San Francisco's Historic Cliff House Gets Temporary Life as a Museum

NBC Bay Area’s Joe Rosato Jr. shows us what some history buffs are doing until a new restaurant comes to the historic Cliff House.
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[@chrismarchalleck2266]

BS, it was not COVID, the National Parks Service didn't renew their lease: "In a statement sent late Sunday and since picked up by a panoply of local news outlets, the Hountalas family says that the saga began on June 30, 2018, when their 20-year lease with the National Parks Service ended. The Hountalas family, which has managed the Cliff House since 1973 (four years before the NPS bought the restaurant from then-owner George Whitney, Jr.), said that it wasn’t until over a year later, in 2019, when the NPS started the application process to confirm a tenant for the next 20 years, offering six-month and one-year lease extensions to the Hountalases in the process."

[@superrunnerx1]

You know. They always want to blame anything and everything on covid.

[@patrickstewart9767]

Good insight. Way to call BS. It's also important to never simply accept when someone says "it was COVID." That's always BS. You can believe them if they give the more accurate description: "During COVID, our local government made many, MANY terrible decisions, including claiming 'Emergency Powers' that allowed them to implement anti-democratic mandates including which businesses could thrive while others were unfairly restricted to the point of bankruptcy. For example, restaurants, fitness centers, retail shops and many more. And what they did to schools and children's education was even more appalling. The worst part is that we the people went along with it . . . to our great shame."

[@nnnickkk]

This needs to be voted up higher.

[@chrismarchalleck2266]

@@jamesmiller7750 You're correct about it being the National Parks Service and not the city, I miss spoke. Yes, the shutdown didn't help but it was not the main reason for the closure. They neglected to note anything about the lease in this report. Here's an interview with the former head chef kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXfdqJylgZqZhJI

[@5133py0taku]

I was about to write this until I saw your comment. Definitely needs more upvotes.

[@mncalapati415]

I use to deliver beer in the early mornings 3X a week to the Cliff House years ago. Cooks would give me clam chowder for breakfast which is what I looked forward too 👍🏽 Thanks guys 🙏🏽

[@anonymousmc7727]

At least your still an alcoholic;)

[@bartonpercival3216]

I use to deliver beer in the city from the late 70's thru 1991. Only delivered once to the Cliff House, but my route was North Beach, Fisherman's wharf and Chinatown. I use to get free eats at many places. It was such a treat. 👍

[@danielcarroll3358]

I'm old enough to have skated at Sutro Baths. When we knew that Playland at the Beach was going to close, two of us went there to record Laughing Sal. Unfortunately she was moving but silent. Upon inquiry we were told where the maintenance shop was. It turned out it was a recording on a 4-track cartridge, just like we used at the radio station. As I was a maintenance engineer it wasn't long before we got Sal laughing again and made our recording. By the way, Laughing Sal was one of many made for the carnival market.

[@zhaneranger]

There is one at the Musee Mechanique at fisherman’s wharf and one at the beach boardwalk in Santa Cruz

[@madhumh2416]

We played all over the place around there in the 60’s. I loved Playland! Tiny Tim’s clothing in the museum. The hillside across from the Cliff House was partially covered with fake rock and we could explore underneath. Great memories!

[@RaymondHng]

The climax of the film _The Lineup_ was shot at the ice skating rink in 1958. Search for "The Lineup (1958)" on KZbin. The scene is at the 66-minute mark.

[@sandramorey2529]

Daniel Carroll: After Playland closed, Laughing Sal wound up with Toad the Mime.

[@danielcarroll3358]

@@sandramorey2529 For a while she ended up in Jeremy Ets-Hokin's living room. I saw her there when I went to a party.

[@craterraiders8299]

Visiting the Mechanical Museum there in the 1990s with all of its piano roll driven musical polyphony was the trill of a lifetime!

[@davidwright873]

I was at playland at the beach in 71...right before the closing...great memories....

[@AuroraBoarder1]

I went in 1970!

[@bartonpercival3216]

By that time Playland was pretty run down. It's heyday was in the 40's & 50's

[@davidwright873]

Yeah.......we know....but when you'r'e five....everything is cool...@@bartonpercival3216

[@rjlev]

So nice to see life return to a San Francisco favorite site.....who hasn't had a wonderful experience there....over and over....?

[@bekincai]

except when you park there and someone smashes your window to steal a box of kleenex.

[@KennethStone]

Me... I've actually never eaten there

[@ldfreitas9437]

@@bekincai I've parked there many times and never had that happen to my car. Crime in cities is in every big city, so shut up!

[@bekincai]

@@ldfreitas9437 ooh jeez a little touchy about the cliff house?

[@GKP999]

I think it would be so cool and successful if Sutro baths were reveloped into something similar to what is was, with a retractable roof, spas, restaurants and a hotel.

[@akamano5]

..Sutro Baths has been torn town and demolished for many years now... nothing remains but some framework of the pool..when i was a kid we went to the Museum there.. a lot of neat old stuff in there lat50's early60's...

[@GKP999]

@@akamano5 Yes, it is too bad that the structure was demolished. I think if the site were redeveloped into a spa/health spot, it could bring in some business.

[@philoctetes_wordsworth]

How lovely. I hope they continue to regain the things lost.

[@sandramorey2529]

I used to ice skate at Sutro and once when I was about 6, we swam in the swimming pools. Itchy wool suits. We ate at the Cliff House that burned down and we have stopped there for a platter of fish and chips & a glass of wine in its last incarnation. My friend had her wedding shower there.

[@MrRar66]

So many memories... Went there with my parents, grandparents, highschool friends, college dates, and even took my wife and kids there... Then it ended

[@walterscott7648]

Joey - Just spotted your piece on the Cliff house and wanted to let you know what a nice job I thought you did. I knew you back in the old Wild Blue days, and also knew your dad. Love to ya. - Scotty

[@fob1xxl]

What a great thing ! I used to go there with my folks when I was a kid in the 50's.

[@lucasstuart-chilcote7069]

So lovely! Can’t wait to check it out.

[@jimough2441]

Truly hope it comes back!

[@bernadettesison5979]

Nice spot for an international cuisine 🤤

[@rcdrum29]

At last, good news from SF 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🍾🍾🍾

[@ldfreitas9437]

Farhan Zaidi hasn't been fired yet.

[@akamano5]

..have been going there since I was a kid 1950ish... have seen all the changes..this is another chapter in the book.. stopped by and looked in awhile back... the building is stripped and gutted.. nothing remains inside..time will tell what happens next

[@gailathoreson7783]

So wonderful that it is being saved! This is probably just what Adolph Sutro would love to happen... he built the baths for the citizens of San Francisco to enjoy!!!

[@JordanCrawfordSF]

The food wasn't great and it was expensive, so amazing this is open to take it in!!

[@noreenohare9367]

Wondefull.peace and love 💝

[@loriplowman546]

Yes I basically lived at the zoo at the beach playhouse at Cliff House I love all of it

[@SMtWalkerS]

I want to visit the Cliff House!

[@max94114]

Looking forward to seeing it again, thank you so much!

[@richardorozco7923]

Techies ruined everything.

[@KennethStone]

How neat!

[@Mt-ue9qz]

Would be a great way to show/sell California art/artists who use the Pacific in their art/paintings.

[@lindsayhengehold5341]

Hopefully the Cliff House will open up again.

[@kittenonthekeys]

enjoyable exhibit

[@ever_green_-zv4dr]

Somebody let me know the reason . why cliff house restaurant was shut down ?

[@Armis71]

The current building looks more like a office/civic building from the outside, very boring and bland. I wish they had built it with wide windows expanding the view of the beach and ocean. Make it look alive and welcoming to come in and with balconies where you can walk around and enjoy the scenery. It looks like from the way the building is design it was a restaurant, but built so it can be a museum afterwards.

[@LayingInAMeadow]

I'm so happy I've eaten here many time and even got engaged on this beach.

[@withmonicatv]

Not an expensive swank restaurant please. Something where the few natives left can also go and just soak in the morning Sun coming up over the ocean over a fresh breakfast or brunch❤️ We love our city and also still want to be able to financially enjoy it.

[@aerohk]

its website isn't even online

[@Terrakinetic]

1:28 Yes. You paid for the view, not the food. The food by itself should have been half as expensive. ...but comparing that to today, all restaurants are as expensive as that now. Even the crappy hole in the wall diner is charging 15 dollars for two slices of bacon, scrambled eggs, toasts, and a couple things of sausage.

[@ldfreitas9437]

It should be a museum for San Francisco. I can see lots of old 49er stuff being there, as old Kezar Stadium wasn't all that far away.

[@ocvegasproperty]

I used to surf there and was a landmark as I never wanted to drift past it…

[@bboytwisty]

Make the next restaurant a brunch buffet

[@luke4338]

Let's just be honest, the cliff house was a tourist trap, the only good thing about was its location and view of ocean beach. And another thing, closing a portion of the great highway is one of the dumbest things this city has done.

[@heyaisdabomb]

I wouldn't say that. Don't forget, their were 2 restaurants. The upstairs brunch on Sunday was great. Maybe other meals and the downstairs restaurant, but it was full of a lot of locals most brunches.

[@rcdrum29]

Don't agree, I'm very happy having better rememberings than you. Take care, From 🇻🇳

[@traveldoc1234]

You've never had the omelets at the Cliff House for brunch? They had 50 different ones on the menu. You missed out!

[@ocvegasproperty]

I agree that it was a tourist trap. Proof is in the pudding. It’s closed.

[@patrickstewart9767]

@California Native1964 I'm with you. The place was a gem. And anyone that tries to simply dismiss a place that has been an icon since 1863 just can't be taken seriously.

[@loriplowman546]

Yes the zoo in San Francisco and the beach and Playland and the cliff house was where he was all happening and all taken away from us a big piece of California history

[@victoriastallard]

So sad 😢

[@robertestenzo8466]

S.F. needs to negotiate it's reopening to help the failing tourism.

[@Popcornbeetle]

Beautiful but you risk getting your car broken into or mugged in that area.

[@jasonlucas2328]

Do you live in the city? I do. I don't have this problem because I don't have a car. I either take a Uber from downtown for $25 or take a bus. It's cheaper than car break-ins.

[@davidwright873]

oh stop!! lol

[@AuroraBoarder1]

I ate lunch there once, in 1984. I was so broke, I had to take the bus from the East Bay, because I had no car. Lunch was surprisingly reasonable. I'm glad I went when I could.

[@creavlin]

many people go there by car everyday… there is a risk but inflated by media

[@androsmilenionful]

I wish to have some billions to buy the cliff house.

[@Ginger30161]

Help the homeless.

[@JPH0922]

I thought Taco Bell was moving in?

[@nicka2256]

Can my car be parked out front for half an hour without being a victim of crime?

[@traveldoc1234]

You are in SF. Nowhere is safe!

[@Dr_KW]

Just drive a shittier car no one will touch it

[@jeremys6631]

I want to go, but also I value my life and stuff more than this piece history. 🙃

[@opwave79]

Imho it should stay as a museum. Let everyone enjoy it instead of just rich people who want exclusive dining views.

[@Luigi-lt2zz]

Leave it as a museum. No restaurant business would open, if you have pay $50 per hour! to the help. Typical California BS.

[@Dee0336]

I really like the graffiti on the sutra baths ruins, gives it a modern day urban look.

[@westsidechalino]

Good riddance , bland food for high prices, only paying for the view lol

[@grandprix2300]

So they just put up some bullshit items to make money. This restaurant was horrible, food and service were really bad! Unfortunately, they failed because people know!

[@heyspider8]

People know what? That the family that ran the Cliff House for decades pulled in millions of dollars every year for the government that wouldn’t renew their lease even before the pandemic? The restaurants in the Cliff House were wildly successful no matter what you thought of the food.

[@rcdrum29]

Happily I have better rememberings than you. Sorry for you. 😁

[@traveldoc1234]

When did you last go? 1960s?

[@chunbach3692]

Sad sad little man

[@grandprix2300]

@@chunbach3692 ne ho ma?

[@BA-mv8pp]

Possible homeless shelter might be good.

[@truthhurts3532]

THE DEATH OF FRISCO‼ RE🍋ELECT MAYOR SPANX FOR MUCH MORE FRISKO🎪🤡ENTERTAINMENT‼

[@dogsense3773]

Only 2% of people from San Francisco call it Frisco,only gang bangers and motorcycle folks and people from out of state call it Frisco.which one are you?

[@jimmygreen6944]

If you have to pay then just tore that shit down

[@traveldoc1234]

You must love history. Tear it down if you have to pay? You want everything for free?

[@VoteForBukele]

@@traveldoc1234 these little twerps expect free music, free porn, free sites, freedumb, and apparently free oceanfront restaurants. I hope climate change is real. There are too many of these defects 😂

[@patrickstewart9767]

@@traveldoc1234 best to ignore the haters.

[@mikekirner]

I lived in and very near San Francisco including The Marina, Cow Hollow, North Beach, Sausalito for over 20 years. Most local peeps I knew did not like or visit the Cliff House. I did, all the time. To see the sunset, huge, magnificent flocks of giant, 6 foot pelicans fly past the restaurant like fighter pilots as the day comes to and end was completely magical. They used to have a small jazz band there and visited many times with soccer pals Poppy, Chicalleene and Super Kaz. Tony Pepperoni just got too lazy over the years - I don't think he came once between 2014 and 2020... This was among my favorite bar/destination places ever; even though it was mainly older folks and tourists. I even wrote an article about the Cliff House recently: barmaxx.blogspot.com/2020/11/pelican-heaven-cliff-house-sutro-bar.html I just loved it so> And the best thing: almost no Zoomers/ Millennials with their foul-mouthed Hip Hop and Rap and Texting bulls....t! My only gripe was that the local SFPD has lost complete control of our City. Broken glass was everywhere because of car's being broken into. It's a crying shame. The liberal laws and local DA, mayor and officials have left the police helpless.