How To Get Into San Francisco's Notoriously Booked House Of Prime Rib Without A Reservation

For decades, House of Prime Rib (HOPR), an English-style steakhouse, has been a legendary institution in San Francisco. Known for its massive portions of marbled prime rib carved from a meat cart and house salad made tableside with a top-secret dressing, it's no wonder the beloved restaurant goes through 360 ribs per week.

It's even less surprising that reservations (especially for two) require booking months in advance. However, there is still a way to get your foot in the door and experience a famed HOPR prime rib dinner without a reservation. Although HOPR doesn't explicitly advertise this little-known loophole, diners have learned to arrive early (before 5 p.m., which is when the doors open) to get on the waitlist for a seat at the bar. This genius bar trick has been verified by Reddit users as a way to dine at HOPR without a reservation. Granted, you'll miss many of the theatrics of the dining room tables; but for a walk-in, it's your best bet for snagging a last-minute seat and a plateful of mouthwatering, high-quality prime rib. 

When owner Joe Betz took over House of Prime Rib in 1985, he didn't dare mess with the preparation and cooking process for the restaurant's famous prime rib. In fact, HOPR's current mode of operation dates back to 1949, when it originally opened. 

It starts with the dry-aging room, where only the best Prime grade beef ribs (as opposed to Choice) age for 21 days under an infrared light. When the chef deems them ready, the ribs are transferred into custom pans which Betz says are custom built for them to fit in the oven. Next, the ribs are covered in coarse rock salt to the point where not even an inch of meat is visible. Paradoxically, this helps the meat to retain moisture while cooking. This step is part of the secret to HOPR's success. 

The ribs cook at a medium temperature for 2½ hours in the oven then carefully set out to cool for 2 more hours. After that, the staff uses a wooden oar to break up the rock salt and reveal the beautifully cooked, tender prime rib underneath. From there, it's loaded into the meat cart and served fresh to you — wherever you happen to be seated.