Overview

• His death at 86 was confirmed by his son Michael and first reported by the SF Standard.
• Betz purchased the House of Prime Rib in 1985, turning it into a coveted destination known for cold martinis and 21-day aged prime rib carved tableside.
• Born in 1939 in Bavaria, he arrived in San Francisco in 1962 as a waiter and at 28 bought Hoffman’s Grill, then making him the city’s youngest restaurateur.
• He maintained a Christmas Eve partnership with Glide Memorial Church that fed thousands, donating more than 2,000 pounds of beef in later years.
• He guided the restaurant through COVID-19 closures and reopening, earned a 2022 James Beard nomination for hospitality, and is survived by sons Michael and Steven and several grandchildren.