Where to Eat Oysters Outside in SF Right Now

Treat yourself.

By daisy barringer

Published on 28/07/2020 at 08:51 PM

For a few desperately long months there, the only way to get fresh oysters was to buy ‘em, take ‘em home, and do all of the heavy lifting (okay, twisting) yourself. And while some of you are motivated enough to do that, many are just a little lazy and prefer slurping down an oyster that’s been perfectly chilled and freshly shucked by an expert. Now that we have outdoor dining again in SF, there are a bunch of great spots at which to satiate your succulent bivalve cravings in a socially distanced restaurant environment. This list has a couple of happy hours, as well as a few spots where you’ll have to shell out up to $4 per oyster, but we promise they will all deliver oysters that will get you in the mood… to eat even more oysters.

Rooftop 25

SoMa
The rooftop at 25 Lusk has reopened for socially distanced cocktails, all-day brunch, pizzas, and, you guessed it, oysters. Head upstairs to enjoy an afternoon in the sunshine on the wind-protected deck (which has a retractable canopy in case the weather isn’t cooperating), where you’ll be treated to one of the best soundtracks we’ve heard in a restaurant in ages (and not just because it’s been ages since we’ve been to a restaurant). The local oysters are served with champagne mignonette and are $2 each. Make it an oyster shooter ($8) by adding a Bloody Mary shot. Right now Rooftop 25 opens at noon Wednesday through Saturday and 11:30am on Sunday.

Scopo Divino

Lower Pac Heights
This locals’ favorite wine bar celebrates happy hour from 3pm to 6pm every day of the week, with oysters for just $1.25 each as long as you purchase wine. Speaking of, wine is also 20% off during happy hour, and if you go on Wednesday or Thursday, you’ll catch live music from 5pm to 7pm and from 5pm to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Waterbar

Embarcadero
Admittedly, a meal at Waterbar is usually a splurge, but if you snag a seat on the outdoor patio with views of the Bay Bridge any day of the week between 12pm and 4:30pm, you can treat yourself to $1.05 oysters. Any other time, the oysters are between $3.80 and $4.05 unless you go baked (shrimp butter, sweet corn, serrano, espelette) — those are $5 each (and worth every penny).

ATWater Tavern

Mission Bay
ATWater Tavern’s patio is open for dining, panoramic water views, and $1 oysters during happy hour (Monday through Sunday from 3pm to 6pm). During that time, you’ll also get $2 off house wine, draft beer, and well drinks. During non-happy hour times, which are almost hard to hit since the restaurant is currently open from 11:30am to 6pm every day, Drake’s Bay oysters are $3 each and Petite Queshan oysters are $4 each.

Bix

Jackson Square
This swanky SF staple is open for outdoor dining Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 8pm. Sadly, there won’t be any jazz playing while you enjoy your meal, but you can still get one of the best martinis in town to go with your daily selection of oysters served with yuzu mignonette ($AQ).

Pabu

Financial District
This Izakaya restaurant from Michael Mina and Ken Tominaga just opened its newly expanded patio for full service Tuesday through Saturday from 4pm to 8pm. The reason you’re so happy about that is because it means you can finally get the “Happy Spoon” oyster amuse bouche ($9) again. If you haven’t had this delightful bite before, here’s all you’ll need to convince you to change that ASAP: It’s a raw local oyster served under fresh uni and two types of fish roe with a ponzu-flavored crème fraîche.

The Vault Garden

Financial District
This downtown outdoor oasis popped up specifically for these strange times and has tons of seating, heat lamps, and an atmosphere that will leave you feeling very safe. The oysters on the half shell come with a yuzu kosho mignonette and are $21 for a half-dozen and are available with the regular all-day menu and “after dark” when The Vault Garden has more of a lounge vibe.

Hog Island Oyster Co.

Embarcadero
This Ferry Building staple is open for outdoor dining from 11am to 6pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There may be a wait for a table, but if that seems like too much to bear, you can also get your order to-go to be enjoyed at one of the many communal tables set up for just that situation. Either way, you’ll be guaranteed Bay views and a variety of fresh oysters ranging from $19 to $21 for a half-dozen. Prefer your oysters cooked? Hog Island also offers an oyster po’ boy, though our go-to is the Cowgirl Creamery grilled cheese.

Foreign Cinema

Mission
Foreign Cinema has one of the best outdoor dining situations in the City thanks to its charming enclosed patio with twinkle lights and heat lamps. The menu hasn’t changed despite the times, which means all types from the East and West Coast are available ranging from $14 to $24 for a half dozen.

The Dorian

Marina
This popular Marina spot is definitely a little (lot) less of a meet-and-mingle party spot these days, but it’s still serving upscale comfort food and craft cocktails in its outdoor seating area, including oysters on the half shell served with cocktail sauce, lemon, and umami mignonette. They’re $3.50 each and available by the half-dozen or dozen. That is, unless you go during happy hour (Tuesday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm) when they’re just $1 each. Go on a “Rocks and Rosé” Tuesday and you’ll also get them, as well as select bottles of rosé, for 50% off for the rest of the night.

Fog Harbor Fish House

Fisherman’s Wharf
Take in views of the Bay at one of 40 tables on Fog Harbor’s waterfront patio while taking down a half-dozen oysters served with cocktail sauce ($21). Yeah, you’re going to pay tourist-ish prices and maybe even see a few tourists, but sometimes fresh seafood and great cocktails makes spending putting up with those things totally worth it. Open from 11am to 8pm every day, depending on the weather.

Scoma’s

Fisherman’s Wharf
Real San Franciscans don’t complain about Scoma’s touristy location because they know that the fresh seafood that comes directly from local fishermen makes this “pier-to-plate” restaurant worth the throngs of out-of-towners wearing shorts. Right now, Scoma has outdoor dining from 11:30am to 7:30pm every day and is offering a half-dozen oyster on the half shell for $19 and oysters alla Scoma (a Rockefeller-inspired dish) for $20.

Mission Street Oyster Bar

Mission
This casual seafood bar has reopened with outdoor seating, which is excellent news for anyone who wants to eat one or all of the nine types of oysters on the half shell available on the menu for $2 (regular) or $3 (premium) during happy hour: Monday through Thursday from noon to 9pm and all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There are also oyster shooters, fried oysters, a fried oyster po-boy sandwich, oysters Rockefeller… basically however you like your oysters, this spot will hook you up.

Mission Rock Resort

Potrero Hill
Mission Rock Resort’s bi-level outdoor dining situation seems almost tailor made to the new world of social distancing. Make a reservation for the patio or walk in and get counter service at the Rock Cafe. Both offer waterfront views and, thanks to the location, usually have copious amounts of sunshine, plus live music on the weekend. The menu is pared down, but the oysters are plentiful with hundreds being shucked every day. Want to score a deal on yours? Happy hour is Tuesday through Friday from 3pm to 7pm.Sign up here for our daily San Francisco email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun SF has to offer.

Daisy Barringer is an SF-based writer who likes her oysters every way from raw to Rockefeller, but especially likes them when they’re enjoyed outside in the sunshine. Follow her food adventures on Instagram @daisysf.

San Francisco

How to Celebrate Black History Month in San Francisco

Support and celebrate SF's Black community.

By daisy barringer

Published on 07/02/2023 at 09:20

Though it’s something we need to be doing every day of every month of every year, Black History Month encourages us to pay tribute to the struggles and oppression generations of Black Americans have faced, as well as their often-neglected triumphs and achievements that have helped shape this county and make it better. It’s a time to reflect on how we can do better to confront racism and oppression, which this year’s theme, “Black Resistance,” echoes. This is especially important in a town like San Francisco, where the Fillmore District was known as “the Harlem of the West” before the city displaced a vast portion of the neighbourhood’s Black community in the ’60s and ’70s. This displacement continues today, as the Black population is the only racial group that has declined in every census since 1970.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month, there are lots to do. Whether you want to educate yourself by attending films, performances, or conversations, share the joy at a parade or dance party, or do a little bit of it all at a drag show, here are just a few ways you can get involved and have a lot of fun while doing so:

Visit San Francisco Public Library branches for workshops, films, performances, and more

February (and throughout the year)
Library branches and online
SFPL’s “More Than a Month” celebration focuses on the theme of resistance this year. Family-friendly and adult events include film screenings, musical performances, book clubs, workshops, and more.
Cost: Free

See art, poetry, films, talks, and more at MoAD

February (and throughout the year)
SoMa
Right now, at the Museum of African Diaspora, you can see the first and only West Coast exhibition of “The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion,” which highlights the work of 15 contemporary fashion designers “whose images present radically new perspectives on the medium of photography and art, race and beauty, and gender and power.” The museum, which has a robust year-round program and event calendar, has a slew of events to attend, including youth poetry readings, film screenings, open mic nights, book clubs, artist talks, and more.
Cost: Event prices vary; GA to visit the museum is $12 but free every second Saturday of the month

Check out films, art, reading, talks, and more at BAMPFA

February (and throughout the year)
Berkeley
There is always something interesting to discover at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). During Black History Month, you can see films by Pratibha Parmar, “Felwine Sarr: Music, Freedom, Africa,” a conversation through music with the Senegalese writer, scholar, composer, musician, and more.
Cost: Varies

Enjoy menu specials honoring Black community members at Old Skool Cafe

February (and throughout the year)
Bayview
For Black History Month, Old Skool Cafe is adding the favourite meals of notable Black community members to the menu each weekend. The nonprofit, youth-run supper club helps at-risk, formerly incarcerated, and foster care youth ages 16-22 gain the skills and experience they need to succeed in various front and back-of-house restaurant roles. Bayview hero/community advocate Mrs. Dorris Vincent is first up, followed by Judge Trina Thompson, Delroy Lindo, and Mayor London Breed.

Walk beneath the Marting Luther King, Jr. Memorial waterfall

February (and ongoing)
Yerba Buena Gardens
Did you know that Yerba Buena Gardens is home to the country’s second-largest memorial to Dr. King? Visit the sculptural waterfall featuring glass panels inscribed with his inspiring words at 750 Howard Street.
Cost: Free

Attend the Commonwealth’s “Dreaming Forward: A Celebration of Black Joy, Power, and Excellence” conference

Thursday, February 9
Embarcadero
On behalf of Dr. Sheryl Evans Davis and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, the Commonwealth Club is hosting its second annual Dream Keeper Initiative, a day-long conference/celebration/call-to-action featuring special guests, including April Ryan of TheGrio and CNN.
Cost: Free

Celebrate Black Love at Oakland First Fridays

Friday, February 10
Telegraph Avenue from West Grand to 27th Street
Telegraph Avenue transforms into a dining, shopping, and art-appreciating party on Friday, February 10, from 5 pm to 9 pm. There will be food, artist, and retail vendors and a host of Black artists, authors, and entertainment. Please note: This event was rescheduled from February 3 because of potential rain.
Cost: Free

Have a ball at an all-Black drag show at Oasis

Friday, February 10
SoMa
“Reparations with Latrice Royale” is an all-Black drag show hosted by Latrice Royale, the beloved Drag Race star who also happens to be celebrating her birthday.
Cost: $15 to $60

Dance all night and shop all day at the Afro Soca Love carnival and marketplace

Friday, February 10 – Saturday, February 11
341 13th Street, Oakland
Afro Soca Love creates experiences that act as a “gateway to building bonds and strengthen relationships-between communities, individuals, and Africa and its diaspora.” See for yourself at the all-ages marketplace (Saturday), where you’ll find food and drink, fashion, beauty and wellness, home decor, and more. But before the shopping comes the dancing at the 21+ Friday Night Carnival, a culturally immersive music experience with music from all over the world.
Cost: The marketplace is free; tickets to the Friday Night Carnival start at $20

See a live performance of “Words That Made the Difference: Brown vs. the Board of Education”

Saturday, February 11
Unity Palo Alto
See a live theatrical performance based on the true events that occurred in the fight to end school segregation. The script draws from trial transcripts of the five cases brought together in front of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Earl Warren’s memoirs, and the play is set in the courtrooms where it all happened. There will be a Q&A with the playwright before the performance and the cast afterward.
Cost: Free

Courtesy of San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company

Go to the I, Too, Sing America album release party

Saturday, February 11
Mission
Head to the Brava Theater Center to celebrate the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company’s album release of the music created for I, Too, Sing America, a soulful and uplifting performance that moved audiences when it debuted last year. The night includes an album-listening and sing-along party, DJs, dancing, an open bar, and more.
Cost: $40

Go on the Black Liberation Walking Tour of West Oakland

Saturday, February 18
West Oakland
Take a walk with David Peters, founder of the West Oakland Cultural Action Network, and Gene Anderson, the author of Legendary Locals of Oakland, to learn about resident voices and document sites of cultural and historical significance in the neighbourhood. Peters is a local native, and Anderson is an Oakland historian whose family has historical roots in West Oakland.
Cost: $50 ($30 for West Oakland residents)

See a screening of The Black Kung Fu Experience followed by in-person demonstrations

Sunday, February 19
Great Star Theater, Chinatown
The Chinese Historical Society of America is celebrating Black History Month and social unity with a screening of this film about how a group of African American pioneers became respected in a subculture dominated by Chinese and white men. Afterward, there will be demonstrations and talks with Sifu Donald Hamby and Sifu Troy Dunwood, who “will speak about their success as internationally recognized martial arts masters, their Chinese Kung Fu teachers, and what this practice means in relation to diversity, race and inclusion issues.”
Cost: $15

Sip wine made by Black winemakers at a free tasting event at STEM Kitchen + Garden

Thursday, February 23
Dogpatch
STEM Kitchen + Garden is hosting an afternoon wine tasting celebrating Black-owned wineries in its gorgeous indoor/outdoor space, and best of all, and it’s free to the public!
Cost: Free

Attend the San Francisco African American Arts & Cultural District Gala Fundraiser

Saturday, February 25
Bayview Opera House
Enjoy an evening of talent, fashion, and community inspiration at SFAAACD’s 1st Annual Gala Fundraiser. Carla Duke, Television News Director at CBS-KPIX Chanel 5, will host the event, which includes inspiring words from keynote speaker Aniyia Williams, an artist, tech creator, and system-preneur.
Cost: $100

Attend a Black History Month & Chinese New Year Poetry Reading on Angel Island

Saturday, February 25
Angel Island
There is so much history in poetry at the Angel Island Detention Barracks Museum, which makes it a fitting location for poets Chun Yu and Michael Warr. The co-founders of Two Languages/One Community will share their poems and stories in English and Chinese, accompanied by projected images of text and photographs.
Cost: $10 to $21

Feel the joy at the Black Joy Parade

Sunday, February 26
Downtown Oakland
This parade and festival celebrate the “Black experience past, present, and future.” Be prepared to experience “more Black joy than you ever imagined,” starting with the parade (beginning at 14th and Franklin) at 12:30 pm. The family-friendly festival follows (main entrance is at 19th and Franklin) will include 200-plus Black-owned small businesses selling food, drinks, clothing, art, and more. There will also be two stages with Black performers, including The Black Joy Choir.
Cost: Free

Take a sound bath at Grace Cathedral in honor of Black History Month

Monday, February 27
Nob Hill
Take an immersive sound bath featuring Fractals of Sound, a collective of top Bay Area musicians Egemen Sanli, Phoenix Song, and Sam Jackson, with special guest Destiny Muhammad. Together, they will create a “soundscape deeply rooted in world music,” allowing you to take a meditative journey in one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco.
Cost: $25 to $75

See Tsitsi Dangarembga and Angela Davis at City Arts & Lectures

Tuesday, February 28
Civic Center
Co-presented with MoAd, City Arts & Lectures is hosting novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga and scholar and activist Angela Davis for what’s sure to be a riveting conversation.
Cost: $36

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Daisy Barringer is an SF-based freelance writer who spent many childhood days wandering around the Exploratorium. Follow her on Instagram to see what she’s up to now.