Reviews

We've been here for meals. This weekend was for some hot clam chowder and garlic bread around 3pm since we were meeting friends for dinner later and didn't want to eat too much. I had the cup of clam chowder (white not red) and my friend had the bowl. It's funny they look the same amount when they arrive, but it is just the giant lip on the bowl makes it look like the same amount as in the cup. The cup is really a small oval bowl. The server told us the cup is one ladle of soup, the bowl is two. The soup and garlic bread arrived so hot and wonderful! We also happened to sit in a booth that was under a heater vent. Felt really good. It was one of those clear, cold days where the views from Bernal Heights and Twin Peaks are at their very best, but the weather can be bone chilling. Heading for The Clam House was just the thing.

We all really enjoyed dinner here on the weekend. Great clams, fish n chips, and crabs. Friendly servers and quick. Lots of history as this restaurant has been going since 1861!

I love this old place out on Bayshore. It's got a new look, and definitely a new feel! The food was superb, ( I love fresh oysters) the service even better. My partner and I are both hooked on this place for when we need out clams, oysters and "fish-n'chips"!

The Old Clam House is a casual, family-friendly restaurant serving classic San Francisco cuisine, such as cioppino, filet of sole, crab louie and wonderful roasted crab and mussels sizzling on a raised cast-iron platter, perfect for sharing. There are also non-seafood choices which please my spouse, not a lover of seafood. Service was amiable and courses arrived in a timely fashion. Drink orders were taken quickly and check backs for refills prompt. The restaurant has undergone a revamp of its interior recently, and offers three different areas: the bar room with TV, a glassed-in porch-like room, and a quieter, more intimate area to the left as you enter, which offers booths and tables. As soon as you are seated, a shot glass of steaming clam broth and a basket of sour dough bread and butter are set before you, a practice that is most welcome after escaping as we did from the chilly downpour outside on our last visit. The Old Clam House is a cozy, well-run place to come for solid, traditional San Francisco fare and, as a business open for over 150 years, is all the more remarkable and special an experience!

What a great little place!! Food was amazing! Started with a complimentary shot of warm clam juice! Nice I had the Crabwich sandwich and bowl of clam chowder! Delicious The fish and chips were AMAZING!!! Light crispy, great piece of fish! Chocolate Mousse cake for dessert was SO DELICIOUS! Service was wonderful! We were there about 5:00pm and it was not busy! Took UBER there!

This is our first visit here. Its located in an industrial/ warehouse district We found a parking space in the back of the restaurant. We were there on New Year's day noon with very tables occupied and was little concerned. The server was very good to seat us down and went over the Daily Special's. We ordered the seafood combination iron skillet as appetizers, Fish and Chips, Cioppino, Seafood Linguini. I would say the Fish and Chips was the best. Prices were higher than I expected. Food was good but not great. Services were good. Place were getting busy later on. Inside of the restaurant is very nicely decorated in an traditional way

First visit to this old San Francisco landmark and we couldn’t be happier. We started with the mussel and shrimp platter and garlic bread. Both of which are swimming in delicious combination of garlic and butter. The clam chowder is delicious. I had the crabzilla sandwich which was served on fresh bread with avacado and tomatoes. Just delicious.

This was my first time at the The Old Clam House, and it won't be my last. The food was delicious, I had Seafood Linguini, it was huge and served in an iron pot which kept it nice and hot. It was full of clams, mussels, fish, shrimp and 2 crab legs in a thick cioppino sauce. My mom had a crab sandwich which was at least a foot long. I would definitely recommend The Old Clam House if you want good seafood. The only bad thing about the restaurant is that there no parking. I had to park in the alley behind the restaurant and then pray that I wouldn't get a ticket.

Old school fish and clam house. It's over 150 years old. Kinda outa the way for tourists Sketchy neighborhood but safe. Street and parking lot Mix of locals (bringing out of towners--me) and tourists Greeted and seated quickly Visually overwhelming the photos, art and artifacts all over the interior Good service by knowledgable and happy food server If you're dieting--- this might not be the place for you Prices were a little expensive but about right for San Francisco Large menu: Chowder is thick and tasty Crabwich (crab sandwich) was a little dry and light in the crab-- average Fish plate (sand dabs) was very good Chorizo and cheese bread is so good and a cholesterol bomb Very good service, average food and a great history is what you get at the old clam house.

Great food in a historic restaurant. We loved the kettle bread and the seafood linguini. The service was excellent too!

Great vintage ambiance in an industrial area. Seafood dishes worthy of a detour from more central locations in the City. Sand Dabs and clam chowder and clam juice are favorites of ours.

This place is the oldest, continuous serving restaurant in San Francisco. They greet you with warm clam juice & good service. We shared the cioppino which was fantastic and very filling. Bring your own wine & they will open it for you, provide the glasses & pour it - no charge!! Who does that? Anyway, we sat on the enclosed porch and enjoyed impeccable service: attentive, but not hovering. Oh yes, order the fresh bread for less than a dollar - certainly worth it.

I have been to toch several times over the last 30 years and on this occasion I enjoyed the clams in ciopino sauce over linguini but the expection was not really fulfilled. The waiter a young lad as he was tried to out fox a fox with smooth come backs did not impress me. So even though the food was good it did not blow me away like in the past and my nephews ciopino looked weak...but like I always say there is always a next time.....see you soon califaz

the Old Clam House has been our go-to special occasion restaurant for over 20 years. Today I treated a friend to a birthday lunch. we started with the calimari app and cocktails - she said the Manhattan was one of the best she ever had. She had the fish fry and I chose the steamed clams - both great! Our waiter spotted the birthday card on our table and brought us a complementary piece of cake with candle. No parking lot and you may have to walk a bit from street parking, but they have a passenger dropoff in front for those in your party with mobility issues. if you want seafood in SF, skip the wharf and come where the locals eat.

Fun atmosphere w historical wall hangings. Husband loved the clams and linguini (dark pasta). We didn't understand the hot clam juice shot, thing, it was not as good at the juice in the clams and linguini dish. I had a fried seafood combo w small pieces of fish, which were good, small pieces of shrimp which were tasteless. Garlic bread was good...we ate it for breakfast the next two days. Not much wine selection. Difficult parking. The drive and parking were not worth the quality of the food. If I could walk there, I'd go more often.

There is a lot of history here both in the location and decorations. What they call a booth is actually table and chairs in a nook but ok. Chairs are a bit uncomfortable but ok. Two of us had crab enchiladas that were very good. Had shredded crab and even a bit of shell, perhaps to show it is real crab. One had salmon that was undercooked but got free dessert to compensate. Decorations included a lot of old toys on a top shelf around the seating area. Although making a reservation on line is possible, it looks full so call instead. Parking is street or small lot and alley. It's a funky place worth at least one visit for something different.

I used to love this restaurant, It was old and in a funky part of town,but the fish was fresh and it was always a good vibe. I hadn't been there in several years and went for lunch with a friend who also used to frequent the place. What a terrible disappointment. We went for shrimp and scallops, no longer on the menu. No steamed clams, in fact the menu was very limited and centered on roast crab, cioppino and a few salads. Very, very $$$$$ for lunch. The fish or crab sandwich was 12/14 dollars and didn't even come with fries.That was another 3.95 add on. Fish and chips was $22.95. Yes that is right, fish and chips 23 bucks. In a funky industrial area, auto repair shops and signs warning to lock up your car and remove all valuables. No parking for the restaurant, just alleyways. Anyway back to the food. We never really got any. We ordered 2 drinks and had to send one back it was so bad. Waited 30 minutes for a cop of gray sludge that they called chowder, no clams to be found, and some roasted garlic bread, which was pretty good. They brought no water, no bread and butter, nothing for the first 30 minutes but kept coming back to try to get another drink order. After another hour, we got up and left. The fish and crab sandwiches that we ordered never came. When we paid our bill for the drinks, cup of soup and bread, they had the nerve to try to charge 7.95 for the cup of chowder, a 3.95 add on to the sandwich, because we didn't pay for the sandwich. Of course we didn't,,they never brought it. What an incredible mess. They should have comped the whole thing and apologized instead of making excuses they they were busy. I don't know why they would be with the low quality of food and ridiculous prices. I could eat downtown S.F. in a great setting with fabulous service and fresh seafood for way less and actually get served too. Never, never, again. These owners have ruined a good old restaurant.

The bar serves good drinks, the French bread is warm and tasty, the seafood offerings are well prepared and reasonably priced. I recommend the sand dabs, the cioppino and the crab linguine Alfredo. The cioppino is full of seafood: crab , prawns, mussels, etc. The sauce is great and not too salty.

I had dinner last night at the Old Clam House and it was very good. There were 3 of us and between us we had the iceberg wedge salad, clam chowder, a whole crab, a big tureen of chioppino and grilled salmon. All of the food was cooked just right, tasted just right, was served hot (very hot actually), and was promptly delivered once we ordered. The only oversight was that our water glasses never got refilled. The staff were friendly but professional and accomodated some substitution requests. The bar area is well stocked and although the winelist is brief, it has enough choices to offer the basic varietals. The atmosphere is casual and a bit loud as there were a lot of kids there, but it didn't interfere with our wonderful meal. If you are a tourist, come here! It's not near any tourist attractions and feels like a neighborhood restaurant. The seafood is what you come to San Francisco for, so try it here over the Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 tourist fare.

There were 4 of us and 3 ordered seafood which was excellent and since I don't like seafood I was able to order a filet mignon cheese-steak that was excellent. I learned to put these sandwiches on the top bun side so that the bottom bun does not get all soggy. The taste was very good. The Seafood bowl would have been a little better if bread was included with the meal. As it was, we had to purchase a loaf of bread. Otherwise the dish was fabulous. The Seafood Linguini and Enchilada was also very tasty. We sat on the enclosed patio which may be why we didn't get much attention. There was only 1 other couple out there. All other patrons were seated inside.

We visited this neat old restaurant (the oldest in San Francisco we were told) and all had seafood which was quite good.

We had an early dinner here on Easter Sunday and it was uncrowded, as we suspected. The interior is full of interesting bric a brac, marine lanterns and yachting flags. We sat in the room where the bar is located and had a very nice informative server assisting us. First came a small glass of hot clam juice to welcome us on a chilly rainy day. Old rock and roll was playing. My companion had the clam chowder which was proclaimed to be second only to the Hog Island Oyster Co. in the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Full of clams, smoky with a bacony taste and light creamy liquid and small diced potatoes. Perfect for the day. That was followed by a huge crab cocktail with a tasty cocktail sauce. I had the Fish Fry with fish, calamari, meaty shrimp, custy potatoes, corn wedges, carrots, pearl onions, citrus slices and olives (great) - all deep fried with the fish and seafood rolled in panko. Really hot and light and crunchy....just what i was looking for. I would recommend this restaurant and enjoyed the experience of eating in the oldest continuous restaurant in the same location San Francisco. A gem (and we heard about it from a local tour guide who can't afford to eat crab at fisherman's wharf but goes here).

History abounds in this Gem of a spot to dine. I spend a half hour looking at the old photos. Enjoyed a crab enchilada served on a sizzling platter. Good service and excellent menu.

This is the oldest restaurant in the city. Our local relatives brought us here, it's SO off the tourist route that you wouldn't find it any other way. It looks rundown from the outside and isn't in a great location - but don't be fooled, this place is worth finding! The walls are crammed with nautical bric-a-brac, which all looks like it has been there since the place opened. A family party of 9, we were seated and served quickly. The portion sizes are huge - be warned! We shared a couple of plates of mussels to start with some fresh baked bread, which was just wonderful. The clam chowder was delicious. The 'pots' for one are easily big enough to share for 2. The service was fast and friendly. Worth crossing town for.

My wife and Ioved the outside so we went inside and had a treat. The staff was attentive and the seafood was good. Would go back again in a heartbeat

The décor is very interesting and the food is OK, well, except for the bread which was fantastic. Stick with the seafood on the hot cast iron. Other dishes were so-so. For the price, not a good deal. Especially off-putting was the 4% surcharge due to "government regulations". Really? Sadly, the service was terrible. Had to cancel our salad and soup course when the entrée arrived first.

Fresh dungeness crab salads, preceded by a small glass of warmed clam juice and lots of San Francisco sour dough bread - all were wonderful. A nice glass of pinot grigio made the lunch perfect.

The last time we ate at the Old Clam House it had recently been remodeled and a new menu was in place. We swore to never return. The Old Clam House it one of the last links to San Francisco's glorious centuries old culinary past. We were appalled at the "yuppie-fication" of the menu. I am pleased the report that the old menu is making a comeback and while the new-age dinnerware is still in use the clam juice and the calamari dore is back in style. Being charged for bread is a minus in San Francisco in my opinion so average is my rating. The charm of the place that has made it one of my favorites for over 40 years will never be back, but I will visit again from time to time.

Gotta Love the history of this place..after the 1906 Earthquake and it's "Still Standing" serving great seafood to the masses after all these years....I was introduced to The Old Clamhouse by a Co-worker in the Late 70's and have been going ever since ! A recent visit to theIr Website shows some pretty neat Inprovements as of late so I better gas up the Horseless Carridge and head for the City...Be prepared to rub elbows with all walks of life here as its always been a Local hang out from Suits to Bikers all of them with the Common Like of Great Seafood.... Over the years I've tried just about everything on the Menu- but I'm still partial to the basic Clam Juice and Sourdough accompanied with a Ice Cold Draft that they serve as a starter....

My husband and I were visiting San Francisco for a few days. My husband wanted to see Candlestick Park before it was completely demolished. We realized it was lunch time and we were hungry. I Googled restaurants nearby, and this cane up. I checked Tripadvisor, and we decided to give it a try. We were seated in the bar area. I wish I could remember our server's name-a dark-headed young gentleman who gave us impeccable service. We were brought the hot clam juice and ordered the Kettle Bread to go with it. Delicious. We were surprised at the ambiance inside and the great menu. Unfortunately we had dinner reservations for our last night that night and did not want to eat too much. My husband had the bowl of clam chowder, and I had the spinach salad. Both were delicious. If we ever get back to San Francisco, we will definitely return here for dinner. It's a hidden jewel!

I was SO looking forward to having crab tonight. Started with the garlic bread, so greasy it dripped all over the table. Ordered the 1/2 pound of crab ($29 ala carte) and was so disappointed. The crab had been sauted in so much oil and garlic, it could have been chicken and tasted the same. Actually, it tasted just like the garlic bread. My husband’s clam chowder in a bread bowl ($11) was good. I used to really love this restaurant, but no longer. Cannot recommend.

Totally unpretentious place in a rough part of town with heaping portions of fresh seafood at reasonable prices. Try the clam linguini or the cioppino. Mmmm.

We went here with customers and it's a very good seafood restaurant. The service was extremely good and the food was good. They start you off with a free glass of clam juice which tastEd just like a cup of chicken broth. We started with a plate of calamari that was cooked just a little too much. It was still very tasty and not overly greasy. The sandwiches were huge and the salads also. The crab on my salad was very good and other than a shell or two was excellent. Very cool for an old time establishment.

My friend who lives in the Bay Area took several of us to the Old Clam House. This building is one of the oldest in San Francisco (rare to find one that survived the 1906 earthquake), so it is steeped in history. I enjoyed the clam chowder and the trapino. These were excellent dishes that were chock full of fresh seafood. Will I be back- better believe it!

If you're in the area of Bayshore Blvd and Cesar Chavez and need a good seafood restaurant, I would highly recommend The Old Clam House. Located in an industrial (but safe) part of the City, the building has been maintained / refurbished since opening in 1861 (!!!), and continues as a neighborhood favorite. Visiting family had the linguini with clams, the Crab Alfredo, and the Fish and Chips, and I had the Crab Enchiladas - and we were all very pleased with our meals. Service was friendly and attentive, and a booth for six allowed family conversation without having to raise our voices.

Great ambiance, good food in a surprising location. Quality focus on seafood. Really great bread. Mussels were a little over done but all in all, everything tasted good.

Hidden in a now home improvement area, one would not expect this pleasant eatery to be located. But since it is the city's oldest restaurant, it has staged tremendous history as seen on its walls. Newspaper columnists frequently spotted here after a game at Candlestick. Times have changed but the food here is has not. It's long bar in the main room is still in place serving clam juice to start, iron skillet roasted garlic bread or roasted cheesy chorizo bread as a starter. Yummy !! Their spinach salad is wonderful with olives and a dijon vinaigrette. Their main focus is seafood prepared many ways to your liking. You can try a classic red cioppino sauce, a lemon garlic caper sauce, or a soy based creation. Private seating in a booth is available first come first serve. No corkage fee if you bring your own wine. Tip accordingly for this added surprise. Prices slightly high but service is efficient and prompt. No parking lot. Very dark neighbourhood. Would return!

Really good clam chowder and decent calamari. Service was good when we told them we had a cruise ship to get to. Pricey.

Excellent seafood, but sides were disappointing (and very expensive), as well as the desserts. The place is really nice, but although we had booked, our table was not well situated. The service was really bad, as it didn't care of us but just wanted to have the next customers asap. They didn't even try to look for another table when we asked to change, they brought the sides of the entree before we received the starter (so they were not warm anymore when we finally expected to eat them) and the bill well before we finished eating. Plus, as in some other places, adding 4% to all orders to cover government related expenses and partially offset costs of doing business is a joke; that should just be included in the overall price. So overall, it's a pity that service ruined the experience in a nice setting and great seafood.

The location leaves a lot to be desired but the food is excellent and the prices aren't terrible, staff is friendly. I enjoyed it.

The Wandering Yank here again. This is claimed to be the oldest restaurant in San Francisco, built in 1861 and still at the same location, back when this was bayfront. When I worked in the area 10-15 years ago I ate lunch here regularly, usually the fried calamari plate. When visiting SF this summer, my dinner partners voted for seafood and I suggested The Old Clam House. It hasn't changed much (although I noticed the Jaguar E-type half-body over the bar is gone), and the fried calamari is still as good as any I've had anywhere (although it's been downgraded to an appetizer). My friends had the Clam Bake Cioppino (excellent) and the Hot Iron Skillet with shrimp (that too). Decor is, not surprisingly, old-feeling and homey. Great fresh bread too. The wine list is not extensive but it covers all the major bases. There is a selection of draft beers. And no corkage fee! 2 thumbs up from all of us!

Great seafood! Crab enchiladas, sand dabs and the cioppino were delicious. Great service and staff in one of the oldest restaurant in San Francisco. Milwaukee steam beer on tap and great selection of food. Pricey and well worth it. Large portions. The cioppino is enough for 2. It is an usual location for such a great restaurant.

I had the clam chowder which came with a shot glass of clam juice...OMG! so good!! then came the sizzling crab legs.....YUMMM!!! I was so glad I went there on my last day in SF. Highly recommended.

First of all, we were lucky to have Andrew as our server. He was the best. We had a wonderful meal. This was the second time we had been there. We kept hearing how great it was. This is one of the oldest restautants in San Francisco. First you are given wonderful sour dough bread with a small glass of hot clam juice. It's good for dipping or sipping. I had the sand dabs which were to die for. Served piping hot in a skillet with couscous and vegetables. Others had the famous Ciopino. The clam chowder was awesome. The whole experience was great. Not a fancy place but one with character. I highly recommend it.

the food was great and overall service was great and my family and i had a great time. It was untill after we paid and the waitress came back and asked us for a bigger tip! Yea i know 4$ is not much of a tip but my family spent 120$ on our meal and we did not have money to give her anymore.she then has the Audacity to tell the bartender we did not tip her AT ALL. She was so ungreatful i feel she didnt even deserve a tip, i know its a common courtesy to tip but we tipped all we could afford to and she was not happy about it. She ruined our night.

The Old Clam House opened in the 1860s when Lincoln was President. (It had dirt & wood floors back then.) The SF Bay has been filled-in, so street names like "Bayshore" and "Bay" no longer are along the water. This restaurant is out-of-the-way, but worth locating. The area is not touristy -- it's very industrial now. I moved to SF in 2001 and have brought countless friends here for "cioppino" and other seafood. Most have been to SF many times, but never here. I always order the cioppino and few have ever had anything like it.

Am I getting spoiled by all the great restaurants in San Francisco? Maybe so, but I mainly just expect good service and good food at a reasonable price. The Old Clam House is on the Restaurant Week list and we had never been here, so we booked a table on a Saturday night. The whole experience was what I would deem average in maybe a smaller market but definitely below average in San Francisco, especially considering the cost of $100 per couple, pre-tip, including one glass of wine each, no dessert. Parking space is an issue at this establishment. Vehicle security is a concern due to neighborhood, as indicated by posted signs. We were seated promptly by a very nice hostess. Our server was brand new in his role and the restaurant was busy. He started to leave the table after taking my wife's drink order, so I reminded him I would like a beverage as well. I saw him do the same to another table. He did not know where the oysters were from. He initially said "I'm not really sure" and then stood there looking at us. When it was clear we were waiting for a real answer he said "Alaska I think?" I told him maybe he could ask someone in the kitchen. He did not check back for a long time after the runners delivered our food. The menu was smaller than expected and fairly basic. My main dish of crab came out before my salad. Food was totally average - simple and filling but nothing to go out of the way for. Decor was eclectic and kind of charming, I guess. Based on this experience, I can say I tried it once, no need to return. Also, the restaurant week list this year is suspect.

The old ambiance is great but the food is not up to what could be. We started with their homemade bread which was great but they messed it up with the skillet roasted chorizo cheese bread. The Louise was OK but didn't understand their using the long narrow plates. The Fishwich was a large portion but the fish was not that tasty. I was looking forward to the calamari steak which turned out to be a bit small and a little bit over cooked. It's a nice place to visit but don't expect that much in the way of food.

Had the mussels(Skillet) OMG soooo good. Will be back when in S.F. Wanted just to visit and boy i'm glad I did. Just love the Old Clam House

We had lunch / dinner while attending a Giants game on the recommendation of friends. First off the place was not busy at all but it took quite a while before we were acknowledged by our server. All of us had the chowder and all agreed it was just ok. we ordered garlic bread but they forgot to bring it out. Lastly, the neighborhood was pretty scary. Cheers!

We recently moved to the area and caught sight of the OCH whilst pulling out of Loew's parking lot. Went back the next night for dinner. We were attracted by the vintage tavern and bizarre kitschy exterior (giant clams, anyone?), but the food was surprisingly great! Nice fresh meaty crab cakes with little filler, delicious fresh clams with linguine. The menu asks, Have you had your clam juice today? and after visiting the Old Clam House, you'll be pleased to answer Yes.

This is among the oldest restaurants in the city and they serve high end quality food and of course, seafood is their specialty. This is a specialized restaurant and you will have to search far and wide to find another restaurant that can match it.

Great place to experience old San Francisco, great clam chowder and fish dishes, like crab. Old world wait staff is lovely.

If you go there, order the Seafood Cioppino for the 2 instead of the individual, you get some much more food, in fact enough for 3 people. Its really good.

Smells like on old place - stale oil. Tasted better calamari and crab. And way more expensive than other seafood place.

This very popular restaurant starts you with a warm shot of clam broth, nice touch. Cioppino was full of seafood and the bread served right out of the oven perfect for dipping.

We just go back from an informal early Sunday evening dinner with a group of seven friends. We were seated in a cozy corner away from the ball games on TV and had no problem with multiple conversations. The attentive, friendly and knowledgable service started with delicious bread and shots of clam juice. After asking a fair number of questions of our server who was very forthcoming with answers, we all decided on the three course prix fixe menu. There is a choice of delicious, meaty clam chowder done with a creamy potato base or a nice salad with very fresh romaine, grape tomatoes, red onions and house vinaigrette for a first course. Choices for the entree for our party included tangy cioppino, a generous portion of sizzling dungeness crab legs, crab enchiladas. There were seven other choices available. Service was timely, but not rushed. The entrees were delicious and generous enough to be filling but not enough to be gluttonous! One in our party decided to skip the desert course and had both the chowder and the salad. She missed out on delicate tiramisu, tart lemon cake, rich rum cake and fresh strawberry cheesecake. The desserts are not made in-house, but the waiter told us they are from Bindi, a Milanese bakery that provides wholesale, high-quality Italian desserts to restaurants and clubs around the world. Groups of six or more are charged an 18% service fee, but the service was worth it. The prix fixe is definitely the way to go for a complete meal because it's a savings of 30% from a la carte prices with the same size portions. The restaurant has been in the same location since 1861 and the decor of historical photos reflects some of that history. The atmosphere is clean, simple and inviting. There is plenty of parking and access from US 101 is extremely convenient.

Ate at the clam house before flying out early the next morning. Food was very good and service was too. Parking was a bit of a challenge and did not appear to be in the best neighborhood.

This place is a favorite of many locals... It's in an area that can be a bit rough (kind of industrial on the south end of town), but the food is simply amazing! Great place for lunch. The clam broth is Yummmm. They have a full bar. It's like a gem in the rough. Highly recommend trying this place.

It's historical, it's old school, it's not to be missed. Find a parking place, step over whatever is on the sidewalk and have a high priced and VERY worth it meal.

Revisited this after several years. Still a delight to enjoy. Great menu and a nice atmosphere. I recommend this highly.

Ate lunch here with four of us. Seafood lovers should love this place. First thing, we brought a bottle of wine, and there was no corkage fee. That erases a lot of small nits. The food servings are more than enough for an average appetite. We ended up taking 1/2 of three meals home. They had an interesting appetizer - Fried Clam Chowder - Huh? you may ask. As did I. They make clam chowder, scoop out balls of it and freeze it. Then deep fry it upon request. It was delicious. Sandwiches are twice the size one normally encounters. The fish and chips were enough for two people. The mussel dishes in sizzling pans are tender and delicious. I thought the overall price was fair considering what we ordered and what we have had in other restaurants in the SF area. Also, the waitress was efficient and bubbled with personality.

I expect good things to eat when I go to a Resturaunt that been in the same place since Lincoln was president. I had turkey thanksgiving menu which came with clam juice and phenomenal clam chowder I think maybe the best I have ever had top it off with a delicious piece of pumpkin pie. My wife had the crab omelette. It was also very well prepared. The whole meal was excellent. I will be back. The only downside which is the case with everywhere in San Francisco the parking can be difficult. It's worth the trip and if you want excellent food this is a place you must try. Especially the clam chowder!

We checked the reviews and had to visit. Their complimentary clam juice was a highlight and the staff was very attentive.

How do you satisfy six hungry San Franciscans on Christmas night? Offer them a steaming platter of garlic-soaked crab and a plastic bib. The rest is easy. Everything we had with our meal, from a well-priced Sauvignon Blanc to the cheesy bread and Cesar salad was devoured along with the crab. We had excellent service in the main dining room, tucked into a booth that reminded me of the good old days at Sam's downtown. Ordering crab for four was plenty for six of us with a few side salads and some bread. No one had room for desert. We all agreed to come back again soon to explore other menu options, but for that night buttery crab was all we needed.

I'm not a big fish "fan" but we were antiques shopping across the street and the antiques store owner recommended we try this restaurant. I'm glad we did. The food was good and the restaurant has a fun and interesting decor. The server was nice and the service was good. Did I mention we got a lot of food!! I'll definitely go back next time we're in the neighborhood.

This place has survived in its original location since before the Civil War. The decor and staff are dressed to show off its working-class roots and evoke all that history. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. Prices were a bit on the high side, but well in line with San Fransisco and seafood. When we arrived at 8PM on a weeknight, there were numerous families just finishing up. After that, we had the enclosed patio to ourselves. There are sufficient options on the menu for diners who prefer other than shellfish. Our table tried 4 different entrees and all were good to excellent. The original sign out front advertises "Milwaukee Steam Beer," which is a palatable lighter-style draft, now made locally, so that's basically just a name they continue to use.

A native San Franciscan, but had attended last event at the "Stick" (Sir Paul McCartney) to discover the pleasure of this old city gem started in 1861 (so when was your great granddaddy born?). Located at edge of the city's only remaining "industrial' area, it houses a pleasant collection of Americana, serves a delicious basil vodka martini, pores a pleasant variety of draft beers. We had clam chowder, side salad, snails in garlic - go-go escargot, clam enchiladas, some tasty desserts - truffle + cheesecake. All good, all served in quick, pleasant manner. Ask for Janet A, the diamond server in this gemstone eatery ... GO Soon, never know this restaurateur might retire ... 153 years is a long career.

We were at Costco and noticed they had gift certificates for The Old Clam House. Did a quick search and liked the menu so we decided to try it. We ordered the Clam Bake Cioppino, Roast Dungeness Crab and the Roasted Mussels and Shrimp. Everything was delicious! We probably ordered too much but so well worth it! Service was ok and wasn't too pleased with the hostess who wouldn't give us a larger table. With all the food we ordered, our table was tight!

We sought this nice old restaurant for lunch,, parking was pretty much non existant, but luckily we found one spot on a back road. no charge. Were served warm clam juice upon arriving and if you like clam chowder, you'll like the juice.. we were served the delicious sour dough bread and got oysters ( a bit small for the price) crab cocktail, and clam chowder in a sour dough breadbowl..we had two beers with lunch and were happy with the whole experience, especially since we found a parking spot. We got a cool t-shirt too.

Such a cute quaint place. I had the Caipuccino? A seafood tomatoey type of soup with mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, potatoes, veggies. Delicious, hubby had crab enchiladas they weren't as cheesy as I expected or creamy inside as I thought they might be. The bread was fresh and butter so good. Sounds crazy to love the bread and butter but I did. Staff is great. Violet helped us out, she was a darling. Oh and the clam broth was so good.

Ate here for dinner on a Saturday at 7 pm. There wasn't a wait which was great! I ordered the bread, cup of clam chowder, 1/2 a crab, and a glass of wine followed with some tiramisu to-go! Everything was absolutely delicious. The staff were super attentive. And the history of the place was so rich. I actually found this place on a oldest restaurants in San Francisco article. Overall I would highly recommend eating here.

The Old Clam House is on the outskirts of the Mission District. It is known as San Francisco's original restaurant. It is very easy to find. My wife opted for the clam chowder and it was excellent. Thick, clamy and tasty. I went for the Cioppino. A great dish. Excellent presentation but I am still having nightmares of agreeing to fork over $29 (single portion). The soup was very tasty, although I expected more seafood (whole shrimp) instead of lots of clams. The sauce was outstanding and I just assumed bread came with the dish? When I found out you have to order it separately my thoughts were waitstaff, knowing their dishes should have offered bread (even though it is a cost) at the time of order. The bread comes in a creative presentation, although it wasn't the traditional sourdough taste I was expecting. The Old Clam House offers a good experience and the menu is pretty diverse. Next time I will opt for something less costly or representing more value.

I stopped by for lunch today,the first time since this Restaurant changed hands,the restaurant had a big expensive do over by the New Owners, a great Job, but the food is very poor and should be selling fresh fish but none of it everything we had was frozen Fish and tasteless Crab that also had been frozen when I asked our waiter what was fresh he said he was not sure, its surprising coming from these owners, who have other restaurants in the City, I think they need Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, there was only six people in the place at 1pm so sorry as this is a great San Francisco Classic

A must try is the clam escargot appetizer.....for the garlic lover. The pan seared mussels was surprisingly tasty as I am not a fan of mussels. The cioppino was very tasty and had lots of seafood in the small order. Parking is a little tricky but if you are lucky there are spaces in front and back of the restaurant.

The best things arrived before we ordered. The clam juice and sourdough bread was wonderful. Everything that came after than was greatly underseasoned. Loved the old time feal. I could see the bar side getting noisy. We might try it again, just not soon.

A lovely old restaurant with amazing food. The fried olives, whole clam chowder, bread and Cioppino were amazing. You’ll need to get an Uber there, and to get back we went over to the McDonald’s and used their WiFi to book an Uber back as the restaurant does not have WiFi. Well worth a visit.

This place is far from the tourist path but worth the trip off the beaten path. It’s been there forever and offers good seafood dishes. I’m not going to call the food incredible but it’s good. The bread on the other hand is out of this world! You want good SF sourdough....look no further. I crave that bread at night. I will be back!!

Nice that they take reservations, and they didn’t have a fixed price menu as many restaurants do on holidays. Was low key with an attentive staff. I even spilled my own martini and she brought another at no charge.

Went to this San Francisco landmark for a first visit for a solo lunch while my wife was shopping in the area. I am a great fan of properly prepared and presented local fresh sand dabs. I was not disappointed. Also great service and ambience. No wonder this place is still going strong since 1861 in the same location.

We're in California for business and decided to come to The Old Clam House for lunch and loved it. Their clam juice is excellent, we had the linguini sea food and also the clam chowder. The atmosphere is wonderful. I would highly recommend this place.

I wasn't sure, from the looks of this place, if it would be good or not. We took a chance and went with some out of town guests. Everything was great. The character of the place is fantastic. The service was good. Everything we ordered was delicious (cioppino, shrimp skillet, crab melt.) I can't wait to go back as this is a great neighborhood place.

We dined here on a week night. No reservation. Just walked in. The decor is very vintage and worth a look. The location is industrial but worth a visit for the history of the place. As soon as we were seated they brought out large shot glasses of clam broth-tasty. I had a shrimp sandwich which was overloaded with little shrimp plus a huge serving of fries. Others in the group had a crab enchilada, crab alfredo-you get the picture. Crab is big here and it is well done and tasty. We also ordered their garlic bread which was quite different. Not what one would expect. It was served in a skillet with a cheesy/garlic sauce. Delicious. One of the drinks was worth a look(see Photo).

Having wanted to go here for years and years - we now wish we wouldn't have waited so long. We had the most scrumptious lunch - grilled mussels, clams and prawns on a sizzling platter that was so delicious and would've been plenty but we also ordered clam chowder and garlic bread. We were served a clam broth and a basket of bread when we sat down which was an incredible beginning. The service was great - the food was delicious and we will definitely put this on the top of our list of places we love to eat when we visit family and friends in the City. It is an area of town that is not the best - so be careful parking.

Visiting my son and his family in SF, we went to this place that has a lot of history. The food was outstanding with a great variety ... Not just sea food. I was amazed at how fast, friendly and helpful the service was. We asked for my grandson's fish fry to come out first in order to keep him entertained. That and our appetizers came out in a flash. The place has a great atmosphere. I will definitely be back on my SF visits.

I don't know how I have missed this Restaurant all the years living in and visiting SF. If you love crab and seafood and good atmosphere it is worth finding. The roasted crab was spectacular and the shrimp & crab platter. My steak was mediocre but it is basically a fish restaurant. Good bar, good service. We had a brilliant night. Parking difficult.

This place has been around since 1861 and they've got lots of historical items throughout the restaurant. The food was fabulous! One of the best bowls of clam chowder I've ever had (bread bowl was great)!

We wandered over to this historic place because it was within walking distance of the bar we were drinking at. The walk was a bit sketch, but once we got in, the food was legit. We had the ciopinno.

Due to the traffic on the freeway, I got off and revisited The Old Clam House. I haven't been here in years and was happy to see the remodel. A wonderful artistic creation/collection items of the sea on the side of the building catches one attention. Nice to see the "old" feel inside with more seaside paraphernalia collections on ledges above the dining room. Had a wonderful oldtime ( not that old) waitress/server who explained the new change. They still serve the "amuse busche" of a shot of hot clam broth along with excellent sour dough bread. Haven't had cioppino in years - it was pricey, $50 for 2, but it was a good sized portion. Crab legs, squid, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes, olives, no shrimp or fish. Thick soup. It was very good, but realized why I haven't ordered it in awhile - the crab is too messy to de-shell. For this price, the meat should have been out of the shell. My out-of-town guest wanted to try it and glad we did.

This used to be the best place in SF for clams but when it was sold they changed from serving medium to large sized clams to the small manila clams.

Cool old place. Got the cioppino and thought it was great. Did the fixed price menu option and thought it was a good deal. Beer menu could be better. Lots of choices on the food menu.

Stopped by as we were driving on 101. This place meets all expectations and reviews. Cool funky-divey in a good way. It was 3 pm and we just wanted an in between snack. The mussels-shrimp appetizer was just right. We added some garlic bread and all was well! Both served on hot sizzling platters full of buttery goodness! During crab season, I'll make sure to try the cioppino. Note that San Francisco Crab season begins in mid November. Before then... crabs are flown in from out of state and are often frozen.

This restaurant is located in a not so nice part of town, but the inside is impressive! Very little parking!!! I went alone. Not the best experience I've had dining solo. Decor was very nice, tin ceilings, ceiling fans, and booths with their own drapes. There was a bar, and an enclosed patio on the other side. Very classy, but not stuffy. The wait staff was odd. Meaning the waterperson, et. al. didn't speak much and things suddenly appeared in front of me without much communication. When I asked my server what they were known for, he replied, "Well, we ARE called The Clam House." I overheard him say it to another table, as well. He, as a server was not very informative. With the prices, one would expect the server to at least be able to steer you..somewhere.... I found out they were known for their steaks ??? I expected the menu to have a decent selection being around the famous Fisherman's Wharf and the bay area. I was disappointed. I ordered steamed clams with white wine sauce with pasta. If I say something needs salt, my family falls over. (I, personally, think pepper is very spicy.) When I used the full salt shaker, none came out.....I banged it on the felt backed plastic picnic tablecloth for naught. After a while, I was able to loosen enough for my meal. The drinks are servered in cute little milk jugs, including the beer. I would love to have a few of those. I believe wine is allowed to be brought in, and a $5 cork fee is charged. The server himself, did not check much on me. When I finally got his attention, I ordered a soda. He then proceeded to take two other tables orders, and refilled their glasses, etc. By the time I received MY drink, I was finished with my meal. The drink cost $2.95!!! Glad I was able to enjoy the ambience, but went I left, the car parked next to me had a lo-jack attached to its steering wheel. Go enjoy the wharf!

Came here for New Year’s Eve for a low-key dinner, and the food and service were good. Clams and Dungeness crab were both excellent. Server was prompt, food came out quickly. The decor is like going back in time, which has a certain charm.

Unbelievable clams.

This is a really old fashioned kind of place, they have booths and checkered clothes, they have good service. It was listed as one of the iconic restaurants of America. But I really like it, the portions are large, and usually we end up taking some home. the service is great, and since it does not seem to be discovered yet there is always lots of room and easy to talk. They could handle small groups OK. I had the ciopionno, once and it was a bit spicy for me, but we got three meals out of it, took half of it home. I got the crab sandwich which was wonderful with a tangy sauce and a respectable caesar salad, the sandwich was twice the size I expected. It is a little out of the way but worth the visit. the decor is really fun, with lots of old memorabilia on the walls and fun stuff to remember an earlier time. Even the outside decor has it picture moments. So really suggest you make the trip and have a fun lunch or dinner there.

All of the staff are super friendly and the food is good but not fantastic. One of our guests order came out wrong and it seemed to take a while to get it corrected. No real apology just a quick drop of the plate and took off. Just seemed a little disorganized. Seems like their history is carrying them.

Nice place to be when in the area. Drop my kids off at gymnastics and walked over for lunch. It was not crowded and service was pretty attentive and quick. Had and hr and half to kill, ordered the double shrimp and crab sizzling platter (50.00) for the two of us and bread (1.00). The shrimp were small and the crabs were average size. But their seasoning was perfect with their dipping sauce. We finished the whole thing considering the price for the platter. Its a little pricey for the size of the shrimp they were offering. Its out of the way unless you know the area and its not the nicest at night. Consider going for lunch.

The old clam house is located in an unusual industrial area of San Francisco. As the oldest established seafood house in the city the building is oozing with history. I have been here multiple time but have finally mastered the perfect order. I love crab. So for two people you order the crab for too which is served on a hot skillet covering on hot garlic and herb oil. The crab is fresh and delightful. You must request melted butter and they have different flavors. The best melted butter is the caper lemon butter that is normally served with the shrimp scampi but can be used as crab dipping sauce. There is so much crab that you don't need anything else but of you think you are extra hungry then I would order two sides. The side salad and side of fettuccine (which is off menu) is one of the best. I can never leave the Clam House without spending $100 for two people (this sometimes includes depending on how many drinks you have). It's so worth it. The food is great, the service can be slow but sometimes that's nice if your having a romantic evening.

Surprisingly authentic, possibly because the neighborhood doesn't seem to have any other tourist attractions. The clam chowder in a bread bowl was fantastic. I didn't try anything else from the menu

My Sunday morning dog training classes take me past the Old Clam House, the oldest restaurant in San Francisco. Founded in 1861 and still in the same location, the restaurant re-opened after a face lift under new ownership by the Dal Bozzo family who also own other Bay Area favorites such as Boboquivari, Calzone, the Stinking Rose and the Franciscan Crab restaurant to name a few. While a group of friends was in town to celebrate a birthday we opted to try the Old Clam House for brunch. One of the group takes her dining seriously and decided to stop by and check it out first. She was put off because it wasn’t busy but was finally convinced it was worth trying. We had a great brunch and because it wasn’t busy we were able to speak freely without yelling over the din that is often the case in other establishment. Things got rolling with our waitress bringing complimentary glasses of warm clam juice to start. Wonderful way to jump start one’s appetite. This is a down-to-earth place with quality food (Acme bread was one indication). The crab benedict was excellent – egg clearly poached to order and crab was fresh and moist. They offer a $9.95 brunch menu from 10-3pm on Sundays which includes most egg dishes (some like the benedict cost extra) and the totally addictive smashed potatoes. Our server was a delight and took care of all requests with efficiency and good humor. The restaurant also has a large bar area. We will definitely return to try it at night and give the main menu a fair test. The Old Clam House is located in a highly industrial section of San Francisco for those visiting. Not the most savory neighborhood at night but there is parking behind the restaurant on Oakdale and sufficient street parking in lit areas too.

Since our initial visit last year, we've gone back a few times with friends, and the OCH has not disappointed. As I and others have noted, the staff are super friendly, and it's a fun place. The pan-roasted mussels are the way to go; cioppino is tasty and would serve two comfortably. And don't neglect to have your shot of clam juice at the outset!

This is a great neighborhood feel in a staple when it comes to seafood. Authentic and delicious from mussels to clams to Sand Dabs to our particular favorite CRAB!!!!!

If you fly into SF and are headed downtown, do yourself a favor and stop here for outstanding food at a very reasonable price. My family had a great lunch with attentive service that turned out to be our best meal in SF. FYI, Wharf is over rated for food and expensive. We'll be back.

We had the Cioppino. It was great. The spot is in an industrial area. Looked like mostly locals who what a good place it is. The salad was also great.

Parking is a massive headache coming here. The food was sufficiently tasty, if a tad seafood-heavy in taste. I know that sounds strange. But two of the three in our party felt that even though we expected seafood cause that's what we ordered, the flavor and quantity was a bit overmuch. The bread and butter was off the charts yummy though.

I lived in SF for 15 years and never once heard of the Old Clam House. Located on Bayshore Blvd., on the east side of the 101, in a largely industrial neighborhood, this may not be entirely surprising as its not exactly on the beaten path. What is surprising is that the Old Clam House has been in business at this location since 1861. The exterior of the restaurant looks old and would not be a great draw for the uninformed. I was taken to the restaurant by a resident of nearby (and increasingly gentrified) Bernal Heights who had discovered the Old Clam House on one of their dining explorations. The interior of the restaurant is filled with loads of nautical themed memorabilia that could take hours to view in detail. We had made a reservation for a Saturday night, but on arrival the restaurant was only partially filled. We were quickly seated and given water and menus. While called the Old Clam House, clams don't exactly take center stage on the menu. The majority of entrees were either seafood or seafood in pasta, with a couple of options (roasted chicken & ribs) for those looking for an alternative. In our group of 4, 2 ordered the fish fry ($19.95) and 2 ordered the Sand Dabs with acini de pepe pasta ($24.95). Bread was not offered, but could be ordered if desired. Our meals arrived quickly and were hot upon arrival. The fish fry consisted of breaded fish and calamari pieces, plus deep fried potatoes and several small sections of corn on the cob that looked to havre been grilled. Everything appeared to be fresh, but a meal made up almost entirely of fried food - probably all cooked in the same frier - tends to all have the same flavor. The sand dabs appeared to have been pan fried in butter and garlic and smelled wonderful. The acini de pepe pasta is a small, kernel-like pasta that was flavored with oil and garlic. This meal also came with several small sections of corn on the cob. Everyone finished their meals and the two members of our group who ordered the sand dabs seemed especially pleased. For the fish fry, there was less enthusiasm. Overall, I would describe the Old Clam House as adequate, but hardly outstanding. A great place to take someone from out of town, but you might not go there often as one of your local favorites. The menu was adequate, but lacked some obvious items, such as salmon, whole crab or steamed clams. On the other hand, for the restaurant to have survived for over 100 years, it must have a loyal following of diners.

You don't go there because it's convenient. It's not -- it's really out of the way. You don't go there for the ambiance. You go there for good sea food, drinks, and good service. It's my second time there. The first time we had mussels that were out of this world. This time we each had a dungenous crab, which is in season. It was fresh and cooked to perfection with a hint of butter and garlic (not drowning in butter as most places do it.) This is a place that locals go to. It's on Bayshore Blvd which is an industrial area with absolutely no charm. But if you have a car and are willing to go out of the beaten path, you won't be disappointed.

We were there on Christmas Day - which was not that busy. The food was great and the portions were large. I had the Fish and Chips and took half of it home for another dinner. The fish was deep-fried to my preference along with very well seasoned French fries. My partner had the Calamari Dore with great freshly cooked vegetables (not out of a can). Very interesting décor with 3-areas to eat. One at the entrance with booths, the bar area and an enclosed patio. We thoroughly enjoyed the bar area. We will definitely return. It is located in an Industrial Area and street parking could be a problem.

The historic Clam House is a local treasure with surprisingly delicious seafood, amazingly kind and generous service and a wonderfully appropriate decoration inside. We love to drop by on Sunday afternoons and are never ever disappointed. For us it is the most cozy spot for great lunch/dinner experience and a relaxing travel in time. We highly recommend it.

It is a restaurant serving mostly seafoods, as hinted by its name. The cover of the menu says it started in the year when President Lincoln was inaugurated and has been staying at the same location since, although the bayshore has moved away long ago. The building was damaged decades ago, but the remaining part of the bar is still featured, along with memorabilia from yesteryears. I have been visiting this restaurant rather frequently for many years. I like all the seafood dishes, which are cooked with fresh fish or shellfish. My favorite is the simple fish and chips that is always done right - the cod is fresh, tender and juicy. The restaurant clearly has its loyal clientele to fill up its dining room especially during lunch time. It keeps an old tradition that customers do not have to wait for the receptionist to show to the table, just walk in to sit down wherever available. Certainly worth a visit for both out-of-towners and San Franciscans alike.

Excellent meal and excellent value. Try the broiler selections. We had shrimp, crab and mussels.....yummy. Excellent menu choices with excellent service. I highly recommend.

This is a great restaurant. Very tastefull fish restaurant in American style. Wow I loved it. Would like to come back again.

Back in SFO for a friend's milestone birthday and took the occasion to try some of the old time restaurants. Really looking forward to dinning at The Old Clam House but sad to report she fell short of our expectations. As others have wrote, the opening clam juice was a hit...but 2 out of our table of 8 had to ask for theirs 3 times! The food in general was good but the service that night (29MAY) was simply unfocused. Seemed like there was only one server - who tried his best to manage multiple tables of at least 6 each - and his 'busboys' were not helpful or poorly trained. The management would be wise to take a page from the service cultural at a place like Tadich Grill.

This was a great find off the beaten track in San Francisco. Great food and nice atmosphere.

This is a local place to us, just down the hill. It's on Bayshore which used to be, in fact, on the shore of the bay. Over the past 150 plus years, the Bay has been filled and the restaurant on the Bay is now quite a bit inland. It serves yummy fresh seafood in an old time atmosphere with wonderful friendly staff. I don't think it is on the radar for tourists yet, or still, or again, but it should be. They renovated a few years ago and maintained the old detail such as tin ceiling and little curtained booths, but cleaned it up so now it's a place you can imagine bringing your visiting mother in law. They spiffed up the closed in porch area, too. They have a kid's menu and my kid devours the fish and chips. I favor the skillet of shrimp along with a caesar salad. I had it the other night and realized I'd never Tripadvisor'ed this place so I'd better remember this time. I'm thrilled they've maintained their building and think the little half block of old structures could be a mini-antique zone, like in cities all up and down the coast (like for example Cambria). It's in a bit of a strange commercial big-boxey kind of section of what's become a big noisy gross thoroughfare, but 150 year old restaurant is still going strong so maybe there's hope for it yet. There's parking along the side street and also behind the building. I tend to go on the early side (b/c I'm always with a 10 year old with an 8:30 pm bedtime) and don't have trouble parking.

A great experience from start to finish. Loved the clam juice, the sourdough bread, and their array of sea food. We tried to taste as much as we could and loved every thing. Their desserts were also delicious. There is an old world charm to this place and I would love to go back again and again.

I've eaten at this place many times now, all for business lunches...The food and service is very good, but when I look around the restaurant at lunchtime (about 12:30pm), there's hardly any customers...I attribute that to the lunch menu or lack thereof...you have to pay dinner prices for lunch and it's not really in a very affluent area...lots of industry around and paying over $100 for lunch for three (without alcohol) is a little over the top...if they developed a lunch type menu their business would grow at noontime.

A crab sandwich is $18.99 - NOTHING comes with it - not even a pice of parsley for garnish. An extra $5.99 for fries or a cup of soup. The crab was not fresh and there was very little of it. The sandwich was small and the bread wasn’t even toasted. In theory,it had avocado on it, but I could only find one little piece. Fish and chips -22.99, one pice of fish.

We read the reviews and watched the video online and were anxious to eat here. The food was just okay, we ordered the crab sandwich, but it was mostly veggies and little crab and the hamburger bun it was served on was dry and crumby. We also ordered the fish and chips, which was pleasantly not breaded and fried fish, very light and tasty. The service was not great, she did not come back by to see if everything was okay, if we needed anything else. There were some large parties there and they seemed to take priority over our twosome. We won't go back I don't think.

A San Francisco institution, dining at The Old Clam House never gets old. The Old Clam House has been around since 1861 serving seafood dishes and their legendary clam juice to the denizens who worked at the Port of San Francisco and those who continue to live in the Bayshore and Potrero Hill areas of the city and you can tell as both the exterior and interior of The Old Clam House is vintage to say the least. I was so glad my family suggested we dine here over the holidays to break up our monotony of meat dishes that are normally served at this time of year. One of the main issues that lies with The Old Clam House is that that parking although neighborhood wide, can be dodgy at best, so the night we arrived I kept circling and circling the block until a safe spot opened right in front of the restaurant where I could park our car. We had a big party of twelve and we easily made a reservation and were sat in their atrium part of their restaurant, right underneath the big clam sitting atop their roof. Prices on the Old Clam House menu don't come cheap, the average price for a dinner is about 22 dollars. With a big party at The Old Clam House you have to go big, so that means going all in with the Super Combo Roasted Iron Skillet, that's right for 85 dollars you get double the amount of mussels, shrimp and crab! A bounty of a feast on a sizzling skillet! Of course, since we were already there as since there were twelve of us, we decided to take a chance and since we out-of-town visitors and they've never been here before, so we went with the family size version of the "Original" Old Clam House Clam Bake Cioppino made with clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, calamari, fish fillet, potatoes, yams, onions, olives, garlic and corn contained in a tomato based broth served in a huge iron pot. At the price point of $89.99 it doesn't come cheap, but there was more than enough food. One of our servers actually didn't think it would be enough cioppino, but once the food arrived along with our entrees, it was actually too much food as we had to fill three additional to-go containers with all of the extra cioppino we had. There are a lot of entree options on their menu, everything ranging from seafood a la carte to seafood pasta to even enchiladas. We asked our server what he would recommend and he said many people order their garlic noodles, served plain with no seafood at an additional cost, topped with parsley, garlic, and paprika garlic sauce, and then he recommended just adding the seafood from sizzling iron skillet. At $17.99 it was their most affordable option, and since I wasn't super hungry it was the best choice and to accompany my meal I had to go with their Original Golden Gate Clam Chowder because I always get clam chowder to see how it compares to other versions I've had. My chowder came out first and I was disappointed to taste it overly salted, so salty that I downed by ice water and since we were in their sun-room our servers took awhile to refill our glasses so I only drank about half of my bowl of chowder. Each of our entrees came out before the big reveal of the massive cioppino and sizzling skillet. I thought the cioppino was a little too thick for my taste, but it was filled with an abundance of ingredients so much so it came across like a big pot of tomato soup topped with veggies and seafood. The skillet was a fun to experience and was well seasoned thanks to plenty of slices lemon slices to squeeze over everything and added that perfect addendum to my garlic noodles which was just the right amount of noodles and garlic and with the mussels and shrimp and crab pieces I added from the sizzling skillet, it was the perfect combination of a meal. Others in my party seemed to enjoy their entrees including the Fish Fry, Fish & Chips, Crab Enchilada, and Clams Linguini. Service was somewhat spotty, but since our table was all out there on its own in that sun-room we were able to be as loud as we like so that was a plus. Would I come back to The Old Clam House, of course I would, it's a San Francisco institution. Especially since they still sell discounted gift cards at the Costco in San Francisco and wine corkage is free, plus no cocktail from their bar is no more than $10.99 which in San Francisco is a minor miracle! We were each served a small shot of their legendary clam juice, we were surprised no bread accompanied that shot as they once served it. The entrees here could be more worth their price points, but you get what you pay for and with the portion sizes they serve here it's still a lot. In a couple of years the Clam House will celebrate their 160th birthday as the city's oldest watering hole/ seafood joint and I no doubt will be there to commemorate that special year!

Love this old place sitting on the corner of The Bay Shore Blvd. surrounded by industry, tacky fast food and goodness knows what else! Doing business since 1861 step inside and feel this great atmosphere with it's old style elegance and very traditional looking bar. Terrific fresh seafood, excellent Clam Chowder and Dungeness Crab Cocktail. Plenty of seating and even old style booths. Friendly staff...parking at the rear of building can be difficult.

Everything we ate from seafood to pasta was dilicious. Service was eccellent and the ambiance was as expected

In the crazy hip crowd of San Francisco, it's very reassuring to still have such an old style, solid, well preserved restaurant. The atmosphere is really fascinating, the food is good, as far as you don't mind garlic, that is spread all over, they have free corkage, very rare these days, but they charge for tap water and bread, the bus girl is really incompetent, but the waiters are very friendly, I would for sure recommend this place, the atmosphere is unique and the food fresh and genuine, just take as is, enjoy, come back and do not expect too much.

I grew up in San Francisco and as a little girl I always remember seeing the Old Clam House. From the outside, it looks like an older building and I never imagined there was such amazing food. Fast forward 20 years, my sister suggested that we celebrate our mom's birthday there. I loved it! The bread is AMAZING! We did a family style so we ordered a Salmon dish, Cioppino (spell?l) and seafood linguini. I had a mojito (OK maybe 2) and they were delicious and strong. Since my first visit, I have stopped by many times after work to treat myself after a long day of work. The fish and chips are also delicious and the Bellini and sangria's always great. Its a bit pricey but its worth it if you want to celebrate and treat yourself. Hope this review helps!!!

Although it is considered to be an insiders' tip Old Clam House is one of the best places I ate all over the United States. The only thing about this restaurant that is actually bad is its location - you have to plan your dinner at this place due to its distance to downtown. But the ride down there was definitely worth it. The Service was outstanding and the dishes delicious. For instance the clam chowder was the best appetizer i have ever had in my whole life. All in all you should eat at this place lobster or clams. The only thing that I did not like about the dishes was that the sides were actually too small for its entree. Ordering an extra side would probably not be the worst idea. The old-fashioned atmosphere contributed as much to a great dining experience at low prices as the outstanding food. If you like Seafood do not miss this place.

We stopped in here for dinner out of curiosity. My brother lives nearby and had heard it was the oldest restaurant in the city. We all love seafood, thus we had to give it a shot! The hot clam juice complimentary appetizer surprised us all, especially when it was described as "clam juice," but it tasted wonderful- think of it as more akin to a little warm chicken broth on a cold day. We had the sun dried tomato cheesy bread for an appetizer, and it was wonderful! We ended up splitting a munch of crab and cioppino between the three of us, and we all were stuffed in the end. You don't see tourists here- too far out of the way. But the food was top notch.

We came in for the holidays and my brother made reservations for the Clam House. Nothing short of fabulous! From the salad to the sea food stew it was a hit.

The Old Clam House is an old time restaurant that has been there forever. It is consistently good. It is a seafood restaurant off Bayshore which is probably a place that you would not think about going but people in San Francisco and close by areas would be very familiar with this fantastic place. It has a seafood theme. There is fishing art all around the place. The people there are quite friendly. The service is great. The clam chowder is great. I go there for lunch or dinner. There are old timers there at the bar and restaurant all the time. You can have a great meal and relax without being rushed out. The food is very good. Great for families too.

Step back in time and enjoy a fish dinner in laid back environment of the good old days. They start you up with glasses of warm clam broth. Order the kettle bread for a warm, crusty loaf as you wait for appetizers. The crab cakes are just crab...no fillers. Ask for extra garlic sauce with the crab cakes as it is particularly delicious and there wasn’t quite enough with the crab cake serving. The golden beet salad is another good choice for a side. The iron skillets are chock full of your choice of fish...mussels and shrimp are a great choice. They allow you to bring your wine...so unusual in S.F. Take care with parking if you drive. Area is known for break-ins.

Yes the restaurant was established in 1861 and is considered the oldest restaurant in San Francisco. That is where the value of the restaurant ends. My fried calamari appetizer was over cooked, dry and dull. Note even the tartar sauce could rescue it. I ordered a spinach salad with shrimp that was very disappointing. Again, the salad had no taste, there wasn't even a light dressing drizzled on top. A squeeze of lemon juice would have been an improvement. The shrimp looked and tasted as if they had gone to the Safeway grocery store and poured the mini shrimp from a container. Now I remember why I have stayed away for almost 20 years.

Amazing restaurant! Phenomenal service by Jonathan, relaxed and cozy atmosphere, reasonable prices, incredible food! Definitely worth the visit and coming back in the future! If you want to save a little bit on it, Costco has vouchers - that's how we found the place! Costco win! Thanks so much Old Clam House!

This was one of only a few places open for Thanksgiving so we gave it a try. Being the oldest restaurant in San Francisco was a draw as well. The neighborhood isn't really a neighborhood as it is in the industrial section of town so there is nothing else nearby. It was hard to believe the place was as old as it claimed until you looked up to see the punched tin ceiling tiles. The server brought fresh bread with real butter and hot clam juice as a starter. Being gluten free, I downed the clam juice like a cocktail and it was delicious! The clams prepared a la escargot style were perfect with lots of butter, garlic and a crumb/cheese coating (I eat glutens in small amounts). My daughter got the seafood linguine and it was overflowing with fresh clams, mussels, shrimp and squid as well as a giant crab claw all covered in a delicious cioppino sauce. The pasta was cooked to perfection as well. I got the hot grill pan with double shrimp and crab. It was messy, it was buttery and garlicky and it was abundant! The prices were extremely reasonable for the amount of food and freshness. The cocktails were interesting, tasty but a bit light on the alcohol. That's could be good or bad based on who you are. We couldn't fit any more food into ourselves so had to skip dessert but the selections looked great. In fact, everything that came out of the kitchen looked great (because I looked!). The service was a little slow but completely understandable as it was Thanksgiving and I think they were trying to keep the manning to a minimum. I would and will return. The Old Clam House was casual but fun, had a nice, fully stocked bar for evening meals and was more than I expected.

We have always wanted to try the Old Clam house in the Bayshore district and so glad we finally did! *Excellent food. Highly recommend the mussels and the cioppino. Fresh sourdough bread is served with your meal. *No corkage fee! *There is parking in the back. *The service and atmosphere were good too. We will definitely go back as the food quality is high and the history of the building and business is interesting. The only draw back is it is in a funky area of town that isn't close to much else. You have to drive there.

We booked The Old Clam House for a Family Dinner ( 8 Adults 3 Kids) based on recommendations we had noticed on an Internet Travel Site. The place was reportedly started in 1861. Upon entry we savored the many historic photos and items that adorn the walls. Being a large group we ordered two bowls of Steamed Clams and two orders of "Roast Crab Feasts" plus side dishes and drinks. Everyone enjoyed this unique SF Dinning Spot and look forward to another visit. Bye the way prices are reasonable and the wait staffer are friendly and efficient. BB/Philippines