240 Front St., Financial District, (415) 421-4778. No reservations for front. L M-F, D M-Sat; $$-$$$.
Dating back to 1893, Schroeder’s is the oldest and largest German restaurant on the West Coast. It was closed for a while, but recently reopened with new owners.
Dating back to 1893, Schroeder’s is the oldest and largest German restaurant on the West Coast. It was closed for a while, but recently reopened with new owners.
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| beer hall at Schroeder's restaurant in San Francisco |
The open, updated interior includes a beer hall with communal picnic-style tables in the front, which is separated from a more formal restaurant in the back by floor-to-ceiling, see-through black mesh curtains. Decor highlights include massive circular chandeliers that mimic those I’ve seen in German Oktoberfest tents, a large display of vintage steins through which you can view the open kitchen, and cleaned-up original dark wainscoting and Herman Richter murals from the 1930s. On the Friday evening I visited, the front was packed and hopping with an after-work crowd. Many people crowded around the vintage rosewood bar and others sat at tables drinking enormous boots of beer (they come in 2 and 3 liters). The back dining room where I sat was more subdued. Though the food is clearly described as modern Cal-German, it seems that many diners complain that it is not traditional German. I loved the seasonal pickled vegetables that included carrots, cauliflower, little cocktail onions, and shredded fermented turnips. And though I liked the spaetzle, it was actually more like a corn salad, with teeny tiny little spatzels the size of corn kernels mixed with actual roasted corn kernels and some ricotta.
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| bratwurst at Schroeder's restaurant in San Francisco |
Bratwurst comes with sauerkraut, sour pickles, and hot mustrd, plus a soft roll that is perfect to sop up the sauce; but I noticed too late that my particular brat was undercooked (be sure to always check any sausage anywhere before you eat it).
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| wiener schnitzel at Schroeder's restaurant in San Francisco |
Wiener schnitzel was crispy but could use more flavor.
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| Black Forest dessert at Schroeder's restaurant in San Francisco |
The Black Forest dessert, which I desperately wanted to be the traditional Black Forest Cake of my dreams, was in reality a few delicious cherries and carmel corn mixed with a kirsch reduction atop a slab of dark chocolate. Next time I’d like to sit in the front with the smallest boot and try the potato pancakes, which I hear are a must, and the sauerbraten, which I hear is coming soon.
More things to do in San Francisco.
Way more things to do in San Francisco.
Oktobefest in Munich.
More ideas for exploring Northern California.
images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
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