John's Grill, San Francisco

On a recent foot-and-cable-car tour through San Francisco, I happened upon John's Grill, a seafood-and-steak restaurant that is not only (according to them) "one of the city's oldest and most famous establishments," but is also the "home of the Maltese Falcon."

According to the hostess, John's Grill is where Dashiell Hammett wrote The Maltese Falcon. It is also a setting in the great detective novel (which, of course, became a film starring Humphrey Bogart).

Aaron and I (we had ducked into the restaurant together, while the rest of the family waited outside) looked at the menu, which was too rich for our blood. But the hostess allowed us to take a quick tour through the place, which occupies three floors.

On the second floor is a display case where we found the falcon himself! And other related memorabilia. Though we didn't stay long, it was a blast seeing the place--with its dark oak paneling and authentic period furnishings, still evoking the days of Dashiell Hammett and Sam Spade. 

John's Grill is located at 63 Ellis Street (between Stockton and Powell, just a few steps away from the Apple Store, which we also visited...of course) in San Francisco.