Don't be discouraged by the naysayers. Sure, the best food isn't found along the Wharf or the water, but you can have a perfectly reasonable, if not perfect, meal and enjoy the settings. Slanted Door is extremely popular, even among locals. And I thought Scoma's, despite being on the wharf, was a decent meal and it's been there forever. I would, however, avoid MarketBar -- I've never had a good meal there. The chowhound rec is a great one.