Swan Oyster Depot

The oysters here are amazing. I wouldn’t say it’s cheap, but it is worth it. They are fresh and delicious. I would recommend.

Great place. Came here the Friday after thanksgiving for lunch so can't speak to how long the line usually is, but it was pretty long when I came. Instead of eating inside I went to the counter and got food to go. I got some of their smoked salmon which came with some bread. It was delicious. Some of the best smoked salmon I've had.

I would give it far more stars if I could!!! The seafood is off the charts! The oyster tray has a variety of different oysters from all over the world! Super friendly staff! A bit pricey but well worth it!

2h10min wait for 1 on a Saturday, arrived at noon. Excellent seafood though and very friendly service, so I'd say it's worth it if you have the time. A real gem that doesn't seem to have changed at all over the many years it's been in business. CASH ONLY but there's a Chase ATM across the street.

Swan is an absolute classic of west coast seafood. The intimate space and family atmosphere make this a must-visit for any seafood lover in San Francisco. The fresh oysters and Dungeness crab are especially amazing!

Waited in line for over an hour for a seat at this very small counter only restaurant. It’s a very popular place. Ordered crab salad with Louis dressing. It was medium in size and was delicious crab on top of a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. If you’re looking for crab Louis this isn’t it. It’s lettuce and crab. That’s it for $32 My friend got the half crab for $24 and we shared a cup of clam chowder that was good. A beer and a diet soda and the Bill came to $70 plus tip. Not cheap but fresh food.

I told my friends about this restaurant with my highest recommendations. I visit this restaurant often. I get very good feedback from my friends. The the food there is delicious and the team is very friendly and cooperative. always when we visit this place we have a pleasant evening. warmly recommended.

Nice place for delicious seafood. super savory. the staff was very helpful and welcoming. this place has a cool feel to it. i can see why they have a lot of positive reviews.

Words can’t explain this place. Just go and enjoy the amazing food, a cold beer, the great staff, and San Francisco classic feel. It will be one of the most memorable spot you can visit. Never change Swan Oyster Depot!!

Amazing seafood with such a great atmosphere and hospitality. The dishes have such an exceptional way to let you enjoy seafood for it's quality.

No-frills counter nook in a fish market is a bustling landmark for raw-bar fare & casual seafood.

We had to wait nearly two hours but the fresh seafood, unique service, and the chatter with the friendly people of San Francisco was worth it. For a tourist this was a wonderful experience.

A mainstay of the city for a reason. Fresh fish with classic and surprising flavors. Do your research before hand and you will be greatly rewarded. The wait was tough, two fishes 🐟🐟up.

Amazing fresh seafood bar! No web presence, no frills, cash only, few seats along the seafood bar, excellent food and impeccable service, always a line out the door, and worth it! We usually pick up a shrimp cocktail, crab cocktail, and two clam chowders to go.

Not worth the hype. They close down the line hours before their posted close time. Went down the street and had better food for a more reasonable price in a better atmosphere. Just skip it, you'll be glad you did.

I told my friends about this restaurant with my highest recommendations. I visit this restaurant often. I get very good feedback from my friends. The the food there is delicious and the team is very friendly and cooperative. always when we visit this place we have a pleasant evening. warmly recommended.

Specialized for steamed seafood. Spicy mixed seafood or seafood soup is superb. It is pricy comparing the ingredients they use, but one order of steamed or soup of mixed seafood ($60 - 70) is enough for three people. And of course free side dishes and rice as other Korean restaurants. Great service.

Incredibly fresh seafood. You come here for the quality of the ingredients, not the creativity of the menu. The experience v. the two hour wait is up to you.

It's all about fresh seafood here and a staff with plenty of "good" attitude. The seating is horrible... bad little stools that offer too little leg room. And the lines.... don't get me started! Over the years, Swan has gradually increased prices and there is a bit of a value question on some of the menu items. The smart thing to do is to walk to the head of the line, and order seafood or salads to go. It takes a while to get the attention of a staff member, but the shrimp, crab, scallops and fresh seafood is marvelous.

Swan is one of the oldest business is town. They also have the freshest little fish market on Polk and possibly in SF. Be prepared to wait if you want to dine in. If you manage to wait or get seated at off hours you are guaranteed to have an authentic experience with amazing food. From the more basic crab/ shrimp Louie to little neck clams, raw oysters on the half shell , sashimi platter, clam chowder and sea urchin and anything other offer always hits the spot. Thanks guys!

My partner was misgendered twice in a matter of moments. When I pointed it out, the counter person just stared at us. No apologies from him at all. We did not stay. I had been there before & was hesitant to go again bc seafood wasn’t nearly as fresh tasting as advertised. Would not return, & think it’s absurd a San Francisco restaurant wouldn’t care about properly gendering a person.

Best seafood ever. Happiest food experience I've had. Order everything but my favourites were the scallops and smoked salmon.

There's a wait, but it's totally worth it. Beautiful, fresh seafood and attentive service. Everything we had was wonderful (crab back, oysters and raw scallops in ponzu) Also they only accept cash.

Got there 15 minutes after opening time and there was already a queue, and deservedly so. Generous portions of seafood for the mixed salad, with sauce that went along very nicely. Also had 3 pairs of different types of Miyagi oysters. I loved the British Columbia one best , if you can just make that the entire oyster order. Staff were very friendly although you could see that they were all very busy, they tried their best to engage you.Was a great experience overall. I would just highlight that they only accept cash, and there's a Chase cash machine across the road.

We got there before 10 on a Monday, veterans' day unfortunately and a dozen people in front of us already. We were seated at 10:30, the oysters were fresh and the chowder were excellent. The staff was fast, efficient and helpful.

An incredible unpretentious enjoyable dining experience. A must stop anytime you are in the bay area. I highly recommend this very very very aboveaverage establishment. Excellent service and the best lobster and oysters I have ever enjoyed. Marino provided service that made you feel like beloved family. We will be looking forward to our mouthwatering return. .

The perfect experience for any lover of seafood. The oysters are plentiful, fresh and expertly shucked and presented. The bar staff are jovial and engaging with plenty of quips and anecdotes to amuse as they serve up the best San Francisco has to offer. If you're in that neck of the woods, jump on a tram and head straight to Swan without hesitation.

Quintessential SF experience - counter seating & great service w fresh seafood cracked, peeled, prepared in front of you.

It’s a real gem ! The place is tiny and not more than 15 people can sit along the bar. Therefore the line outside can take a while. But once you got a seat- that’s it. A fresh unbelievable tasty seafood. Great service, fabulous food, I will come again

Big portions of great seafood, with friendly counter service. It's definitely worth the wait, but make sure you have cash.

Best fresh seafood mart and restaurant in San Francisco! You will have to wait in line, but the wait will be worth it! Recommend the 'Combination Seafood Salad' served with fresh San Francisco sourdough bread!

Wait was an hour at 2pm but worth the wait. They didn't have crab so we did french bread clam chowder and smoked combination plate. The bread was boudin but the Parisian recipe. We bought one to go it was so good.

Always an amazing experience. We have been before and it never disappointments.They don't open Sundays. They also only do takeaway from 8.00am to 10.30am. They start serving lunch from 10.30am. Be sure to arrive early as you will need to line up, as it only seats 18 at a time. Worth the wait and worth every penny. Can't wait to go again.

Phenomenal place for great seafood. The crab, prawn, and shrimp was delicious as well as the clam chowder. The smoked salmon was the best we’d ever had. Server named Maurino was tremendously kind and helped us enjoy our experience even more. Definitely a must-go in San Francisco and worth the wait.

What a gem ! Traditional American style seafood place / oyster bar serving one of the best quality seafood around the neighborhood. Their crab salad is to die for. Simple yet super delicious. I also love their raw north Point oysters. Expect long long line everyday. Be there at least an hour before their closing time to avoid the cutoff for last call.

I come here once a year for an annual holiday lunch with co-workers. I wish I could come eat here all the time! I always start with a beer and clam chowder. Best clam chowder I've ever had. Then a combo shrimp louie salad. The oysters are to die for as well. Worth the wait and money.

The wait is worth it! We arrived before 10:00 am and were able to be seated after noon, but service is quick and the seafood is fresh and absolutely delicious. It is cash only and you can expect to pay ~$100/pp if you want the full experience by trying pretty much everything on the menu that doesn't include tip.

Always worth the wait at this popular spot. Delicious. Old school.

A must for any seafood lover. The best dish we ate were the raw scallops on top of ponzu with a dab of sriracha. You can also order a combination of oysters and the crab salad was super fresh with great sauces to dip. Everyone working there was super nice. Can’t recommend this place enough. There will be a wait and seating is limited, so plan accordingly

Worth the wait! Come early, expect to wait in line for an hour but then you get a taste of San Francisco! Fresh seafood and great service! I had the chowder, combination salad of prawns, crab and shrimp, half a dozen of oysters, the crab, the crab back, prawn cocktail and a large sashimi. All were delicious! Bring cash as it is cash only.

The last thing Swan Oyster Depot needs is another raving review but I can’t help myself. This is my favorite place to eat hands down. I love the people who work there, some gruff, some friendly, some talkative, some not, but all charming in their own way. There is limited counter seating with hardly enough space for you or your food yet somehow it adds to the charm. And the seafood? Well it’s ridiculously good. Simple and profoundly delicious. The crabsanthemum is a decadent amazing plate of pure joy, as is the Sicilian sashimi with albacore, salmon and scallops...you MUST get the buttery scallops. The oysters are always on point. I want to eat this food every day of my life! Cash only, hand written tabs, random stuff piled up everywhere and I wouldn’t change a thing. Except the lines and crowds, those are a real bummer. But we all know why...it’s delicious.

Wonderful folks behind the counter and terrific food. One of my favorite places in the city.

The wait is a reality, but part of the experience. Came here on a Saturday late morning, waited about an hour and a half to get seated. You get a neighborhood feel here. Wait is totally worth it. All the seafood you can think of, and fresh. Got the combination oysters, crab back, combination seafood cocktail, and sashimi sampler. I'd do it all again.

Definitely not worth any wait. So many better options.

Fresh, classic and perfect. You cant complain about the wait because it is worth it. Wonderful place.

Classic seafood counter with decent selection. Food was good enough, but not worth the lengthy wait outside.

Long wait yes, a little pricey, sure...but really a nice experience and very satisfying meal. I had the seafood salad as I thought it to be one of the better deals on the menu for trying more than one thing, plus a beer. I arrived on a Friday at ~11:10 and was seated at 12:30. Just bring a book or a very dear friend to wait in line with, or stop at Bob’s donuts on the way if you risk getting hangry!

Usually a long wait to get in but definitely worth it! Friendly service and super fresh seafood

This is not a review about the food, which I did not try. My friends and I stood outside the restaurant for about an hour, during which time a man selling homeless community newspapers around. He was not bothering anyone and was catching customers as they left the restaurant as well as when they joined the line.Instead of asking him to leave with the dignity of a human being, the employees of the shop sent someone out with a bludgeon to threaten him and laughed when it worked.My friends and I got out of line. Although San Francisco has never been kind to its unhoused residents since I have lived here, this incident was one of the most upsetting that I have witnessed.

Great little place to get seafood. Everything is ultra fresh and the guys that work here are really nice. Only thing that sucks is this place is super popular so get there before it opens or be prepared to stand in line for a long time.