Scoma's is a legendary, family-owned seafood restaurant founded in 1965, located directly on San Francisco's historic Fisherman's Wharf. It's renowned for its fresh catch, traditional Italian dishes, and breathtaking harbor views, offering a nostalgic and memorable dining experience across three generations.
Customers consistently praise Scoma's for its exceptional, professional service and stunning waterfront location, especially at sunset. The food is described as phenomenal, high-quality, and flavorful, with fresh seafood (like locally caught salmon) and perfectly cooked steak being highlights. While some find it pricey, many feel the quality and generous portions justify the cost. Reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity, particularly for date nights.
Additional Details
Scoma's has been a family-owned establishment for three generations, maintaining a consistent ambiance and quality that evokes a sense of nostalgia for long-time visitors. It's located on '1965 Al Scoma Way', a street likely named in honor of its founder.
Reservations are highly recommended, especially for dinner and on weekends, as the restaurant can get very busy. Visiting during sunset offers a particularly memorable atmosphere with stunning harbor views.
5
Came here after a hike for lunch and waited about 30 minutes for an outdoor table. The waterfront setting made the wait worthwhile and added to the relaxing atmosphere.
Once seated, I was craving oysters, and this place delivered. The calamari was fresh and crispy with just the right amount of batter. The vongole pasta was flavorful, but my favorite was the creamy risotto with perfectly cooked scallops. The cioppino was also delicious, and a glass of wine made the meal even better.
Service was attentive throughout, making for an enjoyable dining experience and giving me another reason to return.
Pretty good experience overall. The complementary bread was so-so, but the whipped butter made it better. We started with some clam chowder. The portion wasn't that big, but the soup was creamy. We then had their oysters a la Scoma, with spinage and melted cheese. It's very different from a regular oysters platter, but it was pretty tasty, albeit a bit salty. For main courses we had their pasta diplomatica and the fish and chips. The pasta was quite good. The fish was perfect; the fries were alright. We finished the evening with a torta setteveli (chocolate cake), which was decent.
The ambience is nice, but the service is exceptional. We spent $157 for two people after tax before tip and we were absolutely stuffed, we definitely could and should have ordered less.
I visited this restaurant over the weekend, and it exceeded my expectations in every respect. Making a reservation was definitely the right choice, as the restaurant was very busy.
The service was exceptional—professional, attentive, and genuinely welcoming throughout the entire evening. The food was equally impressive: every dish was of outstanding quality and fully justified the prices charged. A detail that particularly stood out was being offered the locally caught salmon, as the fishing boat had only returned to the harbor earlier that same day. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.
The location is simply stunning. Watching the sunset over the harbor while enjoying dinner created a truly memorable atmosphere that perfectly complemented the dining experience.
Having traveled the entire West Coast from Seattle to San Diego, I can honestly say that this was the finest restaurant of my trip. The combination of exceptional food, impeccable service, and a breathtaking setting makes this place stand out even among some very strong competition. Highly recommended.
We stopped in San Francisco on our way home from an outing in Northern California and decided to take a walk down memory lane. It's probably been 20 years since we last visited Scomas.
Upon entrance it was the exact same as we had seen it many years ago. The service and greeting was impeccable, i love the formality of their outfits and demeanor. We enjoyed a lighter lunch, soup, couple appetizers and drinks. The food was good, definitely fresh I loved all the views, nostalgia and memorabilia inside the restaurant. Hopefully it doesn't take us years to come visit again.
Dining at Scoma’s Restaurant was the best culinary experience I had in San Francisco. The fish was incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked, and the sauces were absolutely delicious—every dish was spot on.
What truly made the experience exceptional, however, was David. With over 20 years working at the restaurant, his knowledge, professionalism, and passion were outstanding. He guided us with perfect recommendations and thoughtful advice that elevated the entire meal.
David is a true asset to the restaurant and deserves special recognition. Thanks to him, the experience was not just great—it was unforgettable. 10/10!
