Beach Chalet and Park Chalet: Meh-jor letdown

There should be a lot to love about the Beach Chalet and Park Chalet. For one, it’s probably the only restaurant (Beach Chalet) that sits on the Great Highway in San Francisco looking out into the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. And one that sits in the near vicinity of the Golden Gate Park (Park Chalet.)

More immediately, if you are looking out from the front of the building, you are looking at the ever-changing landscape of sand [see my next post please] and near Queen Wilhelmina’s garden with pretty tulips [see my post on the front of building and flowers.)

Beach Chalet also sits on top of a unique property. Namely, the Golden Gate Park Visitor’s Center that features an “amazing and historic WPA frescoes created by Lucien Labaudt in the 1930’s.”

Beach Chalet Murals (Photo credit: revger)

Beach Chalet mural (Photo credit: marymactavish)

While we (my friends and I) have lots of praise for the unique architecture and even the view, we can’t laud the restaurant or the service. Food was bad. Seriously, nothing was good and the food there wasn’t cheap either. To quote one of my friends, “plates [were] crashing, water spilling with no apologies from staff, and confusion about ordering downstairs were all minuses plus my Eggs Benedict was on the south end of the yummer scales.” I couldn’t have sum it up better…

So we actually ate upstairs and then paid, went downstairs to the lawn area at Park Chalet which is like a zoo on the weekend. All these people sitting everywhere and you will have to order your own beer and grab lawn chairs. Sure, there’s live music and they have semi-decent beer, but I am not really sure it’s worth all that…

With a prime spot like that, Beach and Park Chalet have so much potential yet they just ride on their reputation. Tourist and some locals flock here. And I have been to the downstairs’ Park Chalet a few times too, but it just gets worse, so I won’t be coming back.

Suggestion: If you are visiting this area, do the free stuff and see the building, walk the grounds if you like but that’s all I can vouch for.

LIKE: Near Ocean Beach, pretty architecture and building, nice art, and lovely surrounding area.

DON’T LIKE: Food and Service. [It can get very windy and cold, bring a jacket and don’t wear shorts – ever – in San Francisco.]