Market Bar on the Embarcadero, in the Ferry Building, is another place close to my work. I’ve gone there the past few times but ever since one particular General Manager left in May/June 2005, the service has gone downhill.
Well, the outdoor patio area never really had high-quality service during happy hour:
– My friend specifically asked if the bar could make a DIRTY martini. The waiter nodded furiously and returned with what? A regular martini.
– We’ve often had to wait and wait while our glasses are empty, before we’re able to flag down a waiter. I understand the patio area is busy during happy hour but…it’s summer in SF. It’s never THAT hot outside!
– Indoors the bar is nice enough to provide the grubgirls with some complimentary bread rolls with butter. Outdoors, again, we wait forever to flag down the waiter, he nods furiously, and this time never comes back with the roll. The roll, you see, whets our appetite for the ordering of non-complimentary food
The food is inconsistent, too. Don’t get the Pepperoni & Salami Pizza…the pepperoni is unidentifiable, either because it’s too small in terms of portion size, or…it’s not the same pepperoni you’ll find up the hill in North Beach. And it ain’t proscuitto, either.
My advice if you need a place to meet — pick this place instead of Hotel Vitale, for sure. But go inside to the bar area…which means if it’s a sunny hot day, head to Pier 23.
