Fisherman's Wharf is getting a new restaurant in a long-vacant space
Port commissioners voted unanimously to offer a lease to Salvadoran restaurant Chasca Rio for the space at 340 Jefferson St., formerly seafood restaurant Pompei's Grotto. The space had been inactive since 2021.
A panel approved the new restaurant over a proposed pizzeria. It will be run by 340 Jefferson Street Partners, an LLC operated by Lou Giraudo, Chris McGarrry and Seth Hamalian. Giraudo, formerly the owner of Boudin Bakery, now run by his son, is also behind a development group with ambitious plans to revitalize the wharf.
A sample menu for Chasca Rio includes tamales, pupusas, tostones and empanadas, as well as caldo de res, a beef soup, and casamiento, or Salvadoran beans and rice.
The lease terms are for 10 years with a base rent of $10,395 a month, with gross revenues over base rent of 5.5%. The port is contributing $470,000 as a tenant improvement allowance. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors must now approve the lease before the restaurant can move forward.
Chris McGarry told the Port Commission at a meeting that the space is in good shape, and believes they can open by the time the lease is executed. The new restaurant's operators must still secure a liquor license.
At the meeting, Port Commissioner Steven Lee expressed his support for the new tenant — and the need for haste. 'That area really needs them to get going,' he said.
In a statement to the Chronicle, partner Seth Hamalian said the team was 'moving with urgency' on the project. 'We're investing now, to eliminate vacancies and bring new businesses to the Wharf while protecting and celebrating the heritage of Fisherman's Wharf.'
In February, the Port Commission approved granting a lease to southern barbecue restaurant Everett & Jones for a nearby space at 300 Jefferson St., formerly Lou's Fish Shack. The lease terms were also for 10 years, plus two possible five-year extensions.
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