Kate's Kitchen is cute in its simplicity: this is not a brunch spot meant as a continuation of Saturday night's boozing. In fact, Kate's Kitchen doesn't serve alcohol. Instead, they serve up a delicious mix of breakfast and lunch specials that please the palette. The restaurant itself is small, so a wait on a weekend morning is to be expected. I enjoyed the "fancy grilled cheese", which lives up to its name with melted cheese, basil and slices of tomato stuffed inside. It was served with a side of potatoes. My brunch partner enjoyed a short stack (with powdered sugar) and a side of eggs. Service is quick and efficient, but not drowning. All in all, Kate's Kitchen is a refreshing change from the usual drunk brunch tradition. read more

Cheap for a reason, it is crappy food. I walked in starving, took a few bites and lost all appetite. The pancakes tastes more like corn bread, the potatoes on my friends dish were burnt and so where their eggs. Nothing really stood out as good, well maybe the fresh squeezed OJ but that's always good if fresh. Their homemade Ginger Ale was AWFUL! Ambiance is plain, cramped but fine for the lower haight crowd... Cash only really cheap. Spend $2-$4 bucks more and get a real good meal. read more

Knowing this place is very popular on weekend mornings, I expected a long wait, but got in in less than 15 minutes. Plus 1. I ordered the pancakes with bananas, strawberries and lemon curd. Anyone who serves lemon curd gets at least 3 stars in my book. AND they have hush puppies! I did'nt order them this time around, but I am totally ordering them next time (yes, there will be a next time). I also ordered a side of bacon, which wasn't very good. I was excited because it was advertised as "thick cut," but it got to me pretty overdone and not very chewy :-( only reason it's not getting 5 stars. Overall: I'm definitely going back. read more

Quality: 3/6 Service: 4/5 Value: 2/4 Total: 9/15 = 3/5 The atmosphere was nice, and the staff was friendly, but it was overpriced and not as good as I had hoped. We tried Kate's Kitchen for brunch. The Biscuits & Gravy was too thick and mushroomy, and it didn't come with any sides (I ordered a side of potatoes which was the best part of the meal). read more

Having eaten at Kate's Kitchen twice now, I'm definitely a fan, and will be coming back. While weekend brunch may be a bit hectic, showing up at or around 10 (which isn't that hard, really), guarantees a short wait time for a small party. During my first visit, I had the big guy breakfast, and fancying myself a larger-than-average-human-male, I was nearly bested by the enormous pancakes, the pile of eggs, home fries and a role that came to my table. If I didn't eat fast, I would have left with a doggie bag. This morning I had the corned beef hash, which may very well be the best this city has to offer. While everyone claims that their X is the best in town, I will vouch for Kate's hash as the new standard bearer for this particular dish. Food is affordable, servers are attentive, kind (dare I say stylish), and they keep your mug full of hot coffee. read more

great deal and great food. Simple and easy (just like me) read more

Meh to Bleah. I'll start by saying the woman who waited on me was very good. It was very uncomfortable standing in the middle of the place waiting for some acknowledgement, all the while the man expediting in the kitchen just stared at me. I hope the runner was having a bad day because he was definitely giving off a weird vibe. Love being asked if I need anything else right after he watched me take a bite of a hushpuppy. No water. Whatever. About those hushpuppies. The best part about them is that they were free with a Scoutmob offer. The only flavor came from the oil they'd been cooked in and everything else that had been cooked in it plus the pile of powdered sugar. No corn flavor. No salt. A weird musty flavor as if the mix used is old. The "Pooh" honey butter made me a little nervous since it seemed entirely possible it's made from the plain butter that comes back to the kitchen. I stayed basic since this was my first visit and ordered the Farmer's breakfast w/ the homemade pork sausage, cheese-onion biscuit, substituted grits for the hashbrowns. The eggs were cooked to order. The sausage is dry, but the grill cook still hasn't learned not to press down on patties with a spatula while they're cooking. Consequently, they were absolutely dry.. The grits had absolutely no salt and very little flavor. The biscuit had no cheese, large pieces of green onion tops, no salt, no flavor. While I've had my share of meals where the kitchen has a heavy hand with salt, no salt is worse. Everything needs a pinch of salt to enhance flavor. The one thing that had plenty of flavor was the hibiscus tea. The best part was that I actually got a great free parking place on Haight just 1.5 blocks away. Learned my lesson...go to Trader Joe's to replenish eggs and milk and make breakfast at home. read more

Ah, the french toast orgy. I was duly warned, but had to try. After seeing a mountain of fruit and french toast pass, I decided to order the french toast on the side, in hopes of preventing a soggy mess with the yogurt. Which was delicious (and not too expensive!). I had a fresh veggie drink to go with, and I was set. Friendly staff, and locals brought us so we knew to bring cash and come early. Great breakfast place! read more

Yesterday was my first time at Kate's Kitchen and I looooved the cornmeal pancakes with strawberries, bananas, and lemon curd. The lemon curd is so good you almost don't need the syrup. Also their homemade patty sausages were delicious - a little dry but lots of flavor. read more

Kate's Kitchen - Cornmeal buttermilk pancake with strawberries, bananas and lemon curd - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food was fantastic and the environment was perfectly casual. I arrived hungover in my sweats and comfortably read and ate alone at the bar that has a view of the kitchen. Staff were incredibly friendly and did not rush me out when I wanted to have a second cup of coffee and read for a bit. read more

Kate's Kitchen - Awesome cup of coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is such a cute place to have brunch on a saturday morning. Wait was not bad and It was a delightful experience. They give a lot of food so you don't feel hungry. They have great drinks. All of their juices are freshly squeezed. (even tomato juices. I will definitely recommend this place. Good for groups as well. read more

Okay, so a niman ranch burger and fries is 9 freakin bucks. Oh, and it's delicious. And it comes with a 2 piece bluegrass band playing at the front of the joint. Then the waitress told me it's happy hour and for another buck I get a beer. Reporting to you live from paradise, this place is fucking awesome. Also, I've been here for two hangover demolishing breakfasts and they were stellar. If I could give em a 6th star for the jimmy smith record on the wall I would. read more

Great breakfast place. Some unusual combinations, solid traditional plates, veggie options, and good variety. The tables can be a little cramped, but not too much. Service is quick and the staff is busy but friendly and helpful. A popular spot, so plan on a wait (the wait usually passes pretty quickly, though). And the fryer is fixed, so they have hush puppies again! read more

Amazing and tasteful experience at Kate's kitchen! We ordered French toast orgie and the best one is a bacon and cheddar pancake! Definitely would go back there again read more

Kate's Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Update: they take credit cards now. They finally made it to the 2000s. Food is great. Love the place, love it more now.

went here on a busy Sunday morning. Lots of other brunch-ers but the wait was not bad at all. 15 minutes or so. ordered the farmer's breakfast. scrambled eggs were dense. dessicated sausage patty needed salt (in fact, I had to liberally salt my whole plate to bring it up to my taste). I do admire the fact that they tried to make their own sausage patty tho. potatoes also needed salt although they did have a pretty good flavor and the texture of the spuds was right on...that hard to reach equilibrium of creamy but firm. toast was terrific. the saving grace? I really like the vibe. waitress was terrific, it had a nice buzz and the coffee, for whatever reason, was quite good. i would return if i were in the area and friends wanted to go but I would not go out of my way to eat here. read more

Cheap breakfast specials during the week ($5.50 breakfast sandwich, potatoes, AND coffee!)...superb french toast! wait staff can be a bit brusque, but they never leave your coffee cup empty. read more

Had the special oatmeal pancakes with bananas and almonds. Fiance had the corned beef hash. They were both scrum-diddily-umptious, but fiance didn't like the bitter parsnips in the hash. Went during the week and we didn't get the big lines and big crowds. Waiter was friendly even though he was pretty busy on his own. Kinda liked the chicory-infused coffee. It was very toasty and delish. read more

This is one of our favorite brunch/breakfast places in the area. Cheap, great food and easy-going atmosphere. For the price... can't be beat. This time, we shared their meat omelet special, which was delicious and filled with all sorts of great veggies as well as a fantastic homemade sausage, and their pumpkin chocolate chip french toast. That second dish blew my mind. SO freaking delicious. Only note... I wish they had put the honey butter on the side for the french toast. By the time I had gotten to the french toast, the butter had melted all over the toasts and made them all soggy. Don't get me wrong, it tasted great, but it sure made everything heavy! Good coffee, too! read more

I really like this spot. The service is good. Irene is marvelous and even remembers my name! The food is tasty, like that one friend of yours who can really cook making you breakfast after you've been out all night drinking. They have homemade strawberry jam and I enjoy it. They have a good deal on breakfast before 10 am. On the weekends, it can be really packed, and forget about getting a group larger than 4 people in. The cash only thing bugs me to no end as well. read more

We went here for breakfast early morning mid-week. The food was a little burnt for our taste and the service not so friendly. The biscuits were the highlight of the meal. Over all, it all just felt a little off. It feels like it should be amazing, the menu looks inviting, the decor is adorable and yet the over all experience is a little blah. Fine for a quick bite but don't expect your dreams to come true. read more

Love this neighborhood gem. Their cornmeal pancakes are rich, sweet, and soak up syrup so nicely. The Mindy Hash Browns (hash browns layered with cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs, and bacon) is also always a hit. Come early and put your name down because weekend waits get long (45-1hr at peak), and don't forget to stop by the ATM before (this place is cash only). read more

We tried going to Memphis Minnie's, but they were closed due to a problem with their smoker. Disappointed, we tried Kate's as an alternative. We had one of the best meals since living in Europe. Fresh juices, fresh ingredients, daily specials, homemade biscuits, and hearty portions made this an awesome experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Kate's Kitchen - Fresh juice, real maple syrup and homemade biscuits. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

omg this place might just be "the best breakfast in s.f." fast friendly service (note: I have only gone here on the weekdays in the afternoon), and not bad on price. The amount of food you can get for 10 bucks is amazing! read more

A solid place for breakfast and can get crowded with a compact seating area. I had the Lauren special egg sandwich, which came with the potato home fries and mouth watering sausage. Large portions and tasted great. Kaiser bun was a little too large and fluffy. One suggestion would be to add espresso options for caffeinating. Will be back. read more

Eveytime I've been here I've been sorely disappointed. The food is tasteless bordering on ok, and the sceene is endless. My friend described this place as having pretty food, and that was about it. It falls into my group of over rated, over crowded San Francisco breakfast joints. read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS I hate to give such a low rating to anything but in the case of Kate's Kitchen it's well earned. First off, the sound system- if one can call it that- is played far too loud. The other thing completely inappropriate is the way the employees used the sound system as a personal DJ device constantly flipping through their favorite Guns 'n Roses, assorted heavy metal and yes, even Carlos Santana. I thought a restaurant was for the customers not the employees - well not at Kate's, you have entered a zone where the inmates run the asylum. Ask yourself, do want to listen to Axel Rose at full tilt boogie at 10:00am in the morning? Perhaps I'm spoiled but the food - at least what my companion and I ordered - was either mediocre, poorly prepared or both. Having been spoiled by Rick and Ann's and Cafe Fanny (both East Bay establishments) perhaps I was expecting too much for breakfast fare. I ordered the "oatmeal" although I cant remember what they called it with their particular Kate's Kitchen nomenclature. When it arrived it looked good enough with ample fresh strawberries and bananas but was fatally wounded by the fact that it was not fully cooked. How you screw up oatmeal is beyond me but Kate's has perfected it. In my book if I can cook something better than the "chef" you loose all credibility as an eating establishment. And if you screw up something that needs 4 minutes in a microwave or half an hour in a crock pot you need some remedial cooking instruction - and pronto. My friend ordered a "fruit and granola salad" again apologies to the wizard who came up with the cutesy Kate's name. It was just OK. Although I question the wisdom of putting melons and granola together. As mentioned elsewhere the wait staff was hipper-than- thou but one should expect that on Haight. If you can't tell by now, I just don't see any reason to patronize Kate's unless you'd like an aural assault and disappointing food served up with attitude. read more

A distant second to Mama's when it comes to tastiness. BUT... The place gets the same number of stars in my book because 1) Portions are HUGE. 2) The wait isn't as long during the breakfast hours. Fresh fruit and oatmeal/grains aren't the hardest things in the world to add to an order of french toast but it's definitely an undervalued addition they bring to the table (literally and figuratively). read more

I've been to Kate's kitchen twice. One was on a super crowded weekend morning, the other was during the week. Both times I've been extremely underwhelmed. I thought the food was overpriced and rather mediocre. I had the corned beef hash, and didn't particularly like it. What really got me was the service however. My wife ordered the pancakes. When they showed up they were covered with powdered sugar. She doesn't particularly like powdered sugar and was surprised because the menu seemed oddly specific calling out both the butter and the maple syrup which also came with and on the pancakes. When she asked for them with no sugar, she was told that she should have ordered them without sugar. When she pointed out that the menu said nothing about smothering the pancakes with powdered sugar she was told 'people who eat pancakes know they are covered with powdered sugar.' Now folks, I've eaten pancakes my whole life, and with rare exception, they've been sugar free. When the new pancakes arrived, they were thick, heavy and tasteless. No thanks to Kate's kitchen. (For actual amazing pancakes, try Al's Cafe in Bernal). read more

Kate's Kitchen is a good brunch spot. In any other city, it would be a 4 or 5 star in almost any other city, but in SF it's good, just not great. I've been a few times, as a friend of mine used to live right around the corner, but not in a while. Every item I've had there has been good, but never anything that's made me say "Damn, I need to come back here soon and often." However, it is a great alternative if you don't want to deal with the long lines at either Pork Store Cafe or Dottie's (my two favorites and well worth the wait at either). On that note, best thing I had there was a special corned beef hash. It was very good, and not from a can, something I appreciate for sure. I saw another review that said they didn't like the big chunks of meat, but that was precisely what I enjoyed most about it. One more time, I will reiterate that Kate's is a good, serviceable brunch place in the grand scheme of SF, but not really a run out of the way to go there kind of place for me. read more

Fantastic! Excellent gluten-free options and we loved the pumpkin cornmeal pancakes! read more

Kate's Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super fun ambiance. Good food. Nothing on the menu was terribly exotic ... but hey, that's okay, and perhaps a bit refreshing. Highlights: perfectly done bacon and corn meal pancakes read more

Went there for Sun brunch and here is the reason for the single star: 1. After putting down on name on the wait list I asked the hostess if she could give us an estimate of how long it would take. She said she had no idea! 10 min or more like an hour i asked, the response one again was I HAVE NO IDEA! 2. Our order was delivered wrong twice. The first time we got the order of another table and the second time we got what was supposed to be our order! They did bring the right meal to our table at last. 3. Both meals lacked flavor. The French Toast Orgy literally had ONE TEA SPOON OF YOGURT! 4. We were given our check in the middle of our meal without being asked for. And the servers made a few attempts taking our half way through dishes from the table rushing us out the door! Unprofessional and impolite! Yes I understand you are busy and you might need the table but maybe you should give us a little time since it took you so long to bring us the right meal! Also a few extra bucks is not worth giving your customers such an unpleasant dining experience. Sorry but not going back! read more

I came here for lunch and had the Spicy Chicken Sammy. The bread was dry, and the sandwich wasn't the least bit spicy. I also didn't expect the chicken to be cold, but I think I misinterpreted 'herb-roasted' to mean recently roasted in herbs. They're also cash only. The service was nice though, and the orange juice was fresh. read more

Amazing. Veggie scramble was delicious, and they're coffee has great flavor. Worth the wait on the weekends, and perfect for a brunch on weekdays. read more

Kate's Kitchen - Veggie scramble! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Oh woua!! What a good surprise! I went for breakfast and I end up with way too much food, but damn it was good. The taste of their food is great and their plates are full and enormous. I'll definitely go back, why not for lunch? They only accept cash, but it's ok, they have an ATM right next to their front door. read more

Kate's Kitchen - Looks good? Well it was! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Giving them 5 stars because I like them so much - even though there were a few issues @ dinner. Have always LOVED their breakfasts, so decided to try dinner. The food was really good (fried chicken, meatloaf, grits) and the service was very attentive. The only issues were minor - the collards that came on the side were really spicy, without warning; and the beets in the "roasted beet salad" didn't have a roasted flavor or consistency - but these were minor compared with everything else. However, if you go on a Tuesday night, please note that there's live music which is really loud. Last night, it was a guitarist/singer - he wasn't bad, but he was playing & singing so loudly that it was impossible to have a normal conversation. I really wish he would've held back - in a small space, with tables so close to where he was sitting, it was awkward. We found ourselves having to raise our voices so we could hear each other. But the good stuff so far outweighs the bad - their big breakfasts are AMAZING & I'm looking forward to going back. read more

Wonderful spot for breakfast or brunch, offering a wide variety of typical brunch times, specifically French toast and pancakes. their cornmeal buttermilk pancakes are unique and delicious. they come with several options for topics. definitely worth the trip for a wonderful and fulfilling brunch experience! read more

Kate's Kitchen - Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had a great breakfast here today. Grill cheese and a full American breakfast. Staff were friendly and service was reasonable. Price was good for what we had, would try again. read more

Very friendly / clean/ great food. server was very helpful and flexible with our menu choices - thank you !