The Embarcadero is much more than just a street to a San Francisco local. The Embarcadero road runs along the water on the northeast side of San Francisco, starting with the Giants’ ballpark and continuing to the top of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Embarcadero hosts some of San Francisco’s most celebrated cultural attractions. From the classic wharves and piers to the incredible restaurants and shopping, Ryan Hunter Bluestone recommends that every tourist and SF local spend a day walking this concrete boardwalk.

With such prime real estate and unmatched views, the Embarcadero is home to some of the most highly-acclaimed fine dining restaurants in San Francisco (and for that matter, all of the United States). Right across from the Bay Bridge, you will find one of Ryan Bluestone’s favorite fine dining restaurants, Angler. Angler is a sea-life-focused restaurant that is the brainchild of world-acclaimed head-chef Joshua Skenes. Angler has earned a Michelin Star, so make sure to make a reservation well in advance as reservations are a hot commodity. Come for the beautiful views of the Bay Bridge and crackling wood hearth, but stay for the life-changing seafood dishes. In this post, Ryan Hunter Bluestone will walk you through all the must-have dishes at Angler San Francisco.

Walking into the restaurant, you are greeted by the smell of a blazing hot wood hearth and fresh warm bread. If you are seated in the first room you will have a direct view of the kitchen and hearth, watching the chefs cook your meal in real time! The first room is decorated with impressively large fish and unique animal skulls hanging above the kitchen. In the second room, there is a small bar as well as approximately ten more tables. This second room features taxidermied animals from the land, including a life-size bear. If you happen to be seated in the first room, Ryan Hunter Bluestone would highly recommend that you take a stroll to see the interesting decor in the back room as well.

The Angler features a menu exclusively from their live tanks, as well as a main menu with meat and seafood from around the globe. While at Angler, Ryan Bluestone would recommend ordering one to two items per menu per person. While the portions are small, this allows you to try multiple small dishes and experience more of the chef’s brilliance. Here are some of Ryan Hunter Bluestone’s favorite menu items from Angler San Francisco.

From the Live Tanks:

1. Fresh Cold Oysters – With pickled radishes and homemade cocktail sauce.

2. Pacific Sea Snails – Broiled in the shell with a lemon, butter, and balsamic sauce.

3. Mt. Lassen Trout – Grilled in a chili crisp seasoning over the wood hearth.

From Chef Joshua’s Menu:

1. Bluefin Tuna with Tomato-Water Jelly and Shiso – Immaculately fresh bluefin tuna covered in diced tomato-water jelly, served with a miraculous shiso puff that is bigger than a softball.

2. Angler Potato with Peppercorn Cheese Sauce from Sonoma Cheeses – Dozens of equally-thin layers of potato sliced to perfection on a bed of sauce from Sonoma Cheeses.

3. Grilled Hand-Dried Scallop – Out of this world. A must-try served in the shell with a butter-based sauce.

From the Dessert Menu:

1. Vanilla Soft Serve Sundae – This sundae is to die for. Fresh vanilla soft-serve ice cream covered in cacao nibs is brought to the table, and the waiter returns with a hot golden pot of dulce de leche and coats the sundae using their golden ladle.

In addition to those mouth-watering dishes, Ryan Hunter Bluestone has heard resounding positive reviews about the Parkerhouse Rolls with Cultured Seaweed Butter, the Antelope Tartare, and the Radicchio Salad with Radicchio XO Dressing. Ryan Bluestone guarantees that Angler’s Chef Joshua will take your tastebuds on a culinary adventure that you can not get enough of. Everything on the menu is well-balanced, flavorful, and as fresh as it gets. Next time you are in San Francisco, make sure to stop by Angler on the Embarcadero for a meal that won’t disappoint.