San Francisco's iconic Julius Castle to reopen after nearly 20 years

New at 10, one of San Francisco's most beloved landmark restaurants is finally ready to welcome diners once again after a nearly 20-year absence. Julius Castle, which sits right above the bay on Telegraph Hill, officially reopens on Thursday. KTVU's Betty Yu was able to get a first look inside. She joins us live tonight from San Francisco. Betty? Hi Mike. Anticipation for the reopening of Julius Castle behind me has been building for years and tonight this place was already buzzing with excitement because the restaurant hosted a friends and family night ahead of its grand opening on Thursday. What do you want diners to feel when they walk in here? I want them to feel awe and affection for the city, like it's all laid out here before you. The views are hard to beat from this San Francisco landmark that's finally getting its second act. After nearly two decades with its doors closed, Julius Castle is reopening Thursday. But getting here was anything but easy for owner and longtime San Franciscan Paul Scott. This place was around for a hundred years and it went through some travails with all the different stories folks have heard about. The landslides, the fires, the renovations that were necessary, the deferred maintenance, lifting the street. Paul is a neighborhood resident. He bought the crumbling landmark high atop Telegraph Hill in 2012, five years after it closed. What followed was years of permitting and legal hurdles, structural repairs, and unexpected setbacks. Along the way, some suggested turning the property into residences, a potentially lucrative alternative. I kept on hearing stories about people having their first date, their prom, some other special occasion to them, and it was just inevitable, like it had to be a restaurant again. This is a portrait of Julius Ross, the man himself. Back in the day, a dapper fellow. The castle's history stretches back more than a century, founded by Italian immigrant Julius Ross, and even served as a speakeasy during Prohibition. For decades, it became a popular destination for high-profile figures and generations of San Franciscans. And is that San Francisco sourdough? That is San Francisco sourdough. Okay, so a nod to the city. Now its menu celebrates San Francisco with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. And its bar menu will also have a distinctly San Francisco flair for longtime resident Harley Dubois, who celebrated her first wedding anniversary here 26 years ago. The reopening feels personal for the neighborhood. This is everything. Everyone had their best moment here. And when it was closed, this neighborhood just lost so much. So, having it back is really just like a coming home. This is San Francisco. It's not just kind of a reopening, but it's actually the essence of San Francisco. Just driving up the streets or having to walk up steps or stairs, amazing, majestic views, great views of the Bay Lights. Now, interestingly, this is the first time the owner has owned a restaurant. The last time he worked in the business was when he was a busboy, when he was just 14 years old. But he said he's surrounded himself with a tremendous team determined to make this a really memorable experience for anyone who walks through those doors. And one more note, they encourage people to take a ride here because parking in this area, very, very tough. But they do have valet. If you do decide to drive. Great point, bringing up the parking on that. I mean, so many memories, so much history right there, Betty. Let's talk about trying to get a resi. How hard is it right now with all the excitement surrounding the restaurant to get a two-top or a four-top? Right now, really, really tough. They actually sold out of all their reservations within five minutes of releasing that first batch. They also encountered some bot activities, so they're working to get that fixed. And one more note, no walk-ins at this time because they really are just trying to manage the crowds at this time. No walk-ins. Get the reservation. All right, Betty, you're live tonight in San Francisco. Betty, thanks for the preview.