The Three Cliff Houses
Scandalous Casino—The Cliff House, between the 1860s and 1880s, once was an exclusive resort with fancy parlors and gambling casinos. At first, only San Francisco's most elite families patronized the resort, including, as author Karen Liberatore writes, "... the Crockers (of the bank), the Hearsts (of the paper), and the Stanfords (of the railroad), who could often be seen dining on terrapin stew or mussels Bordelaise." Later years attracted a less-rarified clientele, one more interested in gambling and debauchery than fine cuisine.

Victorian Palace—The original Cliff House burned down in 1894. In its place, Sutro built a Victorian palace, an eight-story structure crowned with fanciful turrets and towers. The new Cliff House had twenty private lunch rooms, numerous art galleries, several shops, and even an elevator. Many famous guests visited Sutro's clifftop chateau, including Oscar Wilde, Andrew Carnegie, and two American presidents.

Modern Seaside Restaurant—The Cliff House fell into disrepair after Sutro died. Though the resort survived the 1906 earthquake with only $300 worth of damage, it burned to the ground a year later. Sutro's daughter rebuilt a neoclassical concrete Cliff House; in 1977, the National Park Service acquired this building. Today, the Cliff House continues to delight patrons who can enjoy dinner and a sunset over the Pacific.