In 2023, news of the iconic Cliff House reopening in San Francisco was met with many eager San Franciscans, overjoyed at the prospect of the historic restaurant’s return after closing in 2020. Later, in 2024, the leaseholders, Sutro Lands End Partners, announced that the opening would be delayed until 2025 due to the property needing major renovations and unexpected repairs that would total $10 million.
Now, as we near the end of 2025, many San Franciscans are wondering when the iconic building will reopen, and we finally have some exciting news. According to SF Gate, Sutro Lands End Partners hope to open the lower level of the building on the street is set to open by next summer. The firm also stated that San Franciscans can expect scaffolding and fencing around the building to appear soon as part of the project.
This isn’t the only good news. When Sutro Lands Ends Partners were awarded the lease to the iconic building, it was unclear whether they would be able to use the name “Cliff House,” as it belonged to previous owners, the Hountalas family. Now, Nicole Meldahl, the executive director of the Western Neighborhoods Project, has announced that the Hountalas family has donated the name and other trademarked material to the Western Neighborhoods Project. Notably, this includes the iconic “Cliff House” sign and even recipes. The Western Neighborhoods Project is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving San Francisco’s history. According to SF Gate, Western Neighborhoods Project and Sutro Lands End Partners plan to discuss a partnership regarding the licensing soon.
The Cliff House that San Francisco knows today is actually the third building under its name. The original Cliff House was built in 1863 as a resort for wealthy travelers. Unfortunately, the building burnt down in 1894, which led the owner, Adolph Sutro, to build a second one. The second iteration, now known as the Victorian Cliff House, opened in 1896 and subsequently burned down in 1907. Finally, the current Cliff House was built in 1909, and was an iconic restaurant and destination for locals and tourists alike for decades before its closure in 2020.