What is Kat Ensign Swan Oyster Depot controversy? Beloved San Francisco restaurant defends food influencer’s allegations following backlash

The attempted cancellation of a historic seafood restaurant by a San Francisco food influencer has erupted into a heated battle online and divided the community around politics, free speech, and inclusiveness.

This week, the California-based food personality Kat Ensign, who goes by @katfoodsf on Instagram and TikTok, posted a photo from Swan Oyster Depot, a 113-year-old San Francisco institution. In the image was a baseball cap with the numbers “45 47” and an American flag, which was widely assumed to be a nod to President Donald Trump’s two terms in office.

To the photo, Ensign added audio that said, “Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not—turn around, full U-turn,” and the caption, “Swan Oyster Depot -> absolutely not.”

California food blogger Kat Ensign calls out San Francisco Swan Oyster for Trump hat Maybe the problem isn’t them — it’s you #OysterGirl https://t.co/sftn3TNnQf

— Susan Woulfe (@slwoul) July 11, 2025

The post went viral on social media, where some supported Kat Ensign's decision while others were outraged. Some did side with Ensign in her criticism, but many accused her of simply politicizing the issue and trying to ruin a family-owned business because of a difference in political opinions (Daily Mail).

The Sancimino brothers, Kevin and Tom, co-owners of Swan Oyster Depot, were quick to address the uproar. Kevin told SFGate that the hat was not an overt political statement and was among the countless items gifted to the restaurant over time.

“It was a gift from a customer, much like a lot of the stuff that ends up in our store, whether it’s rubber duckies or dollar bills from all over the world," Kevin Sancimino said.

A look into the backlash received by Kat Ensign

The reaction was swift and divided. Swan Oyster Depot’s page on Yelp and Google was supposedly filled with one-star reviews condemning the suspected political connection.

According to SFGate, Yelp has even temporarily turned off new reviews as it says it is seeing “unusual activity” stemming from the viral post. But on the other hand, dozens of loyal customers and social media users had come to the defense of the 4-year-old establishment.

Sancimino emphasized that his family’s restaurant is open to people of all political backgrounds and that it tries to stay out of politics as it runs the business.

"People can have their different political views, and we can all coexist in the same space," Sancimino added.

In SF, the days of "canceling" a business over politics are over. it just doesn't work anymore. go/don't go. fake bad reviews aren't worth the effort to write and post. Swan Oyster Depot has been delivering incredible seafood since 1912, and on a somewhat skuzzy block of Polk St.… pic.twitter.com/kLV0QW5zpF

— Erica Sandberg 舊金山的神奇女俠 (@EricaJSandberg) July 10, 2025

The timing of Kat Ensign’s post was suspicious as well, as the restaurant had closed since the start of July for a holiday break and was due to reopen on July 14. The hat was taken out of rotation to be cleaned two weeks before, according to Sancimino.

Kat Ensign has not yet released a formal reply to what the restaurant has to say. This isn’t the first time the influencer has voiced her opinion on social media. In January, the influencer was supposedly involved in an online dispute with former Hamburger Project chef Geoffrey Lee.

With Swan Oyster Depot set to reopen again, the dispute is a reminder of how fast politics and social media can negatively impact a business.