San Francisco’s dining scene just got a whole lot more nostalgic. The legendary Big Four restaurant is making its grand return on March 17 at the newly revamped Huntington Hotel, and honestly, we’re here for it. After a six-year hiatus, this iconic spot is reopening with all the moody, wood-paneled charm that made it a Bay Area institution for 50 years before it closed in 2020.

The Huntington Hotel itself just reopened on March 1 after being purchased out of foreclosure in 2023 by Flynn Properties, the same crew behind some seriously fancy resorts in Napa. Mayor Daniel Lurie even showed up last week for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The timing feels significant, it’s part of a bigger wave of hospitality revivals happening across SF right now, like the Westin St. Francis renovations and Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak comeback last fall.

The Big Four’s redesign comes courtesy of Ken Fulk, a heavy hitter in the design world, so you know the aesthetic is going to hit different while still keeping that classic noir vibe everyone loved. The restaurant is being helmed by Executive Chef David Intonato, who’s cooked at some legit spots like Appellation Healdsburg and Gardenia in San Jose. General manager Matthew de Quillien is bringing his A-game too, having previously worked at Daniel Boulud’s New York properties and managed Soho House in London.

If you’re wondering what you’ll actually be eating, don’t worry, the signature chicken pot pie that defined the restaurant for decades is back on the menu. There’s also the Big Four Louie Wedge salad (you can get it with Dungeness crab or Royal Red shrimp), and a tableside steak tartare situation with roasted bone marrow. For the seafood lovers, there’s a modern take on cioppino with Dungeness crab legs, clams, kampachi tuna, and mussels. The steaks are going to be fire, naturally.

On the cocktail side, expect the classics like ice-cold martinis and Vespers, plus a Huntington Negroni and local favorites like the Cable Car. There’s also a brand new second bar called Arabella’s opening in a lobby space with its own cocktail menu. Whether you’re going for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can already book your spot online.

This whole reopening is honestly a pretty big deal for the city. The Huntington Hotel dates back to 1922 and is literally named after one of the Central Pacific Railroad’s “Big Four” robber barons, Collis Potter Huntington. Nob Hill’s whole history is wrapped up in that railroad money, so seeing this place come back to life feels like more than just restaurant news, it’s San Francisco remembering what made it great in the first place.