What’s our FAVORITE reception venue for a meal after your San Francisco City Hall ceremony? There’s nowhere better than the Wayfare Tavern!
This cozy, old-world restaurant has long been a San Francisco staple, chosen by countless couples for their post-City Hall celebration meal. Think Barbary Coast-speakeasy-meets-British-pub. History rubs shoulders with modernism here, giving it a unique turn-of-the-century charm. If you’re looking at restaurants for your intimate wedding reception after your San Francisco City Hall ceremony, the Wayfare Tavern remains a very popular choice.
In 2025, the restaurant moved from its previous location on Sacramento Street, where it had been since 2010, to the current location on 201 Pine Street (on the corner of Pine and Battery). I’ve had the pleasure of photographing many wedding receptions over the years, and now I’m stoked to share more about the new spaces.
I visited the space to check it out (and tucked into the best burger I’ve ever had while I was there!), get the lay of the land, and get the all-important content so I can truly show off this gem of a restaurant!
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through each private event space at the Wayfare Tavern, amenities, and what makes this downtown San Francisco restaurant a perfect complement to your City Hall ceremony.
Date of Last Update: DECEMBER 23, 2025
Table of Contents
Location of Wayfare Tavern
Address: Wayfare Tavern, 201 Pine St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Website: https://www.wayfaretavern.com/
Instagram: @wayfaretavern
About the Wayfare Tavern
The Wayfare Tavern is a standout choice for couples who want a chill wedding reception but that still feels elegant, with some old-school charm thrown in. Foodwise, you can expect the classic American dining experience. I think of the venue as casual yet elevated – you can really dress it up with floral displays, uplighting, upgraded place settings, and rented linens if you’re looking for a more formal feel.
This beautifully designed venue captures the essence of early 1900s San Francisco, from rich jewel tones and wood paneling to velvet booths and elegant chandeliers. The space features multiple private rooms ideal for wedding receptions. A stunning gold mural by DeGournay pays homage to the city’s Gold Rush and Barbary Coast history – quintessential San Francisco!
The new Wayfare Tavern can accommodate groups of 10 right up to 165. Each rental space provides warmth, character, and a sense of elegance that elevates your wedding day without breaking the bank.
Private Event Spaces at the Wayfare Tavern
Similar to the old Wayfare Tavern, when you walk in on the ground floor, you’ll see the open dining area. Private dining is tucked away on the second floor (with one of the spaces on the ground floor). I’m going to take you through all the available rooms and share photos and videos along the way.
Sequoia Lounge
| Sequoia Lounge | |
| Capacity | 18 seated | 65 standing |
| Location | Second Floor |
The Sequoia Lounge is a semi-private space on the second floor with a large bar, perfect for receptions or intimate seated gatherings. The staircase from the main dining room leads you right into the space. The capacity here is 18 seated or 65 standing. The layout is 2 large tables (3.5 ft x 9 ft), 4 small upholstered benches, 4 large leather chairs, 6 small marble side tables.
The Sequoia Room works perfectly as a cocktail hour space because the bar spans across the back wall.
As 50 is also a comfortable upper number for City Hall private (1-hour) ceremonies, this ties in remarkably well!
Barbary Room
| Barbary Room | |
| Capacity | 50 seated | 65 standing |
| Location | Second Floor |
The Barbary Room is a fully private room that accommodates up to 50 seated guests (or 65 standing). This room comes with 6 rectangular tables (3 ft x 8 ft), each seating up to 8 guests. A pop-up bar option is available, along with a mounted screen for slideshows.
Connections: You can pair the Sequoia Lounge with the Barbary Room for guest counts of 50 or more. This is the premier private dining experience here!
Juniper Dining Room
| Juniper Dining Room | |
| Capacity | 30 seated | 45 standing |
| Location | Second Floor |
The Juniper Dining Room is a mid-size private room also on the second floor. It has its own private entrance from the street level, so staff will escort your guests from up.
This area is perfect for groups that don’t require a bar setup. The capacity is 30 seated or 45 standing. It comes with 4 rectangular tables (3 ft x 8 ft), each of which seats up to 8 guests.
Juniper Bar
| Juniper Bar | |
| Capacity | 10 seated | 20 standing |
| Location | Second Floor |
The Juniper Bar is a cozy space with a central round table for intimate dinners or a standing reception. It’s a small room and seats 10 guests or can accommodate 20 standing. It comes with one 60-inch round table or 2 cocktail rounds.
Connections: You can combine the Juniper Dining Room with the adjoining Juniper Bar. This is perfect for smaller groups that would like alcohol service.
Second Floor Buyout
| Second Floor Buyout | |
| Capacity | 165 seated | 200 standing |
| Location | Second Floor |
Connections: For large-scale receptions, it’s possible to do a full buyout of the second floor. This would include the Sequoia Bar, Barbary Room, and both Juniper Rooms. This would accommodate 165 seated or 200 standing. The areas would be free-flowing, yet with distinct rooms, so not a completely communal experience.
Cellar Dining Room
| Cellar Dining Room | |
| Capacity | 30 seated | 50 standing |
| Location | First Floor |
The Cellar Dining Room is located just off the main dining room on the ground floor and features a view of the wine cellar. The capacity is 30 seated or 50 standing.
Cuisine at the Wayfare Tavern
Wayfare Tavern is the brainchild of celebrity chef Tyler Florence, who’s built the menu around elevated comfort food with a distinctly San Francisco twist. For private dining, couples can expect the same crowd-pleasing favorites the restaurant is known for — most famously, the fried chicken and warm popovers that guests rave about (the popovers are SO GOOD — luckily, they’re included with all plated and family-style menus).
Menus typically balance hearty classics with refined seasonal dishes, highlighting locally sourced ingredients and California flavors. Think rustic pastas, fresh seafood, grass-fed meats, and vibrant vegetable sides. Beverage options include an extensive list of California wines by the bottle, quality draft beers, organic root beer, and signature cocktails inspired by the Victorian era.
It’s the kind of food that feels both celebratory and approachable.
Only the prix-fixe menu is served for private room bookings. Group size dictates which menus are available with ‘plated duet’ meals (two entrees served as a sort of combo plate for each guest) is possible for groups of 30 or fewer only.
Food is usually served family-style and can be customized according to your preferences. Menus are seasonal and change every 6-8 weeks.
Examples of dishes from wedding menus include organic fried chicken, pappardelle, devilled eggs, burrata-wrapped potatoes (they are absolutely heavenly – the best whipped potatoes I’ve ever eaten), butter lettuce salad, vanilla bean panna cotta and their famous crowd-pleasing brownie.
Decor and ambiance
The vibe here is speakeasy-meets-library with velour banquettes, intricate wall sconces. There’s a curated mix of artwork and furnishings that give each room a distinct personality. You’ll find vintage maps, eclectic paintings, shelves stacked with books and curiosities, and even a touch of taxidermy. The tables are dressed with pewter service plates, adding to the old-world charm. (Fun fact: there’s even a set of armchairs that fans of the space will notice used to be in the old Sequoia Room!):
What really ties it all together are the deep jewel tones that you’ll see with the walls, floors and decor touches of green, red, deep yellow, brown and dark navy blue.
There’s oak paneling, quirky wallpaper, and thoughtful design details that make the restaurant feel both cozy and refined. All rooms offer warm, inviting environments that invoke a home-like yet sophisticated feel, with pictures on the wall or shelves full of books and knick-knacks.
How does the Wayfare Tavern photograph?
The space is undeniably on the darker side, with moody lighting and dark walls painted in jewel tones, so a wedding photographer who’s strong with flash is a must. This isn’t one of those ‘light and airy’ spaces.
The light is very directional, as all of the spaces only have light coming in via windows on one wall only. What this means for your photos is that the images will have a moodier feel, and those lit directly by window light (without flash) can be super contrasty and dramatic. That’s not a bad thing, but make sure to hire a photographer who knows the space and can handle low light — many photographers who excel outdoors may struggle in darker settings.
Rates and options for wedding receptions at the Wayfare Tavern
Prices are reasonable considering the prestigious location, beauty of the space and quality of food and service. Wayfare Tavern’s private dining pricing begins at $85 per person for family-style and $100 per person for plated meals. Note that this is the current pricing and is subject to increase without notice. Please consult the Wayfare Tavern Events Team directly via this link for up-to-date pricing information.
Pricing entails a set food and beverage minimum, plus certain extras, including a 6% SF mandate, 8.625% tax, and a 22% service charge, with further gratuity at the client’s discretion for exceptional service
There are different rates based on whether lunch or dinner, day of the week (Sunday – Wednesday or Thursday – Saturday) and on holidays.
For lunch or dinner bookings, rentals are subject to a 4-hour maximum, unless you opt for a full-day (8-hour) booking which gives you the space from 11:30am- 10:00pm. Additionally, they offer reception-style menus for cocktail receptions.
Exterior of the Wayfare Tavern
While there are no outdoor private dining options at the Pine Street location, one main attraction of the venue is the ability to take beautiful photos in front of the cute striped awning, Parisian cafe-style tables and large windows.
The exterior of the Wayfare Tavern remains a selling point for portraits of the newlyweds, very similar to the iconic old location, but now it spans both sides of the corner building.
The location presents an additional challenge, however, as both Pine and Battery streets are very busy, with constant traffic. Therefore, the photographer needs to snap photos in between red lights while safely on the other side of the street, for the most part. This may take longer, but a skilled photographer can make it work efficiently so you can get back to the fun.
Real weddings at Wayfare Tavern, Pine St
Cocktail Hour in Sequoia Lounge // Reception in Barbary Room (50 guests)
Vendor credits for Tamara & Greg
Photography: Zoe Larkin Photography
Floral design: Bloom Gallery Flowers
Hair: Art of Beauty Hair Studio
Makeup: Artrecia Nicole Beauty
Dress: Jenny Yoo
Officiant: Tomoro Ceremonies
Ceremony musician: Aysha Gomez-Kureishi
Reception in Sequoia Lounge & Barbary Room (85 guests)
Vendor credits for Adri & Amin
Photography: Zoe Larkin Photography
Dress: Lotus Bridal
Suit: Indochino
Rings: Sarah O Jewelry | Alxndr Jewelry
Accessories: Olive & Piper
Ceremony musician: Amore Strings
Reception in Juniper Bar & Juniper Room (10 guests)
Vendor credits for Bryanna & Victor
Photography: Zoe Larkin Photography
Floral design: Esscents of Flowers
Makeup: Uwa’s Artistry
Hair: By Ashleigh Jordan
Dress: Emerald City Gowns
Rings: Geoffrey’s Diamonds
Content creator: Modern Magnolia Creative
Shuttle: Epic Limo SF
In conclusion
The Wayfare Tavern is a stunning San Francisco venue for your reception, and even for a casual wedding ceremony.
It’s easily the best and most popular reception venue to pair with your San Francisco City Hall ceremony. The food is delicious, the service is attentive, and dealing with their events team prior to your booking is also a breeze.
The spaces are exquisite in a way that feels down-to-earth rather than overly ornate. The ambiance is perfect – neither too stuffy nor too casual, with a hum of background chatter audible from the main dining room.
If you’re planning a City Hall wedding, pair it with a celebration here — and let my team and I capture every moment. 📷
Zoe Larkin
I’m Zoe, a wedding photographer based in San Francisco! My style is candid, capturing authentic moments for my couples all over the Bay Area and Northern California. Creating content is my passion! Follow along on the blog, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube!
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