No matter inflation, infamous bureaucracy, or impossible rents, some businesses in San Francisco seem to defy the odds: Less than four years since opening their first shop, the owners of Outta Sight Pizza are launching a third storefront.
Reggie and Maude’s is the newest project from Outta Sight’s co-founders Eric Ehler and Peter Dorrance, who are branching out to bar life — and doubling down on their commitment to the Tenderloin.
This month, they are expected to take over the dive Pomeroy Bar & Grill (formerly Shovels, formerly Harrington’s Harry Pub, formerly Sail-N Lodge) on the same block as their wildly popular Larkin Street pizza shop. When Mission Local visited in June, Outta Sight’s line of customers was out the door.
The bar has carved wood ceilings, a dusty arcade game, and a pool room. It is a slice of Tenderloin history: There has reportedly been a pub or speakeasy on the spot for about 100 years.
Dorrance and Ehler plan to add to that history. The name Reggie and Maude’s is a nod to two madams in the Tenderloin vice district, Reggie Gamble and Maude Spencer, who in 1917 were leaders in the sex workers’ rights movement as the city moved to evict hundreds of brothels.
Their pizza venture and the new bar are a far cry from Dorrance and Ehler’s past lives working at Michelin-starred fine dining establishment Mister Jiu’s, but their plan is simple: “top-tier” bar food at affordable prices.
“In this day and age, and the climate of the world, and who knows — I want to eat something good and I don’t want to spend that much money for it,” said Dorrance. “Wouldn’t that be cool if you could get a burger that’s really good, and a martini, for $20 bucks?”
Pizza may or may not be on the menu.
It’s a leap of faith to open any business in San Francisco, let alone three. But the Outta Sight team is optimistic that their new venture will draw the same level of support as their two pizza shops. What started as a pop-up at a wine bar in 2020 has grown from a cult following to something bigger: Today, Outta Sight has over 20,000 followers on Instagram, and is ranked among the best places for pizza in the country.
“People come in, we’re really fortunate, we’re lucky,” said Ehler of the pizza shops and their popularity among artists, professional skateboarders, local restaurateurs — and to his dismay, content creators on social media. But the reason for the hype, again, is simple: “Oh, because we make food, and it’s good.”
They soon expanded to Outta Sight II in Chinatown, opening there in January 2025. When the bar down the block went on the market, Dorrance said they couldn’t say no: They always wanted a bar, and this one came ready-made.
“It’s already the watering hole, you already have the vibe, the bones are great,” Dorrance said, noting that Pomeroy already has regulars like UC Law students, construction workers, and federal employees. Once upon a time, Dorrance and Ehler too would pop in for a boozy lunch, “maybe too often.”
Dorrance and Ehler plan to continue Pomeroy’s participation in live music and cultural events on adjacent Dodge Alley on the second Thursdays of the month. They are happy to double down on the Tenderloin, an often-ignored foodie haven.
“When we first opened [people] were like, ‘Why would you go to the Tenderloin?’” Dorrance said, adding he had to “scream and yell” about the quality food in the area in the pizza shop’s early days. “What, we’re gonna go on Valencia Street? That’s not our vibe.”
Mark Yatabe, managing partner of Pomeroy, which rebranded in 2025 from the Irish pub Shovels, gave few details about why he’s moving on. The bar is expected to close after Feb. 15.
“My partner basically decided that he didn’t wanna deal with it and I personally don’t wanna go it alone,” Yatabe said. (Asked if he’s retiring, Yatabe responded severely: “No — God, no.”)
Dorrance and Ehler are going at it together: They hope to soon sign a lease and plan to extend the kitchen, put in a new hood, and make the bathroom accessible. They’ll add their “Outta Sight aesthetic,” and “if everything goes right,” Dorrance anticipates opening their doors by summer.
“The rest of the country, you know — terrifying,” he said. “But I have high hopes for our little bubble here.”