For 154 years, Tadich Grill has been a San Francisco tradition and is a San Francisco Landmark. Founded as a coffee stand serving sandwiches to men setting off to make their fortune in the Gold Rush of 1849 by Croatian immigrants, it is the oldest restaurant in continuous operation in the state of California, and the third oldest in the United States, behind Boston's Union Oyster House (1826) and New Orleans's Antoine's (1840). In the late 1800's it became the source of a legend when local politician Alexander Badlam boasted—as he dined at Tadich Grill—it would be a cold day before he was turned out of office by voters. He was ousted soon after and Tadich Grill became known forever after as "The Original Cold Day Restaurant.

In 1913 the Buich brothers from Dubrovnik, Croatia, came to work for John Tadich. Later, in 1929 Mr. Tadich sold his interest to them. As San Francisco grew and changed, so did the restaurant until, in 1967, it found its current home. Today, Michael Buich, the third generation of the Buich family owns and operates the world- famous restaurant. In 1995, a lawsuit had been brought by a disabled individual against the restaurant and the owners asserted that the structural problems related to removing the four inch step at the front entrance, which was also contained a structural beam supporting the front of the building, were too costly and that providing access would destroy the historic character of the entrance.

Lerner + Associates were retained by Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund to advise them on practical accessibility options for the main entrance to the building. Work included providing drawings and other visuals demonstrating various design options. The solution was to lower and replace only a section of the beam (structural work was performed by engineer Patrick Buscovich), provide a short ramp with an automatic door opener and increase the clear opening of the door by the use of swing clear hinges thus providing an invisible or universal design solution. The case was settled and Tadich's owners retained Lerner + Associates to produce construction and permit drawings for the project.