Hog Island Oyster Co

During our weekend visit to SF, we stayed across the street from the Ferry Building and decided to come here for dinner on the first night. The food was sooo good! We ordered 4 grilled oysters (chipotle), a grilled cheese, clam chowder, and half a dozen of the oyster bar mix, since I wasn’t sure which type of oyster to get. I don’t think it would have mattered though because they were all really tasty and fresh. The clam chowder was full of REAL clams and I liked it because it was really light (not that creamy).
After dinner, we were greeted outside by the beautiful view of the Bay Bridge, which was lit up.
Such a great experience. I would come back here every time I’m in the city.

Two favorite things to get here: Oysters (of course!) and Shrimp & Grits. Both are so, so, so perfect and appetizing. We’ve gotten the Oyster Bar Mix both times and it’s just always so fresh. I love the variety. Add some lemon and Tabasco = heaven, bottoms up!
Only one con and that’s the bread served at the beginning — it’s so hard/​dry — I’m not sure it’s edible!!! Other than that, I’ll definitely be back for more oysters and grits :)

There is a line but it’s worth it. The staff is amazing especially the oyster guys who are opening the oysters at the oyster bar table. Thank goodness we ask the
Hispanic guy for recommendation he was extremely helpful. I would recommend to go there for experience. The food is good but drinks are not strong at all. The oyster are expensive so be prepare to spend some serious cash.

Worth the wait. Went on a date here and got a mix of the Hogs Island sweetwater (deceiving name as they are saltier) oysters and kumamotos (which I loved!) Have to go at odd hours since the lines get ridiculous and they are a little more pricier but you get a great view of the water and view on a nice day.
Cocktails are good, they have a great selection of scotches and the white wines go really well with the oysters.

TL;DR — Slow, but worth the wait.
Everything is amazing. Seriously… but obviously, get the oysters and the clam chowder. But also bonus noms, the clam po-​boy. YUM. I could have eaten… five by myself. HA.

Delicious oyster, clam chowder, and grill cheese sandwich.
The chowder is a bit different from all that I have, not creamy and thick like normal.
There is always a line, but if you don’t mind waiting worth going to.

Ubicado en uno de los lugares emblemáticos para visitar en San Francisco el Ferry Building, es uno de los restaurantes que siempre que vaya a esta ciudad, TENGO QUE IR. Es un MUST.
El establecimiento como lugar no esta nada wow, ampliaron el lugar no hace mucho, cuentan con unas 15 mesas adentro y otras 10 afuera, pero no te confies la fila para encontrar lugar es de 40 minutos minimo, por eso debes de venir con tiempo y sin tanta hambre, puedes pedir bebidas y consumirlas en la fila pero no es como en algunos rest de Mexico que te invitan el trago, aquí todo te cobran.
Si te gustan los ostiones, este es el lugar, recomiendo que pidan los kumamotos que son pequeños pero con gran sabor, unos mejillones al vino y almejas y para los no amantes de esta comida cuentas con varias opciones diferentes como el grilled cheese sándwich que es super porky pero delicioso.
Si están en sábado en Sanfran es un muy buen dia para visistar este restaurante ya que ese dia hay un organic market en el ferry building con gran cantidad de productos, puedes comprar queso y pan orgánico y echártelo con un muy rico vino a precios muy accesibles.

I stumbled across Hog Island on a walk down the Embarcadero and a trip through the Ferry Building.
It was a nice, sunny late afternoon and, as I was dining alone, I was able to get in quickly and get seated right at the oyster bar with a view of the Bay.
I ordered a couple of oysters, a Bloody Mary (full review at
) and the Seafood Soup.
Everything was quite delicious! I would definitely recommend Hog Island as a place to get your San Fran seafood fix!

Bottom line: worth the wait
Safely they don’t do reservations but they have heaters over the line so that was nice. About an hour wait for our group of 6, that was the only negative.
Huge variety of oysters from all over, we got the 24 sampler and went to town. Comes with a malt vinegar sauce with green onions that was fantastic. It was fun to taste the differences between all the different oysters based on where they came from. They have cocktail and horseradish if you need it, and the horseradish is freshly shredded.
Oysters Rockefeller were great. Chipotle grilled oysters were fantastic. If you only get one app, you can’t go wrong with the chipotle.
The bread they leave on the table to keep you busy is great too, and they keep it coming.
I recommend the old fashion if you like bourbon. All of the specialty bar drinks got good reviews from the crew.
Rustic seafood stew was righteous. A little bit of everything in a tomato based sauce and the plate was clean at the end. I also split a grilled cheese to dip in the sauce and was very pleased.
Couldn’t handle dessert, but considering how good everything else was I will try to save some space for the next time we roll through. We will be back.

Yes! Get their raw oysters. They are definitely one of the best and freshest oyster places I’ve had. It isn’t so bad if you come during opening and we were able to be seated in less than 2 minutes. After we ordered our oysters, they came out almost instantly. The service was great. I would take the BART here to avoid the parking headache in SF!

My family and I came for dinner one evening and there was a line. We waited about 20 minutes until being seated. If we wanted to sit inside the restaurant, we’d have to wait a bit longer so we decided to sit outside. It was rather cold and drizzling. They should have a heater for the outside area. When our waitress came, we ordered:
Oysters — sweetwater and kamamuto
Mussels and fries
Chowder
Cesar salad
Gumbo
Oyster po boy
The waitress that evening was helpful when we were trying to figure out which oysters we wanted to try. When our food came out, everything was delicious. I’m glad I picked the oysters that she had recommended. The mussels and fries were okay but the cesar salad and gumbo were fantastic. The gumbo was rich in flavor and had more than enough seafood in it. The bread was great in soaking up the rich soup in my gumbo.
The cesar salad was one of the better cesar salads I’ve had in a while. They came in full stalk of romaine lettuce and a nice dressing with a good amount of shaved of parmesan cheese.
Food was totally worth the price. Just wish there was a heater outside and the bread was toasted.

The oysters here are amazing! Boyfriend and I had dinner here not too long ago, and we split an oyster bar mix of a dozen oysters, the mussels and pickled veggies. Everything was delicious — I only wish we had ordered more oysters!
Seating is limited, so make sure you get here early to get a seat (and I don’t believe they seat until you have your entire party, either).

I throughly enjoyed my visit here when I came with a group of friends. The wait wasn’t too bad for a Friday. The line moved by rather quickly.
A few of us actually took turns running over to Humphry Slocombe to grab ice cream while we waited in line. Sorry if eating desserts before a meal bothers you! I have been doing this since I was little haha. It doesn’t happen as much now that I’m older.
Anyway, we got seated in between two other parties. The tables were pretty cramped, but that’s okay, it didn’t bother any of us.
Clam chowder-​super light. Too light for my liking. It wasn’t very creamy or hearty. It was pretty thin and watery if that makes sense. Taste wise it was delicious. Sweet clams.
Variety of oysters-​yummmm. I’ve definitely had better oysters, but it had been so long that these tasted like heaven. I should probably go back and reevaluate.
Ahi tuna-​It was aiiittte, I would pass on this.

A must visit spot if you’re a fan of seafood or just coming to SF in general. The oysters are amazing, service is good and food in general is just spot on.
If you don’t like seafood though, go somewhere else. If you do like seafood, this is the place to be!
Keep in mind though, expect a line. At least 30 minutes for a weekend.

A SF must-​try restaurant. There was barely a wait during lunch on a weekday. While there’s both indoor and outdoor seating, my boyfriend and I opted for indoors so our food wouldn’t get cold from the chilly SF breeze. We happened to sit at the high-​top tables overlooking workers cutting up and preparing fish. It was actually really enjoyable to watch and we were amazed by the care they took into making each slice perfect.
To keep things simple, if you’re visiting as a party of two, I’d recommend splitting the clam chowder, grilled cheese sandwich, and your choice of oysters. The hundreds of other reviews on these dishes explain why. It does get a bit pricey but the quality and presentation was well worth the price.

Very popular oyster spot outside the Ferry Building of SF. You’re going to wait a bit during a weekend afternoon. Probably 30 – 40 minutes we waited but it’s cool that you can order drink and drink them while you wait.
They have indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor is pretty nice as you get to see the water and ferry boats. There is a wide variety of oysters to choose from and they come out with a nice presentation and great taste.
The other items that I really enjoyed was the clam chowder and the grilled cheese. The chowder is not your typical SF thick creamy chowder. This is more like a thin broth filled with clams. It’s more of a seafood stew and tastes delicious. The grilled cheese is also really cheesy and satisfying. You can taste that oily goodness.
It is a fun place to feel kind of fancy but get some great food. It seems like one of the popular places to visit when you go to SF.

Should you be visiting San Francisco for the first time, and should you happen to like Oysters, this would be close to a no-​brainer to put on your list. Hog Island is located in the iconic Ferry Building right along The Bay, with beautiful views of the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena/​Treasure Island. If you live here and haven’t been, it is well worth going.
I first visited Hog Island back in 2009 before it’s current renovation. We had just flown in and it was a mid-​Saturday afternoon and I really had no idea where I was going. Out of sheer luck, we stumbled upon the Ferry Building (also put that on your list, especially for the Saturday Farmer’s Market) and found Hog Island. What a gem — Terrific Oysters, Mussels, Clams, Drinks and an awesome Location.
Two things really stand out about Hog Island. First, the Oysters. They typically have seven varieties, ranging from Pacific to Atlantic. The quality is exceptional. They are prices at $ 32 – 36 a dozen, so not cheap. I would highly recommend getting the Oyster Bar Mix and getting two of each, and then add two of the seventh variety if they have it. You will get a big range of different flavors. The second thing that stands out is the space. This is truly a beautiful location, with windows looking The Bay and the bridge, and it also has outdoor seating along the backside of the Ferry Building. A few years back, the expanded to space occupied by another business next door which allowed it to open up and now the bar looks out to the water. The design elements are beautiful.
A few other things to note in no particular order:
*The Oysters Rockefeller are delicious. Their recipe used Pernod and Cream. They also have two other versions of Grilled Oysters.
*Mussels and Clams are on point. You can get a side of fries.
*I have heard that the Grilled Cheese is awesome, but this is only hearsay on my part. I know if uses Cowgirl Creamery Cheese — there is a nice location for this in the building as well.
*They have two bars, and if I’m being honest, hold out for the main bar and get the view — the back bar is sort of in the corner and you’ll miss out on the main feature.
*Eating outside on a nice day is about as good as it gets, but it will almost always be high traffic, particularly for the Saturday Farmers Market.
*They have a solid wine list, including sparkling. Oysters and sparkling wine looking out at The Bay is a moment for the memory bank in my book.
*Be prepared for a solid wait, especially on the weekend.
*And yes, it is fairly expensive, but I think you get what you pay for given the environment and quality of the Oysters. As a local, there may be better deals to be had, but I would go back anytime (especially if it’s on someone else’s nickel).
Again, I will close with the following: If you are new to The City and want an exceptional experience right out of the box, this would be a great choice.

Had heard great things about the place and really wanted to try it out, I was not disappointed.
Came here on a Friday evening with a few friends. If you come from inside the Ferry Building, you walk in the restaurant and walk out the back to get in line from the outside. The place gets busy and the wait is LONG. We were almost contemplating going somewhere else but decided to suck it up and wait.
We wanted to be seated outside to enjoy the nice view but later asked the host that inside was just fine too just so we could be seated sooner anywhere.
If you are going to get oysters, do the Oyster Mix, you get to make your own platter with your own choices from the list. When they bring it to you, they’ll let you know what is what oyster that you picked, remember that so if you like a particular one so if you want to reorder you know what you liked.
The Chipotle grilled garlic oyster was good, I thought it was alright, one of my friends really liked it.
The pulled pork sandwich sliders were alright, the sauce was a little different which I didn’t really like. My friend got the baby back ribs, he said they were just alight, maybe a little over cooked and not meaty enough.
The oysters are def the best thing on the menu and recommend the Oyster mix of you haven’t had oysters here so you can get a little taste of different kinds. It is a little pricey but as expected for this place.
Be prepared to wait a while for a seat, enjoy the oysters!

I have been to this place twice and both times I have LOVED it. I really wanted to give this place 5 stars, but it is just too popular and service is a bit spotty. Nonetheless, the seafood here is amazing! If you are a seafood lover, this is a place that you cannot miss in the city! Plus, there are other wonderful market places to stroll through in the Ferry Building while you make your way here to Hog Island!
The line is long, but it moves quite fast. My friends and I got here around 6pm on Friday and we got in after 20 minutes wait. For a party of 3, we sat at a 2 person table. It was way too crowded for us and my friend kept on wanting to request for a larger table. There were also no servers to attend us for a good 15 minutes. I had to kept on flagging down someone to get our order in. My first experience here when we sat at the bar was definitely a lot better!
We ordered their Clam Chowder, Mussels, Lamb Chops, Steamers, and they were all really delicious and fresh. Their clam chowder here is a must! I actually like this better than the New England style, since it is less thick and wayyy more clams! The creamy broth is rich in clam flavor just so so good! The mussels were fresh and juicy. Be sure to use those free bread to soak up the sauce! Yuum! Their oysters are super fresh and sweet, but a bit pricey for 6. The lamb chops were surprisingly tender and juicy as well.
Overall, this is a solid seafood restaurant at the Ferry Building. Take a trip here on a sunny day and you can have a great view of the Bay Bridge while you are indulging yourself in delicious oysters and clam chowder! It’s awesome.

Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food or drink):
1 star: Never again.
2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back.
3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad.
4 stars: Very good, would definitely return.
5 stars: A favorite, one of the best.
This is our gold standard when it comes to raw bars. We come here every single time we come to SF, sometimes multiple times. We are dreaming about the day we can go up to their Marshall location.
I’m not going to dwell on the raw oysters too much. On our last trip we ordered 4 dozen oysters. We love them. They were all great and expertly shucked, lots of liquor left in almost all of them. Clams here are also excellent.
We’ve tried the boquerones here and they are the weakest dish we’ve tried. They’re fine, just not spectacular like the rest.
Chowder. Steamers. Seafood stew. All excellent. Get them all the time. The bread it all comes with is perfect for dipping. It is chewy and stands up to all the juices to sop up.

Really neat to try this place out! It was our first stop here and it is located in the Ferry Building and is very easy to find. You get a great view of the water from here and lots of fresh air.
Here’s what we ordered:
1) Oyster Po’ Boy — The cornmeal fried oysters were amazing! The oysters tasted really fresh and the entire sandwich was very savory.
2) Chowder — The clams in here were plentiful and the soup was buttery. It was a very liquid-​y (not heavy and creamy) and a very delicious and hearty soup! I loved dipping the bread in this soup at the end.
We had a great experience here. There was plenty of seating and it was very welcoming to tourists as well as those who work nearby. The ambiance was very relaxing and customer service was excellent!

Unfortunately, right after consuming this as my only meal of the day, I got the bubble guts. My stomach was bubbling like crazy and I had to pass gas or else my stomach would explode. But instead of my stomach exploding, my gluteus Maximus was erupting on the toilet about 3 times. I’m not sure what caused my bowel movement to act outlandishly, but I don’t care. The food was bomb so keep on reading!
I heard so many reviews regarding hog island so I finally was able to try it today! I flew in from Los Angeles for just a couple of hours to try it. The line wasn’t long as we went on a Monday at 4pm. Got seated after about 10 mins at the bar. The table takes a little longer to be seated at. Wouldn’t recommend big groups to eat here as tables are limited.
We got the dozen oyster mix and 6 additional kumamotos oysters. Lord. They were all so delicious and I’m so glad that they have the sweet vinegar. Most places don’t have that. I was so ecstatic that I even forgot to ask if they had horseradish. Kumamotos were really really tiny, hopefully it’s just the season.
I also had the Cajun bourbon oysters which was FIRE! I love big oysters and these were just the perfect size. I’ll be back to try the other grill oysters
I also ordered the chef special which was the halibut. It was in sashimi form with a very lemony sauce which was EXQUISITE. Gahhhh it came with 5 slices! I should of ordered another one just thinking about it.
Last but not least… CLAM CHOWDER!!! Kill me now. I’m from Los Angeles and I won’t be able to get this when I crave it. It’s not just a big pot of clam chowder in the back waiting to be served, it’s made to order! The clams were fresh and still in their shell. Not a big deal to pick them off and then enjoy your soup. It was a creamy soupy clam chowder, not your typical thick soup base. Ugh and the bacon was just the icing to the clam chowder. I didn’t even realize to add pepper and tapatio to make it spicy like I do to all my clam chowder.

This review is for 1 dish only. You can only eat so many oysters in a day
BagnaCauda
–grilled oysters with garlicky herb butter. There was so much meat on the oyster and the consistency was fresh and buttery smooth !
I totally used the delicious complementary bread to soak up the sauces from the oyster
Service was alright and understandable for a busy place
I would love to come back to try more one day, and bring my friends to try more of a variety!

Oh holy mother of delicious seafood, yasssss Hog Island Oyster Co! That doesn’t even make sense, but where have you been all my life??? I probably first heard about Hog Island 2 years ago, but the thought of the long waits kept me at bay. Oh, silly me. The wait would’ve totally been worth it!
I stopped by for lunch with a friend on Tuesday and arrived at 11 a.m., and there was a small line of maybe 10 – 15 people. As soon as they opened, we were seated and given water. It was a beautiful day, so we opted to sit outside. Service was really great — menus, extra utensils, food. Perfect!
We had:
— Oyster bar mix: SO DELICIOUS. My favorite was the oyster from Washington, but sadly I don’t remember the specific name. Their house sauce is also so so yummy!
— Chipotle Bourbon grilled oysters: ORDER THESE. Nice smokey flavor and the chipotle is just delicious. Yes, I drank the leftover sauce in the shell.
— Clam chowder: I’m used to more thick, chunky chowders, but this was AMAZING. It’s definitely very watery, but so much flavor! It also comes with a ton of clams and potatoes, yasssss
I want to come back every week and stuff my face with oysters and chowder. My stomach says yes, but my wallet say nooo.

Just 3 steps to happiness for seafood lovers…
1. Raw AND Grilled Oysters (Get BOTH! Seriously)
2. Clam Chowder (More soup like than most are used to, but ab-so-f’ing-mind-boggling delicious)
3. Grilled Cheese (Leave your diet at home and just go for it!)
Order these items and your tastebuds will thank you.
A few tips for the uninitiated:
–If you’re driving here, one person should get dropped off to wait on that never ending line while the other looks for parking. FYI, it’s about 25 – 30 min wait from the «join line here» sign.
–Restaurant and the line to dine is located in the back of the Ferry building, almost smack dab in the middle of everything.
–We sat at the bar, but it’s mostly communal tables so no eye contact with fellow diners while the foodgasmic party in your mouth has you moaning like Meg Ryan in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ Unless you’re single and find the person across from you attractive ;)
TL;DR: Does this review even need a tl;dr?! Go back and read my review, you lazy mofo!

Do not be turned off by the long line — this place is definitely worth the wait.
My bf and I came on a sunny Saturday around 3pm, expecting the lunch rush to die down. We were wrong. The line was super long, but we essentially visited SF just to try this place, so we decided to wait. You’re right by the water, so it isn’t so bad, especially when the weather is great. You can also get a head start on the menu or order a drink from the bar to pass time.
After waiting about 45 minutes, we were led to our spot at the end of a long table. They give you sourdough and butter as a starter, which is always appreciated.

OYSTER BAR MIX (6 for $ 20): I’ve never been a fan of oysters, so I’m not gonna base my review on them. They have a decent selection of fresh ones to choose from, and I like that they give you the option to mix and match. My bf enjoyed these!
CLAM CHOWDER ($ 14): Hog Island has ruined all other clam chowders for me. I grew accustomed to the typical clam chowder you get from a can or at other restaurants — super thick, creamy, heavy, and lacking in the clam department. Hog Island’s is the complete opposite. It overflows with fresh clams, lots of veggies, BACON, and a much thinner and more flavorful broth. I personally enjoyed the runnier consistency. Paired with the bread I mentioned earlier, this makes for a very satisfying meal.
The hostess and server were attentive, and the restaurant is clean and has a great atmosphere. I highly recommend stopping by this place if you love fresh seafood!

Best clam chowder, hands down!
I came here for my birthday lunch with my boyfriend (hence party of 2). It was a rainy day, and there was a decently sized line for the restaurant, but the wait was only 20 minutes! It was such a short wait since I seriously thought the wait would be an hour considering the size of the line.
We were seated at a table with other people which was weird at first, but you will get used to it. Just don’t expect total, secluded privacy. We ordered two bowls of Clam Chowder ($ 14 each), one Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($ 12) to share, and one Old Bay Fries ($ 4) to share. During our wait for food, we were given a pitcher of water that came in a clear glass wine bottle with Acme Bread (which is located in the Ferry Building Marketplace).
The food came out quicker than expected as the restaurant was extremely busy. We were given our order all at once, so it’s not a restaurant that serves each dish when it is done being cooked.
1. OLD BAY FRIES: I was expecting the portion to be larger than expected since it was pricey for fries, but it was delicious. The seasoning was really hard to decipher. I think it’s along the lines of Cajun seasoning, but my boyfriend thinks it was more so long the lines of Mediterranean. Either way, the seasoning was fantastic!
2. GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH: Holy cow! I really loved the grilled cheese sandwiches because it was perfectly grilled. I love it because I think the bread and cheese ratio was great: not too much cheese and not too much bread. From the menu, it seems that the grilled cheese sandwiches consists of 3 types of cheese: Cowgirl Creamery’s Fromage Blanc (which is a cheese store in Ferry Building Marketplace), Vella Mezzo Secco, and Cave-​aged Gruyère. Honestly, I will say that this MIGHT be my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches as it was not too heavy.
3. CLAM CHOWDER: This is the best clam chowder I have ever eaten because it just tastes so fresh and light. It’s nothing like Boudin. It’s totally worth it because this clam chowder actually consists of so many clams! I would say that there was at least 20 clams in each of the chowder. Other than the clams, there were also bacon, potatoes, and veggies that did not overwhelm the star of the dish which is obviously the clams. This is a MUST try!
Overall, you would be silly to not come here because the food will not disappoint your tastebuds!

Man, I used to come to Hog Island on a weekly basis back in 2006 – 2008 but, in the last five or so years getting a table at this place is next to impossible. Much to my surprise, yesterday (3÷1÷16) they were wide open for lunch! Crazy.
With my excitement on full blast, I was seated outside in the SF sunshine. I’m well aware they are known for their spectacular oysters but, I head up to their farm in Marshall and buy them by the bushel to shell on my own on a regular basis. That being said, no need for oysters this time.
There are two items on a menu that give me a knee jerk reaction when ordering, seafood stews (cioppino, bouillabaisse, etc.) and fried chicken. It’s like tourettes and I get them every time. «Fried chicken!». «Seafood stew!». Needless to say, I had the seafood stew for lunch which had a wonderful light tomato broth and a medley of fresh local seafood. Yum. Check the picture and see how many you can identify on your own :)
Hog Island, you’re still on point. Thanks for not changing.

Best oysters I have ever had… make sure to get the Sweetwaters and don’t bother with the other choices. Love the (Acme) bread and butter. Have tried a few other dishes and they are very good. Perfect wine list. Beautiful space.
Unfortunately this location is always crowded, so I prefer to go to their other locations when I can.

Service was good, but food wasn’t really remarkable for the cost, which worked out to over $ 53.00 per head for our four-​person lunch party.
Only two of us ordered drinks (we each had a Bloody Mary), and they were awesome!
My son ordered 24 oysters and they were good, but the variety he ordered seemed to be very small. We figured that each oyster (about ¼ teaspoon of meat) cost us $ 2.66 before tax and tip.
Other dishes at our table: Oyster Po’ Boy, Oysters and grits, Bouillabaisse, Clam Chowder, and a salad (can’t remember which one). None were to die for. In particular, the bouillabaisse was very thin, bland, simple, and wanting for flavor, despite the abundance of seafood it contained.
We waited in line outside before noon on a Saturday. The wait wasn’t bad and it gave us time to study the menu. We were seated outside: the metal chairs will freeze your behind on cold mornings. But it looks like they are in the process of installing new heaters.
This place is a money machine. They hustle you in, promptly take your order, and bring out the dishes without very much delay. Everyone is pleasant, polite, and professional, but if you’re in the mood for a more relaxed lunch you’ll need to look elsewhere.
One more thing: the bill is presented on a small clipboard instead of the typical padded folder. You need to leave it face-​up so that your server can see your credit card is ready for pickup, but your dining companions can easily view the bill and total. Not cool in certain situations. After walking out my wife started remarking right away about the total. It was a lot, but I just wanted to forget about it. (The bill was to my left and she was seated to my right.)
Again, this was a good dining experience, but not a fine dining experience. I would go again, but just for the oysters and Bloody Marys!

Hog Island Oyster Co is a seafood restaurant in San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building. Come for the oysters, ACME bread, long lines, and of course San Francisco views. The food is too good to be a tourist trap so any visit to San Francisco should include a visit to Hog Island.
My Overall Rating — 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — I’m not sure why it’s called Hog Island, but I can tell you that hundreds of people can’t be wrong. Part of the greatness of Hog Island is the fact it’s located in the Ferry Building. It’s an amazing market for food lovers, locals, tourists, and those who are curious. You’ll find all these and more at Hog Island. The line starts in the back but outdoor seating will grant you the best views. 1 Star.
Service — The line is long but it keeps moving. We had about a 20-​minute wait at about 1:30 on a Saturday. The staff is efficient and keep things moving. We sat outside with the amazing view. They were busy and there were gaps in service. I guess it could have been better but they’re pretty busy. ½ Star.
Food — Your meal starts with ACME bread. This baguette has little ‘horns’ that you can break off. Yes, I’m writing about bread because it’s that memorable. Plenty of oyster options available. Choose the ones that interest you and you’ll be rewarded with nothing but fresness. I went the sideways route and ordered with the fried oysters and waffles. The oysters were plump, perfect, and everything you would want. The waffle could have been from a box because it wasn’t very good. That was the only thing I ate that I didn’t care for. You’ll also get some of the best (if not the best) clam chowder on the West Coast. Those who like to imbibe should order a Bloody Mary. Who am I kidding? You’ll order two. 1 ½ Star.
Will I Return? — Yes. It’s probably more of a tourist trap if you ask locals. Well I’m a tourist and my visit will surely warrant a return. 1 Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five-​star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.

¹⁴⁄₁₀₀
More like 3.5. Tried this place after a trip to alcatraz with my cousin since she wanted to try it. It’s actually outside the ferry building in the back if you’re looking to try it out.
Pros:
— Located by the Ferry Building along Embarcadero, which is known to have loads of neat foods and things.
— Interior is wide with available seating at tables and the bar.
— Menu is simple and consists of different types of oysters, small plates and entrees, salads, sides, and drinks.
— You get a nice view of the ocean sitting near the window.
— Complimentary baguette and butter given while waiting for your food.
— Workers will help you shuck your oysters if you order them.
Cons:
— SUPER PRICEY.
— Lines get really long and the place gets crowded.
— Some workers are a hit and others are a miss.
We ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, the clam chowder, and 6 oysters, although I forget which ones exactly. The clam chowder was rich and creamy, but much of the soup had loads of shells in there that needed to be fished out, which I spent the majority of my time doing. The grilled cheese sandwich was an interesting taste to my palate. The cheeses were really gooey and the bread was pretty crispy. But at $ 12, I may as well make my own grilled cheese. It came with pickled veggies but I didn’t really dig them that much. We had 6 raw oysters and they were also pretty good but not super amazing.
This place is good for their oysters so you should probably stick to them, especially during happy hour when they’re cheaper.

Un restaurant désigné $$ «seulement» dans le ferry building ! L’affaire semblait trop belle. C’est donc avec grande méfiancé que je m’insérais dans la queue* un dimanche soir.
Pour l’endroit les prix sont effectivement relativement corrects: entre 15 et jusqu’à 24 dollars pour chaque plat principal. Les menus étaient accessibles dans la queue, l’attente né fut donc pas trop désagréable, et finalement pas très longue.
D’humeur gourmande nous optâmes aussi pour quelques plats d’accompagnements.
Combo d’huître en entrée: excellent. Je vous conseille très fortement cette option car certaines huîtres ont vraiment des goût différent. J’ai découvert une variété au goût «beurré» assez succulente. Le prix des huîtres est quant à lui globalement dans la moyenne du coin. Les miennes étaient tellement fraîche que je remarquai plusieurs minuscule crevette vivante vivant dans leur eau (des protéines en plus yay !). Pour les plus petites bourses, cette option n’est pas du tout nécessaire, lire la suite.
Gumbo (spécialité du jour): soupe épicées mélange de saucisse et fruits de mer. Sur. le. cul. Une soupe aux nombreuses saveurs, le cuisinier ayant su trouver une bonne balance entre épices et fruits de mer. Plusieurs convives piquèrent dans mon assiette (non mais !).
Shrimp Gritz: on se situe ici dans un plat typiquement américain. L’on me soufflé à l’oreille que le plat était à la hauteur des attentes bien qu’un peu léger en terme de quantité.
Chowder: soupe blanche aux fruits de mer et pommes de terre typique de San Francisco. La qualité était au rendez-​vous. J’ai quant à moi préféré l’originalité du Gumbo à cette soupe non épicée mais c’est un choix conservateur qui né décevra point.
Cerise sur le gâteau, le tout est servi avec du pain blanc de très bonne qualité et du beurre mou renouvelable à l’infini.
Hog Island c’est ma révélation du mois. Si vous cherchez un restaurant avec vue sur la baie (et le Bay Bridge !) ou tout simplement un excellent restaurant de fruit de mer pour un prix acceptable, vous vous trouvez sur la bonne page !
*Pour ceux qui ont du mal à trouver l’entrée: il faut traverser ferry building sur la largeur pour rejoindre la berge. Une fois le long de l’eau, remonter vers le nord où vous repérerez l’enseigne.

Obwohl wir ca 20 min anstehen mussten war es das Wert. Die grillierten Austern mit Burbon waren der Knaller!

Clam chowder très bon avec une grosse dose de palourdes. Choix intéressant d’huîtres. Excellent service, vue sur le Bay Bridge et les ferries, belle salle animée. Prévoir un peu d’attente.

Bei knapp 3.000 Unilocal Reviews und 4,5 Sternen im Schnitt kann man nicht viel falsch machen, oder? Genau das dachten wir uns auch.
Es sollten Austern und Seafood werden. Unsere erste Wahl, ein Oyster Depot Downtown, hatte leider geschlossen. Eine kurze Unilocal Recherché hat uns diese schöné Location direkt am Pier finden lassen. Es gab eine kleine Schlange — normal bei so vielen Unilocal Reviews — aber innerhalb von 15 Minuten saßen wir dann schön auf der Terrasse mit Meerblick.
Der Service war sehr freundlich und schnell. Ich hatte eine große gemischte Austernplatte, danach einen Seafood Stew und dazu ein Glas Sancerre. Es war alles lecker und frisch. Interessant fand ich es festzustellen, dass die US-​Austern (egal ob Ost– oder Westküste) in den USA teurer sind als die bretonischen Austern in Deutschland. Geschmacklich nehmen die sich nicht viel — das ist zumindest meine amateurhafte Meinung.
Warum «nur» 4 Sterne? Da der Laden hier rund um die Uhr brummt hat man die Preise recht hoch angesetzt denke ich. Jedenfalls finde ich es nicht gerade preiswert. Außerdem war der Sancerre nicht gut. Das Essen war lecker und der Blick ist einfach wunderschön! Ich würde wiederkommen.

Pour les huîtres bien entendu mais beaucoup aussi pour la vue sur le Bay Bridge.

Tips:
Grilled Cheese — super oily, but the taste is amazing. Comfort food at it’s best for cheese lovers. Absolutely recommend sharing this with 2 or more people or else you’ll feel like you weight 100 lbs more after.
Clam Chowder — flavor is GREAT, more on the soup side rather than other thicker clam chowders I’ve had before. An abundance of seafood, won’t be disappointed.
Bay fries — thin cut fries with seasoning, my favorite kind of fries!
Rockefeller Grilled Oysters — Local spinach, sweet onions, lemon zest, Pernod and cream (YUM, YUM, YUM)
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I absolutely love this place and would come back many many times. The food is amazing and the environment is great. It’s a classy yet casual bar/​restaurant with great food. Definitely recommend stopping by here if you’re in the Ferry Building in San Francisco.