Everyone has that favorite restaurant they stumble upon accidentally—for me, this restaurant is Embarcardero’s Pier 23.
A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I spent a lot of time and money shopping at Pier 1, and found ourselves hungrier than a hippo in a room full of marbles. Warning: if you are this hungry, the Pier can be scary, since most of the restaurants there can cost a lot more than a pretty penny. Luckily, we came across Pier 23.
The worn box of an entrance was rather inviting, so we waltzed right in. Since we did not have a reservation, there was a reasonable 20-minute wait. Given that we were anxious to sit down, we decided to fill our ravenous bellies with some beverages at the bar. I have to say, a Bloody Mary never tasted so good! As we drank, we couldn’t help but notice we entered a people zoo—each person was happier than a camel on hump day.
Before we knew it, we were seated outside and pleasantly surprised by the size of the patio and the view of the bay. There’s something magical about sipping on an Anchor Steam while million-dollar vessels whisk across the bay with the Bay Bridge as the backdrop. The food came in very little time and did not disappoint. I enjoyed the steam mussel’s appetizer and tuna sandwich entree. My table mate ordered crispy calamari and a chicken avocado sandwich. We eyed the tables around us, and saw the fish tacos and a tempting flat-iron steak sandwich. Everywhere we looked, there were dishes that looked and smelled delicious.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, this splashy, family-owned restaurant turned into a classy nightclub! A section of the dining area was transformed into a dance floor, live music was introduced and the boogie down to ‘80s hits began. What started off as a tireless search for a reasonably-priced meal turned out to be the beginning of a venue love affair.
