"The scrambled eggs and hash browns were cooked perfectly."
(in 38 reviews)
"5 for a chicken apple sausage omelet."
(in 10 reviews)
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Irving Street Cafe
Rating Details »
Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset716 Irving St
(between 8th Ave & 9th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 664-1366
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- None
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117 reviews for Irving Street Cafe
Review Highlights
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This place is perfect for lunch! I used to work in the neighborhood and Irving Street Cafe would be a frequent lunch spot. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Their prices are LOW! They have great burgers. But, I have to say that their egg salad sandwich is amazing. And I believe it is under $5. It may even be $3.95 or something crazy like that. It comes with fries or a salad.
And to add a finishing touch, they bring you pieces of gum with the check. How cute is that?
This is an exceptionally friendly, family-run diner offering American breakfast and lunch food at astoundingly low prices, especially for the increasingly upscale Inner Sunset. The hash browns are to die for; if your dish doesn't come with them, ask for a substitution to get them. Portions are generous and the food is much better than any other diner-type establishment in the neighborhood (most of which charge more).
They have quite a few regulars; there's a reason for that.
Mom-n-Pop family owned diner- everything seems like it's cooked with soul and love. It comes through in their food.
Super busy, popular diner, so come relatively early, unless you want to wait in line. We sat at the bar, which I always love- I love to watch the cooks do their thing. I had 2 eggs sunny side up with hash browns, sourdough toast, and chicken apple sausage. Huge portions. Everything was cooked well, served hot. Really cheap, yall!
So I hear Chris Isaak comes here frequently, but alas, he wasn't there when I was there for brunch. Just another reason to come back in hopes of a Chris Isaak sighting!
This place is good for cheap food. Came here with my bf when we were going to donate blood later in the day...needed to eat hearty! We came here. I was really surprised that they had this CHICKEN SAUSAGE OMELETTE (including toast and hashbrown) for only $5!!! what a great deal! the food was just ok to me. nothing really special b/c for only $5...the omelette was kind of skimpy. The egg was very thin coated and the sausages looked strategically placed...like only 7 coin sized pieces one inch apart. The hash brown were not your typical minced or shredded potatoes. Theirs was au gratin style but just pan fried instead. The service was good considering they only have one waitress and a cook.
I really like this place b/c it's the bang for the buck kind of a place. I would definately come back b/c of how cheap the food is.
Came here a while back with my girlfriend after she recommended this place. It's amazing how it's only a few blocks from my place and I've never been here! I got an omelet, and from what I remember it was pretty darn good! It must have been the one with mushrooms. I love family owned restaurants, and I enjoy supporting them!
This little joint- is my absolute favorite breakfast place in SF. It's a family-run establishment and the food is always DELICIOUS! We come here at least once a month because of that fact and the great service. Cheap but more than enough food- man I wish they were open right now! I'm making myself hungry just thinking about ISC!
After having to dine at Art's Cafe a couple weeks prior, I needed to find an alternative for brunch and thanks to Yelpers dined here.
Hash browns are definitely on point, and everything we ordered was great! But the service is what I really liked about this place. Everything done with a smile and anything can be done. Our waitress checked on us regularly and refilled drinks as soon as they got low.
I will definitely be back the next time I need brunch. Think it's cute that they give you gum as your "mint". =)
nom nom nom!
went back here last weekend when my little sis was in town and we left as two super happy campers with $5 bucks still in my wallet.
we had the cinnamon french toast which was AWESOME cause not only was it dirt cheap but not soggy as you would expect from a divey place like this. it was actually pretty fluffy!
we shared that and my tried and true corned beef hash omelet, with half the cheese (PERFECTION) and a side of bacon extra crispy.
$15 for two with tax & tip. honestly folks, it doesn't get any better than this.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/15/2009
ya'll know how i feel about corned beef hash from a can so this place was a winner from the start!… Read more »
Hands down the best hash brown in the bay area. There is no other place that can't compare with the hash brown. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Besides the hash brown, the breakfast there is extremely satisfying. Ordered the corn hash and was cooked with a perfect outer crust. My wife ordered the omelet and did not have any complaints. On top of that, the price for food is a great value. Breakfast plates cost no more that $6 - that is unless you get steak breakfast.
Waiters are friendly and there is definitely a home feel. So if you're in the mood for satisfying and good breakfast, this is the place to go without breaking your wallet. No matter what you order, DON'T forget the hash brown. You will not regret it!!!!
Solid, solid breakfast. You would think they might short you on the food a little because of how cheap it is but no, they hook it up. The omelettes and hash browns are great, the plates are big and the service is really good. Plus, there are lots of young sf state hotties walking around the area providing some eye candy which is always nice. I will definitely be back.
My favorite brunch place in my hood still has me 5-starry eyed!
1. It's been family owned for nearly 20 years and kudos for having survived for so long in a market where chains are replacing family owned business.
And when they say family owned, they mean it. The mother started it and now the daughter runs it. Great lady whom I chat with about everything under the sun and get so much information on the neighborhood and how its grown over the years... yeah! I'm a SF history buff!
Their clientèle includes neighborhood regulars, folks from UCSF, Inner Richmond, Cole Valley, West Portal and of course, tourists.
2. My staple dish is the Denver Omelet with bell peppers, onions, ham, no cheese with hash browns (they make theirs nice and crispy... oink! oink!), 2 strips of bacon and coffee - final tab with tip is $13.00. Can't beat that! Good sized servings. Also, they do not take cards so come with cash... how novel... cash!
Is it greasy? Oh hell yeah! Perfect place if you're working on a hangover from last night (Trax in my case today AM).
3. Service is quick, friendly and just nice. Not in your face and your coffee gets refilled and empty plate taken away on time.
4. If you're on your own, the bar is a great place to get quickest service. On weekends there can be a wait to get a table but its worth it.
5. Parking is a B@#$H but that's what the Muni is for.
That makes it 5-stars, no? If you're looking for a place to get a good and hearty breakfast without the frills and cosmetic surgery, that won't break the bank and get friendly, family oriented service, these guys are your to-go peeps!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/7/2008
This place is my Sunday morning ritual. Walk in with the Sunday NY Times, sit at the bar and its off… Read more »
We lucked out, no wait today. The apple chicken sausage omelet rocked. What a great value, for $5, you get hash browns, omelet and toast. Wonderful service too! What more could you ask for? Remember to bring cash since they don't take credit cards.
I LOVE THIS PLACE.
my family has been coming here for as long as i can remember. questions of what are we doing for lunch was always met with suggestions of IRVING ST. CAFE!
let me count the ways this place makes me happy:
1) corned beef hash and eggs: yes, it's the canned kind (thank god it's not fresh). . .and yes, they will entertain my make it extra crispy requests.
2) hash browns: omg, you don't even get this kind of potatosatisfaction at mickey d's with those darn patties! and again, yes, they will entertain my make it extra crispy requests.
3) we get our orange juice in these big frosted mugs. . .see #4
4) the owner is just about the nicest lady i have ever met and she remembers us every time. . . .and every waitress she employs, including her now teenage daughter (god, how time flies), gives the best service you can hope for.
now i want some corned beef hash and eggs. sighhhhh.
Parking around here on a sunny weekend can be a difficult. It might be good to remember that the Muni stops right in front of this place and plan accordingly.
Good, solid basic breakfasts are made here with friendly service and a minimum of wait and fuss. The two of us had the Irving Street Cafe breakfast specials. I opted for the spicy chicken version, and the bf had the ground beef w/no jalapeno version.
The food came out fairly quickly. I was pleasantly surprised at how large the plate was (I was hungry). The eggs and hash browns had been cooked and served fresh from the griddle. There was still a cloud of steaming heat coming off the food on the plates!
The eggs were cooked to perfection, and so were the crispy hash browns. This was a great diner-style breakfast for about $6! (Oh, yes, 2 large slices of toast come with the meal: choice of white,wheat, rye, and sourdough)
If you're hungry, the servings here will definitely fill you up!
Skip the coffee, though...it was pretty bad. Even adding an excess of milk and sugar didn't make it pleasant to drink. Next time, I'll eat breakfast here, then go down the street to the Beanery for my coffee fix.
(Bring cash, only, though.)
Irving Street Cafe is my neighborhood haven. I go regularly for the inexpensive, delicious food and friendly attentive service. The restaurant is clearly family owned and operated, and that means that the atmosphere is really friendly and laid back. It makes me happy just thinking about this place.
Solid, tasty breakfast. No frills here...you order eggs and toast and you get eggs and toast. I am a BIG fan of the price though. It's super cheap. Will dine again.
Delicious old school homestyle breakfast. Affordable, good food and service like this should be more common in the world, but sadly is not. Hash browns were the only hint of mediocrity on my plate, but perhaps I was too full of other food to appreciate it.
I stopped by here for brunch w/ a friend before we went to check out the new CA Academy of Sciences. For a family owned business, it's pretty good.
We arrived on a Saturday morning, 11-ish. Even though it was the weekend and this place is slightly cramped, we were promptly seated at a table in the back. Service was great, can't complain about it.
At first, I had my doubts about an Asian-owned American breakfast joint. I was expecting a "HK" type of menu. I'm glad I was wrong. The food is prepared traditionally American style. The scrambled eggs and hash browns were cooked perfectly. The roast beef hash was the best I've had since I went to SoCal several years ago at some diner in Santa Monica. Cooked slightly crispy - just the way I like it.
It's just too bad the parking around this area is a complete PAIN.
Some Sunday mornings I wake up so hungover my ears are ringing and I can't remember how I got home. I put on the battered clothes that I wore the night before as the harsh light of the day guides me into conciseness.
"Who in the hell is the girl next to me I wonder?" "Why does it look like someone made macaroni and cheese in my room?"
With no time to figure out these tough life questions we all face I trudge out onto Irving street and make my way towards the smell of bacon and coffee.
Alas, I find myself firmly entrenched within an old and crusty vinyl chair at Irving St. Cafe. $3.50 for a breakfast burrito! Hell yes! I also order scrambled eggs and hash browns.
I am now stuffed and hung over. I retreat to my house and surrender to a day of laying down, groaning, and watching the 49ers lose. God bless America.
Stumbled across this place while looking for a cheap place for breakfast on Irving Street in San Francisco. Diner feeling inside and you seat yourself. There is a counter with stools and tables scattered around. Basic breakfast menu with cheap prices. The coffee wasn't too bad either. Nice friendly service and they even give you a piece of gum with your check.
Very good diner style place. Friendly people and cheap delicious food.
The sandwiches aren't fancy, but they're done just right. I recommend the tuna melt, where they actually grill the tuna on the skillet. Also, the breakfasts are modestly prices and filling. The potatoes are simple, but by far some of the crispiest and largest portions I have ever had. I've been a repeat customer ever since I started working nearby, and I have yet to regret it.
The one con is that if you go at the wrong time (middle of lunch hour, after 11am on the weekends) you end up waiting 30-45 minutes for the food, due to the fact that the guy at the grill can't seem to handle more than 2-3 dishes at a time.
pros: reasonably price, chill atmosphere, good eats
cons: waiting too long for your food when you have to get back to work
Amazing hash browns! Yes, pretty greasy, but that is what gives them the perfect crispiness on the outside. Not gonna lie, a great hangover breakfast. The french toast is good, as well as the philly cheese steak, if you are more in the mood for lunch. Great prices, which is always a plus! (oh, but they only take cash).
I always look around while I am eating there and think about how cute they could make the place. If it improved its decor, it might bring in an even bigger crowd though, so I will not complain.
On sunny days there is often a wait, but they will bring you a little complimentary cup of orange juice while you wait. How thoughtful!
Wowza can this place dish up a mean brunch the old fashioned way. You won't find just one elegantly sculptured egg ala-something here with frumpy parsley garnishes filling empty plate-space.. just darn fine basic menu combos that ignore everything-you-learned-in-nutrition class. Let your inner Veruca Salt take the wheel for a spell and do penance later with a park walk to the beach and back.
I walked by this place for years , mostly because I missed it because I don't usually go out to breakfast much, and it was always closed after 3pm.
What an error.
A friend of mine invited me to brunch here a while back and all I could say was "HOW did I miss the most awesome breakfasts, ever?"
Once I recovered from hitting myself in the head, I went back for lunch and tried a burger.
Not ONLY do they make a burger cheaper and better than those hipster pricey burgers (I mean I asked for it medium and they did so!) they somehow found a way to make steak fries, those doughy, cold in the middle things most people make, into something perfect - crunchy on the outside, warm in the middle and properly cooked.
I sat at the counter for lunch and watched the magic...saw how they made those amazing hash browns...all I can say is for awesome service and great food for an AMAZING price...go here at once!
Of all the greasy spoons in the 9th Ave./ Irving area, this one's a favourite, with perfectly crisped hashed browns and excellent scrambles (I last had chicken, mushroom and spinach). Served with a side of sour cream, it's definitely the stuff I crave when I want diner-type food for a lazy weekend late morning.
Service is also efficient and excellent.
I love this place.
Reasons:
1)Owned by my bestfriend's family &parents
2)Otherwise good service to me
Anyway -
3) Food is delicious, my boyfriend loves it
4) They care about their customers! REALLY, I hear it from my friend (daughters/ worker) there themselves
5) Plenty of movie stars go there, honestly!
A must go!
BTW, If Sharon and Gina are reading this, I love you guys (=
It was 11:30am on a Sunday. We were hungover. All of us. Tragically. Hung. Over.
It was time for our Cole Valley-based friend to introduce us to the delights of the Irving St Cafe. And it delivered!
This is a cllassic greasy spoon where even the coffee was good. It's one of those places where you kind of want to redo the decor cos it's old and grotty but at the same time, you don't want to, because, well, it's old and grotty.
Prompt service and ridiculously cheap prices for the portions ($24 for three people), we are so coming back here. AND we didn't have to wait. Awesome.
I really like these mom and pop eateries. They're simple, low-cost, and serve downright comforting home-style dishes.
Their corned beef hash is really good, though I do believe it may have come out of a can. It just has that type of consistency and the potatoes don't really yield much flavor at all. Now that I think of it, I think it really is canned. Oh well, what place really serves "homemade" corned beef hash nowadays anyway?
Their mushroom omelette is smothered with mushrooms so you can some in every bite.
Hash browns are home made, and really crispy, albeit a bit greasy but you can't really complain.
Service is great, though it can be a bit slow if it gets busy. Seems like they only have one waitress to handle everything.
Cheap, simple and good. I don't care that this place is CASH ONLY, you are on Irving- there is an ATM on every corner. Nice place, I'll be back.
This family owned dinner gets the full five stars not for being creative or for it's decor but because it is exactly what an american style dinner should be. Irving street Cafe is all about the food and the service. Although it's not organic or even high quality ingredients, the prices are low and the food comforting. Hashbrowns are crispy, my overmedium egg always cooked with consistency and hotchocolate the perfect size. This place is reliable. It's cash only however the prices are so low I've never had to worry about taking out more the $20.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon as an alternative to Arts. This place is larger than Arts, but a similar establishment. Asian family running an American breakfast/brunch/lunch joint. I'm getting accustomed to this sight.
We ordered two of their specials: a chicken apple sausage omelette with toast and hashbrowns (5$) and a breakfast burrito with 3 eggs and hash browns (also 5$). The food was definitely more greased up than Arts, but that's not always a bad thing. It was filling to the point where you don't really feel full and want to eat more but probably shouldn't. The hash browns were different, they were like potatoes au gratin but not au gratin style. Ok this is a bad example but I mean, not like a McD's or Denny's style - unique in it's own way.
Not a bad deal, and definitely cheaper than the rain tree cafe on the other side of the street. I could come here again another weekend.
Been here a few times and every experience was good. It's a small place and has that family owned business atmosphere. The prices are very good. The hashbrwons are perfect. I like them just a little crispy. The coffee is also pretty good.
They can be pretty busy at times but the service has been excellent, I've never been waiting there with an empty coffee cup, they're always walking around making sure you have coffee and/or water.
Good cheap breakfast: 2 Pancakes, 2 Bacon & 1 Egg for less than $5!?
The perfect pick-me-up after a poor round of apartment searches (last month). Charming in its lack of trying about the decor. Seems like a genuine greasy spoon.
This place reminds me of a restaurant in my college town where I liked to go for breakfast on the weekends. Even better though, is that my college was in rural eastern Washington and this place is in SF and Irving Street Cafe is cheaper! I love that.
I went with a group of five. Sadly, that's really too many people to fit around any given table in the place, so one of our number was sticking out awkwardly into the narrow walkway between the tables and the counter. Nonetheless, the food was delicious and the perfect size serving. Sure, I liked the value I got for my money in college, but I really shouldn't be eating an omelette that's bigger than my size 12 feet. The omelettes here aren't greasy and they were accompanied by tasty hashbrowns. The hot chocolate is the kind from a machine (and dollopped with what was probably Ready-Whip), but given the rural and old-timey look of the place, I would have expected any different.
I hardly ever go out for breakfast, but this is the spot I'll be going to when I want a cheap and tasty morning meal.
Along with M's and Art's, Irving Street Cafe completes the trinity of cheap, Asian-run breakfast dives in the Inner Sunset. Irving is definitely the happy middle child; while no one's touching Art's, the modest-looking pancakes are actually fluffy, buttery medallions of deliciousness, the hash browns have the crispiness that M's lack, and a fork-full of spicy sausage and cinnamon french toast is pure heaven. And while it may be hot and crowded inside, it's got double the seating of Art's and a lot less of a wait. The one point they lose on is coffee refills--I literally had to wave the waitress over after going dry for 10 whole minutes (not to get all Reservoir Dogs, but the good places are practically standing by with a pot as you sip).
In the end, I can see why so many people have defected here from Rain Tree, my own Sunset friends included.
I was walking down Irving Street when all of a sudden I realized I was starving. Forgetting what time it was, I was a little confused to see so many restaurants still closed (it was 9 in the am for the record). I saw this little cafe advertising amazing meal prices! Went inside, sat myself down in front of the window (I love people watching), and the waitress came on over soon after. She was an absolute sweetheart. She seemed like a genuinely nice and happy lady, which made me feel all light and joyous as well. I ordered the light breakfast meal which came two pieces of bacon, one egg, and hash browns. Yes! A complete meal (not including McDees) for $3.95! Dang, next time I owe someone a meal I'm taking them here.
It was such a great way to start the morning. Better than a cup of Joe!
Yes I am a fan of this place. It's cheap and comforting. Like a motel 6. Nothing really spectacular here, just good, hearty breakfasts. I do like their hash browns over Art's across the street, and their breakfast specials are good and dirt cheep. I think it was a chicken apple sausage omelet, sausage, toast, and hash browns for like 5 or 6 bucks. Outstanding!
Shortest review ever:
Yummy hashbrowns.
Clean.
Cheap.
Go.
Returning from Bay To Breakers, I knew the food I already picked up from Sea Breeze cafe (see four star yelp review) wasn't going to be enough. I was starving.
As the N Judah rolled up to Irving Street Cafe, I decided to jump out and grab some more eats for running decompression at the park. Or, basically sitting and doing nothing.
I've been Irving Street for breakfast, don't remember much about it, but I will remember the lunch. Veggie burger served up with no oil and a side salad for around $5, complemented by fast, friendly service. Glad I made the return trip.
I was enough of a regular at this location that the hostess knew what I wanted when I walked in the door. I usually got the Vegetable Omelet which had a nice mix of fresh spinach, tomatoes, mushroom, zucchini, and what else? The potatoes were good, especially when they were crunchy on the bottom.
Now that I don't live in SF, I've gone back maybe once a year and the hostess still remembers me and my order.
Price was average, service is attentive and you get a stick up gum with your bill.
