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Categories: American (New), Middle Schools & High Schools
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Thu. 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I've always wanted to try this place after walking by tons of times, nosily peering through the windows at unwary diners like some curious street urchin, but have been reluctant due to the impression of it being another trendy mission spot, especially with the kitschy name. However, after finally eating here, I've changed my tune. The food is very solid, playful, and clean. The place is more casual and fun than trendy and kitschy, however there's nothing wrong with a little kitsch in my view. I dug the dim lighting and warm colors, kind of some date-place stuff.
We had the brussel sprouts and calamari, which were yummy. Really bright flavor and the right amount of spice with the chili flakes. Calamari was really tender and non-chewy. The inside-out burger is the shit, and I'm not even much of a burger guy. Patties were juicy and tasty, and the sweetness of the caramelized onions on top was a nice touch. I went a little overkill by adding the applewood smoked bacon, but it's hard to pass on bacon. The smashed fried potatoes were yum as well, really lending a comfort food vibe. The scallops with faux risotto was also a pretty tasty dish. Very light and bright. The menu's a little small, but I like that. Less pressure and confusion. Sadly, we were too full to try any desserts.
As irony would have it, we got a window table and were haplessly on display for all the lookey-loo passer-byers on Valencia. Not a big deal, though. It's kind of fun watching peeps pass by.
DO NOT EAT HERE FOR BRUNCH. Food was completely a disappointment and overpriced.
The coffee ($3) for a cup tasted like cardboard. I really think they blended coffee beans and hot water in a blender and served it. Why do the advertise brewing gourmet coffee when they dont even know how to brew it. McDonalds coffee is much much better than this.
The food was bad. The entree "mission eggs" was bland, the carnitas tasteless, cabbage all over the plate, you couldnt taste the eggs and the tortilla was soaking wet. Why bother with such a fancy plating when the ingredients dont even go together.
This place has a sterile, boring decor like a home depot showroom put together in an hour. Really awful. Just avoid.
We were there for brunch and won't go back again.
Coffee: Why bother to serve 4 Barrel coffee and brew it so weak? How can you serve brunch and not have an espresso machine?
Food: Edible, but nothing special. The crab scramble, the crab flavor was drowned out by the cheese (which is why cheese with seafood is a no-no in Italian cuisine). The potatoes were huge, greasy, and without flavor. The french toast was inventive, and tasted good. If you want good greasy diner food, go to the Pork Store.
Service: Pretty good, although this is where they get checked down. A waitress dropped a bowl of ketchup on the floor which sprayed ketchup all over my guests. One was wearing a white sweater and after some earnest daubing by the busboy she looked like she'd been in a slasher movie. Anyone can make a mistake, but no one offered to comp a meal or a glass of champagne or something, which I think is pretty much standard when you really nail someone with food. A small gesture like that would have improved our experience a great deal.
I love this place. The decor is hip and cozy. They have cool decor/paintings in the wall and a vibrant color scheme.
The place is not cramped, we still had our privacy although the place was packed. The waitress is attentive, our water always got filled pretty quickly.
We ordered 2 appetizers and 1 entree. The goat cheese croquette is meh. My date and I think that the beets taste like soil. The brussel sprouts with calamari however, is delicious. The brussel sprouts are crunchy and have a good amount of acidity. The sauce is soo delicious.
The beef stroganoff tastes really good however it's way too rare for a medium rare steak. The gnocchi tastes very good. This dish would be perfect if the meat is more cooked.
I will totally come back to try other dishes!
The epitome of hipster dining. That being said, I love this place!
I've only had the pleasure of eating here once but it was so memorable and delicious that I've been wanting to go back ever since. The rolls are buttery little buns from heaven and their preparation of brussel sprouts has converted me into a BR lover! At the time I went, their pasta dish was kind of a deconstructed lasagna and it was wonderful.
The interior is cozy, but perhaps a bit too dark in some places. Overall though, very modern but not cold and kind of kitschy actually.
Yes!
5 stars for excellent bread and butter, amazing chevre croquette with beets, roasted brussels sprouts with calamari, and lastly, but certainly not least, the stroganoff. I was initially put off by the name, thinking of beef drowning in cream, but this dish was perfect. Re-imagined, it was a modern take, clean and rich. Flavorful on the outside, tender on the inside, with a heaping of mushrooms, kale, and gnocchi, horseradish sauce and balsamic.
Not a single missed note on the entire set of dishes, I can't recommend Spork stronger. In this price range, you don't often get clearly well thought-out dishes executed so well. Go!
Inside. Out. Burger. Ohhhh my goodness that was a fantastic meal! Patties were juicy and perfectly cooked to order, the caramelized onions were both savory and sweet, all brought together by sharp Tillamook cheddar with a piece of bun in the middle. My inside-out burger was so delicious that I couldn't stop eating even after I was full and my dining companion kept asking for bites. I hear there's better out there but until I eat it I don't really believe it.
The menu has a nice selection of imported beers and unique deserts. The ambiance is casual but chic and our server was very knowledgeable and personable. Over all, a very nice, super delicious - if not somewhat expensive - dining experience.
I have to say I was semi-disappointed but I still liked the place a lot. The decor is cute, I dug the light bulbs along the booths on the side. A friend and I stopped by during dinner time on a Friday night and were lucky enough to find parking a block away as well as get seated at a table w/o reservations in less than 10 minutes. 1* - a few mins later the line got super long and people were waiting ages for a table.
The burrata is delish - I thoroughly enjoyed the dish even though I didn't eat any of the green peppers for fear of the spiciness. I went with the burger since I saw really great reviews. Not sure if it was because I wasn't too hungry after the appetizer or what, but I thought the potatoes were good, but would have also enjoyed regular fries. The burger, I ate half and wasn't incredibly impressed. The caramelized onions were tasty.. about all I can say. I brought the rest of the burger and potatoes home for the boy and he thought they were BOMB. Not sure why it didn't hit the spot.
My friend tried the pork and mussels and gave it a thumbs up. For two, each with a glass of wine, shared an app, and 2 mains came out to around $85 after tip.... I think I would prefer to hit up somewhere else, spend another $20 or so..and LOVE dinner.
Will likely give this place another go for brunch and update my review..really want to shoot it up to 4 or 5... but it just didnt happen last night.
Make reservations.
The FOOD - squash ravioli, calamari, heirloom tomato salad, steak stragonoff, inside out burger were all delicious. It is nice to dine with a group because you get the luxury of tasting other dishes. The steak stragonoff was my favorite. The mushrooms and creamy sauce was not like anything i had tasted before. The entire meal was so flavorful.
I would come here again.
Server - Not at all enthusiastic when we asked for recommendations or when she served our dishes.
Parking - there is a garage nearby and/or limited street parking
Damn this place gets bumped to 5 stars.
Because of -
-The Inside Out Burger is Crazy good
-Scallops with Risotto
-Place used to be a KFC - cant beat that!
-Pot Brownie
-Peanut Butter Cup with Ice Cream
-French Presss (four barrell)
-Great Wines by the glass
-really great beer selection.
This place serves some damn good cauliflower! Love the outside seating a heat lamps. My Kobe steak… Read more »
Been hearing about Spork for quite a while. Last night my roommate and I were over on Valencia in desperate need of a Ritual espresso.. we also happened to be hungry - and it was almost 6PM and Spork just opening.. so we figured what the hell let's try it. We were the second guests to be seated.. and it seemed the staff was waiting for the kitchen to open. I worked in a restaurant for years so I know the drill. The server approached the other table first, as they were seated first. Unfortunately that table was extremely chatty and not concerned that there were other people sitting in the restaurant who hadn't been greeted yet (us). Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah.. I was hungry and growing more impatient by the second, as we sat there for almost 10 minutes (that seemed like an hour) - without even a water to sip on. Obviously I understand the server can't ask the person to stop talking, but what was frustrating was that there was a manager walking around doing absolutely nothing but talking with the hostess. Nothing like an oblivious manager - I guess its more important to chat with the hostess than to ensure his guests are greeted in a timely manner. Ok, so (let's say 8) minutes isn't very long, but we were one of two tables in the TINY place. I could have sworn the hostess made eye contact with me several times.. did she not notice the frown on my face? hmmm. Well, anyway... apart from the not so quick greeting the rest of the meal was quite good. Roommate had the pork and mussels - both were great, and the summer beans (although its November, it must be summer somewhere) were cooked perfectly. Probably the best green beans I've ever had actually. I had the Pasta Sugo, which was also pretty tasty. Oh and the dinner rolls with the honey whipped butter - AMAZING! :) If it weren't for the time it took to be greeted I'd have easily given Spork 4 stars, but as part of the experience was the service I must give a less-than-positive review. Mr Manager, pay attention to the guests seated in your restaurant, please.
Mmmmm, comfort food.
Came here for the first time recently, and absolutely loved everything. Had the rolls, daily sashimi with daikon radish, goat cheese croquette with roasted beets, scallops, steak stroganoff, and a pear crisp for dessert.
While all of the food was delectable, my absolute favorite dish of the evening was the steak stroganoff, which is a very modern, deconstructed version of the classic dish. Spork serves theirs with a nice piece of Kobe beef, bite size gnocchi, and a lovely horseradish cream.
Their wine list is petite but interesting. Ditto to their beer selection.
Service was somewhat brisk, but they were packed to the gills (on a Wednesday!).
In my estimation, prices were very fair for the quality of food.
Overall, a wonderful first experience. I'm looking forward to the next one!
Went in for brunch on a Sunday morning. Ordered a cup of coffee and a mission omelet. Coffee tasted like cardboard, carnitas on the omelet was under seasoned and tough, omelet was overwhelmed by the taste of cabage. Heard dinner at spork is much better but based on my brunch experience I will not be going back even to try dinner.
I like the name of this restaurant. It reminds me of the days back in middle school when you go to the cafeteria and you eat your lunch with a spork.
It's a pretty cute place in the Mission. It's an adoration new American restaurant that was retrofitted from an old KFC store. You can still see signs of the KFC store around when you're dining there. Very cute!
We came here on a Friday night and didn't have reservations. The place was packed but we were seated pretty quickly. Seems like people were mostly on dates here, they were all dressed up. I was in my gym clothes since I finished climbing at the gym. :p
They start the meal off with the dinner roll which was super soft and great with the butter.
We had the calamari with the fried brussel sprouts for our appetizer. It was quite a surprise for the both of us that it was actually really good. We both don't like brussel sprouts that much, but the flavoring was delicious. Tangy with with chewiness of the calamari... yums!
My friend had the In-side-Out Burger which was pretty tasty. I don't really like potatoes because they're too starchy but she seemed to love it.
I had the Seared Dayboat Scallops which came with risotto and lentil beans. Not a big beans fan but the sauce was tasty and the scallops were cooked perfectly.
Great place to bring a date! :)
I love this place! It's cozy inside, with nice atmosphere and simple yet tasteful style.
Everything I've had here is wonderful, and they do magical things to brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Seriously, my boyfriend doesn't eat stuff like that normally, and after we've gone to Spork he won't shut up about them. I also love the chocolate covered potato chip ice cream from Humphrey Slocumb's.
If you go on a warm night, the outdoor seating is nice and charming too.
First off, we called up to ask about the wait, they held a table for us cause we said we were coming from down the street. Very cool.
The pull apart bread was really good, I could eat 4 of those and a salad and be just fine. They come in little pans with 3 pieces, and they are free, but you have to ask for it, so ask right when you sit down, cause they come out slowly.
I had the goat cheese croquette. It was super good with beets and figs, but they only give you 1 and it is about the size of a quarter for $10. It was really good, but only about 3 bites of goodness.
GF had the stuffed squash, and that was really good and a healthy portion. I had the scallops on recommendation from our very friendly waiter, and they were seared just perfectly and served with some grape tomatoes and fresh greens. Very goood indeed, a medium size portion. Our friend had the lazy ravioli, which I thought were probably the best item on our table, besides the bread. Entrees are pricy, but the food is good and service friendly.
The Lowdown:
Goat Cheese croquette
lazy ravioli
stuffed squash
scallops
1 bottle imported beer
total: $98 + tip.
Was searching for a place to eat dinner in the Noe Valley/Mission area and after reading the reviews and looking at the menu we were sold. This is the kind of food I love. Comfort food with a twist.
We hopped on Open Table and tried to make reservations but for some reason it wasn't going through so we had to book through Spork's website also courtesy of Open Table, but no points. Booo but not Spork's fault I don't think.
We loved the diner-esque feel of the place and I enjoyed reading the origin of the restaurant. You could definitely feel that a lot of thought had been put into the place and I loved the whimsical touches like the little Pikachus scattered throughout the restaurant.
Our server thought we were return customers, but it was both my friend and my first time there. We decided to do family style like we always do because we love variety.
We started with the beet salad with the goat cheese croquette. Pretty simple dish, but I liked how they lightened up the goat cheese to make it less dense and more delicate. That and beets which I am a huge fan of were delicious.
For our entrees we shared the stuffed squash and halibut. My friend preferred the squash which was very earthy and rich with mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes and a little truffle oil while I preferred the halibut which was a little lighter with tomatoes and a caper and olive tapenade. Both were a nice balance with each other and we both felt like we had ordered perfectly.
Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, but there's always next time.
Went to Spork after a couple years of curiosity (there's so many places to eat, and for some reason was never compelled by Spork, until now). Our party of 4 was greeted by the friendly host (who, refreshingly, takes her job seriously) and had us seated for our reservation in just a couple minuets, even though we were just 3 for the time being. While we waited I appreciated reading the Spork manifesto printed on the wine list, which did good to appease my fears that Spork was not just another casual/fine place looking to capitalize on the popularity of high calorie comfort foods, as has been and continues to be the rage (we all still want our mommies I guess...)
The eating was good, with only minor discrepancies as will be the case when you leave it up to the human hand (I'm sure by now Japan must have some robot cooks). We shared the goat cheese croquette, which was good, but very good with the accompanying beets, and balsamic cream (?) and pomegranate seeds, rich and tart and flavorful. Brussels sprouts and calamari were an unexpectedly good combination too. I had the steak stroganoff, which was a clever reworking with very tender gnocchi, lots of mushrooms, and more balsamic. Very delish, very rich (I couldn't finish my plate, which is not my m.o.) My boyfriend had the same, only his was maybe a little salt heavy, and friends had the halibut, which looked too done--these were the only concerns. Our waiter (all boys in the dining room, except for ms.host) was knowledgeable, comfortable and had his share of unique quips, though seemed very busy and maybe needed a smaller section to give added attention where it was due. I'll go back again, and hope to have a similarly good dining experience.
Mmmm yay Spork! Love it. My then boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner back in June. The menu is a bit different now as they change it every so often. Back in June I had the best scallop risotto. Perfectly spiced and cooked to perfection. The risotto wasn't overly runny or smooshy. The then boyfriend had some kind of flank steak dish that was also really good. The steak came with really creamy mashed potatoes that I kind of wanted to steal from him. Knowing what I know now about him I should have stabbed him with my fork and stolen those potatoes. Just kidding, but really the potatoes were pretty amazing. The rolls they give you at the beginning are also super duper.
For dessert we had the pot brownie and loved every bite of it!
If Mel's had a much cooler and refined older brother this would be it. Diner decor with a grown up twist. The service was great, very attentive.
All in all I had a great birthday dinner at Spork! Thanks then BF!
Wow.
Really.
Wow.
And I'm a grouch. Went for the dinner and that was some of the tastiest food I've ever had. All of it. I had the inside out burger, which tastes like it sounds, but the potato things that came with were insane.
My friend had the stuffed squash and it was WAY better. I would have gotten it but it is a vegetarian and I wanted meat.
I SO have to spend more money there. But I'll be sure to make a reservation.
I knocked off one star for a combination of low lighting (to the point we couldn't quite tell what w were eating) and a birthday cake being presented to someone. They didn't sing happy birthday or I would have had to give Spork 2 stars. People, keep your birthdays to yourself and we'll get along fine.
BTW, yelp needs a new $$ rating system, $11-30 is too big a range.
This place really is the bomb, no joke.
Retro old KFC into hip happening spot.
Food? Delicious. Everything we had was so tasty. Starting from the house bread. Melts in your mouth! The beet salad, heirloom tomatoes and the brussel sprouts were the perfect way to start the meal.
I had the bolognese with house made sheets of pasta. So insanely delicious and the portion was huge! The squash dish was also delicious and I thought I tasted hints of truffle oil. The inside out burger also looked good.
We had two bottles of vino and elvis left the building and brownie for dessert. Super good. Love the peanut butter and ice cream - so dinerish!
Totalling everything up, it was $45 a person. Not bad!
This review is for my first visit..... there will be more! Upon arrival we were unsure of the place ( we wanted hard booze) but the food and the service will keep me coming back! we had brussles with calamari- a MUST have, salad, and beef stroganoff- OMG so good. Everything was seasoned and prepared to perfection-The pre-dinner rolls were amazing. We were too full to attempt a desert but I will be back.. oh yes! Thank you Spork for being such a tasty delight!
Spork is an absolutely wonderful place to get a delicious American "comfort food" meal. Being a pescatarian, I sometimes find it hard to enjoy American food restaurants, but I found a few things on the menu at Spork that just looked super-tasty. The wine and beer selection is good too.
My date and I started with the beets and cheese croquette. It was so good - and I didn't even really think I liked beets! For the main entree, I decided to try the butternut squash ravioli, which was one giant ravioli on my plate. Freaking excellent! The food tastes good and the presentation is great.
We wanted desert, but sadly there was no room. Regardless of whether you're a desert person or not, check out the desert menu - it will definitely induce some giggles. (AND you can even order a real-deal spork cutlery!!!)
One of the many reasons I love this place isn't just because of the awesome dinner I enjoyed, but also the vibe of this place is just awesome. It's a bit small, but it doesn't feel cramped. The decor and music are excellent. The tables have this funky rubber stripping on the sides - very American 60's style. Everything here is just done well and in good taste.
Additionally, our server was really nice and cute as a button.
I am giving Spork the highest 5-star-super-deluxo-rating because I simply love the place and can't wait to go back.
Casual, fun food and atmosphere. Everyone left satisfied, and the interior is fun. They serve wine, but have no bar.
Goat Cheese Croquette and Mission Figs - lovely
Ahi Tuna Poke - delicious
In-side-Out Burger - good (with 2 patties on the outside and 1 bun in the middle!)
And we couldn't get enough of the ice cream!!! Vanilla, salty, sweet, decadent.
Enjoyed by our tablemates:
Little Heirlooms and Friends
Broccoli soup
Recommended, but a bar would be good.
I ate way too much. From the exterior, it looks like a modern rendition of a diner-style restaurant. Everything on the menu is really an updated, modern take of American comfort food. Plus, the story behind this restaurant is cute. Take time to read it on the website!!!
I read all of the yelp reviews before I went there to figure out WHAT I would order. My friend and I did not make reservations, but were seated at the counter w/in 15 minutes. Spork has a truncated selection of wine/beer. The menu is NOT extensive, but contains dishes that utilize FRESH ingredients.
My friend ordered a steak (which was melt in our mouth delicious) and I ordered an in-side-out burger. I found the in-side-out burger was a bit overwhelming. I felt that there were too many ingredients and too many flavors mixing that it did not really please my palate. Yet, the smashed fries WERE HEAVENLY. Plus, after trying the steak that my friend ordered, I decided that I would have to give Spork another try.
Dessert were the donut holes, which were sort of hard. The coffee, on the other hand, was DELICIOUS.
So, I had some ups and downs with this experience. The service was polite, the restrooms clean, the ambiance very modern. This is a great date location (believe it or not) and although, my experience was not ideal, I'm willing to try it again in a few more months...
All together, we spent $43.53 for 2 individuals (sans tip). The price point is moderate for dinner and we DEFINITELY left FULL.
Parking is hit/miss in this area. We lucked out and found parking around 7PM in the hood.
Okay...it had been awhile since I had a decent dining experience so it made this experience special.
The food was great!! A pleasure satisfied palate can follow you home...(thank goodness!) ;-)
The halibut and steak stroganoff was ordered and though I should minus a star for only serving coke products, I won't. The food was great! Especially the dessert which I don't normally order.
The service was excellent!! Our waitress was open to conversation and humor, and checked on us constantly. Even though the restaurant was closing before we ordered dessert we didn't feel any rush to leave.
I also love the fact that the host actually read my reservation requests...I can't tell you how annoying it is when a restaurant doesn't.
I will definitely come back again!!
Took a friend here. We started with a goat cheese and fig appetizer... Delicious!
Everything else we ordered was just tasty. Nothing too fancy, but simple New American done so right!
Service was excellent as well. I loved the casual feel of this place.
My dinner was amazing and would definitely go back again. Very cute/charming decor. (Sort of a modern diner with an urban touch). Everything we ordered superseded our expectations:
-- Goat Cheese Croquette and Mission Figs- YUM
-- Sashimi - (with beets and other frilly lettuce stuff)- YUM
-- Steak Stroganoff- AWESOME
-- Seared Dry Dayboat Scallops (with fresh corn polenta and marinated cherry tomatoes AND BACON!) - Absolutely incredible.
Oh, and there was barely room for dessert but the Pear/ Blackberry Crisp A la mode was a great way to end the meal. We fell in love with everything and nearly licked our plates clean. Service was great- They were a bit busy, but very sweet and helpful none the less.
Parking sucks, so be sure to leave enough time to circle Valencia Street a million times. Other than that- a great dining experience...
Unique space with great atmosphere (kinda loungey) and awesome food. I don't think I've ever had anything not good here. Inside out burger (it's a lot of food, the smashed fries are actually large patties of potato tastiness...), beef stroganoff (the beef was sooo tender), lasagna (it wasn't in a block, more like pasta with lasagna ingredients?), raw yellowtail (surprisingly good), steak (tasty and tender), white corn soup, heirlooms and friends (the tomatoes were really fresh, sweet, and juicy!), and my favorite, the scallops with BACON. SO. GOOD.
Try not to fill up on the crazy good rolls with whipped honey butter. Make sure to order them, they're on the menu but for $0. Dessert's good too, but we're usually too full to partake.
Menu is pretty small, and some of the items change. But it doesn't really matter, cuz it's all good. If you like beer, they have a pretty nice selection (I think), and there's also this waiter there who's to beer what a sommelier is to wine. I think his recommendations are pretty solid. I've always had great service there.
I bring all my visiting friends here because only in SF can you find a place like this! On the pricier side, but for the occasional nice meal in a non-pretentious restaurant, it's reasonable. Definitely a place worth checking out at least once!!
I likie the Spork....
I LOVE spork, but really "love" does not cover it.
I walked in a bit skeptical, and thought this place must be over-rated with all the talk, but all doubt disappated with my first bite. I hate to be one more crazed fan, but Spork really is worth talking about.
A friend and I started out with Calamari and Brussel Sprouts Unite and a bottle of wine. The sprouts were to die for. This isn't your usual deep fried calamari and sauce. The sauteed calamari was tender and absolutely delicious. The sprouts were savory and comforting, together they made a combination that couldn't be beat.
Although the wine was good, I don't quite remember what the wine was.
As my entree, I ordered the stuffed roast squash. Again, this is not your typical dish. There were no breadcrumbs, rice or whatever else people stuff vegetables with. It came topped with gnocci, faro, and maitake mushrooms. It was heaven.
Sadly I ididn't have room for dessert, but I know I'll be back again.
We're currently working down the 7x7 best burgers list and this is what brought us to Spork. The restaurant's decor is very cute and comfortable. I hate going to restaurants where you're just inches away from the people next to you and everyone is all up in your conversation! The four of us ordered up a feast:
Homemade pull apart rolls - baked so perfect we had to ask for seconds
Calamari and Cauliflower Unite - so flavorful and excellent together
Ahi Tuna Poke - just enough soy sauce and habanero vinegar for the tuna to melt in your mouth
Mussels and Pork with a Spork - fat mussels and the pork was nice and tender
Steak Stroganoff - so good we licked the plate clean
In-side-Out Burger - makes sense why this burger made the best burger list ...we had to order two burgers!
Brownie Pot - nice and sweet and paired very well with the vanilla geletto
Afterschool Special - this is the first dessert to be finished at our table ... the cookie bits in the ice cream was to die for
Fried Donut - can't go wrong with beignets ... my fiance scarfed this one down
Service was very nice and helpful .... I think she was amused with how much food we ordered! The bill wasn't bad at all ... we brought in two bottles of wine and all of the food we scarfed down ... about $200.
Went back for brunch this morning and I've got to say I'm torn between the choice of having dinner here or brunch... What the heck, I'll have both!
I heart me some brunch at Spork! The warm fresh out of the oven coffee cake was enough for four of us to share and was the perfect compliment to the Four Barrel Coffee they serve (made in a french press, no less). I had the fresh fruit plate and was thrilled by the selection of fruits - mango, pineapple, papaya, grapes, blueberries and more - along with a few small dashes of goat cheese. Delicious!
Who's in for starting an UYE Sunday brunch club? Enjoy!
WOW - such a treat! I was taken here last week after receiving some great news - a perfect way to… Read more »
Just adding to the chorus of many here.
I had a wonderful meal at Spork, from the great attentive but not annoyingly overattentive service to the check with the most adorable miniature cheeseburger sweets.
First up was the octopus, grilled to perfection with vegetables. A little saltiness went a long way in livening up the vegetables as well as the octopus.
My friend had the scallops with the polenta and I have to say that he made the better choice. The scallops were large and tender, cooked perfectly. As anyone who has cooked scallops knows, it's the kind of ingredient that one minute of overcooking can ruin. At Spork, it was divine. The polenta was sweetened and probably had a whole stick of butter in it. But it was very very tasty.
I choose the pasta dish of the day...and it was so unmemorable that I can't remember what was in the dish except for large sheets of pasta. I've recently taken up pasta making, and truth be told, I can make that pasta myself and make a mushroom and beef ragu that would be tastier. So, skip the pasta. I regret not getting the beef stragonoff which I was contemplating...I saw somebody's review below raving about it.
For dessert we shared the ice cream with the chocolate covered potato chips. I was once disappointed by chocolate covered potato chips in the past where milk chocolate too thickly covered ruffled potato chips. Spork gets it right by using regular potato chips and dark chocolate. Small bits of it stud the ice cream. My one plea would be that they put some of the chocolate covered potato chips on top and whole.
One last note about the buns and honey butter. I am spoiled. I had a friend's homemade honey butter not too long ago, and it's hers that I was savoring which had more honey flavor and a hint of cinnamon.
Of course, I had to get the spork that is available for purchase. That alone would have made the meal worthwhile, but I am glad to say that Spork delivers a solid good meal.
I love the idea of Spork and of course the name, however, for the price, not giving it more than 3 stars.
I had two meals here, one with my ex and one with a friend. I would say both times the company was fabulous, but the food just OK. When the bill came, I regretting spending so much money on the meal. I hate that feeling, especially in these tight times.
The spork idea is cute, but not for $20 or more a person. The menu is also quite limited which makes going back even less appealing.
Maybe I am getting spoiled by all the Mission cheap eats around, I dunno.
3.5 stars. I managed to get out of work at a decent hour so we finished up at the gym before 9. I hate eating dinner this late but there isn't much I can do about it so finding tasty places still open at that time makes it more bearable.
I'd been wanting to try Spork but it was closed the last time we drove by. This time, we walked in and were able to get a table no problem. We started with an eggplant appetizer that was stuffed with a tasty mixture of something, sitting on a nice tomato sauce and ricotta. It had a really nice kick to it that I loved. I'd consider getting this as my entree next time.
We also got the halibut and the mussels with pork. The halibut was well seasoned but the bites I had were a little dry. The mashed potatoes it came with were good. The broth the mussels came in and the pork were just too salty for me. On top of that, it was served with some green beans covered in salt and bread covered in aioli. I didn't understand that at all.
I'd come back to try some other things on the menu, like the stuffed squash and some of the appetizers. The service was good and the ambiance was fine overall.
Birthday meals should be at KFC turned Spork. If you grew up with KFC, you now know you're wiser, more sophisticated, more hip, outgrew the puberty zit phase, and still know how to treat your inner youth.
They pulled off the decor well. I don't know if you could do it with Taco Bell. Good god, I'd hate to see that happen. The dishes seemed to be seasonal and interesting. Outstanding quality without the stuffy atmosphere.
My first time there and I was really looking forward to it. I'd heard great things about the food and I wasn't disappointed. I really, really enjoyed each and every thing I ordered. (The Ahi Poke -- wow.)
The interior is super cool. I really like the concept (read the back of the wine menu for more information). It was a very comfortable environment and it's obvious that they took the time to design it well.
It was the service that brought my rating down unfortunately. Our server was pleasant right from the start. But we were barely able to get wine or beer with our meal and were left without any visits from her for long periods of time (even when the tables were 40% full). We had to stop talking and collectively give her "the stare" to get an order into to the kitchen. We sat with our dirty dishes for 20 minutes. And then the dessert menu came and it was like a joke. She didn't come to our table to see if we wanted to place an order for another 15 minutes. I was over it. As were my friends. I should have left a 10% tip or less. It was stinker service.
Sorry Spork; Great food/unprofessional service for any setting.
"Amazing discovery in Obstetrics: steak stroganoff brings on labor! Or was it the Spork-fed butterscotch pudding?"
Being 8-months pregnant myself, I was more than slightly distracted by my dear friend Amy A.'s intermittent contractions while dining at Spork last Saturday night (after five days of labor, Super Amy got that baby OUT!).
I liked my In-side-Out Burger sans bun (the ingredients here are top quality, but it's not the kind of place where you can ask for whole wheat buns or many other modifications to the menu). The potato fritters it came with weren't much to write home about. What I really should have ordered was the steak stroganoff, not to induce labor, but because it looked amazing. I had a bite of Will T.'s and wow, what a good idea! The sauce was stroganoff, but the beef was nicely-cooked steak and it was served with gnocchi instead of noodles.
Starters were also great--lots of folks have mentioned the grilled nectarines and goat cheese and I loved the tangy dressing on the simple butter lettuce salad.
Dessert was hilarious, and is where the eponymous spork finally made an appearance. We ordered the butterscotch pudding with whipped cream, served in a glass ashtray (my Virgo mom would hurl) and the ice cream with chocolate-covered potato chips. I thought the latter would be gross, but the sweet and salt is a pretty tried and true combo and this rich version did not fail to please 3 out of 4 at the table.
The moral of the story? Whether you are just practicing making a baby or are ready to deliver one the same night, Spork might be your lucky Mission spot.
I came here for my birthday dinner and to be honest, I was skeptical cause come on, this used to be a KFC! That must be some curse on it. Well mostly cause I didn't know what kind of food a restaurant named Spork would serve. It's American fusion, or so I think.
We came pretty early. Ok, we're an early bird- I feel so old saying it- hence, we're the second party at the restaurant (Well, the second old group of people at the restaurant.) Even though the menu was limited, I still had trouble picking my entree. We got the ahi tuna for our appetizer, and I must say, it was a bit too salty for my taste. Don't get me wrong, it was a good tuna and I even like salty food! I just think they slathered too much soy sauce on it.
My entree was the steak and boy, it was sooo good!!! It was cooked right and the mashed potatoes was heaven. Now I can say, I'm not even a big of mashed potatoes fan but it was goooood! My husband got the pasta, which was also delicious! The pasta came in a big rectangle size which you have to cut them up yourself. I like the fact that it was different than just regular shaped pasta like spaghetti or fettucini.
Oh, the whole highlight of this dinner was the fact they carried this awesome Japanese beer, Hitachino. I'm such a girl (or if I was a boy, I would be a flaming gay boy) cause I loved the fact the beer has this cute blue label with a picture of an owl on it and came with its own glass! This beer is very rare and hard to find! I really like this place. I think they had great service, decor, and I would love to come back, sometimes soon. It sure was expensive.
We had dinner here last weekend with a friend who lives in the city. She always has the best restaurant picks, and this was another one!
The menu is small, but there are plenty of choices, and they all seem very well thought out. I always appreciate when chefs use local ingredients, and the tomato salad definitely did.
It was good, but I did think it was a bit overpriced.
For my entree I had the halibut. It was cooked perfectly, and while it wasn't cheap, it was a huge hunk of fish for the money.
All the components of the dish worked remarkably well together. This was a truly enjoyable dish from the first bite to the last.
We decided to split a dessert, and once again, we were wowed.
It was a warm peanut butter cup with a few peanuts, a small scoop of gelato and a drizzle of caramel. It sounds simple, but we all could have licked the plate.
Service was ok, not exceptional, but no major complaints.
Waters were kept refilled, and we were brought some of the amazing pull-apart rolls!
All in all, a great experience, and I would absolutely come back!
Complimentary Bottle of House…
Neighborhood: SOMA
$15 Dinner Special
Neighborhood: Castro
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: American (New)
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