The Cliff House is a metaphor for San Francisco itself. Just like San Francisco in its many iterations (center of the gold rush, the hippie movement, and now a tech boom) The Cliff House has existed for over a century, but is constantly changing. The building and its surrounding attractions have been destroyed, rebuilt, and renovated for over 150 years, each time in a dramatically different style. Its current iteration, a sleek and modern glass cube built in 2003, attempts to recreate an earlier look from 1909. You can experience the charming landscape that drew Theodore Roosevelt and other titans of the Gilded Age to The Cliff House today. After all, stellar views never go out of style.

CW Pro Tip:

Explore the surrounding area. There’s a reason that The Cliff House has been rebuilt every time it was destroyed: the location features amazing views and natural beauty. Located on a cliff that extends into the ocean, the nearby area dubbed “Land’s End” is notable for being the “end” of the North American continent. Technically the entire California coastline qualifies, but whatever. Head up a paved hill to visit the Land’s End visitor center, a recently constructed gift shop and exploratory center, or hang out at Ocean’s Beach, which is just a few short blocks from the restaurants.

The Land’s End Visitor’s Center is a great way to avoid the wind by staying indoors. There’s also a cafe located in the back in case you don’t want to visit the restaurants, or you just like coffee. You can get a good view of the remnants of the Sutro Baths from this vantage point. The baths are like a relic from ancient Greece or Rome: though the walls have been destroyed, you can get a sense of the scale of this indoor bathing facility by looking at its foundation. There are also drawings scattered throughout the interior of The Cliff House and the surrounding areas that depict what the Sutro Baths used to look like in their prime.

CW Pro Tip

Make reservations (sometimes). The Cliff House isn’t one restaurant, but two: The casual Bistro upstairs, and more upscale Sutro’s, downstairs. If you arrive for lunch on a weekday, you should be able to get into either without waiting any longer than 15 minutes. However, if you are planning to eat dinner at Sutro’s, then you should play it safe and make a reservation.

The Cliff House also serves a special Sunday Champagne Brunch Buffet at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 2:00 pm. I didn’t go, but I’ve read rave reviews on Yelp. The website describes it as “a quintessential San Francisco experience that should not be missed.” They also recommend reserving your spot (by phone) at least one week in advance.

CW Pro Tip

If you plan to explore the area, dress appropriately with a jacket and sturdy footwear. Though it’s only a short distance, the walk down to the Sutro ruins can be rugged. I wore suede flats and was slightly worried about ruining them the whole time. You don’t need hiking boots, but wear shoes with a thick sole, and prepare yourself for extreme wind. A hat wouldn’t hurt either, so long as you aren’t too attached to it

My Trip

I parked in a lot across from the Land’s End Visitor Center, but the 38 bus will also take you to within two blocks of The Cliff House, which is located on the outer edge of the Richmond District. For further reference, it’s only about a 15 minute walk from the edge of Golden Gate Park.

When I exited the car, the first thing that struck me was the wind. I mean that literally. It was incredibly windy. Be prepared for that. The Cliff House and its restaurants are only a short walk downhill, and you can get a good view of the Sutro ruins and the Pacific Ocean by looking over the railing that runs along the edge of the street.

The Cliff House building itself manages to be both retro and modern, with floor-to-ceiling panes of glass and blocky white letters that title it and let you know that you have arrived. When you open the giant glass doors to the lobby, you’ll see two hostess stands: one in front for Sutro’s downstairs, and one near the back for the Bistro. What’s the difference between the two? The Bistro is the original Cliff House restaurant, and has the history to back it up. Sutro’s is newer, but could be considered the more upscale option with higher prices and more experimental dishes.

You can get an overview of Sutro’s (literally) by peering over the bannister from the top floor. I went down the stairs to Sutro’s to check it out, and got a short history lesson on The Cliff House and the Sutro baths from the drawings that line the hallways. When I reached the restaurant downstairs, I was greeted by a hostess who showed me menus for both restaurants (people often wait until they are there to decide between the two).

It should come as no surprise that both Sutro’s and the Bistro specialize in seafood. They are, after all, located on the water and have a reputation for being quintessentially San Franciscan.

I decided not to eat at Sutro’s because they charge, like, $40 an entree. Those are dinner prices to me. Instead I went upstairs to an (ironically) more down-to-earth Bistro’s. Their entrees cost about $25 dollars. I waited for no more than 15 minutes before I acquired a table with an ocean view. ProTip: half of the tables are by the window and have an ocean view, so if you want to see the water while you eat, a.k.a. the whole point of coming here, just ask.

The walls were lined with autographed pictures of movie stars and various entertainers from the 1930’s onwards. As I said earlier, the Cliff House has a storied history. I sat by a picture signed by Lucille Ball.

After you place your order, the waiter will bring you a basket of their legendary popover rolls. These are very light and slightly egg-flavored, and they come with butter and jam. I believe they serve them at both restaurants, because they sell bags of the mix at The Cliff House gift shop (yeah, they have a gift shop).

I had the Grilled Portobello Mushroom sandwich, but the waiter also recommended the Crab Louis Salad and the broiled Swordfish Sandwich. Another difference between the two restaurants is that the Bistro offers similar entrees to Sutro’s, but with more bread and salad. This makes the Bistro a more “lunch-y” restaurant, in my opinion.

Both eateries each have their own dedicated bar. The upstairs bar is called the Zinc Bar, and it’s known for its margaritas (this is another mix that’s also sold at the gift shop).

In case you were wondering about the gift shop, I definitely went inside. Their sweatshirts are oddly 90’s looking, in a good way. You will learn more about the many iterations of the Cliff House building and its history as a San Francisco icon by browsing around in here, if that’s something you are into.

Walking uphill (you could also go downhill to Ocean Beach) put me straight in the wind’s path. The Land’s End Visitor’s Center is worth it, though. This modern building is filled with activities and collectibles that harken back to The Cliff House’s days near an amusement park. ProTip: if you have kids, they will definitely be able to get a souvenir here. There are also activities and informative books about Bay Area wildlife.

After leaving the visitor’s center, I battled the wind and found a trail that led through a wooded path. It basically felt like visiting Lake Tahoe, with all the trees and signs that guided you down dirt paths. I saw plenty of people walking these trails, even though it was a weekday, so I would say that the area is fairly safe for anyone regardless of hiking experience. I know for sure that I did not experience the full extent of these hiking trails, and if you are a hiker, I would probably get a map.

The opposite trail runs down to the ruins of the Sutro baths. There are stairs and railings, because the incline is steep. The stone relics are usually filled with water, because, duh, they’re right next to the ocean. Though you won’t be able to stand inside the baths unless you want to get wet, plenty of visitors decide to take a picture nearby to commemorate their trip to this historic site.