San Francisco Neighborhoods · Forest Hill
Forest Hill
Fog zoneA hushed, leafy enclave of architect-designed homes on winding wooded streets, where the city feels a world away just above the Twin Peaks Tunnel.
- Architect-designed homes
- Winding wooded streets
- Maybeck clubhouse
- Historic Muni station
On the map
Open Forest Hill on the map →The story
Forest Hill was laid out from 1912–1913 by the Newell-Murdoch Company as one of San Francisco's first planned residence parks. Engineers carved curving, tree-lined streets into the slopes below Mount Sutro and filled them with large architect-designed homes in Tudor, Spanish, and Mediterranean styles. The neighborhood's social heart is the Forest Hill Clubhouse, designed by Bernard Maybeck in 1919 and now a city landmark. Purely residential, it remains one of the city's most serene addresses.
Things most people don’t know
Architect-designed homes
Built as a residence park, Forest Hill is full of large custom homes in Tudor, Spanish, and Mediterranean revival styles set on winding wooded streets.
A Maybeck masterpiece
The Forest Hill Clubhouse was designed by legendary Bay Area architect Bernard Maybeck in 1919 and is a designated San Francisco landmark.
One of America's oldest subway stops
Forest Hill Station opened in 1918 as Laguna Honda Station, among the first municipal underground rail stations built in the United States.
A planned residence park
Developed from 1912–1913 by the Newell-Murdoch Company, its curving streets and stone gateways were designed to follow the natural hillside.
Under Mount Sutro
Tucked below the forested slopes of Mount Sutro and near Laguna Honda, the area stays leafy, quiet, and almost entirely residential.
Eating and drinking near Forest Hill
Forest Hill is primarily residential — these sit in West Portal.
Restaurants
- Elena's Mexican Restaurant · 255 W Portal Ave
- Trattoria da Vittorio · 150 W Portal Ave
- Little Original Joe's · 393 W Portal Ave
- Khao Tiew · 272 Claremont Blvd
Bars
- The Dubliner · 328 W Portal Ave
- Philosopher's Club · 824 Ulloa St
Getting around and getting care
Transit. Forest Hill Station (K, L, M) runs through the Twin Peaks Tunnel to downtown; the 36 Teresita and 44 O'Shaughnessy buses serve the surrounding hills.
Nearest hospital. UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus, 505 Parnassus Ave (about 1.5 mi)
Thinking about Forest Hill?
Send me an address and I will come back with its sun, wind and fog, what is under it, and what has closed on the block.