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Historic John's Grill, San Francisco, CA

Historic John's Grill

4.7
4.7
7484 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

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2 people
19:00
Booked 63 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
John's Grill has been a San Francisco tradition since 1908. This historic restaurant is one of the city's oldest and most famous and is a favorite of celebrities who enjoy great steaks, expertly prepared fresh seafood with excellent service and a one of a kind atmosphere. John's Grill was a setting in author Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45–15:30 Dinner Daily 15:30–21:00
  • Phone number
    (415) 986-0069
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
  • Private party contact
    Events Team: (415) 986-0069
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Cross Street
    Powell Street
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan

What 7,484 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • San Francisco

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Historic John's Grill offers a "fantastic experience" with its "classic San Francisco" vibe and "excellent food and service." Known for its "perfectly cooked steaks" and "amazing" seafood dishes, it provides "great value" amidst a "vintage ambiance." Despite occasional noise, the "historic atmosphere" and "friendly staff" make it a "must-visit" spot.

7,484 Reviews
  1. paul

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great meal! Steak & baked potato were cooked perfect! Awesome dining experience!

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  2. Erick

    VIP

    Las Vegas

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Slow service but may have been because it was extremely busy with NBA All-Star game and Chinese New Year parade

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  3. Val

    VIP

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice place to eat near union square. A little noisy but food is good and wait staff is good. Bread could be warmer. Also, needs a smaller steak option.

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  4. Jeff

    Hawaii

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Steaks were the best I’ve ever eaten. Absolutely killer!!!

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  5. Keith

    VIP

    San Diego

    46 reviews

    5.0

    46 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Live Jazz music upstairs on a Thursday night - so fun! Great food and service and music - excellent cocktails, steaks, chicken Milanese and broiled halibut. Our party of 10 were well taken care of by the entire staff! Awesome vibe in a historic venue that can’t be duplicated - join the Dashiell Hammett Society! Love this place and will return.

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  6. Gejza

    Austin

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    An OpenTable reservation does not guarantee you a table. They left me waiting for 20 minutes, standing at the bar. I don’t like this approach because I booked for a specific time. Had I known I would have to wait 20 minutes, I would probably have chosen a different place.

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  7. David

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food and service were great, but the music was way too loud to enjoy a nice dinner.

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  8. Becky

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The caesar salad and ribeye steak was amazing! It was the perfect Anniversary. Thank you!

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  9. Kat

    Orlando

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful quaint piece of history. Dinner with history is always a favorite

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  10. Michele

    VIP

    Greater Boston

    73 reviews

    5.0

    73 reviews

    Dined on 9 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service, food and ambiance were terrific, as well as the pear martini! Our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu which informed our decisions on what to eat. The standup bass player and keyboardist added so much to the atmosphere! Ask to see Dashiell Hammett's favorite booth when you are there.

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FAQs

Historic John's Grill offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 986-0069.

Historic John's Grill is rated 4.7 stars by 7484 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 63 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Historic John's Grill

63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Powell Street
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45–15:30 Dinner Daily 15:30–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan
  • Phone number
    (415) 986-0069
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
  • Private party contact
    Events Team: (415) 986-0069
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