Crack. Suck. Eat. Repeat. Sounds like the opening of a vampire or zombie movie, does it not? Well, sorry to disappoint, but my husband Frank is cracking, sucking, and deliriously savoring a roasted garlic crab in its entirety at the Fog Harbor Fish House. This seafood institution on Pier 39 in San Francisco features a separate crab menu, and that’s perfect, for crab season has officially kicked off and will last until the end of July.
While touristy Pier 39 may be the last place you think you would uncover excellent dining, the 240-seat restaurant draws locals here for its ambiance, food, cocktails, and giant window views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the San Francisco Bay. The crab is harvested daily and locally, so it is literally ocean-to-table dining. It is good to know that years ago Fog Harbor was the first to serve 100 percent sustainable seafood among its compatriots in Fisherman’s Wharf. It also won a hospitality award for being “the exceptional full-service restaurant of the year“ in 2024.
The second-floor restaurant is one of many properties owned by Warren Simmons, the entrepreneur who envisioned the Pier 39 as a waterside shopping, dining destination. It opened in 1978 to rave reviews and is among the top visitor must-sees in the city.
Today, Fog Harbor remains a bustling, energetic family-owned enterprise after nearly 20 years in operation. With entrée prices that range from $19 to $72, seafood is its main staple although you can get a burger, chicken, beef, pasta, and salads. Here on a Saturday afternoon just before dusk, the voluminous dining room and long bar is packed with patrons. It’s a conversation hub where everyone seems to be part of one big party, and guests are straining to talk above the music.
Frank and I sit and gawk at the crab menu, a separate page from the main one. The crab listing features more than twenty crab dishes. A few of the delectable items include: a crab-topped burger, crab-topped fries, Dungeness crab, crab-topped filet mignon, crab-stuffed salmon, and much, much more.
The moment we enter, the sweet savory seafood aroma of crab and clam chowder seizes our senses. We cannot help salivating, hoping that our dishes will come soon after we place our order. But it’s a Saturday, the place is packed, and I’m figuring that our order will go to the bottom of the long pile of requests.
I’m impressed. Within ten minutes, Jason our waiter sails out of the kitchen with a tray holding a hearty crab and avocado salad and a pair of crab cakes with mango bits nested in lettuce leaves. We toast the evening with a lychee cocktail and blood orange margarita, both are on point with its balance of sweet, tart, and zing. By this time, we figure that these appetizers, plus the side of complementary sourdough rolls, with drinks, are ample for dinner.
However, Frank demands his $59 roasted garlic crab, and after tying on his plastic bib, he is ready to crack, extract, and ingest. While I am not a fan of getting my hands wet and icky, Frank kindly does the work for me, and periodically hands me a fully cracked claw to savor. I have ordered the seared scallops over crab risotto. The four scallops and Arborio rice, seasoned in crab broth are an intoxicating seafood marriage. The scallops meet my standard for freshness, appropriately cooked and not overdone, and succulent juiciness. Believe me, scallops are hard to get just right.
Dessert choices are plentiful, and they are ideal for sharing. Frank chooses the dense flourless chocolate torte and crème Brule. The squirt of whipping cream on the side cuts the sweetness, and who isn’t a fan of cracking the sugary shell of a newly-torched crème Brule? However, I adored the three-layer tiramisu that reminded me of our visit to Florence, and the espresso at the base of the dessert packed a perfect punch. Each cake layer featured a moist crumb that was not soggy. The cream between the layers had the right amount of volume and sweetness. The dusted mocha powder accented the square with the proper chocolate-y yum.
Before we knew it, our lovely meal was officially over, and I lapped up the last drop of decaf coffee with sadness, knowing it was time to depart. True, Pier 39 is an unabashed tourist town with buskers, a carousel, an aquarium, shops, bakeries, and a litany of eateries. Yet, even the most jaded traveler will find it is worth revisiting and definitely worth spending an evening of fine dining at Fog Harbor Restaurant.
