Despite Eviction, Sinbad's Continues to Hang On at Pier 2

For a restaurant that doesn't seem to have any problem with its dismal Yelp reviews or its not-so-great Health Department ratings, 40-year-old Embarcadero restaurant Sinbad's isn't taking the prospect of eviction lying down. In direct defiance of an eviction notice from its landlord, the Port of San Francisco, the Pier 2 seafood spot has continued to operate long past its ordained March 21 closing date, with co-owner Duane Stinson telling Hoodline that "we're not going to close." He wants the restaurant to remain in operation until construction begins on Sinbad's replacement, an expanded SF ferry terminal, in early 2016.

Having already issued a 30-day notice demanding the return of Sinbad's property that went ignored, the Port of San Francisco is now planning on taking Sinbad's to court unless they respond within the week, with a rep saying Stinson and his brothers/co-owners Tom and Charles have "basically been in denial" about the closure. A lawyer for Sinbad's, however, asserts that the restaurant could still continue operating and paying its $24,000 monthly rent until construction on the ferry terminal gets going. The Port has countered that argument by saying it'll be fined by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission if the restaurant isn't torn down on time. Sinbad's has already filed its own suit, alleging that the Port didn't negotiate the lease in good faith. Regardless of who prevails, it looks like this battle is far from over.