A San Francisco Icon
San Francisco, California
Cuisine Style: Sicilian, Seafood
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined in: July 2013
Article updated: February 2020
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Restaurant Name Zomato rating:
Alioto’s Executive Chef:
John Nunez
Alioto’s Restaurant is a historic San Francisco landmark located on Fisherman’s Wharf, and one of the cities oldest fine-dining seafood restaurants specializing in traditional Sicilian recipes. The Restaurant began as a fresh fish stall on Fisherman’s Wharf in 1925 offering sea bass, sand dabs, sole, swordfish, tuna, scallops, and Dungeness crab all caught locally. But from my visit, is it all hype or truly memorable experience?
Restaurant Name Menu:
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Soups
- Dungeness crab Specialties
- Pasta and Risotto
- House Specialties
- From the Grill
- Sautéed / Fried
- Sides
- Desserts
I came to San Francisco to spend a few days before heading up to wine country, and Alioto’s was my first-night dinner experience for the food and tour of the city. As the week went on I would be dining at Fleur de Lys, and The French Laundry in Napa to name a few other fine dining spots. The location of Alioto’s was perfect, surrounded by a tourism mecca with Bay Cruises, views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sea Lions, and the Marina. The Atmosphere of the restaurant was very nice, the wait staff and Maître d were well dressed, the tables were set nicely, so it all gave the impression of finer dining until it came time for the two most important parts of a restaurants business, service, and food. Both were lacking and needed great improvement.
I started with some water while I looked over the wine list, but had to wait and ask for the water to be refilled. My wine glass was dirty; thankfully, I spotted it before the wine was poured. I also felt rushed as I ate, with the server wanting to collect the plates quickly, yet he took his time when it came to taking my order. At the end of the evening, a few minutes after paying the bill, the server took the check presenter away, knowing I had already signed and tipped, which was very unprofessional. I usually add gratuities to the bill at 18-25%; this server barely deserved 10%. For my starting course, I had oysters on the half shell, followed by Dungeness crab cakes. The oysters were fresh, and the crab cakes had a good texture with the minced vegetables.
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| Alioto's / Oysters |
For an entree I had the surf and turf New York strip Steak with some lobster and prawns, the presentation looked Devine and mouthwatering, plus the steak was cooked to the correct temperature but lacked flavor which is odd for a steak, and the lobster was way overcooked.
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| Alioto's / Surf and Turf |
A couple who sat at the table next to me also had the same type of food experience. The gentleman had ordered the halibut and you would think that since you are sitting next to the Pacific Ocean, why is a fine dining restaurant that boasts and advertises itself as having only local seafood serving a halibut that was from Atlantic, and he also commented that on the menu it was advertised as being drizzled in hollandaise sauce, but instead came with a side of tartar sauce. He also said that the fish was bland and overcooked. He ended up returning the plate for another item.
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| Alioto's / Halibut |
Dessert:
I did not have dessert during this visit.
But check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Seafood articles and restaurants similar to Alioto’s:
Seafood cuisine is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Seafood prominently includes fish and shellfish. A seafood restaurant is a restaurant that specializes in seafood cuisine and seafood dishes. They may include freshwater fish, sushi, raw bars, or rarer items such as the deadly Fugu Blowfish.
400 Beach Seafood and Taphouse Relaxed coastal cuisine in St. Petersburg, Florida
Bonefish Grill Contemporary 200+ chain with a seafood-centric menu; reviewed in St. Petersburg, Florida
Capt’n Jacks Waterfront Grille Waterside bar, w/laid-back tropical atmosphere, Tarpon Springs, Florida
Copperfish Casual seafood eatery in Tampa, Florida
Crabby Bill’s Home to an eclectic menu of seafood offerings on St. Pete Beach, Florida
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood A Jazzy upscale seafood eatery chain in 9 States, review from Tampa, Florida
Eliza Ann’s Coastal Kitchen Southern-Style inspired Seafood at the Waterline Resort in Holmes Beach, Florida
Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro Laid-back dockside spot for global eats in St. Petersburg, Florida
Hank’s Seafood A classy southern seafood eatery house in Charleston, South Carolina
Hurricane Seafood Restaurant A beachside Victorian-style seafood restaurant in Pass-A-Grill, Florida
Hyman’s Seafood Enduring southern seafood eatery in Charleston, South Carolina
Jack Dusty’s Nautical themed eatery with crafted cocktails and raw bar at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota Florida
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar Laid-back Cape Cod-style seafood restaurant in Austin, Texas
Red Snapper Kiwi “fush n’ chups” takeaway restaurant in Sumner, New Zealand
RumFish Grill A Gulf-to-Table Seafood restaurant with 33k-gallon fish tank at the Tradewinds Island Resort on St. Pete Beach, Florida
Sandbar Restaurant A Chef driven seafood restaurant in the City of Anna Maria Island, Florida
Sea Critters café A Causal seafood cafe on the inlet to the Pass-a-Grille Channel Pass-a-Grille, Florida
Sea-Guini Chic restaurant with seafood and Italian-inspired cuisine in Clearwater Beach, Florida
Sea Salt A Fine-dining and innovative seafood restaurant with a raw bar in St. Petersburg, Florida
Sea Sea Riders Restaurant Homey seafood eatery in a 1903 cottage in Dunedin, Florida
Snappers Sea Grill Seafood spot owned by local fisherman rated in the top 50 of Tampa Bay on St. Pete Beach, Florida
Sparkman’s Wharf An outdoor Channelside venue with a beer garden, coffeehouse, and 10+ restaurants in Tampa, Florida
Spinners Rooftop Revolving Bistro Buzzy seafood spot and 360-degree views in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Squid Lips Eclectic and casual style seafood dishes in Melbourne, Florida
The Green Flash Rated the best Seafood and waterfront restaurant with unique and fun restrooms on Captiva Island, Florida
The Island Grille and Raw Bar A relaxed waterfront seafood spot with a raw bar in Tierra Verde, Florida
Waterfront Restaurant and Craft Bar Global seafood with a comfortable feel, City of Anna Maria, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other San Francisco restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
|
Lavish French-Californian cuisine by Chef Hubert Keller
San Francisco, California, USA
|
High-End Japanese Steakhouse
San Francisco, California, USA
|
Surf shack theme with Californian and Mexican cuisine
San Francisco, California, USA
|
A few California restaurant favorites:
|
Farm-to-fork new American fare
Sonoma, California
|
French-American Fine Dining
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
Yountville, California, USA
|
Artisan Cheese Shop
Point Reyes Station, California
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Alioto’s a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were an average dining experience like most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Alioto’s
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Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
11
|
10
|
1
|
Food quality
|
11
|
8
|
3
|
Plate presentation
|
10
|
7
|
3
|
Customer service
|
13
|
5
|
8
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
10
|
7
|
3
|
Total regular points awarded
|
55
|
37
|
18
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.672727272727273
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.672727272727273
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
|
1
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
1 of 5 Stars:
67% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
An Average Dining Experience
|
Corkage fees:
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Alioto’s list a corkage fee’ of $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Alioto’s:
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Italian, Seafood, Sicilian
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-free choices, Local, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
|
Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Smart casual attire
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Alioto’s Experiences:
|
Contemporary, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Scenic views, Classy, Upscale, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Alioto’s has a public lot
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Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
|
Smoking:
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Alioto’s is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
|
Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
££
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€€
|
Alioto’s:
#8 Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco, CA 94133
Next to Pier 43 ½
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+ 1 (415) 673-0183
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Online reservations
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Email Us:
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Serving hours:
Pacific Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC-8:00)
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Sun - Thur
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Alioto’s:
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****
The world's best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
Contemporary & elegant eclectic eatery
Johannesburg, South Africa
|
upscale locally sourced seafood eatery with ocean views
Vero Beach, Florida, USA
|
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
