Cheap Eats–The Tee Off Bar and Grill

The Tee Off is a cozy little neighborhood bar that cooks up some of the tastiest comfort food found in San Francisco. Think juicy 1/2 l.b. ground sirloin cheeseburgers, grilled double cut pork chops with apricot and achiote relish, and creamy four-cheese mac'n'cheese with pancetta. They also have a rotating list of specials that may include such offerings as Kobe beef hot dogs, spinach enchiladas, ostrich burgers, and wild mushroom risotto. Be warned, however, that all of this delicious goodness is served in a bar, and a very divey one at that.

The Tee Off is not the cleanest of establishments, the service is slow, and they let dogs have a free rein of the place. Some might find this dive bar atmosphere off-putting for a dining destination, but if you are prepared for it, it can also be a part of its charm.

This is not a place to bring the grandparents when they come to visit from Topeka. It is not the spot to choose if you are in a hurry. Don't bother coming in if you can't handle a canine staring lovingly at your meal. Instead this is the kind of place to spend a few hours drinking beer with your buddies, playing pool, going a few rounds on the ping-pong table out back, chatting with some of the hard-core regulars, and then topping it all off with the best meal you can find at a place with this kind of laid-back atmosphere.

The prices are on the high side for bar food, but what you get is also beyond what the majority of bars have to offer. $14 for a huge order of mac'n'cheese accompanied by a salad drizzled with an amazing homemade blueberry (or sometimes raspberry) vinaigrette, or $11 for a 1/2 l.b. cheeseburger with a generous helping of fries are not unreasonable prices to pay for a quality meal that will keep you full for the rest of the night. $20 for the pork chop is a different story budget-wise, but still a solid option if you feel like splurging.

The Tee Off is way out there, nestled in the perpetual fog of the Outer Richmond district. Do to its location it tends to draw a mainly neighborhood crowd, giving it a homey, if at times somewhat cliquish, vibe. This is a great place to get a feel for this often overlooked neighborhood, and see a side of San Francisco that cannot be found in guidebooks. So bring a friend, grab a beer, and get ready to experience the best dive bar food around.

The Tee Off Bar and Grill is located at 3129 Clement Street, between 32nd and 33rd Avenue. You can get more information on their website http://www.teeoffbarandgrill.com/.

You can find more SF cheap eats on my examiner page at http://www.examiner.com/sf-in-san-francisco/robyn-webster

The San Francisco Royal Family

The Royal Family

San Francisco is known for its colorful characters, but even amid our sea of oddballs and misfits a few unique individuals manage to stand out. If you have been in The City for any length of time you are sure to have run into the Brown Sisters, the 12 Galaxies Guy, Dog-Cat-Rat Man, or the Bushman. Maybe you've meet them all, I know I have.

The Brown sisters (photo by D.C. Atty via Flickr)

Harmon Leon has created a series of portraits that celebrate San Francisco's most famous eccentrics, of both past and present. You can learn more about these outrageous locals in his feature "The Royal Family" on The Bold Italic.

                                   Frank Chu aka 12 Galaxies Man (Photo by Jef Poskanzer via Flickr)                                                                         

Harmon has quite a thorough list of iconic SF eccentrics, but I wonder: What about the No Sex sign guy on Market and Powell?

No Sex Guy (Photo by Franco Folini via Flickr)


Are there any other people that were left off of Harmon's list?

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern-San Francisco Episode

San Francisco certainly has a reputation for being different, but bizarre? Only if you find dumpster-diving, foie gras ice cream, or bugs for dinner bizarre. Around here we tend to think of these things as simply unusual, and not necessarily too weird to try.


Some of San Francisco's strangest eatables were featured on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on March 1st. While this episode doesn't reflect the typical eating habits of most locals, it does give a nice overview of the creative, inventive, and yes maybe even a little bizarre, foodie subcultures that thrive in this unconventional city.


You can read Andrew Zimmern's blog entry on San Francisco here. Below is a short trailer showing Andrew's experience with SF's gourmet food trucks.

Try to catch a rerun of this episode if you missed it the first time. The variety of perspectives it offers does a good job of highlighting the diversity of San Franciscans, plus it might inspire you to try something new. Prosciutto ice cream......mmmmmm.

Let's Be Frank

(Photo by pengrin via Flickr)

Let's Be Frank dogs are not your typical Oscar Meyer weenies. Unlike most hot dogs, whose ingredients tend to be of questionable, if not downright frightening origins, Let's Be Frank dogs are made with premium cuts of meat from all natural, grass-fed, pasture-raised animals. This means that you can enjoy one, or more if you are really hungry, without worrying that you are filling your body full of nasty chemicals, hormones, or antibiotics. Plus they are nitrate free, making them safe to eat if you are pregnant and craving the forbidden goodness of salty, cured meats. 

Let's Be Frank dogs come in four delicious varieties: The Frank Dog (100% grass fed beef), The Brat Dog (family-farmed pork), The "Hot" Dog (spicy Italian pork sausage), and The Bird Dog (pasture-raised turkey). Each of these delightful dogs come nestled in a freshly-baked Acme bakery bun, and topped with grilled onions they create one of the tastiest meals you can eat with one hand. 

In addition to grilled onions and the typical hot dog condiments like relish, mustard, ketchup, and sauerkraut, Let's Be Frank offers a unique topping they refer to as Devil Sauce. This spicy, pickled concoction of peppers, garlic, ginger, and hand-toasted spices, reminiscent of Indian chutney, is an interesting and surprisingly yummy addition to any of their dogs. 

All of Let's Be Frank's dogs run $5.50, which may seem steep compared to a COSTCO weiner, but keep in mind that what you are getting for this price is actual FOOD, and not a tube of reject bits and fillers. 

Let's Be Frank has a stand at Crissy Field, one of the most beautiful and versatile outdoor recreational areas in San Francisco. There are few things better on a sunny day than to walk or bike down the approximately 1.5 mile promenade, taking in the sweeping views of the bridge and bay, and then refueling at the end with a nice, juicy hot dog.

The Let's Be Frank cart is located at Crissy Field near the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge on weekends and holidays from 11am-dusk. For more information visit their website at http://www.letsbefrankdogs.com/index.php


You can find more SF cheap eats on my examiner page at http://www.examiner.com/sf-in-san-francisco/robyn-webster