Lou’s Fish Shack

All along the San Francisco boardwalks, restaurants and shacks were lined up boasting of Dungeness Crab dishes and sourdough bread bowls. A short walk away from Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, we found Lou’s Fish Shack. It has a smaller menu and a sign indicating it has been family owned and operated since 1988.

This “shack” is deceivingly large, being that it actually is a restaurant with full indoor and outdoor seating available. There is a modest inside dining space with just one bar, but one trip upstairs to the restroom reveals another room with twice the dining space and an even larger bar. Clearly this place gets busy! We sat in a booth on the first floor, and quickly ordered the $7 chicken wings special before happy hour ended at 5:30. Being near the water, we decided seafood was sensible, so we ordered shrimp cocktail and a heated Dungeness crab.

The Chicken Wings were bone-in and full of meat. The amount of breading was just enough to soak up the Buffalo sauce and give the meat some of the flavor. A decent amount of chicken in each of the six wings made for an optimal appetizer.

Up next came six beautiful, juicy, medium-size shrimp. Hanging from the rim of a martini glass, the shellfish were dipped in a tasty cocktail sauce blend with a dollop of horseradish sauce in the middle to spice it up as one preferred. The sauce really enhanced the cocktail shrimp experience.

The famous Dungeness Crab was all that it was cracked up to be — literally. Served hot and still in the shell ready to be cracked open: our personal favorite way to enjoy the local delicacy. Meaty and juicy, the big crustacean tasted fresh and delicious enough that it didn’t even need the side of butter or lemon served with it.

Be sure to head down the pier to Lou’s Fish Shack and try San Francisco seafood delicacies. It is a great bayside experience.