Tadich Grill

If this place wasn’t so legendary and historic and have some of the most amazing food in the city, I would’ve given it a one star.
My family (myself and my two senior citizen parents) just had the worst experience with one of their bartenders, Pete. He verbally abused my father as he asked for a drink. All people around were shocked by this mans completely unwarranted outburst. Telling my dad to get his hands off the bar, get out of the way, and «I have 14 other drink orders, I don’t need your hand waving around in the air.»!And then the worst part was that he made our drinks & served them with such animosity and was asking us if «happy now?!» In the most rood manner.
This was such a shock because this place is known for great waiters. I was hoping he wasn’t just a complete asshole, but then he just turned around to another couple w/​all smiles. Completely night and day. So stunned by this.
And to top it all off, it’s my parents anniversary dinner.
Pete needs to be addressed by managers because that kind of attitude does not match the level of excellence this place usually exudes.

A wasted dinner in San Francisco, which is heartbreaking considering the other options. The restaurant looks great, and the waiters wear white smocks that make them look right out of the 30’s.
The food, though. I had the Cioppino, which I was told was a house special. The shellfish was like rubber, and I couldn’t even eat them. The shrimp was indistinguishable from what I would get frozen at Sam’s club. The crab cake was acceptable, but not what I would expect for $ 14.
Please, please do a little bit of research and go somewhere else.

I had been itching to try the «oldest restaurant in California» for quite some time, but I found the entire experience to be sorely disappointing.
First off, the bread was cold and hard. Already off to a bad start.
Second, I am an artichoke lover, but the artichoke that people rave about on Unilocal was so bland that I actually chose not to finish it. They give you melted butter for it, but then it just became a butter dish with a side of artichoke.
Third, and most offensive, I asked for a vegetarian dish since there was nothing listed on the menu. The waiter said the chef could whip me up some pasta with marinara sauce, so I took it without questioning the cost. The pasta itself was overcooked, but I’m willing to forgive that because this really isn’t their specialty. However, the horrendous part of this was that when the bill came, this pasta with marinara sauce cost $ 30. THIRTY DOLLARS. My friend’s oyster omelette plate cost less!
Lastly, we ordered the bread pudding as a last attempt at salvaging our dinner. When the bread pudding arrived, it seemed promising. It was decent, until we got to the middle and it was still ice cold. Fantastic.
I’m sure their seafood is excellent, but I wound up leaving Tadich Grill wondering if they survive solely on the basis of marketing themselves as historical.

When I first walked into this restaurant, I knew that I wanted to order something that tasted exactly like how this place smelled. The aroma of seafood wafts strongly toward you when you enter… it’s magical. It’s a classic «nice restaurant.» White table cloths and napkins, waiters in aprons, a friendly bartender. They don’t take reservations, but if you time it right, you won’t have to wait too long.
The food is exquisite. My #1 favorite entrée is the scallops sauté. It’s TO DIE FOR. And yes, it tastes exactly how this place smells when you walk in. The sauce is creamy and sinful. It’s served with saffron rice and steamed veggies. The scallops are seared to perfection, and the sauce and rice are so good that I even took those as leftovers and it still made a tasty meal without the scallops. Yes.
I’d highly recommend this place to anyone who wants a taste of classic San Francisco.

Tadich is a no frills, no nonsense restaurant and bar where the waiters wear white coats and know everything on the menu and how to make every drink you’ve ever heard of.
Though it’s been around since before Lincoln was President and most of the staff remembers where they were when Kennedy was shot, it’s anything hit stodgy.
Step in and take a seat past the brass bar for dinner, or just sidle up for a martini. Food is fast, if pricey, and delicious. There’s not a lot of room and there’s no reservations, so keep the party small for faster response.

— seafood stew special of the house was WAY too salty
— server never brought water to the table. No one ever checked if we needed some even. Given how over salted the meal was, I felt parched afterwards
— shrimp cocktail didn’t taste especially good or fresh
— Fried calamari tastes like disgusting bar food, deep fried in a grease pit and served in giant clumps of breaded fry

Tadich … the quintessential San Francisco fish house, in the heart of the fancy Financial District.
My partner and I visited for dinner on a warm Thursday night in February. We arrived at about 6 p.m. before the impending crowds. We were graciously seated as soon as we arrived.
For starters, we had a Caesar salad and cup of clam chowder. Although the Caesar could’ve been slightly more fishy with the mandatory anchovies, the chowder was perfect. Steaming hot and seasoned well. I enjoyed it, and so did my partner.
For the mains, we enjoyed the Turbot Stuffed with Crab and Bay Shrimp a la Newburg, Rice, and Fried Seafood Plate (Oysters, Scallops, Prawns
and Calamari). The turbot hit the spot — perfectly creamy enough and a more than satisfactory amount of the tasty white fish. Turbot is such a delicate fish and Tadich knows precisely how to prepare it. And the crab and bay shrimp — well, that makes my mouth water just writing about it and remembering the divinity of it all. As for the fried seafood plate, a cheat day for sure. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with anything deep fried. The accompanying tartar sauce and cocktail sauce complement the fried goodness quite well. My fav fried picking: the calamari.
For the sinful dessert: the moist and huge slice of carrot cake. A must try.
Price: quite high, but service and quality are top notch. You shouldn’t be disappointed.
Tadich: you did quite well on my visit, and the reason why you’ve been around more than 150 years. I’ll be back, along with my partner.

There are almost 1,600 reviews for the Tadich Grill. There isn’t much that I can add, except to confirm it is a classic place, and a classy joint. The waiters are famous for their service and the white jackets. Booths are cool, but eating at the bar is awesome too. Seafood is not the cali fusion recipes of the hipster restaurants in vogue nowadays, but is more traditional recipes — charbroaled, sautee, fried, deep fried, with steak potatoes and steam veggies for example), but the seafood quality is top shelf, and the chef doesn’t dry the heck out of the fish. Mean vodka martinis too!

Christmas was pretty dead around FiDi with a lot of stuff closed for the holidays except for Tadich Grill which had people queuing up during a cold blustery lunch. It’s the oldest restaurant in SF and it doesn’t seem to have aged at all. Part of the charm of the place is the fact that they maintain the booths and bar service — a good ‘ol businessman’s lunch place, in and out with minimal fuss. Servers still wear white coats and check in with you frequently but with no stuffiness or airs — just no nonsense. The food is good but not great but you don’t come here just for the food.
I sat at the bar with a friend and ordered the hangtown fry. A little pricey for brunch but the serving of eggs with chunks of bacon and large oysters (plus bread) was enough for two lunches for me which made it seem not bad value. The eggs/​bacon/​oyster were tasty — possibly an SF classic — not I’m not sure I would call it amazing. Decent. Served up the way it’s always been (this is not a flash place). I wasn’t into the «fries» which were huge slices of potato. Bland and dry.

Old world charm. Private booths. Waiters in white. Big old bar to sidle up to and eat solo alongside the suits at lunch. Or sip a dirty while looking fancy…
Cioppino is a bowlful of warm, rich seafood stew. Clams and muscles, crab and shrimp with large chunks of fish crowd the bowl. Thick slices of garlic bread for dipping and sopping each drop.
Fresh shrimp and crab are mounded atop crisp iceberg lettuce with a healthy dollop of creamy Louis dressing for a refreshing salad that’s filling and yet light.
Steaks, chops, fish, all prepared in large and quality portions. Nothing bad here.
NOTE: After reading this, I felt compelled to pass it along:
Perhaps if everyone knows, then it won’t be a dirty little secret anymore.

Great and simple place. Old school restaurant where you can find good old steak fabulous crab cake and amazing garlic bread.

After seeing so many great reviews, I had to bring my friends here for dinner. Based on their site, they don’t take reservations & your whole party needs to be there. Tidich Grill (say it 5 times fast, really try it lol) is a old school restaurant and still has that feel based on the interior & wait staff. Side note, I didn’t see any woman working there, maybe there are women but who knows.
Anyhow, even though our waiter was a little standoffish, he knew his stuff. When we would ask if he recommended X or Y, he confidently told us and it would be great. We started with the amazing smoked trout. I wish I had a bowlful for myself. The sourdough bread they bring to the table was decent. I had the sautéed scallops & yummmmm. The wine cream sauce they make is a great additional to the perfectly done scallops. The dish came with rice & veggies. My friends each had a fish and really enjoyed their meals. For dessert, we shared a chocolate pecan pie (I think) and it was decadent. Just so smooth & silky.
The bathrooms upstairs are tidy and this place gets packed. Also, Tidich Grill is a seafood & steak kinda place, there isn’t much else on the menu, but who needs anything else when you’ve got such amazing food :)

Simple, classic, and extremely delicious. I see why this restaurant has such great reviews from the service to the food everything was superb!
This place is a classic in San Fran establishment. When you walk in it feels like you step back in time. The serves are witty and quick. You can get a seat in their famous booths or you can go to the high tops near the kitchen if you don’t want to wait.
The menu is classic American. If you like crab or fish you will be happy with any of those dishes. The crab cake app was simply delicious. I also tried the classic dish of Chilean sea bass. The fish was cooked to perfection and very flavorful. Each main dish comes with steamed veggies and finger potatoes. No fuss added to them, but they are good. The protein though is the main star of your dish.
If you get any sides go with the garlic bread! I don’t know what they do to this bread, but I almost ate the 4 huge slices by myself.
Great spot, service, and overall experience. Closes early so don’t come in too late.

Ever since I was a little girl, whenever we came to the city, my dad would bring me to Tadich Grill. I loved the rustic feel and timelessness of the interior and the great service you receive every time.
What’s not to love about Tadich? Their menu is packed with fresh seafood and classic dishes. My favorite by far is the cioppino — packed with seafood and the perfect broth, this dish is the epitome of Tadich Grill for me.
I love their clam chowder (white) too — rich, creamy, and filling. Recently I tried the Tadich Platter for two (appetizer) and was thrilled to discover a new favorite.
To me, Tadich Grill speaks to the heart and soul of classic San Francisco food — so stop by the next time you’re in the city.

Wanted oysters tonight and missed Hog Islands 9pm close time so this was a nice plan B. A half dozen Samish oysters on the half shell hit the spot (5 star), coupled with a bowl of Boston Clam chowder (4 star) and Sapphire gin martini (3 star, a bit on the bitter side, I judge this staple martini by smoothnessa). Open till 930pm and got a last order in so good. Popular as judged by a nice noisy crowd even at this last hour.
Easy to find (large neon sign you can see from two blocks away). Sat at the counter for fast late service. Server was fine and staff attentive.
Will not hesitate to come back for more seafood.

Yo Pete, you make a good & dirty grey goose martini! We like that sorta thing, & we like how your big personality makes a couple of red-​lipped girls feel welcome.
Tadich captures the feeling of old school San Francisco, perhaps because it is the oldest restaurant here (& in all of the state.) No female servers, just waiters in pressed white coats with no stuffy putting on of airs.
Reservations are never accepted, but our party of 13 didn’t have to wait long for a cozy table in one of the rear wooden booths, giving us a bit of privacy.
I tried:
– crabcake: enjoyed this appetizer especially because of the mustard sauce, & in spite of it not consisting of lump meat crab. Beware tiny wayward crab shells that many of us found in the mixture.
– dungeness crab & prawn a la monza: one of their house specials, baked en casserole. Our doll of a waiter made it sound so good, but I should have picked a dish where seafood, & not cheese & bechamel, was the shining star.
– chilean seabass: my friend & I both agreed that this was bland & small in portion, especially compared to their other sizable entrees.
– cheesecake: I rarely order cheesecake, but was in the mood for it (for lack of more appealing options, I think.) A good decision! Not too dense, very creamy & flavorful. A nice ending to an unexceptional meal, which is an unfortunate reaction to our oldest restaurant, but I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em.

Tadich Grill. Now there is a name I have not heard and been to in ages. I was treated to lunch here many times when I was working in SF by a manager and a colleague. We had some family members come visit from overseas, and The Mother chose Tadich Grill for the family to congregate for lunch the day before Turkey Day.
Tadich Grill does not take reservations. Tadich Grill will seat their guests once the entire party is present, there is no seating of partial parties. Our guests of honor were already at Tadich Grill when The Mother and I arrived. I opted to wait for The Sibling and The Sibling-​in-​Law outside as the guests and The Mother were getting anxious for them to come as they were getting hungry. We were delighted when The Sibs showed up. And we were seated in one of the booths in the back of Tadich Grill. I was aware of the booths, never ate in one. The times I used to come, we would eat at the bar or at a table.
So let’s see, what did we order. We had various types of clam chowder (Boston or Coney Island) for a starter and one of us had a grand salad of lettuce and avocado with dressing on the side. The Mother and one of the relatives had petrale sole filet for their main dish. The other had a surf and turf special –a lobster tail with a skirt steak. The SIL had a lamb shank. I cannot remember what The Sibling chose.
As for me, I went with the bone-​in rib eye steak served with steak frites with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower. It is go big or go home when it comes to Tadich Grill for me. And I was able to get it cooked rare. It was so good, I attacked and savored every bite of the steak like the combination of the bear and tiger I am. Damn good rib eye steak I have had in a long, long time! I wish you all could have seen The Mother roll her eyes when I announced I was having the bone-​in rib eye steak. It was quite funny – priceless!
We were attended to by a grandfatherly looking server whose personality has the wicked sense of humour of one’s favorite uncle. The uncle you know who has all the wicked jokes and stories up his sleeve and in his repetoire. He wore the classic white shirt and jacket off-​set with a black tie, black trousers, and black shoes accompanying by the classic old school service of being professional and attentive to the clientele. He kept my water glass filled and jokingly blamed my consuming water as the reason why there is a drought. My SIL ordered a bottle of white wine and the server let them perform the duties of a sommeliere and they declared it was good. We all had some to share.
However, we were all too stuffed to have dessert except The SIL. They ordered a baked apple with caramel sauce on the side and offered samples to us. I politely passed yet I got to sample the caramel sauce.
Tadich Grill has been around the days of the Gold Rush days. They have the kind of classic, elegant service that is rare these days and back in the day, my parents’ generation really appreciated. And I get it. I appreciated it even more when The Mother inadvertently left behind her cap and gloves. Fortunately, they turned up and I was able to retrieve them on Black Friday. Hope for a return to Tadich Grill ASAP.

Bring a lady here if you want to impress her. ;)
On our 5^th date, before going ice skating, the guy I’ve been seeing asked me where I’d like to go for dinner. I told him to pick, since he knows the Embarcadero area better than me. So, he took me here, an Italian restaurant that’s been in business since 1849. I’ve never heard of Tadich Grill, so this was a pleasant surprise. Clearly, this place has been doing something right to be running for so long. The minute we walked into this old-​school restaurant that had an air of understated, rustic elegance, we were seated at a table for two, and were brought iced water and a standard plate of bread and butter. Our waiter was a kind old man in a white coat, kind of grandfatherly.
We ordered the house special Australian Lobster Tail, and Seafood Sauté. I had no idea they were going to serve us the lobster tail with the shell, only to take the shell away right when it was set on the table. Dang it, there goes the pretty picture I was going to take of the lobster with its tail! The lobster was delicious, though hard to cut through, but my date and I enjoyed it very much, and I finished off the vegetables that came with the lobster after my date said he was full. The Seafood Sauté was also very delicious, served with rice and vegetables, though somewhat heavy and creamy. Both my date and I were stuffed after finishing everything.
The bathroom is in the back of the restaurant. You have to go up the stairs, and there are a few stalls. There was no paper towels the first time I went up there, so I had to pat my hands dry on my sweater dress instead. When I went to wash my hands before leaving the restaurant, the paper towels were restocked.

My mom and I drove up to SF from LA saturday, encountered a nightmare double decker bus crash in front of our hotel, and arrived starving. i was craving sushi, but the place we wanted to go to was packed, and then we found Tadich. I had been wanting to come to Tadich, as the 2^nd location just opened in DC where I live, so it was serendipitous that we stumbled upon the place. There was a 20 minute wait for a table, so we sat at the front bar and ordered two martinis.
The service at this spot is, for lack of better words, colorful. Basically, attitude is the shtick, so dont expect warm and bubbly service. Though its a white tablecloth kinda place, people were dressed in all types of clothes, i think SF in general is more casual than DC, NY or even LA.
Onto my 2^nd martini, we both ordered the clam chowder to start and it was delicious! Also delicious is the crusty sourdough bread they bring to the table with cold butter. There is truly nothing better in this world! I had the bone-​in ribeye for my entrée, and my mom had a whole fish (branzino i think). She was a little turned off, as the fish came fully intact, bones at all, but that kind of sitch doesnt bother me! My rib eye was perfection, ALMOST too much to finish, but don’t worry, I did.
My mom had been to tadich 25 years ago with my dad, so it brought back a ton of memories for her. The place has a fun history and ide recommend it to anyone visiting SF who wants a taste of history!

I really like Tadich Grill, which is an institution. Enjoy it for lunch or dinner.
On this visit, we enjoyed the Halibut Florentine (Cheese Sauce and Spinach) and the Pacific Red Snapper, pan fried with a nice Sangiovese by Halo of Napa Valley. The cheese sauce was tasty, tangy, and rich in flavor. The spinach added dimension and contrast. Both fish fillets were thick, tasty, and substantial. Imagine the normal filet, then multiply the thickness times 2. Nothing was overly seasoned. Service was informative and timely.
We recently had the opportunity to dine at the new location in Washington D.C. It was very good and reminiscent of the original grill here in San Francisco. However, there they accept American Express, which they do not in San Francisco; likewise, for reservations-​Yes in D.C., no is S.F. I don’t understand the difference and, at least in the case of American Express, wish it were different.

Hey I haven’t been here in years and this place has been here for eons, since 1849! It is an old school institution so you have to give this place a try. They used to be in another location but moved here in 1967. There are no frills or reservations and the waiters wear white and take no guff as they have been here for years. We went here on a double date and the boys dropped us off but they didn’t realize that we cannot be seated until all of us are there. No reservations and no seating until the entire party is present. When we finally got seated, it was getting busy which was around 5:15 pm. Get there early before the crowd comes which is around 6 pm.
When the waiter came by, he pulls no punches as I was asking him about the sand dabs, which they are known for, and he said «Wait lady, I’m going to tell you all about it». So we had the tasty french bread with butter and I started off with a ginger beer, then split a crab and shrimp salad. We ordered the oysters and shrimp creole, crab and salmon newberg, charbroiled mesquite rex sole and the pan fried sand dabs (which can be de-​boned before it reaches the table). All the entrees were excellent and I especially liked the sand dabs as they deboned it perfectly and I found no bones in my fish.

Getting to swing ’round this place made the experience up front and personal! Tadich Grill’s interior is divided into two long sections, with an extended bar the length of the room anyone eats full meals at (which was our choice), and some booths for families or groups of 4+ on the other side. That must be a system that works well, considering this spot’s been around since 1849!
Onto our early evening orders:
–Tadich Platter for Two: Medley of Crab Legs, Oysters, Prawns, Marinated Herring, Smoked Salmon, Smoked Trout, Calamari Salad, Tomatoes, Anchovies, Capers, Garnish
–Luncheon Special: Slow Roasted Prime Rib, au Jus, with Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables
–Orange Juice
My other half and I shared a ginormous seafood appetizer, which by all accounts wasn’t an appetizer but a meal on its own due to its size! Goodness me, the smoked trout and smoked salmon may make you moan… Their calamari salad was distinguished with garlic and other spices. Don’t get me started about the herring… May have been my favorite!
This was my first visit here, and when I saw Prime Rib on the menu, I had to reach out and grab it! However, while it was very good and prepared medium-​rare as requested, I then learned that the «specialty» here is actually seafood! It’s SF — that simply makes sense. Fully explains why our shared appetizer for seafood sampler blew my shoes off.
I enjoyed everything we had, and would totally come back for a seafood only occasion. Pick your arrival time well — we got here just before the rush, as there are no reservations! Lines as long as the room WILL develop otherwise.

There’s good food, and there’s kick ass food.
I think this place falls into the latter category.
The one thing that gets me here every time is the Cippino.
It’s pretty awesome — everything from the broth to the fresh seafood to the awesome garlic bread. It’s a perfect combination and shouldn’t be missed.
I love the old school feel of this place. There aren’t many restaurants that offer the same classic tradition. The service is friendly, but in a gruff, «hey how you doin» loud kind of way. The counters scream old school. It’s all part of the cool experience of dining here. In addition to the cippino, the clam chowder is also a solid choice. There’s no shortage of items on the menu worth trying, but you can’t go wrong ordering those two items if you only have one opportunity to dine here.
If only they had a place like this in NYC … I’d literally be here all the time. However, it looks like DC folks will get a TG of their own … lucky peeps!

Le repas est très bien mais, on a eu de la pression du serveur car on était proche de la fermeture. Le service du vin est excellent!
Arriver tôt et ça vaudra 4 étoiles :)

Wir kennen ca. 1.500 Restaurants. Wenn wir in San Francisco sind, gehen wir hier immer schlemmen im
ältesten Restaurant von San Francisco und Kaliforniens. Hier werden Fleisch– und Fischgerichte vom Feinsten serviert in einem wundervollem, aussergewöhnlichem Ambiente. T-​Shirt und Sandalen sind hier definitiv nicht angesagt. Wer also was Besonderes sucht, der sollte hier einkehren.

Cioppino — ’nuff said. It’s a perfect piece of art that you can smell and eat. May have even been invented here. So damn good. Food and ambiance are classy, no frills and catered to people who like nice things and don’t have a lot of time for hugs and kisses. If you have the cioppino and throw anything less than a 4 you are sad or not interested in food.