Boudin Bakery & Cafe

Cute place in SF to get clam chowder, it was pretty tasty. I also liked the store area where they sold lots of different items and ya can see where they make the bread!

We ate pretty much all of the clam chowder bowls within a mile radius and this deemed to be the winner. Was a recommendation from my mom and it was spot on. Definitely my go to place for clam chowder bowls, scrumptious!

This place is famous for the bread and clam chowder of course. It is a little more expensive and high end for my taste in the middle of the day. But the chowder was okay, service okay, and view was pretty good.

Not bad and not great. It was good but I guess I expected better. You would think that a place this well known would have been a lot better than let’s say a Panera or someplace but at the end of the day it was as good as and maybe just maybe a light bit better than any other bread shop. Yes they make fancy bread but who cares if it doesn’t taste any Better than most. Clam chowder was par at best but not the best on the strip!

I was getting pretty antsy toward the end of my SF trip because out of the 4 days I was there I didn’t get any clam chowder.
I decided to get take out bread bowls from the grotto and Boudin. IT WAS DELICIOUS HERE! The chowder that is. The bread itself could have been crustier on the outside. I thought the chowder had the perfect balance of creaminess, butteriness, and clam flavor. It was relatively inexpensive at under $ 10. Sitting outside was nice. The restaurant is nice and fun to look around with bread being carried around. I’ve had their clam chowder from Costco and this tastes so much better fresh.

There is a pete’s coffee inside, the wait isn’t usually too bad. We usually stop by for a coffee since we are in the area.
I recommend checking out this place from the outside, through the large window to watch the bread makers form their shaped bread creations. If you’d like to see the Boudin little Museum/​bread factory, and you are willing to pay $ 3 a person, you should check out the upstairs after looking through the large window. I have not seen the museum/​factory myself, so I can’t say if it is worth checking out or not. I believe you get a free sample of bread.
However, I wouldn’t really recommend eating here
I feel that the food is overpriced, $ 11 for a tomato, cheese and lettuce sandwich. What?
The lines are often very long and crowded.
A week ago they got my Vegan sister’s order wrong. We asked for no cheese in the veggie sandwich, the cashier wrote it in correctly but, they ended up adding cheese anyway. Sent it back as sister was not happy about the cheese mistake, they only took the cheese off and returned it but, later as she was eating the sandwich she found some smaller pieces of cheese still in the sandwich. This would not be acceptable for someone with a severe allergy. The rest of our group had the clam chowder, it was okay, we prefered the chowder from across the street near the Fisherman’s wharf sign.
Upstairs there is a bar and a bistro/​fancier restaurant than the downstairs one. If you buy a drink or eat upstairs you may enter the museum/​factory for free. Otherwise it will cost you $ 3 a person.

Bottom Line: Touristy but worth a stop to check out the fun, shaped bread and browse the gift shop.
The Boudin location in Fisherman’s Wharf has a lot going on! For starters, standing on the sidewalk you can look through the window and watch the bakers bake the world famous sourdough bread. If this entices you inside, then you’ll enter into a frantic scene of people ordering at the bakery café and shopping in the little store. You can also place custom orders for bread here and have them delivered across the family. Because this care is located in the touristy Fisherman’s Wharf, it can be hard to find a table during peak times. If you want a more relaxed meal, head upstairs to Bistro Boudin where they have a slightly nicer menu and waiter service. There is also a museum upstairs that is worth checking out if you don’t have to pay for it.

When locals come to my hotel to ask for places to eat around SF, I generally steer them away from Fisherman’s wharf. Then they’ll ask «well what about Boudin? I heard that we should go?» When I hear this, I automatically think: «Whoever told them that must really hate them.»
If you’re looking for a decent restaurant, try Fog Harbor.

the SF version of this bakery is an embarrassment. since they mainly serve tourists at this location — you get «tourist treatment». seriously — they have the most disengaged employees with a «who cares» attitude that is almost funny to watch.
On top of the 15 minute wait for food on a day when the place was almost empty — the bread on my sandwich was STALE. definitely stay away.

Boudin makes so much sour dough bread. This is my first visit to San Fran and someone told me to check out Boudin at Fisherman’s Wharf. This place is huge! Looks like a small factory, you can’t miss it.
Walked in very busy during lunch. You see bread in a bucket moving around in the air, it’s very amusing to watch. Right away you see all the different shape breads they make… Teddy bear, crab, turtles, etc it’s pretty awesome how they can do this with bread.
I ordered the New England clam chowder in a bread bowl. Now I’ve been to Boston, I go pretty often and it doesn’t compare to the east coast. It’s still good though. My boyfriend ordered the crab cake sandwich, I don’t really eat crab cakes often but he enjoyed it.
This place is a must see if you’re visiting!

We love Boudin in San Diego and were excited to visit the first ever Boudin in San Francisco.
The ordering experience is not fun. Long line is to be expected, but then you are thrown into a massive crowd where everyone has to wait at least 15 minutes in a small space to get the order. Then on to fighting for a table.
The food itself is not made with any care. It is just an assembly line — the grilled cheese was dry, and the soup was a bit tasteless. I guess they are so busy and have created such a production line that they have lost the «love» that they still put into their product in San Diego.
We then visited the museum, for which we were charged an entry fee and told there is a bread tasting at the back of the museum. It was just a few tiny pieces of stale sourdough bread thrown in a basket. The activity table didn’t have any working equipment. It wasn’t worth it.

This location has it all! You can dine in/​outdoors or get your meal to go! Still don’t have enough souvenirs for your friends and family? This place has a lot of interesting items, and something for everyone, guaranteed.
During my recent visit I decided on a veggie sandwich ‘to go’ that was a tad bit pricey at $ 12, but given the customer service and location, the price was actually comparable to other nearby dining options. I’m certain I ordered, paid, and received my sandwich in less than 2 minutes. En route to the restaurant I did pass other sandwich restaurants, but instead opted for the Fishermans Wharf tourist vibe. I was not disappointed. Besides, after consuming the thick-​bread, my lard-​butt did benefit from having to hike up some of the steep nearby streets to return to my hotel.
The employees at this location are very pleasant and eager to provide friendly and fast customer assistance. Im sure they have to tolerate a lot of tourist nonsense, so their great customer service skills are even that much more welcomed. 5-​stars, no hesitation.

Famous! Really, the best thing in this insane tourist area. Stop and look through the window (with a convenient vent of baking bread smells) and watch them make the bread.

Best Clam Chowder ever. Anytime I travel to SF I have to stop by this place
The only downfall is the long wait and no seating.

For the location, the servings and the price this is a good spot to go to for an afternoon bite. Came here during my touristy travel along the wharf, and had an extreme craving for clam chowder. I didnt realize how big the soup bowl would be till it came to pick up. The chowder tasted good and there was way too much sourdough bread. I ended up feeding the pigeons and seagulls with it.

I like bread bowls, I LOVE clam chowder, but I do not like sourdough. However, my boyfriend ordered me the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl so I decided to give it a try. It was some of the tastiest clam chowder that I’ve ever had and it worked surprisingly well with the sourdough. I could eat this clam chowder for lunch every single day.
This place is very popular, so you will probably have to wait in line and then wait for your food but it’s worth it!

I can say many positive things about the food and bread at this bakery — to stay brief, it lives up to its reputation. The fact that this is a tourist trap is to the detriment of the casual patron. We came at the end of breakfast as we had a fellow in our company who wanted breakfast while the rest wanted lunch. He got up to order with a few minutes to spare before 11 and he was refused breakfast service. We spoke to the management briefly on their lack of punctuality and were met with a shrug if less than a mumbled sorry.
We waited a good 15 minutes for a couple of chowder bowls and pepperoni pizza. The food was fine and with drinks the tab was $ 41. You must ask for things like hot sauce and napkin — the latter being an odd thing as they ration you to just one which was a bother as eating bread bowls can become quite a barbaric affair. The young man working hospitality at the door was much more helpful than the servers and staff behind the counter.
We left with our bellies full and noticed the rush of people coming in for lunch and noticed that the store became quite chaotic. We were happy to get in and out when we did. So, for the food they get their stars, for their lack of service and care they lose two stars. Its something to do while you are at the pier for food, but I probably wouldn’t make a habit of it.

Is it special? Yes! Do I like it? Hmm it’s just ok.
Clam chowder in sourdough bread? It’s a creative idea. The soup is delicious and I don’t need to dip my bread into the soup. However, I had to wait in line for half an hour. There are other locations of boudin, where you can still get the same thing. Is it worth getting in such a tourist attraction? Not really.

I always avoided this place. the pier 39+ in general because it’s a big tourist spot. I run here a few days a week and wondered if their chowder bowls were any good. Lines would be out the door and the café downstairs is always full, my friend and his daughter came down to visit for the holidays so we came here for the whole (child friendly) sf experience. The restaurants upstairs are white linen tables with great views. We got clam chowder in the famous bread bowls. San Francisco is known for the clam chowder, so especially being boudin, I had high expectations. I guess my expectations were too high. They have creative shaped breads, great views, good fries but other than that i was a bit disappointed on the chowder :(will maybe try something else next time

If you like sough dough bread; you have come to the right place. Whenever in the area or on line, I find myself craving this wonderful fresh baked bread. What is so great about this bread and this place is not only the taste, but the entire atmosphere. San Francisco is known for so many things and this is just one of those icons. The shop here at Fisherman’s Wharf is a large retail, bakery, and coffee shop all in one. They have a 30-​foot observation window that lets you watch the bakers create handmade bread. The bread baked here is shipped around the world as well as available for eating right at the Marketplace and Café’, which features Peet’s coffee.
The marketplace is filled with a variety of gourmet gifts, gift baskets and specialty products and regional delicacies fit for any gourmand’s pantry. Fresh salads, sandwiches and soups make for a great and filling meal. The chili in the bread bowl is my pick of the day. The service is quick and courteous. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner with an outdoor fireplace and a great of the Wharf. When they are busy, which is most of the time, seating can be a problem. Don’t be afraid to sit down with strangers, who knows, you may even make a friend. The prices are reasonable for the area and you do get quite a bit of food.
The only problem, complaint or negative is that restrooms are not as assessable as one would think. You must physically leave the area and go to a public one on the wharf. The key words being public and on the wharf. Though the city does a good job at trying to keep them clean, it is still a little inconvenient. Try them there or get on line and order some of the wide variety of breads they sell. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Alright… This was our second stop for trying the popular soups of San Fran.
I got the french onion and it was ahhhhmazzzzing.
The boyfriend got the clam chowder in a bread bowl and it was the bomb.
We got in quickly and went upstairs to sit in the bar area. We were in and out of the restaurant in 45 minutes. FIND A SEAT UP THERE FOR A QUICK MEAL!
Everything was delicious but they definitely have a high price on a small bowl of soup. I’d recommend it.

Boudin is the mother of Sourdough. You have to come here, and have it as your vessel to the clam chowder. Granted I wish they offered more soup and less bread, it’s still delicious. And where everything started. Perfect texture and seasoning, this chowder is one of the best I’ve eaten. Would go for seconds if it was offered on a regular bowl ;)
This place gets busy. Also, the clam chowder is almost ½ the price at the café than at the Bistro. Happy eating!
PS: don’t miss walking around and seeing bakery staff create edible bread figures. It’s quite fun to watch!

Obviously very touristy, but the food is good and the people that work here are courteous and friendly.
They are known for their soup in a bread bowl! And yes it’s good. A bit pricey but again it’s a tourist destination.
But they also share this location with Peets coffee shop and a tourist souvenir shop. Peets is good coffee and the shop sells local food ingredients and cool but useful kitchen gadgets.
Upstairs is an oyster bar. The view is amazing! I didn’t have the food but it’s another reason I’d come back. Also the bakery is onsite, and it’s pretty cool to see them work. It is a two story kitchen and has glass walls so it’s like a free bakery tour.
Parking is not great. So plan on wearing comfortable shoes.
There is seating but it gets crowded.
I recommend that you buy your bread bowls to go and eat by the ocean. Youll be able to soak up fisherman warf feeling.

I brought some out of town friends from the Midwest here. Holy Batman! It was like watching kids walk into a candy store! (Adult Style)
As we walked in we saw the menu board for sandwiches, pizza, soup bread bowls, etc. Behind us was another section where they sold all different FANTASTIC breads. Oooooh! Don’t stop there! They have all kinds of great coffees and desserts!
If you’re unsure of which way to go… they have GREAT gifts for sale!!! Look around and take in all the different smells and you’ll find your snack!!!
So I ended up having a DELICIOUS turkey sandwich on a croissant!!! Oooooh soooooo good! I didn’t realize I was that hungry because i wolfed that down so fast that I didn’t give anyone a bite! Oops!
I then went and bought some coconut macaroons!!! THAT, my friends, was the best dessert I’ve had in a long time! A great cup of mocha to warm up and I was ready to check out the rest of the shops!
The people working here were great! They sure can up sell you without making you feel like you’re being pushed! They smiled, joked, and gave the best pointers!
My overall experience was AWESOME! I will always come back here! My friends enjoyed this place, too. My only complaint would be no bathrooms here. You have to walk to another building to use the common area shared facilities!!!

Classic tourist location. If you’re a visitor, you will come here eventually and I’m no exception. I finally got around to coming here after my third time up and it was okay. The smell of fresh sourdough is extremely alluring but somehow the experience wasn’t quite what I expected it to be.
If you go up to the restaurant, you can get a cute view overlooking the bay if you’re seated on that side; we were seated on the other side. There’s even a small museum you can browse while you wait for your table. Even though the clam chowder and sourdough bread were good, it wasn’t amazing either. I also tried their oyster, that was decent. For all the hype, Boudin did not live up to my expectations.
So even though Boudin is a popular tourist spot, it does not make it super amazing. At least I can say I went! Also, don’t forget to validate your parking for that invaluable 3 hours!

If I was stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one food until I was rescued — I would choose Boudin sourdough bread. There is not bread out there that compares. Nothing tops it.
We got the pizza on sourdough crust and the turkey sandwich. The pizza was incredible, but my sandwich was… well, a sandwich. The best part of it was the bread. Next time I would order the turkey sandwich sans turkey.
While you wait for your food, its a fun space to explore: baskets filled with loaves of bread globe through the café.

The place to go for sourdough bread. I always take some home with me for my family. I have never eaten here though so it was a first.
You order at the counter then you wait for your name to be called. The lines can get pretty long, but the wait goes by quickly. I ordered the clam chowder in a bread bowl and the crab cake sandwich.
The soup was spot on with huge chunks of clam, potatoes, and veggies. The broth was thick and creamy. Perfect clam chowder (being from Texas I am not too hard to please in this department). Dipping that huge chunk of sourdough top from the bowl into the soup is heaven.
The sandwich left a lot to be desired, but the bread and soup made up for it. The bread to crab ratio was horrible. I finally just took a fork to it and ate the crab cakes sans bread because it was too much. They also put avocado on it and I know, I know it’s California and they put it on everything, but it wasn’t listed on the menu as having it so it was annoying. The crab cakes themselves were so spicy there was no crab flavor. With crab the spice shouldn’t be necessary for the crab to shine.

Il né faut vraiment pas être français pour apprécier les produits Boudin.
Le pain est acide ! De chez nous, une boulangerie qui fournirait de tels produits né ferait pas long feu !!!
En dehors du pain acide, notre bowl aux clams né donne rien de très bon. On cherche le poisson. Le goût semble artificiel. Difficile de calmer sa faim avec le pain qui, en plus de l’acidité évoquée, offre la surprise de laisser en bouche des morceaux de papier (issus de la cuisson? Je né le saurai jamais).
On appréciera également le fait de signer l’addition avec un stylo qui provient d’un vendeur d’armes à feu :-/​
Au final, c’est cher. Le bistrot propose les stricts mêmes produits que la boulangerie mais 30% plus cher, hors prix du service, sans raisons donc…
Enfin, tout est marketing. Jusqu’à la petite visite d’une soit disant fabrication artisanale. C’est le Disney Land du pain et on y mange aussi mal !

La soupe au palourde dans un pain… un incontournable!!!