brucelee

iTrader: (6)

I'm watching the travel channel and they have shows that are dedicated to local "Hole in the wall" restaurants that blow all other restaurants in their category away... They might look like cheap, "hole in the wall" places, but their food is what makes them so damn popular. You know what I'm talking about... A restaurant/eatery that looks like it was thrown together by a bunch of 12 year olds, but the food just BLOWS YOUR MIND. I'm talking about small and unknown (other than local word-of-mouth press) places that have EPIC food but look like horrible "hole in the wall" places. I don't care what kind of food... From family BBQ to Sushi, everything applies... From San Francisco to Gilroy... Lets hear about YOUR favorite "Dive restaurant" that serves food is epic in terms of flavor and quality but not so much in decor/atmosphere.

I know that every single one of you guys/gals knows of a place that serves food that is AMAZING and only frequented by locals due to it's "curb appeal", or lack there of... So lets share or favorite "Dive restaurants" with each other. It doesn't matter what the genre of food it is, all that matters is that the food is AMAZING and the restaurant is only known by the locals and always has a line out the door due to it's amazing food. It's the definition of "don't judge a book by it's cover". Just because the place looks awful doesn't mean that the food reflects the exterior/interior decor. We all have that little place that we takes our friends to every time they visit from out of town... All of you know exactly what I'm talking about!

Remember, it doesn't matter if it's sushi or hotdogs... As long as it's affordable and the food blows you away (especially compared to how you'd expect the food to be when you first see the place based on it's physical appearance).

So lets let's share our local treasures with the BAIC hive mind!


(There's nothing better than inexpensive food that blows all other food, especially from expensive restaurants away since you pay for the fancy decor when you eat at fancy-shmancy restaurants.The bay area is one of the most culturally diverse places on earth and we have some of the best restaurants on this planet, so lets share our local food treasures with one another! I look forward to exploring other "dive restaurants" that you guys/gals recommend! )

07wrx4life

iTrader: (8)

Mike and Kens deli In SSF on airport blvd

Its not a restaurant but a place the kicks out some killer sandwiches on the cheap, turkey club with bacon and cheese, 2 sodas ( Can ) and a bag of chips Is $8.31
what ever sammy you get make sure you ask for pesto spread

lickwid

iTrader: (16)

Cafe Algier's has great sandwiches for only $4.50 including tax. They even toast it for you if you want. Line is out the door by 11:15 everyday for lunch.

Irrational X

iTrader: (1)

Gatsby's Burgers at Fulton and Alta Arden has the best burger i have ever met in my life. i dont know what the **** the decor is, i think its supposed to be 20's themed, but it does work... their shakes are awesome and the menu is seasonal and made only from local produce/meat... the owner tells me that they basicaly "buy 1 cow and have it ground up" each week.

epic.

Nearby, the Kaiser Permanente Morse Avenue hospital cafeteria in Sacramento has, hands down, the best egg salad sandwiches i have ever encountered.

my favorite place of all... is a 2.5 hour drive for breakfast... i make it about twice a month....
Howards Station Cafe in Occidental (near bodega bay). Get the corn beef hash with eggs over medium, but bring a change of underpants, because you will blow your load. its that good. the pancakes are also fantastic. the biscuits are out of this world. salmon benedict is a staple... but i usually get a short stack, hash with 4 over medium eggs, and a buttermilk biscuit, then head up over Coleman Valley road (my favorite in all of CA) to highway 1 and blast the coast for a few hours before heading home.

on the way out, i make sure to hit Screamin' Mimi's in sebastopol for national award winning ice cream. if its strawberry season, have the strawberry in the "**** n *****" doublecone.

brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Great suggestions! I have a feeling that this thread is going to be the best thread ever! (food = teh win, and cheap+GREAT food = teh w1n x 10000)

subaruwrx

Cheap pizza - Golden Boy in San Francisco. Indescribable.
Cheap Ice Cream - Joes on Geary and 17th.
Cheap burgers - Ironically, the sliders at one market are reasonable and very delicious

malachi

Saigon Sandwich, Larkin between Eddy & Turk in SF -- Really good Bahn Mi for practically 0$.

Yamo, 18th right off Mission in SF -- Burmese / Thai hole in the wall. Really good, really cheap.

Mission Burger, Mission and 18th in SF -- Redefining hole in the wall. Less cheap than "ghetto" but maybe the best burger in the world.

La Palma Mexicatessen, 24th St between Florida & Bryant in SF -- The gorditas are really good but in the end it's all about the carnitas.

subaruwrx

Oh yeah, and I forgot Yat's
http://www.yelp.com/biz/yats-new-orl...-san-francisco

Total dive but sooo good.

turfshark

iTrader: (3)

LGT Mark

iTrader: (5)

Thank you so much for posting that, I crave shrimp Po Boys so bad, but never knew where to get them. Most "Cajun Restaurants" only have jumblaya or catfish etoufee and stuff, but the Po Boys are my favorite part of NoLa.

That ice cream place and breakfast sounds good too, i'll try to hit that up on my next northbay trip.

rugmonkey

iTrader: (16)

- ikes sandwiches (sf) in the mission, on 16th and sanchez (get the matt cain)
- kabuto sushi in sunset, on 16th and geary (order from the specialty sushi menu, you wont regret it, katsunagi, toro tar tar, ceviche, everthing is awesome)
- farolitos mex in the mission, 24th and mission (super pollo asado burito is superb)
- El Burrito express, divis and bush, very solid offering

hYpE-R-29

iTrader: (2)

Little Lucca Sandwich Shop and Deli (South San Francisco)..OMGOODNESS!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-lucca...-san-francisco

snowflow

iTrader: (14)

Love this thread. I'll have to note down a new place to try everytime I go to the bay.

Haven't live in the bay for quite a few years now, but whenever I visit I am always sure to stop by Gordo Taqueria on Clement st. in SF. It's right by my grandmother's house to for walking convenience!

Lowend

iTrader: (5)

Wing's Chinese in San Jose
http://wingsofsanjose.com/default.aspx
quality food and the lunch special is enough food to make ANYONE full for ~$8.00

bwaynep

iTrader: (6)

Crawdaddy off of Story Road in San Jose. Love this place.

http://www.crawdaddysj.com/

Walking distance from my place!