Swan Oyster Depot is one of San Francisco’s most iconic restaurants, an old-school seafood counter that has sat on Polk Street since 1912. Anthony Bourdain was one of its biggest fans, calling it “the touchstone in [his] worldwide wanderings, a happy zone” in an episode of “Parts Unknown.”

Swan Oyster Depot (Lance Yamamoto/SFGATE)
Swan Oyster Depot (Lance Yamamoto/SFGATE)

Its recent history has also been marred with controversy. In 2021, Tin Dinh, an Asian customer, took to social media to call out what he believed was a racist incident in which co-owner Jimmy Sancimino referred to his group as “dim sum.” Negative Yelp reviews alleging racism also came to light. Swan Oyster Depot staff told SFGATE at the time that “dim sum” is a term they use to indicate when a customer has placed orders with more than one server.

But the seafood institution remains popular, especially among tourists. When we visited, camera in hand, my colleague and I were immediately assumed to be among the tourists by the disarmingly warm staff. 

A cash-only establishment filled with nostalgic decor, Swan Oyster Depot feels like stepping back into another era of San Francisco. It’s easy to get sidetracked taking in all the eclectic furnishings: signed dollar bills of different currencies, framed 49ers jerseys, American flags, framed fish illustrations and a life-size sea turtle wall fixture. Then, of course, there’s the bounty of seafood displayed in the window: tiny bay shrimp, neat rows of clams, glistening pink slabs of salmon and whole fish with their tails tilting skyward.

I may not be a tourist, but I sure acted like one. You need to do your research before coming here, which I had, but when our attentive server immediately tried to take our order, my mind went blank.

The only menu in the house is a large board on the wall, which offers more in the way of cute sea creature illustrations than it does detailed descriptions. Also, some of the restaurant’s best dishes aren’t on the menu at all; they’re on the not-so-secret “secret” menu.

I, for one, got caught up staring into the open kitchen, where gruff-looking men cracked open crab bodies with methodical ease. But I came to my senses and ordered the crab back and the Sicilian sashimi, both off-menu items. 

The crab back is exactly what it sounds like: the upturned body of a Dungeness crab, all its juicy fat and guts presented as a sumptuous dip for sourdough. Bourdain was a huge fan, referring to the innards as “unicorn juice.” Being the part of the crab that is often discarded, it’s also one of the cheaper items on the menu at $8 — a fantastic appetizer.

The Sicilian sashimi, on the other hand, is pure elegance ($30). Raw slices of salmon, tuna and scallops are arranged artfully on the plate, dressed with fragrant olive oil, briny capers, black pepper and red onion. It’s a simple way of seasoning that really lets the freshness of the seafood shine — the plump, buttery sea scallops, which our server told us were from Nova Scotia, particularly blew my mind. 

(Lance Yamamoto/SFGATE)
(Lance Yamamoto/SFGATE)

The salads, too, proved to be a pleasant surprise. I’d heard mixed reviews of Swan Oyster Depot’s salads before I came. And the logic is sound: Why waste your time with lettuce when you could be dedicating that precious stomach space to more seafood? 

But our combination salad ($34) was my Platonic ideal of a San Francisco seafood lunch. It was teeming with bay shrimp, jumbo prawns and Dungeness crab meat laid atop a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce with a dish of Louie dressing on the side. The crunchy iceberg served as the ideal vessel for heaps of the tangy, creamy dressing, and added a refreshing contrast to all the seafood. 

We finished the meal with a cup of clam chowder and raw oysters. The clam chowder ($4), which is much thinner and less creamy than the traditional, was a skip for me. The oysters, though, are a must ($40 for a mixed dozen, although we were so full that we got only four). An assortment of Miyagi, Kumamoto and Blue Point burst with so much oceany flavor that they needed no accouterments, though the counter stocks every one you could possibly desire, from lemons to Tabasco to horseradish.

Our total before tip came out to $100. Not exactly a $10 sandwich but not bad for some of the best, freshest seafood I’ve ever had in San Francisco. And in true nostalgic fashion, our check came handwritten on a napkin. 

Swan Oyster Depot, 1517 Polk St., San Francisco. Closed through July 9, but regular hours of 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, resume July 10.