California's 5 Best Seafood Restaurants In San Francisco, According To Reviews

San Francisco's culinary scene is constantly evolving, but seafood has long been part of its identity, thanks in no small part to the San Francisco Bay. From Italian immigrants who adapted family recipes with fresh seafood to contemporary chefs, restaurants in the City by the Bay make the most of what the ocean offers. From an iconic eatery at Fisherman's Wharf to a raw bar with happy hours guests love, we've highlighted the best seafood restaurants based on the experiences of real diners who shared their opinions on Yelp, Google Reviews, and Tripadvisor. 

While seafood appears on many menus — including at some of the tastiest restaurants in San Francisco, according to locals – we selected only restaurants where fish, shellfish, and other ocean delicacies are the main event. We also included reviews from Michelin Guide inspectors, as doing so creates a more complete picture of the dining experience. Although the author has visited several of these restaurants as a Bay Area local with roots in San Francisco, she uses her experience to evaluate community-based reviews and describe specific neighborhoods. For more information about the methodology, see the end of the article.

Situated in the Castro, only a block from The Castro Theatre, Anchor Oyster Bar proves the adage that good things often come in small packages. The dining room has about five tables and the menu barely takes up a page, but reviewers consider Anchor one of the best seafood restaurants in San Francisco. Founded in 1977, Anchor earns 4.7 stars on Google Reviews with over 1,200 reviews.

With a menu focused on shellfish, reviewers recommend the crab cakes, Boston clam chowder, steamed clams, Caesar salad with anchovy dressing, and cioppino, San Francisco's hearty seafood stew with origins stretching back to Italy's Ligurian Coast. "I've been to restaurants all over the world and this is up there in the top for seafood. We tried just about everything on the menu," shared a guest on Google. Anchor Oyster Bar holds a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand, an award for restaurants that serve top-quality food at moderate prices, with an inspector noting the oysters are "so briny that the accompanying mignonette may not be necessary."

Featuring mirrors shaped like portholes next to metal anchors and lifesavers, the dining room evokes a boat beached in the middle of Castro Street. The restaurant doesn't accept reservations. Instead, diners should plan to arrive early (well before they want to eat) and wait on the sidewalk. Some guests report waits of over an hour, while others recommend coming on a weekday for a shorter queue.  

Run by two lifelong North Beach residents, Sotto Mare serves up Italian-style seafood right in the heart of Little Italy. The kitchen prepares a one-page menu composed entirely of seafood, including lobster ravioli smothered in creamy red sauce, seafood risotto and linguini, New England clam chowder with bacon, and seasonal fish.

However, it's the "Best Damn Crab Cioppino" that draws visitors to Sotto Mare, a dish mentioned almost 1,000 times on Google Reviews and a list-topper among the best cioppino in the city. "Cioppino was in my opinion perfect. Beautiful fresh seafood and they pre crack the crab for you, making it a much easier dish to eat," per a guest on Tripadvisor. For refreshments, you're limited to beer, wine, and soft drinks. 

Framed historic photos of all sizes, models of giant marlin, and other realistic-looking fish line the walls, reinforcing the old-school atmosphere. "Stepping into Sotto Mare feels like stepping back in time," shared a diner on Google Reviews. "It has that boisterous, chaotic, wonderful energy of an old-school Italian joint." While some reviewers enjoy watching the kitchen in action from the counter, others reserve a patio table for more elbow room. Customers generally find the service efficient (but don't expect to linger after your meal) and note that the restaurant doesn't seat guests until the entire party arrives – including the person parking the car. Plan to arrive with enough time to find street parking or consider a rideshare to the restaurant. 

Founded as a coffee shop for fishermen in 1965, Scoma's Restaurant is one of San Francisco's heritage seafood institutions that top travelers' bucket lists and "best of the Bay Area" rankings alike. The kitchen specializes in "pier to plate" seafood, as the restaurant receives daily deliveries straight from the boats at its Pier 47 location. "With our pier-to-plate menu, we harken back to when Fisherman's Wharf was about the fishermen," per Scoma's official website. 

Diners recommend the Dungeness crab Louie salad, which includes half a pound of crab meat, the Dungeness crab cakes, and the roasted Dungeness crab. While the city's best cioppino is a hotly debated topic, especially on Reddit, Scoma's version is consistently in the conversation. With a dining room overlooking the bay and wharf action, reviewers praise the food and atmosphere. "The seafood is incredibly fresh, the service is polished, and the waterfront setting adds to the experience. It's the kind of place that feels timeless and truly captures the city's maritime heritage," noted a restaurantgoer on Tripadvisor. Expect white-jacket service while leather booths and seats fill out the dining room, and photos of celebrity customers decorate the walls. 

Far from a hidden gem, the restaurant receives 4.3 stars on Tripadvisor with over 6,000 reviews and 4.6 stars on Google Reviews with almost 7,000 reviews. To avoid a long wait, reviewers recommend making an online booking, even during non-peak weekday nights. One final perk: Scoma's offers complimentary valet parking in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. 

For seafood in its purest form, reviewers recommend Bar Crudo, a raw bar on Divisadero Street. As the name suggests, the bar focuses on raw oysters, shellfish, and fish, all minimally prepared with complementary ingredients selected by Executive Chef Mike Selvera. It's the kind of place local reviewers don't want to tell you about out of fear it will get too popular.

The portions are on the smaller side, but seafood lovers still consider Bar Crudo one of the best seafood spots in the city. "Bar Crudo was just incredible on all fronts," praised a guest on Google Reviews. "Hard to choose highlights but highly recommend the crudo sampler, absolutely delicious ceviche platter." Other reviewer-recommended dishes include the Hokkaido scallops, tuna tostada, and trout crudo, paired with a bottle from the wine list. The bar earns 4.6 stars on Google Reviews with almost 800 reviews, while a Michelin Guide inspector highlights the crudos in detail. "Whether it's Arctic char with horseradish crème fraîche, wasabi tobiko and dill; or scallop with sweet corn purée, tarragon oil and popped sorghum, the combos are delicious," per the Michelin guide. 

Despite the sleek interior, visitors describe the bar as unpretentious, with additional praise heaped upon the friendly staff. For cheap eats, reviewers recommend attending the Monday through Saturday happy hour from 5 to 6:30 p.m., but deal-seekers say a reservation is key. Please note that Bar Crudo is closed on Sundays. 

Located inside the Ferry Building in the Embarcadero — a cooler part of San Francisco than Fisherman's Wharf – Hog Island Oyster Co. gets reviewers' stamp of approval for in-season seafood, cocktails, and, of course, oysters. Featuring views of the Bay Bridge and constant ferry activity, the restaurant serves carefully chosen sustainable seafood and oysters from its farms in Marshall, a town in northern California with seafood restaurants and rugged coastal views.

The menu highlights the origin of the fish or shellfish used in each dish, such as the Hog Island clam chowder or the clam steamers with smoked fish broth — both reviewer favorites. "The clam chowder is outstanding, the oysters are incredibly fresh, and the cocktails are expertly made. Paired with friendly service and a beautiful setting, it's the perfect place to enjoy the best of the Bay," mused a guest on Google Reviews. Reviewers specifically highlight the oyster selection and urge others to try the grilled oysters. "We had the oyster sampler and bourbon butter oysters. They were the best oysters I've ever had," per a guest on Tripadvisor. 

Choose from indoor seating in view of the busy shucking zone and counters packed with oysters on ice, or opt for a table outdoors closer to the ferries. However, the counter seats offer an up-close view of the shucking station with the waterfront as a backdrop. Accepting walk-in guests only, the restaurant also sells seafood for preparing at home. Hog Island Oyster Co. gets 4.6 stars with almost 4,000 Google Reviews. 

The following suggestions for the best seafood restaurants in San Francisco are based on diner reviews from Tripadvisor, Google Reviews, and Yelp. As many of the restaurants have over 5,000 reviews, we prioritized consistency, seafood freshness, and recent dining experiences (within the last 6 months when possible) above all else. In addition, we paid more attention to what reviewers said than to a restaurant's overall rating.

We also selected restaurants that offer diners more than just a meal — be it history, exceptional service, creative menus, or excellent views. We turned to Michelin Guide inspector reviews when they added something your average diner missed, or backed up a claim that was often seen but poorly communicated in community-derived reviews. Finally, I used my experience living in San Francisco (short-term) and visiting it to describe neighborhoods or locations, as well as my knowledge of marine life gained during work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, to evaluate seafood offerings.