Embarcadero (Pier 30) · Waterfront burger shack

Red's Java House

A 1930s pier shack a fireboat saved

Local legend · Good for midday

It started in the 1930s as Franco's Lunch, feeding longshoremen on Pier 30. Two redheaded brothers, Tom and Mike McGarvey, bought it in 1955 and put their nickname on the door. When fire took the rest of the pier in 1984, a city fireboat saved the shack. The menu has barely changed since.

OrderA double cheeseburger on sourdough with onions, pickles and mustard. The patties are thin, so get two.

• No lettuce or tomato, by design
• Full bar

Last checked 2026-10. Hours change, so check before you go.