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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts
Neighborhoods: Hayes Valley, Civic Center/Tenderloin"Awesome and friendly staff here serving up great, inexpensive organic coffees that are always fresher than I am in the morning, even though…" read more »
Not bad All Star. I used to pass by this place almost everyday on my way home from school and would often pop in for a drink. I especially liked this place because they sold my flavor of vitamn water.
Not a huge fan of the donuts, the few times that I bought them here they were very stale and tasted too much like lemon when they should not have. Given that, they always did fill the sugar void I was seeking to fill, and never made me feel sick!
Oh, and they do not make change for muni, don't even bother asking, just by something and hope you get the right amounts of quarters / dollar bills.
Open 24 hours. Fresh donuts available at 7am. I just went and got three different kinds, my favorite was the maple french.
Extremely convenient location, with tasty, cheap, well-executed donuts
I actually wanted to get a banh mi across the street at Boston Cafe, but they're closed on Sunday so I came here. They list below "Cheesesteak" a "Mushroom cheesesteak". I inquired if this was a cheesesteak that used mushrooms instead of beef as a vegetarian option but was told, no, it's beef plus mushrooms and peppers and onions. I asked if I could substitute the beef for more mushrooms and onions and peppers. The guy thought about it for a while and nodded ok. He grilled up a fresh, hot mushroom cheesesteak for me. It wasn't the most amazing cheesesteak I've ever had, but it was pretty good, it was fresh, plentiful, and big ups to the guy for accommodating me.
Not bad at all. Came here on a chilly Sunday night and got a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate. It definitely hit the spot. I forget how much it was, but it must have been around $7.00? Not too sure.
My vegan friend ordered the veggie teriyaki, and even though she said it was the grossest thing she'd ever eaten, she did eat the whole thing so it couldn't have been that bad.
I'd definitely go back here again to have a wide choice of options when not much else is open.
Also, you can watch street people from the windows. Sometimes they come in and stare at you while you're trying to eat, but it's more comical than scary.
This is the place to get coffee and breakfast. Super easy, super fast, super cheap. I love the word super apparently--sounds like supper, and I like to eat....
Anyways,
Its great cause its open all the time, they serve dough nut holes--which tide me over before going to bed with a gut full of booze. Dough nut holes--they are like preventative hangover pills.
I go here in my PJs--not an issue at all. If they serve the homeless they can serve me in my undies.
All-Star donuts will melt in your mouth. The warm ooozy fat from your glazed donut will then proceed to attach itself to your bulging love handles.
If you can't resist, utilize the homeless mobs that pester the morning crowds by offering up a dollar to go in and buy you one of these little golden treats. Otherwise everyone in the office will know your off that "amazing diet" you've been talking up all week, by the irrestistable smell of frylater that is free with every visit!
After spending some of my afternoon at the wonderful SFMTA, I found myself to be rather hungry and seeing as how I had no food at home, I was wondering what I should eat. When I saw the sign for the All-Star Cafe, my mouth started to water as I thought back to an awesome meatball sandwich I had back in Vegas.
I go in hoping I would be able to relive that taste but unfortunately they didn't have a meatball sandwich on the menu. Instead I opted to get a philly cheesesteak. The best thing about the sandwich was the fact that even after not being able to get back home for another 20-25 minutes to eat it, it was still toasty and delicious. I was getting a little full halfway through the sandwich but found myself eating the whole thing. If I ever feel like going to that part of town again, I think I'm gonna get me another sandwich.
I have to say it: I just don't get the people who want a Dunkin Donuts or a Krispy Kreme in San Francisco. When I lived in NYC, I used to come to SF for vacations and be soooo excited about getting fresh and different doughnuts in San Francisco rather than the stale limp thing that passes as doughnuts at Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme (I am sure they just inject fat into Krispy Kreme doughnuts and that's why everybody likes them...I really do not enjoy Krispy Kreme doughnuts whatsoever, and that's saying a lot from a gal who enjoys almost any fatty food product concocted on this planet). Everytime I was visiting SF, I would buy two doughnuts from All Star for the plane ride back.
Plus, now that i have learned from the information-minded Yelpers that this All Star is open 24 hours...that just made my day. One of these days, I really want to do the midnight run for doughnuts that I keep on hearing about. Ya know: show up in the middle of the night and smell the just-fried doughnuts thing.
They also sell cheap sandwiches. The person who introduced me to the sandwiches raved about their Philly steak sandwiches. After I had All Star's Philly steak sandwich, I was convinced my friend had never had a genuine Philly steak sandwich in his whole life. But it's still a cheap sandwich that's decent, just not a Philly steak sandwich.
Moreover, when I walk to work on weekends (because I have to procrastinate as long as possible to get to work on a weekend...as well as try to get some retail therapy on Market St. to convince myself to step a foot into the office on a weekend day) I stop by and get one of those long doughnuts with custard in the middle. By the way, last time I was at Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme, they didn't have those long doughnuts which lets you fool yourself into believing you are having the same fatty content as just a regular smaller doughnut.
I like the Marina All Star doughnuts better...but this one is closer and not in the Marina, and open 24 hours.
San Franciscans: wake up and smell the doughnut...this is better than Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts.
Given it's location, and the fact that it's open really late, you can imagine that All Star Cafe gets more than its fair share of characters coming through. As such, you would expect the staff to be pretty defensive and suspicious of their customers, however, my experience has always been the opposite. I've been to this cafe dozens of times, and the staff have always been friendly.
All Star Cafe is a very straight forward pastry / coffee shop, no frills, but the food is actually not bad. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I can't comment on the quality of the coffee.
The Cafe has a very limited amount of seating indoors which, during the day, is often occupied by nearby workers. Not that you would want to sit here. As a no frills cafe, ambiance and people watching are not enjoyable activities at this location (though, it is interesting if you happen to be either a cop or a shrink).
In no world should a BLT taste like fish.
With the friendly service and delicious donuts/pastries, their prices seem just about right. Mmm...donuts.
I gotta step up for the All Star Cafe.
I found it while doing some work for the SF Opera, and ran in to see what they could offer. I also was interested because it's just around the corner from the Conservatory of Music.
Here's the good of it:
Simple, cheap, yet full menu, offering some healthy variety (fresh fruit box, fresh veggies on the sandwiches). The food is made to order, the breads are fresh (they have whole wheat), and the kitchen seems pretty clean. The staff working there are extremely friendly and quick, especially given the riff-raff they sometimes have to put up with.
The Thai iced-tea and the Chai is some of the best I've had throughout the City so far. The coffee is not bad.. it's relatively fresh and cheap.
Also, it's open 24 hours and is not a bad operation for being open and accessible all the time.
Here's the challenge:
The location. Yes, there may be some peddlers and crazies about the outside, they do stay out and not in. It lacks the charm of other places and the seating is limited, but the place is not deisgned for hanging out.. it's a short-order cafe. Also, they only take cash (but there is a BOA and other ATMs at the same intersection).
The final word... Great place for decent food all hours of the day. Grab a quick bite, say hi to the great guys and ladies working there, be on your way, having saved a buck or two.
(this was edited after frequenting the All Star for a year after I first wrote this review)
I'm surprised at the bad reviews for this. IT'S A 24 PLACE ON THE CORNER OF MARKET AND VAN NESS AND IT'S WONDERFUL... I come here for coffee and a bagel before work and the ladies are really friendly. Then one night on my way home after a night out, I stumbled by and almost cried I was so happy it was open. I love when things are 24 hours. So I'm biased.
AND you can browse the sidewalk outside where the homeless guy has random stuff for sale.
Yes it's a donut and coffee shop, and I got neither of the two. I got a pretty good grilled turkey and cheese sandwich with avocado on a sweet roll. It came with the teeny bag of Lays plain potato chips and put me back just under $8. It was tasty and all, but I find that to be a bit overpriced for nothing fancy.
It was the only place around open on a Saturday afternoon, however, so that's definitely a plus.
I've never eaten anything here but I walk by every day on my walk to the Van Ness MUNI.
The smell eminating out of this spot is absoutely vile.
Thanks for ruining my morning All Stars.
Cheap cheap cheapity cheap. And greasy. and delicious.
Hands down, best BLT you will ever get...yum yum yum.
ps: their donuts are insanely good as well.
I have purchased the occasional can of soda when picking up take out with friends (I have never eaten a meal here)
The real reason I want to write about this place is the fried egg sandwich that my husband ate here.
We were killing some time before going to a recital across the street
I got a soda and a maple donut
the donut was fair, and the can of soda was- uh- a can of soda
The default toppings on the fried egg sandwich
are mayonnaise, pickle, lettuce, onion, and mustard
we didn't realize this when he ordered, and it was a bit shocking when he unwrapped it to eat
this is like the funniest thing i have ever heard...
he went up to ask for some ketchup
and the counter guy was like-
"ketchup- really? are you sure?"
he thought it was weird to put ketchup on a fried egg sandwich.
the sandwich was not good from any angle
EXCEPT for the fact that it makes me laugh to think about someone considering it way more normal or common place to put mayo, pickle, tomato and lettuce on a fried egg sandwich than ketchup.
News flash, prissy bitches: this is a DONUT SHOP.
Have had a great BLT here at various hours of the day, including before taking in a performance at the ballet . On Valentine's Day. By myself. Yeah - that's how I roll. Go on ahead to your quirkyalone meet and greet and leave me to my bacon.
Always cheap, always open & ready, and almost always very tasty (get some Thai Ice Tea and some noodles; yummy yummy). Many a good meal was bought here on breaks from rehearsing at NCTC, and any time I'm in that area of the city and feeling a bit peckish, I try to stop by All Star for a bit to eat.
If you all remember from previous posts, im a gutterpunk junky for caffeine. Not shit caffeine like in Coke or Mountain Dew, but the real shit, in coffee. So, there are times of weakness, when any semblance of coffee will do. Enter the All Star Cafe. Off the bat, the name of the place. Unless the homeless are being voted in for a mid season game, i fail to see the All Stars here. It did however, conjur up a pretty funny idea that i had which is if you were to... CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED ...fferent districts...hahahah. Phew! Good thing that was censored!...Anyway...coffee terrible, donuts terrible, ambiance..umm.... Not quite a first date type of place, but the best last date type of place imaginable.
You know, I actually had a pretty good tuna melt here... granted, I was supremely hung over and the homeless people hadn't taken up their posts on the corner just yet. So I guess what I'm saying is... tequila shots anyone?
it seems like the map isn't showing this in the right place??
i got a HUGE cinnamon roll that was delicious! I also got a sandwich that was just okay. not very memorable. i didn't rush right home after eating to yelp about it because it was like meh, no big deal.
it is convenient though, i'll give them that.
Exam week open late til 11pm!
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