Old Skool Cafe
| Address: | 1429 Mendell St, San Francisco, CA 94124, USA |
| Phone: | +1 415-822-8531 |
| Site: | oldskoolcafe.org |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | Closed Closed Closed 5:30–9:30PM 5:30–9:30PM 5:30–9:30PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
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Roy Chi
I love restaurants that do good for society. Problem is, on a completely objective level, these types of restaurants dont provide a great dining experience, so it feels more like donating to charity rather than having an enjoyable dinner. Old Skool Cafe completely destroys this misconception. Had I not been told by our waiter that it was designed for at-risk youth to stay off the streets and learn valuable business skills, I wouldve thought that it was just a wonderful soul food restaurant with an incredible ambiance for a great night out. What they are doing is phenomenal for these kids, but even more, what they are doing is phenomenal for the dining public. Its dark and intimate, with a incredible singer and pianist performing random (but great renditions) of popular pop songs. It really gives Old Skool its charm and made dinner that much more enjoyable. We even made a song request to the singer and although she didnt know all of the words, she performed something similar and gave us a warm shoutout. ------------------------- FOOD: (Best to worst) BBQ Ribs: What amazing BBQ Ribs. They were tasty and fall-off-the-bone tender. Loved every bite of these. Gumbo: Delicious gumbo that went very well with the rice. Sweet Potato Fries: Addictive as hell. These sweet potato fries were sprinkled with some sugar and cinnamon, which gave it a nice salty and sweet taste explosion. Although a bit too sweet at times, most of the ones I had were awesome. Peanut Butter Stew: A bit like Thai masamun curry, the peanut flavor was definitely the star of the show. It was good, but was missing some more kick. Shrimp and Grits: The shrimp was nice and tender, but grits were missing some more cheesy or buttery flavor. The grits were cooked well, just wasnt really that tasty. Fried Chicken: The fried chicken here included a few small drumsticks, each were nice and moist in the inside, but a bit over-fried on the outside. There was also a bit too much rubbed on, so the exterior taste was a bit too overpowering. The gravy couldve also used some more saltiness. Blackened Catfish: The one truly disappointing dish of the night. The catfish was too rubbery and the spices didnt kick at all. ------------------------- The very few food disappointments aside, Old Skool Cafe is undoubtedly an amazing establishment. Even if it wasnt for an incredible cause, it would still be a great joint for tasty, homestyle soul food. Im definitely coming back.
JE
Jennifer Hudiono
This place just has an awesome vibe! Love the Old Skool theme and how vintage it is. I just adore this cafe. But what really sold me on this place is the food. I got to sample their peanut butter stew from a yelp event a couple of months back and I loved it so much that I knew I had to come here to experience the full restaurant. Its located in Bayview which a part of SF i dont usually hang around in so its a little bit of drive. The servers here are all so friendly. Their service for the most part was great, our server did keep on forgetting our drinks but his chipper attitude made up for it. The restaurant is fond of doing shout outs which I thought was neat, a great way to embarrass someone you know if its their birthday ;) They also have a live pianist which was cool but sometimes it can get a little loud. Our group came here for the Dine SF week so we all got various things and sampled all of them. ******** FOOD ********* Peanut Butter Stew: I LOVE THIS. Very reminiscent to a curry but you can definitely taste the peanut butter. Its a little too salty but still delicious. Worth trying when youre here :) It is just a bowl of savory goodness. Gumbo: Tasty and spicy. It has a kick to it and it doesnt hit you until the end. The sausages are pretty spicy but full of flavor. The dish is pretty filling. Ribs: GET THEIR RIBS. So tender that it slides off the bone with a light tug from your fork. The sauce was also to die for. I normally dont like bbq but this one was too good to resist. Its also pretty big in size too so worth the $$. Pork Chops: The pork chops were also tender, and crisp! I did kind of wish there was sauce on this so I ended up dipping it in the peanut butter stew which was delightful. We also ordered various appetizers and the I thought the Ota was both unique and the best. Not something you can in most places, its like a creamy dip with fish chunks in it served with chips. Its sooo good! Overall the food was great for the quality, quantity, and price! I highly recommend trying this place if youre up for something different.
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Ming De
This place seems so small and non-descript from the outside, but inside, youre immediately greeted by some wonderful staff and, from what Ive experienced, nice music in the ambience. The place itself has a distinct personality. Although, I cant quite put my finger on it, I would guess its jazz age and it works really well. Now the food. Some of the best shrimp and grits Ive had. Ive gone around trying this dish in different spots in the city and I like this and Brendas the best. The ribs are also a must. But pretty much everything my family had the couple of times we went here were delicious.
JE
jessica garcia
The concept here is great. Decor is great. The servers were great. However, the food is just good, not great. Although all the food we ordered were good, there isnt much I would go back for, especially in the neighborhood that its in. The fried chicken was very crunchy and portion was big. It lacked flavor though and the breading was sweet. The gumbo was served cold on the outside and watery, but had flavor. The best dish was the Mac and cheese. We also had the calamari, which was decent. The sweet potato fries were sweet but rolled in sugar which made it too sweet.
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Jody Bagno-Dill
Now one of my favorite restaurants! Food is international comfort soul food... Abus Peanut Butter Stew from Sierra Leon is amazing...The fried chicken is also very good.. The desserts are spectacular! Youll fall in love with the kids as you watch them work hard, serve well and enjoy what they are doing. But then, when the performers get up and sing...it will knock your socks off. Be patient when you go since this place is becoming such a big hit and the kids are still learning...but expect an evening of good food and good fun.
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J Privacy
The atmosphere is warm and cozy and food is tasty! Staff were friendly and service was fabulous. I love the concept of this restaurant and hope that not only survives, but THRIVES in this competitive scene. I know that some people dont venture to this part of the city, but in not doing so, they are missing out! I hope that people will venture down here from their usual neighborhoods because this is one of the gems to be discovered when you go outside your comfort zone.
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Trevor Richard
Well, I have been to Old Skool Cafe once in my lifetime, and it was an amazing experience. With the live entertainment, amazing food, and youth workers, I felt like I was in heaven. Located in the Bay, I personally was not expecting this place to be anywhere as outstanding as it was. I am looking forward to going back soon for more of those spectacular ribs and exquisite sweet potato fries. I would recommend the Old Skool Cafe, for everyone.
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beverly roberts
Old skool serves wonderful soul food. I was with a group of six people. We ate gumbo, fried chicken, African peanut butter stew, barbecue ribs and cheese burgers. Everything we ate was totally delicious. The service was good and the restaurant was cutely decorated.We had calamari appetizers which were tasty,but a small amount. The neighborhood is urban, so dress casual and relax. My family and I will be back.
