Serving Since

San Francisco

Serving since

1937

89 years in San Francisco

Original Joe's North Beach

North Beach · Italian

Go here for
Spicy rigatoni · Charbroiled hamburger on a baguette
Why go
Italian-American classics and counter seats carried over from the Tenderloin original, now facing Washington Square in North Beach.
Local character
Locals + visitors. The SF Chronicle says the North Beach Original Joe's is frequented by locals as much as by people visiting San Francisco.
Directions Official website Reservations

Tony Rodin opened it in 1937 at 144 Taylor Street in the Tenderloin. After a 2007 fire closed that location, it reopened in North Beach in January 2012.

Why it matters

Tony Rodin, a Croatian immigrant, opened Original Joe's in 1937 as a 14-stool counter on Taylor Street in the Tenderloin. A 2007 fire destroyed that location.

It reopened on January 26, 2012, on Union Street at the corner of Washington Square in North Beach. The counter seats were brought over and re-covered in the familiar red fabric, along with wood paneling and bricks from the old bar.

Marie and John Duggan own it, and their children Elena and John Jr. run the day-to-day as the third generation. The family has since opened more Original Joe's and Little Original Joe's locations around the Bay Area.

The story

  1. 1937Tony Rodin opens a 14-stool counter at 144 Taylor Street1
  2. 2007Fire destroys the Tenderloin location4
  3. 2012Reopens January 26 on Union Street in North Beach5
  4. TodayStill serving San Francisco

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Details

Address
601 Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Neighborhood
North Beach
Ownership
Family-owned
Status
Open · verified Sep 2026

OldScore

A secondary, editorial measure. The founding year above is the fact that matters most. How it works.

Age25/ 35
Continuity5/ 20
Local significance10/ 20
Local food culture10/ 15
Independence3/ 10
OldScore53/ 100

Local character: Locals + visitors. The SF Chronicle says the North Beach Original Joe's is frequented by locals as much as by people visiting San Francisco. This is separate from OldScore: a place can be popular with visitors and still belong here.

More like this

Sources

  1. Original Joe's (official site) Founding year, History
  2. Original Joe's (official site, North Beach) Address, Current status
  3. San Francisco Examiner, "John, Marie Duggan uphold SF hospitality with Original Joe's" (2025 San Franciscans of the Year) History, Ownership, What to order
  4. The San Francisco Standard, Sara Deseran, on Original Joe's (Sep 9, 2024) Founding year, History, Ownership, What to order
  5. CBS San Francisco, "SF Favorite Original Joe's Reopens In North Beach" (Jan 2012) Founding year, History, Ownership
  6. SFist, "Original Joe's Needs to Stop Having Fires. North Beach Location..." (May 21, 2026) History
  7. San Francisco Chronicle, '84-year-old Original Joe's is expanding' History