Dine San Francisco: The Franciscan Crab Restaurant

Panoramic seafood dining on Pier 43

The Franciscan Crab Reputation in Fisherman’s Wharf is famous for seafood dining. The cool, exterior with bright neon signs is a beacon for diners who love seafood or a great steak – like the film stars whose photographs line the staircase to this fantastic restaurant.

Once inside, you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge and San Francisco’s amazing skyline. Built in the late fifties, the Franciscan boasts high ceiling, twenty foot windows, high ceilings, and some really cool, elevated booths that are perfect for solo diners.

The menu has something for all tastes. From sizzling, iron skillet-roasted shrimps to the obligatory clam chowder and the world-famous whole killer crab – a hot Dungeness crab in a secret garlic sauce. With a choice of appetizers, sandwiches and pastas, you can also dine light.

I’m alcohol-free, so it was a lime and soda on the rocks for me. However, the drinks menu has a great selection of fine wines, draught and bottled beers, and mermaid cocktails to sip your way through as you admire the incredible view.

I ordered a huge bowl of steamed clams in a delicious shallot sauce, followed by a Caesar salad with garlic croutons and pine nuts. The portions were so generous, there no room for dessert. But if there had been, I would definitely have opted for the silky French vanilla custard ice cream. (I will just have to go back!) As it was, I ordered a bold and intense shot of espresso to take the edge off my jet lag. Then I strolled back to the hotel with a belly full of delicious memories to savour at my leisure.

>>Go-solo star rating
5 stars

Let’s go!
The Franciscan Crab Restaurant
Pier 43 1/2, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA 941333.