617478 Tue May 05 12:23:42 -0700 2009 21 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4656491 We're taking a road trip up to SF this weekend and it's been a while since I've been, so I'm hoping to get some suggestions for excellent "dives". We have a car...and a child....and will also be trekking down towards Mountain View. Fortunately our child is a pretty adventuresome eater, but we're not interested in blowing $100 on dinner for him. We're not on a serious budget, but with a kid, we'd rather eat at casual and moderately priced joints. (under $30 for lunch and under $80 for dinner - excluding drinks and tip). I love dim sum (understanding that under $30 does not apply) and all sorts of Asian cuisine (although my husband is Thai averse), we all enjoy a great burger, but can skip the pizza, veggie/vegan joints and Mexican. Would be particularly interested in exceptional seafood joints, any type of California or Continental cuisine places, and any kind of "comfort food"/diner establishments. My husband is 35 going on 100 and LOVES chicken fried steak, sawmill gravy, and most blue plate specials. Thanks for your help! Tue May 05 12:23:42 -0700 2009 41003 1HotTomato 1 4656650 Fairly recent dive thread. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/577297 Tue May 05 13:09:37 -0700 2009 4656491 105235 wolfe 2 4656738 Thanks...I did a search for SF dives and got a lot of irrelevant links back. Tue May 05 13:34:50 -0700 2009 4656650 41003 1HotTomato 1 4656708 Not all of these are dives...in fact most aren't but this is a good list for cheap eats, SFGate/the Chron's annual Bargain Bites list. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/listings/bargainbites/2008list Tue May 05 13:28:01 -0700 2009 4656491 27275 ML8000 2 4656746 Thanks...any recommendations on which ones are good? I guess I should have clarified that "cheap" isn't our top criteria. Good is. Followed by casual, kid-tolerant and then reasonably priced. Tue May 05 13:36:20 -0700 2009 4656708 41003 1HotTomato 3 4657070 Not a dive - Hukilau is kid-friendly, would husband chow on Loco Moco with hamburger or chicken katsu... or teriyaki shortribs? 5 Masonic Ave San Francisco, CA 94118 http://www.dahukilau.com/sanfrancisco/images/M_images/menus/menu_main.pdf for breakfast: The Village Grill 160 W Portal Avenue San Francisco, CA 94127 for breakfast/pumpkin pancakes/fried chicken wings J's Pots of Soul 203 Octavia Street San Francisco, CA 9410 Hard Knox Cafe 2 locations: Third Street and Clement Street Larkin Express Deli Lime Tree Old Jerusalem more... Dives/bars are not very kid-friendly... the Mariposa Cafeteria is the place for oxtails or roast pork on rice — these links aren't very divey; you'll do better at Chow on Church Street... Tue May 05 15:19:17 -0700 2009 4656746 13519 Cynsa 4 4657125 Mariposa Cafateria and Tu Lan are certainly divy, but please do not subject your child to either of those places. Not unless you wantto subject him to urine soaked junkies or agressive panhandlers on the way to the door. Oh, and I once found a drywall screw in my fried rice at MC...yum. Tue May 05 15:37:06 -0700 2009 4657070 13300 Civil Bear 4 4657150 That reminds me of Tee-Off, the ultimate comfort food dive. While it is a bar, there's an outdoor patio. http://www.chow.com/places/37367 Please don't go to Tu Lan with a child. Chow or Park Chow might fit your needs exactly. Tue May 05 15:46:32 -0700 2009 4657070 10264 rworange 4 4657442 While I've not been to Hukilau for a head-to-head comparison, I can highly recommend the loco moco made with Niman beef at Namu during happy hour. It's just a few blocks away. There were kids chowing down at the early hour with their parents. Tue May 05 17:44:29 -0700 2009 4657070 10039 Melanie Wong 1 4656772 Where are you coming from and what route are you taking? The Saturday morning Farmers market at Ferry Plaza has lots of good prepared food stands. Tue May 05 13:41:35 -0700 2009 4656491 10264 rworange 2 4656835 Coming up from San Diego and likely to take the 101 all the way up... Tue May 05 13:57:38 -0700 2009 4656772 41003 1HotTomato 1 4657100 For a kid friendly burger joint that is kind of an institution there is Bill's Place on Clement. Great shakes too (the old kind were you get the leftovers on the steel cup). And it's not far off your path if you take 19th Ave through the City. Tue May 05 15:28:17 -0700 2009 4656491 13300 Civil Bear 2 4657207 Bill's Place (since 1959) is indeed very kid-friendly; with back patio — but, the cheeseburger at the Hard Knox Cafe at 2448 Clement Street is also a great deal for $6.50 + one side - cooked perfectly medium-rare as requested. Tue May 05 16:04:41 -0700 2009 4657100 13519 Cynsa 1 4657307 Grubstake and Tommy's Joynt were on a cable TV show featuring Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Grubsteak is probably a Diner, Tommy's a dive. Tue May 05 16:48:02 -0700 2009 4656491 13661 Alan408 2 4659174 Tommy's Joynt is an interesting choice. Definitely a SF institution. Although not necessarily "kid friendly", it should be fine for an older child that doesn't mind crowds. It is also right on the Hwy 101 route through the City. It's old school Haufbrau fair. Wed May 06 09:36:49 -0700 2009 4657307 13300 Civil Bear 3 4660019 Atmosphere it has, dive it is, but the food is - IMHO - sub par. What do you get there that's so good as to recommend for a limited-time visitor? Wed May 06 13:33:30 -0700 2009 4659174 54804 bbulkow 4 4660055 From the opening post. "and any kind of "comfort food"/diner establishments. My husband is 35 going on 100 and LOVES chicken fried steak, sawmill gravy, and most blue plate specials. I like the roast beef with dip and horseradish. But it isn't Phillippes so settle for the buffalo. http://www.philippes.com/ Wed May 06 13:41:16 -0700 2009 4660019 105235 wolfe 5 4661095 Valencia Pizza and Pasta for " any kind of "comfort food" at the right price. Wed May 06 19:09:14 -0700 2009 4660055 13519 Cynsa 4 4660186 Like most/all dives, you have to cherry pick the menu. Turkey and buffalo are good but not great but for the price it's hard to complain. Wed May 06 14:19:11 -0700 2009 4660019 27275 ML8000 4 4662965 Without a doubt, the braised lamb shanks! $8 + change for two, with roasted new potatoes and a side salad. The sauce is very good. Tastier and a better deal than Valencia Pizza & Pasta, IMO. Agree though that the sandwiches are a tad sub par (other than the meatball). Thu May 07 10:42:40 -0700 2009 4660019 13300 Civil Bear 1 4657485 Brenda's French Soul Food is kind of "Divey" and not in the best of neighborhoods - but the food is amazing and the prices are cheap. Tue May 05 17:56:34 -0700 2009 4656491 160718 uhockey 2 4661079 I love Brenda's French Soul Food - it's NOT my definition of divey though... I also like Yat's. Mariposa Cafeteria, Tee Off and Tu Lan do qualify as "divey" on my list. Let's expand the Mid-Range list for the OP — "we'd rather eat at casual and moderately priced joints. (under $30 for lunch and under $80 for dinner - excluding drinks and tip)" and include Prix Fixe offerings: Wed May 06 19:04:20 -0700 2009 4657485 13519 Cynsa