Historic John's Grill

4.7

7297 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a booking

2 people

27 Nov 2024

19:00

Booked 42 times today

Experiences are available.

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

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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 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(415) 986-0069
Website
http://johnsgrill.com/
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.

Location
63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
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

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Experiences

Thanksgiving
28 Nov 2024 only
The restaurant is offering a Thanksgiving meal featuring a selection that includes steaks, seafood, and the traditional turkey dinner. We look forward to serving you.

Popular dishes

New England Clam ChowderUS$8.95
Lobster BisqueUS$9.95
Lunch SaladUS$6.95
Seasonal greens, with vinaigrette dressing
- With Bleu Cheese DressingUS$7.95
Caesar a la John'sUS$14.95
Bay Shrimp LouieUS$17.95
Roquefort SaladUS$17.95
bay shrimp, avocado
Roasted Beet SaladUS$15.95
Candied walnuts, feta cheese, lemon aioli topped with micro greens
Jack LaLanne's Favorite SaladUS$29.95
Seasonal greens, crab, shrimp, avocado, mushrooms, tomato tossed in our famous creamy bleu cheese vinaigrette dressing

Seafood & Shellfish

All the below entrees served with seasonal vegetables

Grilled Pacific SnapperUS$17.95
Sauce Piquante (spiced tomato sauce)
Jumbo Prawns DijonnaiseUS$19.95
Sautéed with mushrooms, wine, garlic and Dijon cream
Broiled SalmonUS$22.95
Served with Hollandaise Sauce and mashed potatoes
Petrale AmandineUS$18.95
Sliced almonds, Lemon butter sauce
Fried Jumbo PrawnsUS$19.95
Fried Sea ScallopsUS$28.95
Fried OystersUS$16.95
Fried Combination SeafoodUS$25.95
Coated with herbed breadcrumbs and accompanied by tartar sauce

John's Featured Steaks

Served with seasonal vegetables & baked Idaho potato. All of our steaks are sourced from Black Angus Midwest Corn-fed beef, the finest available. They are naturally aged in order to ensure maximum flavor and tenderness. Each steak is hand selected and hand cut in California to meet our exact specification. Add 3 Fried Jumbo Prawns to any steak $12, Add 4 Oz Maine Lobster Tail to any steak $19.95, Side Peppercorn or Bearnaise Sauce $3

New York SteakUS$31.95
Ribeye SteakUS$36.95
Filet MignonUS$38.95
Surf and TurfUS$43.95
New York Steak & 3 Fried Jumbo Prawns

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops

Sam Spade's Lamb ChopsUS$35.95
Served with baked potato and sliced tomatoes [Sam Spade went to John's Grill, asked the waiter to hurry his order of chops, baked potato, sliced tomatoes...and was smoking a cigarette with his coffee when... The Maltese Falcon]

Sandwiches & Pasta

Broiled 1/2 Lb. Deluxe BurgerUS$19.95
Broiled New York Steak SandwichUS$24.95
All Accompanied by French Fries
TortelloneUS$15.95
Filled with sundried tomato, romano, parmigiano and ricotta cheese in a basil cream sauce topped with shredded Grana Padano cheese
Maine Lobster RavioliUS$18.95
Herbed tomato cream
Chicken Linguine AlfredoUS$18.95
Fisherman's PastaUS$25.95
Linguine, jumbo prawns, salmon, snapper, mushrooms in basil cream

On the Side

Baked Idaho PotatoUS$5.95
French FriesUS$6.95
Sautéed MushroomsUS$7.95
Fresh Creamed SpinachUS$7.95
Caramelized OnionsUS$7.95

Chef's Weekly Special

Fish & ChipsUS$17.95
Anchor Steam beer batter, wild caught Pollock with caper tartar sauce
Crispy Chicken Sandwich on BriocheUS$17.95
Roasted garlic-sundried tomato aioli
Heirloom Tomato & Burrata CheeseUS$16.95
Aged balsamic, extra virgin olive oil and basil
Medallions of BeefUS$32.95
Medallions of Filet mignon, béarnaise sauce served with Parmesan mashed potato and seasonal vegetables

What 7,297 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

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

San Francisco
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Historic John's Grill is a cherished San Francisco institution with a "classic old school" vibe and "amazing food." Guests rave about the "best steak in town," attentive service, and vibrant atmosphere. The historic ambiance, coupled with live jazz, creates a truly "memorable dining experience" perfect for both locals and visitors.

7,297 Reviews

K
Kimberly
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Traditional SF restaurant. Adorably decorated for the Holidays. The hostess, bartender, waiter are all professional and accomodating. The food is fabulous. Great location while shopping in Union Square or heading to a show at the Curran Theatre. Love this place!
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M
Mark
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
John’s Grill is one of my most favorite restaurants in SF. The staff are efficient and friendly. The ambiance is great, and I enjoy taking first-timers to this gem. The food is great, and my favorite is Jack LaLanne seafood salad with a glass of Chardonnay. Steaks and pasta dishes are great too! Make a toast or two to Hammett, Bogart, Astor, Greenstreet etc. Save a bit of time to check out The Maltese Falcon and other film noir items upstairs. Enjoy the day!
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r
rafael
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service and friendly staff. Great food and atmosphere.
Is this helpful?
SB
StevenB
Portland
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and wonderful service. We will return.
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D
Dean
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food great. Service staff friendly. Atmosphere old time San Francisco
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S
Steve
San Francisco
39 reviews
5.0
39 reviews
Dined on 18 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food and service. Let them know we had a show following dinner and they got us out in plenty of time
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L
Lisa
San Francisco
32 reviews
vip
5.0
32 reviews
Dined on 17 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a nice leisurely lunch prior to our theater date. Attentive service and delicious meals. Historic restaurant that should be on everyone’s list.
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M
Marcus
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 17 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Classic San Francisco restaurant. Amazing food and a reasonable price. Service is top notch.
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P
Paul
Las Vegas
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on 15 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
This is a classic steak house....kind of NY style. The menu is interesting and features something for everyone. We started with escargot and they were really good. Both of us had the Halibut. It was delicious. I had a baked potato, he had masked.....go with the mashed; the sauce with the fish is amazing and goes great with the mash. Veggies were tasty and cooked perfectly. I felt the service was kind of rushed but attentive. A jazz duo played and I thought it was kind of loud. I would go back.
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R
Raisetheroof
San Francisco
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on 15 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We celebrated a milestone birthday at John’s with good friends. Food and atmosphere were excellent. Servers very attentive and really made the evening special.
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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 7297 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

27 Nov 2024

19:00

Booked 42 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

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 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
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

Website
http://johnsgrill.com/
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.

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Historic John's Grill

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Dining areas

Additional information

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Thanksgiving

Ribeye Steak

Filet Mignon

New York Steak

Appetizers

EscargotsUS$11.95

Jumbo Prawn CocktailUS$17.95

Soup & Salads

New England Clam ChowderUS$8.95

Lobster BisqueUS$9.95

Lunch SaladUS$6.95

Caesar a la John'sUS$14.95

Bay Shrimp LouieUS$17.95

Roquefort SaladUS$17.95

Roasted Beet SaladUS$15.95

Jack LaLanne's Favorite SaladUS$29.95

Seafood & Shellfish

Grilled Pacific SnapperUS$17.95

Jumbo Prawns DijonnaiseUS$19.95

Broiled SalmonUS$22.95

Petrale AmandineUS$18.95

Fried Jumbo PrawnsUS$19.95

Fried Sea ScallopsUS$28.95

Fried OystersUS$16.95

Fried Combination SeafoodUS$25.95

John's Featured Steaks

New York SteakUS$31.95

Ribeye SteakUS$36.95

Filet MignonUS$38.95

Surf and TurfUS$43.95

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops

Sam Spade's Lamb ChopsUS$35.95

Sandwiches & Pasta

Broiled 1/2 Lb. Deluxe BurgerUS$19.95

Broiled New York Steak SandwichUS$24.95

TortelloneUS$15.95

Maine Lobster RavioliUS$18.95

Chicken Linguine AlfredoUS$18.95

Fisherman's PastaUS$25.95

On the Side

Baked Idaho PotatoUS$5.95

French FriesUS$6.95

Sautéed MushroomsUS$7.95

Fresh Creamed SpinachUS$7.95

Caramelized OnionsUS$7.95

Chef's Weekly Special

Fish & ChipsUS$17.95

Crispy Chicken Sandwich on BriocheUS$17.95

Heirloom Tomato & Burrata CheeseUS$16.95

Medallions of BeefUS$32.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

Does Historic John's Grill offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Historic John's Grill restaurant rated?

Is Historic John's Grill currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day