John's Grill is a historic restaurant located in the downtown area of San Francisco, California.[1][2] The restaurant is famous, in part, because of the novel The Maltese Falcon (1930), and the later film The Maltese Falcon (1941). On the climactic final night of the novel's plot, detective Sam Spade dines on chops, potatoes, and tomatoes at John's Grill after coming into possession of the titular falcon.[3]
History
John's Grill was established in 1908[4] and was the first restaurant to open in downtown San Francisco after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.[5] The restaurant stands at the edge of the Tenderloin neighborhood, around the corner from the "Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround." Over the years, John's Grill has had many famous patrons.[3] The restaurant serves steakhouse fare.[6]
In August 2021, owner John Konstin, Jr announced that the restaurant would require patrons to show proof of vaccination against Covid-19 for both inside and outside seating. This made the restaurant the first in the area to impose this requirement.[7]
