Swan Oyster Depot — Restaurant in San Francisco

After waiting in line for 90 minutes two of us took our seat at the counter and were introduced to our server about whom my friend remarked, after he was out of earshot, "he's really handsome". Yelp doesn't allow me to italicize but put that "really" in italics and you get the gist. Not that this has anything to do with my enjoyment of Swan, but it explains why I was reluctant to change stools even though I had the worst seat in the house (the first stool in the door has no place to put your legs).

After waiting 90 minutes though, I wanted to enjoy my meal, so when I mentioned my discomfort to our server he promised we could change to the next stools available and when someone from line swooped in as soon as they freed up he honored his promise, asking them to go back in line as we were moving to those seats. So, the handsome server was also a server skilled in making his customers happy. He remained our server for most of the meal but my interactions with other servers caused me to take away this: the staff at Swan treat each customer like solid gold. Observe and take note; I've rarely seen anything like it.

Signs on the wall say that Swan has no online site. Any "menu" you might find there has been created by others, not them, so it does little good to pre-decide your order until you're seated at the counter and can look at the wall itself. Also look around at what others are eating and ask your server what isn't up there on the wall. That's how I wound up with Sicilian Sashimi which was some sort of perfection on a plate.

A cup of Clam Chowder was also a worthy starter and a relief. It wasn't starchy and flour-thickened as we've grown accustomed to, but a consistency more natural. Sop it up with the bread and butter and you'll be one happy clam.

The Louies here are the best in town with the most expensive one topping out at $30. Its charms are simple: Heap ample handfuls of prawns, shrimp, and crab atop iceberg lettuce and serve with a side bowl of of Louie dressing. Seafood Louies get no better than those at Swan.

You'll surely want wine with your meal, all the more reason to linger a bit longer. Despite the line, they don't rush you here and I was determined this wouldn't be a short visit. Swan knows what goes with their food and the white wines I sampled (around $10/glass) provided the perfect accompaniment.

If waiting in an endless line, perching atop a stool, and visiting your ATM (Swan is a cash-only establishment) sounds like a good trade-off for eating fresh, bountiful seafood delivered with outstanding service, Swan Oyster Depot is where you should head. The confidence they have in their offering is well-deserved; in San Francisco, they're...

Guys, this place is sooooo worth the wait. The food, the service, the atmosphere…..omg…unreal! Andrew was our server and he made our experience a hoot!

So my party of three got to the restaurant at 12:40pm on a Saturday. With about a line of 10-12 parties ahead of us, we felt confident we’d get in with ease, but around 2pm, the manager comes out and tell us the last seating would be about 2:30-/+. There were still about three parties ahead of us, so it was really iffy. Worst case scenario, we’d have to take it to go. It’s now 2:25pm and we’re all just peeping in, looking to see who was almost done. A group of three gals got in and we were happy for them, but we were sad for ourselves. We were legit at the front just praying we’d get in. Andrew, the above-mentioned server, was SOOO nice, sooo funny and very attentive! He told us if someone gets up and leaves within five minutes, we’d get in, and we DID!

Food – everything is soooo good and so fresh; quality is above and beyond. The clam chowder was one of my favorites. The sourdough bread was extra, and I believe they get that from a local bakery. Will need to go back and get some crab!

Service – Andrew was EVERYTHING. He has a fulltime job during the week but works at the restaurant every other Saturday; we were lucky enough to him on one of his ON days.

Seating – I think I counted like 20 seats and the staff is pretty good about shifting parties around to accommodate the line. Although it would be nice to eat and hang, chit chat all day, be aware of the surroundings. This is not a place to have a conversation for two hours. Eat and go peeps!

There’s wine and beer!

Would definitely go back. Just make sure you eat before you get there to EAT. 😊 The wait is long, but you will not be...

There are oyster shacks and raw bars everywhere these days - and then there is Swan. Returning to Swan Oyster Depot on Polk Street is less a meal and more a pilgrimage. A high holy mass of seafood, showmanship, and soul. And on this particular visit, the gods of the Pacific smiled wide.

Merino, take a bow. Your unwavering commitment to the spiel—that time-honored rundown was delivered with the sincerity of a friend welcoming you home. Your guest engagement is not just service. It’s a calling. You are a flippin G !

And then there’s Steve. Hobbling a bit more than on last visit but my god … this guy doesn’t take any BS and tells it like it is … and he shucks like someone who’s shucked 2m oysters-+ a legend !!! Tenacity?… sustained effort ?? Anyone ??… anyone ??? Wow !

The playlist? Forget background music. This is a full-throated, multi-generational sing-along soundscape—The Stones, Otis, Springsteen—an emotional sonic marinade - The vibe is part jukebox heaven, part family reunion, part food revival tent.

But Swan is more than the sum of its perfect seafood, iconic staff, and mood-lifting music. It is, as ever, a time-tested pillar of the West Coast food scene. An immovable, unforgettable, and entirely irreplaceable monument to what hospitality used to be, should be, and still is—if you’re lucky enough to find yourself perched at its marble counter.

Swan Oyster Depot isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a living legend, a San Francisco treasure, and a sacred experience for anyone who believes in the power of great food, delivered simply and with soul.

To Merino, to Steve, to every hand behind the counter, and to the enduring spirit of Swan—thank you. Long...