Woods Beer & Wine Co. is taking a big swing at Fisherman’s Wharf, with plans for a waterfront taproom inside the long-vacant Fishermen’s Grotto space at 2875 Taylor Street. The pop-up will span roughly 2,000 square feet and is slated to arrive late this summer, aiming to pull the Wharf’s drinking scene a bit closer to the locals who actually live here.
According to CoStar, Woods has leased about 2,000 square feet at 2875 Taylor Street, the former Fishermen’s Grotto address, in a building owned by the city. CoStar reports that this will be the company’s first spot located directly on the waterfront.
The Port Commission recently signed off on a short-term lease that is crafted to get the doors open quickly rather than bankroll a full makeover, SFGATE reported. Under the deal, Woods will skip a fixed base rent and instead hand over a slice of gross sales, about 10% in summer and 8% in winter, plus a $1,000 monthly reimbursement for utilities. The company told the outlet it is aiming for an August or September debut, with Woods saying, “We’re mainly going to be using the space as is.”
The space has sat empty since Fishermen’s Grotto closed in March 2020, and the Port later moved to evict the restaurant after it racked up more than $300,000 in unpaid rent, The SF Standard reported. The outlet notes that the Port is betting that temporary activations like this Woods pop-up can help drum up longer-term interest in neglected waterfront storefronts.
What They'll Serve and Where
Woods plans to pour beer, wine and cocktails under a Type 47 liquor license. Outdoor seating is planned on the new public plaza next door, and the team expects to run food from a trailer kitchen beside the taproom to keep the whole setup light on its feet. Company representatives describe the Wharf venture as a long-term pop-up rather than a full-scale, permanent redo of the historic space.
What This Means for the Wharf
Local boosters see the Woods arrival as part of a modest push to give Fisherman’s Wharf something more than souvenir shops and standard tourist fare. SFGATE points to other recent and upcoming openings in the area, including a brewery at Pier 39 and several chain and regional players, that could shift the balance between out-of-towners and neighborhood regulars. Whether that shift sticks will hinge on whether operators manage to make the Wharf feel like neutral ground for San Franciscans, not just a photo op for visitors.
Woods' Local Footprint
Woods started in San Francisco and now runs several neighborhood taprooms across the Bay Area. Woods Beer & Wine Co. has leaned on collaborations and short-run food partners at its other spots, a formula the company appears ready to repeat at the Wharf pop-up.
If the experiment lands well with both locals and tourists, the Port could look at similar short-term leases to wake up other dormant spaces along the waterfront. For now, San Franciscans can tentatively circle late summer for Woods’ beers, wines and cocktails to start flowing at the Wharf, assuming renovation work and licensing stay on track.
