Trailblazer Tavern San Francisco

Good news! You can enjoy many of our signature dishes and tastings from MINA Family Kitchen! We’re open for pick-up or delivery seven days a week.

Trailblazer Tavern, San Francisco’s Hawaiian hideaway, is an unforgettable culinary experience delivering oceans of flavor inspired by Hawai’i and the Pacific Rim. Nestled in San Francisco’s burgeoning East Cut district, Chef Michael Mina and James Beard-nominated Hawaiian Chefs Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka—of Honolulu’s MW Restaurant—have crafted a tribute to their shared love of the islands.

Located within the Salesforce East building, Trailblazer Tavern offers high-energy dining that blends the Aloha spirit with the magic of its signature chefs across a series of dishes infused with the bountiful flavors of the Pacific Ocean. With an array of Hawaiian and Pacific Islands-inspired dishes, fruit-forward cocktails, and award-winning desserts, this is more than just a restaurant, it’s an escape to paradise.

Valet Parking: $13 parking validation for up to 3 hours at 50 Fremont St.

12 / 05 / 2020

Our Menu

Private Dining & Events

Trailblazer Tavern can accommodate your party, large or small, and can host special events for either lunch or dinner and is available to reserve in its entirety. Our Event Manager will assist in seamlessly planning your special event. Trailblazer Tavern’s intimate and exquisite private dining room is the ideal venue for small business lunches or dinners and for festive events. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or hosting a private lunch or dinner, Trailblazer Tavern’s team of award-winning chefs will create the perfect menu to suit your event.

For events information, contact events-sf@trailblazertavern.com or 415.730.4591.

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“San Francisco’s biggest and splashiest Hawaiian restaurant to date” – Eater SF

“Pushing the boundaries of what ingredients belong in a cocktail” – Forbes

“The best Michael Mina restaurant in years” – SF Weekly

About Our Chefs: Michelle Karr-Ueoka & Wade Ueoka

Born and raised in Honolulu, Chef Michelle Karr-Ueoka is the human embodiment of the Aloha spirit. Believe it or not, but cooking was not Chef Michelle’s original career path. Chef Michelle graduated from Punahou School and pursued a degree in travel industry management at the University of Hawaii. But it wasn’t long before Chef Michelle’s passion for cooking ignited, starting after immersing herself in the culinary industry at Alan Wong’s. Finally, Chef Michelle launched the path to follow her true dreams.

To pursue this dream, Chef Michelle began training at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Her talents caught the eye of none other than Chef Thomas Keller. He invited her to join the team at The French Laundry where she honed her craft. But the islands kept calling to Michelle. Eventually, she left the mainland and rejoined Alan Wong’s. Here she spent six years relishing the savory side of the business. Yet, Chef Michelle has always enjoyed the sweeter things in life. When Chef Thomas Keller invited her to join his team at Per Se as a pastry chef, she wholeheartedly accepted the career-changing role. After years of hard work and many moves around the country, Chef Michelle finally achieved her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Little did she know, this was only the beginning of many great things.

In 2012, Chef Michelle received the Rising Star Chef Award from StarChefs.com for her work as a pastry chef. It wasn’t long after that Chef Michelle embarked on a new adventure: in October 2013, she and her husband Chef Wade Ueoka opened their first joint venture, MW Restaurant in Honolulu specializing in Hawaiian regional cuisine. The two world travelers draw inspiration from their journeys, but none bigger than the melting pot of Hawaii and its exotic local bounty.

Chef Michael Mina caught wind of the delectable dishes at MW Restaurant and had to try them. To say that Chef Mina was blown away would be an understatement. He recalled, “After dining at Michelle and Wade’s celebrated MW Restaurant in Honolulu, I was completely inspired by everything they were doing and wanted to bring their authentic Hawaiian experience and ‘ohana spirit’ to San Francisco.” With the help of Chef Mina, Chefs Michelle and Wade opened Trailblazer Tavern in 2018 in the Salesforce East building in San Francisco’s bustling tech neighborhood. With lively dining and jaw-dropping desserts, the restaurant quickly earned the reputation as a hidden gem.

Chef Michelle has been celebrated by many critics. In February 2014, MW Restaurant was nominated by the James Beard Foundation in the category of Best New Restaurant, and Chef Michelle earned a nomination in the category of Outstanding Pastry Chef. In 2015, Chef Michelle was nominated for the second year in a row by the James Beard Foundation in the category of Outstanding Pastry Chef. Check out Chef Michelle’s awards and accomplishments below.

James Beard Foundation
2014 Best New Restaurant (MW Restaurant, nominated)
2014 Outstanding Pastry Chef(Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Semifinalist)
2015 Outstanding Pastry Chef (Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Semifinalist)
2016 Outstanding Pastry Chef (Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Semifinalist)
2018 Outstanding Pastry Chef (Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Semifinalist)
StarChefs.com –Rising Star Award
2012 Rising Star Chef Award (Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Pastry Chef)
Ilima Award
2014 Best New Restaurant –Critic’s Choice
Hale ‘Aina Award
2015 Best New Restaurant –Bronze
2015 Best Dessert – Silver
2015 Best O’ahu Restaurant – Finalist
2016 Best Tasting Menu –Silver
2016 Best Dessert – Silver
2016 Best O’ahu Restaurant – Finalist

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Like his wife, Chef Wade Ueoka was born and raised in Honolulu. He began his career as a celebrated chef in an unusual place: a fry cook at Zippy’s while he worked his way through Mid Pacific School, from where he eventually graduated. He also earned a culinary degree from Kapiolani Community College. All the best things come from humble beginnings, so after just two years at Zippy’s, Chef Wade landed a job as a prep cook at Alan Wong’s. After a mere few years, Chef Wade rose the ranks to chef de cuisine.

Chef Wade’s career journey continued with excitement and prestige. He lent his talents to The French Laundry and Las Vegas’ Alex. However, Chef Wade’s biggest inspirations – which drives him to this day – are the Asian delicacies that he his mother cooked when he was a child. That’s why in October 2013, Chef Wade Ueoka and his wife and partner Chef Michelle Karr-Ueoka opened their first joint venture, MW Restaurant in Honolulu. Having traveled around the world, the pair draws inspiration from their journeys and mixes that with their shared love of Hawaiian, Hawaiian culture, and the exotic local bounty of the islands. Hawaiian food is their passion and guests can taste their love in every bite.

Naturally, Chef Michael Mina had to visit MW Restaurant. Chef Mina fell in love with MW Restaurant and the Aloha Spirit. Inspiration struck and he felt compelled to meet Chefs Wade and Michelle and collaborate with them. Thus, the idea for Trailblazer Tavern was born and the team launched the loved restaurant in 2018. When asked about Chefs Wade and Michelle, Chef Mina explained, “Their background and experience make them the perfect team for us to partner with on this special concept. Our team is honored to carry out their vision and translate this to the guest experience at Trailblazer Tavern.”

Along with his stellar talent Chef Wade lives and breathes Hawaiian hospitality. He has won and been nominated for many prestigious awards. In February 2014, MW Restaurant was nominated by the James Beard Foundation in the category of Best New Restaurant. See below for additional awards.

James Beard Foundation
2014 Best New Restaurant (MW Restaurant, nominated)
StarChefs.com – Rising Star Award
2012 Rising Star Chef Award (Wade Ueoka, Chef de Cuisine)
Ilima Award
2014 Best New Restaurant – Critic’s Choice
Hale ‘Aina Award
2015 Best New Restaurant – Bronze
2015 Best O’ahu Restaurant – Finalist
2016 Best Tasting Menu – Silver
2016 Best O’ahu Restaurant – Finalist

About Our Chef: Daniela Vergara

As Executive Sous Chef at Trailblazer Tavern, a high-energy dining concept that brings the spirit of Hawaii to San Francisco, Daniela Vergara is the ambassador of the Mina brand. This includes tastefully ensuring that the carefully curated menu is consistent day in and day out. By no means is this an easy task! Training, coaching, and tasting are just some of the many responsibilities that help create the aloha culture that Trailblazer Tavern strives to be.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Daniela graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. While obtaining a degree in Business Management with a minor in Farm to Table cuisine in 2016, Daniela’s passion for cooking was ignited after an internship at Tasting Table, the notable food news site. Pursuing her dream, Daniela furthered her training at The Culinary Institute of America, during which time she completed an internship at Boca Raton Resort. Upon graduation, she accepted a MINA Fellowship where she rotated through MINA Group’s renowned San Francisco restaurants – RN74, PABU and MICHAEL MINA – working both front and back of house until 2018.

In June of 2018, Daniela was promoted to Junior Sous Chef at Mina Test Kitchen, where she excelled in the position, and was then promoted within the company to Executive Sous Chef at the newly-opened Trailblazer Tavern in San Francisco’s burgeoning Transbay District. Daniela is inspired by her staff daily, working in tandem with her team to bring guests a once-in-a-lifetime experience through her cooking. Her tenure with MINA Group has allowed her to become part of a new family, and she is constantly inspired to improve and grow by the talented individuals surrounding her.