![]() ![]() ![]() But hopefully they can give you some idea. My phone photos are very dark since I didn’t want to use a flash, so they can’t do justice to the beauty of the room. On my recent visit we were told that the Fireplace Lounge is staffed only on Friday and Saturday nights, though we were served a drink in the bar after we asked nicely. The last time I visited on a recent weekday summer night the fireplace was lit, though it may not be every night through the year. But the fish tank is still there to distract you from the TV, and the fireplace is as well. Unfortunately, a TV was added sometime around the early 2000s (I don’t recall its presence when I first visited the bar in the late 1990s). The lounge received new blue vinyl chairs, blue tufted-vinyl, high-backed bar stools and new carpet in the fisherman motif, but the rest of the lounge remained the same, including the honey-stained wood walls with diamond-shaped panels, the stained glass windows, also in a diamond pattern, the coffered wood ceiling, the light sconces, the curving wood bar, and the back bar with decorative carved wood treatments and a statue of Poseidon with (perhaps) Amphitrite, one of his many mates. In the 1960s the Fireplace Lounge and Florentine Dining Room were remodeled a bit. Thankfully the gift shop is still as beautiful as ever. Gift Shop – I took this photo of part of the gift shop in 2012 when they were renovating it. The only ones that retain a classic feel are Pompei’s Grotto, Scoma’s (though gradually it is being updated), and Fishermen’s Grotto, which is the oldest and the best-preserved restaurant on the Wharf. ![]() Most of the above restaurants have been expanded, remodeled, and updated. Later many stands evolved into restaurants, including Castagnola’s (the stand opened in 1916, but the restaurant opened later), Alioto’s (1925, the restaurant in 1938), Sabella / La Torre (1927, the restaurant starting in the late 1940s), Pompei’s Grotto (1946), The Franciscan (1957), and Scoma’s (1965). Some had large pots to cook Dungeness crab to be sold as crab cocktails in paper cups. In the early days of the wharf these fisherman would set up stands offering their days catch. It still acts as a working wharf with many fishing boats operated by the third generation of long-time Italian fishing families. Time Machines is because the site had a list of Top Ten Overall Time Machine Restaurants in the Los Angeles area.įishermen’s Grotto, 1936 – photo by Fishermen’s Grotto Facebook pageĪlthough the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood and tourist attraction in San Francisco extends from Pier 39 to Ghirardelli Square, the original wharf where Fisherman’s Grotto is located was created in 1906 from the remains of Meiggs’ Wharf enlarged with rubble from the great San Francisco earthquake. For Mad Men fans, here is a Google Map by the site showing classic restaurants that were used as filming locations in the early seasons of the TV show. This map has hours (which may not be correct anymore) addresses, and year opened, while this map just has short descriptions of the sites. There are a few remnants from the site, namely some outdated Google Maps made from the locations that were listed on the site. Sadly, in late 2011 the author took the web site down for health reasons and it has never come back. It started in 2004 but it had the look of a 90s web site, basic but chock full of great information. One of my favorite web sites during the pre-commercialization heyday of the World Wide Web was the Los Angeles Time Machines site (). UPDATE: Fishermen’s Grotto was purchased in 2016 and closed for remodeling. ![]() The waiters wear black vests with white shirts, black slacks, and red ties. The service was very attentive on my recent visit. And check out those beautiful murals and intricate “palace” lamps! I also love the vintage linoleum floor. The restaurant was freshly painted since the last time I visited but the colors are pleasing, not garish like in so many Chinese restaurants. Reservations are REQUIRED to sit in a private compartment (walk-ins welcome for the main dining room). Sam’s Grill and Tadich Grill (both in San Francisco) also still have similar private dining compartments. They specialize in seafood, so that’s what you should order.Ī unique feature are the private wood dining compartments on one side of the dining room (that matches the wood paneling on the opposite side), which the restaurant says are the last in any Chinese restaurant in the city. The Far East Cafe serves traditional Cantonese style Chinese and Chinese-American food, with a sprinkling of Szechuan dishes on the menu as well. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |