For nearly half a century, the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant has been a beloved fixture in San Francisco, offering stunning views from its location on Point Lobos Avenue. Serving a mix of loyal locals and visiting tourists, this establishment, unfortunately, will not be reopening its doors, even as the pandemic restrictions ease. While the closure of long-standing San Francisco institutions has become a sadly familiar story during the COVID-19 era, in the case of the Seal Rock Inn, the reason for its demise is not directly linked to the public health crisis, but rather an unexpected and substantial rent increase.
Unlike many dining establishments intertwined with San Francisco’s hotel industry, the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant operated as a separately-owned tenant within the inn that shares its name. For 46 years, the Elam family has been the proprietor of the inn itself, while the Psarras family lovingly ran the restaurant situated below. This spot was renowned for its comforting, fluffy omelettes and a distinctly retro-cool atmosphere. Its unique charm was recognized by diverse voices, from urban design commentators at Curbed SF, who highlighted its architectural significance within the Richmond District, to the legendary counterculture journalist Hunter S. Thompson. In his iconic Fear & Loathing On the Campaign Trail ‘72, Thompson famously declared the Seal Rock “is the end of the line, for buses and everything else, the western edge of America,” cementing its place in the city’s cultural landscape.
When San Francisco initiated its shelter-in-place orders in March 2020, the restaurant initially attempted to adapt by offering takeout services for ten days. However, as owner Andy Psarras explained to Eater SF, “it just didn’t work,” leading to the restaurant’s temporary closure. Hotel owner Larry Elam concurred with this decision, stating via email to Eater SF that “serving breakfast via delivery and/or outdoor dining on a sidewalk did not make sense” for their operation.
However, after making the difficult decision to temporarily cease operations, Psarras received unwelcome news from Elam. According to Psarras, while the landlords had previously mentioned a potential rent increase, they had never formalized it. But after the restaurant had shut down due to pandemic restrictions, “then, bam, [a] 50 percent increase,” he recounted.
“I told them there was no way to pay with no income,” Psarras stated. With the landlords reportedly unwilling to negotiate or reconsider the rent hike, Psarras felt he had no alternative but to permanently close the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant and vacate the premises, bringing an era to an end.
Elam presented a somewhat different narrative to Eater SF, notably sidestepping direct questions regarding the rent increase. Instead, Elam asserted that Psarras “has decided to discontinue his ownership and operation of the restaurant.” Despite the departure of the long-term operators, Elam maintained that the restaurant would somehow be revived in the future, although he did not provide any specific details regarding his plans for the space.
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The scenic ocean view, once a draw for diners at Seal Rock Inn Restaurant, is now a quiet vista as the establishment remains closed.
“We have always been both an inn and a restaurant. Our future plans are to continue as both,” he told Eater SF, suggesting a commitment to maintaining a dining option at the location. However, the question remains: can the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant truly be the same without the Psarras family at its helm, the stewards of its legacy for so many years? This uncertainty adds to the long list of unanswered questions that have become characteristic of 2020 and its impact on San Francisco.
The closure of the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant echoes the recent shutdown of Louis’ Restaurant, another nearby, 83-year-old diner that also announced its permanent closure. Both establishments represented a rare and cherished sense of coastal constancy in a rapidly evolving city. The Seal Rock Inn itself, including the restaurant, dates back to 1959. Andy’s father, Mike, owned and operated the restaurant for 30 years before passing the torch to the next generation, creating a deep family connection to the location and its patrons.
This family legacy has now come to a quiet and somewhat understated end, perhaps overshadowed by the sheer volume of pandemic-related losses and closures that have impacted San Francisco. “I had my staff come down to pack up 46 years of memories,” Psarras shared, describing the unceremonious conclusion to a lifetime dedicated to serving breakfast to countless diners from across the globe and just around the corner. Reflecting on the manner in which these decades of service concluded, Psarras expressed his disappointment, stating it “was a kick in the you-know-what.” The closure of the Seal Rock Inn Restaurant marks not just the loss of a business, but the fading of a significant piece of San Francisco’s culinary and cultural heritage.
