One of San Francisco’s most familiar waterfront dining rooms has gone dark. The Waterfront Restaurant, the long-running bayfront spot on Pier 7, has posted signs declaring it “permanently closed,” marking the end of a 57-year run along the Embarcadero and leaving a visible gap in the skyline where its glowing windows once framed the Bay.
Signs on the door and changes to online business listings appear to confirm the shutdown, even as the restaurant’s website and social media pages had not yet caught up to the news, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. According to the Chronicle, the posted message read, “Permanently closed for business. Thank you for visiting. We apologize for the inconvenience,” and neither restaurant management nor the Port of San Francisco immediately responded to requests for comment.
A Pier 7 mainstay since 1969
The Waterfront opened in 1969, when founder Al Falchi converted a longshoremen’s bar into a full-scale waterfront dining room. Over the decades, it became known for Californian-leaning, Mediterranean-influenced seafood paired with sweeping views of Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the Bay Bridge. The restaurant’s About page lists a staff of about 80 people, with roughly 20 employees who have worked there between 10 and 30 years, underscoring its role as both a local employer and a long-standing neighborhood institution, according to the Waterfront Restaurant website.
Survived fires and quakes, squeezed by the post-pandemic slump
The Waterfront weathered plenty over the years, including a major pier fire in 1973 and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. What it apparently could not shake off was the slow grind of the post-pandemic economy, according to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle. The Chronicle reviewed the restaurant’s 2025 application to the city’s Legacy Business Registry and found that earnings fell roughly 55% between 2019 and 2025. In that filing, co-owner Cheryl Falchi warned that losing what she called “a historic landmark establishment” would cost jobs and erase a unique waterfront destination.
Employees and the Port’s role
With about 80 staff members listed on its site, many of them long-tenured, the Waterfront’s abrupt shutdown leaves employees, regulars and suppliers suddenly wondering what comes next along this stretch of the Embarcadero. The Port of San Francisco manages leasing and permits for waterfront properties, and information about those arrangements is available on the Port’s website. For now, the future of the Pier 7 lease and the space itself will be determined by the Port and the property owners.
Part of a worrying waterfront trend
The Pier 7 closure lands amid a rough patch for waterfront dining across the Bay Area. Hoodline recently reported that Sausalito’s Trident, a different long-running waterfront icon, quietly shuttered after 127 years of operation, a reminder that even the best views in the house have not insulated hospitality businesses from rising costs and weak post-pandemic demand. Local preservation advocates and neighborhood groups are expected to watch closely to see whether the Waterfront’s Legacy Business nomination plays any role in what happens next with the space.
As of now, officials and the restaurant’s owners have not announced what will happen next at Pier 7, and neighbors are left with an empty dining room where regulars once watched the Bay. This story will be updated if managers, Port officials or workers share additional information.
