Swan Oyster Depot

The seafood here is good and fresh. But the restaurant itself is kinda dirty. So I have mixed feelings about this place. When I think about the food part it makes me want to go back. But the cleanliness makes me not.
They use their bare hands to make the food and handle money. The counter tops are dirty the floor is little sticky. The seafood sits out in front of the window display in the beating sun. So be careful of what you order.
I recommend getting the salmon lox, sashimi, bread soup or an of the cocktails. If you must get the oyster make sure you put a lot lemon juice vinegar so your chances of getting sick are reduced.

OMG! This place needs to care more about food handling safety. It’s so dirty! I’m surprised this place never got shut down by public health inspectors. Like what many other reviewers have said, they scoop the food with their bare hands, and handling cash without washing their hands. I even saw one of the waiters sneeze into his hands and didn’t use soap to wash his hands.
I gave it two stars because I like their concept ideas. I like how it has an old school feel to it and character but at the same time it’s time for some remodeling. I like how they make their sashimi plate like an Italian style using olive oil, chopped onions and capers. The oysters were pretty good. The clam chowder was alright.
I think they had overcharged me but correct me if I’m wrong.
We ordered:
Sashimi plate -$ 18
Clam chowder cup –2.75
Clam chowder bowl– 5
Coke-2.50
Half dozen oysters– 15
Bread and butter — 1
Total:44.25
We we’re charged: 59.65 WTF $ 15 OVER
Please note we never got a receipt to look over before paying they just tell you how much you’re supposed to pay.

Wtf this place is bomb-​diggity-​hoo-​hah!!!
Also iconic, but the quality is as fresh as it cam be.
Wow, the oysters, i could die now, please and thank you.
I love you and will come back every weeek. I will visit you more than my own Mother.

Went on the Friday of Fleet week. Had to wait about 40 minutes in line but well worth it! Had a mixed oyster plate and a half sashimi plate. My taste buds and tummy have never been happier. The staff was gregarious, knowledgeable, and were a huge part of what was a fantastic overall experience. Would 100% recommend.

My favorite is the cracked crab and oysters on the half shell and wash it down with a glass of beer.

We didn’t wait too long to go inside!
We ordered crab back, oysters, cherry stone clams, clam chowder, and bread. The waiter recommended us to dip the bread with the juice in the crab back. It was very delicious. The oysters and clams were also fresh and delicious!!! The clam chowder is watery and strong clam taste, but I still like it. Will def. go again before I leave SF!!!

We waited in the rain for two hours to get into this place. It was hard and it took determination but we had heard so much about this place that we stuck it out. So was it worth it? Let’s say that I wouldn’t stand 2 hrs again but all in all, it was a good experience. Here’s what we ordered:
— Crab back: it’s great! I would definitely reorder
— Sashimi combo plate: it was okay, nothing great. The fish was cut too thick and uneven.
— Oysters: Wonderful, very fresh and absolutely getting them again.
— Chowder: it’s tasty but not the usual chunky type you may be used to. It’s thin but has flavor. I appreciated it especially because of the cold, rainy day.
— Crab cocktail: decent amount of crab but drenched in cocktail sauce. So much so that it masks the taste of the crab. I am asking for the sauce on the side next time.
They didn’t have Uni on the day we went, oh well!
One last thing, the people who run this place are warm and friendly and make you feel really welcome. It seems to be a family business and there are a ton of photos on the walls that you can peruse. Despite the lines, no one rushes you and you can eat to your hearts content.

Last time, I got here at 10:10am and waited 20 mins. This time, I got here at 10am and waited an hour.
I was able to try a few new items:
–Clam chowder: More clammy and less creamy. It’s nice to have a hot item to eat/​drink here.
–Sicilian sashimi: SO good. The olive oil, cracked pepper, and capers complement the fresh fish well. The scallops were amazing.
–Smoked salmon: So I technically didn’t order this but got two samples from the guys behind the counter. I didn’t order this because I figured it would taste like the smoked salmon I’ve had from the box – why I thought that I have no idea. This had a rich, woody flavor and sliced thin so you get just the right amount of saltiness.
Because I loved the cherry stone clams so much last time, I got them again. While they were good, they weren’t as smooth and creamy as last time. I know this is out of Swan’s control but the meat was slightly more chewy.
After trying all the «popular» items, these are the must-​order items for me:
–Sicilian sashimi
–Smoked salmon
–Combo salad with Louie dressing
–Cherry stone clams
Swan Oyster Depot is such a special place. It’s a no-​nonsense establishment serving food with minimal fixings. It’s just fresh stuff that tastes good as is.

I feel like everyone living in SF needs to experience Swan Oyster Depot. It’s truly a one-​of-​a-​kind experience and anyone who walks on Polk Street is sure to see the half-​a-​block line coming out of the door.
The seafood is super fresh. I definitely recommend ordering oysters and the shrimp salad.
Service here is great. The servers love talking and will start up conversations with everyone. You can tell it’s a close knit, family run business.
Expect to wait in line for at least 30 – 45 minutes. Although the servers are quick to grab your order and bring you your food, there is very limited seating (~20 seats at the bar only).
This restaurant is a bit on the pricier side. I was hoping to pay less before I came, but it was worth the experience.

Frankly, I am a little embarrassed to say Bourdain’s show brought me here, but oh boy, am I glad I know about this place now! It’s been in my bookmark list for quite some time, but this past saturday, the bf and I finally checked it out. We arrived around 2:30, and got seated after half hour or so. Wasn’t too bad of a wait (I think the morning rain helped disperse the crowd). Adding to the hoards of rave reviews, I would also regard this establishment as a must-​try. It is essentially a fish market rather than a restaurant, and seating involves rusty stools and a narrow counter. There were tons of jacket/​purse hooks all around. All of this adds to the charm of the place.
We started with a small plate of sashimi. Delicious! I’ve never had sashimi with these flavors (olive oil, salt, pepper, capers, shallots) but it was so refreshing. My first bite was the scallop and I seriously could’ve eaten an entire plate of just those. Then came a half dozen of a mixed plate of oysters. So good eaten simply with the mignonette. Then the crab back was something new and very adventurous for me, but OMG, dipped in the bread, it was creamy and luscious. I never thought it would taste as good as it did, and I would come back just for bread and a crab back. Super indulgent and only about $ 6! We also got a crab cocktail, and I made basically mini open-​faced sandwiches lol. Bread, a layer of horseradish, crab meat, and then topped with some cocktail sauce. $ 15 for a generous bowl of crab meat and no need to get my hands dirty, soo worth it. We finished the meal with a cup of their clam chowder, and it was very homestyle. A thinner chowder with some potatoes and a few clam pieces here and there, but big clam flavor. I was stuffed. The bill came out to around $ 55 before tip.
Service was good. Each group kinda gets their own guy/​gal to help them (they may have 2 – 3 groups) so it’s pretty personable. Our first guy was friendly enough but he kinda made a face when I asked for sashimi (it’s not on their official menu). After our 2^nd course, we heard him say bye to his coworkers, but he didn’t say anything to us, so then another guy took us on as customers. Kinda awkward. Other than that, it was a great experience. We ate a lot of really good seafood, and it didn’t break the bank! Just make sure you bring plenty of cash.

I want to know who gave this place less than 5 stars?! Because they are a dumb person.
My boyfriend and I stopped by this place for lunch on a Wednesday during our stay here in SF. Waited an hour, but had to try it according to Anthony Bourdain.
We were seated at the packed counter, which features only 18 stools, and were entertained by the friendly employees who were shucking fresh oysters and slicing salmon.
We got the seafood combination cocktail, which has crab, shrimp, mussel and oyster with fresh cocktail sauce. We also had crab back and it is a must! So so good. Definitely something I would not have ordered regularly, but I love trying new things. Along with fresh sourdough, clam chowder and a mixed dozen of oysters, our lunch was insanely delicious. Looking forward to my next trip to SF and the must of the all future trips… Swan Oyster Depot!

Ending 2015 with one of my favorite spots in SF. As a general life rule for me and one of my best friends, if the line to Swan Oyster Depot isn’t to the furniture store yet, get in it quick. Even if you weren’t planning on going there.
Seafood is the name of the game obviously. Love almost everything here but highlights include the seafood cocktail salad, the fresh shucked oysters, and the underrated sashimi which is served more like a crudo with olive oil and capers. The latter in particular is just so amazing especially the scallop sashimi. I can still taste those scallops from memory. Other goodies include chowder and smoked fish plus other seafood salads if you just want jumbo shrimp for example. They also have a chowder, shrimp cocktail, beer combo too but you’re probably gonna want to upgrade to the mix seafood salad because it’s totally worth it.
Folks here have been doing it for ages and it’s great to tap into their expertise and enjoy their hospitality. Lighthearted, cozy, and all around fun atmosphere to enjoy some seafood and beer in a San Francisco institution.
Also, contrary to what you see on Bourdain’s travels, you can hardly ever just walk-​in to Swan Oyster Depot so prepare for a line.

This is one of my mom’s favorite spots — she would queue up in line for crab salad. For many years, I lived just a few blocks from Swan Oyster Depot but never tried it because of the daunting line.
I went by on a Tuesday afternoon around 12:45 and found a relatively short line — only about 3 people in front of us (our party of two). We waited about 15 minutes to get a stool at the bar (there are only seats at the bar). The menu is limited — seafood cocktail (shrimp, prawn or crab), salad (same seafood options), clam chowder soup and various other items.
We shared the crab cocktail and the prawn cocktail, and I had the clam chowder soup. Unfortunately, I didn’t particularly like any of the dishes — the clam chowder was thin and oily while the seafood cocktails were okay but nothing to write home about. $ 60 for those three dishes seemed pricey, and I think you’re better off getting seafood at a variety of other spots in SF.

I have read a lot of reviews on Unilocal before I went into this place. I gotta say I LOVE THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE.
We were a group of 4, waited in line at the doorway for like 20mins. Not a bad wait I would say. From time to time, one of the staff made small talks with us. Be careful of their closing time as they stop serving like 30−45mins ahead of closing. They certainly have what it take to turn people down given how popular and busy they are.
Our sever served us bread and did not rush us to eat/​order at all. He was taking each order, serve and then take another order. Its not like most other restaurant you just place all your orders at once.
2 Clam Chowder: Unlike other places, not creamy, liquid but FULL OF CLAM flavor
4 Cherry Stones: Fresh, no shells, very good
1 half-​cracked crab: Very flavorful and full of meat in crab legs, limited served per day
2 Crab cocktail: Loved it cos it is fresh and I did not need to get my hands dirty, good seafood sauce
2 beers
Everything $ 100
I will def come back if I am in San Fran again. Loved the whole dining experience. Servers are nice in their own way. They are not rude, they just got their unique personalities.

I finally made it !!!
I’ve been trying to make it here for quite a while and the discouraging long lines always kept me from coming, however today (wednesday morning) the line was pretty light (about a 20 min wait) so I was able to get sitted in a timely manner.
I sat down, the people behind the counter were very friendly, I ordered a small plate of mixed fish shashimi style and marinated, I also got a half dozen mixed oysters. In the sashimi the fish that stood out the most was the hamachi which was exquisite, the rest of the fish was great also. The oysters were out of this world, definitely some of the best oysters I ever had.
If your visiting or live here, make sure you go to swan, the quality of the fish is impeccable, definitely some of the freshest fish.
I just have 1 tip, make sure you bring cash.

Followed Anthony bourdain’s footsteps, finally I got to try Swan Depot. Let’s just say that I had The most fresh oysters that I have ever had! So yummy!
I would definitely recommend this place!!! For sure!
Hmmm… But one of the server was a bit rude. Otherwise I would give this restaurant a 5 star

Not worth the 2 hr wait! My coworker saw this place on one of Anthony Bourdain’s television episodes. She sold me on the pictures on Unilocal!What a disappointment. Over hyped.
What We Ordered
— Crab Back
— Small Sashimi
— Crab Cocktail
— A Dozen Oysters
The Crab Back was COLD. You would think it would come warm/​hot? Odd. I still ate it all seeing how it was the last one they had when we were seated. (There were more after the fact… I wonder what temperature those were lol.) Anywho, the Small Sashimi came with scallops, tuna and salmon. The tuna and salmon were NOT fresh! It tasted weird and fishy. The scallop sashimi was on point! The Crab Cocktail was okay. Basic. The oysters were a tad small and not as fresh as the ones we had the day before at Hog Island Oyster. I won’t be back! :(

I have been wanting to try this place for years but never had the opportunity until this recent trip to the bay. I went here on a Tuesday afternoon around 2PM with 2 other people. The wait was’t too bad, about 30 minutes. (There is about 20 seats so go on an off time if you don’t want to wait too long.)
When I went here, I had the sashimi plate (it had onions, capers, and olive oil), crab cocktail, crab back, and oysters. The oysters were sooo amazing. We asked our server for a variety so we got to try 4 different ones. The house sauce is so damn good. UGH, I’m salivating as I type this. Seriously, Swan, bottle your oyster sauce up!!! The other seafood items were also amazing and fresh. I really loved the crab back. YUMMO!
I enjoyed dining here so much. Our server was hilarious and slightly sarcastic, which made everything extremely fun. The restaurant has an old school feel. I mean, just look at their register!!! Also, don’t even think about bringing out your credit card to pay for your meals because they won’t accept it. Don’t fret thugh, there is a Chase atm across the street! Whew.

Immediately when you walk in, you can tell this is a family run restaurant. There’s chemistry between all the workers that makes you feel like you’re about to eat recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. I gave one extra star because they seem really passionate about their business.
The actual food though was nothing extraordinary though. Judging only based on taste, I would give 3 stars. We got a dozen oysters and a sashimi plate which wasn’t on the menu. IT WAS EXPENSIVE (~$ 60). I really don’t know why it’s only two dollar signs on Unilocal.Also, it was cash only, which is a slight inconvenience. There is an ATM located across the street though.

This place is the best place in SF. The guys that run it are awesome, and each and every time I go I remember why it’s the best.
Here’s what you get:
Prawn Cocktail
Crab Cocktail
Sashimi Combo
Oyster Combo
Smoked Fish Combo
Beers
You’ll be happy. I promise.

Wir haben eine Stunde auf einen Platz warten müssen. Das Essen, die Atmosphäre und die Typen hinter dem Tresen waren einmalig.

Ambiance géniale. Service au comptoir. Tout le monde s’y retrouve: des pompes de sécurité croisant les escarpins. Une petite soupe, une salade ou une douzaine d’huîtres. Produits hyper frais & bon vin sous l’oeil acéré du patron.