Groq leads the race for energy-efficient AI infrastructure; SeafoodAI automates crab fishing for better traceability; and Google backs Charm Industrial’s biochar tech to advance carbon removal goals.

Groq, based in Silicon Valley, is gaining attention for its ultra-efficient AI chips designed specifically for inference. Unlike traditional GPUs, Groq's Language Processing Units (LPUs) are optimized for predictable, low-latency performance—making them ideal for real-time applications.

In April 2025, Groq partnered with Meta to power Llama 4 models on GroqCloud, offering developers faster and more efficient access to large language models. Their tech delivers impressive token-per-second speeds while using significantly less power, positioning Groq as a leader in the race for energy-efficient AI infrastructure.

SeafoodAI has developed CrabScan360, an AI-powered tool aimed at automating the labor-intensive tasks of measuring, sorting, and recording data on crabs in the fishing industry. The portable field version, released in April, allows fishers to scan each crab for size, weight, gender, and legal status, while the factory version (in development) fully automates sorting on a conveyor belt.

This technology improves efficiency, reduces waste, and provides a digital record of each crab, aiding traceability and sustainability. SeafoodAI plans to expand its system to other seafood markets like tuna, salmon, and shrimp.

Google recently partnered with carbon removal startup Charm Industrial to purchase credits for the removal of 100,000 tons of CO2 using biochar by 2030. This deal marks Google's first foray into using biochar, a carbon-sequestering product created through pyrolysis, which decomposes biomass like wood and food scraps without oxygen.

Charm, which previously focused on bio-oil sequestration, now offers both bio-oil and biochar as part of its carbon removal strategy. This marks Google's second deal with Charm, following a similar arrangement for bio-oil.

Previously: Tech Updates: Nokia Brings 200 Tech Jobs to San Jose With Sustainable Chip Plant

Image: MF3d/Getty Images

SF’s oldest restaurant (that has continuously operated from the same spot) is on the market, in a deal that includes the liquor license and the old-school neon sign.

The Financial District seafood standby Tadich Grill is the oldest restaurant in San Francisco, though it originally opened as a coffee shop on Clay Street in 1849, changed its menu to steak and seafood in the late 1880s, and moved to its current California Street location in 1967. San Francisco’s oldest restaurant that has operated from the same location is Bayview’s Old Clam House on Bayshore Boulevard, which opened at that very location in 1861 as The Oakdale Bar & Clam House, and with the same “Milwaukee Steam Beer” advertisement that remains painted on the facade today.

And the highly historic bar and clam house is now up for sale. Socketsite reported Wednesday morning that the Old Clam House is on the market for $2.75 million. SFist got on the horn and did some searching, and found a Loopnet listing advertising the Old Clam House for sale. We’ve  confirmed with the listed sales and acquisitions company Business Team that the listing is indeed legitimate and accurate, though the property’s individual listing agent has not called back as of press time.    

The Old Clam House has been closed since the shelter-in-place order was announced on March 16, 2020.

Even in San Francisco, $2.75 million may sound a little steep, and more of a lure to a “tear it down and build condos” kind of buyer. (The neighborhood is zoned M1, Light Industrial.) Yet the listing promotes that the 3,500 square foot Old Clam House is included in the purchase, as a “Fully equipped full service restaurant,” and on the liquor license front, “ABC 47 included.” That’s hard liquor, my friends.

We are all obviously rooting for a buyer who will keep everything at the Old Clam House exactly as it is. We want the delightfully outmoded fish-themed silverware, buffalo plaid plastic tablecloth, and walls bursting with ridiculous historical ephemera to remain in place. We want the Thanksgiving Day dinners and to make a hell of a mess of our table during Dungeness crab season. But all of this is up to a prospective new owner, and not to us.

Socketsite notes that “The Old Clam House hasn’t been recognized by the City as an official landmark or Historical Resource,” so there may be no protections to keep the place old school, or even a restaurant, for that matter. And while the Old Clam House is San Francisco’s oldest continuously operated at the same location restaurant, it is not Bayshore Boulevard’s oldest continuously operated at the same location restaurant. That distinction goes to 7 Mile House, which opened at its current location in 1858, though is technically located in Brisbane.

Related: Which Bay Area Restaurant Has The Worst Name? [SFist]

Image: Iris K via Yelp

Ask a sampling of tourists what they're looking to eat while they're in San Francisco, and eight of ten are probably going to say "seafood." You can try to tell them that this is a world-class city filled with diverse cuisines, with an array of Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Moroccan, German and French restaurants all of excellent caliber, and many of them will still end up at Fisherman's Wharf scanning menus.

With that in mind, and for the seafood lovers who live here in the Bay Area but don't always know the perfect place to go for a perfectly cooked halibut filet or a delightfully buttery Dungeness crab pasta, SFist brings you our vetted and definitive list of SF's finest seafood establishments.

Alamo Square Seafood Grill
This unassuming, 21-year-old neighborhood spot exudes the air of a tucked-away French bistro — and that's largely because of its owner Andre Larzul, formerly a maitre d' at the very French Baker Street Bistro in the Marina. The menu, largely unchanged in two decades, is anchored by a choose-your-own-adventure fish entree in which diners can select from a half dozen types of fish, four cooking methods (grilled, sauteed, poached, or blackened), and five sauces (beurre blanc, green peppercorn, provencale, beurre maitre d'hotel, and Bearnaise). Value is what keeps Alamo Square neighbors coming back to this place, with a daily prix fixe that's a mind-blowing $17.50. Head there on Mondays or Tuesdays for half-off wine deals, and on Wednesdays there's $0 corkage if you order two courses.
803 Fillmore Street at Grove

Anchor Oyster Bar
There are only a couple of restaurants I would shed a tear for if they ever closed, and this is one of them. Anchor Oyster Bar has been a mainstay in the Castro, just up the hill from 18th Street, since 1977, making it older than Zuni Cafe and proving that they're doing something right. With just around 25 seats, Anchor packs in diners every night, all of whom are willing to wait outside in the cold until their name is called off the white board. And they come, year after year, for the city's best cioppino, an always delicious crab Caesar salad, and nightly changing fish specials that are always simply prepared and perfectly cooked.
579 Castro Street near 19th

Angler
Easily the most stylish new SF restaurant of the last year, Angler is the predictably delicious offspring of Saison co-owners Mark Bright and chef Joshua Skenes. And now that Skenes is no longer in the kitchen at Saison, fans can still find his love for live-fire cooking and his talents for teasing out flavors and showcasing fresh seafood in full effect here. The menu features some baller options like a $165 caviar service, but some of the simplest dishes are the best, including a grilled head of radicchio doused in a "X.O." sauce made from radicchio, and a whole Petrale sole served with smoked butter. Also, there are top-notch cocktails, a vintage spirits menu, and one of the longest and deepest wine lists in the city.
132 Embarcadero

Ayala
Former Bar Crudo executive chef Melissa Perfit opened this Union Square spot in late 2018, and it's about as seafood-focused as they come. On the menu is a classic Louie salad with crab and shrimp, a dish of nori spaghettini with Dungeness crab, a Thai-spiced whole red snapper served with lobster pho broth, and a $54 chilled seafood platter featuring assorted shellfish. Union Square isn't such a foodinista destination, but this place is a shining light amid a throng of tourist traps.
398 Geary Street at Mason

Farallon
It may feel a little 90s kitsch in this 22-year-old, seafood-centric fine-dining haven (designed by local legend Pat Kuleto, complete with jellyfish chandeliers), but the restaurant still turns out consistently good food for its mostly touristy clientele. Fans come back here for the grand fruits de mer towers ($240), grilled Hawaiian swordfish, and perfectly cooked scallops. And they know how to mix a drink and there's plenty to choose from for the seafood-averse/allergic too.
450 Post Street

Hook Fish Co.
At the opposite end of the vibe spectrum from Angler or Farallon is this humble and tiny fish market/restaurant in the Outer Sunset. The interior's wood paneling captures the beach-y style of the neighborhood, and the brief menu includes fish and chips, ceviche and chips, and a fish burrito. There are also, obviously, fish tacos, and diners can grab fresh fish to go from the market case on their way out.
4542 Irving Street at 47th Avenue

Leo's Oyster Bar
This swanky, Boca Raton-styled FiDi restaurant from the Marlowe/Park Tavern crew screams "expense account lunch," what with its $100 seafood towers, caviar service, and Champagne list. But it's also just a solid choice for a romantic date night dinner, with a great lobster roll and some excellent paella. Also, that Champagne list.
568 Sacramento Street between Montgomery and Sansome

Pearl 6101
While not strictly a seafood restaurant, this cozy, modern neighborhood spot in the Outer Richmond from co-chefs Joyce Conway and Mel Lopez has a distinct focus on crudos, seafood pastas, and roasted fish. In bestowing "Rising Star" honors on the pair earlier this year, Chronicle food editor Paolo Lucchesi wrote that Pearl 6101 has joined the "storied tradition of transcendent neighborhood restaurants," comparing it to Frances and Outerlands. Don't miss the excellent salt cod brandade fritters, terrific cocktails, or the family-style whole roasted Mt. Lassen trout.
6101 California Street at 23rd Avenue

Petit Crenn
With a daily tasting menu priced at $105 (including gratuity), Dominique Crenn's four-year-old Hayes Valley ode to her Brittany homeland is one of the spendier places on this list. But that focus on the northwest coast of France means delicious seafood dishes paired with hard cider, and the inviting little restaurant is a perfect spot for dates and occasions of all kinds. There's often a whole roasted fish on the menu, served family-style, but also look for creative preparations of octopus, oysters, and more.
609 Hayes Street

PPQ Dungeness Island
This Outer Richmond Vienamese staple serves Dungeness crab year-round, but the only time you'll find them serving fresh, actually local crab is when Dungeness season kicks off in the late fall. There are set menu options for groups, but otherwise you can choose from six different roasted crab preparations: Peppercorn, Roasted, Drunken, Curry, and Spicy. The house-special garlic noodles are a must to go with any crab order, as is the deep-fried soft-shell crab appetizer.
2332 Clement Street at 25th Avenue

R&G Lounge
The only Chinatown restaurant on this list, R&G Lounge is famous for their deep-fried salt and pepper crab, but they're also known for a delicious baked black cod, Maine lobster, and an array of oyster and prawn dishes as well. It is, without a doubt, a must-visit place for Chinese food fans who also love seafood.
631 Kearny Street

Scoma's
It may be called Fisherman's Wharf, but the only restaurant in this heavily touristed part of town that we can recommend in good conscience is Scoma's. Culinary adventurousness won't be found here, but you will find plenty of classic Italian charm, with dishes like linguine with clams, Dungeness crab Thermidor, and the restaurant's take on Oysters Rockefeller, called Oysters alla Scoma. This is also one of the biggest revenue-generating restaurants in town, thanks in part to its location, but also consistently good reviews.
1965 Al Scoma Way

Sotto Mare
This North Beach stalwart resides in a space that's been an Italian restaurant for something like 80 years, originally called Isle of Capri. Currently under the ownership of North Beach natives Rich and Laura Azzolino, the interior walls are covered with memorabilia and photos, and the place is overflowing with casual, Old SF charm — plastic bibs and all. Don't miss the butter-sauced sand dabs, the seafood risotto, or their version of crab cioppino, which is served with penne at the bottom of the bowl to help make use of the thick, spicy tomato broth.
552 Green Street

Swan Oyster Depot
No roundup of seafood spots in SF would be complete without Swan, which is easily one of the most food-TV-celebrated restaurants in the city — thanks in part to the late Anthony Bourdain, who totally loved this place. During Dungeness season, you go here to indulge in unadulterated steamed crab legs, out of their shell, served as a "chrysanthemum" on a plate (pictured above) with a side of Louie sauce for dipping. Otherwise, fans come back for afternoon indulgences of prawns, oysters, and smoked salmon, washed down with cold beer (note they're only open for breakfast and lunch and close at 5:30 p.m.).
1517 Polk Street near California

Waterbar
Waterbar is the waterfront sister restaurant of Farallon, and also was designed with a degree of flair by local restaurateur and restaurant designer Pat Kuleto. With unparalleled views of the Bay Bridge and Bay Lights, and a grand semi-circular bar, Waterbar screams "special occasion" and is also a perfect place to get treated by parents in from out of town — it's pricy, though, so hopefully your parents are prepared for that. Chef Parke Ulrich offers an array of chilled shellfish — like Farallon there's a big tiered platter for $240, but also smaller platter options — and the entrees include oak-grilled Tombo tuna, and oak-roasted swordfish.
399 Embarcadero

Woodhouse Fish Co.
The casual Woodhouse Fish Co. comes alive with Dungeness crab season each year, but this place can be counted on year-round for great seafood pastas, lobster rolls, fish and chips, and Baja-style fish tacos. There are two locations — one at Market and Church near the Castro and the other on upper Fillmore — and both also offer a solid version of the SF classic cioppino as well.
2073 Market Street and 1914 Fillmore Street

Hog Island Oyster Co. vs Ferry Plaza Seafood, shot by Erik Wilson.

Sad news, folks: about a third of the fish you ate last in the two years was probably not what you thought it was. According to a new study, this huge oceanic conspiracy was pulled on pescatarians nationwide, but Northern Californians were especially hard hit. In the Bay Area, 58 percent of fish sold in restaurants was mislabeled or misidentified. It's like restaurants don't even care about ichthyology.

The Chronicle, details the study conducted by seafood truthers at activist group Oceana:

Genetic testing of 1,215 fish taken from 674 retail outlets, grocery stores and sushi bars throughout the United States between 2010 and 2012 found that 33 percent of the samples had been mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

Researchers with Oceana, a group dedicated to preserving the ocean ecosystem, reported finding seafood mislabeling in all 21 states where they tested, including retail outlets in San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland.

Whether this is because all fishermen are prone to lying to begin with, or this is a large-scale conspiracy by the seafood industry (or more likely: a quality control issue) is still unclear. What we do know is we're not getting the right fish: "Fish labeled snapper turned out to be rockfish 34 times at sites in the Bay Area, Monterey and other sites in Northern California, according to the watchdog group."

Can you imagine? Accidentally getting rockfish, when you really wanted snapper? The mind reels, remembering all the times we were desperately craving snapper. To think, all those times we could have been unknowingly eating rockfish. It's as if all the parts in our lives when we were eating fish have been a complete lie.

There's hope for the future, at least: mislabeling food for profit is illegal under California and federal law, so we can probably curb this fishy labeling epidemic just as soon as the state can come up with the cash to create some kind of Fish Investigation Agency. On the other hand, mislabeled fish might be a product of confusing bureaucratic bullshit to begin with: "California law allows 13 species of rockfish to be sold as Pacific red snapper, but FDA guidelines allow only one."

Things only get worse when we start talking Tuna though: The FDA includes 14 species that can be called "tuna," but eight out of nine pieces of tuna sushi sampled in Los Angeles were actually escolar, which is not one of those 14 official tunas. Fish Biologists — as in real people with advanced degrees in this sort of thing — call escolar the "ex-lax fish" because of its "purgative effect on the digestive system." And we wonder how Los Angeles stays so slim.

There are some other unexpected benefits to mislabeled fish too: shark meat has been found in fish tacos sold across California, so it's kind of like we've been getting an added bonus this whole time.

[Chron]

Noted local seafood purveyors, Woodhouse Fish Co. want to bring something fresh to the Marina Green — and not just their seafood. The family-owned restaurant group, which operates two seafood joints in the Castro and the Pac Heights as well as smokey Southwestern spot West of Pecos in the Mission, wants their fourth enterprise to be the only waterfront dining option on the Marina Green that doesn't require a yacht club membership.

According to Inside Scoop today, Woodhouse owner Dylan MacNiven has been working closely with the Rec & Parks Department to rehabilitate the run-down and fenced-off Marina Degaussing Station. (Which sounds like something out of Lost, and was a high-tech thing used by the Navy during World War II to help prevent ships from being detected by submerged magnetic mines.)

Anyhow, the station has been closed up for years, but MacNiven would like to tear down the barbed wire fencing around it and make the place a casual, counter-service waterfront cafe with plenty of outdoor seating. In our experience, seafood is best served in shack-y places, so the location really could not be better. As Scoop points out, there's a lot of foot traffic down there on the waterfront, but not much in the way of good eats aside from the Off the Grid food truck gatherings at Fort Mason and the Warming Hut farther down in Crissy Field.

Assuming the new Woodhouse spot makes it past all the appropriate hurdles and hearings, we can expect the menu to be fairly similar to the other two Woodhouse spots: cracked crab, lobster rolls and plenty of chowder for when the fog horns start blowing over the Golden Gate. Because Woodhouse is generally well-regarded around here, we don't expect too many legislative hangups, but neighbors have been notoriously (ahem) crabby, when it comes to putting restaurants on park land. So, let's not hold our breath just yet. Once they get the go-ahead from the Board, Woodhouse hopes to open just in time for (you guessed it) the America's Cup races next summer.

[InsideScoop]

Richard Mesce, a Northen California man with a passion for extremely large filter-feeding shellfish, has discovered an 80-year-old, 13-inch long oyster in the muddy Humboldt Bay. Mesce, a retired pilot, has spent the past six years patrolling in his kayak, searching for an oyster that would shatter the current Guinness World Record.

The oyster, which at 13 inches long and 6 inches wide is about 12 times the size of your normal $1-oyster happy hour variety, was independently measured by an oceanographer from Humboldt State University and measures about one inch longer than the current massive mollusk record holder.

If the Guinness folks confirm the staggering shellfish is the world's largest, Humboldt State has agreed to keep it alive in their aquarium where it will be protected from scores of hungry Hog Island fans and until it becomes even more enormous and terrifying.

[AP/KTVU]

After a two-week delay, and one SFist editor's tummy barren of his preferred crustacea, dungeness crab season finally started today. According to The Chronicle, "The commercial crab season officially began moments after central California crab fishermen and seafood processors agreed this morning to a price of $2.25 per pound for the spindly crustaceans."

If you recall, a dispute over pricing between the Crab Boat Owners Association and the local seafood processors resulted in two weeks of a crab-free-stricken Bay Area. And we as a slow food society lacked real, artisan crabmeat. Women curled in the fetal position on city sidewalks, grown men committing hari-kari, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria — it sucked. And although fishermen had hoped to cull $2.50 per pound for the crustaceans, they agreed to a scant (?) 25-cent dent.

In 2010, fishermen pulled in 19 million pounds of Dungeness, with this year promising an even bigger catch. Crab meat should arrive in markets on Wednesday or Thursday. Butter up, buttercups.

Update: SFist commenter Travin asked: "Do you, or perhaps someone else, know what is the location on the docks where we can buy it fresh off the boat?"

Given the control PR ilk try to exert over food writing in the Bay Area, we're shocked (and a bit tickled) to see this story go live. See, several people fell ill at last month's SF OysterFest at Fort Mason after apparently consuming a bacteria-laced food item that kept them on the toilet for hours. City Insider reports: "The Department of Public Health was on the case -- and has determined the culprit was 'campylobacter' which means 'twisted bacteria.' Sounds yummy, huh? It causes major food poisoning and symptoms last for up to a week."

Several Yelpers took the the internet to vent their reactions. Attendee turned unwitting diarrhea sufferer Miriam F had this to say:

I started feeling REALLY sick on Tuesday, chills, shaking, on the toilet CONSTANTLY and my fever was over 103 and would not come down with advil. I went to an urgent care Weds morning and was sent directly to the ER. They did a blood test and my white blood cell count was through the roof meaning I obviously had a terrible infection. They had no clue what it was...it took me three full days of antibiotics through an IV, morphine for the stomach pain etc...until I was OK. I was finally released that Friday when they diagnosed me with CHLAMPOBACTER. The odd thing is that this type of food poisoning is from contaminated poultry. You could get it even if somebody for example touched the poultry and then a cucumber. I only had oysters and beer at the festival but suppose that they could've gotten contaminated.

Egads. Sounds disgusting.

The S.F. Health Department went on to tell SFGate that "there's no ongoing concern." We can only hope that the upcoming OysterFest at Waterbar (side note: these people really need to come together to figure out another name for oyster galas) on 8/27 takes the proper precautions.

[SFGate]

Every year, the Monterey Bay Aquarium does its part to save the world's marine life by putting out their Seafood Watch guides - basically a handy list of recommended seafood based on which species are abundant or "caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways." Of course, along with the recommendations of which fish orders will make you feel content in your earthiness, is a list of fish to avoid - those species that are overfished or caught in a manner that might hurt Mother Ocean herself.

Meanwhile in Boston, the AP reports that some ornery seafood purveyors are planning a defiant dining experience in which they will serve up a couple of the fish from the Aquarium's "Avoid" list. Roger Berkowitz, owner of the Boston-based Legal Sea Foods, says the Seafood Watch guides have "brainwashed" the masses and turned off consumers to species like Atlantic cod and tiger shrimp which will be on the menu for a special January 24th dinner at his restaurant.

According to the Aquarium, the cod is trawl-caught with gear that damages the sea floor, but Berkowitz argues that guides like Seafood Watch have "no scientific basis" and only intimidate buyers. An Aquarium spokesperson begs to differ, insisting the guides are "grounded in good science." The printable, pocket-sized guide also says it provides "science-based recommendations" right there at the top, so you be the judge.

[InsideBayArea]
[MonteryBayAquarium.org]

Dungeness crab season started last week. Eager crustacean aficionados might have noticed it came a day late though, which is practically a lifetime when you're jonesin' to dip a largely tasteless meat into melted butter or get your mallet on one of those salt-and-pepper numbers from R&G Lounge in Chinatown. Even despite promising early predictions of a strong season, the first week of crab fishing in the area hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.

CBS Local first noted the season was off to a strong start, despite an early accident in which a crab fisherman lost the tips from two of his fingers while fishing off the coast of Bodega Bay.

Also from Bodega Bay comes a tragic report of an accident this morning on a sport fishing boat out for a crab fishing trip. The boat capsized in rough waters after a fishing line got caught in the propeller. One man died in the accident and two others were suffering from hypothermia. None of the five people on board had been wearing life vests.

Billed as a kickoff to San Francisco's Indian summer (which, well, we might not feel this year of if the glacial summer weather is any indication), Waterbar hosts the second annual OysterFest on Saturday, August 28th.

The outdoor festival (pray for sun) will feature grub from oyster Waterbar (Oysters with House-made Sauerkraut), Farallon, Nick’s Cove (Oyster Gazpacho), EPIC Roasthouse, Nettie’s Crab Shack (Oyster Po-Boys), Drakes Bay Oyster Company and Beausoleil Oyster. The oyster festival will also feature live music by surf band Drifting Sand, as well as "local celebrity" emcees/judges including. Also, there will be wine. Lots of it.

All proceeds will go to benefit the Surfrider Foundation, a bitchin', surfer-founded agency dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. If you have a drop of California blood running through your veins, you probably heard of Surfrider. (If you can't make it to the OysterFest, feel free to donate something, anything here.)

What: Waterbar's OysterFest
Where: Waterbar (399 Embarcadero South, between Folsom and Harrison)
When: Saturday, August 28
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tickets: $30 (includes admission, oysters, small plates, Napa wines and local beers)

'Monday Munchies' returns. Yay! Also, if you can't afford to eat / be seen at Waterbar, calm down and listen: We have a review of Jollibee's, ready for your reading pleasure later this week. Until then, enjoy this.

by Tiffany Maleshefsk

The very ritzy-ish Waterbar, normally way out of our wallet’s reach, offers a prix fixe menu on Mondays called Shellfish & Champagne. And their prix fixe menu, which is billed as a "deal" even though it's still out of reach for many of us, is a tad more reasonable. For $60, eaters get three courses and three flutes of champagne. Or, go for the bargain-basement deal three courses for $40 (sans champagne).

We recently tested out the Shellfish & Champagne menu when the shellfish of the evening was Dungeness crab (our absolute favorite). And to keep things interesting, we brought a pal who didn’t need to restrict herself to the prix fixe menu.

Here’s a blow-by-blow of how the meal went down.