I Love to Eat!!: Bar Crudo

Bar Crudo reminds me of one of those friendly, neighborhood restaurants where you know the wait staff by name and they know you, they know what you like off the menu and start you out with your favorite beer or wine. Brothers Mike and Tim Selvera had a place on Bush Street before packing up shop and heading to their old neighborhood and opening up their new place on Divisadero Street. While the look is more modern, the same comfortable feel remains for this great seafood restaurant.

Pauwel Kwak, love the glass!

Bar Crudo is smallish in appearance, but has room for patrons both upstairs and downstairs, plus ten of the best seats in the house at the bar. When you first take a look at the menu, it is a multitude of seafood dishes both raw and cooked. Oysters, clams, the crudo sampler... you can’t really go wrong with any of the raw items. The crudo is amazing as each piece and each different fish has a a special “sauce” to go along with it. Some are wasabi-based, tomato, corn, there really is a wide range and mix. While I love just raw fish, the sauces really add something to each piece, matching perfectly with the texture and taste. They have a large and small sampler option for those looking for a mix of raw seafood. They also have a few smaller dishes, like the lobster salad and uni toast that serve as the perfect appetizers.

Salmon Crudo, wasabi tobiko

The main or warm dishes are also very appealing. The seafood chowder is absolutely terrific, a must have for chowder fans. Large pieces of fish and octopus with a warm and creamy broth. Perfect for a cold and foggy night in San Francisco. Prawns, scallops and other fish items round out the menu, each very satisfying.

Seafood Chowder

The beer and wine menu is as eclectic as any I have seen in San Francisco. The beer menu in particular is wide-ranging and offers a truly diverse mix for beer-lovers. Belgium, German, Japanese, Canadian. It truly is an international list. The beers come in a number of different categories from floral and fruity to rich, malt and dark and everything in between. They also have a nice list of white and sparkling wines that pair well with your meal.

Tomato lobster salad

Seafood restaurants are a dime a dozen in San Francisco. But Bar Crudo really does stand out for their selection of dishes, quality and preparation and just an overall laid back attitude. Tim and Mike want you to have fun and want you to enjoy everything they have to offer.