Last week, we touched upon the best places to take tourists in culinary hell; this week, we’ll suggest some places to take the adventurous visitor who wants to experience the old-school San Francisco of decades past.
Sam’s Grill: Since 1867, Sam’s has been a powerlunch destination for financial types. All the standards are here: tuxedoed waiters, curtained booths, sourdough and red sauces, Salisbury steaks and even a surly host or two.
More after the jump.
Tadich Grill: Similar to Sam’s, but Tadich gets the nod in the seafood category. In fact, many will argue that the city’s best seafood will be found here.
House of Prime Rib: San Francisco is a notoriously subpar steakhouse town, and nothing screams old-school quite like a traditional steakhouse. Even though the House of Prime Rib fell off the Chronicle’s Top 100 list, there’s still no better destination for a cut of prime rib with a side of creamed spinach.
Buena Vista: Home of the origin of Irish Coffee and one of the best views in the city, Buena Vista is an atypical Irish pub with a history of whetting the whistle of many a sailor and cannery row worker.
Capp’s Corner: Capp’s is your archetypal Italian red sauce joint. In the heart of North Beach, it has all the New York City staples: breaded eggplant, linguine, veal milanese, etc.
John’s Grill: Better known as The Home of the Maltese Falcon (well, maybe not anymore), John’s Grill has kept the same interior from San Francisco’s golden age, complete with an oak wall adorned by photos of famous patrons past and present, including, of course, Dashiell Hammett.
Java House: A sentimental favorite of ours, Java House sits on the dock of the Bay, right around the corner from the ballpark. Nothing screams San Francisco like sitting on old wooden benches, eating a hot dog with a plastic cup of beer and having a fishing boat, full of freshly-caught sand dabs, dock inches away from you. Java House is a reminder of the blue-collar roots of the town.
