170:
that, in 1935, Carlesso and one of his waiters, an immigrant named
Ambrogio Gotti, bought the building. The building had been the site of one of the more notorious landmarks of the Barbary Coast, the 'Frisco Dance Hall, and some of its elements remained. Carlesso died in 1946. Gotti retired in 1947, selling his share to his two sons, Roland and Victor, who had been working as busboys. Only 21 and 25 years old when they became sole owners, the two brothers continued in that role for the next 48 years.
117:-like decor, with plush red wallpaper, heavy drapes, white linen and formal waiters in black tuxedos. Writing in 1979, gastronome Roy Andries de Groot called it "unquestionably the most elegant, famous, finest, and luxurious restaurant in San Francisco and is probably among the three or four greatest truly American restaurants in the country" that "can provide dinners of supreme elegance and luxury".
179:
walls covered with maroon
Scalamandre silk brocade, the banquettes and chairs in red, the carpets in burgundy, the furniture, antique pieces from some of the great mansions of San Francisco. The ambiance was that loud, supremely elegant in which the wealthiest nabobs of a hundred years ago might have met the grandest ladies of the night.
169:
that had been known throughout the world since the 1850s for its brothels, saloons, opium dens, gambling and dance halls, and restaurants with discreet private dining rooms upstairs where additional services could be provided. The restaurant serving traditional
American-Italian food was so successful
178:
The first thing they did was to clean up and move the famous long mahogany bar, with its intricate, stained-glass back, to the front of the restaurant. It was the last remaining relic of the 'Frisco Dance Hall. The main dining rooms were decorated with magnificent
Victorian crystal chandeliers, the
224:
In 1993, with new chef Craig Thomas in the kitchen, Zagat was giving it 22 for cuisine and 25 for both decor and service. Although the latter-day Ernie's launched the careers of celebrated local chefs such as Jacky Robert and Alain
Rondelli, its efforts to adapt to a changing world were not enough
173:
Sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s, the brothers replaced the old red checkerboard tablecloth-type decor with a completely rebuilt interior. The exterior signage was reduced to a single 2 foot square brass plate beside the door with a script "E". The message was clear; they were not looking
213:
in 1986, "perhaps because Ernie's serves so many tourists they feel they can play-act their way through a meal. In this tricky business climate when expensive formal restaurants are fading in popularity, the owners of Ernie's would do well to reevaluate their attitude toward their customers." By
206:
By the 1980s, tastes in food and decor had changed, and Ernie's was forced to renovate. The menu was lightened, the red silk wallpaper was replaced by yellow silk, the old bar was moved, and new chefs were hired. The transformation was not completely successful. "Ernie's is a parody of a fine
220:
was calling Ernie's "a fading North Beach flower reincarnated as a stylish, elegant French restaurant", with only 21 points out of a possible 30 for its cuisine, 22 for its decor and 21 for its service, unimpressive scores for so expensive a restaurant. It noted, however, that "gone are the
371:, "The Finest Regional Dish in America", pages 238–245. De Groot was a Dutch-born gourmet and bon vivant who wrote about food and drink for many years after World War II in a variety of magazines and newspapers as well as writing several books.
120:
When it closed in 1995, it was one of the few remaining restaurants of the kind that had once epitomized the celebrated San
Francisco dining scene. Among the others, some even older and nearly as well-known, were the
439:
350:
There are a number of minor discrepancies between the various sourced references about such details as the exact year the building was purchased, for instance, or when the interior was first redone.
130:
146:
503:
187:
appeared on the menu along with
Chicken in Champagne, and by the early 1960s, Ernie's received the first of 32 consecutive annual five-star awards from the
443:
1105:
1130:
134:
108:
area of the city. In the 1950s, it became known as a luxurious restaurant serving mostly traditional French cuisine. The interior had
Victorian or
1100:
1125:
1110:
452:
307:
138:
1095:
1120:
1080:
496:
161:
Ernie's first chef and owner was Ernie
Carlesso. At the time it was called Ernie's Il Travatore. Located at 847 Montgomery Street near
1085:
1090:
411:. One of the earliest of the now-famous restaurant guides whose ratings of the restaurants are generated by readers' comments.
1115:
489:
272:
According, at least to De Groot, who is, however, careful to say that Gotti's sons always denied the assertion, page 241
422:
408:
390:
368:
687:
153:, though none ever enjoyed the reputation for decadent, even illicit, pleasures that many of the others purveyed.
911:
888:
843:
921:
174:
for walk-in traffic. Their goal, says De Groot, was to "make it the most beautiful restaurant in the world".
873:
828:
162:
105:
417:, edited by Anthony Dias Blue, Jack R. Weiner, and Eric Wald, Coordinators, Zagat Survey, New York, 1992,
858:
916:
783:
732:
577:
813:
95:
906:
662:
572:
1019:
209:
863:
557:
141:. All are now gone, and only a few vestiges of the 19th century still remain in San Francisco:
122:
692:
627:
308:"Ernie's Restaurant Saying Good-by / It served classic and classy food in S.F. for 61 years"
853:
823:
818:
126:
263:
Some sources give his first name as "Ambrose", the translation from the
Italian "Ambrogio"
8:
677:
667:
647:
537:
672:
435:
878:
773:
652:
189:
166:
1004:
969:
848:
838:
798:
707:
697:
657:
597:
552:
418:
404:
386:
364:
281:
Some sources say Gotti had become a full partner of Carlesso in 1934, others say 1939
184:
1034:
999:
994:
562:
527:
194:
403:, edited by Anthony Dias Blue and Edwin J. Schwarz, Zagat Survey, New York, 1988,
110:
1024:
974:
959:
954:
793:
737:
722:
632:
602:
582:
150:
1049:
949:
622:
481:
199:
1054:
385:, by Patrica Unterman and Stan Stesser, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1986,
1074:
984:
833:
788:
642:
592:
567:
542:
513:
467:
454:
1039:
1029:
1009:
989:
944:
939:
883:
868:
803:
742:
712:
547:
216:
142:
757:
1014:
979:
778:
637:
612:
431:
1059:
1044:
964:
727:
702:
587:
532:
104:
around the turn of the 20th century. It was located near the notorious
752:
747:
617:
393:, a collection of reviews by the regular restaurant reviewers of the
100:
114:
607:
717:
682:
363:, by Roy Andries de Groot, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1986,
377:
A Collection of the Best Food Writing of Roy Andries de Groot
440:
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
225:
and, on September 30, 1995, Ernie's closed permanently.
241:
De Groot, in an unnamed newspaper article reprinted in
415:
1993 Zagat San Francisco Bay Area Restaurant Survey
401:
1989 Zagat San Francisco Bay Area Restaurant Survey
1072:
511:
305:
301:
299:
497:
165:, it was on the edge of the Barbary Coast, a
430:This article incorporates material from the
221:bordello-like setting and snooty service".
98:. It began as a modest family-style Italian
296:
504:
490:
425:. Annual update to the earlier-cited book.
1106:American companies disestablished in 1995
1131:Defunct French restaurants in California
289:
287:
306:Steve Rubenstein (September 29, 1995).
1101:American companies established in 1900
1073:
203:featured three scenes set in Ernie's.
16:Former restaurant in San Francisco, CA
485:
284:
1126:1995 disestablishments in California
1111:Defunct restaurants in San Francisco
13:
1096:Restaurants disestablished in 1995
14:
1142:
1121:1900 establishments in California
1081:Italian restaurants in California
1086:French restaurants in California
94:(1900–1995) was a restaurant in
1091:Restaurants established in 1900
889:Washington Square Bar and Grill
438:", which is licensed under the
336:
327:
324:Unterman and Stesser, page 60.
318:
275:
266:
257:
248:
235:
1:
874:San Francisco Brewing Company
844:Masa's Wine Bar & Kitchen
373:In Search of the Perfect Meal
361:In Search of the Perfect Meal
354:
243:In Search of the Perfect Meal
1116:Barbary Coast, San Francisco
383:Restaurants of San Francisco
7:
10:
1147:
829:Joe's Cable Car Restaurant
156:
930:
897:
766:
520:
183:French chefs were hired,
96:San Francisco, California
81:
73:
65:
54:
46:
38:
30:
26:
21:
228:
784:Bernstein's Fish Grotto
733:Tony's Pizza Napoletana
395:San Francisco Chronicle
312:San Francisco Chronicle
210:San Francisco Chronicle
864:Poodle Dog Restaurants
468:37.79698°N 122.40373°W
207:restaurant," said the
181:
123:Poodle Dog Restaurants
693:State Bird Provisions
663:Patxi's Chicago Pizza
254:Some sources say 1934
176:
688:Sons & Daughters
473:37.79698; -122.40373
342:Zagat, 1993, page 42
333:Zagat, 1989, page 42
197:'s classic thriller
464: /
653:The Old Clam House
442:but not under the
293:De Groot, page 242
190:Mobil Travel Guide
167:red light district
1068:
1067:
1005:Thomas McNaughton
970:Traci Des Jardins
824:Jack's Restaurant
799:The Cobweb Palace
708:Swan Oyster Depot
698:The Stinking Rose
598:Greens Restaurant
89:
88:
1138:
1035:Michelle Polzine
1020:Daniel Patterson
1000:George Mardikian
933:in San Francisco
912:Mission District
673:Round House Café
563:Buena Vista Cafe
506:
499:
492:
483:
482:
479:
478:
476:
475:
474:
469:
465:
462:
461:
460:
457:
343:
340:
334:
331:
325:
322:
316:
315:
303:
294:
291:
282:
279:
273:
270:
264:
261:
255:
252:
246:
239:
195:Alfred Hitchcock
58:
33:
19:
18:
1146:
1145:
1141:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1136:
1135:
1071:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1025:Melissa Perello
975:Joyce Goldstein
960:Dominique Crenn
955:Chris Cosentino
932:
926:
922:South of Market
899:
898:Restaurant rows
893:
762:
738:Top of the Mark
723:Teatro ZinZanni
583:Comstock Saloon
516:
512:Restaurants in
510:
472:
470:
466:
463:
458:
455:
453:
451:
450:
357:
347:
346:
341:
337:
332:
328:
323:
319:
304:
297:
292:
285:
280:
276:
271:
267:
262:
258:
253:
249:
240:
236:
231:
159:
56:
31:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1144:
1134:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1066:
1065:
1063:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1050:Jeremiah Tower
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
950:Cecilia Chiang
947:
942:
936:
934:
928:
927:
925:
924:
919:
914:
909:
903:
901:
895:
894:
892:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
859:Pasta Pomodoro
856:
851:
849:Mel's Drive-In
846:
841:
839:Maxwell's Plum
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
770:
768:
764:
763:
761:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
665:
660:
658:Original Joe's
655:
650:
645:
640:
635:
630:
625:
623:Liguria Bakery
620:
615:
610:
605:
600:
595:
590:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
560:
555:
550:
545:
540:
535:
530:
524:
522:
518:
517:
509:
508:
501:
494:
486:
427:
426:
412:
398:
380:
356:
353:
352:
351:
345:
344:
335:
326:
317:
295:
283:
274:
265:
256:
247:
233:
232:
230:
227:
185:crêpes Suzette
163:Jackson Square
158:
155:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
67:
63:
62:
61:Ernie Carlesso
59:
52:
51:
48:
44:
43:
40:
36:
35:
28:
27:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1143:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
985:Tanya Holland
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
937:
935:
929:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
904:
902:
900:and districts
896:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
834:The Magic Pan
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
789:Black Cat Bar
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
771:
769:
765:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
593:Extreme Pizza
591:
589:
586:
584:
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
568:Caffe Trieste
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
549:
546:
544:
543:Atelier Crenn
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
525:
523:
519:
515:
514:San Francisco
507:
502:
500:
495:
493:
488:
487:
484:
480:
477:
448:
447:
445:
441:
437:
433:
424:
423:0-943421-79-9
420:
416:
413:
410:
409:0-943421-12-8
406:
402:
399:
396:
392:
391:0-87701-378-0
388:
384:
381:
378:
375:is subtitled
374:
370:
369:0-312-41131-6
366:
362:
359:
358:
349:
348:
339:
330:
321:
313:
309:
302:
300:
290:
288:
278:
269:
260:
251:
244:
238:
234:
226:
222:
219:
218:
212:
211:
204:
202:
201:
196:
192:
191:
186:
180:
175:
171:
168:
164:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
118:
116:
113:
112:
111:fin-de-siècle
107:
106:Barbary Coast
103:
102:
97:
93:
85:United States
84:
80:
76:
72:
69:San Francisco
68:
64:
60:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
29:
25:
20:
1040:Judy Rodgers
1030:Charles Phan
1010:Michael Mina
990:Melissa King
945:Danny Bowien
940:Mario Batali
869:Rose Pistola
814:Fleur de Lys
808:
804:Doggie Diner
794:Castagnola's
743:Vesuvio Cafe
713:Tadich Grill
633:Mister Jiu's
603:John's Grill
548:Beach Chalet
449:
429:
428:
414:
400:
394:
382:
376:
372:
360:
338:
329:
320:
311:
277:
268:
259:
250:
242:
237:
223:
217:Zagat Survey
215:
208:
205:
198:
188:
182:
177:
172:
160:
151:John's Grill
143:Tadich Grill
135:A. Sabella's
131:The Blue Fox
119:
109:
99:
91:
90:
1055:René Verdon
1015:Nancy Oakes
980:Reed Hearon
931:Noted chefs
917:North Beach
638:Mixt Greens
613:La Taqueria
578:Cliff House
573:Californios
471: /
459:122°24′13″W
432:Citizendium
193:. In 1958,
39:Established
34:information
1075:Categories
1060:Martin Yan
1045:Ron Siegel
965:Gary Danko
728:Tonga Room
703:Sushirrito
643:Molinari's
588:DNA Lounge
533:Acquerello
456:37°47′49″N
355:References
245:, page 241
214:1989, the
77:California
32:Restaurant
995:Corey Lee
907:Chinatown
884:Swensen's
758:Zuni Café
753:Yank Sing
748:Wise Sons
618:Lazy Bear
558:Boulevard
434:article "
101:trattoria
55:Previous
779:Alioto's
628:Mandalay
139:Amelio's
115:bordello
57:owner(s)
854:Paragon
819:In Situ
809:Ernie's
767:Defunct
718:Tartine
521:Current
436:Ernie's
200:Vertigo
157:History
92:Ernie's
82:Country
22:Ernie's
683:Sam Wo
678:Saison
668:Quince
648:Mourad
538:Angler
421:
407:
389:
367:
127:Jack's
47:Closed
879:Stars
774:Aatxe
608:Jū-Ni
229:Notes
147:Sam's
74:State
553:Benu
444:GFDL
419:ISBN
405:ISBN
387:ISBN
365:ISBN
149:and
137:and
66:City
50:1995
42:1900
528:A16
1077::
310:.
298:^
286:^
145:,
133:,
129:,
125:,
505:e
498:t
491:v
446:.
397:.
379:.
314:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.