Park Tavern in SF was an essential restaurant for roughly a decade. Sadly, the restaurant went through some starts and stops during the pandemic and after. Fortunately for longtime fans, one of the original partners, restaurateur James Nicholas (Marlowe, The Cavalier) brought it back with a bang in November.
A lot has changed for the Washington Square-facing spot—there’s now a legendary James Beard Award-winning chef at the helm who’s created a new menu and the interiors are totally refreshed—but you can still expect a version of the thick burger that was a favorite of San Franciscans.
Read on for the inside scoop on the revamped Park Tavern in SF, and snag a reservation on OpenTable to check it out in person.
Meet Park Tavern on Washington Square’s acclaimed new chef
Nicholas brought in his longtime friend, James Beard Award winner Jonathan Waxman of NYC’s Barbuto and Jams fame. Waxman was born in Oakland, grew up in El Cerrito, and frequently flies back to stay with family in Berkeley. He cooked at Domaine Chandon and Chez Panisse in the ’70s, and he’s long been known as an ambassador of California cuisine in NYC.
It feels like a homecoming for Waxman, who has memories of eating at restaurants in Chinatown, playing rock at dive bars in North Beach, shopping for seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf, and he still loves the Tonga Room. “I’m imbibed in that whole culture of San Francisco as a food mecca,” Waxman says.
A menu that leans into Cal-Italian food
True to the heritage of North Beach and his personal style, Waxman has gone emphatically Cal-Italian, keeping the cooking simple and seasonal. “The menu is a great ode to the past of Park Tavern with my sensibilities,” Waxman says.
Expect fresh fish like yellowfin crudo with avocado slices and tiny tangerines and red pepper pancakes topped with smoked salmon and caviar. Unlike the deep-fried Brussels sprouts of the past, Waxman thinly shaves them into a bright salad with lots of lemon and pops of pomegranate.
He pulled pasta inspiration from Barbuto and put the first pizza on the menu featuring a sourdough crust fermented with beer and honey, two cheeses, sweet local tomatoes, and dollops of fresh pesto. While you can try the famous roast chicken from Barbuto, the chef also recommends the West Coast black cod glazed in tangy miso and mustard.
A reimagined fan favorite returns
“We wanted to keep the tavern moniker and that entails having a good burger on the menu,” Waxman says. He takes a soft seeded challah bun from Acme, browns it in butter on the griddle, and smears it with herb aioli. A third-pounder patty, gooey Gruyère, crisp bacon, and super sweet caramelized onions then go in between. If you’ve been missing the over-the-top riches of the original Park Tavern, make sure you get an order of this burger.
Welcome to the bright, new interiors
The dining room could not look more different, going from dark and handsome to ocean blue and bright. Nicholas and Waxman brought on award-winning designer Jon de la Cruz (Che Fico), and he’s added a sea of aquatic tiles, California oak tables, white Carrara marble bars, and tan leather banquettes. The team rounded up the original tavern’s antlers, gathered some into a chandelier, and mounted moose horns on a mirror. And now you can actually sit at the new chef’s counter with a view into the open kitchen.
A few secrets to seek out for special events
The restaurant now has a secret bar on the third floor for special events that’s decorated and named after movie star Steve McQueen. Plus, there’s a private dining room with black banquettes and velvet on the second floor.
“Let’s face it, in San Francisco, the clientele here is fantastic,” Waxman says. “You have the best produce in the world. You have the best fish in America, except for maybe Montauk. People love food in San Francisco. It’s always been a really big food town.”
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, EatingWell, The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater SF, and Edible SF.
