Obama made an unexpected stop for dinner Thursday night in San Francisco.
#Obama is not only the #POTUS, but apparently also a baby charmer! https://t.co/sRppPFReHWhttps://t.co/olPVrYPvbd
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) June 24, 2016
Despite the cold snap on Townsend Street, a sizable crowd waited on the sidewalk to see President Obama. Most stumbled upon the scene by accident.
"I was walking home from work, and saw the police around the corner and was like, whoa," said San Francisco resident Matthew Herbst.
The president had dinner with Silicon Valley VIPS at 25 Lusk. One insider tweeted pictures. A passerby shared a periscope of the president's arrival at the restaurant.
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Most spectators on the outside didn't see much, but they said it was enough.
"I would stay here overnight to see him. He's my best," Gloria Hernandez said.
"I was feeling really excited just to know that I was so close to him," said Obama supporter Jim Shepich.
One couple happened to have reservations. "As he left, he was taking pictures. We got our own pictures and gave him a standing ovation and I was yelling, 'We love you Obama,'" said patron Mark Iverson.
The president went straight to the restaurant from Crissy Field, where he landed around 6 p.m. People there were also pleasantly surprised to have been in the same place at the same time as president Obama.
"It's pretty amazing. This is the first time I'm seeing the real thing," one bystander said.
Obama will stay overnight in the Bay Area and headline the seventh annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Stanford University's Memorial Auditorium, where he will make remarks during a partner plenary scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Other speakers include Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and AOL co-founder Steve Case.
He will then take part in a Google Portal virtual conversation with entrepreneurs at the university shortly after noon Friday.
RELATED: Top tech executives attend president's summit at Stanford
The president is scheduled to depart from Moffett Field at 1:35 p.m. Friday for Seattle, where he will speak at a reception for Gov. Jay Inslee and a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event.
Obama attended Democratic fundraisers during his last two visits to the Bay Area in February and April.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
Click here for more stories on President Obama.
Hanging out with @FMDelasalles and @POTUS in SF 😂 pic.twitter.com/nw6qJCoUW9
— Aymeril Hoang (@aymeril) June 24, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: #POTUS @ 25Lusk! https://t.co/wvkfJic5NY
— Tim Lim (@timlims) June 24, 2016
POTUS at 25 Lusk. Guy in uniform holding nuclear codes. also clear line of sight from @InMobi office. just saying pic.twitter.com/kG0ub4zC88
— Mitali Pattnaik (@mitali) June 24, 2016
Handful of people awaiting President #Obama's arrival at #CrissyField. @abc7david pic.twitter.com/AeVha5PTKB
— Katie Marzullo (@KatieABC7) June 24, 2016
#AF1 taxiing at Moffett Federal Airfield. President Obama here for intl entrepreneurship conference at #Stanford pic.twitter.com/NWNH725fT2
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 24, 2016
Invited guests fenced in on the tarmac for #POTUS arrival around 5:30. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/h14lAnKQSq
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 23, 2016
Marine One is standing by to airlift #POTUS to San Francisco after landing at Moffett Federal Airfield. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/BrbT3MLasR
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 23, 2016
Dad David Regan says 4 year old Matthew is shy but hopesto give high-5 to President Obama when #AF1 lands. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/5ynX0J1PLJ
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 23, 2016
Secretary John Kerry departs aboard his aircraft ahead of #POTUS landing around 5:30 at Moffett Field. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/WoprwdRPRe
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 23, 2016
Ready to greet #POTUS when he lands at Moffett Federal Airfield this afternoon. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/fSTmr7xOQg
— David Louie (@abc7david) June 23, 2016