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    Hard Knox Cafe

    4.0 (27 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Ox Oxtails with Candied Yams Red Beans and Rice
    Vinkin Ken T.

    I ordered the oxtails for pick up on door dash. You can choose 2 sides out of 11 and it comes with 2 corn bread muffins. My order was ready in just 10 minutes. I opted for candied yams and red beans and rice as my sides. It was a very hefty meal. It came with 3 large pieces of oxtails and was enough to make 2 meals out of it. The oxtails were tender but not falling off the bone. Still has a bit of a bite to them. The candied yams were a bit too sweet for me. The rice and red beans were decent. They also throw in a couple of Crystal hot sauce packets. Corn muffins were best eaten immediately.

    Ox tails- lacking seasoning but tender Mac and cheese Candied yams

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
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    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    29 days ago

    Helpful 0
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
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    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
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    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
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    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    9 months ago

    The food was horrible, it tasted spoiled, this does not taste like any type of soul food. It is horrible!

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    Oh no 3

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
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    7 months ago

    Best soul food in SF. Love the fried chicken, burger, gumbo, red beans & rice. Definitely worth the trip.

    Helpful 1
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    Photo of Samantha W.
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
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    1 year ago

    It's Good fresh hot nice size plates I had the fish it was nice and good the the oxtail was good too and all my sides were great

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    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
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    1 year ago

    Amazing service and great food, comparable to the southeast Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee Alabama! Yassssss

    Helpful 1
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    Photo of Den K.
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
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    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
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    1 year ago

    Great food and great service. The staff was super fun and provided great recommendations. The food was delicious. Decor was fun.

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    2 years ago

    A little price but the food is good would love to get the oxtails but they are a little to expensive for my purse.

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    Photo of B N.
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    1 year ago

    Great food, atmosphere and ambiance. Glad to see them weather the storm and charge forward!!!

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    1 year ago

    I was pleasantly surprised that everything I ate had good flavor! I had the pork chops with Mac n cheese and greens. Good stuff!

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    1 year ago

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    Ask the Community - Hard Knox Cafe

    Is this an actual sit-down restaurant or only pick up?

    Maybe

    View All 2 Questions

    Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Chicken

    Brenda's Meat & Three

    4.2(1.7k reviews)
    2.0 mi•NoPa
    •$$

    Great food Great service…read more Great vibes Such a nice, weekday brunch. Light crowd, clean establishment, and happy tummies.

    We tried to call Brenda's to order food for pick up, but they didn't answer the phone. We used the…read moreapp and the pick up time was dictated as 15 minutes. No option to change it. My husband was getting out of the hospital and I figured we could get there in time. Within a few minutes of the order being confirmed and my credit card being charged, I received an alert that the order would be ready in an hour! My husband was extremely fragile and couldn't tolerate any wait, let alone an hour. We live in Marin County and the idea was that we would get dinner to eat as soon as we got home. I tried calling but again the phone just rang for a long time and then cut off. I tried to call the other store. No answer. Door Dash had no telephone number and I texted them. My husband was feeling worse his caregiver and I had to get him home. I kept trying to reach Brenda's, the time kept getting longer. We were almost home when we received an update that the food was ready. Over an hour later than the initially scheduled time. We had been customers for 20 years, both dine in and take out. We were so enamored with Brenda's that we took our neighbors there and picked up food for our family reunion from them. We weren't trying to reach them at peak times--Wednesday afternoon. Now my credit card company is trying to get in contact with them--no better luck than I had. Our infatuation with Brenda's is over. No matter how good the food is, if there is no human connection and no way to interact, it doesn't work.

    Photos
    Brenda's Meat & Three
    Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Oysters

    Fried Oysters

    Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Chicken

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    Fried Chicken

    Hard Knox Cafe - Spicy Fried Chicken and Waffle

    Hard Knox Cafe

    3.8(2.1k reviews)
    4.6 mi•Outer Richmond
    •$$

    Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAtmosphere: 4/5 Price to Portion: 4/5 Overall: My go to place when I want some southern food! The extended review... Food: Chicken and Waffles - 4/5 - Can't go wrong with the Chicken and Waffles. The good thing is that with this meal you actually get 2 cornbread muffins...carboverload!!!!!! I've not had a bad meal at this location thus far. Service: Staff is very friendly. Ambiance: 4/5 - Indoor and outdoor seating with some fun decor in the place. Price to Portion: 4/5 - You get a decent amount of food and won't leave hungry.

    Quality/Quantity - My friends recommended this place. We wanted a break from Asian food, even…read morethough I believe it is an Asian owner. I got the safe order, chicken and waffles Overall, a good dish. Decent portions. I ate more than expected. I would have preferred my waffles a little crispier. And I washed it down with a Henhouse IPA. My guest got ox tail and the turkey wing specials. The ox tails were huge and meaty. Their orders each came with two sides. All of us got those delicious corn muffins. See all my pictures. They are in the process of changing the menu. Plus, they added more taps, but it was not on the menu yet. See pictures. Ambiance - Decent size local business. Two floors. Not busy, plenty of seating. Cool decor. Indoor and outdoor seating. Street parking. I walked and my friends found parking across the street. Service - 5 stars; welcoming, friendly, and accommodating. We had quite a few requests. Price - $85 + generous tip. My share with tax and tip was approximately $37. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success.

    Photos
    Hard Knox Cafe - Cool interior with the rusted tin walls and vintage decor

    Cool interior with the rusted tin walls and vintage decor

    Hard Knox Cafe - Oxtails with sides of mashed potatoes and mac & cheese

    Oxtails with sides of mashed potatoes and mac & cheese

    Hard Knox Cafe - Cat fish

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    Cat fish

    The Front Porch - Fried Chicken + collard greens

    The Front Porch

    3.9(3.4k reviews)
    2.5 mi•Bernal Heights, Mission
    •$$

    This place definitely feels more brunch-y but I came here for dinner with some friends and still…read morehad a great meal! Our server was great, and the vibe was excellent, definitely a classic SF restaurant! I got the slushee of the day + rum which was super tasty. For food I got the risotto with blackened chicken. It was good, but not the best risotto I've had. There was a bit too much of the misc toppings, and I wish the actual risotto had a bit more flavor. For dessert, we got the beignets. Also pretty good, but not the best ever. They were freshly made and super warm, which was great. Prices are a biiiit steep, but the overall experience and quality of food makes up for it. I would definitely come back!

    Writing a review like this is difficult for several reasons, and I very rarely leave negative…read morereviews. As someone who has works in the restaurant industry, I understand firsthand how challenging this business can be, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who work hard to make a dining experience memorable. That's why I don't say this lightly when I say that our food experience tonight was extremely disappointing. We ordered the pork chop, which was okay, but the cabbage side was honestly hard to eat. I'm not sure if it was intended to be slaw or steamed cabbage, but it was essentially wet cabbage with very little flavor. The potatoes were decent, although the portion was quite small and they had a texture that tasted almost like boxed mashed potatoes. The biscuits were extremely dry and hard, and unfortunately, the butter served alongside them wasn't very good either. The spinach that came with the special was, without exaggeration, one of the worst parts of the meal. It had a very unpleasant taste that made us question whether something was off with it. There really wasn't another way to describe it. For a $44 plate, I expect the steak to be cooked properly, the sides to be flavorful and thoughtfully prepared, and the entire dish to feel worth the price. We also ordered a peach soda that was $10, which already feels very expensive for a soft drink. What was even more surprising was finding out that refills were not complimentary. That's something I feel should be clearly communicated when ordering. This is supposed to be soul food, a style of cooking known for bold, comforting, flavorful food. Unfortunately, our meal just didn't deliver that. Everyone at our table left feeling unsatisfied. We spent $163 for three entrées, three drinks, and two orders of biscuits. When you spend that kind of money and the food is exceptional, you leave feeling like it was money well spent. When the experience falls this far short, it's understandably frustrating and leaves you questioning the value. I do want to give credit where it's due: our server was wonderful. We had absolutely no complaints about the service. He was attentive, pleasant, and did her job well. I genuinely hope this feedback is received in the spirit it's intended. I know how difficult the restaurant business is, and I'm not looking to tear anyone down. I simply believe that when a meal costs this much, the quality, flavor, portions, and overall execution should reflect the price.

    Photos
    The Front Porch - Bar area!

    Bar area!

    The Front Porch - Asparagus with poached egg

    Asparagus with poached egg

    The Front Porch - Citrus and arugula salad

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    Citrus and arugula salad

    Minnie Bell's Soul Movement - Fried Chicken ($4.50 per piece), Collard Greens (Small-$6.25), Brown Butter Cornbread ($4), Hot Honey ($3)

    Minnie Bell's Soul Movement

    4.6(228 reviews)
    1.7 mi•Western Addition
    •$$

    Visited on a Friday night around 6pm with a friend, restaurant was a little busy probably 70% full…read morebut was able to walk in and grab a table without a wait. Some open seats at the bar as well, so definitely a place you can walk in and visit. Food: 4 piece fried chicken plate - got 1 drumstick, 2 thighs, and 2 small wings ( appreciate the extra piece since these were smaller). The fried chicken was hot and crispy with a great breading, chicken was juicy and moist, lightly seasoned with a fragrant rosemary note. We enjoyed this even more with a dash of hot sauce. Would love to see a spicy version of the fried chicken but very good. Collard Greens - braised well, green were tender and well seasoned a bit salty with lots of flavor Candied Yams - sweet with a cinnamon flavor, these were also very soft and a nice contrast to the savory greens Cornbread - good, moist with a tender crumb, a little buttery, with a lovely subtle sweet corn flavor Bruleed Banana Pudding - amazing, nice caramelized sugar crust on the surface, vanilla pudding was creamy with a subtle sweetness, bananas were perfectly ripe and the nilla wafers were soft and cake like in the dessert, a great combination of textures and flavors Service was excellent, friendly and attentive. Water was refilled throughout our meal. Plates, silverware and napkins were replenished throughout our meal. Food arrived after a short wait of 5-10 minutes. Overall really enjoyed Minnie Bell's a great spot if you are looking for fried chicken, would love to come back to try some of the other soul food dishes. Definitely worth a visit.

    Was craving soul food and stopped by for a bite after eyeing it for a couple of months. Seating was…read morequite nice and the host was upbeat and welcoming. My partner and I got an array of items to try. Oxtail: 10/10 A MUST TRY Mac and cheese: 9/10 Good, creaming mac and cheese Collard greens: 6.5/10 I LOVE collard greens. I felt it was okay, a big on the saltier side for me. They only serve vegan greens which I love, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. Cornbread: 100/10 Okay if there is anything you have to try here, its the cornbread. Literally the best I have ever had. Sweet, soft and moist. Ive gotten takeout from here for just the cornbread! Candied yams: 8/10 They were good! Nothing to write home about, but they were nicely balanced with some cinnamon. Didn't try the fried chicken, but everything else was pretty solid! I highly recommend giving the place a try. I will say price wise it is on the higher side, but the quality of food meets it for me.

    Photos
    Minnie Bell's Soul Movement - Inside

    Inside

    Minnie Bell's Soul Movement - 4 pieces chicken combo

    4 pieces chicken combo

    Minnie Bell's Soul Movement - 4 piece meal with cornbread, Mac and cheese, candied yams, and hot honey butter

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    4 piece meal with cornbread, Mac and cheese, candied yams, and hot honey butter

    Hed 11 - Shrimp Ceviche | @wha.eva.eats

    Hed 11

    4.3(132 reviews)
    1.7 mi•Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    •$$$$

    Awesome experience overall. I left feeling full and really satisfied with the price, especially…read moreconsidering how many different dishes we got to try. Each dish came in just the right quantity, and it felt like there was a lot of thought put into every dish. Honestly, everything was delicious and worked really well together as a whole. The Hokkaido scallop was probably the best scallop I've ever had. It was a huge scallop that was lightly seared on the outside while still being raw inside, and the natural sweetness was incredible. The cabbage was another standout for me. It was perfectly crunchy with a great balance of savory and sweet flavors. The flavors throughout the meal definitely leaned more on the sweeter side, like the coconut curry with the scallop, the prawn salad dressing, and the cabbage sauce, but everything was really well balanced. I also really liked the guava sorbet. It was a perfect way to end the meal and paired nicely with the more burnt flavors of the other dessert. The presentation was really unique too, with all the plates and bowls having interesting shapes. The soup bowl especially looked like a giant clam shell, although it was pretty funny and slightly difficult to actually drink the soup out of. Definitely recommend.

    really cute spot right in the heart of Japantown…read more everything that was served was delicious. drinks were refreshing and well made. the apple honey smokey rice was just strong enough with a satisfying sweet aftertaste. the lemongrass pandan was well balanced, the pandan was not overpowering, and very light. the highlights of the meal were the crispy rice in the fermented beef salad, the crab legs in the curry sauce, and the fermented apple in the duck leg Khao Soi. the one thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the red onion in the cheesecake dessert: it combined well but was not my preference for a sweet item. one hiccup is that although our reservation was set for a la carte, they assumed we were doing a tasting menu, and thus we waited for an extended period of time before we were served at all. waiters also assumed that my brother and i were partners, despite me listing in the reservation that we were celebrating his birthday, which is an awkward and offensive assumption to make. 7.5/10

    Photos
    Hed 11 - Inside

    Inside

    Hed 11 - Thai coconut pancake with caviar | @wha.eva.eats

    Thai coconut pancake with caviar | @wha.eva.eats

    Hed 11 - Yuzu sake and lemongrass pandan

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    Yuzu sake and lemongrass pandan

    Little Skillet

    Little Skillet

    3.7(2.2k reviews)
    0.5 mi•Mission Bay
    •$$

    This is place hit or miss! I went recently and it was a hit. We got the fried chicken and waffle…read morecombo. The fried chicken was good and some pieces like the dark meat was quite juicy which I love. Some of the pieces were quite dry. The waffle was solidly delicious. When drenched in syrup, the waffle was amazing. The cornbread was averagely OK. I feel like it wasn't the highlight of the meal. The other sides like fries and the mac and cheese were also decently average. The highlight definitely was the waffle. Then, the fried chicken comes second. The service was good. The food came out fast and the servers were fine. They were kinda busy though so it was a bit hard to flag the server down. For example we wanted to get ketchup but we waited for a good few minutes for a server to come. The ambiance is amazing. I feel like this place could be a good gathering place for after work events since it feels like a sports bar but a more casual version of it. This place is great to grab a quick bite and it's close to the Caltrain!

    Why settle for anything less than the works? Two waffles, two pieces of fried chicken, and a side…read more The waffles were soft, eggy, and airy. You can choose what types of chicken pieces so I asked for one light and one dark piece. The coating was crispy (and didn't taste too oily) and the chicken was moist and tender inside. I'm not a big fried chicken person but this was good! Definitely needs a little hot sauce (on the table) for flavor though. As a side I got biscuits because I had to judge them on their biscuit quality. While they weren't individually formed cakes, the biscuits were formed better than just a slice of "cake" and were buttery with a little tang. What really takes the cake was the honey butter and either clove-y or allspice-y maple syrup as toppings. So unique and delicious! They also included the cutest tiny jalepeno cornbread muffin and slice of watermelon as toppings. Im slathering to go back. Logistics: - Indoor and outdoor seating, but there's a fly problem outdoors so I'd recommend indoors - Limited street parking nearby but walking distance from Caltrain, the T muni line, and many buses - We went for a weekday corporate lunch and there was only one poor server who was doing the service and bartending so it was a bit slow. Hire more staff to give the poor girl a break!

    Photos
    Little Skillet - Inside with bar

    Inside with bar

    Little Skillet - BBQ Pulled Pork Bowl Savory Bowl

    BBQ Pulled Pork Bowl Savory Bowl

    Little Skillet - Bar area

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    Bar area

    Old Skool Cafe - Our Family Meal is a great deal! 2, 4, or 6 entrees, plus sides and dessert!

    Old Skool Cafe

    4.6(708 reviews)
    3.0 mi•Bayview-Hunters Point
    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Live music

    Y'all! Three words.... Sweet potato tarts! This was our…read morefirst time dining at this restaurant and it will not be our last. I planned a dinner with a few of my corporate friends while I was in SF. I really appreciate it the mission of this restaurant and the work that they are doing so we reserved a table for a Wednesday. When you arrive, you enter into a long hallway filled with photos and you can hear the live music playing. The vibe is everything!!! We were greeted when we all were seated and one of the servers brought us a complimentary tray of sweet potato biscuits. They were not on the menu but they should be!! To start, I ordered a Cabernet, and I also started with some of the sweet chili glazed wings. The wings were so good!!! For my meal I had the braised short rib and my goodness.. it was absolutely delicious!!! I also ordered a side of macaroni and cheese which was creamy and flavorful! One of my friends ordered a side of greens and I'm telling you I don't know how they got so much wonderful flavor without any meat!! Absolutely delicious! Everyone's food at the table was devoured. We all kept talking about how delicious everything was and then we got to dessert. We have been talking about the sweet potato tarts before we even got to the restaurant and so of course we had to order those. That was one of the best desserts I've ever had in my life! Y'all have to get you some sweet potato tarts. We even had a few at the table take orders to go. One recommendation for check splitting, don't do it or talk about it at the very beginning with your server. We had a party of five and the splitting our check by individual orders at the end was not the best process at all. We should have just divided the check five ways evenly and figured it out on our own. All this to say that this place is so cool and the food is delicious!!!

    Best place to dine in SF! One of the most legitimate and…read morewell deserving restaurants in the City. Loved the fried chicken, salmon and ribs. All sides (Mac and cheese!) and desserts are worth it, Do the right thing and go today!

    Photos
    Old Skool Cafe - Happy Hour at Old Skool Cafe

    Happy Hour at Old Skool Cafe

    Old Skool Cafe - Live music and great food at Old Skool Cafe

    Live music and great food at Old Skool Cafe

    Old Skool Cafe - Warrior Wings

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    Warrior Wings

    Hard Knox Cafe - soulfood - Updated September 2026

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