Julius' Castle
Restaurant · Telegraph Hill ·
Historic landmark undergoing renovations with astounding views
Information
302 Greenwich St, San Francisco, CA 94133 Get directions
Historic landmark undergoing renovations with astounding views
302 Greenwich St, San Francisco, CA 94133 Get directions
"I've been following the decade-plus renovation led by San Francisco attorney Paul Scott of the iconic, medieval-looking restaurant perched on the side of Telegraph Hill; after assembling a general manager and an IT professional, Scott needs just one last thing before reopening — a chef who can honor the restaurant’s storied past (it first opened in 1922, was a noted nightlife and gambling spot during Prohibition, became a magnet for mid-century celebrities, and later served as a hub for power lunches, tourist dinners, and special occasions) while meeting the demands of a modern San Francisco kitchen, and he says he’s “interviewing for the king or the queen of the castle.”" - Justine Jones
"A 1920s-era Telegraph Hill restaurant at 1541 Montgomery Street, Julius’ Castle closed in 2007 but is on track to reopen by the end of 2020, its long-suffering owner Paul Scott tells me. Built in 1923 by Julius Rozbegan to echo the German-style Layman’s Folly (destroyed in 1903), the spot began as a speakeasy and later hosted celebrities such as Robert Redford, Cary Grant, Sean Connery, Marlon Brando, and Ginger Rogers, and even appeared in the 1951 film The House on Telegraph Hill. Over decades it became the setting for countless proposals, prom dates, and major life events; Scott—who won a 2012 fight to save the site from a condo developer and now owns San Francisco landmark #121—says a lawsuit that had delayed the reopening was resolved in March. Scott still needs to select an operator and complete an interior remodel, and he’s interviewing candidates who would act as consultants/management and help shape plans; he insists whoever runs the place must respect its history and neighborhood character rather than turn it into a minimalist, white-wall concept. If all goes well, he says, the restaurant will reopen next year so people can start making memories there again." - Eve Batey
"I'm relieved that the long-vacant, 1923-founded Julius’ Castle can finally move forward after a judge threw out a legal challenge brought by neighbors worried about noise and traffic; owner Paul Scott, who bought the building in 2012 and received Planning Commission approval to reopen in 2017, says they can now select an operator and complete final renovations to restore the Castle to its former glory." - Caleb Pershan
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