San Francisco landmark restaurant, the Cliff House, announced its pending closure on Sunday, and reader reactions have poured in. ©2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Cliff House is perched on the cliffs just north of Ocean beach in San Francisco. The dispute between the deposed proprietors of San Francisco’s historic Cliff House and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area unit of the … SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House restaurant that has served tourists and locals from atop a hill overlooking the … SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco's iconic Cliff House restaurant that has served tourists and locals for more than a century from atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean is closing its doors at the end of the year.Dan and Mary Hountalas, the restaurant's proprietors since 1973, said in a post Sunday on the restaurant's website they are closing Dec. 31 because of losses Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle 2011 31 of 35 WHATS15_031_LH.JPG Sutro's, a … Realistically we are looking at two to three years of a closed facility. Photograph: Buyenlarge/Getty Images “When Louis’ closed, I … San Francisco's Cliff House, the iconic restaurant that has overlooked the Pacific Ocean at the north end of … We have continued to uphold our responsibility throughout 2020 even though we have been unable to operate since March 17th. The announcement of the permanent closure was posted Sunday by Cliff House’s longtime owners, Dan and Mary Hountalas, on the restaurant’s website. This is certainly not the way to thank us, a local small business owned and operated by native San Franciscans, for taking care of this San Francisco treasure this past year at a significant financial loss. As we all know the unprecedented situation brought on by the Covid-19 Pandemic has decimated the restaurant industry. Our 20-year concession contract expired on June 30, 2018; by that time, the National Park Service (NPS) should have selected an operator on a long-term basis to ensure the continued operation of this national treasure. Lost forever and with it an important part of San Francisco history. “If one tires of the drudgeries and scenes of the city, and would breathe the fresh air of the sea, let him take the cars and omnibuses, or, better still,a buggy and pleasant steed, and, ere, the sea breeze sets in, glide out to the Cliff House…”the San Francisco Daily Morning Call – June 25, 1864 We attempted to work with them to find a way to move forward given the challenges everyone continues to face during the pandemic. Please address comments to:General Superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, California 94123, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, NPS Forces the Cliff House to Close Its Doors Permanently. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The Cliff House restaurant, which first opened 157 years ago, announced Sunday that the restaurant will close permanently on Dec. 31, a … Sutro's at the Cliff House — 1090 Point Lobos Ave. San Francisco, CA — (415) 386-3330 Mark Twain visits the Cliff House. Our last extension was executed on January 1, 2020 and expires on December 31, 2020. It overlooks the site of the former Sutro Baths and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service (NPS). • California Heritage Collection, The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley This is an online archive of images and texts illustrating California's history and culture, including the Cliff House and Sutro Baths in San Francisco. And if there is insufficient maintenance done to keep it up, re-opening costs will be tremendous. Unlike the government which is not held accountable for profits and losses we could not accept the additional extension as there is no possibility of doing a sustainable level of business for the foreseeable future. We waited patiently for a response from the NPS to our inquiries regarding the fate of The Cliff House. The decision they provided is as follows: We have been the proprietors of the Cliff House for 47-1/2 years and are probably the longest tenured in the 157- year history. Historical images of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths in San Francisco can be found. On Sunday, the 157-year-old restaurant announced that it would be closing its doors on December 31 due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and delays by the National Park Service in agreeing to a long-term contract. Reviews on Cliff House in San Francisco, CA - Cliff House Terrace Room Champagne Brunch, Bistro At The Cliff House, Sutro's at The Cliff House, Cliff House Gift Shop, Cliff House Terrace Room: Event Venue, Sutro Baths, Lands End, The Beach Chalet Brewery & … This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – Patrons of the Cliff House were lamenting the upcoming closure of the famed restaurant at the end of 2020. There was no COVID-19 in 2018; one or more upper echelon leaders within the NPS obviously did not do their jobs, resulting in this sad situation. 30 of 35 The Cliff house in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday night, November 10, 2011. Again, this all could have been prevented by the award of a long-term contract two and half years ago. The first step in this process was to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) which they did not do until August 13, 2019 — more than a year and half after this process should have begun. The Cliff House with Seal Rock in the background is seen in San Francisco, April 10, 2002. The first RFQ has expired and will need to be completely redone causing a further delay of what could be years. There will be no effort to speed up the process for successorship. SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 31: The Cliff House's exterior sign is packed into a truck as the sign was removed from the restaurant located along Point Lobos Ave in San Francisco… The Cliff House, a 157-year-old iconic San Francisco restaurant, is to close in less than two weeks. Generations of San Franciscans and countless visitors have dined at the Cliff House and enjoyed the gorgeous ocean views. It costs tens of thousands of dollars every month to maintain and guard the massive Cliff House building. Dan and Mary HountalasProprietors since 1973. Studio at Cliff House has welcomed our first artist in residence, Ric Della Bernarda. The world-famous Cliff House is the crown jewel of the largest urban national park in the United States. (Source nps.gov). We leased the Cliff House from George Whitney, Jr. in 1973 and the NPS did not purchase it until 1977. They said the restaurant was losing too much money as a takeout-only operation. The Cliff House sign will be taken down at noon on December 31, 2020. (Source nps.gov). It is obvious that the NPS has failed in its stated mission to safeguard natural and cultural resources:The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. OpenSFHistory. They said 180 employees will lose their jobs. San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House is so much more than the sum of its tangible parts. We were in fact operating the Cliff House four years before it became part of the National Park System. Like Lotta’s Fountain, the golden fire hydrant on 20th Street, and the rainbow flag in the Castro, it represents survival in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Ric is the owner of Luna di Miele Studio in Ogunquit and his education and experience will delight novices and proficient painters alike. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The Cliff House restaurant, which first opened 157 years ago, announced Sunday that the restaurant will close permanently on Dec. 31, a victim both of the COVID-19 pandemic and, its owners say, delays by the National Park Service in reaching a long-term operating contract with the restaurant. All of us here at The Cliff House are outraged at the failure of the NPS to select a new long-term operator in 2018, thereby avoiding all this unnecessary hardship and heartache. Art On The Cliff. Prices are approved by the National Park Service. There have been a whole series of Cliff Houses over the years, the style changing with the times. It is with deep regret and heartbreak that we must inform you that The Cliff House will close permanently on December 31, 2020. After two years of negotiating a … We were in fact operating the Cliff House four years before it became part of the National Park System. We are seeking help in holding the NPS publicly responsible for their failures resulting in the loss of the livelihood of 180 employees and their families, as well as the loss of one of San Francisco’s treasured landmarks and the financial loss suffered by those of us local folks who did our best to stay true to this legacy. © Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News. The building is owned by the NPS; the building's terrace hosts a room-sized camera obscura. The NPS offered us a fourth one-year extension to continue guarding and maintaining their building with all costs to be paid for by us without any compensation whatsoever from the NPS. Specialties: The Cliff House Bistro, with it's breathtaking Ocean and Beach views, is a classic and famous SF institution. We protest this awful turn of events and remind once again that this is in violation of their mission statement: The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. A restaurant has perched on this cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean since 1863. According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Cliff House: Skip The Bus: San Francisco By Luxury Van Tour (From $89.00) San Francisco Guided City Tour (From $69.00) San Francisco Private SUV Tour see all main attraciton in under 3 hours (From $222.88) Entertaining Tour of San Francisco (From $461.54) How will The Cliff House look/feel when it eventually re-opens? Like so many restaurants during 2020, San Francisco’s historic Cliff House will be closing permanently. Coronavirus restrictions coupled with problems signing a long-term lease are all factors. A man walks outside of the Cliff House restaurant in San Francisco, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. Will it even be “The Cliff House?”. We serve Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner featuring Omelets, our famous Popovers, Sandwiches, Salads, Steamed Clams, Crab… The Cliff House, a roadside restaurant that has long … The Concessionaire is responsible for conducting these operations in a satisfactory manner. The Cliff House is a restaurant on Point Lobos Avenue perched on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, in the Outer Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Since then, the NPS has issued us one six-month and then two consecutive one-year concession contract extensions rather than proceed in a timely fashion with their responsibility to execute a new long-term contract or lease. San Francisco's iconic Cliff House restaurant that has served tourists and locals for more than a century from atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean has closed its doors for good. Overlooking … In the meantime, a lot of priceless memorabilia will be auctioned off and be gone with the wind. Given how that went in more normal times we do not expect this to be done in a timely manner. There really is no excuse to be in this situation. “The National Park Service should have selected an operator on a long-term basis to ensure the continued operation of this national treasure,” the Hountalases said in their statement Sunday. We have been the proprietors of the Cliff House for 47-1/2 years and are probably the longest tenured in the 157- year history. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As you may have heard, San Francisco's Iconic Cliff House at Ocean Beach has closed its doors permanently, at least in this iteration. The operators said they attempted takeout-only service in early June but, after 10 weeks, the owners decided to close down completely in mid-July. For dining we offer the casual Bistro Restaurant and the elegant Sutro’s at the Cliff House. We must remove all personal property in the building including all memorabilia as opposed to being paid for our property by the ultimate successor operator as provided in our contract. Cliff House Restaurant in San Francisco to Close Permanently Dec. 31 By Bay City News • Published December 13, 2020 • Updated on December 13, 2020 at 11:35 pm NBC Universal, Inc. The Cliff House, circa 1900. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- San Francisco's iconic Cliff House restaurant that for more than a century has served tourists and locals from atop a … To show your support you can email the NPS directly at:Laura Jossgoga_superintendent@nps.gov, Thank You,Dan and Mary HountalasProprietors since 1973, This service is operated by Peanut Wagon Inc., a Concessionaire under contract with the U.S. Government and administrated by the National Park Service. At 11:00 a.m. this morning, December 30, 2020 we were informed by the NPS, in a last-minute change of mind, that they were going back to their original offer, which is financially unfeasible to both Peanut Wagon, Inc. and our potential partner. An anonymous source has told us that the NPS is considering turning The Cliff House into a Federal office building! The owners said Sunday that COVID-19 exacerbated the problems, but noted that issues with the NPS go back to the 2018 expiration of the last 20-year contract. Will there be some element of local ownership? 1 of 5 Boxes sit in a dining area of the Cliff House restaurant in San Francisco, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. The last long-term contract between the Cliff House and the National Park Service expired in June 2018, and the restaurant had been operating since then under a series of short-term contracts, the current one set to expire on Dec. 31. We finally received an answer at the late date of December 7, 2020. As a result, The Cliff House will be boarded up and fenced in for several years as they once again try to implement their own processes. We did attempt to institute takeout service in early June but after 10 weeks could not continue to sustain the unbearable losses associated with takeout. cliff house in san francisco, california - cliff house san francisco stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images View of the Cliff House restaurant on October 10, 2013 in San Francisco, California. After days of negotiations which appeared to lead to a workable solution for all parties involved, The Cliff House will close permanently tomorrow, Thursday, December 31, 2020. There will not be an interim successor/partner so the building will be left unoccupied and watched over by the NPS at taxpayers’ expense. It burned down twice, and was closed during Prohibition, but the Cliff House is still here, and it's a wonderful place to come and have … All Rights Reserved. Since 2018 we have negotiated in good faith with the NPS to continue our long stewardship of this iconic San Francisco Landmark including our teaming with another operator which submitted a response to the requested RFQ. Our Sunday buffet brunch in the Terrace Room is a San Francisco tradition offering free-flowing champagne and a delicious buffet. A crew working on the restaurant's rooftop removed the Cliff House … The reasonableness of prices is based on similar operations operating under similar conditions in the area. The Cliff House ended in-house dining in March, due to the pandemic. We leased the Cliff House from George Whitney, Jr. in 1973 and the NPS did not purchase it until 1977. The Cliff House will no longer be a restaurant and no longer available for the public to enjoy as it has for the past 157 years. 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