Come lunchtime San Francisco food lovers looking for pristine seafood, a clubby atmosphere, white tablecloths and power players head to 163-year-old classic Tadich Grill. Those looking for the same pristine seafood but less pomp and more fun head to Swan Oyster Depot, one of the real restaurant gems of the Bay Area.

 

The space consists of just one long raw bar, with around 20 stools, manned by a handful of friendly shuckers and servers doling out oysters, clams, lobster, chowders, seafood salads and wine. It's all about the charm, not about the pretense. Getting there outside of prime time lunch hours will guarantee a shorter wait to get in, as the secret has been out on this place since it opened in 1912.

 

1517 Polk Street San Francisco, CA 94109