t know if the soup was cooked too hot where the oil and milk solid separated or they splashed oil on top?). Good cheap filler food for kids. It was a wonderful meal!! We will definitely come back!! Get there early, be prepared to wait at least an hour, but it’s totally worth it !!! Oh, they do take-out!! The line for takeout is on the left side of the door and very short! Oh, they don’t have a website!!!! The one listed on Trip Advisor is not theirs!!

So glad we decided to stay in the queue. We waited for an hour but ended up eating for 21/2hrs. The uni was so fresh and the hot lobster salad was yummy. The delivery of the dishes was timed well and we never felt rushed. That probably contributes to the long waiting time for the people in the queue. I would highly recommend this restaurant but be prepared to wait. Is worth it!

I had lunch at Swan’s and was so happy to find it was just the same as the last time I visited 5 years ago. The prices had gone up but still well worth it. I had the crab salad again and it was amazing! There was a short line-up and we waited about 10 minutes. This restaurant has been around for years and is an unpretentious diner experience that is delightful. My favourite San Francisco seafood place!

Great seafood, restaurant was opened in 1912, still serving same great tasteful dishes! I enjoyed the experience at all. And it was worth the queuing outside in Cold Rainy San Francisco!

I recommend you GO here!. The fish is fresh and the preparations well done. With one exception. We had oysters, sashimi plate, smoked salmon, sea urchin, and more oysters. Bread and butter is served with lemon wedges and various sauces. We declined to use the sauces and only used the lemon. ALL the fish was excellent freshness/quality so using the sauces was not necessary and would only overpower the delicious fish flavors. The counter is busy and you can expect to sit down at a place that hasn't been completely cleared. If your party is more than a couple of people, you can also expect to sit in different open seats. Like any restaurant, the food handlers use bare hands. In what I would expect would be a serious health code violation, ONE guy handled cash money, the phone, and the window frame and proceeded to grab shrimp and crab to make salads. They promised to address it.

This place has been around for as long as I can remember. If you want SUPER fresh seafood then Swan's is the place for you. This is a no frills kinda place that has maybe 20 stools at a counter. The line starts early and runs all day the wait is about 45 mins to an hour. The combo Louie Salad is enough for two with lots of bay shrimp, lump crab meat and nice big prawns. One of the remaining true San Francisco institutions!!

Okay so we love oysters, but typically get Florida Gulf oysters so this was a new experience we wanted to try. We tried to go for lunch on a Monday and the line was already 20 people long on the street. The seating is very limited (MAYBE 15 chairs, total) so it fills up very fast. We came the next day for early dinner. We got in line at 4 and were told we may not get a seat even though they close at 5:30pm. They stop seating people at 4:45pm and will only take to go orders after that. We were literally the last people to be seated. The fresh oysters were really good but the clam chowder was watery in my opinion. The crab salad was just okay. It’s one of those “go once for the experience” places for me, and don’t plan to go back if we are back in the area. Just didn’t live up to the hype for us. They take CASH ONLY so plan ahead.

Guys, this place is sooooo worth the wait. The food, the service, the atmosphere…..omg…unreal! Andrew was our server and he made our experience a hoot! So my party of three got to the restaurant at 12:40pm on a Saturday. With about a line of 10-12 parties ahead of us, we felt confident we’d get in with ease, but around 2pm, the manager comes out and tell us the last seating would be about 2:30-/+. There were still about three parties ahead of us, so it was really iffy. Worst case scenario, we’d have to take it to go. It’s now 2:25pm and we’re all just peeping in, looking to see who was almost done. A group of three gals got in and we were happy for them, but we were sad for ourselves. We were legit at the front just praying we’d get in. Andrew, the above-mentioned server, was SOOO nice, sooo funny and very attentive! He told us if someone gets up and leaves within five minutes, we’d get in, and we DID! Food – everything is soooo good and so fresh; quality is above and beyond. The clam chowder was one of my favorites. The sourdough bread was extra, and I believe they get that from a local bakery. Will need to go back and get some crab! Service – Andrew was EVERYTHING. He has a fulltime job during the week but works at the restaurant every other Saturday; we were lucky enough to him on one of his ON days. Seating – I think I counted like 20 seats and the staff is pretty good about shifting parties around to accommodate the line. Although it would be nice to eat and hang, chit chat all day, be aware of the surroundings. This is not a place to have a conversation for two hours. Eat and go peeps! There’s wine and beer! Would definitely go back. Just make sure you eat before you get there to EAT. 😊 The wait is long, but you will not be disappointed.

This is a fantastic oyster bar frequented by locals where the service is fantastic and the food even better. We had a long wait in the queue to get in as the bar only takes about 20 people. But it was well worth it. The family-run place had lots of character and amazing seafood. It was really nice to watch the locals coming in to eat in or takeaway their seafood and they were treated like part of the family. We had the oysters which were some of the best we have had, and also the Sicilian style sashimi. Just perfect!!!

Awesome. Sicilian sashimi Beer and shrimp cocktail Dozen mixed oysters Crab cocktail All were amazing... staff was friendly great teamwork amongst them Will be back

Eat here! Usually a line waiting to dine, but go early and grab a table curbside. There are a few spots inside at the counter, which is great to see the fish/oyster/salad/chowdah action. The staff is delightful and you might think you are in Boston. Fish is very fresh. Chowder is chowder-y and beer is cold. Smoked salmon plate is a must. Oysters, of course! Note to diners: This is a cash only establishment.

We are staying in the area on holiday from the UK. This place looked right up our street. We live in the West country and Rick Stein (home of fresh seafood). After our Bay cruise this morning we decided to uber our way to the Swan. Queue was only 20 mins or so. Great seat at the top end of the bar, and the lovely (and film star good looking) Marino took our order. We had a bottle of Muscadet (what else can you drink with shell fish)? We started with a dozen oysters, three varieties, all fresh as a daisy. Then we had the smoked salmon, heavily fume, and utterly delicious. We finished with a simple salad of prawns and crab, again so fresh and tasty. You do feel right at home perched on the bar stool, watching as they work. The bill arrived and we paid, adding a hefty tip. We then left to walk to the nearby ice cream parlour before our walk home. When we checked our bill it didn't quite add up, it was £10 dollars too much. Anyway we had a fabulous lunch, and it was well,worth the extra to sit and look at Marino for an hour or so.😉

Fresh seafood in family run restaurant with great vibe once you get in! You need to line up as it is so popular and only holds about 20 people sitting up at the counter. Staff are very friendly and attentive! Fantastic experience!

Yes, you will wait on line forever to get in. Yes, your leg will fall asleep from the rim on the stool cutting off your circulation. Yes, it's crowded and you will get to be intimate with the diners beside you. And yes, it is so worth it. The smoked fish is amazing and the oysters are incredible. Even though it's a bit uncomfortable and crowded you will eat slowly and savor every bite. Once you are in, you do not want to leave. You just want more oysters.

We waited for 2 seats to open up -- Friday afternoon around 12:30pm and finally sat around 2ish but it was so worth the wait. Ordered the crab cocktail, 12 oysters, & clam chowder -- all were fresh and amazing! Don't forget to search for the hidden menu online before you go -- we chose to order the Italian Sashimi (comes with a few different fish, drizzled olive oil, & capers) and it was unreal. The gentlemen behind the counter were great too -- super attentive for such a busy place & made the whole experience even better than it was from the food alone.

Best oysters I’ve ever eaten and one of the most fun dining experiences. Great chat from the hosts/servers/chefs (who are all three in one). Tasty wine. A must for all seafood lovers visiting San Fran. Get there early as the que gets very big!

This place is quite popular we waited about 40 minutes on a weekday at lunch time, apparently it gets much longer on the weekend. The restaurant is bar seating and is quite small. We ordered the clam chowder, a dozen oysters and half a dozen clams for $60 including tax and tips. I have not had much clam chowder before but it is definitely much better than anything at Fisherman's wharf, you can actually taste the sweetness of the clams. Even though we only got a cup, they gave us plenty of bread. We got 3 different varieties of oysters and they were all really fresh and delicious. As for clams, we got 3 each of little necks and cherrystone. These were served with an array of sides, including fresh horseradish which was really good. The staff were all friendly and the restaurant has a family owned feel. Beware that this place is cash only. The prices are fair considering the quality of the ingredients. If you're a seafood lover, this is worth the wait. Be sure that you're not in a rush to be anywhere.

We had the combination salad, oysters, and the sashimi. Super fresh and great service. However, they can keep the place a bit more cleaner, they filled the coffee cup and it spilled all over the saucer. But overall would go there again.

Wow, sitting in between two Strangers who were also raving about there choice on the menu ! I had half a dozen California oysters a wonderful bowl of Boston chowder great bread and most of all the seafood was so fresh! The owners three brothers and a son made me feel very welcome, they certainly understand great customer service loved this morning thankyou

I moved to San Francisco in 1982 and of course heard countless rhapsodic stories and reviews of this hole-in-the-wall restaurant for years. Every time I ever went by there'd be people waiting at the door and since they don't take reservations I never was able to experience it. Well, a friend and I happened to be on Polk Street this week and lo and behold, there was no wait at 12 noon on Tuesday so we decided we should give it a try. We shouldn't have bothered. The place is so run down and dirty that I was seriously tempted to bolt as soon as I sat on a dinky rickety and very uncomfortable stool that was crammed up next to a bunch of other rickety stools against a narrow counter with no room for my legs. And forget about elbow room. They pack those stools into the tiny space so you are shoulder to shoulder with your fellow diners. The staff was friendly enough but the menu sucks. No descriptions, no printed menu--for a first timer it's bewildering. I seriously wondered if there was some 'secret' menu for regulars because I heard other people order things that were not posted on the wall. (So why are us first-timers treated like three-day old fish?) Hand-written pieces fo paper tacked to the wall is all you get for a menu, so if you forget your reading glasses your are sh-t outta luck. I ordered a $26 seafood salad that had some crab meat, a few prawns and a handful of bay shrimp on top of a handful of shredded lettuce. That's it. With this they served seafood sauce that was pretty typical (nothing fancier that bottled) and some french bread and butter. That's all folks. We tried the clam chowder and it was weak and watery with nary a clam to be found. It looked like they recylcle some left over seafood and it all ended up in the chowder. Quite disappointing. My friend had the sea urchin which he said was good but that kind of sea food (very fishy and gelatinous) isn't very appealing to me. I saw fresh oysters on the half shell being served but you have to share your mignonette with your neighbor from a shared communal dish on the counter. Gross! and not very corona virus-safe. And no regular sized napkins--all that is available is a stack of small paper cocktail sized napkins--not even the kind that you pull out one a time--so who knows how many other fingers have touched them before you got there. The kicker was when I went to the restroom to wash my hands. You have to go down a narrow corridor, through the back of the kitchen, past the emplyee locker room area that's cluttered with hats, shoes and who knows what else to the 1950's closet bathroom. It didn't look like they cleaned since 1950 too. Our bill came to $95.00 for one shared salad, one shared small cup of chowder, one sea urchin and beer and a glass of wine. With tip we got out of there for $115.00 I guess some may feel like this place is a piece of "old San Francisco," and believe me, I am nostalgic for the pre-tech San Francisco that I have known and loved for decades. But, now that I've been, I'd say I haven't missed much by never having been to Swan's in 40 years.

We live in San Francisco but travel over 330 days a year all over the world. Just returned home from Nepal, India, and Japan 5 days ago. My husband wanted to try this place. So we reached there at 10:40 AM on a Monday (Columbus Day). Waited till 11:25 AM under hot Sun and got inside. Friendly staff. And that was the only good point. The Chowder was the worst we have ever had anywhere. As someone else here wrote, it was curdled with almost no clams, some potatoes and huge amount of salt. We could not eat it. Just a few months ago we had our best chowder in a small town near Exeter, NH. Cold, bad bread, and ice cold butter. No idea how they managed to obtain bad sour dough in SF. The Sicilian Sashimi was horrible. The Tuna, and Salmon were from the worst cut, Scallops were fishy. Calling it Sashimi and giving chopsticks do not make it Japanese. We go to Japan multiple times a year to eat and our most recent memory of incredible sashimi in Kyushu island is so fresh that we were not sure to cry or laugh. The combination cocktail was NOT fresh. Previously frozen fish and crab with no taste to anything. Oysters were horrible as well. Memories of New Orleans oysters kept coming back. With ax and tip the bill ws $60. Even if someone pays me twice as much money we will NOT go even near this place ever again.

We finally decided/did it (after many years) to wait in THAT line !!! We arrived at 1:00 on a Sunday afternoon . . . and waited in that line (going way down the sidewalk) for one hour and 45 minutes (about 40 people in line). The restaurant seats about 20 people (bar/counter seating only) . . . so, as you can imagine the line takes time. Once in . . . the extremely fresh Seafood begins. The guys behind the counter were extremely nice, helpful and there is no rush (whatsoever) to enjoy your meal. They mentioned that everything comes fresh off the boat in the morning. We had a medium (just ok - compared to everything else) Sashimi plate (pictured) . . . then a Crab Cocktail (with a side of drawn butter) and a Combination (shrimp, crab, prawn and oyster & clam) Cocktail (also pictured) . . . we then ordered a Shrimp Cocktail and liked it so much, that we ordered another one (lots of cocktail sauce with horseradish on the bar = add to taste). . . and then of course we couldn’t do out without the Half Cracked Crab . . . because if you’re going to do this . . . ya need to do it right (wink) and a total of 3 glasses of wine . . . and a $147 tab later (not including tip). NOTES . . . Cash Only . . . no debit/credit cards accepted For a shorter line, arrive earlier in the day or later in the day to avoid the 1.5 to 2 hour prime lunch time wait . . . still might be a 30 to 45 minute wait !!! Weekdays, if you can (from speaking with patrons) are better for a shorter wait time. No regrets/glad we went . . . another restaurant checked off our/the must visit list.

I read about Swan in Bon Appetit as one of the World's Best Restaurants. It may just be our taste inseafood or what we had, but we were disappointed. Just know that it REALLY is no frills. First the good, we had the "Italian Sashimi" which is not on the menu. I believe it changes, depending on what is fresh. There was tuna which was not truly fresh (treated with CO2), but the scallops, salmon and white fish were delicious. It was dried with olive oil and capers. Just needed a small bit of salt to bring out the flavor. I also had the crab cocktail which was very good. The bread was good. Next, we had a dozen oysters. They didn't have Blue Points, so we got a sampler of 3 different oysters. Our server never bothered to explain what they were. What little cocktail sauce they give you, was like watered down ketchup. There were condiments on the table like horseradish, pickled onions etc. So I guess you doctor it up yourself. We ordered 2 clam chowders which was watery. I guess I like mine thick. Not much clams. Also ordered a Combo Seafood Salad. It's served on just iceberg lettuce. That's it. We got there at 10:20 and there was a line. We were in the first seating and by the time we left, there was a LINE! We had 3 beers which were warm. All that was $140. No, I wouldn't go back.

Great experience with amazing food, cold beer and attentive staff. I came early afternoon and only waited 45 minutes. Don’t forgot cash!

Great place for fresh fresh sea food! Excellent oysters, trout, shrimp salad and the list goes on! Probably one of the best sea food places in SF! Love this place and will be going for many years to come. Great service, nice overall environment and the food is great!

Down to earth wait staff. Just don’t ask for butter hahah! Restaurant is less than 20 seats at a bar. So get there early. Or just prepare for at least an hour wait all day. Food is fresh everything is good. And get a Stella it’s so amazing with the crab!

The Good- A terrific family run place where despite being busy from opening to closing time, they treat you like a special customer. There are 6 people working the counter ( including two very cute ones!). The oysters are yummy, the clam chowder is one of the better ones I have had but not the best ( Best one was in chicago!). the combined seafood salad is to die for! Try the oil and vinegar dressing which is made of crab oil. The bad- Opening time at 10:30 is the best time to go. after that it gets super busy ( 2 hour + waiting time). The ugly- not much ugly at all. it is on the pricier side but totally worth it .

Before we came to town, we were told by friend "this might be the best restaurant on earth". I was a bit skeptical at the beginning almost wanted to give up when seeing the long line. We waited about 2 hrs before getting seated. Ordered crab salad, smoked salmon, clam chowder & oysters, everything was so amazing, I ended up having 2 cups of clam chowder myself. The whole meal was bit expensive though, we spent 114$ two of us on lunch.

I got lucky timing-wise and barely had to wait both times. As others have noted, it's cash only. The regular items are great, simple, fresh seafood. Some of the specials are quite special, but again, very simple. Pretty good wine list with fair prices.

Having read the reviews we decided to visit this place. We went around 9.30am and managed to get seated at the bar. We started with a cup of clam chowder which I found to have very little seafood in it. We then had the sashimi which was salmon, tuna, halibut and scallops in a caper dressing which was nice and fresh. We then ordered the half cracked crab which at $25 wasn't worth it as there was very little crab meat. Not somewhere I would rush back to.

There was a wait to get in here long before Anthony Bourdain and other travel shows stopped by. Everything is extremely fresh and tasty. You'll never get a big party in here and be prepared to go elbow to elbow with your neighbor. The food is so good, you won't care!

What a disappointment. We were persuaded here by all the publicity this place has been getting from TV. ... wow nothing can be further from the truth... let's see you wait about 1 hour in line (not bad for us since our favorite Ramen) place back home can be 45 minutes wait. My firs clue should have been the not so fresh looking sea food display on the window and then seeing the cooks using that food as they served. Once we sat down we order the clam chowder....the worst chowder I ever had, the cream had curdled and was not tasty at all like when milk goes sour. We figured ok we even have bad cooking days.....so we tried the sea food cocktail mixed and oh my lord it was so fishy strong that we couldn't even eat half of it...... it does not scream fresh. We have rated sea food all over Mexico and this place is not worth the wait, the money or the famed people give it.

First time eating here. Kept hearing so much about it, finally made the time to check it out. Best seafood I have ever had, I now know why this place is so famous!!!! And the owners and staff are friendly and professional! Make sure to arrive half an hour before the place actually opens. The lines are LONG and you may end up waiting 2-3 hours just to get a seat. Ordering to go is much faster!

We went here on a Saturday. The wait was almost 2 hours. They only take cash. The seafood was excellent. Kevin was great and took good care of us. The Italian Sashimi melted in mouth. Oysters and crab is delicious.

It is definitely worth trying at least once, even if it just for the experience. I really enjoyed the Sicilian sashimi as you get to try a variety of fishes including scallops. The half cracked crab with the Louie also delicious. Place is super old school with just like 15 or so counter seats. Employees preparing things in front of you and arguing with each other which was funny. I arrived at 8:15 am and was sat within 45 minutes. The downside is I wish they had an actual website and menu. The conscience online made it seem like they open at 10:30am but it truly does open and seat people at 8am. I was part of second seating. I would arrive as close to open not to wait an insane amount of time. The only menu is on the wall and is hard to read. With it being Cash Only I had to keep asking what things cost to keep a running tab in my head. By far the best thing was the Smoked Salmon. The only thing I did not enjoy was the crab back. Butter was cold.

To be fair, I am ONLY giving this a 3 because I ONLY tried the the clam chowder. As a New Englander (born and raised), I am a "Chowdah-head" and a clam chowder snob. This IS NOT great chowder. At best, it is OK. It is thin, and there are very few clams. I did not try the oysters, so this is a limited review. But most people RAVE about the chowder, so I had to try and make a review. I WOULD NOT go out of my way for this clam chowder.

Worth the long wait. Prices are totally fair and the food is just delicious. Every one should pay then a visit. It is defiently Worth the wait.

The seafood was delicious. There is no question & there is nothing I could repeatedly on quality & freshness that has not already been said. For me, the standout is the guys working behind the counter. So nice, so helpful, the choices at this place are endless & these guys “take to you” like an old buddy & exper tour guide all in one. & their happiness & joking with each other just leads to a layed back infectious experience you want again & again. Also, hate to say it to all those folks who waiters hours. I arrived 1ish on a wendsday & was 2nd in line; waited 5-8 minutes max. Regardless, I would do the long wait for the experience. You che k the box @ the warf, but you come here for something that is fun & quickly familiar.

It has been over 18 years since I've been to Swans and they haven't missed a beat!! I took my wife there and we will both be back and not 18 years later!! The Crab was excellent, the shrimp cocktail was extraordinary, simple but great and the Service was awesome!!! Kevin was both friendly and helpful. If you're going to San Francisco, it's a definite must. Be sure to get there early, between. 1030-1100, because it's a small place and not a lot of seats, but overall very worth it!!!

If you're a seafood lover, standing in line to eat here is well worth the time. We waited for 1-1/2 hours but I'd do it again.

The freshest oysters, crab and shrimp you will ever eat. Really nice family-owned vibe and the service was fantastic. The wait staff really know the menu and we just let them serve us whatever they thought!

Typically 1 hr wait, we stood in line 2, only making the experience more enjoyable. From making "friends" in line to those men shaving smoked salmon behind the counter, the dining moments will never be forgotten. Driven by my desire to share Anthony Bourdain's fave SF fish joint, each morsel, sip of Anchor, laugh shared with the men educating us on the delights of oysters and raw fish will forever touch my heart. Can't thank you guys enough!

No reservations. Our family of four were first in line at 9:50 am on a Monday morning, for a 10:30 am opening. The line-up was LONG by opening time. The food is delicious, expertly-prepared, fresh seafood. We had the crab cocktail, prawn salad, clam chowder, fresh oysters, and Sicilian sashimi. Everything was fabulous. The crab pâté wasn’t available on our day. All the seats are bar-style, no tables, so guests are facing the servers. Part of our enjoyable experience was the friendly rapport with the charismatic staff.

In my final hours in San Fran I NEEDED to have a clam chowder. So I googled the best clam chowder and these guys came up. The reviews said the line up was often insane but I thought I would risk it (late afternoon). The 2.3km walk was worth it! The line up was minimal and the place was bustling. The service was fast and friendly. The food was delicious! The Clam chowder was so good and the two oysters the guy behind the bar chose for me were spot on. The place is a little tired and rundown but that adds to the charm. It was otherwise clean and very well priced. A must do for SF visitors.

Very friendly waiter,I really enjoyed the experience. The food is good and the oresentation is even better (if possible). It was a very crowded night, is the kind of place you wanna make a reservation.

Swan is an absolute classic of west coast seafood. The intimate space and family atmosphere make this a must-visit for any seafood lover in San Francisco. The fresh oysters and Dungeness crab are especially amazing!

The fish is fresh and the monger-makers are attentive and jovial. Is the fish worth a 2 hour wait? Not really. The old-school counter service is 80% of the experience. Let them entertain you and suggest the day's most delicious tidbits. That's worth the wait!

We had heard about this iconic restaurant through TV & magazines, it was on our list to try as we visited the city on a business trip. We mostly travelled by foot and didn't finally stumble across it until our last day in town! We were on the hunt for a late breakfast , but when we saw the line up out the door we knew we had to stop in. The line moved quickly, and we were served breakfast beers as we waited. Once inside we were treated like family, all the gentlemen behind the bar were very friendly & had great recommendations. We had the crab, chowder, and plenty of variety of oysters! We left feeling like regulars, and cant wait to go back again!

We arrived at 9:45am on a Saturday morning and we're seated at 11:30am. They seated the first guests around 10:10am ish.... The food is incredible and you completely forget about the wait once you're in. We had combo seafood salad, oysters, crab and sashimi. Everything was absolutely delicious. From the Bread, cocktail sauce to the beery-mary, the whole meal was very memorable! Thanks Swan Oyster Depot!

I always go with what’s recommended is being fresh and I’ve never been disappointed. I’ve literally been going to this place since I was in law school at UC SF (aka Hastings) in the 70s and now I go back and take friends whenever I’m in the neighborhood. It’s worth the wait.

The reason I came to this joint because it is featured in Andrew Zimmerman travel show The place don’t look very hygienic, and the price is very high, worst of all, it is cash only When it comes to food, it is not bad , but how they prepare the food, it is arguable

This is a place known by the locals and only a few tourists. I like the atmosphere as it is a bunch of nice people who make an honest home feel fresh seafood

I stopped here on a Wednesday night after work. There was a small line when I arrived at about 4:30. But, as I was by myself and there was one open seat I was quickly seated. Service was quick and friendly. my first time there, I had to try the crap backs. I also ordered a small shrimp cocktail. Both were outstanding. I will definitely return next time I am in San Francisco.

You’ll not really been to San Francisco if you didn’t get yourself some nice local seafood. Smoke salmon, fresh oyster, prawns, shrimps and crabs are all on the menu. But the MUST TRY is definitely their clam chowder, it might not taste nice from the start but by the end of the bowl, I’ve already placed my order for another bowl. Enjoy!

Now when we say a family place for dinner it’s not for young children. The only seating available is a bar counter but we were 4 adults so it worked for us. The staff was very friendly, and the food delicious 😋 To start we ordered some clam chowder. I wish we could of ordered the bowl because it was delish. But I knew we were ordering lots of food so I had to pace myself. We ordered crab legs, oysters, crab 🦀 back, and a sea urchin. Everything was incredible. The staff was very friendly and went out of there way to help sit my party together. Definitely coming back.

My husband and I visited here while in San Francisco and really enjoyed eating at the Swan Oyster Depot. The place has an amazing vibe and the food, particularly the crab and shrimp, is amazing! Expect to queue, but worth the wait!

Awesome dining experience. Narrow bar seating, shoulders to shoulders. Great history behind this establishment. Everything is fresh and well explained by our server Brian. Well done.

Swan is amazing and everyone knows it, unfortunately, this includes the swarms of tourists in town. So...I love to come here by myself during off hours at random times during the week. Yes, the seafood is amazing, of course, but I also just love the people who work there. And the fact that this place still exists.

Very fresh seafood. Staff is very friendly. The sashimi with the olive oil and capers is one of the best dishes. Of course the oysters are a must have. Went twice on my long weekend trip and would have gone more if I had more time.

Awesome seafood, fun service. Old family feel, with cheeky Italian/American boys.. worth the wait... hands down Would recommend trying the oysters, salmon and Sicilian sashimi.

You get to watch all of the fish dishes being prepared, a fun group behind the counter. They do not take reservations, but the wait in line is so worh the food and the experience.

The lineup is long all day I’m told, but people are aware of that and lots of chatter in the line up. Pop in and grab a beer while you wait, honor system to pay for it when you get your seat. The guys behind the counter are fantastic, so friendly and they help to make the experience but you can’t deny the seafood is the star. We loved the chowder, the oysters, the crab salad, the prawn cocktail... everything was just delicious and in spite of the lineup these guys never make you feel rushed. They really want you to have a great experience.

expect some waiting time outside, take a drink and have a chat with the others waiting there..... it's worth. nothing seems to have changed since the fifties, long counter, great seafood selection, good wines, a bit quirky, but an exceptional experience....and leave your credit cards at home.... cash only 😉

The line was quite long but once we got in line, we were told by other groups in the line that we could go in and grab a drink and wait in line again. This helped pass the time as we chatted in line while we waited. Once we got in, the service was great! It's a small bar style place. Food comes out very quickly and was all fresh! Crab back was amazing! Fresh Oysters and clams were very good as well. I'm VERY glad we waited. It was worth every minute!! Just a quick reminder, that its cash only and the websites that are posted are not legitimate as they have sign in their restaurant to say that they do not have any websites at all. The ones that you find online are not legitimate.

I was told to expect an hour wait for a spot at the famous lunch counter. It took every bit of that and was so worth it! Some of the freshest seafood I've ever had in a truly authentic and unique setting. And the guys behind the counter were awesome - you can tell they love what they do!

This place is always packed so expect a line out side. Low key, authentic seafood place that fox’s on customer service and the food itself,unlike the tourist places at the piers. Try the crab head! And it’s Cash only.

There is a line, but well worth it. Small place but moves quickly. Everything is extremely fresh and delicious. Had to fill up on oysters of course. Clam Chowder was excellent. I wish I had room to try more, as the smoked salmon looked awesome!

If your looking for seafood and a mix of oysters and raw fish or seafood salad your have found your place. We were there at 11:30 and it was packed so be prepared to wait. While you wait you can watch dishes be made and it can help you find something. We had a sashimi plate and oysters. All delicious but the UNI was ordered a lot. So if that's your thing it's alive and they prepare it for you. Go and enjoy.

Fresh flavorful seafood served at a throwback style lunch counter. When you see the line and ask if it worth the wait, have patience for a great experience.

Tried to beat the line but still waited over an hour, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Delicious and good selection of oysters. The soft shelled crab might have been the best I’ve ever had. The off the menu items are the best options. Don’t miss out on the Sashimi! The waiters were great and good vibes all around. Definitely my best meal during my visit.

This place has got it going on. There are 18 stools at the counter, thats it. It's cash only. There's no wifi. It's been a family run business since it opened a long time ago. It's perfect. There will be a line, just take it as a given. While you wait you can admire all the yumminess in the window and watch the locals shovelling it down. They serve 150lbs of crab every day, thats a lot of crab. The chowder is great, the 'Crab Back' is an absolute delight, everything about this place is on the money. If you're in San Francisco and you don't go here then you should be ashamed of yourself. Even if you happen to be one of those unfortunates that can't eat seafood you should go anyway, just for a quick visit to get the vibe. It's brilliant.

After seeing this place on an Anthony Bourdain show, we made sure we visited on our trip to SF. There are only 18 chairs along the bar, so the line up can get pretty big! I recommend going during the week if you can, and get there before 11 am (opens at 10:30 am I believe). After waiting about 30 minutes on a Monday, we got seats. We ordered Octopus salad, Crab carcuss, Smoked Salmon, Oysters and Sicilian Sashimi. Make sure you get the Sicilian Sashimi!! It was my favorite! But everything was SO GOOD! Worth the money and worth the wait. Be sure to bring cash as they do not accept car. They also do not have a website!

Swan Oyster Depot has been one of the must-eat restaurants in San Francisco. We came around 10:45 on a Thursday and waited over 3 hours for the seats. Ordered the crab back, crab cocktail, oysters, and clam chowder. The clam chowder was nice but definitely not the best. The crab meat tasted frozen but not fresh which was a huge disappointment. The oysters were fine but you probably don't have to wait 3 hours for those...

If you're hankering for fresh seafood, they have a great variety. The place is family owned and it has been handed down from generation to generation. These folks are genuinely nice. They don't have a website and they only accept cash. That's how old school this place is. It's definitely a San Francisco institution. Be forewarned, during peak times, there's a line out the door.

The experienced staff working there will take you on an imaginary trip to the cost, and let you taste the fishiest and tasty food ever, I didn't want to leave but I could eat more

This place is worth the wait. It only seats about 30 people at a long bar but this allows you watch the process of preparing your food. Everyone is nice, all the food is fresh and delicious and the atmosphere is fun. We waited in line about an hour and 20 minutes in to the wait were given a beer while we stood in line. The chowder is perfect and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

After having read all about the iconic Swan Oyster Depot, I just had to visit. We waited an hour outside to get in (I’ve read that’s not too bad). No reservations and cash only. The food was good and everyone was very friendly. The seating is horrible and about the time you get to the doorway to see in, you’ll start to second guess if it was really worth the wait. I didn’t think so. You can find plenty of other places that have food just as good. So if you want to be able to say you’ve been there. Go. But don’t expect too much. Its old. Its dingy and a lot could be done to improve the experience. Remember to bring plenty of cash to have more than just a snack.

Waited in line for over an hour for a seat at this very small counter only restaurant. It’s a very popular place. Ordered crab salad with Louis dressing. It was medium in size and was delicious crab on top of a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. If you’re looking for crab Louis this isn’t it. It’s lettuce and crab. That’s it for $32 My husband got the half crab for $24 and we shared a cup of clam chowder that was good. A beer and a diet soda and the Bill came to $70 plus tip. Not cheap but fresh food.

Had oysters from the Tomales Bay, fresh crab salad, sourdough bread. Doesn’t get much better than this. Family owned and operated Cash only Queue for a seat can be 10-30 minutest

We waited one hour in the queue and had to use the restroom which made us resist the temptation to eat there...

Waited in line for 2 hours today to have food here. Had the Crab Back, Crab Legs and the Clam Chowder all of which was delicious and Worth the wait for.

Came here for early dinner. Did not have to wait for more than 5 minutes. Staff is very friendly! We had 5 kinds of oysters to choose from. All were very fresh and there was one kind for everyone’s taste. Wine choice is adequate. Sashimi with capers was delicious as well. This place accepts only cash. Will return!

Arrived at 1:15pm in the queue , waited until 2pm before anyone came up to us and said that they stop seating at 2pm and we could only take away considering that the queue was pretty small when we arrived it was a bit of a shock. The place inside is fairly small and cramped. People rushing around and can barely hear the staff when ordering. We all order a variety of things to take away and was all pretty disappointed not only with the flavour but also the wait considering they weren't doing anything to most of the orders. Clam chowder was okay, crab cocktail was just a pot of u seasoned crab with not even a slice of lemon to go with it and the sans for the oysters. Would recommend saving your time and going somewhere else. Whilst I appreciate it's notorious and has a authentic system it runs on, its not worth the wait.

The food and fun at Swan Oyster Depot is hard to beat. Great clam chowder, seafood cocktails, shrimp salad and cracked crab at a crowded busy counter where you will probably have to wait. Do it the wait is worth it. It is on my list now of places to go every time I visit.

The 3 of us waited 1 hour on line before a space opened up at the counter of this small restaurant. Food was fantastic. We had a bowl of clam chowder, a dozen mixed variety of oysters on the half shell, smoked salmon on bread with capers and chopped onions (3 piece portion), Italian style sashimi of fresh melt in your mouth mixed fish and scallops (small size), crab salad (picked crab on iceberg lettuce with crap vinaigrette or thousand island dressing, sourdough bread and butter. We split everything 3 ways and washed down with a draft beer. Bill came to about $45 a piece. Cash only. Definitely worth the wait.

The seafood here is really good, depending on what they have. The oysters are fresh and the dishes from the not-so-secret menu are all tasty. You can't go wrong with what you order. I also like clam chowder, but here it is too watery and salty for my taste. I came here with some friends and we had to wait in line a while. You could order to go, but where are you going to go? That's part of the charm. The service is not so great. I think it depends on who you get to help you. We got Marino who didn't even bother to help us. (I know his name because someone in the group asked and apparently he thought we were all trying to flirt with him??). He acted like he couldn't even be bothered to help us, which was really frustrating. Someone should tell him to chill and get over himself. From what we could tell, the other guys know what good customer service is, so maybe ask for one of them? Be warned, prices are hard to come by and the food and drinks can add up quickly!

But it was well worth it. Food = excellent, staff = friendly & helpful. Crowded but affordable and worth the wait.

Took advantage of some San Francisco rain and headed to Swan’s hoping for a short line. We arrived about 11:45am and there were only 2 people ahead of us. As we waited, I watched grown men carefully construct crab cocktails and seafood salads, taking care to perfectly plate each dish. As if each were a work of art - - and they certainly were gastronomic works of art. We were seated within 15 minutes. We ordered a variety of seafood from a dozen oysters on the half shell, to combo seafood cocktail to smoked salmon. The food was excellent. About the service. We were never rushed. The people working there all seemed like they absolutely loved their jobs and serving their customers. I mean truly and completely. You just don’t see that anymore. I want to thank all of them for serving us - - and when I say all of them I mean it. There is no “territorial” grounds on who helps who at the counter. Everyone helps every customer. This is a slice of everything that is “right” in America. Thank you Swan’s for a job well done every day!

Typical American place from the 1950s, spartan but very clean. Stratospheric fish, best mixed fish cocktail ever eaten…. Excellent oysters. Quality fish!!! But be careful you ONLY pay CASH AND NO RECEIPT. Receipt on paper napkin only discordant note!!!!

Very unique place to eat. We arrived at 2PM and although they close at 2:30 they welcomed us in. Delicious sea food I recommend!!

I'm visiting San Francisco the week between Christmas and New Year's and had the bright idea to hit Swan Oyster Depot on a Friday midday. While the wait was brutal (almost 2 hours, and since I was alone I got lucky and skipped the last few places in line), the meal was fantastic. Completely worth the wait, and one of the finest meals I've had in a long time. The staff was super friendly and attentive, the food was just to die for. I had the crab back (crab fat), Sicilian sashimi, half picked dungeoness crab, and the crab cocktail. All amazing fresh, and the preparation super simple. The quality of the seafood is exemplary and the food speaks for itself. If you love seafood, a must try.

Based on reviews and constantly seeing the queues over the years decided to take the plunge. Opens about 1000/1030 so I would suggest to start queuing at 0930. I queued at 1025 and got in about 11:15 so take awhile and as they close at 15:00 approximately there is no point getting there past twelve. Staff were lovely and friendly and they don’t rush you and made a couple of suggestions. I waited until I got a seat at the counter which is great as you can see everything going on. Great atmosphere and the chowder and sourdough was delicious.

Had a day to entertain myself and knew I had to have oysters. Swan was recommended by numerous people. It did not disappoint. Being a solo traveler it was easy to get a seat at the counter. My waiter made several suggestions: 6 assorted oysters, sashimi and of course the house-baked bread and butter. My waiter also gave me a sizable sample of the smoked salmon. All this and a local beer made my day! Please- if you visit San Francisco- go there. They have no website so you can’t look it up. Just trust me!

Its a small food bar place serving fresh shellfish seafood right in front of you. Everyone sits at the bar. No tables. There can be quite a queue. Had to queue for about 20mins at least before securing a place for 4. There are 6 types of oysters. Average about $2.70 each with tax. Sashimi plate comes in S / M / L Sizes... frm $16 onwards..with mix of scalops, salmon, tuna, sardine and i forgot some fishes. All freshly served by the waiter that is assigned to you. Side sauce with oysters is a great compliment. Didnt try the crab from washington but looks good with lots of meat! Not condusive with kids as its quite tight but lucky we enjoyed a good meal at the last 4 seating with 2 young kids. Quite an experience to be served seafood this way!

Go early (it opens at 10:30) to avoid standing in line for an hour or so. But if you have to wait in line, go inside and order a beer to drink while in line. Once you get inside, go to the bathroom and read the newspaper article describing the secret menu items and then order them. We had oysters ($18 for 6), smoked salmon (it looks like the salmon you find everywhere but it sooo much better), sashimi plate, crab salad (crab, iceberg lettuce and Louie dressing) and sea urchin. Everything was extremely fresh and the flavors were incredible. Total for 4 people with several beers was $220. It’s not a cheap place but if you love raw fish and fresh seafood, this is not a place to miss! If the line is too long, you can walk in ahead of everyone and order takeout. They close at 4:30 so plan accordingly on Saturdays. Weekdays are less crowded.

We visited here because we saw this restaurant featured on an Anthony Bourdain show and thought it would therefore be a good place to try some great seafood in the city. There are only about 12 seats at the bar (no tables) so there was a wait outside, but on a Thursday at about 1:30pm we waited about 20-30 mins. Be sure you hit a bank machine first as it's cash only and it's not inexpensive. We ordered an Anchor steam beer, shrimp cocktail, smoked fish and it came with Sourdough bread. They were kind enough to provide me with a plate of half smoke white fish and half smoked trout so I could try a bit of both. After tip it was about $50 for 2 people for a light lunch. The only thing I was disappointed by was it seemed not everything was local and I couldn't tell where each seafood item was sourced.

Arrived at place at 10.40am on a Friday morning and there was a long line. I skipped the queue and requested for takeout instead, which still took at least 15-20min. The wait was worthwhile though, as my Sicilian Sashimi set and half a dozen oysters were absolutely fresh and delicious. Great seafood. I will try to brace myself for the crowd again for a future visit.

Tiny, cash-only counter-serve seafood bar. Sparking fresh oysters and crudo, delicious clam chowder. Draft beer and a small wine selection. Truly amazing.

We were lucky with a short wait on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. Fantastic food, fantastic service. It’s tiny but mighty and this joint has all the charisma. Will definitely be back.

Got in line at Noon, and waited Patiently for one of the few Counter Seats available. The place is small, so I expected to wait, but after the line budged a little bit, the wait seemed to get longer! We saw a few employees walk out and the man in front of me, who’s apparently a local, said, “ the employees must be leaving to go Drink at the bar down the street!”, with a chuckle. Apparently the employees do this a lot! My GF and I were finally sat 2 hours later, and the employees behind the counter seemed disorganized, and had bad attitudes. We put in our order for a Dozen Oysters, Crab Cocktail, and 2 Clam Chowders. For what it’s worth, the food was just MEDIOCRE ….expect the same quality as touristy Fisherman’s Warf. On top of that, the employees do not use gloves when preparing your food, while also touching money. Gross! So if you like to wait in long lines to be served mediocre food with a bad attitude, This is The Place for You! 👎

Very overrated and rude staff. I think they are riding their own hype, their quality and value has gone down a lot over the years. There are many other alternatives without the long lines.

Walked by the place accidentally and was drawn inside by the great vibe. Ordered a sea food cocktail to go and it was fresh and fantastic. Loved it

A must go for me and well worth the wait . Fresh seafood of a wide selection . Oysters freshly shucked must have. The fresh crab back with a glass of tattinger goes so well. Service was attentive and friendly. More of a eat and go given the queue behind, but - enjoy, close your eyes with the food and enjoy the moment .

This place was a must do on our visit to San Francisco, and it didn’t disappoint. The most delicious and freshest seafood you could imagine in a very friendly and comfortable environment. We had the crab cocktail, mixed dozen oysters, sashimi plate, and the clam chowder. All were superb! Service is extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive. You feel like you’re dining with friends. Highly recommended!

this place is tasty. there can be a bit of line, but not the fault of the owners. oysters and smoked salmon

We flew in today and after picking up our car headed here for our first stop. We had looked this up in TripAdvisor a while ago and I was very keen to try. We go there about 3.45 and there was quite a que. the couple in from of us had just been handed a sign that said end of the line. No table service for new customers after 4.45. Long story short we chances it and waited. And sure enough after an hour we got to the front of the line only to be told. No more table service. So we ordered take out. Fantastic oysters. Great smoked fish plate. ( if I agent again I would also try the Sicilian sushi plate) We headed over to the Presidio park and really enjoyed the meal. The crusty bread is great as is the special sauce. Cash only. Long lines. Take out available. Great food.

It’s a real gem ! The place is tiny and not more than 15 people can sit along the bar. Therefore the line outside can take a while. But once you got a seat- that’s it. A fresh unbelievable tasty seafood. Great service, fabulous food, I will come again

The place is really small. There are no tables, you eat at the bar as you are in a Irish pub. All the time the stuff has been really nice in helping with food. The fish is great. A little priced but the food is worthy both the waiting than the prices.

This place always has a long line. Not sure if it’s worth the wait because I’ve only done take out. So good. So fresh. Spendy but worth it. Lots of people wait hours to eat here. The bar has about 20 seats. That’s it. The service is great and the stories fly, even while waiting for takeout. So good.

No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a visit to the Swan Oyster Depot. It’s remained the same after several decades. The freshest seafood imaginable. Take a seat at the bar and have a seafood feast. It’s a bit pricey but you do get what you pay for.

Absolutely one of the best food experiences I've had. It did not disappoint. Well worth the wait in line. Bring lots of cash because the food is so good!

We arrived at 12.35pm and queued outside in the cold until 2.20pm. Periodically a waiter would come out to reassure us, telling us that the service would stop at 2pm but we would be able to get in. At 2pm in the chaos of the kitchen I accidentally notice a sign above the cash register saying that only cash is accepted (a sign which in my opinion should also have been displayed outside) so I run to withdraw money from the ATM in front while I leave my family in the queue. Starting from 2pm the waiter starts telling us: "Let's wait another five minutes if seats become free otherwise we can only do take away" and so on every five minutes or so until 2.20pm when he finally bounced us. At that point we asked for a menu to order take away but he wouldn't bring it to us, forcing us to read from the blackboard which wasn't very close to the entrance (and since the place is very small, I didn't want to go in for fear of disturbing the customers sitting on uncomfortable stools). The three of us ordered a scallop carpaccio and two mixed salads with fish dressed with aurora sauce for a total of 114 dollars. We took it home and honestly it wasn't anything exceptional. In short, for me a complete failure: terrible service, chaotic place, the staff (like many others here in San Francisco, it must be said) alternately handle banknotes and fish without gloves and without sanitizing their hands, I don't know how the kitchen is because we have I ate cold dishes but I was certainly expecting a fresher and tastier raw material, fish.

Let the staff take their sweet time and serve you with divine yumminess. We had mixed oysters (briny to sweet got it all covered), cherry stone clams (so fat:D) and the mixed cocktail (who'd knew cooked baby shrimp can taste this good) - everything simply prepared and savory in each bite. Watching them in shucking and salmon slicing action itself is sheer joy. Wait is long tho -- quite a lot tourists. Two of us waited for a good 30-40 min so don't go in a big group. Won't fit the <20 seat restaurant. But you can preorder stuff to go -- new ideas for your next fancy potluck. Did I mention the owner's fine taste in decor? Everything from the door knob to the wreath were adorable. And remember to ask for a business card.

Whats not to love. Family run and amazing seafood. Worth the wait. Whenever we are back in San Fran, Swan's is the first place we head to.

I wanted to try the local clam chowder and was searching websites for recommendations. One website recommended this restaurant which ranks highly on Anthony Bourdain's list whenever he is in town (not sure!) I arrived late in the PM and the queue was very very long! Be prepared to wait 1-2 hours on a weekday! Being a single diner - I was able to get seated slightly faster! I ordered the Clam Chowder, Crab cocktail and a Crab back. The menu was fairly limited but the seafood was fairly fresh. However, to be honest, I was not that impressed with the Clam Chowder. The Crab back was interesting (you either love it or not!). The Crab cocktail was not bad. The whole meal set me back $40 (inc tips). Will i return? Probably not the next time I am in San Francisco as it was quite a walk from Union Square. I will recommend a cab from your hotel.

High quality seafood served in a fun laid back environment. Excellent oysters. Had to wait in line, but they got me a beer while I waited, class.

Definitely arrive before 10 to see if you can get in for the first round of customers. We dawdled a bit and ended up in the second round, but standing right at the door really increased my anticipation of the meal. Highly recommend the Sicilian sashimi and the Miyabi oyster. Will be back again when I visit SF.

Absolutely amazing!! Family owned quality establishment with friendly service. Reasonably priced with an exceptional menu. A must try if you are in San Francisco.

Even in mid-December there was a long queue outside for a seat at the bar, which sits just 14 people at a time. I imagine in peak tourist season this must be substantially worse. If you can bear it, though, I'd definitely recommend investing the time. The Swan Oyster Depot seems to be something of an institution, buoyed substantially by the high praise heaped on it by the late Anthony Bourdain. Luckily, it lives up to it. We started with crab backs, something I'd never tried before. Essentially the upper half of a crab shell is served with a soupy, buttery mix of the roe, fat and other internal parts of the crab. I'm aware that sounds deeply unappetising, but its actually delicious. I was convinced there must be a tremendous amount of butter in it, but the staff explained that no butter is added - the natural fats are what's making it taste so good. Dip bread in it and it's terrific. We also had clams and a plate of what the menu calls 'Sicilian sashimi', slices of fresh fish and scallops with a drizzle of oil and capers. Delicious. The staff at the bar, though busy chopping and shelling, are extremely attentive and friendly in that very American way that can be almost alarming to a cagey European. Conscious of the long queue, they offered us a glass of pale ale to sup while we were waiting to be seated. A very positive experience.

My first time at Swan Oyster Depot in 2011, we got super lucky, did not have to wait, and was able to have delicious uni as well as dungeness crab cocktail and the body. My favorites! Oysters are always fresh as well, so definitely a must try. I was a bit disappointed on my trip there this December though... Not only was there no uni, but there was no crabs at all... and we waited in line for 2 hours. What the heck??? They should have said something to people waiting in line. Crab is in almost all menu items there, and without it, I had a hard time trying to find something to eat. We ended up having the oysters, a small sashimi plate, and smoked salmon. All good, all fresh... but I didn't need to spend 2 hours in line for that... I was super disappointed. Overrated unless you can have the crab/uni.

Service is first of all SUPER at the Swan Oyster Depot. The people working in the restaurant is welcoming and so pleasant to talk to. In my oppinion the salads could use some extra fixings. But all the fish and shell fish is of top quality. All in all a great visit - the line can be a bit long but worth the wait

Shrimp cocktail delicious! Oysters,clams,crab everything was out of this world,! The people that work there are fabulous very nice and friendly! Go there,,, magnificent!,,,,

This place is a San Francisco institution, around since 1912. Everyone knows its quirks: counter seating only (about 18 elbow-to-elbow stools of varying heights), no reservations, no website, CASH only, expect a wait. Serves super fresh seafood, mostly chilled. You come here to eat, not to relax and have a drink and a bite (they do serve wine and beer). It seems to also be a seafood market. I arrived before the 8 am opening time and was first in line, so I sat right in the middle in front of the ancient-looking wall-mounted menu where the prices are periodically changed. Note there are popular items like the Sicilian sashimi and crab-santhemum not on the menu--look at Instagram for more info. The servers are also doing other duties like prepwork, they seem randomly assigned to each party. All were quite friendly, although my server was perhaps less so and also was doing a lot of chores in the back. Working among them was Kevin Sancimino, whose family has run Swan since 1946. The counter is narrow, as all the condiments and fixings (oyster crackers, lemons, oil, vinegar, horseradish, mignonette, chili sauce etc) are laid out here.. I ordered the crab salad, crab back and clam chowder. The salad was simply chopped lettuce topped with a decent amount of crab, with Louie dressing on the side. The crab was great, the salad rather unadorned versus that at other places like Scoma's. The crab back was rich and unctuous with crab fat/innards in a briny broth that I topped with the mignonette to cut the richness. It's served chilled. Different, not to my taste. A big hunk of sourdough bread and butter came with the salad. The chowder was New England style but perhaps without cream. The broth tasted mostly of clam juices, very clean. Note if you use the restroom at the rear of the restaurant, you will perhaps see crabs being chilled on ice, plus large crab pots. Overall good food, and a recommended unique San Francisco experience.

Went there today, waited 75 mins for a seat. Fantastic experience. Staff are chilled and excellent. Make sure you research the ‘off menu’ items before arriving. Highly recommend the Sicilian Sushi, for example. Check out the sfchronicle for the off menu items.

Dropped by on a Sunday morning 1030, turns out they were opened at 9.30. Queue of about 10 odd took us nearly 2 hours. So.. Be sure to check out the opening time! As for the food, we had oysters, scallops, clam chowder, combination cocktail. Fresh they are! Can't help feeling disappointed over the chowder though, isn't thick enough with much lack of clams. Overall, I wouldn't consider a second trip given the price and wait. Average place at best

We waited in line for almost one hour. After this time a waiter screamed to us: „It‘s not gonna happen today!“ Nobody came to us during the waiting time to tell us that they were not going to serve more guests. Seating only happens until ca. 16:30, but there is no information about it anywhere. Other than that, the place was dirty and waiters that had money in their hands did not clean them before preparing food. Hence, I cannot recommend it at all.

Must eat place in San Francisco. Be ready to line up for at least 1 hour. But it is worth the wait. All shellfishes are great.

After many years, finally made it to this SF bucket-list place. Weekday around 10:30 opening time and thankfully it wasn’t lined up. Yup, the counter seats about 12-15 max but there was easily a spot even though it was already 80% full. I had 2 goals: actually visit this multi-reviewed place + find good SF white clam chowder! Regrettably, this early in the AM, I have a limited appetite so ordered a bowl of CC plus bread and butter. Soup was hot, buttery, thin-ish but fresh and super tasty. Chunks of clam and potato. The bread was crusty and wonderful smooshed with cold butter. Delicious! Just wish I could have experienced more. Steady stream of people, walk ins and regulars. Watched uni, sea urchin, being freshly prepped, prep of an Italian style sashimi plate, crab salads made, oysters and mussels shucked, salmon expertly skinned and sashimi’d, wine & beer poured. The staff talked, joked, chatted and were super attentive during all this. You can easily see why the regulars love this place. Weekends, the line ups go out the door during the summer season, blocks-long. I will hopefully be back soon and with a much bigger appetite because everything looked so amazingly fresh here. And holy smokes!! $6,50 all in for the CC and wonderful bread when I’m sure anywhere else would’ve been 2x to 3x more and not been as good.

Awesome - back for a second time in 3 months. Best and freshest seafood ever tasted. Going back next time in town.

looked good,but not good enough to wait standing in line on sidewalk outside for over an hour. we went down to pier...

The carb back was amazing and we ordered 12 oysters at first n added another 6. The thing about US oysters are that they are pretty small and hence you can eat lots of it. Overall we enjoy this place a lot. The service staff is attentive and friendly. We went at about 3.30 and waited an hour. Was told that we have to be seated by 4.45 if not we have to order takeaway. Total cost is 187 with 2 beers n 3 wines for 2 of us.

As good as seafood gets. A one off, and an essential visit. Crab back is delicious, smoked salmon wonderful. Great selection of oysters. Go there!

A friend recommended this place to us, so we decided to check it out. There’s only a long bar with counter service, and some are in no hurry to leave (we saw two men sharing a bottle of wine, so I imagine they were still going to be there for some time.) We waited about an hour. We watched them making other people’s orders while we were waiting, so we had an idea what we wanted to order. We had the combo salad and a dozen oysters. We are used to east coast oysters, so these were a bit different. Our favorite was the local ones (don’t remember the name of them) but also had some from Oregon and Canada. You can also get filets and such to go without standing in line. Cash-only, so make sure to bring cash!

We waited at least two hours for two seats at a counter (only seating they have). Servers are very nice but $64 for six oysters, two shrimp cocktail, one small cup of thin chowder and two beers is a bit expensive. Basic menu, doesn’t really change. It seems the best bet is for you to call and order take-out. You get much quicker food that way. Staff is personable. One small bathroom in back. We went because we saw it on television. We are from the US East Coast and we get plenty of fresh seafood so his wasn’t anything special ($3 oysters a bit expensive).

Wait too long for what happens when you get a seat. IMO expensive as hell. Servers are great. Make you feel welcome. The wait is onerous. The food is good and fresh- They are kind of loose with preparation cleanliness. I think this is a place that looks good to tourists because there is a line out front. The " thing to do while is Frisco". There must be 30 places within a mile that can provide the same quality food without a wait-

Needed to wait more than 90 minutes standing in a queue at the street. Limited seats available to eat quickly just at the bar, not any other place or table to sit inside the restaurant. They preserved the original shape and style. Quite authentic. Seafood was fresh. Soup was tasty. Pricey as natural for a so famous place in San Francisco. Good experience but I would not spend so much time to repeat it.

The wait can be long, as the space is so limited, but the people in line seem to make the time go pretty quickly. The food is fresh and simple, and the staff amazing. Definitely a must stop for any raw bar lover.

This spot has been on my bucket eating place for a long while. The no reservations never fit my stay in SF. This time it did. 2 of us arrived on a Thurs around 11:30am. Short line so we were hopeful Issue is once you are seatied, some people stay a long while! We got seated --Only 18 seats at the counter--and warmly greeted. Started off with a glass of Girgch chardonnay and 12 oysters--Miyagi, Kumumoto and others- we requested no Blue points. Fresh taste of the ocean as we enjoyed with crusty bread. Next we had the crab salad--just thinly sliced iceburg and lots of fresh crab--legs and all with Louie on the side. Simple and delicious. You really don't need more. I can seem how some may think it too simple, but for me---it was seafood nirvana. Interesting as locals came in to order fish to take home ( salmon etc) and were called by 1st name. I loved it! And will be back. Oh..CASH ONLY!!

The wait was long but worth it. The smoked trout and salmon are fantastic, oysters seemed a bit pricy compared to other coastal cities. Staff is definitely comfortable in their role with the public and literally it’s effortless for them as the place has long lines of patrons waiting to get in the small venue . Well worth the wait, a classic , very SF .

Place - cramped but like who cares. Touching elbows and chatting with total strangers is part of the fun!!! Food - freshness is extreme. Feels like the oysters and clams are still alive! Quality food and service. Not to be missed. Folks - friendly and very casual. Singing in the resto high encouraged! Chat and get along with everyone. You gotta love this place for all it's splendor!!! Work out an appetite by walking 2km from Union Square and stand in line for about 30mins cos it's worth every succulent drop of seafood there is there!!!

Read previous reviews, and showed up around 1120 am. Only 18 seats in the place and there was already a queue. Luckily on a Tuesday, not too long. Walked in the door and sat down around 1205 pm. Perfect. Seating is diner style at a counter. Ordered the crab salad, half dozen oysters, clam chowder, then the Sicilian Sushi, and a few beers to wash it all down. Generous portions, delicious food, friendly service, and cash only. Would not hesitate to return.

A San Francisco hospitality champion the Swan Oyster Depot is what it says: Oysters and fresh fish just out of the bay. A tiny spot which has been the to to seafood champ for over 100 years, this is a long counter with stools and 4-5 talented and accommodating waiters to serve and answer every question and make daily (up to the hour) with recommendations. It is not unusual to find super star chefs and restauranteurs at the counter enjoying the fare along with everyone else. There's generally a substantial line waiting to be seated especially midday. They are open from 9 am to 2 pm. By 11 am expect an hour wait. It's worth it. CASH ONLY. No website.No reservations. Show up, look at the menu board above the counter, pick your favorite(s) and settle back. It will come to you perfectly prepared within minutes. While we waited outside one of the waiters came along distributing pints of ice cold, local, pilsner for those who were so inclined. We were so inclined. The seafood is on ice in the open window for your perusal from every oyster available on the west coast to salmon, prawns, lobster, clams, crabs, plus.....salads and seafood cocktails using any/all of the above including smoked white fish and trout, and a legendary salad dressing on the side. Swan is located on busy Polk street with parking at a premium. For seafood and seafood creations the Swan menu is priced to reflect excellence and substantial portions. You won't be disappointed.

Waited close to 2 hours and definitely not worth the wait. It’s counter service and prices really expensive. $34 dozen oysters. Staff super nice but menu is limited and wouldn’t go back even if 15 minutes wait.

If you are a seafood lover, or a lover of tradition in seafood - you will love this place. I never ever ever have a bad experience here - even when I have to wait close to an hour to get it - it is always worth the wait! Their clam chowder is one of a kind, the fish is always fresh, the oysters are to die for and last but not least - the most cool and tip top service from some amazing guys and gals that have worked here for generations. If we are in the bay - we will on purpose come here - it's the best!

I arrived 15min before opening and the line was already 20m long. I got in pretty soon after opening at 1030 because I was by myself so I could skip ahead once a single seat became available. Friendly and welcoming staff and a big board menu. Staff happy to discuss the options and what you get with each dish. The food was all fresh and delicious. Anything you order will be good. I highly recommend the oysters and the cracked half crab. Great place for seafood!

There will be a line waiting even before the place opens, that's how good the seafood is here. Everything is fresh and you will taste seafood the way it suppose to be eaten. The place is just one long counter.....no tables. Order what you want, it will be delivered within minutes. Is it expensive? Slightly, but that's how good seafood is. When you're finished, just summon anyone behind the counter and tell them you want the bill. He'll scratch out/total your eats on a napkin and then you pay. Nothing fancy, it's a joint ! They do NOT have a website...everything is by word of mouth.

Service was prompt and nice. Food was fresh and good but expensive. BUT we waited about 2 hours for a seat. In our opinion not worth it. You can only pay cash which was quite a problem for us so we had to limit what we order. There are only a few dishes on the menu (which is not a problem but just as information). All in all a good place to eat when you dont‘t have to wait that long. If there is a long queue we would not wait again for so long.

We decided summer 2016 to visit. When we arrived the last person had a sign, it said last customer of the day. When we asked we where included and now the last people served for the day was us, which was very nice. But still we had to wait for 1-2 hours before getting served. Then somebody suggested we should get a take-away. We could skip the line and go in directly, ordered take away and walked out with our food 10 minutes later.. Everything was packed so well, even the oysters/clam chowder/salad with bread and butter on the side, sauces on the side, everything was there! We walked to a park and had our 5* fish meal there. We where so happy, no waiting and still this amazing experience!

I came here around 3:30 on a Tuesday to avoid a long line. They close before dinner. You sit at a diner type setting and listen to the staff let you know what's in for the day. It's a local as you can get. We tried clam chowder, had oysters, and a plate of sashimi pieces of fish such as anchovy, salmon, tuna, and 2 other white fishes. It's dressed with lemon, salt pepper and capers. It was my favorite. I really got to taste each fish and learned I wasn't as fond of anchovy, but now i know! Please note it's cash only.

Saw it on a food blog long before trip, put on the list. Small, basic but great food and service, lovely atmosphere. Can get very busy with queue down the street, best to get there early and have clam chowder and beer for breakfast! Followed by crab Louis salad. Superb. Went twice.

Excellent fresh seafood at reasonable prices.Few sides. People just eat the seafood . The place seats only about 20 people and offers counter service only, by very attentive servers (all male). Expect to wait in line 30-60 minutes to get a seat. Worth the wait,

We waited for an hour. But it was worth the wait. We ordered clam chowder, combination salad and Italian sashimi. Our host, server and chef was one! That’s a fun and interesting experience.

I love this place. You have to go with the right attitude: be patient and enjoy the process. The line to get in will be long, so be prepared for a wait. There are only 16 counter seats, and once you're in and seated, no one is going to rush you out. Just settle in, enjoy the warm, friendly environment and the banter between the brother/owners who seem to genuinely love working with each other in a teeny tiny space. They also clearly take pride in serving only the very freshest seafood, and boy can you taste the difference. Everything is exquisite. This place is dumpy, old, warm, inviting, classic and just plain fabulous. The old SF. I love it.

We stopped here on a recommendation and were told to go at an off hour. There was still a line out the door! The staff asked if we wanted a beer while we waited which was super nice. Once you sit the menu is on a giant board and can be a bit confusing but the staff is helpful with that. We got oysters, clam chowder, sashimi, and the combo salad. Everything was fresh and came out very fast. We were in and out of there in less than 40 minutes and it was a great experience. If you are in town I would highly recommend stopping here for food!

Swan Oyster Depot is certainly not for everyone. First you have the wait. We were outside for 45 or 50 minutes. But servers did come out and offer us a drink while we were in line. Once inside and at the slender marble counter, we enjoyed constant attention from the personable staff and some of the best seafood we've had in ages. The combo cocktail, the oysters, the crudo, the crab Louis, the smoked salmon, and even the clam chowder were all excellent. There's a convivial vibe that makes the whole experience a blast. It's a bit of an oddball, old-school joint, but if you're in it for the food, you won't be disappointed. As everyone notes, it's cash only, however you might get a couple of little extras along the way. I can't believe I've missed Swan in my many times to SF. I'll be back, and won't sweat my time in line knowing what is waiting for me on that counter.

Worth the wait around the block (c40 mins). Great little seafood bar with friendly and knowledgeable staff. If you love seafood, don't miss it. Cash only. Get the crab.

My wife, twin 6 year olds, and myself lined up at 10am on a Friday morning. We were second. It was worth it. I’m from the west coast and I know what fresh tastes like. I often harvest it myself. This was damn good. I’d never considered crab back before. My wife has been trying to get me to do it for years. It was like garlic butter. I’ve been missing out all these years!

Although you need to wait a lot to be seated the food is excellent and fresh out of the sea. Cool atmosphere too

Not your average seafood restaurant. It is a small bar where they serve about 20 customers. The line is usually long and outside. CASH Only! No website. Seafood is fresh fresh fresh.

Had not been there in over 3 years. Happy to wait with saliavery glands waiting. Fresh, tasty, also happy to wait for the incredible fresh fish and seafood. Staff is family, make you feel welcome and glad to see you.Told type of oysters, what coast. Great bread. Just a satisfied feeling from the taste, service,even the cost. Sooo Good.

Poor respect to it's customers. Be prepared for waiting standing up on the street at least for an hour, they close at 4:45 (not 5:30pm), so if you were in line they will just let you know they are closing and don't serve you anymore. Yes it is delicious and fresh, but the portions are very small and too expensive. Definitely not worth going back.