There's 2 ways to eat here. The cafeteria area - order your food & find an open table. The other is the upstairs restaurant which offers lovely views of the water/pier areas. If you opt for the restaurant make a reservation. I used OpenTable. People without were waiting upwards of 45 minutes. It was packed. Our waiter was extremely busy yet made time to be friendly, keep my Arnold Palmer filled and our waters filled. Our food was fabulous- I am on a strict diet right now so I had a small tomato bread bowl. My boyfriend had the small clam chowder bowl & the crab melt with fries. I loved the tomato soup I realized I wished I ordered a large one And I took a bite of the crab melt which was yummy as well. The view plus our food & great service made for a wonderful date with my love. PS I forgot pictures because I was starving.
Kate X.
my oh my was this meal amazing!! If you're ever in SF you must give it a try! I went back in June and it's still on my mind! We ordered crab cake sandwiches, which of course includes their homemade sourdough bread as seen in the pictures. We also got two appetizers, garlic bread and calamari. Everything blew me away. Besides the amazing food, the location is awesome and we were sat on the upper level on the balcony, which included a dope view of the harbor! As I said before, definitely give it a try even if it you just stop by for the bread!
Etienne H.
This a staple in San Francisco and a "must see" and "must eat" while you're visiting. The bakery is huge and offers a great selection of sandwiches and of course the boudin bread bowl with hot clam chowder. You can dine in or take some to go (recommend you load up on two cans of New England clam chowder) so you pack it in your luggage home. Although tours are only available for private ones, you can still go to the second floor and walk on the car walk to watch the bread being made. Restrooms -located in the second floor. Use these since the ones outside are a complete mess. Not as bad as Woodstock '99 but not acceptable. Parking nearby. Lots to do nearby and vendors set up selling lots of touristy items. Bon appétit!
262keithd
Amazing dinner experience. We’ve eaten at the café downstairs several times but this was our first time at the restaurant upstairs. Should have tried it sooner. Excellent cioppino and fresh seafood entrées plus excellent dessert choices. And plenty of sliced sourdough to go around.
Diane L
Absolutely adore the bakery. Shared a bread bear and went back a few days later for another. Had the scones and cookies as well. Service was fast despite the long lines. This is a must do when visiting Fishermen’s Wharf!
Valerie L.
This Boudin really amazes me everytime I go. There is a lot going on, so it may be overwhelming when inside. They sell souvenir items and the layout can be a bit confusing and random, but I loved walking around inside. They even have animal shaped sourdough, alligators, turtles and teddy bear! We ordered the Clam Chowder Bread Bowl and when seated inside, we were able to see bread being made in front of us! The clam chowder was warm and perfect for a windy day in San Francisco. It was so cozy inside and the staff were really friendly too.
Gregory C.
My partner had never had a clam chowder in a bread bowl & so we decided to check this place out especially because of the reviews about the sourdough bread. In short, the bread bowl itself delivered but the clam chowder itself could've had more flavor & a larger serving (ideally make the bread bowl deeper). I'll come back for the bread but wouldn't recommend the clam chowder. There are other places to check out at the wharf/pier.
LivinglifeinPA
We thought that we might have a long wait to have dinner at this upper level restaurant of the Boudin Bakery, but we were able to be seated immediately. Our server was very friendly & efficient....... and the wait for our dinners to be served was amazingly quick. The Beef Stew was incredible........quite tasty and the beef was so tender that I could cut it with my fork. My spouse ordered the BBQ Rib Platter........many more ribs than he was expecting, but he enjoyed each & every one of them, along with his side dish. Bistro Boudin is definitely a restaurant that we recommend for a great dining experience.
Cary R.
If you like sourdough bread, this is the place for you. Really yummy and freshly baked. You can smell the bread baking as you walk outside. Soooo good. The bread is crispy and crusty on the outside and soft in the inside. The clam chowder was just ok. Nothing out of this world, probably won't order it again. The bread is the star of the show here, so for that I give them 5 stars.
Allen Y.
Pros: hearty meal at the center of Fisherman's Wharf. Classic items are the bread bowl clam chowder and the crab mac and cheese. The water views are great by the windows so make sure to ask for a table by the windows. The service was very attentive and the restaurant clean and pristine. There is an attached museum/factory on how they make their famous sourdough bread so definitely check it out after your meal. Cons: items are a bit overpriced for what they are. A mac and cheese dish can set you back almost $30.
So I ordered a bread bowl clam chowder and a tuna sandwich, and 2 cookies and so I went to pick up my order and the person that handed me my food stopped, looked at me, then looked down, then looked up at me again, stared into my eyes for 10 seconds, and said: "is this all for you?" And I was like, "ummm, yaaa?, it is," like sorry if my food order offends you. And then I ate the bread bowl clam chowder and it was so deliciousable I was really impressed by the deliciousableness of the bread and the clam chowder, it really made me happy. So I went to ask for the recipe and they said I couldn't have it but it's okay cuz it's their secret I guess. Either way it was very deliciousable restaurant.
Eitan S.
Delicious. Good service. Lover the croissant and Belgian waffle. Toilets were closed at the time.
Tiffany T.
Ordered: Clam Chower Bowl Really classic place for clam chowder! Love their sourdough bread and how well it suits their clam chowder. The place is also a sourdough bread factory so they sell sourdough bread in different shapes. Good experience
Alex21P
Great! There were no line to seat outside, the service was outstanding and the food was delicious. Definitely will be back!
Cymbo
I ha the clam chowder in a sour dough bowl which was delicious and I also had the Caesar salad which was very good. You have to stand in line cafeteria style and order your food and then wait for it. You then have to find a table. There is outdoor and indoor seating. Next time I go I would try eating upstairs as the menu look much more appetizing!
There's 2 ways to eat here. The cafeteria area - order your food & find an open table. The other is the upstairs restaurant which offers lovely views of the water/pier areas. If you opt for the restaurant make a reservation. I used OpenTable. People without were waiting upwards of 45 minutes. It was packed. Our waiter was extremely busy yet made time to be friendly, keep my Arnold Palmer filled and our waters filled. Our food was fabulous- I am on a strict diet right now so I had a small tomato bread bowl. My boyfriend had the small clam chowder bowl & the crab melt with fries. I loved the tomato soup I realized I wished I ordered a large one And I took a bite of the crab melt which was yummy as well. The view plus our food & great service made for a wonderful date with my love. PS I forgot pictures because I was starving.
my oh my was this meal amazing!! If you're ever in SF you must give it a try! I went back in June and it's still on my mind! We ordered crab cake sandwiches, which of course includes their homemade sourdough bread as seen in the pictures. We also got two appetizers, garlic bread and calamari. Everything blew me away. Besides the amazing food, the location is awesome and we were sat on the upper level on the balcony, which included a dope view of the harbor! As I said before, definitely give it a try even if it you just stop by for the bread!
This a staple in San Francisco and a "must see" and "must eat" while you're visiting. The bakery is huge and offers a great selection of sandwiches and of course the boudin bread bowl with hot clam chowder. You can dine in or take some to go (recommend you load up on two cans of New England clam chowder) so you pack it in your luggage home. Although tours are only available for private ones, you can still go to the second floor and walk on the car walk to watch the bread being made. Restrooms -located in the second floor. Use these since the ones outside are a complete mess. Not as bad as Woodstock '99 but not acceptable. Parking nearby. Lots to do nearby and vendors set up selling lots of touristy items. Bon appétit!
Amazing dinner experience. We’ve eaten at the café downstairs several times but this was our first time at the restaurant upstairs. Should have tried it sooner. Excellent cioppino and fresh seafood entrées plus excellent dessert choices. And plenty of sliced sourdough to go around.
Absolutely adore the bakery. Shared a bread bear and went back a few days later for another. Had the scones and cookies as well. Service was fast despite the long lines. This is a must do when visiting Fishermen’s Wharf!
This Boudin really amazes me everytime I go. There is a lot going on, so it may be overwhelming when inside. They sell souvenir items and the layout can be a bit confusing and random, but I loved walking around inside. They even have animal shaped sourdough, alligators, turtles and teddy bear! We ordered the Clam Chowder Bread Bowl and when seated inside, we were able to see bread being made in front of us! The clam chowder was warm and perfect for a windy day in San Francisco. It was so cozy inside and the staff were really friendly too.
My partner had never had a clam chowder in a bread bowl & so we decided to check this place out especially because of the reviews about the sourdough bread. In short, the bread bowl itself delivered but the clam chowder itself could've had more flavor & a larger serving (ideally make the bread bowl deeper). I'll come back for the bread but wouldn't recommend the clam chowder. There are other places to check out at the wharf/pier.
We thought that we might have a long wait to have dinner at this upper level restaurant of the Boudin Bakery, but we were able to be seated immediately. Our server was very friendly & efficient....... and the wait for our dinners to be served was amazingly quick. The Beef Stew was incredible........quite tasty and the beef was so tender that I could cut it with my fork. My spouse ordered the BBQ Rib Platter........many more ribs than he was expecting, but he enjoyed each & every one of them, along with his side dish. Bistro Boudin is definitely a restaurant that we recommend for a great dining experience.
If you like sourdough bread, this is the place for you. Really yummy and freshly baked. You can smell the bread baking as you walk outside. Soooo good. The bread is crispy and crusty on the outside and soft in the inside. The clam chowder was just ok. Nothing out of this world, probably won't order it again. The bread is the star of the show here, so for that I give them 5 stars.
Pros: hearty meal at the center of Fisherman's Wharf. Classic items are the bread bowl clam chowder and the crab mac and cheese. The water views are great by the windows so make sure to ask for a table by the windows. The service was very attentive and the restaurant clean and pristine. There is an attached museum/factory on how they make their famous sourdough bread so definitely check it out after your meal. Cons: items are a bit overpriced for what they are. A mac and cheese dish can set you back almost $30.
Restaurantji Recommends
So I ordered a bread bowl clam chowder and a tuna sandwich, and 2 cookies and so I went to pick up my order and the person that handed me my food stopped, looked at me, then looked down, then looked up at me again, stared into my eyes for 10 seconds, and said: "is this all for you?" And I was like, "ummm, yaaa?, it is," like sorry if my food order offends you. And then I ate the bread bowl clam chowder and it was so deliciousable I was really impressed by the deliciousableness of the bread and the clam chowder, it really made me happy. So I went to ask for the recipe and they said I couldn't have it but it's okay cuz it's their secret I guess. Either way it was very deliciousable restaurant.
Delicious. Good service. Lover the croissant and Belgian waffle. Toilets were closed at the time.
Ordered: Clam Chower Bowl Really classic place for clam chowder! Love their sourdough bread and how well it suits their clam chowder. The place is also a sourdough bread factory so they sell sourdough bread in different shapes. Good experience
Great! There were no line to seat outside, the service was outstanding and the food was delicious. Definitely will be back!
I ha the clam chowder in a sour dough bowl which was delicious and I also had the Caesar salad which was very good. You have to stand in line cafeteria style and order your food and then wait for it. You then have to find a table. There is outdoor and indoor seating. Next time I go I would try eating upstairs as the menu look much more appetizing!