War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA: Tickets, Schedule, Seating Charts

The War Memorial Opera House is part of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center. It has been the home of the San Francisco Opera since opening night in 1932 and it’s the current home of the San Francisco Ballet. Located across from City Hall, the building is one of the last Beaux-Arts structures erected in the United States. In addition to opera and ballet performances, the 3146-seat auditorium hosts special presentations, lectures and concerts and even hosted the first conference of the United Nations in 1945.
The War Memorial Opera House is one of the Bay Area’s most sought-after and unique venues, offering modern technology and the ambience of Old World theater.

254 War Memorial Opera House Tips

Dressy 8
Festive 2
Formal 1

Take public transit 5
Arrive early 3
Parking is scarce 2

Food and drinks for purchase 4
No food allowed 1

Alicia Ramos

1 events

1 review

0 stars

You can buy drinks in the opera house and there’s a cafe/restaurant underneath the lobby of the opera house. It is very expensive, however. Just two glasses of Rosè was $52. May be cheaper to buy a whole bottle, which I’ve seen you can buy before the show and they will hold and pour from your bottle at intermission. The restaurant looked very nice but we ended up eating in the city at Fisherman’s wharf. If your tight on time before the show, like we were, there is a very nice cafe a few blocks from the opera house called Simply cafe, which serves coffee, macarons, sandwiches, and grab and go food. Note, you cannot bring outside food into the theater, however.

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Alicia Ramos

1 events

1 review

0 stars

The weather was Sunny. I wore A pink tulle skirt with a black top, while my husband wore slacks with a winter sweater. It was VERY HOT in the theater, so I would suggest leave your jackets in the car and short sleeves if you can. Also, seats are very small and close so probably less fluffier clothing (my skirt was a bit too fluffy). We saw many families in holiday dresses and dressier clothes, even for the matinee. .

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Alicia Ramos

1 events

1 review

0 stars

I would really research on parking beforehand. There is a parking garage for the performing arts center but it was completely full except for those that purchased parking beforehand. We ended up parking on the street on Grove Street, which is free 2 hour parking weekdays until 7pm, but we had to walk 10 minutes to the opera house and almost did not find an open spot.

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Bill

39 events

17 reviews

77 stars

If you are going to the 2:00 PM performance a good cheap meal is in the basement of City Hall.

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Rebel Rocker Beth

35 events

11 reviews

7 stars

If you can handle 3 to 3-1/2 blocks walking, the War Memorial Opera House is close to Civic Center BART.

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Laura Samaranayake

5 events

3 reviews

18 stars

If picking tickets up go early like an hour or hour and a half to get them from the box office/will call & ask when the doors open. Then go and eat around that area. I'd say come back 30 mins before show time.

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

Silvia S.

46 events

29 reviews

23 stars

They offer a shuttle from BART

San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker

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