Forbes Island
Touristy? Yup. Sea sick inducing? That too. Fantastic, unbelievable, and extraordinary? All of the above.
My crummy cell phone photos can’t begin to do justice to the magical place that is Forbes Island. The adventure began with elbowing my way through SF sweatshirt wearing tourists on Pier 39. At H dock I found a mysterious phone, which I used to call the captain of the Forbes Island shuttle to ferry our group across a short stretch of water to the semi-submerged bar and restaurant.
We disembarked on a tiny floating beach, with a 40 foot lighthouse offering breathtaking views of the Bay. There is a small, glass-enclosed private dining room on the beach, but we took the stairwell down into the belly of the beast. At the bottom, we were greeted with a full bar and dining room covered in nautical decor, with heavily beamed ceilings and mirrors that intensified the instant motion sickness that about a third of our group felt.
Despite our wooziness, we had a rollicking good time. It is impossible not to get caught up in the mystery of this weird and amazing space. I enjoyed two delicious negronis before dining on steak and chocolate mousse cake. I think it took about two and a half hours to get over my sea sickness, but once it was over I never wanted to leave. Don’t take my word for it, as I find it hard to describe what we felt on Forbes Island. Brave the tourist center of San Francisco and see the island for yourself.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 951-4900
Is the food actually edible?
April 6, 2012 at 11:56 am
Yes, the food was quite good. The steak could have been aged more, but overall it was a good meal and a great experience.
April 8, 2012 at 7:23 pm