Eating and Drinking down Fisherman's Wharf

Where can you eat super-tasty San Francisco sourdough bread in the shape of tiny turtles, dine on fresh crab served to tourists in jeans by waiters in black bow ties while listening to a Dean Martin-esque rendition of Bon Jovi's It's My Life, and drink any of 85 beers from a long bar with over 40 taps? San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, of course.

Every time I come to SF, I try to stop here. Why? Cuteness and tastiness.

Cute! Tiny turtle in sourdough form.

Regular turtle in sourdough form.

Sourdough crab

Through a window on the street, you can watch the bakers making animals. This baker wears headphones and a mic so that you can ask her questions. She's making an alligator.

Late afternoon dining at the restaurant that started it all. You can eat in outside or upstairs for a better view and a more refined restaurant experience.

A view of No.9 Fisherman's Grotto from the street.

View from my dining table looking across the sport fishing pier toward the street. Other seats had views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands across the bay.

My first experience with roasted crab. I can't believe I'm saying this, but there was too much garlic, and I thought that the olive oil was a little overpowering. I think I prefer steamed and dipped in butter with fresh lemon juice. Not that this wasn't tasty; it most certainly was.

I stumbled on this place during a previous trip. Low-key in the afternoon when everyone's still out on the wharf shopping and stuff. I was the only one there for much of the time; other patrons were outside on the patio. Still haven't really determined if this is a true local bar, since there's definitely a lot of tourist traffic in the area and I haven't met anyone else here either time. But, they only take cash and have super cheap seafood. I should have gotten my crab here.

The main bar. I ended up with a pint of Anchor Christmas Ale. Tasty. 

Great signs like this all over the place.

Old tap handles decorate the space above the bar, and anywhere else that seemed like it needed sprucing up.

Being so accustomed to Wisconsin bars, I felt right at home with this fish trophy going for the can of Miller Lite.