Waterbar Restaurant — Restaurant in San Francisco

Great dining experience! I would recommend making a reservation, this place seems to always be packed, not surprised with the amazing view and great food. Made a 8pm reservation, the bridge was lit up and there was a cute ambiance inside and outside the restaurant. The restaurant is on the pier and in a great area. When we arrived our table was not ready so we sat at the bar and enjoyed a craft cocktail and a glass of champagne. The bar is absolutely beautiful with a phenomenal view of the bridge; and well as an added bonus there is an oyster bar.

Thank goodness the bar had available sitting because it took us almost 30 minutes until we finally got our table. I thought it was a bit odd for such a nice Restaurant to have such a long wait, especially because we had made reservations.

We got seated in the back with a great view of the bridge. The service is great, we loved our server. He was really on top of things, very friendly, and also gave us some birthday champagne on the house. :) Now for the food....we got the fried green tomatoes as our appetizer. They were good, but we took them to go because we were so full from our main courses. We got the stuffed lobster, which was to die for. Full of flavor, juicy, and just pure bliss to my taste buds. It was enough for the both of us. We also got the glazed pork with jam and blackened veggies. We only finished half of that and ended up taking that home as well. I smiled during each bite of the stuffed lobster...it was that good.

2 marvelous hours later we looked at the clock with heavy eyes and full belly's, dare we order dessert? My grandfather always says "there's always room for dessert." Well you should always listen to your grandfather, so of course we got dessert. We got the carrot cake with candied walnuts and rum raisin. Delicious. The entire dinner was a wonderful experience. We left feeling bubbly from the bubbly, belly's full, and smiles on our faces. I can't wait to go back for happy hour drinks...

Disappointing Service and Discrimination Overshadowed Great Food

I recently visited Waterbar with high expectations due to its positive online reviews. While the food was excellent, and the view of the San Francisco Bay Bridge from our window seat was stunning, the service we received was a significant disappointment.

Our experience was marred by several instances of poor service, primarily from a bald-headed staff member dressed in white, who displayed a disrespectful and unprofessional attitude when we provided feedback about the size of the oysters. Moreover, our requests for napkins and hot water were continually ignored and required multiple reminders. When these items were finally brought to us, they were slammed down on the table by a fierce-looking staff member dressed in black.

It was disheartening to see that non-Asian customers received warm smiles and prompt service while we were treated with disdain. The difference in treatment led us to suspect racial discrimination, which is unacceptable.

Additionally, we observed improper food handling when a staff member placed the bread and butter on the ledge, violating proper restaurant etiquette.

Upon arrival, the lady at the front desk prioritized a phone call over attending to us and assisted other customers who seemed to have arrived later, making us feel unimportant.

While the food was undeniably delicious, the poor service and discriminatory behavior overshadowed our dining experience. I strongly urge the management to address these issues and ensure equal treatment for all customers, regardless of their background. Until then, I advise caution when considering dining at Waterbar, especially for those of...

As someone in the events industry, I wanted to share my experience for anyone considering this restaurant around 4pm. My team had a 5pm reservation on a Wednesday, as OpenTable didn’t show earlier availability. I called ahead to see if we could arrive earlier due to a flight and because we were scouting the location for a potential future event. They assured us it was fine to come early for happy hour, but dinner service wouldn’t begin until 5pm.

Upon arrival, the hostess was surprisingly rude and unwelcoming. Despite explaining that we had a 5pm reservation but were told we could arrive early, she told us we could only sit on the patio if we left by 5pm. This seemed impractical, so we were directed to the bar area as the only alternative.

We found a high-top table but needed an extra chair for our party of three. When I moved a chair, the hostess abruptly came over, removed it, and told us we couldn’t move any furniture. Instead, she said we’d have to sit at the bar, but there wasn’t enough room for our group. Her lack of courtesy and unwillingness to accommodate made the entire experience frustrating.

Ultimately, her attitude led us to decide against this venue for any future corporate events. Ironically, by 5pm, no one had been asked to leave their table, so we likely had other seating options. Management should reconsider who they place at the front of house, as this encounter left a poor impression. While I’ve heard great things about the food and drinks, we wouldn’t want our event guests to face...