Plouf is in the middle of the alley. You can tell by the waitstaff, who all wear blue and white striped shirts. Inside the restaurant is a bit on the small side and sparse. Stuffed trophy fish line the walls and the white tile floors and booths give it a friendly feel, but one with little warmth. It reminds me of a seafood place you might find in Nice or Marseilles.

The waitstaff is great and very friendly. The menu does change as to what is in season and they will offer real suggestions for you on what is best that night. However, it's the mussels that everyone comes here for. They offer eight varieties and almost every table will have the big black pot of mussels and real honest French fries. They are delicious. I suggest the Plouf version as my favorite pick.

Plouf offers full bar service and has an extensive wine list. They have a nice selection of wines from France and California. They offer some of the smaller California wineries which aren't often served in restaurants.

The food is always great. Tonight I had the Cod and it was perfect (the portion was a bit small). In the past of I have had the Artic Char, Seabass and Halibut and all were outstanding. Two of our tablemates had steak this evening. Now why come to a famous seafood place and order steak...I don't know why. However the steak looked great and they raved about it.

Plouf is fun and is a great place to take friends. It's loud and the atmosphere is fun and festive. The waitstaff is fun and keeps the action going. When they are full they can get a little hectic and the service slows down a bit, but is still good. Plouf is also open for lunch. This is a great spot to enjoy a sunny day (not every day here) and relax with good service and great food. It's not far off Union Square so it's a nice break when visiting this area of the city.

Most seafood places here have an ocean view, Plouf offers no such view. However Belden Alley is fun and I promise you the fish is just as fresh as those with boats off the kitchen door.