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Categories: American (New), American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Embarcadero"I love this place!! A great lunch spot for fresh salads and hearty sandwiches. Overall, the food is pretty healthy unless you are going for…" read more »
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This is a great spot for Sunday brunch because we waited for zero minutes to get a table! That's what I like :)
We were a teensy bit hungry and ordered a side of onion rings, sweet potato fries (not on the menu but order them anyway!!), french toast, and mimosas...all just to share family style. Then our entrees: eggs benedict oh so delish! The 'Cobb' sandwich was also tasty. The chicken hash was a big surprise! It was super fresh and tasty (eggs and veggies)!! The mimosas were strong or maybe it felt that way because I chugged it on an empty stomach.
Overall the food was great, service with a smile, and prices were decent. We didn't have room for dessert although the menu had good options. With all of the food we had you'd think we were extremely hungover but we weren't. It just made me wish I was because the food hit the spot :)
*Large party review*
Came here on a Friday night to celebrate a birthday dinner. We had about 10-15 people and we were seated off the main dining room section. We brought our own bottled wines in (no corkage fee) so we drank wine all night long. Everyone ordered a variety of the appetizers:
-Tuna tartare
-truffle french fries
-onion rings
-oysters
-mac n cheese
Truffle fries were a BIG hit! We ended up ordering more so we could eat them with our dinner. Many people opted for the Breakfast Lunch Dinner Burger. Came out a little more rare than medium but was still delicious. Very juicy and yummy. I could only manage to eat a little more than half - it was really big! The bf had the flat iron steak - portion seemed a little small but he was still full at the end of dinner.
Service was pretty good but I still personally see this place more of "touristy" joint.
My friend insisted we go here while we were in SF because it is her all time favorite restaurant in the city.
We started off with the crab cakes and with the sourdough loaf. The crab cakes dish was three small crab cakes. They were really good and it left me wanting more! The sourdough loaf is has cheese, garlic, and oil/butter on it. It was very greasy but very yummy.
I had the Chicken Schniztel for my entree, and I was very pleased with it. It's a chicken breast pounded very thin, and then breaded and slightly fried. It comes with a lemon butter caper sauce. I asked for the sauce on the side because I hate capers, but I would dip the chicken in the sauce and it wasn't overwhelmingly caper-tasting. I liked the chicken because it was tender and crispy at the same time. The dish comes with mashed potatoes and broccolini. The mashed potatoes were ok.
I had some french fries off my friend's plate and they were really good!
Short story: They've taken the bison burger off the menu. That was the main draw, and their main source of stars. I said in my previous review that it was really a 3 star, but I'm taking away 1 more because they had the audacity to not know what made them special. And I've also eaten there twice since and it has been an all-around bad experience.
We've been coming here for ~11 years and it's never failed to deliver. It doesn't aim to be the… Read more »
I've always "passed by" and thought... I'll try this place one day. So when Norma H. insisted I come here to feast on chorizo, the first thing that came to mind was - WTF? They serve CHORIZO?
The food was cooked quickly, served quickly, and devoured quickly! Into my belly it went! BF had eggs benedict, of which he claims was the best eggs benedict he's every had.
Overall, a great experience. I wanted to pull an Adam Sandler and ask our waiter if he was mad that he died at the end of Die Hard, but alas, I grew no balls.
-1 Coffee cups are retarded heavy, which made me lazy to pick it up.
-1 Far from the nearest BART, so we had to get creative w/ public transit.
+1 Fairly decent prices for the location.
I came here on a whim for lunch one day just out of curiosity because I've always walked and driven this place many times before. So what I was expecting was a Mel's diner type experience. Boy was I way off on that one. Wasn't expecting it to be a fine dining experience. So prices were high for what I was expecting. I ended up ordering their niman ranch burger for $14 with sweet potato fries. To be honest, it didn't blow me away for a fine dining burger. It was kinda bland and not too much flavor. The fries were ok though.
I guess I set myself up for disappointment because I was expecting a dive experience rather than a fine dining experience. I'll have to come back here again for dinner and try their other entrees. They sound really good and must be since they've been around for a long time.
Went there this past Saturday night with friends after a glowing recommendation. We were not disappointed.
First, let me repeat what is written on the menu and confirmed with a phone call: NO CORKAGE FEE...EVER. WOW! Such a rarity these days. Brought a nice bottle from home and it was nice to enjoy it on the cheap.
I had the flat iron steak with blue cheese butter with roasted potatoes and brussel sprout leaves. The butter was the right amount of cheesy, as even my anti-blue-cheese GF liked it. And the brussel sprouts were fantastic! Instead of serving boiled whole sprouts, they finely chop them and get them back to a leafy form. I've had them prepared this way by a friend of mine and it's the only way I like them. Perfect.
GF had the pot roast and it too was equally good. Tender meat in a hearty gravy with veggies.
Our friends had the Mac n Cheese, which was not overpowering and sprinkled with peas, and the quesadilla, which I did not try but looked good.
Would definitely dine here again...with another bottle of wine from home!
Great place to hang out with co-workers or friends after work. Service is wonderful. It does get really busy on Friday nights so come early or make reservations.
By and large, I come here for the atmosphere but the food is good too. Great place to go if you want a fun dinner and drinks with friends!
A nice diner around Alcatraz ferry.
My friends and I were really hungry after the Alcatraz tour, and we needed nice meal quickly! I shook my iPhone and believe-or-not Urbanspoon gave me the name "Fog City Diner." The app is like half half chance to get good results, so I couldn't fully believe it. From outside, the diner looked just like any other American diners.
A weird thing is that a chef(I guess assistant chef?) was taking our orders and serving food. WEIRD! Service was ok. Nothing really special.
Ok, so let me list all the food we had.(All the dishes were in Weekend Brunch menu.) I ordered Grilled Marinated Hanger Steak with potatoes and eggs. My two friends ordered Chorizo scramble with home fries and Eggs Benedict. For all of us, we didn't forget to order fried onions. ;) My steak with potato and eggs was awesome! I think I loved the combination of steak and egg. I didn't really like potato underneath egg, but it was ok. My friends also enjoyed their meals. Fried onions were so delicious, crunchy, and sweet! The portion of food was a bit more than enough, which is good!
Now I guess they had eggs in every weekend brunch dish. Hm. Love it. ;)
Why am I bothering to write a review when over 300 have already done so? A rhetorical question.
Okay...they were able to accommodate me as a vegan by offering me some of the veg sides from entrees. Probably there was some butter mixed in there but I'll ignore it.
I dined with two and they enjoyed their meals.
The place is one of SF's iconic restaurants. We took an out-of-town visitor and he enjoyed it.
It gets loud though...small place...bar with a big TV...but I've been in louder restaurants.
Kind of expensive. No bread...nothing additional unless ordered.
I would usually never come to a place like this but was invited to go by some friends so I went. I had ordered the petrale sole with delfina potatoes, wilted watercress, capers and aioli. Nothing went together at all. The potatoes were dry and bland. The sole was ok but overall $21.50 for that was a major rip off. The best part of the night was the glass of Chopin I ordered for $9, over priced again. Won't waste my time there again.
Came here with my 4.5 year old daughter for Sunday brunch. The service was good, yet my main course was just ok. Although I have to say that their truffle fries were fantastic and the portion was huge! I would go back just for their truffle fries. My daughter and I couldn't finish the fries, so we doggie bagged home. My husband couldn't stop eating them. I would want to go back and try their regular menu and more truffle fries.
A little overrated.
Positives
- Servers were friendly, french fries are tasty
Negatives
- Not really a diner that serves greasy spoon comfort food - they have a wine list and offer small plates (like a chinese place that offers an actual wine list, you know it's going to suck)
- Nothing really that great or exciting - trust me, I ordered a lot of items
After going to Alcatraz, my friend and I wanted some dinner, so we decided to go to Fog City Diner. This place is not your typical diner, quite the opposite. It's fancy and modern and the food is not diner-ish and can be expensive. Don't expect any construction workers to come here after a long day of work.
We decided to get jalapeno corn bread with red pepper jelly and split the Diner Burger with cheddar cheese with sweet potato fries. I really enjoyed the corn bread. It wasn't too spicy and the jelly was sweet. The Diner Burger was all right, nothing too special. Since it was cold, I got also a hot chocolate and my friend got green tea.
Overall, the food and service was good, but not too sure I would come back here again.
came here on a quiet sunday afternoon for lunch and it was so chill, so relaxing, and oh so coooool.
it was actually not busy when my group of gals went, so we were able to get right on in.
i must say, it was quite the coolest spot. i mean, it's a DINER diner! but, a more sophisticated diner. like with black seats and stuff. it wasn't ghetto, i'll tell you that much. and the food mirrors that sophistication.
i had the pleasure of indulging myself with their 'grilled open-faced ahi tuna with chimichurri, pickled onions and daikon sprouts' sandwich... ( i know HELLA LONG to say) and it was oh-so delicious!
YUM!
and those fries be crackin' too!
We've driven past this place for years, and I was looking for a place on OpenTable and decided, "Now is the time."
Parked right out front (meters = $2/hour), they had our reservation, and sat us right down.
I had seen the menu online, so I wasn't really surprised by the selection. FCD has a small menu, which I far prefer. I'd rather have 8 great things on the menu than 1000 things that are just so-so.
I had the Ahi sandwich, served open-faced on a piece of toast with greens; fries on the side ($13). Nice. Not mind-blowing, but solid, fresh, and tasty, with a good portion size.
My wife had the clam chowder (fresh clams in the shell in a rather soupy base, not really chowdery at all), which was good (not as good as Maritime Cafe's), and the Unintimidating mixed green salad (which she described as "the most boring salad I've ever eaten"). The salad was just mixed green tossed with dressing - nothing else.
Service was good but not spectacular. Prices were in the hunt for the portion and quality.
I can't say that I'll make FCD a destination, but I'll certainly return.
I was totally expecting a regular old 50s style diner when my friend told me that we were going to Fog City Diner for dinner. Turns out that the name diner is quite misleading as this is much more of a upscale-ish restaurant. This is not the place for greasy french fries, burgers, and shakes, but for more a more refined diner-ing experience.
I had the buffalo burger with spicy wedged potatoes. I totally devoured the meal. The burger was nicely cooked and didn't leave me feeling too heavy. The potatoes were slightly too salty for my taste, but still quite edible. We shared the ahi tuna tartare on avocado bruschetta which was delicious -- probably the highlight of the meal as it was something a little different.
Ambiance is nice as we had a table right next to the large windows looking out on the embarcadero. Plus, this restaurant was in a scene of "So I Married an Axe Murderer." Doesn't get better than that.
We can here on a whim after biking towards golden gate bridge, but not quite there.
It's a fancy diner, pretty cool booths, that are very wide, could almost fit 3 people on each side, if we were lugging around backpacks and stuff.
Because its summer, i have been having cravings for BURGERS day in and day out. The boyfriend and i got the Niman ranch burger and also the calamari to split. The french fries were awesome, i love shoe strings [i wonder how they get shoestring fries?]! the beef was cooked medium rare as we had requested, and the calamari was fresh.
A word to the wise. Fog City is no "diner" by any stretch of the word. Taking a look at the place it does look very cozy and homey on the outside.
In stark contrast, inside is very sleek and modern with snotty and impersonal service to match. The menu is a full 2 pages. So if you're looking for good 'ole diner food with lots of egg and hasbrown combos, you won't find it here.
Instead of bacon, they offer 'apple-wood smoked bacon. Instead of French toast, they have 'challah cinnamon toast'. Rather than steak 'n' eggs, they serve hanger steak. Get the drift?
Now I have nothing against fine dining establishments. But some days, especially this particular Sunday, I just want a simple greasy breakfast. What we got instead was pricey, fancy-pants breakfast food.
To their credit, the food is prepared well and very satisfying. I ordered the hanger steak w/over-easy eggs, and the Challah french toast. The steak was cooked perfectly, very moist and quite flavorful. I was also a fan of the potatoes and gravy that came with it. As for the French toast, the bread they used was almost too thick and the cinnamon sugar topping was a bit overpowering.
I was also able to sample the jalepeno cornbread (a must-try) and the cheese muffins (equally delicious). On the sweet side, the Malts are good but like everything on the menu, a tad overpriced.
A diner this place is not. But as long as you're prepared for the higher prices and tweaks to classic diner food you will walk out of here full and satisfied.
This place is lovely, very cozy and the location can't be better for someone doing the tourist swing through the city.
The food is not standard diner fare. I had the small plate mac and cheese and it was good but if you get it without bacon, which I did, put some salt on it. My son got a hamburger with a fried egg and bacon on top. He still talks about it, I think in his heart he might be composing sonnets to it but since he is fourteen he will never admit it.
It is not diner cheap but I think all the fabulous chrome should be a tip off that this place is not trying to meet a price point. It has always been a great experience and what I like is that every experience has been slightly different. We've sat in different sections of the dining room at different times of day and year and it has always delivered a subtle change, something that I can only say I've had at this place.
I have enjoyed coming back every two years or so and look forward to my next trip. If my son's devotion to the breakfast on a hamburger continues, it might be sooner than two years.
Apparently this place was in "So I Married an Axe Murderer." Haha. The outside of the place looks really cool, really old school. The inside kinda looks like the inside of a cruise ship. Strange but true. Nice views of the Embarcadero and, well, the Bauer's Bus hub.
Split a plain hamburger with pepper jack cheese and a pulled pork sandwich. The lettuce, tomato, and onion on the burger was great, but I felt the meat of the burger was lacking. Could've used more salt and pepper or something. Plus I asked for it medium and it came back well done. Also came with a pickle on the side which was dry and subpar.
The pulled pork sandwich was good and had bell peppers in it. However, it was a little too sweet for my taste. I like my pulled pork sandwiches... I dunno... tangy... or spicy... This wasn't my thing but maybe it's yours?
What stole the show was the french fries that came with both. I think they batter the fries before frying them. They are crispy and delicious. I highly recommend them!
Overall, this place is OK, nothing to go crazy for, but decent. Except the fries. Yum!
After a night of unrelenting drunken fun, we sought to search for breakfast on a Sunday morning. It turned into an almost 2 hour drive around the city, getting moded by no parking and long lines at places. In desperation, we pull over and happen upon Fog City Diner, right before our stomachs decided it would have been best to just digest themselves.
On the outside, and in the name itself, Fog City Diner says "Hey, the chef's name is Mel, and you will be served by a waitress named Flo."
On the inside, the so-called "diner" says "Hey, we are upper class in here, and not only have a full service bar, but a very limited menu, and people like to drink wine here."
With that deception, I was severely disappointed. I read "diner." I thought greasy food, possibly breakfast and/or burgers. I thought milkshakes. Instead I got a classy, by mine own definition, fancy-shmancy restaurant.
The menu is really limited. The food is very fancy. The waiters are lame. And the host needs to not wear capris revealing ankles and the lack of socks in his loafers.
The food was overpriced for no reason except to justify the unnecessary fanciness of this "diner." Don't waste your time if you would normally think of "diner" as grease heaven. Just come here if you think highly of yourself in society.
I don't like what I'm seeing here, people. What's up with all the three, two, and even one star reviews, hmmmm?
Here is what appears to me to be the deal: If you honestly believe that you're an incidental character in "The Maltese Falcon" and that a joint called "Fog City Diner" on the Embarcadero in the City in the early part of the 21st century is going to be a real deal diner where you can get eggs over sideways and a cuppa joe for six bits, the FCD may well not be the place for you. Likewise, if you place a high premium on convenient parking (in which case you should probably steer clear of San Francisco altogether), there may be options available other than the FCD (although, as I have indicated, probably not in San Francisco). And, apparently, judging from some of these reviews, something about hangovers and the FCD just plain don't mix.
If, on the other hand, the following day's hangover is a work in progress, as it was when my cohorts and I recently visited the FCD, you should find yourself as well pleased with your meal as God was with Jesus.
Betwixt the six of us we ordered:
Oysters on the half shell
Caesar Salad
Dungeness Crab Cakes
Ahi Tuna Tartare on avocado bruschetta
Macaroni and Gouda Cheese with black forest ham and sweet peas
Dungeness Crab "Louie" chopped salad with avocado
Grilled Mongolian Chicken with mixed greens, udon noodles and tahini sauce
Grilled Mongolian Pork chop (they're major Mongoliaphiles over to the FCD)
Angus Beef Pot Roast
Marinated Hanger Steak
Banana Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding
I'll have you know that I personally sampled EVERY GODDAMNED THING that came to the table and it was ALL good. Way good. Let's take the Hanger steak, just for instance. Hanger steak can be a risky choice, but one can order it with complete confidence at the FCD. Damn it was good. Stoopid good. So good, in fact, that I was tempted to ask Weezer, who had ordered it, if he would mind if I took it to the men's room and made sweet love to it real quick-like. (Believe me, it wouldn't have taken long.) All right, I admit it: I did ask him, but he demurred. Apparently it was quite tender enough as it was, as far as he was concerned.
Sparky declared the Caesar salad to be among the best she had ever sampled. I'm reasonably certain that she too would have been intimate with her meal had the opportunity presented itself. At least I would like to imagine so.
Did I mention that we ordered about fifty other things off the menu and that they were all EXCELLENT?
And one more thing. A full bar is about two and a half stars right off the top. That's not just my opinion, of course, it's empirical fact.
And no corkage fee?
C'mon peeps, let's get real! Fog City Diner is five stars all the way.
The hostess said five words to me and then NEVER came back to me. My sister and I were confused as she helped and spoke to everyone around us. We waited ten minutes(I timed it) and then left. I could not believe how rude it was and my sister, who came from out of town, was so bummed because that is the one place sh
e has always wanted to go.
A solid option for lunch, and a decent dose of SF atmosphere. Prices are not too bad, and the big room in the back is quiet enough for a good conversation. Nice spot to take out-of-town guests.
I believe the Travel Channel named Fog City Diner one of "America's Best Diner".
The food is good, there's no denying it. Then again, it doesn't have your typical "diner prices". I suggest placing a reservation ahead of time because you are still going to be waiting when you get there. The environment is pretty cool. Street parking is not a problem at night - not sure about the day time though.
Walked there from Pier 2 after the Blue Angels canceled their airshow today. Waited about 5 minutes to get a table for 3 (with wife and youngest daughter) and found the seat cushion loose and on an incline. The waitstaff was very fast and friendly and got us started quickly. So this is what we ordered: 1 kids meal grilled cheese, 1 Caesar salad, onion rings, salt & pepper calamari, ahi tuna tartare, tortoise sundae and 2 Snazzy Strawberry cocktails. Even though we ordered from the small plate menu, it still filled my wife and I up. The onion rings with their own "spicy" ketchup was regular. The salt & pepper calamari was good, even with a standard spicy vinegar sauce. The ahi tuna was great with a little bit of hidden spiciness somewhere inside. The Caesar salad with anchovies only had 2 (TWO!!!) slivers of anchovies! WTF!?! Anywayz, it was still a good meal but a bit pricey. It is along the Embarcadero so the prices were probably about right for the location. Here's the bill:
Kids Grilled Cheese $6.50
Onion Rings $7.75
Salt/Pepper Calam $11.75
Ahi Tuna Tartar $12.50
Caesar Salad $8.95
Tortoise Sundae $7.75
Snazzy Strawberry $8.00 each
Total bill was $78.00 before tip.
Tried it once and that's good enough for me...
Wow!...So this is class for ya...the response I got from "Anonymous" a week ago (now "Diner Up T.") in response to my review:
"How do you dine in a place for over 2 hours and NOT ask to have your server come by the table if you were in need of something??!!!!! Obviously your food was all good, so what was the problem? Most people, with a brain connected to a SPINE!, would politely ask a busser, or ANYONE, for assistance if in need. YOU, on the other hand, possess neither. You people kill me! Rather than simply asking for something that you need, (or want-NO one NEEDS mayo!), you'd rather RUN home to Yelp and complain to the masses, full filling your personal void of assertiveness. FAIL!!! Also, when you show us the tree that grows free bread, we'll be happy to pick some and serve it to you."
So in response, I ask other Yelpers if I'm wrong here...Should you have to ask the busser or anyone for your waitress?? Is it too much to ask for your waitress to come ask if everything' s okay??
Well, my review was honest...I believe in CUSTOMER SERVICE...you want the tip, then make sure your patrons are okay! They don't have to want or need anything...it's just a show of good customer service!...Review stands! =)
Came here last night and I gotta say I was surprised. I'd always seen this place while driving… Read more »
Sunday morning, hungry and hungover... not to mention grumpy because we havn't had anything to eat or drink.
After 2 hours of driving around the city looking for a breakfast joint on a Sunday morning, we settled for a cute little place called Fog City Diner right off Embarcadero St. There was plenty of street parking, which is very rare for this location.
The ambiance of the diner is very cute. Nicely decorated with a great view of Embarcadero St. They get one star for that.
I ordered my favorite eggs benedict with brioche toast and their famous cheese biscuits. The cheese biscuits came out first and they were scrump-diliumptious! Thats another star. But my eggs benedict looked disgusting. The eggs were so over done, they had shrunk to half its size. Excuse me, but isn't the yolk of an eggs benedict supposed to be ooey and runny? These eggs were hard boiled slathered on a tiny little peice of dry toast, which was NOT a brioche by the way. Just one look and I wanted to throw up. I sent it back immediately and ordered the Hangersteak instead. My buddies seemed to enjoy the Hangersteak, but I found it dull. A few measly peices of steak paired with the oddest potatoes I have ever seen. Tiny bits of water boiled potatoes, they weren't fried or mashed or even seasoned. I didn't care for it much.
Overall, it was a disappointing Sunday morning brunch experience. I will not be returning to Fog City Diner for another meal.
This is one of my favorite places to meet friends. I definetly recommend their hamburgers. Ever since Fog City Diner was featured in the American Express ads years ago, I find that taking out of town friends here always gets them interested in the place and they talk about it for a long time afterwards. Its not gourmet food, just plain ole American cuisine for folks who like simple food, nice ambiance, and a place to be unrushed and always feel welcome.
Went to Fog City Diner for the first time after Pride.
Small space that can accommodate large groups.
They do have outdoor seating for the nice days in SF.
The truffle fries are sooooo good ! Highly recommended !
The grilled fish tacos were also good, but not great. They serve Tejava iced tea here, yay ! The service is not so great though. The chef came out and served our food with an attitude. Our waiter was not in the greatest of spirits either that day. A high end diner with expensive prices. I would definitely be back for the truffle fries though.
This place is my favorite in SF! I sooo want to give it 4 stars but was there last month and had a bad experience. Next time I go, I'll update you.
This visit, the waitress got my order wrong so my friend had to eat her food first before it got cold. When my scallops and risotto finally came, the risotto was mushy. =( Then, my friend asked if her curry had pineapple in it (she is allergic), and it did!??! Poor lady had a scratchy throat all night after that.
At least the cesar salad with white anchovys did not disappoint (it's my favorite, I ALWAYS order that here), and the Bushmills & 7 rocks my world.
dear fog city "diner",
thanx for the unrelenting runs!
i paid BIG bucks for them and i appreciate how long they have lasted and how persistent they are. kudos for the salmon burgers and truffle fries tasting so good on the way down. kudos to you guys for how painful they were on the way out--you really know how to do it up right!
i have lived in sf for 12 years now and wondered why i had never eaten at your restaurant...NOW I KNOW!
have a crappy day,
veronica
I really like this place- great decor: feels like you're dining in a fancy old railroad dining car. The menu has a lot of variety, and the food is delicious! Service is also very good. Even the house wine is excellent. I'd go back for sure!
Cool place.
Really cool place.
The ambiance memorized my husband and I.
If you're visiting San Francisco from out of state, we'd both highly
recommend a visit here.
If possible, travel there on foot or via public transportation as parking
can be tricky. We drove here and had to run out to the meter to replenish
the meter tick-tocker.
On the menu there is a blurb that reads "Please Curb Your
Cellphone" Love it! Darn right people, turn the ringers off those
annoying cell phones.
During our visit we started with the bread sampler; three delicious
breads served with spreads; very highly recommended.
For lunch, we both had burgers, which were fantastic and cooked
purrrrrrrrrrfectly to order.
Service was ok, yet a bit slow at times. That was fine with us because
we enjoyed the ambiance tremendously.
We were fortunate and only had to wait about ten minutes to get
a table. Even if there is a wait to be seated, I say go for it and wait...
it is worth it.
We hope to return to Fog City Diner soon. We certainly saw many
other entrees other customers had that looked marvelous.
The presentation of the foods is stunning and arty.
Some dishes are a tad spendy, yet for the experience I'd say well
worth the cost.
Luuuuuuuuurvvvvveee this place.
Why? Because despite the "Diner" association, there is nothing diner about this space. Everything is sparkling with slightly blueish glass, shining steel accents and dark mahogany wood furniture. Perhaps an upscale diner. For sure.
I met up with a friend of a friend of mine. Someone I only see once in a while, probably when he just had issues with a lady friend and needs another to kick some sense into his ass. Oh, the things I do for a good hamburger because he let me know it was his treat.
I've been here several times and each experience has been great. Never mind that the majority of the people here are tourists in their SF emblazoned sweatshirts and sneakers for comfortable walking. The bartenders are efficient and courteous, and the host, most accommodating. My martinis have always been the perfect soother prior to meetings such as this.
This friend of mine is horrid for being the largest flirt on earth. It does not help that he is charming and extremely good looking. What he does not realize, is that his incessant "kindness" has resulted in many an experiment I frown upon: he's really good at leading poor unsuspecting plain Jane women, who would never expect such courtesies from a stunner, until it is too late. They truly believe he is "that into them".
And his girlfriend had found out since one of the women called him one evening.
"You fuckwit," I told him, while awaiting my hamburger order, medium rare. "You fucking fucking idiot." I knew his girlfriend and unfortunately, knew one of the women he had strung along prior to the current one. I mean, honestly, what sort of sick gratification was he getting from pulling this with random women? That he was more of a man?
Whatever my frustrations at the Neolithic stupidity of some people (granted the women are to blame too, falling for stupid words/virtual acceptance by means of a facade) everything was made better with my lovely medium rare Niman Ranch beef hamburger with the side of fries. Not coleslaw. Lovely fried strips of potatoes. I needed this basic layer of fat in order to slightly dull the stupidity of the ensuing conversation and thoughtlessness of the gorilla before me.
He ordered the Grilled Filet Mignon, medium rare, and for a minute, I forgot about his faults and took a bite. What can I say. A bite of steak that melts in my mouth is enough to bring down the layers of disdain for the man.
I ordered a glass of Napa Cellars Zin, 2005, to further ease the pain of listening to him. My burger was 3/4 gone and still lovely as when it had first been brought out. The wine was the simplest solution as I've been slightly frustrated at the two instances I had been brought in as the discerning ear and two men with the same issues in a week? I took another sip and either my cheeks were flushed from the anger or from the lovely fruity spice of my wine.
ARGH.
My meal complete and my friend thoroughly admonished and browbeat, we strolled along the waterfront, awaiting digestion and a cool respite from the current state of warm temperatures. Located right off the Embarcadero with ample street/metered parking, I'd recommend this place to natives as well as locals for a quick bite or when entertaining a visitor.
"Do me a favor," I requested, prior to getting to my car, "promise me that if you ever see a man pull such a move on me, let me know so that I can dump his sorry fucking ass."
I think he understood. Now hopefully, I won't be taking this negativity with me into the week and weekend.
Just a nice burger joint, with some classy items on the menu, but don't expect 4 or 5 star, just average food... scattered hit and miss service as well... but an okay spot with a few good desserts too. I like stopping in late for a bite. It's got the old diner classic look on the outside.
Location is right on Embarcadero Drive. :)
I dunno maybe I was just having a bad morning, BUT, here we go...
I've driven by this place so many times in the past but never bothered stopping by. Looking for a place to eat where we didn't have to wait 2 hours in the city on a Sunday... the homies and I found ourselves on the Embarcadero and settled for Fog City. To be fair, I was grumpy - looking at the menu and their prices didn't help. It also didn't help that our waiter was somewhat rude and arrogant.
The food, was actually decent, at least my dish was - I had the hangar steak. My other homie hated her food and sent it back. This actually made the waiter a little more attentive and cordial - go figure.
All in all, I wouldn't come back here... there's much better places in the city to eat. Leave this place to the tourist...
Amazing Truffle Fries with Asiago - Yum!
The breads were a complete waste of stomach space. Bland and dry.
Everything else was just aiight, nothing to write home about.
These guys squeezed 3 stars out of me purely on the fries alone...I love me some french fries.
Over rated. Over priced. Underwelmed. Parking SUCKS BIG TIME.
Nice American Express comercial..
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