Liverpool Lil's

(415)921-6664
2942 Lyon St.
(@ Lombard)
San Francisco, CA
(Marina district)

Rating: $-$$$
Rating: 7 (Rating & price key)
Last visit: 08/08/06

This Marina bar and restaurant has been around for quite some time, and deservedly so - it's a welcome break from the trendy (although often rather good) restaurants in the area, serving up standard english pub fare in a nice dark wooded environment.

The walls are covered with sports memorabilia, mostly old photographs, giving the place a cozy feel, without the loudness (and advertising) of more modern sports-themed decorations. The crowd was a mix of 30-somethings and people who looked like they've been coming here for decades. There's a small seating area in front by the bar, and a larger more formal dining room in back. We sat by the bar.

From the menu of pub grub, I decided on the hamburger and Sarah on the fish & chips. Our tiny table just barely contained our plates, but our friendly server shuffled things around and made it work. The burger was good, but not spectacular, cooked well, and with a good beef flavor. The fries were unremarkable in both my dish and Sarah's.

The fish part of Sarah's fish & chips was tasty, nicely breaded and fried, with tender, flaky, and moist cod in the middle. If only the chips had been at least good, this would have been one of the better F&C I've had in SF.

Service was cheerful, chatty, and friendly, nothing at all bad to say about it. Lil's is my sort of place - down-to-earth, comforting, and inviting. We'll surely return next time we're wanting pub food in the Marina.