Izzy’s on the Peninsula
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Izzy’s on the Peninsula: The Best Steakhouse in San Carlos
A Bay Area Tradition Since 1987
Izzy’s on the Peninsula is a second-generation, family-owned dining destination that has become a beloved neighborhood establishment since its flagship location opened in 1987.
Helmed by Executive Chef Vincent Castillo, Izzy’s dynamic menu celebrates traditional steakhouse fare, featuring fresh interpretations of the classics. You’ll find a selection of steaks & chops, local seafood, regional wines, and inventive cocktails.
Fresh off of a year-long renovation, Izzy’s showcases a new design inspired by our rich history; along with additional private dining spaces, a reimagined bar & lounge space, and a brand new garden for outdoor dining.
A San Francisco Legacy
Inspired by infamous bootlegger Izzy Gomez, and founded by famed restaurateur Sam DuVall, Izzy’s has been a Bay Area tradition since 1987. Gomez’ original saloon in San Francisco’s Barbary Coast was a rowdy spot for locals from all walks of life; where true hospitality was valued above all else.
Woven into the cultural fabric of the city, it was a place of alluring, illustrious lore and tradition.
The Izzy’s of today retains that same spirit; serving craveable food and drinks in a lively atmosphere. A convivial and dependable anchor for its community, Izzy’s welcomes all into its legacy – inviting loyal guests and new folks to dine with its history every day.
Here, stories are created and memories relived.
More About Izzy Gomez
Isadore “Izzy” Gomez was a Portuguese immigrant, chef and restaurateur San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.
Gomez left his home in Portugal when he was 18 and made his way to San Francisco. According to his obituary, he arrived in the city penniless, and “friends said his unrecorded charities had kept him that way”. He landed his first job as a “swamper” in a local gin-joint on the infamous Barbary Coast.
He managed to save enough to buy a small bar at 848 Pacific Avenue.
During Prohibition, with his Isadore Gomez’ Café, Gomez became known as the city’s most beloved violator of the Volstead Act. In 1933, he served a 30-day jail term for bootlegging. Ten years later, in February 1943, Gomez received a presidential pardon.
He was recognized by LIFE magazine as one of San Francisco’s more colorful characters.
One of Gomez’s great fans was the Armenian-American writer William Saroyan. His famous play The Time of Your Life is about Gomez and is set at Izzy’s saloon. Saroyan wrote in his journals that Gomez’s place was downtown, “not far from the old Montgomery block, across from the firehouse at First and Pacific”. He went on to write:
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“Izzy Gomez’s was something else. Unique. Sui generis. It really was as portrayed in The Time of Your Life, except that it was also a hangout for hard-boiled, sophisticated newspapermen…They gave the place a rowdy, slightly underworld character of half-suppressed brawl…For meals, Izzy served thick, luscious steaks, french fries, and salads. He gave a considerable number of meals and liquor out free, not just to starving artists, but to people he liked.”
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Izzy’s saloon was demolished in 1952. Today, Izzy’s Steaks & Chops honors his legacy and continues to enrich the great city of San Francisco with the same passion.
Resources
From Izzy’s on the Peninsula Official Website
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Top Reviews
FoodGal.com |
After a 7-month renovation, the venerable, 20-year-old Izzy’s on the Peninsula has reopened this month with an clubby, sophisticated look befitting a beloved steakhouse, plus a more expansive menu to satisfy wide-ranging appetites, and a new outdoor dining patio (set to open sometime in February).
When I was invited to dine as a guest of the restaurant last week, it had been open less than two weeks, and was already packed with diners — on a Tuesday night no less.
The family-owned, 7,500-square-foot restaurant, not far from the San Carlos Airport, is an institution that was opened by restaurateur Sam Duvall after he opened the original Izzy’s Steakhouse in San Francisco in 1987. That flagship is also undergoing renovations, including the addition of a new parklet, and is expected to reopen this summer.
Daughter Samantha Duvall Bechtel became the CEO of the restaurant group after her father passed away in 2020. He had named the restaurant for the bootlegger Isadore “Izzy” Gomez, a Portuguese immigrant, chef, and San Francisco North Beach restaurateur who infamously was jailed for 30 days after violating Prohibition, but was later pardoned.
The restaurant proudly carries not only his name, but his likeness on its silhouette logo. Maybe it’s just me, but it sure sports more than a passing resemblance to Marlon Brando in “The Godfather.”
The restaurant has two dining rooms: the front one done up with tables set with little lamps and moss-colored chairs, and the bar-lounge with a bold checkerboard floor, plush sofas, and intimate booths with towering backs for utmost privacy.
Chef Vincent Castillo, who hails from the shuttered Ruth’s Chris Steak House in San Francisco, oversees the menu, which sources steaks and chops from Creekstone Farms. In the weeks to come, look for dry-aged prime beef from Flannery Beef to be added as nightly specials.
Even after opening not long ago, service is spot-on. Whenever we inquired what was in a marinade or a sauce, our server immediately ran down the list of ingredients without having to back-pedal to the kitchen for the information.
In an era of over-the-top, wallet-busting steakhouses, Izzy’s surprises with its relatively more moderate prices. Portions are generous, too.
Bread and butter are extra here ($6) but encompass two different types of crusty bread along with “umami” butter, which gets its deep savoriness from ground dried porcini, as well as garlic and parsley.
French Dip Sliders ($25) are a fun way to get a red meat fix without making a big commitment. They come three to an order. Rosy, thinly sliced, tender prime rib is snuggled inside golden, house-made buns along with horseradish cream, and caramelized onions. A small pitcher of au jus is poured into a saucer at the table, all the better to dunk the sliders into.
The fritto misto ($19) brings a nice mix of calamari rings and tentacles, along with green olives, fennel, thinly sliced lemons, and green beans that turn especially sweet tasting, all lightly breaded and fried until wonderfully crisp. A creamy, tangy remoulade comes with to dip into.
The wedge salad ($16) is not actually a wedge of iceberg, but a half head sliced across its equator, then topped liberally with bacon bits, cherry tomatoes, crumbles of Pt. Reyes blue cheese, and crisp onion strings. The lettuce is cold and crisp, providing the perfect foil to stand up to all those garnishes. It’s a salad that can easily be shared by two, too.
The 8-ounce skirt steak ($38) gets super flavorful from the house marinade of soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, and red and white wine.
The whole Snake River trout ($34) comes deboned and butterflied to the table, making for easy eating. A touch of paprika and fried capers dot the top, with the skin crisp and the flesh moist. A Meyer lemon butter sauce comes on the side. It’s delicious, but the fish is so tasty on its own, you might not need it.
Sides are extra at $9 each. The loaded baked potato comes hidden underneath an avalanche of sour cream, chives, and bacon bits. The mac and cheese is creamy and peppery in a sauce that’s thankfully not gloppy in the least, but very velvety.
Desserts are all $14. Don’t pass up the glazed crullers that are fried to order. Four warm ones arrive to the table glossy in a vanilla glaze with lemon zest. They’re not as puffy and hefty as those from your neighborhood donut shop, but more compact along the lines of a circular churro. They are plentiful with crispy edges all over and an airy, light texture inside.
The managers say the aim of Izzy’s is to be a place where patrons can afford to come more often than a once-in-a-blue-moon occasion. With prices and service like this already, they’re already well on their way to accomplishing that.
Elinor G. | Yelp
My husband and I went the other night and the place looks remarkable! They truly did a fantastic job with the remodel. The bar is gorgeous and the drinks are tasty.
I got the filet mignon and it was cooked to perfection and the creamed spinach didn’t disappoint! Our waiter was incredibly attentive and the whole dining experience was a delight.
I’m looking forward to going back again soon!
Jessica D. | Yelp
This place is such a gem. They reopened on January 10 and I just have to say wow, the interior and exterior got a complete makeover and it’s stunning. It still had the Izzy’s charm but much more updated.
I believe our server was Lenny, he was very prompt and attentive. So friendly and always checked on us. I was pleasantly surprised because I thought on re-opening night service would be slow, but it was amazing!
I honestly would not change anything about this meal. We had
- Bread and Butter Service
- Crab Hush Puppies
- Blackened NY Steak
- Blackened Fillet Mignon
- Mac and Cheese
- Broccoli
- Crullers for Dessert
- Aperitivo Tropicale (mocktails for dry January!)
Everything was insanely good. The mocktails were great, can’t wait to come back for a cocktail. I loved the umami butter with the fresh warm bread.
The crab hush puppies are a MUST order, the dipping sauce was insanely good and they’re packed with crab. The steaks were a perfect medium rare, definitely try them blackened.
The sides were excellent, very creamy Mac and cheese and a slightly spicy, slightly salty broccoli. Everything was cooked to perfection. The donuts come out fresh and warm, they are also a must try.
Great reopening and happy to see this place back on the peninsula!
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