San Francisco, Fillmore. April 2024. A very casual intimate place from the same group as State Bird Provisions and the Progress. They're right around the corner from State Bird Provisions, on O' Farrell, with an outdoor parklet, cozy small tables and a counter in front of the raw seafood bar. The emphasis is on seafood, and especially something you don't see in ther city - local San Francisco Bay anchovies that are filleted and presented the same day they are caught. I felt the Anchovy Bar Tower For Two is the way to go for an introduction. Most of the time you'll find a seafood tower to be predictable - a few clams and oysters, some whole shrimp, a lobster tail, some sashimi cuts of fish, a couple of marinated dishes - nothing to differentiate it from any other other place. This tower is one of the most interesting presentations of flavors and variety. You get a half dozen freshly shucked raw oysters, then everything else on their raw bar! This includes some fresh wedges of cucumber, oysters shooters, spicy clams on the halfshell, bay shrimp aguachile, a squid conserva the doesn't come from a tin, scallop tartare, smoked trout tabboulet, and a halibut taramasalata made with bottarga, olive oil, and lemon juice. Understated, but the most interesting item are the anchovy pintxos - the same local bay anchovy caught and filleted that day, on a spike with marinated roasted red pepper and Manzanilla olives. You will not miss not having lobster. If you don't feel like seafood then maybe some house mortadella with a sweet and tart agrodolce of balsamic and strawberry + whipped butter over a slab of focaccia. Or, duck schnitzel with capers and citrus and lemon aioli - I watched it being prepared and the smell was so tempting. They have a nice list of wine, a couple of apertifs, and some decent fino sherry. Unfortunately, beer is limited and there are no hard spirits or cocktails. Very nice place only a few minutes walk from Japantown. I only wish they had cocktails and a happy hour.
Michelle K.
My friend and I came here on a Monday evening with a reservation, and it wasn't super busy which was nice. We stayed for 2 hours and shared some spicy clams, squid, and scallop tartare from the raw bar, the trout, and the anchovy with focaccia bread. Everything was delicious and flavorful. We only wished there was more quantity given the higher price point as well. The ambiance was refined and moody, and the service was fast and considerate.
Kim V.
My husband is a big fan of seafood, especially oysters so we decided to celebrate his birthday in Anchovy. We ordered Californian Anchovies, Halibut Ceviche, Oysters, and the seafood stew. Everything was delicious! Portions are small tho. I would recommend sitting at the bar so you can watch the chefs at work! The only downside is that they don't have a full bar, so the cocktail options are very limited.
HY B.
Loved: nothing Liked: Anchovy toast, Halibut ceviche Wouldn't get again: Anchovies in purgatory (greasy, bones didn't have a nice texture), Meyer lemon miso clams (soy yuba was flavorless and didn't add anything to the dish)
Matt Ross
Every dish was delicious, original, flavorful, and memorable. Managed to not get over anchovies despite having it in almost every dish. Definitely recommend the gravlax, jerky, focaccia, and sundae. Duck schnitzel was good but not on par with the rest.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark S.
The emperor's new clothes. While I like the idea of this restaurant, the food did not live up to my high expectations. We had a lot of food and most of it was overpowered by brightness that is too acidic . The crab ravioli was a bit too al dente and the barbecue oyster was just too tart. The trout gravlax was overpowered by the passion fruit sauce and berries. I would recommend the polenta and salad with mortadella but that's about it. Disappointed :-( Good service ambiance was nothing special
The service was pretty good. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable about the wines and helped us make all our decisions for the evening. The food (mostly) came out in a timely manor and was quite good. The trout gravlax was the best dish of the night. The trout was tender and the accompaniments bright and zesty. The ambiance was a little intimate but nice. The music selection was eclectic and enjoyable. Vanilla Tamarind sundae was good and mainly the reason we came by. I would've liked more roasty flavors and it was dominated by the ice cream. Worth the try but wouldn't get it again. Would recommend it to friends and family and would go back.
Lori R.
4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 fantastic date night spot. Intimate and beautiful set up. Not good for large groups though. Service: 4.5/5 everything was great but a lady came up to us to ensure we had ordered and it was almost like she was stressed that we hadn't been helped and was a little frantic. But other than that everything was great. Food: 4/5 Highly recommend the anchovy tower - I enjoyed everything on the tower. It was fun tasting a few different oysters from different locations as they add were different. The anchovy toast was also really good- wouldn't recommend if you don't like oily fish though. Steak tar tar was very good - nice flavors and good texture balance. The Dungeness crab dish was actually pretty disappointing. The pasta was too undercooked and the sauce was a bit overpowering to the crab. The deviled egg wasn't that memorable either. Overall I would recommend anchovy bar for those who enjoy seafood other than just fish- it is on the more expensive side so is great for a special occasion or date night !
Ethan Wade
Cute little spot with a great wine program and delicious food. Very large by the glass wine list for a restaurant of this size, and there’s a great mix of options to please classic and adventurous palettes alike. The food was delicious - everything was light, fresh, and with a great mix of textures. Staff were very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Well defined vision and great experience!Dietary restrictions: Staff were very knowledgeable to help navigate the menu for food allergies.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Anchovy Toast
Hendrix H.
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinki's restaurant group do not miss. The Anchovy Bar is exactly how it sounds, an intimate and posh bar serving the best anchovies in the city. A perfect spot to pregame and nibble on light snacks before heading to your 8 pm dinner reservation. The 1/2 dozen anchovies and chip n dip are my usual orders. The 1/2 dozen arrive on a board complete with anchovies and an assortment of toppings. During my last visit, the board had goat cheese, rosemary marcona almonds, giardiniera, microgreens, and scallion crackers. The pairings often change so expect different accompaniments. The board gives you the option to create the perfect anchovy cracker by utilizing different combinations. You can add more anchovies to increase punginess and umami. Pair it with the milky gaminess of goat cheese, the sweet and sour of the giardiniera, the crunchiness of almonds, and the crispiness of the scallion crackers. Voila, perfection! Oh, and for the chip n dip, trout roe and smoked black cod, paired with buttermilk ramp potato chips. Although a simple app, they do a fantastic job of elevating this dish. Extra chips, please! For drinks, we ordered two different orange wines. Excellent service from our server, he poured each wine in two separate glasses so we didn't have to share glasses. Make reservations since their space is tiny.
We stopped by for drinks since we were seeing a show at the Fillmore. We didn't order any food so this review is purely based on the drinks. We were seated outside under the heated lamps which was quite nice. We ordered 3 lagers (helles) and to my surprise when the beers came they were served on a cocktail glass. So we got a half of a beer for what normally would be the price of a full beer. What's up with that?! Would not recommend for pre drinks.
Emilie Sark
Made a reservation a week before for an 8:00 pm reservation.We had a light snack before so we’re fine with just the seafood tower. It’s typically made for two but they are able to make it for three, for 1.5x the price. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Definitely recommend getting a side of chips (or two) to dip in the different spreads on top.They have a broad selection of wines and the staff was great at helping us pick a glass based on our preferences.Dessert was a generous portion and easily split by the three of us.This is a great spot to bring someone visiting to try a spread of seafood.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Rachel H.
My friends and I had a wonderful experience at the restaurant. We ordered six menus (including desserts), and our favorite dishes were the Focaccia with whipped butter, Carbonara, and Cheesecake. The wine pairing was great, and we appreciated being able to sample it before ordering. The service was excellent, and the cozy atmosphere of the place made everything even more remarkable. I highly recommend this restaurant to others and will revisit it.
Sophia H.
A great spot if you like anchovies. Mostly doing 3 stars since 3 out of the 5 dishes we got were misses for me, but the bay shrimp chirashi was so good. I loved the make your own hand roll theme to the dish.
Eros R.
mall place , good food, best seafood, good wines, good times, great service! Me and family really enjoyed the time we expend in town. We came to this place because of a fried recommended. I do recommend this place for hen you are looking for good food
San Francisco, Fillmore. April 2024. A very casual intimate place from the same group as State Bird Provisions and the Progress. They're right around the corner from State Bird Provisions, on O' Farrell, with an outdoor parklet, cozy small tables and a counter in front of the raw seafood bar. The emphasis is on seafood, and especially something you don't see in ther city - local San Francisco Bay anchovies that are filleted and presented the same day they are caught. I felt the Anchovy Bar Tower For Two is the way to go for an introduction. Most of the time you'll find a seafood tower to be predictable - a few clams and oysters, some whole shrimp, a lobster tail, some sashimi cuts of fish, a couple of marinated dishes - nothing to differentiate it from any other other place. This tower is one of the most interesting presentations of flavors and variety. You get a half dozen freshly shucked raw oysters, then everything else on their raw bar! This includes some fresh wedges of cucumber, oysters shooters, spicy clams on the halfshell, bay shrimp aguachile, a squid conserva the doesn't come from a tin, scallop tartare, smoked trout tabboulet, and a halibut taramasalata made with bottarga, olive oil, and lemon juice. Understated, but the most interesting item are the anchovy pintxos - the same local bay anchovy caught and filleted that day, on a spike with marinated roasted red pepper and Manzanilla olives. You will not miss not having lobster. If you don't feel like seafood then maybe some house mortadella with a sweet and tart agrodolce of balsamic and strawberry + whipped butter over a slab of focaccia. Or, duck schnitzel with capers and citrus and lemon aioli - I watched it being prepared and the smell was so tempting. They have a nice list of wine, a couple of apertifs, and some decent fino sherry. Unfortunately, beer is limited and there are no hard spirits or cocktails. Very nice place only a few minutes walk from Japantown. I only wish they had cocktails and a happy hour.
My friend and I came here on a Monday evening with a reservation, and it wasn't super busy which was nice. We stayed for 2 hours and shared some spicy clams, squid, and scallop tartare from the raw bar, the trout, and the anchovy with focaccia bread. Everything was delicious and flavorful. We only wished there was more quantity given the higher price point as well. The ambiance was refined and moody, and the service was fast and considerate.
My husband is a big fan of seafood, especially oysters so we decided to celebrate his birthday in Anchovy. We ordered Californian Anchovies, Halibut Ceviche, Oysters, and the seafood stew. Everything was delicious! Portions are small tho. I would recommend sitting at the bar so you can watch the chefs at work! The only downside is that they don't have a full bar, so the cocktail options are very limited.
Loved: nothing Liked: Anchovy toast, Halibut ceviche Wouldn't get again: Anchovies in purgatory (greasy, bones didn't have a nice texture), Meyer lemon miso clams (soy yuba was flavorless and didn't add anything to the dish)
Every dish was delicious, original, flavorful, and memorable. Managed to not get over anchovies despite having it in almost every dish. Definitely recommend the gravlax, jerky, focaccia, and sundae. Duck schnitzel was good but not on par with the rest.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The emperor's new clothes. While I like the idea of this restaurant, the food did not live up to my high expectations. We had a lot of food and most of it was overpowered by brightness that is too acidic . The crab ravioli was a bit too al dente and the barbecue oyster was just too tart. The trout gravlax was overpowered by the passion fruit sauce and berries. I would recommend the polenta and salad with mortadella but that's about it. Disappointed :-( Good service ambiance was nothing special
The service was pretty good. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable about the wines and helped us make all our decisions for the evening. The food (mostly) came out in a timely manor and was quite good. The trout gravlax was the best dish of the night. The trout was tender and the accompaniments bright and zesty. The ambiance was a little intimate but nice. The music selection was eclectic and enjoyable. Vanilla Tamarind sundae was good and mainly the reason we came by. I would've liked more roasty flavors and it was dominated by the ice cream. Worth the try but wouldn't get it again. Would recommend it to friends and family and would go back.
4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 fantastic date night spot. Intimate and beautiful set up. Not good for large groups though. Service: 4.5/5 everything was great but a lady came up to us to ensure we had ordered and it was almost like she was stressed that we hadn't been helped and was a little frantic. But other than that everything was great. Food: 4/5 Highly recommend the anchovy tower - I enjoyed everything on the tower. It was fun tasting a few different oysters from different locations as they add were different. The anchovy toast was also really good- wouldn't recommend if you don't like oily fish though. Steak tar tar was very good - nice flavors and good texture balance. The Dungeness crab dish was actually pretty disappointing. The pasta was too undercooked and the sauce was a bit overpowering to the crab. The deviled egg wasn't that memorable either. Overall I would recommend anchovy bar for those who enjoy seafood other than just fish- it is on the more expensive side so is great for a special occasion or date night !
Cute little spot with a great wine program and delicious food. Very large by the glass wine list for a restaurant of this size, and there’s a great mix of options to please classic and adventurous palettes alike. The food was delicious - everything was light, fresh, and with a great mix of textures. Staff were very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Well defined vision and great experience!Dietary restrictions: Staff were very knowledgeable to help navigate the menu for food allergies.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Anchovy Toast
Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinki's restaurant group do not miss. The Anchovy Bar is exactly how it sounds, an intimate and posh bar serving the best anchovies in the city. A perfect spot to pregame and nibble on light snacks before heading to your 8 pm dinner reservation. The 1/2 dozen anchovies and chip n dip are my usual orders. The 1/2 dozen arrive on a board complete with anchovies and an assortment of toppings. During my last visit, the board had goat cheese, rosemary marcona almonds, giardiniera, microgreens, and scallion crackers. The pairings often change so expect different accompaniments. The board gives you the option to create the perfect anchovy cracker by utilizing different combinations. You can add more anchovies to increase punginess and umami. Pair it with the milky gaminess of goat cheese, the sweet and sour of the giardiniera, the crunchiness of almonds, and the crispiness of the scallion crackers. Voila, perfection! Oh, and for the chip n dip, trout roe and smoked black cod, paired with buttermilk ramp potato chips. Although a simple app, they do a fantastic job of elevating this dish. Extra chips, please! For drinks, we ordered two different orange wines. Excellent service from our server, he poured each wine in two separate glasses so we didn't have to share glasses. Make reservations since their space is tiny.
Restaurantji Recommends
We stopped by for drinks since we were seeing a show at the Fillmore. We didn't order any food so this review is purely based on the drinks. We were seated outside under the heated lamps which was quite nice. We ordered 3 lagers (helles) and to my surprise when the beers came they were served on a cocktail glass. So we got a half of a beer for what normally would be the price of a full beer. What's up with that?! Would not recommend for pre drinks.
Made a reservation a week before for an 8:00 pm reservation.We had a light snack before so we’re fine with just the seafood tower. It’s typically made for two but they are able to make it for three, for 1.5x the price. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Definitely recommend getting a side of chips (or two) to dip in the different spreads on top.They have a broad selection of wines and the staff was great at helping us pick a glass based on our preferences.Dessert was a generous portion and easily split by the three of us.This is a great spot to bring someone visiting to try a spread of seafood.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
My friends and I had a wonderful experience at the restaurant. We ordered six menus (including desserts), and our favorite dishes were the Focaccia with whipped butter, Carbonara, and Cheesecake. The wine pairing was great, and we appreciated being able to sample it before ordering. The service was excellent, and the cozy atmosphere of the place made everything even more remarkable. I highly recommend this restaurant to others and will revisit it.
A great spot if you like anchovies. Mostly doing 3 stars since 3 out of the 5 dishes we got were misses for me, but the bay shrimp chirashi was so good. I loved the make your own hand roll theme to the dish.
mall place , good food, best seafood, good wines, good times, great service! Me and family really enjoyed the time we expend in town. We came to this place because of a fried recommended. I do recommend this place for hen you are looking for good food