Cafe Maritime

We came from Texas and tried the Cafe the first night in town. We stayed in the neighborhood so I don't much feel like a tourist - just a resident on a temp basis. Turns out Mark - the owner - had some connections to San Antonio so we talked quite a bit. Nice guy! My boys each went for the Dungeness crab and my wife chose clams and linguine. I went with shrimp. I assume the boys loved the crab as they were covered in butter within moments - all I saw were flying hands cracking shells. Both acclaimed the plate a resounding success - the entree and all sides were excellent. I don't usually eat shrimp when dining out - because I prefer to make my own shrimp. I buy them off of the Pollyanna shrimp boat in Port Aransas, Texas and they are the norm to which all others must compare. Mark's compare nicely. Lightly breaded and fried to perfection, they were easily the best pacific shellfish I have had the pleasure of eating. The sides were a salad and fries. All-in-all, a very simple plate but done exceptionally well. I missed dessert in favor of an Opus X cigar. Not a bad trade off and certainly the cigar was a perfect finish to an exemplary meal by a talented chef and waitstaff. Great job folks, now it's your turn to come to Texas and let us provide a similarly superb way to spend an hour or two! Pros: Good Food, Good Service, Good Owner Cons: It Aint In Texas Ya'll more

Cafe Maritime has the best seafood I have ever eaten anywhere, and I have eaten seafood all up and down the California coast. I went with my brother, mother, and father, and all of us agreed our meals were incredible. My brother and I each ordered full dungenness crabs in garlic butter, and they were outstanding. Large too; it probably took each of us an hour and a half to finish them. Very very fresh with a delicious garlic butter. The sides were top-notch too (fries and garlic bread). My mother got clam linguine, and we were blown away by the number of clams in it. Usually you get maybe 5 or 6 clams in the shell when you order clam linguine, but here the entire plate was covered with them. Even though I had a crab I was still jealous as hell seeing that plate when it came out, and even moreso after sampling it. My father got the shrimp, and they were enormous. They looked like the giant shrimp that cost $25 a pound over at the Redondo Beach fish market, but the plate was probably only about $15 even though it looked like close to a pound of them (about 5). My dad said they were actually better than the enormous shrimp he buys right off the fisherman in Port Aransas, Texas, which is pretty high praise because Gulf shrimp are almost universally better than any shrimp I have ever had in California (by implication you can tell I wasn't able to convince him to let me try his... LOL). We were all stuffed and didn't know what the heck to do when the owner offered us a complimentary coconut cream pie. I thought no way I'm having room for this, but tried a bite to be polite. After the first bite I all of a sudden found room, as the pie would get an 11 if I had to grade it on a scale of 1-10. That was completely unexpected to get a pie that good at a small seafood joint. The staff was extremely friendly. We chatted with the owner for a while about our trip to Colorado and Vegas and how much we already loved San Francisco after only being there a couple of hours, and I told our waitress if I ever get the chair that I'd tell the warden to send for my last meal from their place. This place will always be the first I eat any time I make it out to San Francisco again. I cannot think of a restaurant I have ever eaten at that I would recommend over Cafe Maritime. Every single plate we had we would all rate a 10/10. Pros: Every single thing I sampled there was incredible Cons: It's a 1,750 mile drive from my house more

I like to recommend this restaurant, it is a fun place to eat in and the food is generally very good. Only occasionally is it inconsistent ... more

I have not eaten there in quite a while but I remember telling the waiter that this was the freshest fish I had ever eaten in San Francisco. I was not too impressed by the New Zealand mussels in Pernod sauce but really liked the Marlborough Chardonnay from New Zealand. I will return there soon and add to this review but this is what restaurant to consider for fresh and well served seafood. Pros: Fresh seafood Cons: Parking more

I?ve been here before and each time, I have had a very pleasant dining experience. On top of that, did you know this restaurant is teaming up with StreetSmart4kids? It?s actually really cool what they?re doing. I just heard about how SS4K is a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged teens stay healthy. They are running their ?Dine Out and Donate? campaign here (as well as approx. 70 other restaurants in SF) during October and early November. After having a fabulous dining experience, just fill out the donation form when paying the check (minimum donation $3). This is perfect for people like me, who love to eat out all the time and also like to give back to the community. Check it out for yourself on the StreetSmart4Kids website! more

I am really glad I chose to make the 2 mile trip to this restaurant. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate and the owner, Mark was terrific. I started with an heirloom salad and follwed that with the the small seafood platter which was unbelievably good. There were 3 kinds of oysters, 1/2 a dungeness crab, large boiled shrimp and mussels. I'm not from here and when I travel I try to find restaurants the locals frequent. This is definitely one of those. Mark seemed to know a lot of his customers. There were no tourists here which was really a blessing. more

A friend and I visited Maritime on July 13th. It was the most perfect dining experience we had in San Francisco. They were unusually busy for a Sunday evening, but we were seated at the bar and as soon as a table could be set up, we were seated at the window. The staff was so polite, quick and knew all about the food they served and offered suggestiong when asked. The crab cakes and the tuna were perfectly outstanding. Parking is not a problem if you take a taxi and your server will call one for you at the end of your dining experience. We will return again and again and only wish we had found about Maritime years ago. It was a perfect dinner to end a perfect trip to San Francisco. I must say Maritime was the best food we have ever experienced, and we visit the city once each year. Pros: Service, food, ambience, chef Cons: A little difficult to find more

Our family got together here for a brunch, and the food here was top notch! Quite delicious, however, the only complaint I might add, is that the only server who appeared to be working, (who also was the bartender) definitely took his time about getting us situated (the smallish, sort of plain dining room wasn't full capacity by any means), getting the drinks out (forgot one for 1/2 hour), and our food (close to 35 mins. once the order was finally taken). But if you set that aside, it was a excellent meal. Even though our server was a bit sluggish, he did have a cheery attitude. Overall, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being highest, I give a 71/2. Pros: Excellent food - for brunch I highly recommend the Lobster benedict! Cons: Slow-ish service (wait to get drinks, order, refills), cramped-ish dining room more

Solid, simple New England style seafood. Small, quaint space. Reservations a must on weekends. more

One of our favorite regular restaurants, the food is consistently excellent, fresh, interesting and affordable, and the atmosphere is calming and pleasant. We often take friends here from out of town because it is so reliable. Also, the staff and owner are warm and friendly-- it feels like they love what they do; they actually serve the owner's mom's coconut cream pie recipe for dessert-- how cool is that? (it's great, too). The seafood is delicious (and sustainable, so you don't feel guilty-- the chowder is crazy good) and for non fish-eaters, the burger is also fantastic. Also, you can get in without a fuss much of the time which, for the quality of the food and experience, is unusual. In short, we are SF foodie people and we highly recommend this place to all of our friends. Pros: great sustainable seafood, fresh, affordable, quiet and charming, chowder, sole, swordfish, and tuna tartare are favorites Cons: parking not so good, but it still worth the circling... more

A truly exceptional, unpretentious seafood restaurant in the Marina? Yes! These people don't take themselves too seriously, the chefs know how to cook fish without too many oily sauces or unnecessary spices, and they act like they might actually be happy that you're there. Seriously, don't avoid this place just because blocks from all the Lombard hotels. I would pick this restaurant over any other for a good seafood dinner or apps and a beer or three. more

We've had brunch and dinner at Cafe Maritime. At brunch, I had the crab and avocado omelette, which was a bit dry - it needed some cheese or something. But, I was able to replace the potatoes with fresh fruit, the coffee was great, and the service was very friendly so we returned for dinner. Dinner was an all around great experience. I had some kind of seasonal salmon that was only available for a couple of weeks (I cannot remember what it was called, but wish I could because it was delicious!) and my husband had a tuna steak that we really enjoyed. The prices are good and the food is very fresh so we will definitely return! Pros: Fresh and tasty fish, Value for money more

Recently took a trip to San Fran for a few days, and ended up here late night for dinner. The restaurant itself is really cute inside, and the waiter was fantastic. Extremely relaxed atmosphere, great wines, and the food was perfect. It was a little slow while we were there, so that may have something to do with all the attention we received, but I wouldnt hesitate from going back again. The owner was nice enough to send over a dessert for us to try as well. A+ all around! Great find- more

My roommate and I dined at Cafe Maritime over a year ago and recently went again to relive the wonderful experience. I absolutely love the fact that in the course of one year, absolutely nothing has changed - in a good way! The service is still as wondeful as I remembered, the food just as deliciously prepared, and the seafood is fresh as ever! One thing that I love about Cafe Maritime's seafood dishes is that they do no overprepare the seafood, so the natural flavors truly shine through. Definitely will be coming back here more often! Pros: open late, yummy seafood, atmosphere Cons: a little small, parking!!! more

This is hands down my favorite restaurant in San Francisco, and has set the bar for what I think a restaurant should be. My wife and I have been regular customers for what feels like 1-2 years. We've recommended this little gem to all our friends and make it a point to bring family and coworkers here when they're in town. For starters, it's a seafood restaurant. I love seafood, and around the time we discovered Maritime, it didn't seem like there were many good places to choose from ("good" meaning attractive menu and environment). On weekends we tend to get the specials, and on weekdays we stick to a light sampling of appetizers and sides (seafood chowder, shrimp/crab fritters, butternut squash never disappoint). When we don't feel like the specials, our defaults are very satisfying: lobster roll, cajun seafood pasta. And don't skip desert: try the coconut cream pie or cheesecake du jour. Everything we've ever eaten here has tasted wonderfully. Hats off to Chef Eduardo. The environment is equally perfect. The noise level is just right, with the quiet chatter of neighboring groups and jazz radio playing in the background. It's intimate enough for a date, and open enough for a group. Classy without feeling exclusive. The interior design was well thought out; the choice of cool colors make you feel like you're on the waterfront. Last and certainly not least, Mark, the owner, treats customers like royalty. We feel more like we're at his home rather than just some restaurant. As if all this weren't enough, the place is open till 1 AM. 1 AM! We tend to dine late, and it's really disappointing when all the good restaurants close at 9 or 10. We really appreciate the late nights this place puts in. One time I came in on a late flight back to SF and stopped by Maritime on the way home. I was enjoying delicious prime rib at midnight! Bottom line: this place is exceptional. If I were Mark, I'd be extremely proud. Pros: Perfect combo: good seafood, great environment, open late Cons: Parking is tough during normal hours more

So I drive by this place everyday on my way into to work from the north bay to the city. This place from the outside with its quite blue awning I thought was a tourist trap because of its location on Lombard in the Marina. What a wonderful surprise? My fiance and I were looking for a late night place to meet our seafood cravings on our way home from a long day at law school and work. We found this place on city search & were so pleasantly surprised. Very small and intimiate. We were able to get reservations within the hour and the bartender/host was very welcoming as we made our way in. We dined a dozen of the market oysters, a dozen of the Chef Eduardo oysters (aka oysters Rockafeller), and the steamed chorizo mussells... YUM! I will say that their oyster shooter is not the best... I had to choke it down... but I assume that was because of the cheap vodka they may have served it with. Next time I will order it without the stinky vodka. We ended the night on a dark chocolate cheesecake with was just as good as the rest of the meal. Check it out ... it was quiet & romantic but still roomy and lively enough for a family that was eating across from us. Very nice... so happy to find it! We'll be back! Pros: Late night Cons: Parking is the worst! more

We had just watched a PBS special on lobster rolls, heard about Cafe Maritime. We arrived late, passed a bar and room full of happy people eating fantastic-looking seafood. We knew what we wanted, LOBSTER ROLLS! A little pricey @ $18.50(sandwich w fries). A lobster roll is ALWAYS hot lobstermeat, drenched in butter, some salt/pepper on a toasted or steamed roll. What arrived was a small amount of COLD meat (w what appeared to be mixed w some shrimp, maybe?) heavily mayonnaised, and mixed with an enormous amount of tarragon, leaving the bitter taste of a cold tarragon sandwich. this on a limp hotdog bun. Although our table was 10 feet from the kitchen, the plates were filled with cool shoestring potatoes. A cafeteria tuna sandwich would have kicked this plates butt. Weate, we were starving, it was late..I asked the waiter what the unexpected spice was,(tarragon) and why it wasn't advertised as a lobster SALAD sandwich.He said, "I wondered about your order..NOT my favorite item on the menu". They need to cut it right away. The worst. However, I saw beautiful plates of fresh seafood at every table, so NOW we know! The server was great. Pros: Service, great looking plates of food Cons: The WORST lobster roll in history! more

We went on a Saturday night without reservations and were seated at the bar. It was a little cozy, but the bartender (owner or manager, I believe) made us feel right at home. The food was excellent; specifically, we can highly recommend the clam linguini, crab-stuffed trout, clam chowder, and house salad with dungenees crab. We wished we had room for dessert, but we were just too full. The restaurant is small, and it was full the whole time we were there, but I didn't see anyone turned away or waiting long. The service was great, and the prices were reasonable (about $20 for an entree). We will definitely return to Cafe Maritime on our next trip to San Francisco! more

I have been to Maritime several times and really appreciate the great seafood and atmosphere. Living in the Marina, it's nice to have a place that's not such a scene. Just good food and good atmosphere. more

went on friday 6:30, it was nice and quiet. a few families came w/ babies and you could tell locals eat there regularly. Nice value too. nice big piece of hallibut for $19. Crab cake was full of crab and delicious. It's good food and unpretencious. more