Farallon Reportedly Closes for Good After 23 Years of Upscale Union Square Seafood(Ughhh!)

Eater San Francisco ^ | Aug 20, 2020, | Eve Batey

[Vendome]

Opened in 1997, upscale Union Square restaurant Farallon was known as much for its wild decor as for its menu of tourist-pleasing seafood dishes. The restaurant shut its doors when San Francisco’s shelter in place began in March, saying then that it would reopen when it was “allowed to return to normal operating hours.” But with normalcy still a distant hope, the restaurant has closed for good, SF Gate reports, sending an email to workers saying that the spot will not reopen when the pandemic ends.

In recent years, the decor might have been more of a draw that the food itself. In 2010, then-Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer praised both the menu of sustainable seafood and the spot’s design (co-founder Pat Kuleto is a prolific restaurant designer, as well as the owner of numerous Bay Area restaurants), saying it “feels like an underwater fantasy” and described it as “the big fish of seafood restaurants.” By 2015, however, Bauer said, “I’ve always been enamored with the interior of Farallon,” but “given the price, it wouldn’t now be at the top of my list of recommendations.”

It feels obvious to say that if a spot’s primary draw is its dining room, it’s in a tough spot these days — with indoor dining on pause in San Francisco for an unknown length of time, venues are reliant on the loyalty of their patrons and the quality of their food to make it through this unprecedented period. Add to that the challenge of operating in Union Square, with tourism tanking and downtown workers at home, and it’s hard to see a way forward for spots like Farallon.

[Vendome]

OMG

I love Farallon

The decor is amazing, the food just wonderful and the wait staff are so professional and at eaze.

I could hang out the bar while waiting for a table or well, just hang out at the bar.

What's next? Michael Mina and Gary Danko?

Covid-19 is killing everything.

Click the link just to see the photos.

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[Vendome]

Great write up with what the menu was like

Man! I miss going to restaurants!
https://discoveryourjoiedevivre.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-days-of-gastronomy-california.html

[Vendome]

Here is the dinner menu

OMG! I’m going to miss this place

http://menus.farallonrestaurant.com/pdf/menus/dinner_menu.pdf

http://menus.farallonrestaurant.com/pdf/menus/wine_list.pdf

This is where I had my first bottle of Opus One, Duckhorn, Three Palms, Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cabernet

What a shame

What a damn shame

What a damn dirty crying shame...

This is a crime

[Spktyr]

No, COVID-19 isn’t killing everything in San Francisco.

SF and state government is killing everything in SF.

[ocrp1982]

Liberalism is metastasizing cancer.

[angry elephant]

Yeah, Covid and riots aren’t killing Seattle, minimum wage and socialist government are killing Seattle.

[irishjuggler]

In SF but never ate there. Never eat at most of the fancy restaurants, though. It’s too bad, though, if they don’t make it.

I’ve often said that the disastrous municipality that is S.F. is propped up by two pillars: tourism and tech. Right now, tourism is hurting badly. Covid19 shutdowns are the main issues obviously but the out-of-control homeless situation, lawlessness promoted by Weather Underground brat (& district attorney) Chesa Boudin ain’t helping either.

Tech is moving to a work-from-home model that isn’t necessarily to be helpful either.

[funfan]

I am sure nancy and Gavin are just sick about it.

[Vendome]

I’m beginning to question God

http://garydanko.com/
Closed

https://www.michaelmina.net/
Closed

https://cliffhouse.com/
Closed

https://www.boulevardrestaurant.com/
Closed

https://www.alexanderssteakhouse.com
Closed

https://tadichgrillsf.com/
Closed

https://scomas.com/
Closed

https://kokkari.com/
Closed(they do take out but, WTF would I want take out?) Closed

Rocky Point Restaurant(12 miles south of Carmel)
Closed

Restaurant 1833
Dead from complications of Covid-19

https://www.auberginecarmel.com/
Open but, limited seating in courtyard

lokalcarmel.com
Dead from complications of Covid-19

https://www.missionranchcarmel.com/
I don’t think they are open but, who cares. I only go there to watch the sheep.

Mundaka
Dead

Stupid...

[Vendome]

I’m back to being really mad about all this

and now we have these awful fires burning everything beautiful in the redwoods

Friends homes have disappeared and others will before the weekend is out and this asshole givernor can’t take a $300 a week for the people he is charged with caring for.

These people will be instantly desperate

I hate 2020 but, maybe it’s a metaphor

[Vendome]

Well, think about all the great restaurants in Noe Valley and Hayes Valley or the Marina District.

I didn’t even get around to naming them because I don’t go there often.

Those are beautiful areas to spend an afternoon then have dinner

Last year for my birthday, my friends treated me to dinner at Doppio Zero in Hayes Valley. What a wonderful experience.

Every walk of life was there and everyone was talking to each other from table to table.

Strangers. All of us laughing and sharing.

I wanted to go back next month on Constitution Day, my birthday and have a nice evening again.

I even found a chocolatier that I really liked and a charcuterie that had awesome hams and scotches.

Maybe I live til next year and can do it all again....

[Cowboy Bob]

What causes an advanced society to purposely self-distruct?

[pepsionice]

Visitors (at least before 2019) were spending around 10-billion dollars a year in the San Francisco area. Presently for 2020? It would shock me if they reach the $500-million point....mostly off business before the end of March. 2021 prediction? Same story. You can’t even be sure of 2022 business in any recovery cycle.

[Spktyr]

Idiocy and a populace inconsistently being held to account.

[irishjuggler]

About the only semi expensive places I go are Harris, Hillstone and Original Joe’s. I never eat in Hayes Valley. Once in a while, I go to a burger place called Hi Way in Noe Valley. Marina... Perry’s a couple times a year, Balboa Cafe a couple times a year, as I like the burger but don’t get me started about the dreadful absentee owner. :p