Waterbar Restaurant

This spot holds a special place for me. The team really knows their stuff, especially when it comes to oysters—they’re great at explaining flavors and helping you choose the perfect ones, even if you’re new to them. Whenever friends visit me in San Francisco, this is always a must-stop. Each area has its own charm: the patio is perfect during the day, the bar is ideal for happy hour, and the dining room feels elegant and cozy for a refined evening. It’s a memorable experience every time, and I can’t recommend it enough.

We both ended up getting the short ribs with risotto, mushrooms and leeks. The risotto was fantastic the short ribs were a 4/5 as you ate in they actually were a little dry and the leeks should have been cut down instead of the whole leak being placed in there. However as an absolute hater of mushrooms those weren’t terrible. I did hear that their menu is changed and printed daily which I thought was nice. We made reservations earlier in the day and had to wait about a 10-15 mins past the reservation time so I definitely recommend making a reservation. However we waited near the bar and were asked multiple times if we needed anything wanted a cocktail while we waited and more so that was a nice touch. The ambiance was really nice and we sat right next to one of the fish tanks which I loved. It’s definitely perfect for a date night with intimate table seating. I am not sure about the outside because we quickly passed by it on our way in. Overall it was nice to eat there and the vibe of the place was wonderful but it’s not some place I’d feel the need to frequent. However, I would like to come back and check out their happy hour.

I walked into Waterbar on a Monday evening around 6pm, hoping for fresh seafood with a view. The dining room had open seats at the seafood bar and a distinctly 2000s vibe complete with aquariums lining the space. The Bay Bridge stretched across the windows, and it's a genuinely nice backdrop for dinner. The seafood was hit or miss. The broiled oysters and crudo were decent, though nothing special. The crab cocktail missed the mark with that telltale frozen taste that you can't really hide. But the eggplant fries? Surprisingly great. Crispy, well-seasoned, and my favorite thing on the table. I appreciated seeing detailed sourcing information on the menu, noting where and how each fish was caught. That level of transparency is refreshing. The service was attentive throughout, constantly checking in and keeping water glasses full. Waterbar delivers on ambiance and views, which counts for something when you're dining on the waterfront. The food won't blow you away, but if you go in knowing it's more about the setting than the standout seafood, you'll have a pleasant enough evening. Worth it for the patio and bridge views, especially with a cocktail in hand

October 23, 2025- Thursday. Came to the Waterbar with my family for the first time during happy hour because we’d heard great things about their oyster special — and to be fair, the oysters were amazing. Super fresh, briny, and perfectly chilled. You could really taste the quality, and they were definitely the highlight of our visit. I’d honestly come back just for those. Unfortunately, everything else we ordered was kind of a letdown. We tried a soup (can’t remember the name), but it was bitter and just didn’t taste right — not something I’d recommend at all. The fish and chips sounded promising but were greasy and bland, like the fish had no seasoning and the batter was too heavy. The milky bread was another miss — dry, dense, and didn’t really pair well with anything. The service was also pretty inconsistent. When we first arrived, we were seated at the wrong table, and our first server seemed annoyed about it — definitely gave off “I don’t want to be here” vibes. It felt like he usually worked the non–happy hour section and wasn’t thrilled to have to reset a table for our larger group. Once we got moved to the correct happy hour section though, the vibe completely changed. The staff there were so much friendlier and more attentive, which helped make up for the rocky start. Overall, I’d say Waterbar is worth it if you’re here for oysters during happy hour, but that’s about it. The oysters are fantastic, but the rest of the food and service didn’t live up to the same standard.

We went to their happy hour for the $1.55 oyster. We ordered a dozen first to try if the oysters are fresh. YES. They are so fresh and tasty, so we ordered another dozen. The location is very good, you can see the bay bridge from the window. The aquarium in the restaurant is a plus. We also had reservation for dinner, they transferred us to dining tables with breathtaking views. We tried their Seared tuna, beef and lamb. The food was very tasty, but personally I like lamb chops better. The service was excellent. We will definitely come back.