Anchor & Hope
83 Minna St
(between 2nd St & Shaw Aly)
San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 501-9100
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
88 reviews
Neighborhood: West Portal
"Amazing. I have only been here once (so far!) and it was fantastic. I ordered the special with Bolognese sauce (can't remember the name of…" read more »
166 Reviews for Anchor & Hope
I've never said this about a restaurant before but the service was too fast! We barely got through a piece of bread before our entrees arrived! The service really is fantastic. Our server was informative, descriptive, and knew more about oysters than I know about myself. The lobster roll was pretty good. The best thing about it was the deliciously buttery and perfectly toasted bread it came on.
I kind of expected a little more punch. Town Hall is so good I expected something extraordinary from Anchor & Hope. Don't get me wrong the food, service, and decor is great but it just felt like there was something missing.
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I have nothing but good things to say about Anchor and Hope.
Service - exceptional. On all fronts. i waited for 15 minutes at the bar. They corked the bottle I brought (am actively attempting to consume more of the wine I buy). Bar service was fantastic... really friendly... everyone! They let me taste one of the wines I had never heard of and in lieu shared some of mine. Table service was equally as friendly. Our sommelier was extremely knowledgeable and provided some information about the 2 bottles that I had brought.
Food - flavors were immense. Oyster selection provided for a lovely variety of west coast flavors and quality was outstanding. i don't think fresh is a descriptor that gives the oysters justice. It were as if you were to have shucked the thing right after you got back into your boat. yummy yum yum.
Lobster roll: I ordered this based on sheer accolades. And let me just say that everything everyone has said is true. I think that's about all I have to say about that.
Ambiance: Perfect date spot. Lighting is well balanced, love the nautical feel. Love the walls. I want to take chalk and draw on it for some reason.
I will be back. It's not as expensive as I had "expected" for this caliber of San Francisco fare, but my wallet is still licking its war wounds.
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Make it an 83 night. Head to 83 Proof for drinks, followed by 83 Minna for dinner.*
Nautical, dude. Eastern seaboard. Oceanic. Angels on Horseback app goes back to my edict that anything tastes good when bacon is wrapped around it. A&H's version of fish & chips - hearty battered halibut and potato wedges - looked extremely satisfying. The mussels and monkfish stew pot was nicely spicy & brothy (the little chorizo meatballs were deelish!), and the snapper dish was quite good. When I've got seafood on the mind, I'm definitely going here.
*We tried going to Salt House first, but they were packed. The nice tattooed lady at Salt House suggested we try their sister restaurant, A&H. With one call, she had A&H hold spots for us at their communal table and we trotted over. Nice.
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This place is ok...the starters were good. We had the Angels on Horseback, Heirloom Baby Beet salad, Asparagus salad and scallop ceviche. The ceviche was good. Not excellent.
For my main course I had the Spicy Mussel and Monk stew. Disappointing. I was warned that it could be spicy. The saffron was strong but other than that it lacked a bit more oomph. There were 2 pieces of chorizo and although the broth was tasty I expected it to be a bit thicker. The dish as a whole didn't seem to come together very well.
I will say that the staff and service was wonderful as well as the wine selection. The venue is very cool.
Overall the food is good. But just good. Maybe our party ordered the wrong stuff but we did try many different plates (including 2 of the 3 desserts) and were not wowed by any.
3.5 stars
Pan d'Epi: Wonderful. However, it came out in a brown paper bag which I thought was wasteful.
Oysters: Terrific. My fave were the St. Simon's. Mignonette could have used more shallots. Fresh horseradish was a big hit!
Beet Salad with Watercress and Blue Cheese: I liked this a lot. The sweet and tender beets, peppery watercress were delicious with the sharp and creamy Rogue.
Lobster Roll: From all the reviews, I knew that I HAD to order the lobstah roll. But did they change the recipe? It was dressed so much that the sauce made a small pool on my plate. It overwhelmed the flavor of the lobster. You might like it but for me, I'll have to ask for it "naked" next time. I prefer the sweet, briny, tender goodness in it's natural state, with drawn butter. The bread, however, was toasted and buttered perfectly!
Service: Definitely could have been better. See Monica S.'s review. Seems like they're still working things out since they haven't been open for more than a few months. Things will probably improve with time:)
I'll return for champagne, salad and oysters!
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Not a bad thing to say about the place. I didn't go in expecting cheap pricing so that wasn't a surprise. I think they did a kick ass job with creating the "fish shack atmosphere". I am from New England and have enjoyed many dining experiences in a fish shack on a pier.
I had to check out the lobster roll. Yes it was $21 for lunch but I will tell you the warm brioche style roll was delicious. Typically they are on a hot dog roll and not yummy but that is what you get accustomed to back East. And the chunks of lobster was the main focus. They were sweet and meaty with enough mayo based dressing to help hold the lobster together. It was all about the lobster and not the mayo. Served with some house made potato chips and cole slaw. Perfection!
Whenever I get a hankering for some New England I will keep Anchor and Hope in mind! Check it out and go knowing it does cost a bit more. Don't even bring that into your Yelp review because you have been warned!
Service was tip top! Bartender was hot hot!
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2.75 stars.
I wanted to like it, I swear, but... it didn't meet up to my expectations.
The oysters were terrific! The beat salad average.
We ordered the herb ribbon fries and pearl onions to share.. the fries ARE NOT fries.. They're potato chip shavings... Don't get me wrong, I ate them but I would have preferred fries..
The pearl onions were breaded and yummy..
Michelle S. has the lobster roll - read her review!
Christiane had the yellow fin tuna.. I had a bite and it was very nice!
I ordered the bass.. I might as well have ordered fish and chips! It was breaded and super dry; served with tartar sauce.. the steak fries were average but then again I'm not a huge steak fry person, I prefer my fries on the thin side..
Dessert: Why of course!! It was Christiane's b-day so they brought out a slice of chocolate cake.. I may go back just for the cake.. It was moist and rich and absolutely delicious!
Service.. well she was attentive when she remembered us; but our waitress would forget about us and not come back for a while, which was kind of annoying because we were hungry.. and when we asked for cream for our coffee another waiter had to remind her... really not acceptable considering she was hanging out at the bar chatting..
I might go back again for the oysters but not on my top 5 list.
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Having tried sister restaurants Town Hall and the Salthouse, I was keen to try this place out. I am pleased to say it didn't disappoint. The food was tasty and we had great service from a very honest waiter who freely gave his opinion on the dishes. The appetizers could do with being a bit larger but the three we tried were all very good. The Anchor & Hope version of "Fish & Chips" was very well done. Crispy potato wedges with rosemary & sea salt, and Sea Bass in a perfectly light batter. That being said $21 for fish and chips doesn't feel quite right - but definitely worth it once in a while.
Since my first visit back in mid-May, I've been to Anchor & Hope a few more times for lunch but it was last Thursday that I finally went in for a full dinner.
Despite the holiday weekend, the place was hopping at 6:30pm, and only got busier as the night progressed. Service was spot on, and it didn't hurt that Doug was in the house, making the rounds.
I went with the Smithwick's Battered Bass (used to be Halibut), and honest to Gawd, it might have been the best version of fish and ships this old yelper has ever had. Complemented with a side order of their fried pearl onions, the meal could only have been made better if we had remembered to order some "Angels on Horseback" for the table.
Always next time, I suppose.
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05/11/2008
Can Doug Washington & Company do no wrong? Ok, so I'm a little biased, being a fan of Doug's first… Read more »
I'm a fan of the food and style boasted by the Salt House and Town Hall, so I was eager to try Anchor & Hope and was not disappointed. We were a late-dining party of five, and aside from feeling somewhat rushed through the meal, everything was pretty great.
The restaurant itself boasts a charming vibe of sea shanty crab shack meets industrial chic. It was spacious, inviting, there was a cool mural of big fish eating little fish, a nice looking bar, frosted light bulbs with the names of oysters etched in them. The food was a similar combination of tried and true and latest and greatest. The smoked trout salad with quail egg, frisee, and bacon was a delish take on the classic lardon salad. The mussel stew with chorizo and kale was amazing. I'm still sad I couldn't finish it. It was so much food! Their version of fish and chips with halibut and rosemary potato wedges was wonderfully light and crispy. And the Arctic char with leeks was a beautiful, delectable dish.
Definitely recommended. Just don't go late or you'll feel the staff trying to get you out the door.
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Maybe it's that SOMA-warehouse-chic crossed with cottage-on-the-Cape-with-a-gentle-sea-breeze is my heart's home decor style, but I was happy as the clams looked delicious on the menu to be at Anchor & Hope last Thursday.
Friendly people (I think I have a--giggle--middle school crush on Doug), happy ambiance (there are fish painted on the wall - BIG fish eating little FISH), and yummy food (memorable dishes included the uni and crab app as well as the lobster roll.)
You bet your bottom sand dollar, I will be back!
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We had an excellent experience...the decor was unique and fitting, our server was great including the dessert presenter, the overall service was top notch (they were on top of it), the food was excellent (oysters, salmon gravlax, red snapper, tuna, and some cheese heart) and my boyfriend loved the fact that there was a variety of domestic beers that are hard to find. We will def. go back...
I went here and had the most pretentious bowl of clam chowder ever! It's overpriced just for the sake of being overpriced. The portions were small and the food quality was sub par. They also stuck the party I was with in the back in an enclosed area that shuts you out of the open floor of the restaurant. I'm calling bullshit on Anchor and Hope.
Two Words: LOBSTER ROLL.
Ok, one more word: MILKSHAKE
Anchor & Hope is a welcomed addition to the Financial District. Prices are a little high for lunch but definitely check it out if you've got the $ or your firm is footing the bill.
Space was a nicely executed warehouse conversion with original wood beams & brick + a nautical theme. Can't complain about the service either and my food was deeelish.
A & H even offers a chocolate milkshake for dessert. Hello, heaven.
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Their Sea Urchin appetizer was the best thing that I had there. The food is good and the service is also very good, the wait staff was very attentive. I had the char, which was good but not great. My friend enjoyed her snapper though. She ate everything sans the bones, tail and eyeballs.
This is my second time back and I feel it's safe to say it's worth the fourth star.
The seafood is very fresh and the service is perfect.
Being from a design background I love the space, it's cozy yet definitely remains open and has a soft golden glow throughout.
When I dine here I always sit at the bar.
I love being a little higher up and having more control over service when I need it . Plus my date and I get to kibbitz with the staff whenever we want and hear about everything that's happening with the place.
The dishes that have stood out have been the Sea Urchin and Ipswich Fried Clam apps and the whole Snapper and Sea Bass entrees.
Desserts are heaven, super chocolate cake.
Will definitely return to this sweet little fish delice on Minna.
Love the mermaid avatar.
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The food here is very well done - my minor gripe is that the service was surprisingly reactive. We arrived before our dinner companions, and although the "front desk" knew they were caught late in traffic, no one offered us something to drink during our wait. We took the initiative and did get our drinks. Same thing with ordering our meals - after a very long wait, we got someone's attention and then our orders were taken. Same thing for dessert. This is certainly not a big issue, so don't be afraid to speak up if you feel ignored. This restaurant deserves to be busy because it's food is very good.
Anchor & Hope was super high on the list, especially after our first attempt was postponed a few weeks back. I was ready to be blown away, and while there is a tinge of disappointment that I wasn't, it's still really good, enough so to earn four stars. A place I'd recommend, but wouldn't return.
There are no complaints about the decor. I could eat in exposed brick/loft settings each day and never grow tired. I liked how they highlighted the restaurant name in lights on the outside, and inside there were nice touches like piranhas painted on the walls. Little touches along the way added to the ambiance - lanterns as props and a small weighted anchor that holds down your bill at the end. We sat near the entrance, which on a warm summer evening, was perhaps the best seat in the house.
Service was good, not exceptional. I thought the delay between being seated and our order being taken was longer than it should have been. But the food was prompt, and I didn't feel rushed.
As far as the food, there were some very memorable dishes (tuna with hummus, maple trout salad and the warm sea urchin in the shell), and some that my dining companions didn't enjoy as much (battered halibut). One of my favorite (and most vocal) friends mentioned she didn't like her dish to the waitress, who brought out some complementary desserts as an apology. That was really nice.
For drinks, there seemed to be an above-average selection of microbrews, and while not a big beer fan, did like my Alaskan brew.
The bill came to about $50/person, just about what I was expecting to spend. Again, not blown away, but I think expectations were a tad too high. I think any seafood fan would definitely enjoy it.
anchor and hope. i had high hopes for this place but it sure was anchored.
service -- fast in that they do bring out the food pretty quickly but aside from that they were unattentive and slow. made reservations for 3 and were waiting for the 3rd. while we were waiting for our friend we were not visited once by our waitress. we finally managed to flag her down to let her know that we'll be ordering first but we must have been unattended to for at least 20 minutes because my friend arrived nearly 30 min late.
bad food - angels on horseback were such a disappointment. they're deep fried with bacon wrapped around. how can you go wrong with deep fried? and bacon!? our order tasted like it was sitting around for awhile and the oysters tasted below grade. not even deep frying could save those. same goes for the smelt fries. the battered halibut entree came with 3 good sized chunks but they were meh. i've had better tasting fish and chips.
good food - the warm sea urchin in the shell was really delicious. i can't recall the name of the other entree we ordered but it had leeks and the fish was either a snapper or a tuna. whatever it was it was yummerific.
if it weren't for these two dishes i'd give it one star and i rarely give one star.
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Service: A+. All plates arrived at same time (4 of us)--which, I know should be standard, but let's be honest--so many restaurants fail on this simple point.
Decor: Just my cup of tea. As others have said--it's very SoMa, with exposed beams, etc. But its rustic touches (lanterns, awesome signage/entrance) were unique.
Food: hit and miss . . . read on for what to get and what to avoid
Must eat this: Angels on Horseback--smoked bacon-wrapped oysters. Plump, fried oysters wrapped in quality bacon, served with a fabulous sauce. 4 oysters--perfect for 2 greedy people or 4 who are sharing other apps. My 1 oyster was 2 amazing mouthfuls. Brilliant.
Don't eat this: Smithwick's Battered Halibut--I've had better fish 'n' chips at many places. The chips are actually rosemary potato wedges, but they're just not exciting. It didn't help that my fish was overdone. (But the chef sent a couple of desserts to make up for it. Oh, but I'm still writing about the unimpressive dish. Is that a Yelp-a-no-no? Hey--gotta be true to the food!)
The Heart of Sweet Cream was interesting and nice. The chocolate cake, which I don't see on the menu online, was really heavy.
Pretty good: Cold Smoked Trout salad and the Sea Urchin--which reminded me of fancy clam chowder (lobster!).
Definitely go, but just choose wisely!
Ok, I think this is a 3.5. I liked the atmosphere and the service was awesome. Oysters & lobster roll were really good and loved the wine selection.
Maybe it was just our ordering, but we got a lot of fried apps which made me feel blah afterwards. I also don't get why we were told the earliest reservation on a Tuesday nite was 8:30, but only seemed half full when we got there.
i am happy to say that i loved my experience at anchor and hope! the food and wine were great, and the service was spot-on. i loved the atmosphere, very open and inviting.
we started with the salmon gravlax appetizer and the fried pearl onions. i was a little skeptical about the onions but they were delicious. i do think they could have come with a sauce though. the salmon was great - i loved the combination of the greens, salmon, potato cake, and sauce... so tasty all together in 1 bite!
for my entree i had the tuna which was very fresh and perfectly cooked. the veggies were very summery. my friend had the bass, which is their version of fish and chips. i tried some and i think next time that is definitely what i would get! i loved it!
we didnt have dessert becuase we were too full, but thats all the more reason to go back again.
I've been back 3 times since my first visit and I think it's a solid four stars. My favorite dishes have been the steak and the stuffed lobster, least favorite was the mussel and monkfish stew. On the app side I still recommend the sea urchin or if you're not feeling adventurous just go with an assortment of oysters.
Service has been consistently good. Last time I was in the hostess noticed from across the room that our table was rocking, she found a slice of wood and corrected the problem. Mr. Manager please give that girl a high five.
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04/20/2008
I'm so damn sneaky.
I called their number (which goes to Town Hall's reservation desk) and asked if… Read more »
I came here for dinner and had a great time. It's a good choice if you want very good seafood with a hint of goof-ball atmosphere. If I return, it will likely be for lunch.
Walking down Minna I was wondering what I had gotten myself into, but the diversion was worth it. What a charming interior (the waitress said it had been an artists studio for years) with loads of natural light flowing in from the skylights. The food was simply prepared and delicious and the pace of service was just right. I asked for my whole fish to be filleted and the waitress did that for me table side. I'm already plotting my next visit.
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The design of the place is really great, but the food is really not. The best dishes we had were oysters on the half shell and a beet salad. It's hard to mess up good raw oysters, and the beet salad, though tasty, was not worth $11. The entrees were a let down. My monkfish stew was a mess of muddy flavors. My husband's scallops were nice, but the block of braised pork belly that came with them was actually just one solid piece of fat. I know pork belly is fatty, but there wasn't even the thinnest sliver of meat in it. It was basically a piece of fat-back. I really like the space, and it's close to my house, so I hope they revamp the menu.
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Maybe it should be called "Hope and a Prayer"!
Okay, so I would probably give this place more like 4 stars based on the food alone, but combined with the clumsy service and lack of atmosphere I wouldn't recommend it. I had dinner here last night with three friends and we all felt that it was a major disappointment.
First of all, the dining room atmosphere is ill-conceived and poorly executed. It is a nice size room with exposed rafters and skylights which could be good. But as soon as you walk in you notice the awkward scattering of mismatched tables, some with linens, some without, and some placed just feet from the door. The seating also seems as much of an afterthought made up of uncomfortable aluminum chairs and wooden benches. They are apparently going for a "fish shack" atmosphere, but if you're not paying "fish shack" prices than you would expect a little more . They are obviously going for something here, but it just looks cheap and thrown together. They have used incredibly flimsy looking metal factory lighting and they threw up a few old fishing lanterns above the seating. It looks like they've set up for a theme party and forgot to put the rest of it up, or forgot to take it all down. The mural behind the bar is graphic and modern but completely incongruous to the rest of the decor. Also the open service station is poorly placed outside the bathrooms which also seems strange and serves to cut off flow.
The service was also pretty appalling. For a place that charges $12 for a salad, you'd imagine the service would be pretty great. However, this is not the case. The service was slow and not particularly friendly. It seems our server had to leave after asking every question. He asked if we wanted water, then left for 10 minutes, then came back and we ordered drinks, then left for 10 minutes, then we ordered some oysters, another 10 minutes, the oysters came and we still did not have our drinks, then he came back and we finally got to order our main dishes, our salads came fairly promptly, but it seems like our entrees took forever. When they did arrive, my partner asked for more sauce, which never came, and at one point I was asked by a server to hand him a plate that was apparently out of his reach. Now, normally I am happy to help out, but when a meal is over $300 for four people, it is unacceptable.
Now the food is the one bright spot here. I have to say they have some very inventive and delicious dishes. They have a good selection of oysters and they were fresh and creamy, however the platter came with two sauces and no way to spoon them on. I ordered the smoked trout salad that blew me away, it was very good, although no fresh cracked pepper was offered to anyone at my table. This was followed by the Monkfish, Mussel, and Saffron Chorizo stew, again it was excellent, although it was so hot when it came to the table I think it was still boiling. My partner ordered their version of fish and chips which he said were outstanding. But do beware of the iced tea, which tasted, believe it or not, like liquid smoke had been added, very odd.
It seems like this place is going through growing pains. But with so many amazing restaurants in the Bay Area they need to figure it out. The kitchen seems to have it together, but the front of the house needs a lot of work. The decor is either not enough or too much of a theme and not high-end enough for the food and it's prices. The service needs to be streamlined and polished. There seems to be a lot of servers rushing around looking busy, but not being very efficient. I will try to come back here in a few months to do a follow up, although I don't think I will have any luck persuading my friends to come back with me.
On the whole, this is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The space is interesting and welcoming. During lunch, the place was not quiet, but also not too noisy to have a conversation. The food is good, if not exceptional. The prices reflect their Town Hall pedigree, which is to say on the high end.
LOVE this place! It is much more spacious than Salt House or Town Hall, and maybe even a tad less noisy. Considering how new it is, I was surprised they could accomodate our group of 6 (which swelled to 9 as a nearby happy hour ended and friends trickled over) on a Wednesday at 7:30. They were super gracious about our unexpected guests, and all the staff seemed friendly and knowledgable.
We sampled nearly everything on the menu, and I loved everything except the fries with eyes (too fishy), and the desserts, which were a total letdown after the incredible appetizers and entrees. I thought the salad portions could be a bit larger, but protein portions were quite generous, and it was an all-around delightful meal.
I particularly recommend the lobster, beet salad, artic char, and guinea hen.
was going to stay home and cook, but decided to go out for dinner instead, and i'm glad we did! anchor and hope was a great choice and i only wish we were hungrier, so many things looked good.
we really wanted to try the lobster roll, but our server convinced us to get the stew. it wasn't bad, and the broth was delicious as i dipped my bread in it, but i'm still really curious about that lobster roll!
we started with the fries with eyes (fried smelt), which i was excited about, and although the flavor was good they weren't as crispy as we'd hoped, actually, they were kinda soft and soggy...we also got the uni with mashed potatoes and dungeness crab. i wasn't sure how i was going to like it, since i'm not a big lover of uni, but it basically tasted like super rich mashed potatoes, not a bad thing! the only thing that kinda disappointed is that they weren't serving it in the uni shell that night for some reason, it just came in a large coffee mug type thing. finally we also got the bacon wrapped oysters. who doesn't like bacon wrapped anything?!
i really liked the open air feel of the restaurant, it's a casual laid back place, serving really nice food. the service was great. chad, our server, is very personable and informative. he picked some great wines for me that night, and now i'm on the hunt for one of them! and he definitely doesn't rush you to put in your whole order all at once. we started with apps, and then he came by to see how we were doing and if we wanted to order entrees. we really were just able to relax and enjoy the dinner, ahhh, what a great way to end the work week.
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yum! this place was very good and had great servers that made the experience even more enjoyable. my girlfriend and i shared the warm uni appetizer and it was so good. for my entree i had the lobster roll with was good but i was eyeing all the dishes around me.
It's a gorgeous space with nice atmosphere. The menu is totally oriented toward seafood, and everything was good. They go for a rustic-y feel, with bread served in a brown bag (um, okay), but they're also serving you a whole sea urchin with tons of crab and mashed potatoes inside. Yum! My main course was really good, some scallops and pork belly with cabbage and favas on the side. My friend got the seared tuna which was definitely out of the ordinary. The wine list is interesting and really filled with great options. Check it out before the reviews in the paper come out , making tables harder to come by.
Maybe it was because I was recovering from a 3 day hangover, but nothing seemed to get me excited at Anchor and Hope. We had the urchin which everyone raved about, and we foie gras terrine, which seemed quite plain. Everything was very well presented and the space is really nice. That is what drew me to it in the first place. I also really enjoyed my time at sister restaurants Town Hall and The Salt House. Maybe I'll go again and see if the food would be better sans hang-over. Unfortunately the other 7 people I went with did not enjoy the food too much either. Maybe we are just spoiled bitches.
The food was incredible!
I heard about this place going for the aesthetic of an 'upscale sea food shack' and it nails it! Great atmosphere- my wife and I could communicate easily without yelling. It feels hip and modest at the same time, blending into the vibe of the neighborhood. Can't wait to go back.
There is something about when new restaurants who take over older buildings and keep original look and feel of the structure. Situated in an old warehouse squeezed between the hustle and bustle of downtown, Anchor & Hope is a refreshing mid-day or dinner escape.
The service was great, but the majority of the pricey dishes didn't follow suit.
The Good...
If your are into oyster, you'll love the decent variety of oyster especially the east coast ones. I also really enjoyed the fried ipswich clam appetizer that is paired with an interesting chunky aoli.
The Bad...
The steamed mussels has a unique presentation with the shaved fried potatoes(fries), but the dish was disappointing with the freshness of the mussels and the questionable fries. The Trout Salad isn't anything special and it does set you back $15. Be sure to MISS OUT on the deep fried pearl onions also, its not crispy at all.
With many new restaurants, the opening is a work in progress and being affiliated with Town Hall and Salt House, you know that the best is still yet to come. I would gladly come back for a return visit, but later this year!
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a lot of new joints have popped up in the year since i've been outta the SF scene....thanks to my good friends for introducing me to this one.
def get a reso
as for the food:
sea urchin and ipswich clams
get them
I love the overall feel of this restaurant- so open, airy and well-designed. I enjoyed every bite of my dinner- from the sampling of oysters, crusty & chewy baguette with salted butter to the lobster and sea bass entrees. There were so many options, I had a hard time deciding- but was happy with my selection. The entree portions were sizeable (and all were in the $25-35 range)- I could have shared my sea bass as my dinner.
Our waitress was in training, and she mentioned this nervously as she kept needing to refer to her notes.. I appreciated her honesty- she was friendly and attentive and offered a few samples of wine so that we could pick exactly what we wanted.
I'm a fan of A&H- very glad it's been added to the neighborhood. The ambiance itself is worth coming back for, even if just for a drink and some oysters.
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Before Anchor & Hope was officially opened, we walked past it en route to Salt House for dinner - saw a private party inside and the place was hoppin'!! We made a mental note ... Must. Try. Out. Well, I found myself a month out after making that mental note and FINALLY got in for dinner! Yay...
Thanks to my brilliant planning, I didn't make resie's so unless my friend and I were willing to wait until 10:45p to eat dinner on a Thursday, we had to tempt our fate with a walk-in. Must have been our lucky night!! We walked in and the very friendly and gracious hostess spotted 2 open spots at the cool, zinc countertop/bar and quickly ushered us over. Perfect. We were immediately greeted by our waiter. He was fantastic. Assertive. Attentive. Friendly. Gave me xtra wine pours. I likey.
The interior design is quite stark - urban hip - very "Deadliest Catch" - well ... kinda. You know what I mean, very seaboard fish house. ;) The bar even has these eyeball lights that shine down on you while you eat. Cool. Kinda freaky. Even cooler.
The food was YUMM. We started out with some oysters. Yumm, I do enjoy oysters! Reminds me of summer and warm, balmy weather, sippin' adult bevvies dressed in flowy linen ... I digress. I enjoyed the sea scallop ceviche (a special that night) and a cup of the corn chowder. Delish!! My friend had the spicy mussel & monkfish stew. He raved about the flavors - he was a happy guy. Guess he was craving some yummy seafood earlier in the day - turns out this spot was the perfect selection!
I'll definitely be back - was a great spot, cool vibe and delicious food.
Oh wait. You must order the Heart of Sweet Cream for dessert. Decadent. Delicious. Oh so perfect.
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It's rare that I am willing to return to a restaurant several times in one month, but I could to to Anchor and Hope again and again and again. And I have.
Anchor and Hope is by far the best seafood restaurant I have been to in the city because it has the seafood trifecta: fantastic food / great atmosphere / reasonable prices. Nestled on Minna, it would be easy to totally miss A&H if you didn't know what you're looking for. But inside the restaurant is a combination of polished cement floors, raw wood planks, glass and black chalk boards. It has the same modern/stylish yet comfortable atmosphere as sister restaurant Salt House.
The food is outstanding. My favorites so far are the scallop ceviche and the monkfish & chorizo stew. All the other options we've tried were great, including the lobster, oysters and fish & chips. They have a great wine list that is reasonably priced; a recent dinner for 4 which included appetizers, mains, a bottle of NZ sav blanc plus a round of tawny port came to $65pp including tip.
Highly recommended - make reservations and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy yourself.