Note this visit and article were written before the 2014 remodel
When you think of the quintessential San Francisco dining experience, some may think of eating sourdough and crab at Fisherman’s Wharf, a burrito in The Mission, or pasta in North Beach… The Dames love those, too, but our dream dining experience would be Ernie’s, and all of us dressed like Kim Novak in Vertigo.
Alas, Ernie’s is long gone, closing its doors in 1995. (And we don’t have green satin ballgowns, anyway. Well, most of us don’t.) So instead we decided on the next best place to honor Vertigo and old San Francisco: The Big 4 Restaurant atop Nob Hill in The Huntington Hotel, across the Huntington Square Park from the famous Brocklebank apartments where Madeleine lived in the film.
Though it was not around in Vertigo days (opened in 1976), it has the feel of old school restaurants where Hitchcock would feel right at home. Dark wood paneling, green leather banquettes, photos of old San Francisco, chandeliers, and pristine white tablecloths made us feel like we were stepping back into an earlier time. Walking through the stately doors (which if you blink you miss them, hidden in the ivy), you are greeted by not only the genteel maître d’, but the portraits of The Big 4 themselves: Collis P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford and Mark Hopkins, The City’s richest and most powerful men for which the restaurant is named.
We first sat in the bar and had cocktails (most of us ordered our usual Champagne Cocktails, though Manhattans were ordered as well!), and talked to other patrons who took our photos. Though we think it’s normal, I suppose a group of women dressed in gray suits (our nod to Miss Novak) is a little out of the ordinary. And then we heard some distressing news – The Big 4 would be closing soon for “renovations” – never a good sign, especially when talking about classic restaurants we love.
Soon we were seated – it was a Sunday night so it was fairly empty and quiet. We Dames can get a little raucous (and have even been “shushed”!), but the restaurant had that lovely hush (maybe those white tablecloths soak up the noise?), and the waitress was terrific, patient and proficient with the GIANT peppermill. We had appetizers – oxtail soup, wedge salad (a very elegant wedge salad, I might add!), the hallmark spinach, and a bevy of breadsticks (which may or may not have been used as drumsticks for a brief moment and photo op).
The entrees were delicious. It was hard to choose from their winter menu, which included everything from seared ahi, risotto, steak, chicken breast, pork chops and even buffalo! Their most famous classic dish is chicken pot pie, though none of The Dames opted for that. They also have beautiful fluted mashed potatoes, which I could have eaten an entire bowl.
And of course we could not skip desserts! Since we are delicate flowers (ha), we order a few of them and share. We tried the Big 4 Bread Pudding and the Petit Gateau (mais bien sur), and scraped them clean.
But the icing on the gateaux was that after dinner, we were invited to poke around, and the maitre d gave us a private tour of the back room with a historic and giant panoramic photo of Nob Hill pre-1906 earthquake, and gorgeous stained glass and historical documents. It was fabulous!
We were sad to leave, worried that with the “renovation” it would be gone for good. But it has since reopened, and a very credible source claims that it has stayed pretty much the same (maybe new carpet?), though it looks like the menu has been changed a bit. We have not been back to investigate (yet), but it looks good, and we’re so glad it’s still there! Dining at The Big 4 is truly a wonderful and iconic San Francisco experience. But be warned – it ain’t cheap, and it is dressy so be prepared. Maybe not green ballgown dressy, but Kim Novak would look very at home there!
Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 4 Dames forks
Service – 5 Dames forks
Food – 5 Dames forks
Cocktails – 5 Dames forks
Dessert – 5 Dames forks
The Big 4 Restaurant
The Scarlet Huntington
1075 California St
San Francisco, CA 94108
Tadich Grill, opened 1849. 
Located on Lombard Street, La Barca has been slinging “traditional” Mexican food since 1962. Stepping inside, the decor had many fun vintage “South of the Border” touches including a large wrought-iron light fixture and fences and photos of celeb diners like Liza Minnelli and Richard Dawson.
charming host and seated at a large round table— our preferred table style!
salty crisp homemade chips.
Dames aux Gateaux 