This $28 Million Waterfront Home in Sausalito Was Once a Legendary Restaurant

Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, and Marlon Brando all walk into a restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Think fast—what’s it called? If you guessed the Valhalla, you are correct. The beloved eatery that once hosted President John F. Kennedy is now a serene waterfront residence available through Lydia and Madga Sarkissian of Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty for $28 million.

Set in the heart of old town Sausalito, the original structure was built in 1893 by Joseph Lowder, who named his German biergarten, the Walhalla. Locals frequented it to make use of its dance hall, and its clandestine operations during Prohibition lend it even more cachet. In 1946, right after World War II, former San Francisco madam Sally Sanford bought the by-then vacant buildings and reopened it as the Valhalla. The establishment attracted all kinds of colorful characters over the years, and though it is today a discreet private residence, it remains an enduring icon in the Marin County enclave.

The property housed a series of restaurants starting in the 1980s and was purchased by a doctor in 2012 who wanted to convert it into a 20-room hotel. Community backlash prompted him to reimagine the project as a private home, which its current owners have renamed as the Valhalla 1893, as a nod to its history. Following years of planning and restoration, it appears brand new with boxy frames and pitched roofing across the main residence, guest house, and four-car garage that speak to a Colonial style, while clean lines and tall windows add a contemporary feel. Panoramic vistas of Angel Island, the San Francisco skyline, and Bay Bridge from the compound also make it a rare find.

A skylight-capped atrium welcomes guests into the nearly 7,000-square-foot main house, ahead of a large open-plan space that includes the Valhalla’s carved wood bar and a double-sided marble fireplace that separates the formal living and dining areas. Hardwood floors trail between both areas, while a massive wood-paneled island anchors the chef’s kitchen. 

Elsewhere, the main floor’s north wing provides access to an office, family room, mudroom, and garage. Five bedrooms and three full baths are alternatively located in the south wing, alongside a second atrium and library that leads upstairs. The primary suite spans the entire second floor with an en-suite bath and skylight-capped dressing room. Just outside is a massive rooftop deck with two fire pits, a turfed area, a bar, and open views over the water.

To one side of the gated front courtyard, is the guesthouse. Dual skylights drench its kitchen and dining areas, set beneath a double-height ceiling. Like the main residence, it spills onto a covered terrace. Along with a primary suite, there’s a lofted area that could serve as an art studio, meditation spot, or yoga space. Rounding out the Valhalla 1893’s extraordinary offerings? A four-car garage and direct access to a boardwalk that runs along the shore.