I could not put a con- if you show up at opening or after 9pm then no real wait. If you show up at 6 and expect to be seated in 15 to 20mins go down the street- this place is hoping, grab the pad,... More

I could not put a con- if you show up at opening or after 9pm then no real wait. If you show up at 6 and expect to be seated in 15 to 20mins go down the street- this place is hoping, grab the pad, put your name down, get a free glass of wine and be nice. Talk to the locals, but not bring your bad energy there it will be felt. This is a very authentic san francisco gem. It is small and quaint. It is in a nice quiet neighborhood but on a main street geary. It is far enough away from the hussle and bustle of San Fran. You go to Pac Cafe only if you want to have a relaxing non-abtrusive, no -upselling, eat what is described in the menu and want to pay about 40-50/person. Yes a bit pricey but worth it- I recommend sharing the appetizers _ especially the crab cocktail. The spicey snapper rocked the house so did the clam chowder and cheese cake. The pinot available was tasty with the snapper. This place has yet to disappoint. Again this is a neighborhood restaurant, not gumps, cliff house or some other touristy fish restaurant- you will wait, you will have a comp glass of white wine and you will enjoy a piece of old san fran. Pros: The food and service
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Why, oh why do people like this place? Last I went with a group of friends, we had to wait in the freezing cold outside for over 2 hours, and that's for a group of 4! The decor is very '70s, and the... More

Why, oh why do people like this place? Last I went with a group of friends, we had to wait in the freezing cold outside for over 2 hours, and that's for a group of 4! The decor is very '70s, and the cheap swill-filled glass of wine they give you while waiting isn't worth all the hassle. Moreover, the server was rude and decided to lecture us because we had asked about our salad. A couple of people ordered soup, 2 salads and several appetizers. Well, the 2 soups were served first, 30 minutes passes by and no appetizers, no soups. When we asked the server because everyone were starving by this time and our guests didn't want to eat ahead of us, even though clearly starving too, the server said that this is just how he does things. Absolutely ridiculous. The food was terrible too. Supposed to a seafood restaurant, with really spoiled fish. Yuck! Pros: No, the free wine is not a pro for me either. It was gross! Cons: Moreover, the server was rude and decided to lecture us.
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My expectations were high and met! The cheap wine is just the thing to make an hour and a half wait ok (we got there at opening and the line was already long enough to fill every table), and my mom... More

My expectations were high and met! The cheap wine is just the thing to make an hour and a half wait ok (we got there at opening and the line was already long enough to fill every table), and my mom (who is very impatient) was fine with waiting since we had a nice little seat and a nice little glass. The food! Amazing, prawns with nothing on them and they are just perfect, no need to dip in the butter they bring you. Everything is simple and fresh and cooked perfectly... Pros: The wine while you wait, the service, the food... I like everything here! Cons: The wait, the parking... but both are totally worth it.
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Another hidden gem in the Richmond district. Very fresh, and simply prepared seafood dishes. Nothing to avant-gard, just the basics. It's popular with the locals as evidenced by the line out the... More

Another hidden gem in the Richmond district. Very fresh, and simply prepared seafood dishes. Nothing to avant-gard, just the basics. It's popular with the locals as evidenced by the line out the door on most nights because they don't take reservations but...here's the best part, how about a free glass of wine (or two) while you wait?
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I have NOTHING but good things to say about The Pacific Cafe! Let's start at the beginning- You walk in and find this place jam packed full of people; that can never be a bad thing! After you put... More

I have NOTHING but good things to say about The Pacific Cafe! Let's start at the beginning- You walk in and find this place jam packed full of people; that can never be a bad thing! After you put your name on the list you will be greeted with a free (bottomless) glass of house white wine; need I go on? Once you finally get a table, which could be quite a wait - so plan accordingly, you will find yourself in a cute cozy comfortable environment. The space is small and as full as it can be with tables. An absolute gem of a dining experience! On to the food: if you are lucky enough to find the Parmesan Crusted Halibut on the list of specials, GET IT! The fish is prepared so beautifully that it absolutely melted in my mouth with such a flavorful blast in my mouth- I have never found a bite of food to make me happier... until the next time I was in town and had it again- same great meal! The prices are reasonable and the food is beyond what you pay for it. The service has been wonderful every time I have been there- I even called once back in Minnesota because my date and I had left our Pacific Cafe postcard sitting on the table and wanted to have something to remember the trip by- they were most helpful and sent out a new postcard to me right away! If you're in from out of town- find this place; if you are a local and never been- find this place! Pros: free wine while you wait, excellent seafood, great atmosphere Cons: NOTHING
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The long lines should tell you that it's a favorite place to go for seafood. We haven't been back here in years because they don't take reservations but we came early this time at 5:30p and waited... More

The long lines should tell you that it's a favorite place to go for seafood. We haven't been back here in years because they don't take reservations but we came early this time at 5:30p and waited one hour on a Saturday evening for a table and struck up a conversation with a fellow resident. There are so many choices. The Caesar salad is really fresh with homemade cheesy croutons and a great dressing. The salmon bisque and clam chowder were excellent. What I like the most about their food is that they do not over salt and ruin the natural flavor of the seafood. I'm a fan of oysters and the fried oysters were delicious, plump, moist and you can taste the ocean with a single bite. On a subsequent visit, the Halibut Parmesan was flavorful. I'm not one who cares for halibut, but really liked how they prepared it here. The rice pilaf was tasty. The English sole was cooked just right. They serve local desserts like Sam Zanze's cheesecake (on Ocean Ave) and Mitchell's ice cream. Overheard another diner remark that their crab cakes were delicious and the lobster was well worth the wait. Am sorry we waited so long to come back for the food, but it is well worth freezing in the ocean temperatures to dine here. Our weekend busboy (been there 5 mos now) was hussling to keep our water glasses filled more often than at higher end restaurants, so give him a good tip, he's a sophmore majoring in creative writing at SFSU. Pros: Wonderful seafood, free glass of wine while you wait, reasonable wine prices/food Cons: Parking, no reservations so long waits
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Great place. The wait was longer than I had expected but the free wine made it better. The service there was one of the best I've had. They arranged for our group of 8 to sit together in the small... More

Great place. The wait was longer than I had expected but the free wine made it better. The service there was one of the best I've had. They arranged for our group of 8 to sit together in the small space that they had but it was still very comfortable. The food was great. Fresh oysters, fresh seafood--and the prices were very reasonable too. I would definitely go there again and take more people with me.
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You can't beat this place for excellent seafood. The soups are to die for. The Crab Bisque here is the best I have ever had. And treat yourself to Crab Diablo whenevr fresh crab is in season. It is... More

You can't beat this place for excellent seafood. The soups are to die for. The Crab Bisque here is the best I have ever had. And treat yourself to Crab Diablo whenevr fresh crab is in season. It is well worth the price. The waiters and waitresses are always friendly and helpful. The free wine is just a bonus. The regulars always come at 5pm for the first sitting Pros: Soups Cons: Always a line, that is the price you pay for excellent food
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Just ate here recently on a Friday night. We got there around 7:30p and didn't get seated until past 8:45p. So in other words, this place a popular. My roommates brought a cross word so we did some... More

Just ate here recently on a Friday night. We got there around 7:30p and didn't get seated until past 8:45p. So in other words, this place a popular. My roommates brought a cross word so we did some collective puzzle gaming. The host was nice and brought complimentary wine outside for all those waiting. For that the service was great. The service throughout the meal was very professional and courteous. They screwed up my salad order but they were busy so I wouldn't put them down for that. The hostess brought us a complimentary dessert too. Overall the food was good. I'm not a HUGE seafood person so I'll try not to let that ruin my review. The menu is a bit limited as well but that might be a result of what's available at this time of the year. The atmosphere is cosy and inviting. Price is modest. Pros: service, atmosphere, food Cons: parking, long long wait times
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