The Anchovy Bar

  4.6 – 403 reviews   • Californian restaurant

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The Anchovy Bar is a wine and seafood bar that specializes in West Coast oysters, small fish and sustainably raised shellfish. We work with small producers that favor traditional and antique processes with origin stories that matter and inspire, such as anchovies from Cantabria and L’Escala, Spain and the Amalfi Coast in Italy…sea salts from centuries old salt beds in Sicily…soy and fish sauces produced in the old-world style…essentially ingredients with a strong sense of place, including those from our own ‘backyard’. Our pastry kitchen is hard at work baking the breads, crackers and composing beautiful desserts.

Beer, refined seafood dishes & desserts at a laid-back place with sidewalk seating.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in The Anchovy Bar 94115

Hours

Friday5:30–9 PM
Saturday5–9 PM
Sunday5–9 PM
Monday5:30–9 PM
Tuesday5:30–9 PM
Wednesday5:30–9 PM
Thursday5:30–9 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 1740 O’Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Phone: (415) 796-2710

Website: http://www.theanchovybar.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: theanchovybar.com

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Reviews

Jose Sanchez
We had a great belated Valentines dinner, yesterday. Monday night and the place was packed. Says something about just how really good it is. We will go back during anchovy season for the famous anchovy toast. Jesse our server was amazing. We gave our highest tip amount last night, that’s how wonderful Jesse treated us. Small plates but did not go home hungry. Fun, the small details made all the difference. The focaccia, amazing, the “world peace” peanut milk, omg, wow. Loved the baked oysters and the sundae with the extra crunchy anchovies.
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Ying Zhang
Took a friend visiting from out of town here on a nice dinner. We enjoyed the small, cozy and intimate atmosphere. Yet I will say, it was a bit loud and we listened into a lot of conversation from the table next to us lol. Waitress was super knowledgeable about the menu. Staff were quick to get plates off the table which is nice because we didn’t have a whole lot of table space.

I love the seafood focus. We ordered 1/2 dozen oysters. Delicious and very clean and fresh. Then we had the smoked fish chip n dip. The potato chips here were unsalted, just pure crisped potato, and that let the dip shine more. Creamy and balanced. Of course, you can’t go to Anchovy bar without getting anchovies. We ordered their popular Anchovy toast, and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed biting down and tasting the buttery anchovies with the lightness of the edamame hummus and the crunch of the toast. The winter chicories were okay. We wanted a veggie dish but found it was mainly cheese. The trout tartare I could skip next time. I liked the pomegranates, they added great texture and flavor, but the trout itself was too light and didn’t stand out too much. The clams were okay. We really enjoyed the crispy cod that came with the clams the best. Lastly, dessert was delicious! The cake was decadent and the rosemary cream was so fragrant. 4/7 dishes would get again.

This is in January when I went, and they had a whole page on their drink menu dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks (perfect for those doing dry jan) and I thought that was a cool feature.
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David Barrio
I’m originally from the norther part of Spain and I can tell you first hand this pintxos are delicious.
The anchovies are very fresh. Pintxos are good side, easy to eat and well balanced in terms of taste. In general, I’m not a fan at all about cooked oysters but I can tell you first hand that the baked oysters from here are surprisingly good. I got impressed about the strong chorizo flavor in one and the black garlic flavor on the other one. I love the place!!! Please try the anchovy ice cream. It’s the cherry on top. Wine selection is good and service is very friendly and fun.
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Sarah Wheeler
Great service, food, and drinks!

Let me just start by saying anchovies are not my favorite fish. However the anchovy bar has absolutely changed my opinion.

We started with the oysters, they had three varieties available so we tried each type, I didn’t realize how different they could be.

The pinxos where prepared with the anchovies I am familiar with, but the olive and peppers told a nice little story.

Next, I had to try the anchovy toast. When they set it on the table I saw a thick slice of bread topped with shimmering anchovies. The first bite made me realize I was eating something special. An absolute umami dream.

I asked our server about the preparation of the anchovies and found out the anchovies were locally caught and cured in house, but the real trick is they needed to start the curing process within 3 hours of the catch to preserve the pristine flavor.

You should also order the warm foccacia with butter and garum salt.

Don’t skip the anchovy toast!!
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Matt Fukuda
We ordered the toast and squid, and both were incredible — simple but packed with flavor. The toast was perfectly crisp with just the right hit of salt and richness, and the squid was tender and beautifully balanced with acidity and spice. Everything felt thoughtful and unfussy, just really dialed in. The vibe is relaxed but elevated — the kind of place where every dish feels crafted by people who love what they do. Can’t wait to come back and try more.
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PAY
The food was amazing, no question. The best was the anchovy, absolute chef’s kiss. Our server was wonderful, very friendly. The one knock that took two stars off the service was the maitre ‘d who was anxious the moment we arrived. She warned our friends about the time limit at our table because of another reservation, she came by the table regularly to make sure we move along quickly all through the meal. We were very aware of her presence during the whole meal, and you don’t want that.
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Linh Nguyen
Lovely dinner and bar spot that is seafood focused
+ Interesting, creative food with delicate preparations and high quality ingredients—the anchovy toast and the anchovy sundae were the best bites of the night for me
+ Love that they can do half portions for many of their dishes, which makes it a great option for solo diners
+ Sat outdoor on the heated sidewalk on a chilly night, but it was pleasant and nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. Interior looked quite cozy
+/- Service was nice but a little slow
= Absolutely try to get a reservation
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Ave Lambert
Phenomenal every time. Have on occasion ordered almost the whole menu and been very happy with everything. The tower rocks. The traceability is swoon. The whimsy is perfect. Chicories and persimmon yes. Anchovy toast, my heart. Sorry boquerones, you’re dead to me- these are the superior little (local) fish!
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Stavros Macrakis
What a great restaurant! Creative small dishes based on anchovies, oysters, and other seafood. Even one of their desserts includes candied anchovies (not to everyone’s taste, I’m sure).

The dishes are great to share, but if you’re alone, they’ll make half portions so you can try a larger variety.

Wine list is short, but well-chosen. Their specialty is Rieslings, and they make it easy to try them by offering half-glasses as well as glasses and bottles.

Service is friendly and efficient. If you’re seated at the counter, you have a view of the kitchen.
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Liz P.
The Anchovy Bar had been on my list for a while, and since we were staying in the city for the weekend, we decided to try for a last-minute reservation. We managed to get bar seating later in the evening, but I had noted in the reservation request that we’d love to move to a table if one became available—and they kindly accommodated us. Given that this was after 8:30 PM, I wouldn’t expect the same flexibility during peak dinner hours.

Sofia took care of us, and she was absolutely wonderful—knowledgeable, attentive without being intrusive, and clearly passionate about the menu. Our seafood sampler took a bit longer than expected, but they made up for it by expediting some of the earlier courses. The restaurant officially closes to walk-ins at 9 PM, but we were able to stay until close to 10, taking our time to enjoy everything.

The wine selection is extensive, and every dish we had was fantastic. At the end of the night, I couldn’t decide between the anchovy ice cream or the turnover—so we had both, and honestly, they were excellent. The flavor combinations here are unique and well-executed, and we especially recommend the anchovy toast, which lives up to the hype.

It’s a small space with limited seating, so reservations can be tough to get, but that’s understandable. As a fan of State Bird Provisions and Progress, I had high expectations, and The Anchovy Bar delivered. The menu is intentionally small, focusing on quality over quantity, which we really appreciate. Overall, the service was excellent, the atmosphere was cozy and relaxed, and we’ll definitely be back to try more!
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