The Buena Vista

I first went to the BV in 1969 when my ex was in the Military by day and Bouncer by night at the Buena Vista Cafe! Big Jack was the owner and Little Jack was one of the Bartenders. The best Irish Coffee and the ultimate Ramos Fizz! I used to call them a Gin milkshake. SO many great memories of the City by the Bay and the BV. Hope to visit again one day!

This is classic comfort at The Buena Vista and a taste of San Francisco Tradition. This place delivers on its promise of hearty, satisfying fare. My recent visit featured two classic comfort dishes: the patty melt and clam chowder, both of which exceeded expectations.

The patty melt was a testament to the power of simplicity done right. The perfectly seasoned beef patty, cooked to a juicy medium rare, was nestled between slices of rye bread that achieved that ideal balance of crisp exterior and soft interior. The melted American cheese draped luxuriously over the meat, complementing the beef beautifully. Caramelized onions added a sweet and savory note, bringing depth to each bite. The whole sandwich was griddled to golden perfection, with a satisfying crunch giving way to the melty, meaty interior.

The clam chowder was a bowl of pure comfort. Creamy without being heavy, each spoonful was a delightful mix of tender clams and diced potatoes. The soup had a rich, briny flavor that spoke of the sea, flecks of herbs - likely parsley and thyme - added freshness and complexity to the dish. The chowder's consistency was spot-on: thick enough to coat the spoon, yet still allowing each ingredient to shine individually.

What impressed me most was how these dishes, while familiar, were elevated by expert preparation and quality ingredients. The Buena Vista doesn't reinvent the wheel; instead, it polishes classic recipes to a high shine.

The restaurant's ambiance, with its historic charm and views of the bay, perfectly complemented the meal. It's easy to see why this place has been a San Francisco favorite for decades.

For anyone seeking a taste of San Francisco tradition with consistently delicious execution, The Buena Vista is a must-visit. Whether you're a local or a tourist, the patty melt and clam chowder are sure to satisfy and maybe even transport you to a simpler time of honest, heartwarming food.

It was the best Irish coffee we had in sf. This is also the place where we experienced racism.

When you enter a bar and sit at the bar stool, does the bartender tell you not to move the stool when everyone else has? We thought we would rather move to a proper chair and table. We got looks from the staff looking at each other as if figuring out whether to allow us in their "fine" establishment. We were allowed in the back room of this place. After a few drinks, the bill automatically came to our table. We never asked for it. They never asked once if we wanted to close. On asking why the bill was brought, the waitress replied as if nothing had happened. She said the kitchen is closing, the bar is open and you can sit for as long as you want and just went off.

Look guys, you can be the best irish coffee place in sf and still be racist. Let this be a reminder for you. Be better.

Got some drinks and food from this classic place on Fisherman's Wharf and thought it was meh. It seems more like the experience is the highlight than what is ordered. The Buena Vista is one of the city's oldest restaurants. Has to be relying on the tourist factor to stay in business. You can find much better and cheaper food elsewhere just saying.

Coffee drinks are what they're known for basically. It's about $13 for the Venetian Coffee. That's a lot for a basic coffee with a splash of cheap liquor. As for the food it's not any better. It's about $9 for the Garlic Fries. These are one of the few vegetarian choices it seems. A lot of the rest of the menu is seafood, which isn't surprising because this is near the piers of course. The service is also pretty slow and it took forever for our basic order.

Has a pretty nice location close to the water, which is the best thing about it. It's often crowded even at non peak hours it seems. There's pretty expensive cocktails and food, and there's not much to get for vegans and vegetarians.

I think coming here for the novelty and the Irish coffees are cool, but that's about it. The location of the place is prime and I liked the overall ambience. The old timey bar and memorabilia on the walls is interesting, but the food and service leaves something to be desired.

First we were told to wait at the door to be seated. After 5 minutes of awkwardly standing there, the bar man told us to check out the back room. Which we did but was full. The waitress, an older cranky woman, told us to wait until til someone got up and then claim the table. So we were left there to awkwardly hover over the guests finishing up. I wish they had a better system.

It took awhile to get even our drink order on, let alone food. I don't really do caffeine, but I tried the Irish car bomb. It was tasty! I like how they had different types.

What I wasn't impressed with was the food. No one at the table was particularly satisfied. I personally got the crab cakes which were alright. I liked the fry on them and the texture. I upgraded to sweet potato fries and they were eviscerated! Shriveled and dry as a bone. My husband got a patty melt with an added patty. He described it as decent. What was shocking though was that they charged him $8 for the extra patty!!! We expected an up-charge, but $8??

I've been there and can say that now, but I won't be back.

So first of all the place is old, smell and unorganized. Walked in at 9pm Saturday night where it says the place close at 12 am. Tables empty. It cleaned and everyone yelling at each other. Someone came and sat us down for two minutes and another comes and tells us THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED. At 9pm Saturday night at the most busy place in fisherman's ward.
Do your self a favor, bunch of places open late at this place, so anywhere but here.

Really great bar here SF! The famous Irish whiskey is a must and it's fun watching the bartender make them. During base ball games this bar gets really busy and they have food here as well! Also the Guinness is really smooth! The bartenders here are really friendly

The wife and I were in San Fran visiting the kid who is going to an overpriced "institution of learning", to learn what, we hope to find out one day. Up to her to make some money when she gets out, but sorry I'm here to talk about the Buena Vista.

We had the day free as the kid was working so the wife and I cruised around SF to see some sights and grab some food. The wife knew about the world famous Buena Vista and their famous Irish Coffees. So, after some hilly rides on the cable cars we ended up just a short walk from the BV. We went in and it was packed. It was, after all, a beautiful Sunday afternoon in spring and was likely the first sun the folks in SF have seen for a couple months.

Amazingly, as we ventured toward the back of the place, squeezing past others, a couple started to stand up from the bar and we nabbed the two spots and thanked them for saving us a couple seats. So down we sat and started to figure out the situation. A very friendly bartender comes up and asked what we wanted. Per his suggesting we started with the tradition Irish Coffee. It was a sight to see as he put down about 10 Irish Coffee mugs and proceeded to add booze, coffee and sugar making the perfect Irish Coffee. They were delicious but as the wife was ordering another, I didn't want another one. Since they had Guinness on tap I grabbed one of those. If you go, at least start with the coffee, it's what they are world famous for!

We chatted with the cool bartender, chatted with some folks next to us at the bar and had a great time. After a nice buzz, we decided to head back to the hotel. The line for the cable car was stupid long, so we grabbed an Uber, went back to the room and took a quick afternoon nap before getting up and exploring more of SF. We somehow avoided the homeless, the drug zombies and needles. So, a good day in Frisco.

Go. Drink Well. HAVE FUN!

Came to the Buena Vista cafe on a Saturday morning around 11am and the place was bustling! We came with a party of 3 and they sat us at a large table which we shared with a couple.

I'm not normally a coffee person but I had to try their famous Irish coffee. I forgot to take a picture but it was really good.

I also got the garlic fries which were amazing! It had a pretty big portion, lots of garlic flavor and parm on the top. Probably the best garlic fries I've had in the city

The Buena Vista really is a special place! What's not to like when you get a fresh crab cake Benedict and two Irish coffees from here.

Ive never had an Irish coffee quite like this- even in Ireland! The cream on this drink is where the magic happens. They make these drinks fast and they pack a punch to boot.

Long time patrons and employees give this place a timeless feel. You really feel like you are in the heart of San Francisco as cable cars buzz by throughout the day!