While the Financial District's Tadich Grill may claim the title of San Francisco's oldest restaurant, there's another establishment that holds an equally impressive distinction: 7 Mile House has been operating at the exact same location, with the exact same name, for 168 years.
Owner Vanessa Garcia celebrated the historic milestone this weekend with a party that perfectly captures the restaurant's unique character—$1.68 Jack Daniels shots (the price goes up by a cent every year), free adobo and rice bowls for the first 200 guests, and a morning history talk with complimentary coffee and mimosas.
"Mile Houses were stagecoach stops back in the 1850s when the Gold Rush was happening," Garcia explains. "People needed a way to stop while traveling from San Francisco to San Jose. They served as rest stops for people and their horses—restaurants, hotels, wheel exchange stops, Pony Express routes, and even brothels. 7 Mile House was all of the above, and we are the last original mile house standing in the original location."
This year's anniversary celebration featured something special: the launch of a dedicated dog menu. Voted SF Weekly's best dog-friendly restaurant five years running, 7 Mile House now offers dog beer (watermelon-infused water), Ben & Jerry's Doggie Desserts, dog "cigars" made of jerky, and a VIP card where every fifth meal is free for four-legged friends.
"I believe we are the only restaurant with a full independent dog menu," Garcia says proudly.
The restaurant's colorful 168-year history includes its share of outlaw moments—one early owner was caught transporting whiskey during Prohibition and running an illegal card house, while another received an "HUI: horseback riding under the influence."
Now a beloved Filipino-American restaurant and sports bar, 7 Mile House hosts live music on first Fridays with The Hookahs, featuring Garcia herself on percussion alongside the Padayhag duo and Ray Tumacder. The establishment also offers Sunday brunch with DJ Mama San spinning R&B classics—a far cry from its stagecoach days, but keeping the spirit of community gathering alive.