Lou's Pier 47 Restaurant and Blues Club

The service is slow, the waiter is well... red-eyed. Which is alright except that the food is absolutely the worst we have experienced and not inexpensive. So, after watching our waiter go around the corner into the alley several times, the food did finally arrive - and well I wish it wouldn't have. Between the two of us we tried several items from the menu and with the exception of the salmon cake were more then disappointed with everything. The calamari appetizer was tough, chewy and tasteless, the buffalo wings minimally average. The blackened fish was absolutely awful as was the jamaicanj-erk chicken. The fish was just bad, and left a sewer type taste after one small bite, the chicken was also tasteless, no spice here - in fact we added the chicken wing sauce in attempt at flavor) additionally, this was the most pathetic looking chicken breast I have seen served anywhere. (I would have tried to send both back, but just try to find the waiter.) If you enjoy good blues this may be the place to go relax and have a drink, but after the worst meal I have ever had to pay for I don't believe I will return.

The food is average, watch the clams, their not cleaned well. The only real problem with this restaurant is the service. Part of the problem is an automatic 16 percent gratuity added to orders of $50. and above. I normally tip between 20-25%. I did not leave any extra for this waitress, she was very inattentive. Most of her time was spent at the door, gazing at the pedestrians. Why would she do anything else? She gets tipped, good or bad. The blues music updtairs sets a mood rarely found anywhere else. There's a good mix of locals and tourist's. You know if the locals are there its good. If your looking for atmosphere...head upstairs for the live music. In their defense, there was another waitress that came to our rescue, I put a tip in her hand, not left at the table for the gazing gal.

We were a party of four and had the specials. Mine was not tasty if you like eating sand. I had the seafood pasta 2 out of 5 muscles were empty, and over all gritty. Service was bad. Tried to get our waitresses several times even with eye contact but got no help. Why should she? She gets an automatic $14 tip added to the bill without earning it. We spent $89 for dinner and the restaurant only had 12 people in it. I could hear the music from the upstairs bar. It was nice and if I ever returned, it would be for drinks, after I win the lotto. At $10 for a glass of the daily wine special it was a bit expensive for me. Good luck.

Ok we've given this place a try 5x already... we really hoped to hear some of the older blues greats given that SF has such able talent, but generally I'd say the music isn't quite up to par (with the odd exception of course) The food -- down the middle, drinks well they were actually good every time and the bartender was quite accomodating. It feels a bit divey, maybe they need to update the digs a little? The place can hold a fair amount of people, so I'd suggest getting in some other bigger name acts (enough with all the regulars) Take the risk,it would be worth it given the great setting!

After a busy morning we stopped in for lunch at Lou's on the west-end of the Wharf. It's right at the entrance to Scoma's (down the alley to the pier). The service was great, as well as our orders, a brisket sandwich and crab cake sandwich... The complimentary clam chowder was some of the best I've had. Lou's is a quality, authentic, and affordable, place that is right on the Wharf. I highly recommend it.