Truth be told, I love traditional steakhouses. I grew up in a meat loving family and while I spent four or so years as a vegetarian in my twenties and today tend to eat on the lighter side (organic fish/chicken and salads), I still crave a good steak or burger from time-to-time. There’s nothing like a great American steakhouse, especially when they have Wagyu on the menu.
Introducing Harris Steakhouse, an old staple in the heart of San Francisco. I’ve driven past this restaurant on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Van Ness a million times and never thought to stop and grab a menu or head there for dinner one night. Recently, we had an opportunity to taste their latest and greatest. While I can’t remember any time I didn’t order oysters if on the menu, there were simply too many great starters to choose from and so we opted for the Steak Tartare and their Clams special, which came in a white wine sauce with basil and so….I passed on the oysters.
Others worth mentioning on this ever so decadent menu include the Foie Gras, which you can get seared with a poached egg, grilled toast and truffled Madeira sauce, or chilled with fire-roasted orange marmalade and toasted brioche. They also had veal sweetbreads which they sauteed with a Shiitake-Sherry cream sauce. Can you say to die for? The last time I had sweetbreads was at Brasserie Jo’s in Boston, an evening which I also downed a dozen oysters, quite gracefully if I recall.
Seafood lovers will love the fact that they have several starter options to choose from, ranging from Dungeness Crab Cakes with Beurre Blanc and a Prawn Cocktail to Ahi Poke Martini with Julienned veggies and Smoked Salmon – it was hard to narrow it down to two.
Of course, you can’t have a good steak without a good salad and they have plenty to choose from — Baby Spinach Salad with Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Pine Nuts and Mushrooms, an Iceberg Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Crumbled Point Reyes Blue Cheese and a classic Caesar salad.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
If you’re dizzy from all the great appetizer choices, imagine how we felt with ten steak choices and that doesn’t include their Prime Rib or Wagyu. Some of the more classic styled steaks on the menu include a Porterhouse, Filet Mignon, Petit Filet Mignon, Bone-in Ribeye, Petite Boneless New York Steak, a 49er cut, their Steak Diane which they serve with a demi glace of Cognac and shallots, and their Pepper Steak, which is patted with cracked black pepper, and then grilled with brandy, cream and peppercorn sauce. YUM!!
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
You can also order the Petite Filet Mignon with a Steamed Whole Maine Lobster (2.5 pounds), and you can get seared foie gras with any of the steaks on their menu which we opted to do as a side to a Buffalo Steak they offered as a special.
We’ve had Wagyu many times over the years and are huge fans — it’s always so memorable. Wagyu literally translates as “Japanese cow.” This particular style of beef is widely known for its extensive marbling, incredible flavor and tenderness. While most restaurants only offer one style of Wagyu, Harris offers a “Kobe Style” Australian Wagyu Ribeye, a “Kobe Style” American Wagyu steak and an authentic Japanese Wagyu Ribeye steak. Below is the Australian Wagyu, which was tasty, tender and beautifully presented — I’d recommend it with a side of Sauteed Button Mushrooms and their Caramelized Onions. They also offer Bearnaise, Brandy and Truffled Madeira sauces on the side — oh so delish!!
If you’re not a steak lover, they offer American Lamb Chops which are cut from the rack and grilled over Mesquite, a Pan Roasted Breast of Chicken with a Sherry Glaze, the Loch Duart Scottish Salmon which is served with a Champagne Sauce and lobster on its own without red meat but accompanied by steamed clams.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
The restaurant is what I’d call old world in decor and style, which is our favorite way to dine. This could be from growing up in New England or having far too many incredible meals in old cellars and vaults in Eastern Europe, England, France, Italy and Corsica.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
As you enter its doors, you’re led through the main room which they call the Van Ness Room. It is predominantly full of large circular plush leather booths — great for a family or two couples dining together, although there are several romantic two tops as well. The Van Ness Room has high ceilings, brass chandeliers and skylights, softened even more by a lush mural by local artist Barnaby Conrad depicting a bucolic scene along the Kings River in Central California.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
Harris has a total of four different dining rooms; in the Pacific Lounge, a rich mahogany bar from the turn of the century provides a backdrop of elegance, as does another mural, a montage of San Francisco scenes based on an original painting by artist Antonio Sotomeyer. We wanted to sit in the smallest room in the restaurant — the Library. It was too dark to capture its essence even on my Canon 7D, however imagine four tables in a small room with a wall of books at the end, only separated by a fireplace and a classic painting of an American from what felt like the old Wild West.
The Skylight Room is primarily used for meetings and as a banquet facility, and can accommodate up to 70 guests for a sit-down dinner or lunch and to 120 for a cocktail reception. Think burgundy carpet, mahogany wood, tall ceilings and a built in private bar. The Boardroom features a single large round table for discrete meetings and private dining and can seat from 8-12 guests.
The comfy yet elegant and classic ambiance with its many Victorian details creates a mood of utter relaxation, from its mahogany paneled walls to its brass fixtures and warm and hospitable wait staff. The library faces their piano lounge which houses a grand piano they use seven nights a week. One of the features we love about this restaurant is that they boast nightly live music — we’re avid music lovers and I’ve been playing the piano since I was five. The music is always jazz but the musicians change. On Sunday and Monday nights, they have Ken Muir, on Tuesday and Wednesdays, George Khouri plays jazz piano with a sax or bass player and from Thursday through Saturday, the window we were there, the Susan Chen trio plays classic jazz music starting at 7 pm.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
Apparently Harris’ was ranked as one of the nation’s Top 10 Steak houses by Wine Spectator and I can’t say we’re not surprised. Harris’ uses a twenty one day dry-aging process for its beef that creates tender and succulent cuts of meat that are sliced on the premises. With vacuum sealed steaks being today’s norm, their aging process is unique and attributes to the fresh and tenderness of the meat. Bravo Chef Michael Buhagiar and team!
If you’re a steak and music lover, this is a great place to hang your hat for an evening in central San Francisco any day of the week. They have valet parking, making it an easy transition from your hotel to one of those cosy but decadent plush booths.
Photo credit: Harris Restaurant
While we were far too full and tired to sample any of the after dinner drinks, their extensive bar includes a wide array of single malt scotch whisky, small batch bourbon whiskey, cognac, brandy, grappa, and vintage port options to choose from. The wine menu (or should I say “book”) is also extensive. Wine director Jonathan Tennenbaum has curated more than 750 wines and although there’s a larger focus on California red varietals (Cab and Zin fans will love this place), there are some European choices as well, including wine by the glass.
As for dessert? The evening continued to get even better as the Baked Alaska and a dark chocolate cake arrived at our table with piping hot coffee. Two thumbs up – we would definitely return!
Photo credits: Renee Blodgett unless noted otherwise.
Details
Harris The San Francisco Steakhouse
2100 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco CA 94109
415.673.1888
www.harrisrestaurant.com
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
