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For three star dining in San Francisco, try Swan Oyster Depot. This inexpensive restaurant has been around for the last 90 years. It's known for its seafood. It's been awarded the Fodors Choice and 10 Best SF Seafood awards. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll find a casual atmosphere. This restaurant features a raw bar, breakfast, delivery, catering, and valet parking. This restaurant is handicap accessible.
Once past the perpetual line, diners grab a stool behind the long, narrow marble bar. Even first-time visitors are greeted like long-lost relatives by the affable owner-operators. Decor is decidedly no-frills,...
citysearch.com - expert review - 03/25/2004
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Oh my gosh! I went with Annie [see review below] and was blown away! The oysters, scallops and chowder were AMAZING~! I'm still craving more right now. Dean was a fantastic server! He was fun,…
yelp.com - user review - 07/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place gets five stars for being an SF institution with really fresh seafood, super fast and efficient service, and a motley crew of patrons. My gf and I decided to try and sneak in for a quick…
yelp.com - user review - 07/03/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Great seafood, great people!
yelp.com - user review - 07/01/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I Called Swan to make sure their hours for July 4th weekend since my friends are going to be in town. Unfortunately, they are not open on 7/4/08 til 7/14/08 due to family vacation. They said they did…
yelp.com - user review - 06/30/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Amazing oysters and friendly folk. I stopped in here at 9:30 on a Saturday morning, had no problem getting a seat. The staff (about 10 large dudes) were quite friendly in walking me and my date…
yelp.com - user review - 06/28/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I heart Swan's and I heart Dean. After reading all of the fantastic reviews on Yelp, Michael and I decided to hit up Swan's. We went on a Saturday afternoon at 4:30 pm, so there wasn't much of a…
yelp.com - user review - 06/28/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I was curious about this place because it always had a big old line flowing out the door. The first time I tried to go, I didn't feel like waiting so ended up at the unremarkable sushi place next…
yelp.com - user review - 06/25/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Every restaurant in San Francisco should be like Swan Oyster Depot. Amazing service, fantastic seafood quality, great beers on tap, what more could you ask for? The prices are a little steep but…
yelp.com - user review - 06/25/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The food and quirkiness of the staff (all brothers, sons, cousins that have run the place for decades) make it worth the inconvenience of their limited hours and the wait. I get the seafood salad, but…
yelp.com - user review - 06/17/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Amazing, fresh seafood and yummy chowder. I love this place. From the beverage service to the cash register, this place is so old school. I am not a fan of waiting in line, but if you go around 10:45…
yelp.com - user review - 06/17/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
ONE WORD Institution
yelp.com - user review - 06/16/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I've never even eaten here, but have always been curious what the hype is and why there is always a line coming out of the store. Then I ventured inside to look at the menu but had to leave because…
yelp.com - user review - 06/15/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I came here three years ago, and I STILL smile at the mention of this restaurant. The staff are absolutely friendly - you feel like you're part of the family. They're also fast and efficient. The CRAB…
yelp.com - user review - 06/15/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Key search words: Whole squid. I wanted to make mom's stuffed squid recipe, in which tentacles make a prominent appearance, but my usual Chinatown fish places failed to produce intact squid. A foodie…
yelp.com - user review - 06/14/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Just went in for the first time yesterday for a pick up order. Shrimp salad. Delicious. A bit pricey though. I can't wait to come back and sit at the counter for a full meal. Seems like a great…
yelp.com - user review - 06/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Fresh fish; lots o' back talk. Just perfect-o on a sunny afternoon. If you're a seafood lover, not just a fan, this is the place for you. You won't find fresher fish or men in town. Don't tell, but…
yelp.com - user review - 06/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Great seafood! I loved the casual feel of this SF establishment. It felt very old-San Francisco to me or at least what I imagine old-SF to be like. The oysters were some of the best I've ever…
yelp.com - user review - 06/11/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
After a million reviews, I'll just say this- they now carry Yebisu beer from Japan, which goes perfectly with their seafood. Anchor and Sierra are both good, but it seems as though their intense…
yelp.com - user review - 06/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Just what Swan Oyster needs...another 5 star review. But who the hell cares. This place rocks, and I'm adding to their praise!!!
yelp.com - user review - 06/04/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
After 274 reviews...should anyone even bother with mine? ah oh well.. Before going there, my friend warned me that it would be a long wait, i didn't expect there would be a line on Polk st in front of…
yelp.com - user review - 06/02/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Swan always has a line out the door but it moves quickly and is well worth the wait. The place has character and charm as you enter the long, narrow shotgun style, family-owned establishment- the…
yelp.com - user review - 06/01/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The wait was long but so worth it for fresh oysters! The place looks like a dive bar but the food was so fresh. The salad came with big clumps of crab and shrimp and was scrumptious! And the variety…
yelp.com - user review - 05/21/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Love, love, love seafood and this place is so awesome! The seafood is so fresh.. the oyster.. yummm! I have always had my oyster grilled and never had fresh oyster before because I thought that it was…
yelp.com - user review - 05/18/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I'm going to give you a couple of bullet points and you name a restaurant that matches that description: -deliciously prepared fresh seafood
yelp.com - user review - 05/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
omg i love this place!!!! enough said.
yelp.com - user review - 05/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
OMG...I don't think I've ever had salmon, oysters, crab, and shrimp as fresh as I had at Swan Oyster Depot. Seriously, get there early and expect to wait hours. The place is literally a 15 chair…
yelp.com - user review - 05/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I got here at around 3:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon, while vacationing solo for a few days, and the guys running the place put me in a great mood. They reminded me of the Sheepshead bay party boat…
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Another OMG review classification.... First time ever and was worth to wait.
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
There are lines, after it's long history and reputation, lines are going to form. Get there before 11 or be prepared to queue up. The guys behind the counter are very friendly. Let them know it's your…
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Excellent Oyster and Dungeness crab. The owner was kind enough to except my check when I didn't have cash on me. Make sure you bring cash. This place does not take credit card. Well worth waiting in…
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Freshest shell fish, best prices, eat in or take out. Fantastic if you are alone or just a party of 2 since there is not much seating. Staff makes you feel like family. They will even pack you…
yelp.com - user review - 04/27/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
So much fun. Best Swan Oyster Depot memory: taking my mom here on one of her visits and making her try an oyster (she's from the Midwest). It wasn't her favorite but I give her props for even trying…
yelp.com - user review - 04/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
seafood: 5 stars salads and chowders: 3 stars
yelp.com - user review - 04/22/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Love this place. GREAT, fresh seafood at totally reasonable prices in a casual atmosphere. The staff here is so friendly and chatty; they'll make you feel like you're an old customer who has been…
yelp.com - user review - 04/21/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
For a seafood lover, especially an Oyster lover Swan is a MUST! The atmosphere is one of a kind with the family owned and run business. I have probably been here 5 or 6 times and every time I walk…
yelp.com - user review - 04/15/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i've been here, you've been here, its so small we've probably all been here together. but in this weather there's nothing nicer than oysters and this is the only place worth having them.
yelp.com - user review - 04/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I just decided that my perfect last meal on earth would be Swan Depot, and hopefully my last meal will be brought to me, since they do have takeout. So even with 258 reviews and all, I'm going to…
yelp.com - user review - 04/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
When my brother and I visited San Francisco, Swan Oyster Depot came highly recommended. We went a little earlier to avoid the lunch rush and even then, we still had to wait for a few minutes. The…
yelp.com - user review - 04/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
What else can I say about this place? I love coming back to it, specially early in the morning, call it breakfast or snack before lunch, but the seafood here is the freshest, and their cocktail…
yelp.com - user review - 04/08/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Over my lengthy, storied history of dining (I've been known to have had something to eat almost every single day, for my entire life), one constant I've found at places that are "any good" is a line…
yelp.com - user review - 04/07/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Man this place is good!!! When we got there at 2PM we figured we would have missed the lunch crowd but there was a line out the door. While we waited, a guy came out and asked if we wanted anything to…
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I came here because some friends were in town and they were on the tourist circuit, so Swan Oyster Depot was on their list of "things to do." I don't know which travel guide company this restaurant…
yelp.com - user review - 03/26/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
complaining about having to wait in line is dumb. i feel that too many people have been spoiled by fast food and apparently hate their friends so much that they cannot talk to them for more than five…
yelp.com - user review - 03/21/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Jennifer S., it appears that you are the only one here that does not have the palate of a f$%#ing truck driver.. This place has fantastic ambiance, and character, I will absolutely give them that.…
yelp.com - user review - 03/21/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The good: Finally hitting 100 reviews after Yelping for two and a half years. The not-so-good: It's for a place that has 251 reviews before me. How bittersweet. The people who work here are very…
yelp.com - user review - 03/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
-The staff is very friendly, fast and family run -great price performance
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
the crab tasted a bit like piss. its true about the bread scam. place is run by daniel day lewis (gangs of new york) types. i found the owner (or at least the guy who acts like the owner) to be, quite…
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A co-worker recommended this restaurant to me and I went up for a girls' road trip to check it out in my favorite city, San Francisco! It wasn't that difficult to get to by public transit. We had to…
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I'm only giving it 4 stars because the average wait is pretty long if you want to eat here. That said ... This place is like a San Francisco institution and has been here for as long as I can…
yelp.com - user review - 03/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place rocks. Hard to find a place to sit though if your not on time. Great staff, great food. I'll be back
yelp.com - user review - 03/12/2008
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