Harris' Restaurant serves prime cuts with a side of family history

ByJanel Andronico Localish logo
Monday, April 17, 2023
Discover the history behind one of California's finest steakhouses
Harris' Restaurant is a San Francisco icon for savory cuts of steak.

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco's iconic American steakhouse, Harris' Restaurant, exudes elegance and charm. The lush atmosphere lures in guests, but it's the savory prime cuts that keep customers coming back.

"We have guests that have been here 500 times. Our history on our reservation system only goes back 20 years or so," explained David Buhagiar, the Director of Operations at Harris' Restaurant. "Within that, we have guests that come here three or four times a week, and it's absolutely incredible."

Buhagiar adds, "We work in such a great community and the locals around us are just fantastic and very supportive."

Harris' Restaurant remains a San Francisco favorite.

"So, chef is my dad...my brother is the general manager. We run the front of the house together, and then my sister-in-law is the pastry chef," described David. "We love each other, my brother is my best friend...we come to work every day and it does not feel like work. It's hanging out with family, and the rest of our extensive. All the employees, they feel like family too."

Chef Michael Buhagiar started out as a morning cook with founder Ann Lee Harris, and he worked his way up over the years.

"In 2004, I became part owner, then in 2018, I became the sole owner," recalled Chef Mike. "Since day one, I've always enjoyed what I'm doing. I still do now with the family coming in, it's even more motivation to keep the thing rolling."

In addition to a menu stacked with fine steaks, the space features an in-house Butcher Shop with the same steaks served in the restaurant available to go.

"It's heartwarming to be able to have this success over the years and fortunate to have the people around me to make it all happen. And they want to be here and that's where it starts," said Chef Mike. "People come back and that's very rewarding to me."

For more information, visit here and follow @harrisrestaurantsf on Instagram.