It was a century-old San Francisco restaurant where locals got engaged, celebrities came to be seen and political deals were made. Yet the landmark establishment, inside an ornate, castle-inspired building perched below Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, has been closed for so long that many newcomers to the city likely have never heard of it.
Julius’ Castle, which has sat dark since 2008, will finally reopen its doors in September, said owner Paul Scott, an attorney who has been restoring the turreted restaurant with stunning bay views at 1541 Montgomery St. since purchasing it in 2012. Wanting to rescue a place beloved by generations of San Franciscans, he faced red tape, legal battles, sliding hillsides and even a small fire along the way. Now, the majority of building permits have been issued, a chef has been hired and the iconic, if aging, building has been refurbished. “I didn’t realize this was going to figure so large in my life,” he said. “But it’s been for the good, because it’s such a big part of San Francisco history.”
Italian American restaurateur and namesake Julius Roz opened Julius’ Castle in 1924, inspired by an even more ornate, castle-style “party palace” that previously existed on Telegraph Hill. Over the decades, Julius’ Castle became a magnet for Hollywood and political figures, as well as locals celebrating anniversaries and graduations. Its many owners included Jeffrey Pollack, a music promoter and restaurateur who ran it from 1980 to 2006. Other owners revived it briefly in 2007 before closing it for good in January 2008. In 2010, it was listed for $4.5 million. Scott bought it in a bankruptcy sale, competing with a bidder who wanted to convert the building to condos, he said.
Like the Cliff House, another San Francisco institution that has long sat dormant but is slowly being revived, Julius’ Castle has its share of fans eagerly awaiting its return. It achieved landmark status in 1980 and was remodeled many times over the years, its interior wood paneling restored to gleaming and its exterior painted in bright yellow or accented in pink. When Scott bought it, it was “severely dilapidated,” full of leaks and in need of deferred maintenance, he said. “The building looked like hell.”…