CEO Jim Woods said he’s been looking into opening a taproom at Fisherman’s Wharf for a few years now. He used to live nearby and is excited to bring his three young sons to the area as a wave of new businesses arrives in the coming year, from Raising Cane’s to Saigon Sandwich. 

“I grew up going to the Wharf, so it’s going to be fun to be a part of its rebirth, in a way,” he told SFGATE. 

In its meeting on Tuesday, the Port Commission approved a lease for Woods Beer to take over 2,000 square feet of the ground floor of 2875 Taylor St. It’s a two-year term with an optional third year — a temporary pop-up intended to activate the space as quickly as possible, so they won’t be making any major changes to the historic seafood restaurant, Woods explained. Fishermen’s Grotto closed back in March 2020. 

“We’re mainly going to be using the space as is,” Woods said. “I think it’s very charming. It’s got a really nice Fisherman’s Wharf vibe, and it’s pretty nostalgic.”

The bar won’t pay a base rent to the Port but rather will pay it 10% of gross sales in the summer season and 8% in the winter season, plus a $1,000-per-month reimbursement for utility costs. 

“You may see more deals structured in this way if this works out for the Port, which I think a lot of people would love to see,” Woods said. “It’s a challenge to fully utilize these spaces when it’s still up in the air what ultimately they’re going to have to do in terms of big-picture renovations … these temporary activations could be a really great tool.”

The upcoming taproom will be right next door to a new public plaza, in the former Alioto’s space, which is expected to open this summer. Woods Beer will offer outdoor seating on the plaza, serving beer, wine, cocktails and food prepared out of a trailer kitchen outside. The menu has yet to be finalized, but Woods said, “We’re hoping to have something very compelling from a food angle.”

He expects the new taproom and cafe to open in August or September, following the completion of some maintenance on the building by the Port. It will be Woods Beer’s sixth location in SF.

“I feel like everything’s cyclical, and it seems seems like people in the local community are ready for something like Fisherman’s Wharf,” he said. “Especially when you bring some new blood in there to broaden the mix, and you still have these awesome legacy businesses that are worth checking out, too.”

In other good news, he added that the inking of the Fisherman’s Wharf lease will help expedite the opening of their long-awaited San Anselmo taproom — Marin County fans can expect it to open by the new year.