Chef-owner Bruce Hill and his team were out hanging string lights in the alley outside Bix today, and the restaurant has announced it is taking reservations for outdoor dining starting on June 18. Now at least two dozen SF restaurants have announced plans to reopen following Mayor Breed\'s earlier-than-expected announcement this week, with a few ready to start taking guests as soon as Friday, June 12.
Not everyone may be ready to be out, eating in public with a masked server, but some of you are no doubt dying for a meal you didn\'t cook or get delivered. Keep in mind that tables are going to be in high demand given there won\'t be as many of them at any given restaurant — as an example, Starbelly is reopening with capacity only for 19 people on the back patio and six people out front. But snag a reservation now!!
All SF restaurants will get to open for limited indoor seating starting on July 13, but some are getting ready to do the al fresco thing, SF summer be damned, starting tomorrow and next week. As the Chronicle reported today, some restaurants, including Kim Alter\'s Nightbird in Hayes Valley and Alexander\'s Steakhouse, are still trying to work out an outdoor set-up, and they\'re not sure if it will work.
If your restaurant (or your neighborhood fave) is swinging open in the coming days, email us at [email protected]
Opening June 12:
Balboa Cafe - The iconic Marina restaurant is hurrying back open this weekend, with opening hours 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with brunch served till 2 p.m.
Blackwood - They\'re taking reservations on Yelp for parties no bigger than four people, and it looks like they\'ll be operating from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. to start. The restaurant website still hasn\'t been updated.
Caffe Trieste - This North Beach haunt has been doing takeout, and they\'ll be back open for al fresco eats tomorrow.
Tacolicious - The Marina and Mission locations will both be open Friday with very limited capacities (18 and 14 people, respectively). Hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It\'s unclear if or how reservations will be taken.
Pearl 6101 - The hot Outer Richmond bistro is wasting no time, and will be welcoming patrons at new outdoor tables for up to four people on Friday by reservation on Resy.
More to come as restaurants make surprise, last-minute announcements.
Opening the week of June 15:
54 Mint - Taking over Mint Plaza will be 54 Mint starting on Monday, with hours from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and a capacity of just 24.
620 Jones - The outdoor space in the heart of the Tenderloin will be open from 2 p.m. to sundown (about 8 p.m.) starting Tuesday, and reservations will ultimately be available on the website but don\'t appear to live just yet. For weekend brunch, they\'ll be open 11 a.m. to sundown on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Bix - The beloved supperclub on Gold Street will take over Gold Street for cocktails and appetizers starting Tuesday, June 16th, and dinner starting on the 18th.
Chambers Eat + Drink - The outdoor patio and courtyard at the Phoenix Hotel will be open, with tables additionally separated by curtains, starting Wednesday, June 17. Reserve here.
Charmaine\'s - The lounge atop the Proper Hotel will reopen at 25-percent capacity, and by reservation only. It was never easy to get a spot on this swanky patio before the pandemic, so now it will likely be impossible. Evening hours are 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, and 3 to midnight Thursday to Saturday, but there are also reservations available for breakfast and lunch.
Chubby Noodle - With capacity for just 16, this North Beach spot will swing open Monday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Dorian - They\'ll be open for oysters and more starting Wednesday the 17th, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and weekend brunch will be served 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Epic Steak - This Embarcadero spot can apparently take up to 72 people on its expansive patio, and it will be serving dinner from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends, with an afternoon happy hour after that.
Front Porch - Some of the best fried chicken in the city will be in high demand, and apparently Front Porch is only \"soft opening,\" with plans to reopen for real on July 1 (online reservations appear abundantly available starting in July).
Piperade - Downtown favorite Piperade will reopen for tapas and Spanish cuisine starting next week. Get a Resy between 11:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays only.
Rosamunde - The Mission\'s Rosamunde looks to be opening next Wednesday, with reservations for the patio now available on OpenTable.
Starbelly - The Castro\'s Starbelly will only be taking 25 people at a time (19 in back, 6 in front), but they\'d love to have you have by reservation only.
Waterbar - Go get your oysters and champagne from noon to 9 p.m. daily.
Upcoming with no certain reopening date:
Flour + Water Pizzeria - The pizzeria reopened last week for takeout, and outdoor dining (which it already had) should be a logical next step, though the announcement has not yet arrived.
Foreign Cinema - The iconic Mission spot is reportedly aiming for a June 24 reopening.
Gozu - Chef Marc Zimmerman tells the Chronicle that he\'s trying to set up an elaborate outdoor patio dining area, with a Japanese grill, in the courtyard next to the restaurant, by the end of the month.