Blue Mermaid

We decided on Blue Mermaid after sightseeing around Fisherman's wharf. The staff and our waiter were both friendly and personable - telling us their favorite things on the menu. I was surprised by how good the food was considering the restaurant was pretty empty at 7pm ~ maybe it was off season and a Thursday? All the dishes we had were great - the mermaid burger, scallops, lobster ravioli. There drinks could be better thought - they seemed watered down and overall not good. Would come back for food but skip the drinks.

Was staying at the Argonaut and stopped in for lunch on my arrival day and breakfast on my departure day. This had to be one of the best sandwiches I ever had. It was so satisfying! I only ate half because it was so big and finished the other half later in my room. The breakfast was average. Staff was friendly. Lunch and morning environments were both busy but the overall volume of the restaurant was on the quieter side.

The best clam chowder in San Francisco and I will die on this hill. Nice soupy consistency. Not too gluey. They have cups, bowls, and bread bowl options. No need to get tourist chowder from the other place. This is the one. They have a nice cozy bar also.

Our friends and we stayed in the adjacent Argonaut Hotel. We used the guest discount and the free drink per guest in the restaurant. Great meal, service, and food! A friend had the cioppino. We shared the sampler of three clam chowders followed by the crab ravioli and the seared scallops with a very tangy citrus foam.

My husband and I heard about this restaurant (in the Argonaut hotel) and its chef-Amod Singh-and decided to give it a try while visiting SF. As soon as we got there, we met the chef and asked him to go ahead and do a tasting menu for us...we were in his hands! He not only went above and beyond our expectations, he created several unique vegetarian and non-veg courses for both of us! The manager, Tony, was also so friendly and hospitable and did some wine pairings for us as well. This restaurant is nautical themed and looks fairly casual, but the food we ate here deserves a white tablecloth setting...!We started with an amazing amuse bouche with tuna tartare for me...the presentation was so beautiful, and the flavors were mind blowing!! Then we had a "flavor bomb" which is a small, crisp Indian puri filled with a delicious tamarind spiced water that explodes in your mouth. Next came a scallop curry for me and a veggie one for hubby...oh my goodness, the scallops melted in my mouth and the flavors were so rich. Next course was a lobster tail with hints of Indian flavors...again, just too good! As if we weren't full enough, the final dish was a twist on chicken biryani...and again, super flavorful and super moist chicken. I cannot begin to express how incredibly delicious ALL the courses were...and to top it off, the presentation of each course was masterful...truly a 5 Star dining experience!We were entirely too full but shared one dessert called Mango Variations...believe me when I tell you that it's nothing like anything you've had before! The mango flavor was subtle-not overpowering like many mongo desserts-and all the different elements of crispiness, mousse and gelato melded together so perfectly! We had to give Chef Singh a standing ovation at the end...it was the MOST amazing food experience we've ever had, and I am a HUGE foodie that's eaten at many restaurants across the globe! This chef deserves a Michelin star for sure! I wish we lived closer so I could eat here again, but I will definitely be planning another SF trip just to eat his food again. We both felt very lucky to have found out about him and to have experienced his amazing food! Bravo Chef Amod Singh!

The hubby surprised me with an afternoon in SF! He chose to take me to lunch at the Blue Mermaid which was right around the corner from Ghirardelli Square and the cable car turnaround. I opted for a cup of crab and corn chowder with a side of bay fries and he went for the Benedict. My chowder was full of crab and corn (as expected) with bacon! Fries were crunchy on the outside and fluffy and delicious on the inside. It came with ketchup and a peppery thousand island like sauce which was nice. Javier was our server and he was friendly and checked on us often. I would definitely stop here again when I head up to the city.

I don't have an aversion to Fisherman's Wharf. Just to the loud packs of tourists who roam the congested area. That's why eating at the bar of this hotel had a certain appeal. Most of the hotel guests were presumably out and about in the middle of the afternoon probably eating clam chowder out of a sourdough bread bowl at a wharf stand and getting an Instagram moment out of it.I had heard the hotel was nice from locals in need of a staycation. I saddled up to the nearly empty bar where the chief bartender was cleaning glasses. The first thing I got was the $18 Espresso Martini which he made with elan, a nice mix of Grey Goose (not my fave but fine in this context), espresso, kahlua, and simple syrup (photo: https://yelp.to/TRvlIo6pSe). It went well with the chowdah for sure.Due to a lack of imagination, I ordered the plain $15 bowl of New England Clam Chowder with mirepoix and potato (photo: https://yelp.to/WTKuG-jody). No bread bowl, no bacon, no Dungeness crab, no roasted corn kernels. Just clams, and it was plenty thick and buttery. I skipped the bread entirely for the oyster crackers. Meanwhile, the bar was starting to fill up with boisterous tourists. Time to gulp my martini and head out.FOOD - 4 stars...good chowdahCOCKTAILS - 4.5 stars...an even better espresso martini AMBIANCE - 4 stars...woodsy maritime decorSERVICE - 4 stars...an efficient bartender TOTAL - 4 stars...no mermaids seenRELATED - Exploring Fisherman's Wharf? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HyFdzC

Made it to Happy Hour on Friday at 2pm. Sat outside next to the fire pit. Love the ambiance. Crab and Corn Chowder - it was so good that I ate it all up before I realized I forgot to take a picture of it. Fish and Chips - nice fresh white fish in thick batter.Key Lime Pie - no green food coloring, not too tart, not too sweet, nice dessert

I'm a local and have been coming to Blue Mermaid regularly for over a year and a half. Good food and drinks. But the best part is the friendly staff. Luis is hard working and has always treated our family with kindness and great service. What a gem this place is!

My friend and I stopped here to celebrate her birthday. We were greeted with two complementary glasses of champagne. I ordered the salmon with bay fries. Loved it! My favorite was the crab and corn soup. It was full of crabmeat and flavorful. It was so good I ordered a second cup! Would def recommend this place.