The San Francisco Prime Rib Restaurant Anthony Bourdain Called A 'Temple Of Old-School Meat'

Despite calling Los Angeles "My Own Heart of Darkness" in one episode of "A Cook's Tour," outspoken omnivore Anthony Bourdain still found much to love in other parts of California's food scene — namely, on the meat front. He was an enthusiastic In-N-Out Burger fan, and on the fancier side, he favored another meat-centric San Francisco institution. Introducing: House of Prime Rib.

Bourdain visited San Francisco in all four of his shows, and in one episode of "No Reservations," he pays a visit to House of Prime Rib, which he calls "a temple of old-school meat" and "the foggy, blood-flecked nexus of food and poetry." This popular, traditional, English-style steakhouse is known for prime rib and martinis (which, notably, were one of Bourdain's favorite drinks). Also on the fairly-limited menu are classic steakhouse accompaniments like creamed spinach, baked or mashed potatoes, tossed salad, and Yorkshire pudding ("my favorite," says Bourdain).

Per the restaurant's official website, all of the beef is hand-selected by the chef himself (only "the top 2% of all beef marketed"), then meticulously aged for 21 days, and carved tableside to-order from specially-built, dome-topped carts. Indeed, Bourdain called these unique steel carving carts a "giant Zeppelin — this Hindenburg of intercontinental ballistic meat delivery systems" from which beef emerges. Apparently, all of the restaurant's attention to detail is well worth the payoff. As Bourdain put it, "This the greatest place in the universe. It's hope for the future. Here in the Heart of Darkness — life! Light!"

Serving the community since 1949, House of Prime Rib resides at 1906 Van Ness Avenue – and you can tell it's been there for a while. Intimate yet upscale, the English club interior is adorned with dark wooden accents, chandeliers, leather banquettes, and a fireplace. Painting the scene, Bourdain observes, "The aroma of roasted beef hangs heavy in the air. More than a drop or two of premium gin contributes to [a] comforting red haze — the tinted lens through which everything looks beautiful, and happy." As per Bourdain, it's a San Francisco landmark that's "fantastically stuck in time." Still, this permeating old-fashioned quality has apparently done nothing to impede House of Prime Rib's popularity. 

In the episode, the restaurant's dining room was crowded and loud. Today, House of Prime Rib boasts an impressive 4.2 out of 5 stars on Yelp. The "$$$$" restaurant is open for dinner service only, meaning limited hours and reservations highly recommended (months in advance if possible, per Yelp reviewers). One customer raves, "Best Prime Rib ever. This meal was an absolute wonderful experience. We all felt fortunate to get a reservation." 

A meal at House of Prime Rib is all about a slow, leisurely dining experience with massive portions of expertly-cooked meat surrounded by old-school digs. As Bourdain waxes, "A big, bleeding, just-right slab of prime rib [...] This is the American dream, right here. Right here. All the good, all the bad, all the beautiful, all of the glories and vulnerabilities."