By Clarisse Kim

From its orange pendant lights to the old-timey wall decor, the Pacific Cafe is a testament to the Outer Richmond neighborhood of the 1970s. The seafood restaurant has stayed almost unchanged throughout its 49 years of business and will be celebrating its 50th birthday in 2024. Moreover, the Pacific Cafe’s history has earned a spot on the City’s Legacy Business list.

According to the Legacy Business Program, the designation is given to businesses that have been open for at least 30 continuous years. The business also must have impacted San Francisco’s identity and must be dedicated to keeping its traditions alive. The program was created in 2015 to support historical businesses; members can receive grants, business and marketing help as well as recognition from the city.

The Pacific Cafe applied for legacy status in 2016 and was part of the first round of businesses entered into the Legacy Business Registry. According to the Registry’s staff report, the restaurant won this designation due to its timelessness and lasting impact on the community. 

“Most of our longtime customers have remarked that nothing has changed, and they mean it in the best way possible,” said Frank Gundry, a long-time employee and current partner of the Pacific Cafe. “The decor and menu have stayed the same, as well as our casual atmosphere.”

The Pacific Cafe was founded on July 4, 1974 by partners Tom Hawker and Jim Thomson. They set up shop on the corner of 34th and Geary, where the restaurant stands to this day. About a decade later, the founders brought in third partner Ross Warren, who had been head chef at the Ghirardelli Pacific Cafe. Thomson passed away in 2003. Gundry became a partner in 2015. 

“This is almost my 10th year as a partner, but I’ve been working for the Pacific Cafe for around 49 years,” Gundry said. “I started working with the restaurant in 1975 as a host and a waiter.”

This loyalty holds true for most of the restaurant’s staff – some of the employees have worked there for a majority of the restaurant’s lifespan. Most of the staff have been with the Pacific Cafe for more than 10 years.

Gundry also adds that the restaurant has preserved its traditions throughout the decades. Since its founding in 1974, the Pacific Cafe has always prided itself on selling seafood for reasonable prices. Fifty years ago, most entrees went for the now-shocking price of three dollars. Now, customers can enjoy a generous portion of seafood and sides for around $30 a plate. 

“We’ve always served a full-course dinner,” Gundry said. “Each entree comes with a first course of soup or salad and a main course of seafood with clam chowder, rice pilaf, hand-cut french fries and our famous tartar sauce.”

The dishes themselves have also stayed the same for more than 40 years. Renowned dishes such as the Pacific Clam Chowder and the Dungeness Crab Cakes have kept the same recipe for decades. 

Another tradition is the restaurant’s complimentary wine while you wait. The practice began after only five weeks of operating: Hawker offered a glass of wine to a couple in hopes they would wait for an open table. The gesture eventually inspired the Pacific Cafe motto, “Rain or shine if you stand in line, you get a glass of free wine.”

As for its deep-rooted contributions to the community, Gundry said the Pacific Cafe has served the City throughout multiple generations.  He also noted that, with only 16 tables and a modest staff, the Pacific Cafe has served well over two million dishes to customers from local and broader communities.  

“We have regular customers from Pacifica, Oakland and all over the Bay Area,” Gundry said.

Moreover, the restaurant has supported and partnered with many local vendors. For the past 25 years, most of the seafood has been bought fresh from locally owned companies in Half Moon Bay. Longtime contributors to the menu also include Mitchell’s Ice Cream and Boudin Bakery. 

According to Gundry, the restaurant represents San Francisco in every dish. Customers can enjoy a variety of seafood dishes made with local ingredients, including the Pacific halibut Parmesan and the spicy grilled snapper. 

Gundry’s personal favorite is the fried sand dabs; he said the dish packs a “sweet and delicate flavor.” Other favorite dishes include the petrale sole fish stuffed with crab and smothered in lobster sauce, as well as the flame-grilled salmon filet.

“I can’t just pick one best dish!” Gundry said. “I have so many favorites.”

The staff has also been planning ahead for the Pacific Cafe’s 50th birthday next summer. Festivities might include a week of celebration and a birthday “wheel of fortune,” where winning tables can get their dinner at 1974 prices. 

“Our eyes have always been set on making it to 50 years – it’s going to be a major benchmark for us,” Gundry said. “But the past 49 years have also been very rewarding. It’s a very good business.”

Pacific Cafe is located at 7000 Geary Blvd. at 34th Avenue. To learn more about the Pacific Cafe, go to pacificcafesf.com. 

To learn more about legacy businesses, go to sf.gov/legacy-business-program.