Waterbar
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 284-9922
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Folsom Street
- Hours:
- Daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Waterbar – by Michael Peck
The Scene
Partner and designer Pat Kuleto's attention to detail pays off fully in the elegance of the main dining room, which boasts an impressive shellfish bar lit by a hand-blown glass chandelier, plus two 19-foot-tall pillar aquariums teeming with an array of colorful sea life. Well-heeled out-of-towners--both the tourist and the over-the-bridges variety--share the ample space with an after-work crowd, special-occasion diners and those taking advantage of the dark, beneath-the-ocean ambiance to enjoy a romantic date. Kuleto also managed to pull off a noteworthy trick with the layout: The room maintains an air of intimacy while also incorporating views into the exhibition kitchen and, on the window side, a stunning view of the Bay Bridge. That utilitarian crossing may not be much to look at during the day--it's justifiably overshadowed by its red sister to the northwest, beauty-wise--but when lit up at night, it provides an impressive backdrop for dinner and drinks.
The Food
Unlike the seafood-labeled establishments that fall just this side of legitimacy because they do, in fact, include food from the sea on the menu, Waterbar is the real deal. An assortment of oysters was truly an assortment, with fresh Hog Island kumamotos, Virginia olde salts, British Columbia Fanny Bays, Washington Deer Creeks and Massachusetts wellfleets providing a range of briny goodness to kick off the fun. A geoduck ceviche with meyer lemon, chervil and artichoke and a chilled-white-gulf-shrimp cocktail added to the encouraging start, while a grilled Quinault River Steelhead with kale and bacon, the entree highlight of the evening, was an enjoyable main event. Following that, the warm bittersweet chocolate pudding cake with coffee ice cream and the ginger creme brulee with chocolate cookies provided a sweet and final note of decadence.
Hits: The staff is friendly and knowledgeable: Our server, for example, not only put together the aforementioned oyster array and explained her choices, she also provided the helpful touch of a card with the name and count of each listed.
Misses: This is definitely subjective. But while the view of tanks filled with the swimming and scuttling sea life destined for the kitchen is a testament to how fresh the offerings are, we couldn't escape the thought that putting them just a few feet from their brethren in the ornamental aquariums was like building a country club just outside the windows of death row. We're anthropomorphizing, we know, and it certainly didn't stop us from cleaning our plate, but still ...
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Insider Tips
Where to SitWhen the weather plays nice, request a table on the expansive outdoor deck, which overlooks the Bay Bridge and is shared by sister restaurant Epic Roasthouse.
Fun FactThe critters in those ornamental tanks are exclusively from the Pacific Ocean. The big snake-like one that's so beautiful in its ugliness? That's a wolf eel, which can grow up to more than six feet in length and isn't actually an eel--it's a fish.
What to DrinkThe vya con dios (Myers's dark rum, Vya sweet vermouth, raspberry puree, lime juice, pineapple juice, orange juice), contrary to its name--"go with God"--is a devilishly tasty way to greet the evening to come.
Know Before You GoIf you don't feel like dealing with traffic or paying to valet, the J and T MUNI lines stop a short distance away from the front door.
The ExtrasA variety of private-dining options are available, from space for outdoor functions to the entire second floor, which boasts its own kitchen, terraces, bar and seating for 50.
User Reviews for Waterbar
04/06/2008 Posted by kreggiemg
Okay, we're all used to paying high prices for dinner and drinks, but usually the cost is matched with quality food and quality service. Not here. We had a hard time flagging down our waiter most of the evening, when he did make an appearance, it came with an attitude, and a surprising unprofessional knowledge of his own menu. One of our table guests asked if they had any Mexican beer, he replied no, only to see that they had Corona on the bar list. The food was bland, paying way too much attention on the "been-there-done-that" presentations and not packing any flavor...appetizers were attractive but completely uneventful to the palette, everything lacked taste, except for the oysters were basically okay, although not as described by the waiter. My husband inquired about the stone crab as a final course, however, we went with the waiters preference of the shrimp, which according to him were a much better selection! When the plate arrived about a 45 minutes later, we had 3 shrimp the size of half dollars, burnt to a crisp at $24! Is anyone watching the grill? Come on, that's $8 bucks each if you do the math. Oh and did I mention, my Grey Goose Martini was served warm with mushy olives. The best thing, are the fish tanks,
Pros: Aquarium display
Cons: Poor Service, Over priced, Bland Food
03/28/2008 Posted by quietmouse33
I was not impressed with this restaurant. I had lunch there a few weeks ago. Yes, the view is nice, but I wouldn't call it spectacular. You can get a similar view from the Ferry Building or the Waterfront Restaurant and the view at Pier 23 is also pretty nice. The exterior of the building is boring at best. The food was uninspired but fine. It was edible but not nearly as good as the Waterfront, certainly not worth the price. The restaurant is very large inside and can get fairly loud. The servers seemed to know their job and the menu but also came across a bit elitist and not warm. The hostess was cordial but cool and I think she may have been chosen more for her physical appearance than people skills. This place is just not welcoming and the food doesn't measure up to San Francisco standards for high-end seafood. Also, the waiter made a point of telling us that some of the fish is flown in daily from Great Britain and Japan. He seemed to think we'd be impressed but all I could think of was the environmental impact of that kind of cavalier use of airplane fuel. We have excellent fish in the Pacific waters right off our own coast. Again, not in keeping with San Francisco standards. I will add though, that the restaurant has a couple of very large, and spectacular, column aquariums created by the folks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium that add to a nice decor if you are seated near them. If what you want is a good view of the bay and good seafood go to the Waterfront, don't waste your money at Waterbar.
Pros: beautiful aquarium columns, nice view
Cons: food quality doesn't merit price, loud, cold staff, not remotely environmentally sensitive
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