Ferry Plaza Seafood-Happy Hour

We're ready for any adventure. And if that adventure includes oysters on the half shell, so be it. If they're fresh briny dollar oysters, all the better! Now don't wander over to the Ferry Building looking for this resto—you're gonna have to head to North Beach to find Ferry Plaza Seafood. You won't have to fight the crowds to get to their pretty little bivalves here, mostly because it's on a quiet corner and not a lot of worker bees get away until after 5. So on your next weekday off (weds-fri), head over to get your seafood fix at 3:30 and beat the ravening crowds.

We were both pretty hungry as we perused the Happy Hour menu, so we ordered the grilled charred edamame pods (tasty, but Angela likes grilled Fava Bean pods better) and the Salmon Rillettes right off the bat. When the waiter came back by we picked out the fries and oh, also, our first dozen. Angela enjoyed a decently priced glass of good quality sparkling as well.

We forget how many trays we ate—3? 4?

The oysters were delightful. Fleshy and full of flavor, unlike some past dollar oysters we have experienced (don't look for them on the blog—we try to stay polite). But the fries, the FRIES! Tell everyone about the fries. Obviously cut from actual potatoes, Ferry Plaza Seafood uses all the pieces and you get hot hot crisp crunchy salty yummy perfect with oysters Fries. Go for dollar oysters, but make sure to tell your server you want the fries.

before

after

BEST FRIES IN THE CITY

If you linger over your oysters, the band (a duo that evening) might start serenading you which is the perfect compliment to the lovely fishy decor and polite (not nosy!) servers. Check out this North Beach eatery for their Happy Hour treats or if you're craving a tasty seafood dinner.

decor

ambiance

tunes

Anchor Oyster Bar

Today the hardy Tea Time Adventurers decided to brave the misty weather and visit the Castro. We were hungry, but none of the many restaurants seemed quite right, until we reached Anchor Oyster Bar. There wasn't a menu in the window, so we went to the Internet. After Anchor's site started to load very slowly on J.K.'s phone, we checked Yelp, which gave Anchor two dollar signs and a bunch of rave reviews. So we decided to splurge, and we're very glad we did.

The space is tiny, but it comes across as cozy, and the staff let us take a four-top, even though we got there just before the lunch rush. That gave us space to stash J.K.'s giant tote bag and Angela's backpack and bike helmet. There's a printed menu, but we didn't get any further than the specials board above the bar.

We started with oysters. Today's selection was Kusshi, BeauSoleil and St. Simone. We couldn't decide, so we ordered two of each.

Happy little oysters. And happy Adventurers!

We couldn't resist the crab "burger," a large pile of crab meat on an excellent roll. (Maybe we should blame imotiv and Scoma that we've got crab on the brain.) The staff at Anchor were nice enough to put the house made tartar sauce on the side so Angela could hoard it all.

This sandwich was definitely ready for its close-up.

The burger came with a bowl of clam chowder, which the staff split for us into two bowls. This special was a great choice, giving us the chance to try a little bit of everything in the Anchor seafood world.

You don't have to worry about running out of oyster crackers!

We needed a salad to go with all this seafood, so we chose the dinner salad with shrimp from the menu. The olives were Giant. Angela hasn't had olives like that in a long time, in fact she should ask where they come from next time we stop in for an oyster fix.

Fresh lettuce, Giant olives, perfectly ripe tomatoes and plenty of shrimp.

Altogether a delightful experience. The staff was attentive, pleasant and caring, and the food was delicious. The bill was a shock, but only because it was Less than we had anticipated after deciding we should splurge. Check out this gem to enjoy their generous portions and reasonable prices! Tea Time managed to hit it when there wasn't a line, so we suggest a weekday lunch unless you want to make plans to people watch in the Castro before you eat.  (Which could be an adventure in itself!) There's a long, padded bench in front for the wait line, so your people-watching will be very comfortable. If the weather cooperates, that is.

Mayes-- The Happiest of Hours

Happy Hour for Tea Time may not always mean a cuppa plus a scone this fall. Bring on the oysters, wine and fire at Mayes Oyster House on Polk street. We spent several very happy hours here, tasting their dollar oyster offerings. They have special prices from 5-7 every day (Sunday 5-9!). Yes, even weekends! Their drinks are worth it too, with house wine and champagne only $5 for a goblet. They offer discounted food as well as the $1 oyster platters.

Tea Time gets cozy by the fire!

Their oysters are good quality, and Mayes offered 3 types on their platter during this visit. Tea Time didn't catch the name of each, but they lived up to their descriptions. One set of 4 was sweet and delicate on the palate. Another was more briney with a hint of sea air drifting up from them. The middle ground was held up as well, by the third kind. All were a treat. A great splurge! These oysters came with your choice of three sauces to splash on your bivalve if you wanted to enhance it. If you're more of a purist there are also lemon wedges.

One dozen

Two dozen

Three! 36 oysters made up this Happy Hour feast.

We spent the time chatting, plotting and story telling with friends. It was worth every penny. Do you like raw seafood? Are you lucky enough to live somewhere that seafood is accessible and edible? Tea Time hopes to hit up a few more dollar oyster joints in this jukebox town, so stay tuned!