Karl Whinnery

John’s grill is a lovely dining experience. The staff are amazing. The atmosphere and vibe are on point. My rib eye was thinner than expected, but tender and delicious. My wife had the salmon and enjoyed it.

+2

Maisa Bakhesh

I had a wonderful dining experience at Johnny’s. The steak was cooked to absolute perfection , tender, flavorful, and exactly the way I requested. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, making the whole evening feel vibrant and enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great food and great energy!

Muthu Kumar Chandrasekaran

Excellent food and top tier service make John’s Grill a cozy place for a fancy family dining or a corporate dinner. Don’t let the modest restaurant name influence your judgement. We were a large party of Tech leaders in SF Bay Area and had a private dinner reservation. As a vegetarian I had pasta choices.

+1

SamisTina Samara

I came here for the Steak and it was perfectly cooked I asked for medium well. I enjoyed how it comes with 2 sides which were filling! I came during the holidays surprisingly it was not too busy and no wait. The staff were not very attentive that’s the only part.

Susanne Millar

This is a great old establishment restaurant in San Francisco. My family has been going here for decades. But, we hadn't been in a while and it did not disappoint. Service was still excellent, especially our waiter, Dana. We had the escargot appetizer and it was excellent. There was complimentary sourdough bread that was out of this world. All three of us ended up ordering fish dishes, the petrole sole, the snapper, and the salmon. Everything was really really good. We would say that the mashed potatoes were excellent, but they had way more butter than necessary. This is the restaurant where scenes from the Maltese falcon movie was filmed.

Dan Baxter

If you’re looking for a place in San Francisco where history, noir legend, and a downright excellent burger intersect, John’s Grill is the joint. Open since 1908, it’s one of the city’s oldest institutions—and it wears its years well, with dark wood paneling, old photos, and the kind of bar that makes you feel like you should be plotting something clever with a trench coat and a fedora. How many times will you be able say that you ate at a legit, literary landmark? Literary buffs will appreciate its claim to fame: this was one of Dashiell Hammett’s haunts, and he dropped it right into The Maltese Falcon. Sam Spade ordered chops and tomatoes here, and the restaurant has leaned into that legacy ever since. From the Maltese Falcon memorabilia to napkins that literally read “Home of the Maltese Falcon,” the theme is embraced with a wink but never feels over the top. Think classy homage, not tourist trap. Now, onto the food—which, let’s be honest, is why most of us show up. I had the broiled cheeseburger with cheddar, and it was perfection. Juicy, flavorful, cooked exactly to order, and topped with just the right amount of melted cheddar. The fries? Golden, crispy, seasoned just right, and honestly some of the best in town. They strike that elusive balance between crunchy exterior and fluffy interior, the kind of fry that borders on its own mystery of, "where did all the fries disappear to?" Your list of potential suspects should be fairly short! The service was sharp and friendly, the cocktails strong enough to make you forget you paid San Francisco prices, and the vibe was exactly what you’d hope for in a landmark restaurant—lively but not chaotic, classy but approachable. In short: John’s Grill isn’t just riding on its history, it’s still delivering the goods. Whether you’re hungry to be a part of history or just hungry for one of the best burgers and fries in the city, this is a stop worth making. And if you happen to solve a mystery or two while you’re here - consider it part of the atmosphere!

+2

Su

Ribeye here was sooo good!!🥩Honestly, if you come, definitely get a steak!!! The clam chowder was thick and tasty, and I tried the Chicken Jerusalem too. It was good, but try steak here haha. Place was pretty busy and packed but the service was super fast and really nice so I didn’t mind how crowded it was. My server was soo nice. She was so friendly but yet very fast. Highly recommend steak here!

+3

W. Family

This place is great! The filet minion was cooked perfect and so flavorful. The music was fantastic. Katie our server was Wonderful! Even the manager was wonderful and we received A+ Service. I would highly recommend. Food was wonderful, drinks, and atmosphere.

Eva Forman

I went to John's Grill because I was told it's a historical restaurant, and the spot for seafood in San Francisco. I was initially suspicious. It wasn't super busy yet we waited too long to be served cold bread. That said, the table bread, though cold, was sour and delicious, foreshadowing the rest of the night. The service remarkably picked up after we ordered, and our main dishes arrived quickly. I got the Fisherman's Pasta, which was delightfully creamy with massive chunks of fish (salmon and snapper), prawns, and shrimp. My dad got the fried prawns which were large and juicy, and came with 3 different sauces (cocktail, sour cream, and tartar sauce). The blackberry lemonade was also a nice surprise; it was perfectly sour and tasted like real blackberries. Overall, John's Grill has tasty American seafood with a lovely historical ambiance.

+1

Went to John's for a quick drink at the bar this week and our bartender gave us excellent service. Jessie made us one of their famous espresso martinis and it was so tasty.

Went to John's Grill on a friend's recommendation last Saturday and I was not disappointed! It was so busy, most likely due to the Super Bowl. We were a party of 10 and were sat on the third floor. T…

Went to John's for a quick drink at the bar this week and our bartender gave us excellent service. Jessie made us one of their famous espresso martinis and it was so tasty.

I've had a lot of steaks and a lot of lobster in San Francisco. Nothing comes close to John's. Skip Morton. Skip STK. GO TO JOHNS GRILL. The bartender kicked ass the food kicked ass. I had the …

I've had a lot of steaks and a lot of lobster in San Francisco. Nothing comes close to John's. Skip Morton. Skip STK. GO TO JOHNS GRILL. The bartender kicked ass the food kicked ass. I had the ribe…

I've had a lot of steaks and a lot of lobster in San Francisco. Nothing comes close to John's. Skip Morton. Skip STK. GO TO JOHNS GRILL. The bartender kicked ass the food kicked ass. I had the ribe…

Wonderful lunch with fabulous welcome by the hostess and excellent service, especially Dana, my waitress.

I came here with family and they had seafood, salad, lamb chops and steak. (I can't eat seafood but they all recommend the lobster bisque!)\n\nThe food was GREAT. I had New York steak with mashed p…

I came here with family and they had seafood, salad, lamb chops and steak. (I can't eat seafood but they all recommend the lobster bisque!)\n\nThe food was GREAT. I had New York steak with mashed…

This is the best steakhouse I've ever been to. Great, tender meat. And my wife loved the salmon. What a great wine list, too. Friendly, efficient service. I can't ask for more. I'm coming back soon!

This is the best steakhouse I've ever been to. Great, tender meat. And my wife loved the salmon. What a great wine list, too. Friendly, efficient service. I can't ask for more. I'm coming back soon!

I'm a huge fan of this place! The food and ambiance are wonderful. It's a very intimate space with excellent dishes. We got the seafood pasta and the lobster bisque, both were incredible! The servi…

We had reservations last night for 7 but went in for drinks at the bar shortly after 5. Good service at the small bar. By 6 we were ready for dinner and were seated upstairs close to live jazz. I h…

Fantastic atmosphere and much fun learning about a terrific classic movie "The Maltese Falcon" Food and drinks were superb and our waiter Pablo was a delight.

Great food great service very reasonable prices. Atmosphere is very old school. Many well known people have dined here.

Christmas in San Francisco! A traditional restaurant with a wonderful history in downtown San Francisco. The Jack LaLanne salad is a special, as well as "Sam Spade" porkchops. The staff is atten…

Christmas in San Francisco! A traditional restaurant with a wonderful history in downtown San Francisco. The Jack LaLanne salad is a special, as well as "Sam Spade" porkchops. The staff is att…

We sat on the second floor in the jazz area. The ambiance was great though a bit loud because of the music but that was to be expected. The lobster bisque was out of this world. I wanted a bucket …

We sat on the second floor in the jazz area. The ambiance was great though a bit loud because of the music but that was to be expected. The lobster bisque was out of this world. I wanted a bucke…

We sat on the second floor in the jazz area. The ambiance was great though a bit loud because of the music but that was to be expected. The lobster bisque was out of this world. I wanted a buc…

The atmosphere was great and excellent steak! We sat in the jazz room that had a jazz band playing and that was awesome! Friendly staff!

The atmosphere was great and excellent steak! We sat in the jazz room that had a jazz band playing and that was awesome! Friendly staff!

The atmosphere was great and excellent steak! We sat in the jazz room that had a jazz band playing and that was awesome! Friendly staff!

The atmosphere was great and excellent steak! We sat in the jazz room that had a jazz band playing and that was awesome! Friendly staff!

John’s was recommended by a friend in Cleveland, my family wasn’t crazy about the idea of a steak House. However the power was out at alot of restaurants (they wanted to go) - so we went to John’s …

Need a great restaurant in Union Square area. You have found it at 63 Ellis St John's. The food is wonderful and the service is great too. Next time I will try the lamb chops. This time I had Shrim…

We booked for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was very busy and we had to wait about 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. The atmosphere was good. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the fo…

We booked for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was very busy and we had to wait about 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. The atmosphere was good. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the fo…

We booked for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was very busy and we had to wait about 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. The atmosphere was good. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the fo…

Stunning steak. Simple menu, expertly done. Lovely ambience. Classic, yet memorable. I would highly recommend for people looking for a traditional steak dinner in San Fran. A+

Amazing atmosphere and decor. Food was very good and, in my opinion, worth the price. Very attentive staff. Beer selection could be better. I love to see places that hold on to their past decorat…

Old school classic steakhouse. Historic location as mentioned in the Maltese Falcon. Excellent martinis. The lobster bisque was top notch. The seafood pasta was excellent per Randy, with perfectly …

The hamburger was very tasty and a good size. The service was excellent. The only bad thing was that it seemed very expensive to pay 43 dollars for two hamburgers with fries and two medium sodas. The place was clean but people kept coming in to ask for money and you can't eat comfortably 😞 great blessings for those people who are homeless 😞

Albert Vital

Had our work holiday party at John’s Grill and it was a delight! Not only is the food good, the service was as charming as can be and the atmosphere was a perfect festive setting! What a great spot to celebrate at one of San Francisco’s landmarks! Props to John for saying hi! 😊👍🏼😋

+6

Ramunas Dziugas

Food was not so good. Atmosphere also a little bit strange. The only good thing was the waiters -they did an excellent job. Would I recommend this place? I don't know.

+5

Ken Oliver

Started with the lobster bisque. It was very good. Tasted fresh and a nice almost sweet aftertaste. The NY strip was cooked well, but had absolutely no seasoning. The sourdough bread was very nice as well as the service. Food came out very quick. Overall a nice local restaurant with authentic style.

KR AZ

Stopped in for lunch while in the city recently. It is a long time restaurant and gathering place for politicians and celebs. The lunch menu was somewhat limited as far as sandwiches, burgers, etc. The service was very good and attentive. However the burger I ordered was very well done and dry. There was no sauce or anything on the bun which was very bready compared to the burger. I had to ask for some mayo and ketchup to go with it. The fries were seasoned well and hot and crispy. The clam chowder which we split was good. The chicken sandwich was a thin piece of flattened that was crispy but on the thinner side for a huge bun. All in all it was disappointing.

+2

matthew w

During our visit to San Francisco we decided to head to John's Grill for dinner, and despite not having a reservation we were warmly welcomed by the hostess. She kindly offered us a lovely table in the upstairs dining area, which turned out to be a great spot as the downstairs area was already full and buzzing with activity. The added bonus of sitting upstairs was being able to enjoy live music from a talented chap playing during our meal, which added a really nice touch to the evening. Our server, Dana, greeted us with a smile and quickly took our drinks orders before giving us plenty of time to browse the menu and make our selections. Steak was naturally the focus for us, with the fillet and the strip being our choices for the evening. Whilst we waited for our mains, we were served some warm, fresh bread which was a lovely start and very much appreciated. After a reasonable wait our main courses arrived and both steaks were cooked well and very enjoyable. When offered the dessert menu we decided to pass, as nothing really caught our eye and to be fair, the mains were more than enough to leave us feeling full. Overall, we had a really lovely time at John's Grill. The atmosphere was lively yet relaxed, the service from Dana was great and the food was satisfying. It is definitely a place worth visiting when in San Francisco for a classic steakhouse experience.

+4

We love John's and have always had great experiences here, which is why this was disappointing enough to mention.\n\nUnfortunately, the New York steak I ordered tonight was extremely overcooked -- to…

We love John's and have always had great experiences here, which is why this was disappointing enough to mention.\n\nUnfortunately, the new york steak I ordered tonight was extremely overcooked -…

service was uneven and chaotic. It's an institution for sure but for the price there's a myriad of spaces that don't have inattentive service. I wouldn't recommend it. Food was unevenly warm as w…

Service was uneven and chaotic. It's an institution for sure but for the price there's a myriad of spaces that don't have inattentive service. I wouldn't recommend it. food was unevenly warm as wel…

Service was uneven and chaotic. It's an institution for sure but for the price there's a myriad of spaces that don't have inattentive service. I wouldn't recommend it. Food was unevenly warm as wel…

Old staple in union square for traditional heavy steak house food. Great service. 3 levels. Steakhouse interiors so what you'd expect. Came in for lunch had Caesar and clam chowder was good all aro…

Old staple in union square for traditional heavy steak house food. Great service. 3 levels. Steakhouse interiors so what you'd expect. Came in for lunch had Caesar and clam chowder was good all aro…

We had a really great time here this evening. Food, service and music was excellent, can't wait to come back again .

Morning order was forgotten, four other patrons has the same experience that morning. Came for dinner and had no issue. Breakfast Sunday morning was perfect. ATM saturday morning had a "wet paint" sign over it. Sunday morning the sign said "out of order". Police presence every time I have been there, as well as a security guard. Large homeless population outside on the streets. San Francisco needs to work on this issue, badly. Their socialist measures aren't working.

Love the flame boiled burgers. But this is kind of sad looking restaurant, needs to keep some of the homeless sleeping in there so we can eat inside. Feel like eating on the street with other tourists is cleaner and nicer 🙄

Came here as I wanted to try the impossible burger. Place is pretty busy and also feels dirty. Wait was long to buy and about the same for service - feel for the staff and they did a good job. We just ordered the impossible burger which was around $8 including tax. The burger was decent and couldn't really tell the difference for an average fast food chain burger... It's heavily seasoned so expect to be thirsty long after you have finished.

Location is perfect for any tourist, just outside is the trolley turnaround platform, pretty cool. Once inside the restaurant you see all the crazies talking to themselves and homeless people that beg for money as you eat. There's literally one lady arguing with the wall as I'm writing this. The atmosphere is definitely drab, depressing and boring. Order to go if you can. Whopper was good though.

the only thing i liked were the window bar stools u can eat at and watch the people outside go by. not to mention there awesome arcade games. Galactica, pacman and millipede! how cool is that!! other then that, the customer service is garbge

It's BK, except for a few homeless people hanging around. Best not to eat in.

Very happy that they were able to seat us early because we had a reservation for the same day. We were shocked when the two hour mark hit and we were being rushed out. I get it, but service was g…

Wow this place is a dump, and the service is super slow. It doesn’t take 20 minutes to do fast food, unless your in slow zombie mode like the workers on tonight. It’s telling there is a security guard on duty, and his job seems to be watching the washrooms. And it is homeless central about half the people in line were homeless. Now that being said I do have sympathy for the homeless and what seems like a lot of mental health issues on the streets here, and I suppose they are here as where else can they go. Top this with likely the staff hate their jobs, and it’s a location worth skipping if there is nothing else available.

Not a great Burger King. The food was standard BK stuff, but the person taking my order struggled to understand what I was saying, which made it quite difficult to order anything that wasn’t a basic meal. I was asking for one of their sides combinations, and this proved impossible to get across, so I gave up. As for the atmosphere, there were people shouting and being generally rowdy. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to eat in.

Lucky M

Bar service was super slow. Around 7ish, you really have to stay on top of your order because it felt like they’d ignore you unless you make yourself heard. It also seemed wildly understaffed—there were only two bartenders handling what looked like at least 20+ tables downstairs, and that’s not even counting upstairs, so the delays kind of made sense (but still not great as a guest). I ordered an Old Fashioned and it honestly wasn’t good. It was packed with way too much ice, like overly full of ice cubes instead of the traditional single large cube. The build felt off too—simple syrup instead of the more classic muddled/crushed sugar cube, and it didn’t taste balanced. They used only Angostura aromatic bitters (no orange bitters), and there was no expressed orange peel—they literally just dropped in a slice of orange… lol. Our wait time was about 1 hour. That said, the ambiance was the best part of the whole experience. The place was packed, but in a way that felt cozy, lively, and inviting at the same time. It was loud and energetic, and I can see why people like it for the vibe. The food was bland, honestly like they forgot the salt. My filet mignon was cooked exactly how I asked—perfect medium rare—but the flavor just wasn’t there. No real seasoning, no char, just flat. Same with the other steaks we ordered: cooked right, but not tasteful and lacking flavor. The poke was the only thing that actually had flavor, and it stood out because everything else tasted so plain. For the price and the wait, I don’t think we’ll come back. The atmosphere was great, but it’s a shame the bar service and food didn’t match it.

+6

The menu is very uninspired. My boyfriend ordered salmon, which came with a butter sauce and a baked potato. It came at a nice price tag for such a simple meal too. I got the blue cheese salad, whi…

We had a reservation towards the end of the evening. The second we showed up, we were under pressure to order. We felt pressure the entire time. We shared a tenderloin, baked potato and mixed veget…

very bad service, unprofessional. Despite having a reservation, we waited at the bar and then couldn't get a table, and others without a reservation came after us and got a table. Thank you!

Slowest burger king ever , there is no way me to come back here again waited for crispy chicken over 35 minute and it’s not even rush hours damn that’s place it’s sucks hope they close soon

This was one of the worst and most shocking experiences I’ve ever had at a Burger King. We walked in with my children and witnessed an employee (an Asian man from the staff) aggressively approach another customer who was quietly sitting down. He came at him with a broom, insulting him with offensive language, trying to start a fight, and even shouting for him to go outside to fight “one on one.” This was beyond unacceptable, especially with families and kids around. The customer did not want to fight and walked away, yet the employee chased him outside trying to hit him in the street. Even worse, other staff were laughing instead of stopping him. When I complained to the supervisor, she told me not to get involved, that “nothing would happen,” and even challenged me to complain to corporate, saying it wouldn’t matter. This behavior is outrageous, unsafe, and completely unprofessional. Employees should NEVER threaten or assault customers, and supervisors should NEVER dismiss such serious misconduct. Burger King should take immediate action, because this is not only disrespectful but also dangerous for every customer inside the restaurant.

A medium whopper with cheese combo (with french fries and a Dr. Pepper) cost me $18.39, and they couldn't be bothered to add more than a literal sprinkle of lettuce onto an overcooked hockey puck of a burger patty. Go somewhere else, BK has hit rock bottom.

This place is disgusting and there employees don't care. I ordered a regular whopper and my fries were still half way frozen and my burger was half ass put together right. I completed to the manager and all she did was tell me there remake the burger. So I did and it came out the same way. I asked for my money back and she told me there's nothing she could do that the store already had my money.

Homeless people begging every guest and climbing into the trash containers. Staff doesn‘t care. My worst BK experience - never again.

david gordon

I love this place. I love the vibe, I love the food (normally) and I was really looking forward to our Xmas Eve lunch. I left with a bad taste in my mouth. First off, the food was delicious. Lobster bisque, halibut and a cheesecake for dessert? Sign me up. I made a reservation two weeks ago and this is our second year doing this. Lunch then walk around Union Square, take pictures at the Westin, the tree at the Square, enjoy the revelry. I live here, I’m from here. I love it here. But when they called to ask for my credit card to secure the reservation I balked. Ok, it’ll be busy, they don’t want people to bail. Sure, let me call you back though cause I’m not giving my CC to a random caller on a Friday as I’m getting off work. Fast forward to today, we show up looking forward to lunch at the famous John’s Grill and are met with an empty restaurant which is serving a (surprise) pre fixe menu of fish or beef ranging from 95 to 110 dollars per. To say I was taken aback is an understatement. No one told me on the two calls I had with them to give my credit card to secure the reservation at an empty restaurant. We saw no less than 3 tables walk out after we had ordered. Could we have as well? Sure. But we enjoyed the food. It was good. But when the entrees are brought out before we are done with the apps, let alone having them cleared, I’m miffed. Bad service, bad communication. Overall not happy. And will be making reservations elsewhere next Xmas Eve