Rebecca H.'s Profile
Date
543 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 346-6641
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 346-6641
Club Waziema
Categories:
Ethiopian,
Lounges,
Music Venues
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
Listed in: The Japanhandle
601 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 563-3634
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 563-3634
Bean Bag Cafe
Category:
Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
The four stars are for the (almost always) friendly staff, the yummy food (cheese toast with your pasta? yes please!), the free and speedy wifi, the sunny ante room, and the suspiciously low priced afternoon beers!
I just can't give a fifth star to a cafe with a big TV which doesn't actually play television, but rather advertisements interspersed with horoscopes. I'd love to know how and why that happened. Just charge 50c more per beer and throw the TV in the dumpster. Bizzare.
But I love this place a lot. It's really more like 4.5. I mean, I go here all the time, so it must be great....
I just can't give a fifth star to a cafe with a big TV which doesn't actually play television, but rather advertisements interspersed with horoscopes. I'd love to know how and why that happened. Just charge 50c more per beer and throw the TV in the dumpster. Bizzare.
But I love this place a lot. It's really more like 4.5. I mean, I go here all the time, so it must be great....
Listed in: The Japanhandle
1064 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94115
San Francisco, CA 94115
Apollo Coffee
Categories:
Coffee & Tea,
Desserts
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
This place is even closer to my house than Cafe Abir. The staff/owner is incredibly friendly and hard-working. Cafe Apollo is like his baby. It's a great place to study, and the food is good.
My only quibbles are that it is really, really expensive so I can't afford to go there regularly. And also, because it is a small place, and because I am very sensitive to such things, I am sometimes distracted by the stress that is emanating from the owner. He is so concerned about everything being exactly right that he can be a bit obsessive about asking people if everything is alright. Once I gave a piece of constructive criticism about the sandwich and he got pretty upset. But he asked me if I liked the sandwich!
Anyway, I'm sure that over time the place will mellow out and start feeling a bit less brand new. And I'll probably get used to the prices. Either way, this place is a positive addition to the Japanhandle.
My only quibbles are that it is really, really expensive so I can't afford to go there regularly. And also, because it is a small place, and because I am very sensitive to such things, I am sometimes distracted by the stress that is emanating from the owner. He is so concerned about everything being exactly right that he can be a bit obsessive about asking people if everything is alright. Once I gave a piece of constructive criticism about the sandwich and he got pretty upset. But he asked me if I liked the sandwich!
Anyway, I'm sure that over time the place will mellow out and start feeling a bit less brand new. And I'll probably get used to the prices. Either way, this place is a positive addition to the Japanhandle.
Listed in: The Japanhandle
1300 Fulton St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 567-6503
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 567-6503
Cafe Abir
Category:
Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
Pros:
Near my house.
Good music.
A few comfy, well placed tables with outlets.
No one will give you any death stares for sitting and working there for several hours.
Cons:
The staff will give you death stares for just about everything else, including ordering coffee. They may even throw your change at you. Or "accidentally" drop it in the tip jar for you.
The coffee tastes like death in a cup.
The food is not much better.
Near my house.
Good music.
A few comfy, well placed tables with outlets.
No one will give you any death stares for sitting and working there for several hours.
Cons:
The staff will give you death stares for just about everything else, including ordering coffee. They may even throw your change at you. Or "accidentally" drop it in the tip jar for you.
The coffee tastes like death in a cup.
The food is not much better.
Listed in: The Japanhandle
1600 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 843-0664
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 843-0664
Cafe De La Paz - CLOSED
Category:
Latin American
Neighborhoods: Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
Maybe a haiku can summarize the experience:
Arrived right on time
Nary a server in sight
Tumbleweeds breeze by
Wine bottle for six
Poured into just four glasses
Her bad, she failed math.
If the food were good....
If the bathroom were tidy....
Just wishful thinking
Arrived right on time
Nary a server in sight
Tumbleweeds breeze by
Wine bottle for six
Poured into just four glasses
Her bad, she failed math.
If the food were good....
If the bathroom were tidy....
Just wishful thinking
198 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 861-0198
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 861-0198
Mission Beach Café
Categories:
American (New),
Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Mission
The only thing I have to add to all the raves already written about this place is that the mushroom soup is the best goddamn soup I have had in years. With a swirl of truffle oil to give it a gourmet kick, I was an inch away from licking the bowl. Comfort food that plays to my childhood nostalgia *and* my occasional adult tendencies.
1303 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 345-9947
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 345-9947
De Afghanan Kabob House - CLOSED
Category:
Afghan
This place was so good, it made me want to visit Afghanistan. The sweet young man behind the counter talked us through the menu, made hot fresh tea and brought it to us, and as we were finishing up, brought us complimentary (and delicious) rice puddings for dessert. What hospitality! What service! And we only paid $12 each!
We had the eggplant appetizer which is served with bread similar to Turkish pide. It was truly excellent. We then had the pumpkin turnovers, which were like crepes and were served with a yoghurt sauce. Wowee, they were good (and even better reheated the next morning, I might add). Finally, we had the specialty beef kabobs, which were served with yummy rice. We left stuffed and brought food home. What a bargain! And we only paid $12 each!
We had the eggplant appetizer which is served with bread similar to Turkish pide. It was truly excellent. We then had the pumpkin turnovers, which were like crepes and were served with a yoghurt sauce. Wowee, they were good (and even better reheated the next morning, I might add). Finally, we had the specialty beef kabobs, which were served with yummy rice. We left stuffed and brought food home. What a bargain! And we only paid $12 each!
4542 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 504-6652
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 504-6652
Cajun Pacific
Category:
Cajun/Creole
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
I really wanted to like this place, but alas it was not meant to be. I went here for a big group dinner and we had the whole place just for our party. I loved the cosy, festive atmosphere and the friendly couple who were the owners/chefs/wait staff.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the food. I've only been to New Orleans once, but the food at Cajun Pacific just wasn't even close to what I had there. For $45 per person, I have fairly high expectations for flavor and overall food quality, but I found it alternatively oily, salty and bland. The sweet collard greens were good, but the gumbo, crawfish monica and other sides were just so so. Too bad...
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the food. I've only been to New Orleans once, but the food at Cajun Pacific just wasn't even close to what I had there. For $45 per person, I have fairly high expectations for flavor and overall food quality, but I found it alternatively oily, salty and bland. The sweet collard greens were good, but the gumbo, crawfish monica and other sides were just so so. Too bad...
36 Main St
Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-3870
Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-3870
Once Upon A Table-Restaurants
Category:
American (Traditional)
Upon entering Stockbridge, Massachusetts, I am immediately struck with the eerie feeling that it isn't a town at all, but a row of cutouts, like a set from an old Hollywood movie. In this case, the movie is not a western, but "It's a Wonderful Life." Not being a huge fan of the picture postcard, Norman Rockwell inspired, Old New England aesthetic, I am often tempted to give one of the buildings a good hard shove and watch the whole WASPy facade come crumbling down.
But this Christmas, I discovered a treasure in Stockbridge. Nestled among the overpriced "Ye Olde Tchotchky Shoppes" and ridiculously overpriced "art" galleries, there is a restaurant called Once Upon a Table. The owners and wait staff are genuine, friendly and down to earth. The atmosphere is cosy and casual. Most importantly, it serves delicious, seasonal comfort food at affordable prices (I had hot mulled apple cider, clam chowder and a wonderful salad).
You will love this restaurant, whether you feel at home in Stockbridge or not.
But this Christmas, I discovered a treasure in Stockbridge. Nestled among the overpriced "Ye Olde Tchotchky Shoppes" and ridiculously overpriced "art" galleries, there is a restaurant called Once Upon a Table. The owners and wait staff are genuine, friendly and down to earth. The atmosphere is cosy and casual. Most importantly, it serves delicious, seasonal comfort food at affordable prices (I had hot mulled apple cider, clam chowder and a wonderful salad).
You will love this restaurant, whether you feel at home in Stockbridge or not.
DO NOT eat here for any reason.
My friend and I ate here because I had *just* had Vietnamese food, so I talked her out of Pho 84. I must publicly apologize to her now, because the food at Take it Easy was so bad that we left without finishing, and then lay around moaning and clutching our stomachs for the rest of the evening. I mean, I had to have two Manhattans just to distract my stomach from that nasty after taste.
The Pad Thai was covered in a brown gravy, the vegetables all tasted like they were from a can, and the chicken.... actually, I can't talk about the chicken. Having only just eaten it last night, the trauma is still too fresh - UNLIKE the ingredients at this restaurant.
My friend and I ate here because I had *just* had Vietnamese food, so I talked her out of Pho 84. I must publicly apologize to her now, because the food at Take it Easy was so bad that we left without finishing, and then lay around moaning and clutching our stomachs for the rest of the evening. I mean, I had to have two Manhattans just to distract my stomach from that nasty after taste.
The Pad Thai was covered in a brown gravy, the vegetables all tasted like they were from a can, and the chicken.... actually, I can't talk about the chicken. Having only just eaten it last night, the trauma is still too fresh - UNLIKE the ingredients at this restaurant.
1 List
1. Cafe Abir
Pros: Near my house.…
2. Apollo Coffee
This place is even closer…
3. Bean Bag Cafe
See Full List »
The four stars are for…
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- 29 Friends
- 108 Reviews
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Review votes:
140 Useful, 129 Funny, and 120 Cool
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Location
San Francisco, CA
Yelping SinceNovember 2005
Find Me Inall ovah
When I'm Not Yelping...I'm dissertating
My Last Meal On Earthon earth? blue cheese with rasberries and expensive champagne...
When my sweetheart and I came here for our first (or was it our second?) date in 2005, they gave us the table in the love nook, with mistletoe overhead. The rest is history.....
Another time, I walked into Waziema after a truly hellish (involving a hospital emergency room) kind of a day, and April took one look at me and said "you need a Manhattan", which was true.
I miss April, because she made a mean Manhattan, but everything else about Club Waziema has remained steadily awesome for years. The rest of the staff are super friendly. The food is so so good (just make sure not to wear skinny jeans, or you'll have to surreptitiously unbutton them). And last but not least, the juke box is solid gold.