Fisherman’s Wharf Chowder and Crab Sidewalk Stands

Sooo delicious!!! Me and my boyfriend had the crab chowder which we loved. We were walking around, trying to find somewhere with good clam chowder and stumbled upon this amazing place. Staff was so kind and friendly, helping us minutes before closing which we didn’t know. I was so thankful they still served us because I was so hungry and the food was absolutely amazing. They have seatings outside with heaters. It’s a lovely little gem.

Fisherman’s Wharf Chowder and Crab Sidewalk Stands offer delicious seafood with a casual dining experience. The clam chowder and crab are must-tries, and the lively atmosphere adds to the experience. However, the soup was very spicy, which might not be suitable for everyone.

Fisherman’s Wharf Chowder and Crab Sidewalk Stands. San Francisco -CA. We use to live in San Rafael for many years. The beautiful California, ocean and mountains. Breathe taking views. Every Saturday we went for dinner. We love crabs. In February/2022 we visited San Francisco and were very sad and disappointed. Fishermas Wharf itself was just horrible. filth Dirty , smelly and loads of homeless, but the views of the bay are lovely....and you can see Alcatraz Island from the wharf.

This was such a great experience! The crab chowder was delicious at Chowder Hut! We had great service and great atmosphere and great food and drinks.

It was a good crab chowder and the ambience was nice with the sun shining and lively street.

Great place for a quick bite on a run. Food was tasty and fresh. We just ate on a bench overlooking pier, you can't beat that - fresh air, food, smiles. Would definitely go back.

Nice place with a good view, very good service, meal and drinks. Reccomended

Fisherman’s Wharf Chowders is a good place and lots of crab restaurant. I have been a famous crab restaurant name is Alioto crab. It is a window view of there.

Least expensive way to have fresh crab and a bite to eat. Sit down restaurants are expensive. These places are not. On the go eating. Best possible food quality for the lowest cost. Even till late in the night you can grab some crab in a cup with cocktail sauce in a matter of minutes. In the daytime they are actively cooking live crab and it's super fresh. Cooked whole crab ready to go also by the pound. Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl great on a cold evening. Love the ambiance here. Positive mood setter.

Stopped by here back on the Fourth of July. I was looking forward to some delicious calamari, which Fisherman's Wharf is famous for. The ordering was nice and I loved the outside display that showed the food and their portions, that was very nice. The staff was also very nice and very patient. The calamari was absolutely delicious, it wasn't too crunchy or chewy. I also liked the fact that it came with both ketchup and tartar sauce. The fries were pretty good, which had the perfect amount of salt in my opinion.

Grease. And lots of it. Same selection of chowders, fish & chips, and fried "things" at all the stands here across from the Fishermans wharf sign. It can get loud in this area and pretty busy as well. Not a whole lot of room to "browse" either. I don't recommend the crab here! Not the freshest here. Enjoy the chowder or just walk through and take some pics.

It used to be a great place to get a fresh crab and a loaf of sourdough and sit near the water and feast. Nowadays I won't even go near there because of all the homeless and drug addicts. They are everywhere in SF, every that's drastically changed unfortunately.

I was told that while I am in town, I have to get clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. So I walked about 5mi and got it Jimmy poppin here at this location. $9.49 isn't too bad - added a Diet Coke and slurped this down. The chowder really didn't have much flavor to it - but the bread bowl edges this to a 4. My favorite part of dunking the bowl "hole" into the chowder and Outdoor seating - really is just a hut. But what's great is the outdoor public restrooms and the women were really friendly upon my arrival. eating it. Also being able to scratch the side of the bread bowl while scooping chowder and adding it to each bite was very good. Plus after cleaning the bread bowl taking a couple more bites of it while finishing my post cards and heading out. Was rainy that day which kept traffic and other tourists down - and honestly was a real help looking back to my trip. But still would have liked to have my hair up. Would recommend if you are in town and looking to satisfy the "things you must do while in San Francisco list" this is a great place for the bread bowl clam chowder bullet point.

A quick line of food stalls that lets you quickly buy and eat what you want - we tried one of them where the fried shrimp was delicious and the fries were also good; standing room only and it does get busy. The seagulls stop around the sides hoping for your leftovers (and they're really good at catching stuff out of the air). Expensive, yes, but less so than the full restaurants at the Wharf, but the seafood is pretty fresh.

Very good chowder. No line. Only one stand, which was fine. We got what we wanted. They have a few stools to sit on. I look forward to returning.

Freshest Applebee's I've ever been to. The restaurant was gorgeous and it was cool to see the bay while eating. Service was quick and server was a sweetheart!

It's a tourist hotspot. Locals recommend to not come eat crab here but there are better places than the overpriced and sometimes questionable stands. It's a rip off. But it's worth a stop to take in the smell and see how it goes here.

Great options to have. Walking around the Fisherman's Wharf area, you can't miss these chowder and crab stands. Your seafood cravings will be satisfied here. Prices are a bit high since you are in a touristy area, plus fresh seafood is pricey in general. Some of the stands have seating but it can get packed in this area, depending on what time you come. There are plenty of benches near the water, so you can enjoy your food with a beautiful view.

These sandwiches are sour, chewy, and gooey! They taste great, give you teeth a run for their money, and won't break the bank.

Before going to this place I thinking wow I got to go before saw another place but It was very noisy and dirty

Clam chowder is a MUST when visiting Fisherman's Wharf! We walked all along the piers and ended up at Fisherman's Wharf, and the first thing we wanted was a clam chowder. We got the chowder in a bread bowl, and I was so happy in that moment! It's inexpensive and super delicious. MUST TRY! Can't wait for the next time!

Right by the ports, this is the ultimate tourist trap.....In a good way! Although multiple buses and taxis come through here, there is a reason: they got some of the best seafood on the west coast!! Huge concentration of restaurants just around the corner if you don't like the typical crabs, lobster roll or clam chowder from a loaf of bread. There are tons of souvenir shops and interesting entertainment around you can peruse once you've stuffed yourself full. I definitely recommend getting the bowl of clam chowder that comes in a bread bowl. Only $10!!! It can feed up to 2 adults or 4 children. Good value for the money, plus it tastes really good.

Captive audience audience Greasy fish and chips Hungry kids were happy Garlic Parmesan fries - greasy but good Lemonade a bit sweet but they give you a lemon to cut he sugar Gas fireplaces with a beer are a food spot to be

It was great to see the different crab stands on Fishermans wharf. The best food was at one of the smaller restaurant called Nicks. It had great ambulances of yesteryears and the staff were very friendly and accommodating to all our need and wants. We had eaten At one of the larger fancier ones the night before and spent quite a bit more and the food was average at best. Unless you have a larger party on of the smaller ones seemed to be a better deal. The weather was nice so strolling from Fishermans wharf to the Ferry building was durable. If the weather is bad would not recommend it. A good stop between the too is also a smaller restaurant call pier 23. Also good drinks would recommend a Bailey and coffee or a good cold beer depending on the day. Hope this helps

I love this place! Whenever I visit SF, this place is a must. Clam chowder is my favorite to get. I usually get the bread bowl even though I don't eat the bread. Weird I know! But eating the clam chowder, and enjoying the view of the bay is so relaxing. For parking you can park in their structure and get validation or street parking. But for street parking, you do have to pay the meters unless you find an area that is free. They also have other fried or fresh seafood to eat, if chowder isn't your thing!

This meal is always a MUST when visiting San Francisco! You can order in the hall. Seating is very limited and compacted, but it's definitely worth the wait! Today we had the Clam Chowder, Fried Calamari & the Dungeness Crab! All of which were EXCELLENT! Will definitely be back!

Ever since I was little I've always stopped here with my parents to eat when walking the pier. So I decided to go and order a beard bowl clam chowder to go. It was so cheap, I only paid 8.42. And the young man who helped me was super nice and accommodating.

Touristy as expected but can't say the same with the food. It's not only fun to walk the row of food stands but also to order, eat, and enjoy. We got a cup of 4 lobster claws for $13 and a cup of rock crab for $7.50. Mmmm with some squeezed lemon on top, these seriously put a smile on my face. I loved being able to dig into just the seafood meat itself ... no mayo, no dressing, nothing else but the lobster and crab - pure goodness.

Got Lobster? Craving for some fresh lobster and forgot about the sidewalk stands on Fisherman's Wharf. Remembering as a kid strolling around bringing visitors to the historic landmark. Now that I'm older, I brought my daughter to actually get her palate ready. Walking on somewhat a sidewalk was a cluster of vendors serving similar foods such as Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Calamari, Squid, Oysters, Scallops etc. you name it. So many options... as one specific location was calling my name. I went up to an older man and asked how much are your lobster rolls? he mentioned $14.50, I said sold!! Walking further down I see calamari in the display, YUMMMM I asked my daughter do you want that? she says sure, I don't think I'll like the lobster. A couple of minutes later we found a spot to eat, and my daughter mentions mom the lobster is so good. 20mins later, SATISFIED!!

I recommend coming here early so you get the fresh bread. You can pick and choose which exact sandwich you want so don't be afraid. We ordered from the stand right on the corner. I believe it's Guardinos (with the white logo). Do be careful ordering in the afternoon! I don't recommend eating the sandwiches that have been exposed to the sun for a while! Look carefully! We always get the rock crab and shrimp roll! Ask for extra lemon because sometimes the mayonnaise can over power the sandwich. We went on a limb and ordered the lobster roll. Now it is $20 but we decided to try it for once. I was alright, I wouldn't say it's fine dining lobster but you do get what you paid for. All of the sandwiches are packed with seafood. We always come here when we're in town but next time I'd skip the lobster roll. You could get the basic sandwich (crab and shrimp) and your cravings should be satisfied! It's a must ordering food here when you're in town!

It's stinky. It's dirty. It's overpriced. It's touristy. But damn it, I just can't help myself when those crab stands sing a siren's song to draw me down to Fisherman's Wharf! I simply cannot resist a stop here when I'm visiting San Francisco. The stands are pretty much one and the same and all the prices are exactly the same. I like to take a stroll and look at all of them before I decide what I want to buy where. Some stuff will look fresher than others so don't bust out your wallet until you've perused them all. It can get VERY expensive to eat here. We love food and we love to snack around but it's normal for us to drop close to $150 - $200 on a trip down to the Wharf. Crab cocktails are the way to go because the hard work has been done for you -- but you'll PAY for the convenience (crab cocktails range from $8 - $15). If you are unclear on the price of something, ASK first or get surprised later! Bring your own giant soda from 7-11 before you head down here because canned sodas are outrageously priced. Most of the stands have little ledges where you can stand to eat; there's NO SEATING so if you aren't adept to juggling things in your hands while eating sans utensils, you'll hate this place. If you are snotty about cleanliness in any way shape or form, I do not recommend you eat at any of the crab stands. Visit yes, eat no. I figure eating here helps build up my immune system to superhuman levels. We've never had the seagulls bother us but it might be because we are both a little "fluffy" and those birds know they'll have a fight on their hands if they even try to snatch our food. Ha ha ha! Be sure to get your parking ticket validated (there's usually a minimum purchase requirement but trust me, you'll meet it). It'll save you some cash on the expensive parking fees and you'll get to park in the convenient lot that's literally steps across the street from the stands.

A row of seafood stands in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco. (They are all individual vendors but there is only this one generic listing for all of them?) This whole area smells of seafood and the sea. You can hear seagulls making those seagull sounds. Anyways, after walking up and down the aisle of gritty seafood dispensaries, I choose the first one up front. It seemed to be the cleanest of said establishments. I mean it was the only one with a person tending it also, so that helps. We were here around 10:00am, before any of the other tourists have arrived. There were vendors moving around supplies and prepping and such, but they weren't really trying to push the chowder just yet. Whatever the name of the first booth (which I will update soon), it had a large selection of seafood to choose from. You have your standard clam chowder with the sourdough bread bowl, which is what this area is known for. They have your boil to order crab (each one of these stands has a huge boiling station). They have this refrigerated glass enclosure housing a very impressive selection of pre-made options. You have your giant lobster rolls. All sorts of other hoagie-esque sandwiches packed with shrimp, crab, and whatever sort of sea creature that couldn't swim away fast enough. I mean, as a seafood lover, I thought this setup was very impressive. I went with the touristy option; the clam chowder soup in the sourdough bread bowl and it was delicious. The price was reasonable. I was quite happy.

This place was amazing, we were casually walked around trying head over to see the Sea Lions and the breadboard chowders form here were out of this world!! We went on a Wednesday, there was no line, not many tourists around and the chowder warmed us up on a chilly day!! Definitely recommend coming here and trying out the sour dough bread !! Delicious

7.19.08: Did we picked a good one or what? This was my first time at fisherman's wharf and eating crab is the thing to do there. As my friends and I walked from stand to stand my mouth was watering. We finally stop at one stand. It was cleaned and the crab was fresh. An old man behind the counter helped us. Just looking at him cracked and rip everything apart so quickly was pretty interesting. The clam chowder in the bread bowl is no joke at all here. I've been to several places before and usually the bread is not good and the soup is salty or just weird tasting. This time we picked the perfect stand. No 9 Fisherman's Wharf. ! I don't remember exactly what the name of the place is but its on the corner away from the stores closer to the pier. I can just imagine it now. The juices, the meat just the flavor itself. After this trip I couldn't stop thinking about crab. I had crab of dreams everyday. Since then I still haven't ate crab yet. I want some...

This place is awesome. If I worked in SF, I feel I would come here for lunch everyday: so cheap and fresh. I tried a clam chowder bowl from one of the stands (I don't remember which one...) and even though it was a warm day, that soup just dumps some fire in your belly: must be even more awesome on a cold day. I wish it had more clams, but the soup was good. The sourdough bread here in SF is loads better than back in Texas, part of it which i hear is because the climate in SF is more conducive to making that type of bread. There's something memorable about chewing and swallowing a whole loaf of bread and eating your food container though. I also tried some of my friend's lobster bisque and for about the same price I'll get that next time. Complex, tomatoey flavor that's a great changeup from all the clam chowder. The calamari here is also stellar, by far some of the freshest and most flavorful squid I've had in a long time with just enough spice tingle to complement the freshness of the seafood. Note: stay away from the stall that's run by the Asians....I hear they don't scoop out much of the bread bowl so you get lot less soup...their calamari doesn't have much taste either.

Indulged in the lobster roll ($21) and it was fully loaded with lobster meat, but a bit too much mayo. The calamari was a bit dry and cold, but enjoyed our lunch on the steps of the sidewalk while listening to live music. They also serve mini bottles of wine and take credit card!

Food on the go!! Quick and good. I figured I'd grab some popcorn shrimp and a brew before walking around Fishermans Wharf!! Don't expect too much, but if you like food vendors that give you the street food truck feel then it won't disappoint!! I'd go back. .

If you're looking to eat some good seafood while enjoying the ocean air at the pier, it's hard to pass on these stands. Come early while the food is still fresh and don't debate too hard on which stand to buy your food from because a staff told me they get all their stuff from the same sources. My suggestion would be to divide and conquer if you're going with a group of friends. Have someone buy something different from every stand then regroup. I'll admit the clam chowder in a bread bowl is overrated and overpriced, but hey, who's to judge? The lobsters were gigantic monstrosities before being cooked and just oh so delicious to eat at the nearby benches. I'm personally a fan of crab and you can get that cooked a couple of different ways here. The vendors here all seemed very friendly. My only gripe with the area is that it's overly crowded with tourists and quite dirty, but other than that it's something everyone visiting SF should check out at least once. You're also only a couple of steps away from a clear view of Alcatraz and the navy ships.

Immediately got off my plane and came to this area because there's such a intimate moment with San Francisco if you grab a lobster roll and clam chowder and eat it on the pier staring at Alcatraz. This area is where you go for that. I've been doing it since I was a kid, and every time I'm pleased. I'm definitely down for street food and this is definitely for the foodies who are expecting great good, but not in a high end restaurant.

Fun & fishy, this was the touristy seafood that I was looking for on my trip. I requested a snack recommendation from the jovial gent at the Alioto's Crab Stand and ended up happy with my perfect cup of crab and shrimp, with a side of oyster crackers and cocktail sauce that I ate standing nearby with the wind swooshing around my hair. It tasted just as I expected - fresh and far from the frozen fish product that I'm accustomed to in the suburban restaurants where I live in GA.

Got the calamari and fries, wasn't good at all. Batter tasted weird and I was expecting crispy fried calamari. I know it should taste clammy but this was not good. Was disappointed after trying despite being one of the most popular spots

An awesome place to visit if you're in SF. Different options. It can get pretty busy, parking is ridiculous. There's also a little museum as you go all the way back.

It's a great place to hangout after walking the pier. I was only able to try the clam chowder and it was good but not significantly better than the other ones that you pass along getting her. I gave a 3 star because the prices on the menu seem pretty steep. I know other places doesn't get to have a reserved sit-down place but for the amount they charge, I rather look at other spots that have the same food at a much cheaper process.

I wasn't sure where I wanted to eat on the Wharf. It seemed like everything was going to be expensive, but I still wanted the freshness and seafood experience. So we settled for the stands on the side of the road for some fried fish and crab. Maybe coming close to close was a poor mistake, because we had no where to sit and eat the food. Sitting on the sidewalk eating made us look like drifters, which in retrospect is kinda funny, I would have much preferred a chair for my quick fish dinner. The food wasn't bad. Maybe if I was looking for quality I really should have opened up the pocket book and taken it to a nicer place. The experience and story that I got from eating at the stands makes up for the lack in stellar food. But hey, I got full off some fresh catch!

YES! I enjoyed my fried shrimp and clams combo for $9.95 at Sabella & La Torre!!! I definitely recommend them. The server said I could get more shrimp and clams if I didn't want french fries and I said YES with a big smile. I'd rather have more shrimp and clams anyways, so THANK YOU! The only problem is where to eat. There aren't many outside tables or benches to sit and eat. It seems like all the chowder/crab stands have similar items and the exact same pricing. Try Sabella & La Torre, I enjoyed it! Cheers!

I forgot the name of the stand I went to. But it was one with a blue sign sandwiched between two other similar food stands. Maybe I'm just dumb to order raw seafood street meat, but I got REALLY bad food poisoning from the Combo seafood cocktail. It $13 - consisted of big shrimp, little shrimp, and crab meat marinated in a red cocktail sauce. My guess is that the meat had been there for several days, since the seafood didn't taste very fresh when I ate it (I was just trying to convince myself it tasted good because I splurged $13 on a little cup oops). Note to people - be cautious of street vendors when you are ordering raw food. It's safer to just go to a restaurant or order something cooked. You can't go wrong with a bread bowl of clam chowder!

[3.5 stars] Went to the stand in front of Nick's Lighthouse restaurant. Ordered one clam chowder bowl and one lobster bisque bowl. Clam chowder was pretty good. Lots of clam bits in it and was very flavorful. Lobster bisque was a complete miss though. Tasted like tomato soup and had absolutely no lobster bits in there at all! Not even one tiny piece :( loved the bread bowl! The bread bowl was soft and definitely fresh and made eating the bowl after I was done with the soup super easy! Much better than the bread bowls at boudin down the street. Tip: most people wait and line up on the outside to order. If you want to skip that line, I would recommend going to the inside walkway to order. Most of the stand have two or more people working anyways. So if walk along the inside, one of the workers will notice you for sure and help you with your order

I had a blast during my short stay in SF! Clam chowder was on my list, and I gotta say, the ambiance and location of these seafood stands added all the more sensory overload to my Bay area experience! Not to mention it was gloomy, and rainy, which is perfect weather for clam chowder in my opinion! $8 for a decent clam chowder bread bowl

Every time when I'm at Fisherman's Wharf, I have to get a cup/bowl of clam chowder from Stand #2! So delicious!

Average clam chowder bowl at a fair price for sf. Not the best not the worst. Most people cant finish the actual bread, so unfortunately it ends up in the trash. Or if they want to start a riot they break it up and feed it to the pigeons and seagulls lol.

My favorite place to get fresh crab. You have to also get clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl to go with it. Make sure to order for here, not to go. To go is a cold cut up crab.

Walking around Fisherman's Wharf, you kinda start to think that you should try some clam chowder, a lobster roll, and probably some crabs. To be even more touristy, try the clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl bought from the street vendors and enjoy eating it while watching street performers under the Fisherman's Wharf sign. That's exactly what we did. I'm not sure if the street vendors actually had restaurant names but it was definitely delicious and worth the try. Just pick one and go for it. You will not be disappointed.

This is the second time I had crab here and it brought back great memories! They boil the whole crab in front of you and cut it up into biteable pieces. Every piece was so full of flavor and it's addictive! It's a good idea to bring your own napkins and plastic gloves if you want to keep hands clean. The whole crab costs about 20 dollars.

I ordered the shrimp roll since the lobster and crab roll was $20. The shrimp roll was only $9. I think it probably was just as good. The bread was amazing! I should have asked where they got their bread from because it was so toasty and fresh. The shrimp filling was good too. Definitely got your money worth. Next time you come to fishermans wharf invest in a seafood roll. Maybe even next time I'll try the crab and lobster. It all seemed so fresh!

Eh... It was ok because we were hungry, but if you have the chance to go somewhere else, go! Don't waste your time here. 1. It's packed 2. There're seagulls and pigeons everywhere, lots of poop on the ground, disgusting!!!! One pigeon even came inside the restaurant to eat the crumbs of the floor and no one scared it away. 3. We are the fried calamari and shrimp, lots of breading because the actual meat was very small, so they just fill it with bread crumbs. 4. French fries were soggy and tasted old.

Came here for early lunch to see the hype! -Took the caltrain from san antonio and then took an uber from the at&t park to fisherman's wharf Tried: +Street style clam chowder and calamari! Bombdiggity! The bread is so filling we split this with 3 people and was full! Wanted to try more but was too full! no worries go play somewhere else like the tours (alcatraz is $30), bread factory (gotta eat there for admission to be free or else its $3, but nbd), or take pictures around! -You're either hustled or they dgaf about you because they make so much business there! The proportions are huge so don't worry -Con: no seating sadly! but in the asian crew joint, they do have a stand that you can use if you buy food there (I did because it seems like they had best calamari) -Con: smellayyyy but what do you expect! its FISHerman WHARF -If you're coming from home bring: sanitizer, spare napkins/tissues, and wetnaps! because no one provides forks! (well maybe but they are so stingy! haha) Have fun!

Can I tell y'all how bad this food was? I'm a seafood lover from Florida. This was supposed to be the highlight of my trip. It's a tourist attraction and nothing more. The sidewalk stands pretty much all have the exact same menu items and prices. We peered through the glass and since everything looked the same, we just stopped at various ones to taste combos. None of the fried items tasted fresh. More like they were either fried days ago or recently in old, dirty grease. Shameful! Then the calamari sucked at both places. Super gummy. We threw 90% of our food away. Then the damn thug birds. Pecking at food and swarming in like they would attack you. It's not the pier's fault but it isn't appealing. I don't feed stray birds and I wish I had the draco to defend myself. Go to the sidewalk stands, take pictures, tell your friends you did it. Don't order food.