The Ramp in San Francisco is one of the few public boat ramps in the City and is a favorite saloon and eatery. Located in China Basin, it opened in 1950 as a bait shop and is still one of those colorful venues that the locals can call their own. You can be yourself here, sharing local maritime lore as well as taking in the industrial sights. Don’t let anyone catch you drinking a Corona from a glass. No, sir, not here. And your mutt won’t be the only critter raising its snout at the mixture of scents. The charcoal aromas of barbecued shrimp and steaks meld with the salty, fishy taste of the waterfront and the sound of sanders buffing out the hull of a yawl nearby. Part of the property has been retooled into the San Francisco Boat Works, the last remaining boat yard in the City.
This is a nice, funky place where one checks the hoity-toity attitude at the door and enjoys al fresco dining under the collection of mismatched umbrellas.
The Ramp:
Nearly all the action at The Ramp takes place outdoors on the wooden deck where you’ll find people of all manner kicking up their heels to live salsa and Brazilian music. Construction hardhats from UCSF mingle with boat workers and Mission High teachers and long established residents from Hunters Point and Mission Bay. The diverse clientele go out of their way to support this hidden gem, a gem replete with decay, pungent aquarium odors, screeching birds and a scene reminiscent of what the REAL City must have looked like decades ago. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Note: For a treat, take another peek at Woody Allen’s movie Blue Jasmine for a cameo shot of The Ramp. Cheers!