Your Guide toSan Francisco's Jackson Square
This small historic corner of San Francisco, between North Beach and the Financial District, is now a must-see.
Back in the Gold Rush days, Jackson Square was the central business district of a booming San Francisco. The landmark neighborhood now hosts an eclectic array of boutique shops, cosmopolitan restaurants, and neighborhood cafes and lounges, many tucked into charming cobblestoned alleyways. A cultural district as well, Jackson Square offers art galleries, community theater, and even a redwood park.
How to Get to Jackson Square
Only about eight square blocks in size, Jackson Square is a hidden gem that lies between North Beach to the north and the Financial District to the south. Portsmouth Square and Chinatown is just west and the Embarcadero waterfront is to the east. Jackson Square is bound by Sansome Street, Washington Street, Pacific Avenue, and Columbus Avenue. Easy walking distance from any downtown location, Jackson Square can also be reached by public transit via the 12 Stockton or the 8 Bayshore Muni bus lines.
The History of Jackson Square
Originally, the San Francisco waterline came up to about Montgomery Street. Jackson Sqaure, which was partially built on landfill made from abandoned ships, was on the waterfront. Built in the 1850s and made up of Classical Revival and Italianate architecture, the area is reminiscent of the Northeastern U.S., with brick buildings and cast-iron storefronts. While Montgomery Street is where business bustled and gold was traded, Pacific Avenue, home to the famous “Barbary Coast” strip of bars, brothels, and gambling dens, was where fortunes were spent.
As the downtown area expanded south, Jackson Square became an industrial warehouse district serving the waterfront. The area survived the 1906 earthquake and fires, which destroyed much of the city, meaning that its buildings are among the oldest in the city. In the 1920s, artists and writers started moving into the area, attracted to its historic charm, and galleries and antique shops opened up at street level. 100 years later, there has been an explosion of interest in Jackson Square with tech-centered start-ups, international designers, and restaurateurs all coveting the limited real estate.
Things to Do in Jackson Square
Hotaling Place
San Francisco’s oldest alley, Hotaling Place runs for just one block between Washington Street and Jackson Street. It’s home to several boutique retail shops, as well as the Villa Taverna, a private dining club where local celebrities and financiers congregate. Its entrance is graced with a relief statue of the Roman agricultural goddess, Ceres. The sidewalk of Hotaling Place has a waving line along the length of it that shows where the original waterline of the city used to be.
The Transamerica Pyramid
Built in 1972 and still considered the most iconic skyscraper in San Francisco’s skyline, the Transamerica Pyramid is a unique piece of modernist architecture. Located right across Washington Street from Hotaling Place, the building fronts the Transamerica Redwood Park, a grove of 50 coastal redwoods planted in 1973. Some now tower to heights of over 100 feet! The park offers benches and outdoor lounge furniture for relaxing and is dotted with more than 20 different sculptures of animals by Les Lalanne, the collective name for married artists Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.
Looking out over the park, Cafe Sebastian does breakfast in the mornings and coffee plus baked goods all day. It also hosts MadLab Kakigori, a family run gelato shop. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed up to the higher floors of the Transamerica Pyramid, but there are frequent art exhibits in the lobby worth checking out. An “immersive”, Japanese-inspired restaurant by chef Brad Kilgore is scheduled to open in the building late 2025.
Where to Eat in Jackson Square
Quince
470 Pacific Avenue
Founded in 2003 and specializing in hand-crafted modern California cuisine, Quince is one of San Francisco's most acclaimed restaurants. The all-wood dining room sports sofa seating where guests relax as they enjoy the ten-course gastronomical offerings of chef Michael Tusk. Offerings change nightly, depending on what's in season. Many ingredients come from the chef’s own farm, located just 30 minutes north of the city.
Maison Nico
710 Montgomery Street
Authentic Parisian charm makes Maison Nico a favorite for locals in the know. This épicerie (small store) and café serves a wide variety of French pastries, including sweet items like brioche feuilletée and pain au chocolat, as well as savory quiches and pâté en croûte. Sidewalk seating makes for nice people-watching here.
Cotogna
490 Pacific Avenue
Hand-made gnocchi, tortellini, ravioli and other classic Italian pastas, plus grilled meat dishes and wood-fired pizzas are what’s on the menu at Cotogna, which is also run by chef Michael Rusk of Quince. Besides a minimalist but spacious brick-walled dining room, the restaurant offers a row of outside dining tables, each with a heating lamp, on tree-lined Pacific Avenue.
Kusakabe
584 Washington Street
Chef Mitsunori Kusakabe, born and raised in Kyoto, opened his namesake restaurant in Jackson Square in May of 2014—and it won a Michelin star just five months later. Known for its Kaiseki-style multi-course meals, based mostly on sushi but served with side dishes that add flavor, Kusakabe also offers a la carte sushi and a variety of sake pours along the bar area.
Postscript
499 Jackson Street
Offerings at Postscript, a bustling neighborhood cafe and market, are predominantly locally sourced. The freshly brewed coffee comes from Red Fox Coffee Merchants in Berkeley, and baked-that-very-morning bread is from Rize Up, a Black-owned San Francisco bakery. Fruit and veggies are procured from the 40-acre Dirty Girls organic farm in nearby Santa Cruz. Northern California cheeses, wines, and other must haves are also sold here.
Bix
56 Gold Street
A two-story supper club with live jazz on the weekends, Bix is hidden down brick-lined Gold Alley. Oysters on the half shell, locally caught Dungeness crab, and thick free-range steaks are menu staples here, while the pros behind the curving mahagony bar are known for their perfectly poured classic martinis.
Cafe Me
500 Washington Street
An inexpensive neighborhood cafe, Cafe Me is a go-to spot for local workers looking for a quick meal. They serve breakfast bagel sandwiches, coffee drinks, pastries, and a variety of pre-prepared snacks including ice cream sandwiches.
Roka Akor
801 Montgomery Street
Steak, seafood, and sushi come together in perfect harmony at this modern Japanese restaurant where the robata grill is visible from the dining room. Wine, sake, signature cocktails and an extensive whiskey list round out the experience and draw the after-work crowd to the long sleek bar.
Where to Shop in Jackson Square
Shinola
53 Hotaling Place
The SF outpost of Detroit-based boutique watchmaker Shinola sits pretty in the tiny Hotaling Place alleyway at the heart of Jackson Square. Besides quality designed manual, automatic, and quartz watches, the store also specializes in leather goods including wallets, handbags, and jackets, plus various lifestyle items including it’s own French-style bicycle: the RideWell.
Paul Smith
463 Jackson Street
UK fashion designer Paul Smith opened up shop in Jackson Square in 2024, putting the area on the map for shoppers looking for European luxury. The brightly lit space offers men’s and women's shoes, clothing, and accessories, as well as home decor items. Like all Paul Smith locations, the SF store offers personal shopping services at no extra charge.
Fjällräven
478 Jackson Street
Founded in the small Swedish village of Örnsköldsvik, Fjällräven does high-quality outdoor equipment and clothing that are perfect for the Northern California lifestyle. Both men and women will find waterproof and well-insulated jackets and vests, as well as day packs and trekking gear. Best of all, proceeds from sales go to preserve the habitat of the critically endangered artic fox.
Anine Bing
412 Jackson Street
Born in Denmark but based in Los Angeles, Anine Bing carved out a name for herself in the international fashion scene after launching her brand out of a garage in Silver Lake. Clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories exhibit both a Scandinavian minimalism and some American creative energy. Her Jackson Sqaure store is uniquely curated to match San Francisco’s climate and style.
Atelier Lan Jaenike
431 Jackson Street
San Francisco-based luxury designer Lan Jaenike is known for using the golden ratio to create minimally tailored women’s fashion. She is especially recognized for her wool and cashmere creations and for using a unique wrap-around approach to designing skirts. The Jackson Square Atelier is one of only two official retail outlets run by Jaenike; the other, the Maison, is in Pacific Heights.
The Rug Company
722 Montgomery Street
The Rug Company specializes in rugs handcrafted from sustainable materials to fit any sized home. Their Jackson Square showroom is a good place to view (and feel) the many different options available. Luxury fiber options here include merino wool and alpaca.
Schott NYC
619 Sansome Street
Founded in Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1913, Schott NYC designed the first leather motorcycle jacket in the United States. Since then, they have expanded into producing shoes, clothing, and accessories, including watches for both men and women that are known for functional quality and classic style. Their Jackson Square store is one of only three flagship shops in the country.
Isabel Marant
455 Jackson Street
The clothing of award-winning French designer Isabel Marant has been worn by everyone from K-pop stars to supermodel Kate Moss. At her Jackson Sqaure boutique, you can check out the latest offerings of men and women’s clothing and accessories.
Filson
722 Montgomery Street
Located in the Belli Building, built in 1850, Filson is a producer of high-quality work and outdoor wear for both men and women. Based in Seattle, the company makes everything from wool coats to pocketknives, and also carries a line of travel essentials including waxed canvas duffle bags and totes.
Neighborhood Culture in Jackson Square
The Gateway Theater
215 Jackson Street
This 200-seat performance space is home to the 42nd Street Moon musical theater company, which was founded in San Francisco in 1993. It is also one of the main venues for SF SketchFest, a citywide comedy festival that runs for two weeks in late January and early February. 42nd Street Moon runs a full season (October-June) of classic musical theater performances, many pulled from the vault and not seen live in decades.
Gallery Wendi Norris
436 Jackson Street
An expansive and well-lit space, Gallery Wendi Norris showcases the work of over a dozen influential 20th century artists, with a special focus on surrealism. Paintings, sculpture, and installation pieces are all on display. There is always a featured seasonal exhibit, often by a local artist, in the main exhibition room.
Rebecca Comacho Presents
526 Washington Street
Rebecca Comacho worked for the SF Arts Commission before opening up her own gallery in a 1850s building here in Jackson Square. Dedicated to showcasing emerging talent, the gallery features several different modern artists at the same time, usually for rotating periods of three months each. Rebecca Comacho Presents also hosts frequent talks with artists and book launches.
Visit Rebecca Comacho Presents
Joel P. Garzolli Fine Art
706 Sansome Street
Born in San Francisco, Joel P. Garzolli is a third-generation art collector who has been operating out of Jackson Sqaure for more than 20 years. Open only by appointment, the gallery's collection of contemporary and surrealist masters, as well as early American paintings, are well worth the visit for art lovers.
Neighborhood Nightlife in Jackson Square
The Cigar Bar & Grill
850 Montgomery Street
This swanky cocktail lounge and Mexican fusion restaurant offers both indoor and patio seating in a historic brick-walled atmosphere. On Friday and Saturday nights, the Cigar Bar & Grill really heats up as live salsa bands get the crowds moving and onto the dancefloor. Show up early for the lesson and then stick around for the party.
Barbarossa Lounge
714 Montgomery Street
Housed in an original Barbary Coast building once used as a local jail, the Barbarossa Lounge exudes a classy historic charm. A seasonally changing cocktail list focuses on house-made creations named after famous criminals, madams, and other characters from the Gold Rush days. Live DJs on weekend nights and weekday happy hours specials keep the place perpetually buzzing.
Kells Irish Bar & Restaurant
530 Jackson Street
A Jackson Square gathering point since 1999, when it was founded by an immigrant from Belfast, Kells Irish Bar & Restaurant is an authentic Emerald Isle pub. Guinness on draft, corned beef hash on the menu, and friendly conversations at the all-wood bar await visitors here. Outside seating gets packed on sunny days.
Verjus
550 Washington Street
Chef Michael Tusk already runs two full-service restaurants in the Jackson Square area, so opening a wine bar here, too, was a natural next step. The extensive wine list at Verjus is predominantly French, and small plates of food, meant for sharing, are designed to match. Also a wine shop, any bottle here can be taken to go as well.
High Horse
582 Washington Street
Once an actual horse stable, High Horse is now a favorite place for the after-work crowd to enjoy a craft cocktail or what they call “the cart before the horse”: a shot and beer combo. The historic brick-walled bar also serves sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and sharable plates, including a charcuterie board.
Where to Stay in Jackson Square
Club Quarters
424 Clay Street
Located in a historic building just around the corner from Jackson Sqaure, Club Quarters offers well appointed rooms and access to a nice rooftop deck with panoramic downtown views. The hotel is also home to Fish & Farm, a farm-to-table restaurant serving sustainable seafood and locally grown produce.
The Jay
433 Clay Street
A luxury boutique hotel run by Marriott, The Jay offers spacious rooms inspired by the artistic legacy of San Francisco, many with views of the bay. The hotel also hosts the Third Floor, a bar and restaurant with a massive terrace, complete with firepits, overlooking the Financial District.
The Battery
717 Battery Street
The Battery is a members-only private club that also contains a 14-room hotel where guests can enjoy temporary membership of the club. This includes access to the House Bar, where libations await, as well as The Library, an intimate cocktail bar. Dinner is served al fresco in The Garden, and The Penthouse offers sweeping city views.
Ocean Malandra was born in San Francisco and grew up in the North Beach neighborhood. A freelance journalist who covers food, travel, and the environment, he has been published in more than 30 different media outlets, including 7x7 Magazine, Vice, Mongabay, USA Today Travel, Earth Island Journal, The Culture Trip, Parabola Magazine, High Times Magazine, and Paste Magazine.
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