"House of Prime Rib is an SF institution, serving massive portions of roast beef and ice-cold martinis since 1949. The old-school restaurant is constantly full of tourists and locals doing their best to fit iPad-sized steaks into their bodies. The “House of Prime Rib” cut is as big as anything you’d expect from any decent carving station, while the King Henry VIII is nearly twice the size and dominates the entire plate. Always get the mashed potatoes (that are more butter and sour cream than tuber) as your side. Reservations are rare, but walk-ins are open daily—there will most likely be a wait but you can spend it sipping on a cocktail or two in their lounge. Reservations open one year in advance (yes, you read that right). So if you’re a Type A organizer with an impressively stable lifestyle, reserve your ideal date 365 days ahead of time. If not, don’t worry, they take walk-ins nightly for the dining room and bar—you just might have to wait a few hours to get seated. Another move is to call ahead to ask if there are any day-of cancellations." - julia chen 1, patrick wong, lani conway