Restaurants

Bill's Place, an SF Institution

Burgers at Bill’s Place in one sentence: Legendary, landmark, local burger dinner joint that’s been an institution in the Outer Richmond for almost 40 years.

Who you’ll see there: Serious locals, working men sitting at the counter, families and neighborhood teens at the tables. If you don’t know about it, you’ll walk right by it.

Make sure to try: One of the celebrity burgers, like the Carol Doda (a famous SF topless dancer), which is two burgers, topless, side by side topped with an olive, or the Herb Caen, a burger topped with Monterey Jack cheese. The Paul Kantner comes with Thousand Island dressing. Also, you need a shake, which comes in a huge glass, plus the overflow, served in the stainless steel mixing cup.

Does anyone really bother with the garnish?

It’s okay to skip: The diet plate. You know you want the fries, they’re made on-site from actual potatoes and fried to practiced perfection.

Best dessert: Banana split or hot fudge sundae, if you inexplicably have any room left after the burger and fries.

Service: The same people have been working there for 40 years. They are friendly, efficient fixtures. You might get called “Hon”. Or they might be busy watching the Giants on the TV in the corner. Have some priorities, they do.

Average meal price: Starts at $6.50 for the Famous Bill’s Burger, Carol Doda is $9.00, Herb Caen is $7.50. Milk shake is $4.25, and you get free refills on your Coke.

Bill’s Place Logistics:

• Burger come med rare unless you specify something else
• You can pick potato salad or coleslaw, if you’re crazy enough to skip the fries
• In typical San Francisco fashion, there is a Japanese koi pond out on the back patio. Because every diner needs a koi pond.

Parking:

Street parking, meters, you might have to walk a block or two. There’s a lot a block away, but it hardly ever comes to that.

Location: Outer Richmond

2315 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
Phone: (415) 221-5262
Fax: (707) 824-0295

Hours:

Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. -10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Photos: Cat Lincoln

Are you a big sports fan? Can’t wait until football season starts? If you live in San Francisco then you can’t miss the Kezar Pub & Restaurant across from Kezar Stadium near Golden Gate Park.

Kezar Stadium is a legend among locals. Originally built in the 1920’s (before being replaced with a smaller version in 1989), the stadium back then still holds the attendance record for a high school football game in Northern California, with over 50,000 showing up for a game between big rivals Lowell High School and San Francisco Polytechnic.

Did you know that both the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers began their professional NFL existence in the original Kezar Stadium? Given this legendary status, it is no wonder that the Kezar Pub and Restaurant opened its doors across the street. Read More »

Celia's Mexican Restaurant in SF is #1

Come for the delicious south of the border food, stay for another margarita! Celia’s Mexican Restaurant is a favorite neighborhood destination.

This neighborhood restaurant is locally owned and located in what is affectionately called the “Outer” Richmond District of San Francisco. That means you will likely only head to Celia’s if you live in the area, surf everyday, have family in the area or are lost. We fall into the “have family in the area” category and are quite familiar with this wonderfully foggy part of town.

If you like to bring the kids and dog to Ocean Beach then Celia’s could already be on your radar. We like driving along the Great Highway which is how we found Celia’s the first time, it is only a few blocks from the beach near the end of the line for the N-Judah trolley.

This time we stopped in for lunch and some neighborhood visiting. We were not disappointed by either. Did you know that Celia’s owner makes the house margarita mix from a secret recipe? If you like killer margaritas that pack a wallop then you should stop by early. Local regulars swear by its taste and grumble when it runs out early in the evening.

For lunch they started me out with complimentary chips and salsa and house made cole slaw. Yum! Then I had the chicken taco and chili rellano combination platter. Listening to the N-Judah trolley rumble by every few minutes, hanging out in this family run restaurant makes for a great meal.

Celia's Combination Platter w/Margarita! Ole!

If you like an old school sixties style Mexican decor and listening to ranchero music playing in the background, this is your place. For those who like to go head down south to Baja, Celia’s Mexican Restaurant will give you a kind of an Ensenada vibe without having to cross the border.   Now that is my kind of summer staycation!

4019 Judah Street
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 564-0662

Kosher Goodness @ David's Delicatessen in SF

Touring around Union Square like a tourist is a favorite pastime of mine. I try to do this regularly for a nice review of what is happening in my lovely city, and to take trips down memory lane. My family has been a part of the city for generations and I am the current standard bearer.

One place special for me to walk past, and sometimes eat at, is David’s Delicatessen on the border of the Tenderloin, Nob Hill and the Theater District of San Francisco. It is across the street from the Clift Hotel, so you will see many locals and visitors alike at the deli’s famous counter. Read More »

It’s a sad thing when you run out of actual restaurants in your own area to review and you have to venture out and check out new places. Not that I mind, but I sometimes have to work at my other job and run short on time. Hawaii is where I want to be right now, so Hawaii is what you get.

That said, if you are on the island of Maui and are getting ready to head out on the road to Hana, I know the perfect place to stop for breakfast. Colleen’s at the Cannery has a great selection of breakfasty items, but they are famous for their breakfast burritos. How do I know? It says so in the brochure that we received at the hotel.

A couple of things to remember about the road to Hana, 1. there are all kinds of great places to stop and play in waterfalls and hike back to. 2. All that activity will make you hungry. Well, that and the nail biting journey, especially so if you come across the locals. 3. There is little to no food once you get to Hana. Yes it’s beautiful, but why not stock up a hearty breakfast on the way.

We stopped and  partook of the famous breakfast breakfast burritos and a bagel with smoked salmon, tomato, onion, capers, cream cheese. Yes, it was divine.

The breakfast burritos were very good as well. It was chock full of scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar, green chile, salsa and sour cream wrapped in a toasted tortilla. How could that not be good?

In looking at the website I see that they’ve given themselves a little makeover. I hope they didn’t lose their charm and the locals with their new look.

Colleen’s was the first place I put brown sugar in my coffee and  then fell in love with the idea of brown sugar in my coffee. Next time I’ll try lunch or dinner, the menu looks delish.

Colleen’s At The Cannery
Cannery Marketplace
810 Haiku Rd.
Haiku, HI 96708

Tel (808) 575-9211
Email info@colleensinhaiku.com

Hours of Operation:
Everyday 6am to around 10:00pm      Photos-Courtesy of Colleen’s