Alioto's!

"Alioto’s knows fish. The Restaurant began as a fresh fish stall on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf in 1925. Since then, little has changed. Fish is still bought fresh daily by Alioto’s full time fish buyer. Alioto’s serves a tantalizing selection of fresh seafood, including sea bass, sand dabs, sole, swordfish, sea bass, tuna scallops, and Dungeness crab all caught locally, whenever possible. Alioto’s never skimps on the fish they purchase.

Alioto’s fresh seafood is served charcoal grilled or griddle-fried. Or choose from Alioto’s Sicilian specialties that have been passed down the family. A favorite is Cioppino, a spicy tomato shellfish stew created by the restaurant’s founder, Rose Alioto. Or a Sicialian mixed grill, seafood cannelloni, shellfish risotto, or artichoke and arugula salad. Alioto’s San Francisco favorites include lightly pan-fried calamari that is unsurpassed, crab cakes, cracked crab, and homemade clam chowder. These dishes continue to be favorites of visitors and locals alike. Alioto’s restaurant is a culinary landmark that is still owned and operated by the descendants of the Nonna Rose Alioto who show the care and commitment of running a restaurant bearing their name. Oh, and our view is also famous."

History: A View From The Past

"Steeped in tradition, operated with pride by the third generation
Alioto’s, the oldest restaurant on the Wharf was founded in 1925. The restaurant is still owned and operated by direct descendants of the original Alioto family. Depending on the time of day, your crab cracker, waiter, greeter, or maitre’d could well be a family member practicing the time-honored tradition of Alioto service and San Francisco hospitality. Enjoy our photo gallery of historic Wharf photographs in our lobby and as you ascend the stairwell. Too tired to walk? Take the elevator up to the third floor to enjoy our breathtaking views.

Our staffs are trained professionals. Most of our service staff and our chef have been with the restaurant for more than 20 years. In the European tradition, restaurant service is a career, not just a job."

More photos and more info here:
http://www.aliotos.com/index.htm

I live 2 hours from San Francisco and have spent a lot of time there eating in restaurants! My absolute favorite is in Fisherman's Wharf and is called "Scoma's". From the outside, it doesn't look fancy but if you look in the windows you'll see that it's busy.

We just walked in and had a 40 minute wait. We sat by the bar until our table was ready. Normally I wouldn't even bother waiting that long but both my husband and I had a good feeling. Plus, someone had recommended it.

The food was worth the wait! My husband ordered the Cioppino and I ordered the swordfish special. His Ciopinno came in an ample portion and we really could have shared. The broth was well balanced and not overly spicy. The seafood flavor really came through without being overbearing. He was treated to hearty chunks of seafood. We could have gotten three meals out of that portion! This is by far the best ciopinno I've had... even better than Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing and he even was featured on a Bobby Flay show.

My swordfish was out of this world. It was seasoned simply and then grilled. When cooking swordfish it is hard to find that balance between cooking it well and keeping it moist. The fish was so fresh that wasn't even a problem. The swordfish ranks a very close second (photo finish!) on my very particular list of best swordfish. First place for swordfish goes to the York Harbor Inn in York, Maine. Both were brilliant.