Mersea Restaurant, Bar and Venue — Restaurant in San Francisco

What a pleasant discovery! The diamond in the Treasure Island rough! If you've been to Treasure Island recently or even for awhile now, you've noticed how everything is fenced off-limits and accessed only to either construction or mass industrial storage. It wasn't always that way. I could remember when we visited a number of years ago to see the construction of the new Bay Bridge, just how tranquil and picturesque the island was and how spectacular the views are of San Francisco and back to the East Bay was. A large open area next to the Treasure Isle Marina and an expansive grass area along the Avenue Of The Palms. Not to mention, the rich history of the island's 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition, the World's Fair. And the China Clippers that used to dock there. Fast forward to whenever the transformation took place, all that inviting space is now fenced off and not accessible as mentioned, replaced by what seems to be perpetual dirt and industrial storage.

And that's why Mersea Restaurant was such a magnificent find, right there at the middle of the West side of the island, at the end of Avenue Of The Palms along the Bay hidden in an Island that has been left disheveled and unkempt. The restaurant is like an oasis, maybe it was a mirage, but nonetheless it is definitely a restaurant worth visiting from either sides of the Bay, or when your commute traffic stalls on the bridge, take a load off, relax with a nice meal and a mohito at Mersea Restaurant until the commute hours pass. Enjoy the panoramic view of San Francisco that hasn't been replaced, albeit having few places to stop to enjoy it now, except at Mersea Restaurant and the small patch of grass left in front of the restaurant. The food was good, prices were average, and the portions were sufficient. There is a bar inside the restaurant and one outside right next to the restaurant. A small indoor dining area, but plenty of outdoor dining or drinking space. You'll have to order at the bar inside and pick up your food when the pager they hand you buzzes. So kinda self-service but they will gladly help you take your food to your table as they did ours. The host and the person serving the food were especially pleasant, greeted us with huge smiles, a definite plus in this day and age! The atmosphere is casual and there is a bocce court and a professional level putting green surrounded by hearty succulents. When we were there on Saturday 9/10/2022 at noon, there was live music too. Just go, you won't be...

Elaine and I dropped by to check Mersea out because we had heard good things about it and we we happened to be passing by. We arrived as they were closing so we did not expect to get any food. Co-owner MeeSun welcomed us and told us that the kitchen was still open, so we took advantage of the opportunity.

I ordered a cocktail, an Old Fashioned (listed as "Gold Fashioned" in honor of the Gold bourbon used in the drink and in honor of the 49ers being in the upcoming NFC championship game). The drink was well made and reasonably priced and I thoroughly enjoyed it. For food, we ordered the brussel sprouts, Parke's fish chowder, and fish and chips.

The chowder was not your typical clam chowder in that it is not clam chowder but fish chowder. And this is a good thing. The chowder was creamy and delicious without the thick, starchy flour-based thickener common to most clam chowders. I will definitely order the chowder every time I come back to Mersea.

The brussel sprouts were cut in half and roasted perfectly. The sprouts were tender with enough charred leaves to give it wonderful flavor. The balsamic glaze topped it off wonderfully.

The fish and chips were not a typical fish and chips. I do not know what type of fish was used but it was not hunks of cod filet. But it was delicious and moist and the breading was crisp and tasty. The chips were potato wedges and not what we think of as "french fries". I saw several orders of fries being delivered to another table and was looking forward to getting some of those. My disappointment was short-lived as the potato wedges were delicious. However, if you want the regular fries with the fish, you may have to ask for them. Either way, you can't go wrong.

There were several items on the menu that we will definitely try on future visits, especially the fish tacos. There are also a good selection of locally made draft beers and reasonably priced wines by the glass or bottle.

I cannot end my review without mentioning the amazing views of San Francisco, the funky yet comfortable ambiance, and friendly service. Mersea is also very dog- and kid-friendly.

I have heard that Mersea can be crowded on weekends but to our surprise, it was almost empty on a Wednesday afternoon. It closes fairly early on Wednesdays but the bar stays open later on Thursdays through Sundays, serving drinks and the bar menu. I definitely recommend dropping by in the afternoon and early evening for...

Portions are small. My son needed to order a second order of two fish tacos and also ate part of my fish and chips. He is an active 30+ who works out and is fit. He did not overeat.

The fish tacos were good. The sauce and veggie toppings set them apart from a traditional Mexican restaurant. Unfortunately, the standard size tortillas were fried and greasy The fish was not overcooked and the veggies were fresh. Only two tacos per order, for about $15, no sides are included. The plate arrives with two tacos on it and a lime wedge.

The fish and chips come with one piece of battered, fried fish and what appear to be large size hand cut fries or potato wedges and sauce. No cole slaw or additional sides included. The batter was ok, but not exceptional. However, the fish was cooked well. I usually don't eat the fries. I took one bite as these appeared to have a coating on them. I was not impressed with the fries. I did not take a second bite. The sauce had a mayo base like traditional tarter sauce. But, additional seasoning had been added. The tarter sauce was good.

The fish chowder was meh. It is basically a potato soup recipe that starts with bacon, add potatoes, carrot, celery and milk. I did not find any chunks of fish. I did find bacon. There was NOTHING exceptional about this soup. Not the content, nor the seasonings. Don't bother with the soup.

The restaurant location is outstanding with nice views. [Note: Treasure Island has a perimeter road with free access to outstanding city views.] Parking is ample and free. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available. The restaurant is located inside converted shipping containers. The atmosphere is cafe casual. You place your order at the counter and seat yourself. Food is cooked fresh and delivered to your table. Our table had a deck of Mersea's playing cards. There were games outside. The succulent gardens are a high point.

The temp in SF can hang around 55 degrees. Treasure Island can be windy. It is nice to have an indoor option with a view.

Getting back on the bridge at rush hour may be daunting for those unaccustomed to SF traffic. So, timing your restaurant visit to avoid rush hour traffic may be a consideration.

We have not tried any other restaurants on...