Waterbar

(Embarcadero)
399 The Embarcadero  
415-284-9922 Map it
waterbarsf.com

$$$-$$$$
Seafood
bar scene, business lunch, dine at the bar, fine dining, great desserts, lunch, notable chef, notable wine list, open 7 days, open kitchen, outdoor dining, private dining or party space, valet parking, view

SCENE: One half of Pat Kuleto’s megaproject on the Bay, Waterbar has floor-to-ceiling windows that take full advantage of the gorgeous view of the water and the Bay Bridge beyond. The restaurant’s design centers on two 19-foot-tall aquariums (stocked with fish found in our local waters) and a raw bar.

EATS: Naturally, the focus of the menu is on seafood—both raw and cooked. The kitchen, headed by Farallon alum Parke Ulrich, has a knack for restraint. Shell-on prawns are simply roasted in the wood oven and accompanied by lemon wedges; petrale sole is set on a bed of shredded brussels sprouts. Even those richer, more elaborate dishes—such as bone marrow topped with Dungeness crab, black truffle and cream—aren’t overwrought. Desserts, such as the pineapple tart (pineapple custard in a buttery pastry shell), are homey and satisfying.