Best of San Francisco
The best fresh seafood at a counter in San Francisco
Start with Swan Oyster Depot in Nob Hill / Polk Gulch for crab Louie, oysters, seafood salad at the counter, Hog Island Oyster Co. in Embarcadero (Ferry Building) for raw and grilled oysters at the bar and Anchor Oyster Bar in Castro for seafood combination, oysters, cioppino. Here are all 4, with what to get at each.
- Swan Oyster DepotNob Hill / Polk Gulch · Fresh seafood at a counter
Get: Crab Louie, oysters, seafood salad at the counter
The 1912 lunch counter; expect a line, and the freshness justifies it.
- Hog Island Oyster Co.Embarcadero (Ferry Building) · Fresh seafood at a counter
Get: Raw and grilled oysters at the bar
Bay-area farm oysters shucked at a Ferry Building bar.
- Anchor Oyster BarCastro · Fresh seafood at a counter
Get: Seafood combination, oysters, cioppino
Tiny neighborhood oyster bar with a loyal following; source article is from 2014.
- Sotto MareNorth Beach · Fresh seafood at a counter
Get: Oysters on the half shell, Crab Louis
Old-school Italian seafood room in North Beach; source article is from 2014.
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Where is the best fresh seafood at a counter in San Francisco?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Swan Oyster Depot (Nob Hill / Polk Gulch), Hog Island Oyster Co. (Embarcadero (Ferry Building)) and Anchor Oyster Bar (Castro). All 4 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Swan Oyster Depot, get crab Louie, oysters, seafood salad at the counter. At Hog Island Oyster Co., get raw and grilled oysters at the bar. At Anchor Oyster Bar, get seafood combination, oysters, cioppino. At Sotto Mare, get oysters on the half shell, Crab Louis.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for San Francisco: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in San Francisco
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.