UPDATED December 15, 2025
If you're in the middle of planning your SF City Hall wedding day and are looking for options for dining out after the ceremony, you're in the right place!
More planning resources for your city hall wedding:
How to Get Married at SF City Hall - our ultimate guide!
Simplified SF City Hall Wedding Timeline
Guide to Civil (Public) Ceremonies
Guide to Private Ceremonies (fourth floor)
SF City Hall Wedding Photographer
How These Restaurants Made the List
All restaurants on our list meet the following requirements:
- Open every weekday
- Open during the day (important, since civil ceremonies begin at 8:15am)
- Provide private or semi-private dining spaces
- Provide spaces for both small (up to 25) and large groups (25+)
- Ideally, natural light for the best photos
- Different cuisine and vibe from other options on the list
Everyone has different styles and requirements when it comes to their ideal dining experience, so you will find at least one on this list that feels perfect to you.
Restaurant Overview
Quick List
Jump to any of the restaurants in the top five:
E&O Kitchen and Bar
Palio
Wayfare Tavern
La Mar Cocina Peruana
Tacolicious
Make sure to scroll to the end for our honorable mentions! These are all excellent choices but have a few limitations, often in regard to opening hours and days of the week.
Now, on to the list!
Top Five Restaurants for your San Francisco City Hall Wedding Reception
These are not sorted in any particular order! We highly recommend each one.
E&O Kitchen and Bar
Cuisine: California Asian
Decor: Modern, Trendy
E&O Kitchen and Bar provides more dining options than any other restaurant on our list. They get a fair amount of small groups after SF City Hall weddings.
The most popular dining rooms are the E&O Room and the Loge. They typically host groups of 20 to 25 people, so those two rooms are ideal choices. The third most common choice is the Pearl Room which is perfect for small groups of 12 to 14 guests.
E&O’s full list of wedding dining options is located on their website, which we will now go through one by one in order of group size.
E&O - Option One: Pearl Room
Seats up to 16 guests
Located on the main floor, the Pearl Room is the newest and most intimate addition to the private dining options that E&O offers. The Pearl Room is separated from the rest of the restaurant by a carved antique wooden door. Once seated, you’ll enjoy the gorgeous walnut table surrounded by a Shantung Scroll wall covering. There is also a 65 inch flat screen TV/Monitor that’s perfect for a slideshow of the happy newlyweds.
E&O - Option Two: Loge Mezzanine
Seats up to 20 guests
The Loge is more open than The Pearl Room, as it’s located on the Mezzanine Level overlooking the main dining room. It also seats twice as many as The Pearl Room, allowing more flexibility in 22your guest list. The light and lively space, coupled with fantastic cuisine, create a perfect choice for your SF City Hall wedding reception.
E&O - Option Three: E&O Mezzanine
Seats up to 40 guests
This slightly larger room is a nice balance in E&O’s private dining options. Located with a unique view overlooking bustling Sutter Street, the E&O Room is a semi-private area on the mezzanine level. In this separate space, guests will enjoy each other’s company while partaking in the fun vibe of the rest of the restaurant.
E&O - Option Four: Cinnabar Room
Seats up to 50 guests
The Cinnabar Room is a completely private room located downstairs at E&O. Leather chairs, wood-beamed ceiling, and red walls create a comfy, elegant space ideal for wedding receptions. However, since this space accommodates up to 75 guests, it’s not a typical choice for smaller SF City Hall receptions.
Additional E&O Dining Options (for Larger Groups)
The majority of San Francisco City Hall wedding receptions are small and intimate. However, there are a select few couples who opt for private city hall weddings that accommodate up to 100 guests. Then there are others who have a small ceremony but join their large guest list for a fun-filled reception of 200 people. If you fall into one of these groups, you’ll need one of E&O’s larger spaces! These include the North Mezzanine, Full Mezzanine, or full buyout of the entire restaurant. These are fantastic spaces that take full advantage of everything E&O has to offer, including their exquisite modern Asian fusion cuisine.
Palio
Cuisine: Traditional Italian
Decor: Modern
Palio prides itself on its changing seasonal menu and authentic Italian cuisine. They also ensure that their 30+ years legacy thrives, as they recently remodeled the entire restaurant and redesigned their website. Palio has three beautiful spaces available for wedding receptions. The Bakery tends to be the favored choice, as it’s ideal for smaller group sizes.
Palio - Option One: Bakery
Seats up to 20 guests
If you’re looking for a small space that is fully private, the Bakery room is a great choice. This space is located at the back of the restaurant and is fully private. It is also adjacent to a private outdoor patio. The Bakery seats up to 20 seated guests at one long table, so it is perfect for small civil ceremonies with a limited number of guests.
Palio - Option Two: San Pietro Room
Seats up to 50 guests
Like the Bakery, the San Pietro Room is fully private and located at the back of the restaurant. It’s generally the most popular private dining option for lunch and dinner at Palio.
The recent renovation retained the floor to ceiling windows that fill this room with natural light. Adjacent to this space is a private outdoor patio that makes for a wonderful addition to your gathering. This room is quite versatile, with multiple dining and seating options, making it perfect for larger San Francisco City Hall wedding receptions.
Palio - Option Three: Campo del Palio
Seats up to 125 guests
Campo del Palio is the main dining room of the restaurant and can be reserved for at least 50 guests and no more than 100 seated. Palio has re-imagined this space to make it as flexible as possible for different sizes of groups. It’s worth checking out if your San Francisco City Hall reception ends up on the bigger side.
Wayfare Tavern
Cuisine: American, comfort food
Vibe: Upscale British pub
Wayfare Tavern has undergone a lot of renovations recently! They went from three private dining options to five, with the ability to accommodate a larger variety of groups. Their menu features a mixture of fine dining and traditional American comfort food that rotates seasonally, so check the menu on their website for their latest offerings.
Wayfare offers five private dining areas that offer a variety of options for all types and sizes of groups:
Wayfare Tavern - Option One: Juniper Bar
Seats up to 10 guests
If you're looking for an intimate meal with no more than 10 people, the Juniper Bar at Wayfare Tavern is a great choice. It features a cozy space alongside this beautiful bar, with a large central round table for your seated meal.
Wayfare Tavern - Option Two: Sequoia Lounge
Seats up to 18 guests, or 65 standing
Wayfare Tavern has gone through a lot of changes and renovations recently, including the reimagining of The Bartlett Room, which is now the new Sequoia Lounge. This semi-private space is meant to impress, with a large bar, and ample upholstered seating and leather chairs at the perimeter and along the huge windows. By default, the room includes two large tables, typically set end to end for a single long dining table. However, it's fully flexible; you can move the tables, bring in cocktail tables, upholstered benches, and other unique tables to customize for your reception. So if you're looking to accommodate a larger group with a mixture of seated and standing, more like a cocktail-style reception, that is absolutely achievable in the Sequoia Lounge.
Wayfare Tavern - Option Three: Juniper Dining Room
Seats up to 30 guests
Like all spaces inside Wayfare Tavern, the newly designed Juniper Dining Room offers flexible dining options for seated meals. However, there are no bar options in this space unlike the other private dining areas at Wayfare, making it not as popular for wedding receptions.
Wayfare Tavern - Option Four: Cellar Dining Room
Seats up to 30 guests
The semi-private Cellar Dining Room has a unique design, with newly installed wallpaper, carpet, and other features to create a lovely vibe perfect for small receptions. Plus, there is a view of the wine cellar which is a distinctive design aspect for your guests to enjoy.
Wayfare Tavern - Option Five: Barbary Room
Seats up to 50 guests
If your reception is on the larger size, and you want a seated meal, then the Barbary Room is the way to go at Wayfare Tavern. It seats up to 50, and includes a mounted screen if you'd like to include a video or photo slideshow during the reception. Like the Sequoia Lounge, they can bring in additional furniture to customize the space, including a pop-up bar option since there is no installed bar in this room.
A piece of history: Take a look at the old Sequoia Room at Jenny and Brian's reception after their SF City Hall wedding in 2019.
Wherever you choose to dine at Wayfare Tavern, you won't be disappointed. For a full look at all the options available, visit the private dining page of their website.
La Mar Cocina Peruana
Cuisine: Peruvian, Seafood-focused
Vibe: Vibrant, Colorful, Minimalist
La Mar Cocina Peruana is a popular option for SF City Hall wedding receptions. And it’s no wonder - groups are delighted by every aspect of this restaurant, from the history to the ambiance to the food itself. Chef Gaston uses authentic Peruvian cuisine to craft unique, colorful, fresh dishes that aim to please all of your senses. And every room of the restaurant, including all private dining spaces, are newly renovated.
La Mar is located in the historic Pier 1 ½ on the waterfront, with views of the San Francisco Bay. It’s an expansive building with multiple dining options for every group size. The Patio is the most popular choice, as it’s a heated area with removable tented sides. They love to host luncheons after city hall weddings, preferably with a start time of 11:30am or 1:30pm. Keep those times in mind when scheduling your civil ceremony.
La Mar - Option One: Meson del Chef (Chef's Table)
Seats up to 22 guests
The Chef’s Table is perfect for small groups, making it perfect for small SF City Hall receptions! This area is mostly private, in its own corner of the restaurant. While the seating isn’t flexible (it’s a single long table in the room), the meal is customizable, with four family-style menus to choose from. You’ll work with the staff and the chef to create a custom dining experience for your party.
La Mar - Option Two: Waterfront Patio
Group size: Flexible
La Mar's patio is fully customizable and can host parties of any size, up to 90 seated or 150 standing. For typical city hall reception luncheons, you could reserve a single large table. The patio is available year round, with heaters and electric panels to keep everyone comfortable.
When reserving, work with the staff to arrange the space in a way that fits your needs best, such as bringing in cocktail tables or their satellite bar. And take advantage of their preset lunch menu which is served family-style, making it more delightful and enjoyable experience for everyone.
La Mar - Option Three: Cebiche Lounge
Group size: 15-70
The Cebiche Lounge has high-top tables and a full bar, and is located in a partially-private space close to the main dining room and front entryway. Like the Patio, this lounge area has flexible options, including a cocktail party for up to 70 guests or a seated luncheon for at least 15 guests. La Mar offers passed appetizers, open bar packages, and beverages upon consumption to help you meet the food and beverage minimum.
La Mar - Option Four: La Mar Bar
Group size: Up to 90 guests
While this may not be a common option for SF City Hall receptions, we still have to mention this beautiful space! The La Mar Bar is a gorgeous area lined with huge windows that overlook the Embarcadero and downtown skyline. Like the other dining areas, in the La Mar Bar you can choose from flexible menu options, including passed appetizers, buffet stations, action stations, bar packages, and beverages. When reserving this space, the staff does place a welcome sign at the entrance to ensure that the space remains your own during your reserved time.
La Mar - Option Five: City Room
Seats up to 60 guests
While not a popular choice for SF City Hall receptions due to its more formal reception layout, this is still certainly an option if that's what you're looking for! This is a more typical wedding event space, with multiple round or rectangular tables, its own entryway and exit, a powder room, coat check, and A/V capabilities. It's also very well lit via the huge windows on one side of the space, making it great for wedding photos.
Tacolicious (Mission District)
Cuisine: Mexican, with a San Franciscan twist
Vibe: Simple, rustic
Tacolicious is well known for its catering of local events, including weddings. Who doesn’t love tacos?! Ashley and Malorie had Tacolicious cater their reception after their San Francisco City Hall wedding, and it was a huge hit.
Tacolicious has two locations, but only one of them - the Mission location on Valencia St - has private dining options.
To make things even simpler, and tastier, Tacolicious offers a fixed menu for your guests. When it comes to tacos, they know their stuff! Every lunch and dinner package has a few options to choose from, so get in touch with them to view current options.
Tacolicious - Option One: Private Room
Seats up to 50 guests
Tacolicious in the Mission District has a private dining room with a colorful, rustic vibe. The room accommodates larger groups, but can be customized for small groups in a semi-private space. You can also take advantage of their A/V equipment to play your own music, videos, and slideshows.
Tacolicious - Option Two: Enclosed Heated Patio
Seats up to 16 guests
Looking for a more intimate, casual option? You need to check out Tacolicious' enclosed heated patio that they offer to groups looking for an exclusive private area without the need for a full room like the private dining room.
Honorable mentions
These restaurants are excellent choices for your reception after your city hall wedding! Why didn't they make the cut? It's definitely not because they aren't superb restaurants; they either are too similar to others already listed, their hours aren't ideal, or they are more typically ideal for larger groups.
Waterfront & Seafood: Fog Harbor - another great seafood option, with beautiful views of the waterfront. It's ideal for large groups, as their private dining seats up to 60 people. Of course, there is always the option for small groups to reserve tables in the restaurant without the benefit of private dining. Bonus: when you book private dining, you get the use of a private bar, bathroom, and waterfront deck - all exclusively for your party.
Closest: Absinthe - walking distance from San Francisco City Hall, but closed Monday and Tuesday
Exciting: Merkado - super cool vibe, cuisine specific to Jalisco in Mexico - but closed Monday through Wednesday
Fine Casual: Ungrafted - They have an expansive wine list and impressive menu that offers something for everyone. They have flexible private and semi-private spaces for groups up to 30 people, but are closed on Mondays. The space is beautiful and well-lit, as you can see here from this recent wedding:
Historic: John’s Grill - the first restaurant to open after the 1906 SF earthquake. They have hosted numerous celebrities over the past century. The private dining room is very small, seating 14 at one long table or 20 at two round tables. It also lacks natural light which isn't ideal for wedding photos. (There is also a private dining option for 50-60 guests, which isn't a typical city hall reception size.)
Steakhouse: Harris' Restaurant - They offer three private dining rooms of different sizes to accommodate most groups sizes, including a small space with a single table seating up to 12 people. The lighting is a little more tricky (less natural light) than other options. But we did get some decent shots at a recent wedding in the Skylight Dining Room, Harris' largest private dining option:
Seafood: Scoma’s on Fisherman’s Wharf - Three private spaces to choose from. Excellent seafood sourced directly from the wharf. They pride themselves on being "pier to plate.” However, they are closed Monday through Wednesday.
Wine & Authentic Italian: North Beach Restaurant - Three private dining options that accommodate 8 people all the way up to 100. The Wine Cellar is a popular option for slightly larger groups (up to 50 or 70 seated guests). Only downside? It's closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and typically is only open for dinner. However, they do have luncheon options so if you have a ceremony planned Wednesday through Friday, you can book a lunch reception with them.
Fine Dining: Spruce - Looking for something more high end? You need to check out Spruce and their award-winning menu and expansive wine list. They have three private rooms that are perfect after most SF City Hall weddings: the Shiraga Room seats 12, the Library seats 18, and the Laurel Room seats 40. Bonus - they're open every day! The only downside is that it is a tiny bit more cramped than other options listed here, but is plenty spacious for an elevated dining experience.
Are We Missing Any SF Restaurants?
We hope this list helps guide you in your search for the perfect restaurant for your San Francisco City Hall wedding reception. If you know a restaurant that deserves to be on this list, please email rachael@redeyecollection.com.
And if you're ready to book your wedding photographer, find out if we are available on your wedding date.
View our SF City Hall Wedding Photography Portfolio
Read More: How to Get Married at SF City Hall - complete guide to every type of wedding at city hall
Read More: Ultimate Guide to Courthouse Weddings (Civil Ceremonies) at SF City Hall
Read More: Complete Guide to Fourth Floor (Private Ceremonies) at SF City Hall
Read More: Creating a Timeline for Your SF City Hall Wedding
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