Historic John's Grill

4.7

7381 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Charming
Neighborhood gem

John's Grill has been a San Francisco tradition since 1908. This historic restaurant is one of the city's oldest and most famous and is a favorite of celebrities who enjoy great steaks, expertly prepared fresh seafood with excellent service and a one of a kind atmosphere. John's Grill was a setting in author Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Steak, Seafood
Hours of operation
Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(415) 986-0069
Website
http://johnsgrill.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Mauricio Sibrian
Private party facilities
Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.

Location
63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood
Downtown / Union Square
Cross street
Powell Street
Parking details
There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
Public transit
BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Experiences

Christmas
$95.00 per person
Dec 24, 2024 - Dec 25, 2024
Celebrate the holiday season with a special Pre-Fix Menu at John's Grill! For just $95 per person, enjoy a delicious three-course meal featuring: Lobster Bisque – rich and creamy, a holiday favorite Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster Tail – perfectly cooked to your liking Bread Pudding – a warm, indulgent treat to finish your meal Don't miss out on this exclusive festive offering. Come celebrate with us at John's Grill and make this season unforgettable! ✨🍽️
New Year's
$95.00 per person
Dec 31, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025
Celebrate The New Year in style with a special Pre-Fix Menu at John's Grill! For just $95 per person, enjoy a delicious three-course meal featuring: Lobster Bisque – rich and creamy, a holiday favorite Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster Tail – perfectly cooked to your liking Bread Pudding – a warm, indulgent treat to finish your meal Don't miss out on this exclusive festive offering. Come celebrate with us at John's Grill and make this season unforgettable! We will also be offering complimentary designer party favors for New Year's Eve ✨🍽️

Popular dishes

New England Clam Chowder$8.95
Lobster Bisque$9.95
Lunch Salad$6.95
Seasonal greens, with vinaigrette dressing
- With Bleu Cheese Dressing$7.95
Caesar a la John's$14.95
Bay Shrimp Louie$17.95
Roquefort Salad$17.95
bay shrimp, avocado
Roasted Beet Salad$15.95
Candied walnuts, feta cheese, lemon aioli topped with micro greens
Jack LaLanne's Favorite Salad$29.95
Seasonal greens, crab, shrimp, avocado, mushrooms, tomato tossed in our famous creamy bleu cheese vinaigrette dressing

Seafood & Shellfish

All the below entrees served with seasonal vegetables

Grilled Pacific Snapper$17.95
Sauce Piquante (spiced tomato sauce)
Jumbo Prawns Dijonnaise$19.95
Sautéed with mushrooms, wine, garlic and Dijon cream
Broiled Salmon$22.95
Served with Hollandaise Sauce and mashed potatoes
Petrale Amandine$18.95
Sliced almonds, Lemon butter sauce
Fried Jumbo Prawns$19.95
Fried Sea Scallops$28.95
Fried Oysters$16.95
Fried Combination Seafood$25.95
Coated with herbed breadcrumbs and accompanied by tartar sauce

John's Featured Steaks

Served with seasonal vegetables & baked Idaho potato. All of our steaks are sourced from Black Angus Midwest Corn-fed beef, the finest available. They are naturally aged in order to ensure maximum flavor and tenderness. Each steak is hand selected and hand cut in California to meet our exact specification. Add 3 Fried Jumbo Prawns to any steak $12, Add 4 Oz Maine Lobster Tail to any steak $19.95, Side Peppercorn or Bearnaise Sauce $3

New York Steak$31.95
Ribeye Steak$36.95
Filet Mignon$38.95
Surf and Turf$43.95
New York Steak & 3 Fried Jumbo Prawns

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops$35.95
Served with baked potato and sliced tomatoes [Sam Spade went to John's Grill, asked the waiter to hurry his order of chops, baked potato, sliced tomatoes...and was smoking a cigarette with his coffee when... The Maltese Falcon]

Sandwiches & Pasta

Broiled 1/2 Lb. Deluxe Burger$19.95
Broiled New York Steak Sandwich$24.95
All Accompanied by French Fries
Tortellone$15.95
Filled with sundried tomato, romano, parmigiano and ricotta cheese in a basil cream sauce topped with shredded Grana Padano cheese
Maine Lobster Ravioli$18.95
Herbed tomato cream
Chicken Linguine Alfredo$18.95
Fisherman's Pasta$25.95
Linguine, jumbo prawns, salmon, snapper, mushrooms in basil cream

On the Side

Baked Idaho Potato$5.95
French Fries$6.95
Sautéed Mushrooms$7.95
Fresh Creamed Spinach$7.95
Caramelized Onions$7.95

Chef's Weekly Special

Fish & Chips$17.95
Anchor Steam beer batter, wild caught Pollock with caper tartar sauce
Crispy Chicken Sandwich on Brioche$17.95
Roasted garlic-sundried tomato aioli
Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Cheese$16.95
Aged balsamic, extra virgin olive oil and basil
Medallions of Beef$32.95
Medallions of Filet mignon, béarnaise sauce served with Parmesan mashed potato and seasonal vegetables

What 7,381 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Historic John's Grill is a San Francisco treasure, celebrated for its "wonderful food" and "excellent service." With its "old world charm" and "classic SF vibes," the restaurant offers a memorable dining experience. Guests appreciate the "live jazz" and "energetic atmosphere." It's a "must-visit" for both locals and visitors.

7,381 Reviews

A
Anne
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyed every minute. Food was terrific! Just as expected and that’s why it was our choice for Christmas Eve.
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T
Tim
Chicago
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
For a busy holiday, service was great. There was an additional charge for that, as well as a minimum charge per person, which we would have reflected in the bill, but had to do some extra math to come to the same conclusion. Food was exceptional as always and the ambiance is unbeatable by any place else in the city.
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A
Alex
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of our favorite dinning experiences. Anyone who values great food and fantastic service should come out to John’s Grill.
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J
JoAnn
VIP
San Francisco
119 reviews
3.0
119 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We were able to change the time of our reservation and come earlier. We sat upstairs which was great but our food took way too long. Two other tables that were sat after us were served first. Almost like they list our order. They offered us a free drink which was nice but we would have preferred to have our food on time.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
VIP
San Francisco
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food was not up to par for the price. Filet mignon was chewy and flavorless even at medium rare. Cocktails were delicious and the sides ok.
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L
Lisa
VIP
San Francisco
60 reviews
5.0
60 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lunch after a matinee is one of our Holiday traditions- this year it was just perfect. The restaurant was packed with diners waiting for tables lined up at the bar, so thank goodness we had a reservation (on a Monday at 3:00PM- who knew?). Once past that minor inconvenience, everything was absolutely wonderful. We shared the Tortelloni appetizer and even though I am an accomplished Italian home cook, it was the best we have ever had. Then we shared the Jack LaLane salad - partly because we grew up with him on TV and the nostalgia was undeniable- and it was perfect. It had a respectable amount of seafood and avocado and was very large. My husband said his Manhatten was excellent. We left vowing to come back soon and often.
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K
Karen
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our 4th year going to John's for the holiday season and it never disappoints! Lovely time, good food and so love SF.
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C
Carolyn
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Great food. Noisy but still nice. Make a reservation! People were waiting an hour without them.
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J
Jonathan
VIP
San Francisco
35 reviews
5.0
35 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food. Great service lots of fun.waiter was wonderful.
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A
Anna
Sacramento
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have dined at John’s for many years, slowed down during Covid window…A friend and I went to a play and had lunch. Great good and experience always. Highly recommend!
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FAQs

Historic John's Grill offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 986-0069.

Historic John's Grill is rated 4.7 stars by 7381 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Powell Street
Neighborhood
Downtown / Union Square
Hours of operation
Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Steak, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
Public transit
BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Mauricio Sibrian
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://johnsgrill.com/
Phone number
(415) 986-0069
Private party facilities
Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Historic John's Grill

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Dining areas

Additional information

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Christmas

New Year's

Ribeye Steak

Filet Mignon

New York Steak

Appetizers

Escargots$11.95

Jumbo Prawn Cocktail$17.95

Soup & Salads

New England Clam Chowder$8.95

Lobster Bisque$9.95

Lunch Salad$6.95

Caesar a la John's$14.95

Bay Shrimp Louie$17.95

Roquefort Salad$17.95

Roasted Beet Salad$15.95

Jack LaLanne's Favorite Salad$29.95

Seafood & Shellfish

Grilled Pacific Snapper$17.95

Jumbo Prawns Dijonnaise$19.95

Broiled Salmon$22.95

Petrale Amandine$18.95

Fried Jumbo Prawns$19.95

Fried Sea Scallops$28.95

Fried Oysters$16.95

Fried Combination Seafood$25.95

John's Featured Steaks

New York Steak$31.95

Ribeye Steak$36.95

Filet Mignon$38.95

Surf and Turf$43.95

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops

Sam Spade's Lamb Chops$35.95

Sandwiches & Pasta

Broiled 1/2 Lb. Deluxe Burger$19.95

Broiled New York Steak Sandwich$24.95

Tortellone$15.95

Maine Lobster Ravioli$18.95

Chicken Linguine Alfredo$18.95

Fisherman's Pasta$25.95

On the Side

Baked Idaho Potato$5.95

French Fries$6.95

Sautéed Mushrooms$7.95

Fresh Creamed Spinach$7.95

Caramelized Onions$7.95

Chef's Weekly Special

Fish & Chips$17.95

Crispy Chicken Sandwich on Brioche$17.95

Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Cheese$16.95

Medallions of Beef$32.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Historic John's Grill offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Historic John's Grill restaurant rated?

Is Historic John's Grill currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day