The Anchovy Bar

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!

I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. I ended up going because they were available reservations, and it was very cozy and cute inside. The ambience was warm, inviting dimly lit. The staff that was present were very thoughtful and checked in on us frequently, which made the experience all that much more enjoyable. They also were quick with recommendations that did not disappoint and I love when staff has their strong opinions on must try dishes. We tried the nonalcoholic beverages which were really delicious. We got two or three dishes, and the toast with anchovies on top was the most memorable by all means.I would love to go back and can't wait for another opportunity to go !!

Had a wonderful experience ! The service & ambiance were both exceptional.We let our server guide us through some choices that we had in mind and we went with the mixed platter (7/10) the scallops (9/10) & tai snapper (9/10)10/10 experience we will definitely be back!

Well that was amazing. From the food to the service and atmosphere, such a satisfying experience. We ordered the $60 oyster/shrimp platter with three different tasty sauces and pickled endive (who knew!), the Anchovy on edamame toast was fantastic, never had anything like that, then other delicious small ceviche style plates, all with great Sancerre wine. General Manager and the server were on it, friendly, efficient, fun. We love this place.

A little haven (& heaven!) serving delish 'southern european' seafood inspired dishes. You'll likely find visiting europeans enjoying some steak tartare or sardine toast with white wine - so you know it's good!Want to sample everything? Great! Order the seafood tower for 2 ($92) - great value for all the items you'll get to try. Be sure to order the focaccia as the tower doesn't come with it and you NEED a starch to dip the delish-ness in. Enjoy

This was my second time dining here.While there were some unexpected experiences, I must say the food is amazing (5 stars).However, the service needs a lot of improvement (0 stars). To begin with, the reservation: I didn't expect to wait an additional 25 minutes to be seated upon arrival and another 15 minutes for the server to show up, especially when there were enough open seats inside that were reserved for those didn't arrive on time. Additionally, while the outdoor seats were "protected," the gushing SF wind made the protection feel unstable. I couldn't feel any heat from the stove, and there weren't any blankets available for the outdoor seats, which was surprising given the location in SF.When we were waiting to move our seats indoors, I asked to hold off on our order until we moved inside so the food wouldn't get cold. Despite this, the food was still served. Fortunately, the rest of the food was made after we moved indoors, and it was great. We had boiled oysters as an appetizer, which were so good we ordered them twice. The focaccia (my personal favorite) with butter, anchovy toast, squid ink pasta, and trout pasta were all excellent, paired by a good selection of white wine.For dessert, we had an apricot tart made with the same focaccia bread crumbs, but I preferred the focaccia much more.Overall, it was an experience I won't forget and I learned a lot. I would like to come back to try more unique food experiences.

Amazing food and ambiance! My favorite items were the anchovy toast and anchovy sundae.

What a fun and unique restaurant. As an anchovy fan, I just had to check it out (plus I was going to The Fillmore to see a show and it's right around the corner).I'd reserved a bar seat but ended up sitting outside as I liked that better. The heaters made it quite comfortable.The staff is friendly and professional. My server took great care of me. The restaurant's menu is family style, meant to share. There's also an option for half orders, which I really appreciated, since I was dining alone (and I'm a light eater).I started with a glass of their Brut Rose from Italy and a half order of the Cantabrian Anchovies, Focaccia & Truffle Butter. Yum! The flavors worked very well together. The anchovies are very rich and when you add the truffle butter, this is a decadent dish. Also, I found it interesting that the focaccia was sourdough, which I've never had before.I enjoyed the Brut Rose very much but I think one of their white wines would have gone better with the dish (my mistake).Next, I did a half order of the Dungeness Crab Raviolis. I liked the addition of shaved fennel. I wasn't completely wowed by this dish. The crab was fresh. The pasta itself was a bit too al dente for me.I perfectly paired this with their Chenin Blanc from Carmel Valley. To me, if you find a fine Chenin Blanc on a wine list, it's a no brainer; very food friendly.For dessert, I tried caviar for the first time in a very unique way. It was served on a shortbread cookie with some honeycomb. It's a small size but OMG, what a fun, tasty bite. The caviar itself was not at all salty, which I was expecting. I felt a bit of euphoria and I now understand why people like caviar.If you're looking for a unique dining experience, this is the place.

I have not known heaven until my night at The Anchovy Bar. Such a small fish but mighty in flavor. The wife was brought to her dear knees by the dishes provided. Cheers!

I don't usually write reviews, but this was maybe the best meal I've ever had, so I just couldn't not. I was dining by myself which usually means I can only try 2-3 things at most. My wonderful waitress, Vilma, readily offered me half orders of pretty much everything I was interested in so I was able to try 9 items on the menu and honestly they were all amazing; I don't think I would've tweaked a single one. I don't know that I've ever had a meal before where I had no notes, let alone no notes on nine items. I got a raw oyster, one of each of the two broiled flavors, pickled Anchovy and edamame toast, bottarga cracker, scallops, albacore au poivre, crab cassareche, and chocolate meringue. Every single one was delicious with my favorite being the pickled Anchovy toast and all the oyster options.On top of the great food, every member of the staff I interacted with was lovely and genuinely seemed to enjoy their work and what they were creating and it showed in the food they put out. Vilma didn't steer me wrong a single time I asked for her recommendation. And I definitely wasn't the only guest who enjoyed their meal either; I was sitting by the door and multiple other parties were profusely complementary on their way out. You won't regret dining here.