Want A Great View + Great Food on Fisherman's Wharf? Try Castagnola's

Restaurants that Shine: Castagnola’s Seafood & Chophouse Since 1916

This restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf is a seafood and chophouse that Thomas Castagnola opened in 1916 soon after he created the Dungeness Crab Cocktail for the San Francisco World’s Fair the year before.

The former fisherman knew he was on to something big. And indeed, his crab stand on the Wharf quickly gained a reputation as the perfect place for locals and travelers alike to find the catch of the day and delicious cooked crab.

Realizing that not everyone loved seafood—including his fellow fisherman who had just spent the day at sea—Castagnola also served up hearty portions of steak and chops.

“Thomas’ was one of eight families that had come over from the same part of Italy to make a life in California,” explains Kathy Higdon, the restaurant’s current owner, who graciously agreed to sit down with us in the banquet room for an interview.

Download the podcast, at right, to listen to our chat.

It turns out that her family has been running Castagnola’s since her stepfather, Major General Andrew Lolli, bought the place in the 1960s.

“We are actually sitting on the dry dock yard of the original restaurant, and back then the place was just packed with locals,” Hidgon explains. “There were three-hour waits, from what I hear, as this was a very popular place with the fisherman. A seat at Castagnola’s was the best, and the hardest one to get. They served the fresh seafood and their servers all spoke kinds of different languages. They made it a real fun and happening place for people to come to.”

Lolli was determined to keep up the popularity of the place—and knew exactly had to do it. He had retired from the military service, where he worked for Howard Hughes and Ronald Reagan, and his men were eager to visit with him.

“Castagnola’s soon became a makeshift officers club, which was just busy, busy, busy for years and years,” Higdon shares, noting that Lolli worked in the restaurant seven days a week until he was 92. “He always took good care of customers, seating them and helping people, and having a really good time.”

Higdon, her sister, and husband continue the tradition today, with a few 21st century twists.

“We gave the place a facelift a few years back when we redecorated a little,” ,” she shares, noting the upgrade also forced her to close the crab stand outside due to city ordinances. “It was a shame, but now we have a great stand that sells clothes and souvenirs. We also now have a giant bar and a porch where our guests can sit, relax, and celebrate being on vacation on Fisherman’s Wharf.”

A large upstairs banquet room with a breathtaking view of the Bay frequently hosts large parties, weddings, and other receptions.

“Our ultimate goal is to help everyone who comes in to have a really good time when they are on vacation and want to experience the best of Fisherman’s Wharf,” Higdon insists, noting that the view from the restaurant just can’t be beat.

“The fabulous fishing boats that are still out here, and you can practically touch them from our downstairs and upstairs dining rooms,” she says. “And we do our best to provide dishes that appeal to any taste. Plus, we have added live music on most nights, so there is a nice night time atmosphere in the bar where our patrons can have fun, sing, laugh, and meet people from all over the world.

“Honestly, we just have a lot of fun—and that was the goal of my stepfather, as well as Thomas Castagnola. We’re proud of keeping their