Pier 23 Cafe Restaurant & Bar • 1986

This family-run waterfront institution on the Embarcadero has served fresh Dungeness crab, crispy fish tacos, and hearty clam chowder from its bayside perch since Flicka McGurrin transformed an old longshoreman dive bar into a world-class seafood destination in 1986. Now run by her children Mac, Meighan, and Lei, the sixth-generation San Franciscan legacy continues with a shrimp sandwich that earned a spot on Eater's best-dishes list, oven-roasted whole crab plates that draw regulars from across the city, and live jazz echoing off the water on weekends. Pull up a seat on the back patio facing Treasure Island, order the crab cakes with your dog at your feet, and settle into the kind of unhurried afternoon that feels like vintage San Francisco.