Grubstake Diner

How many years have I passed it? Sitting in the back of an Uber or a friend’s car as we race up Pine Street. The old cable car nestled between buildings. How often have I sat at the window in Juniper bakery, sipping a coffee and tearing pieces off a croissant, my gaze falling on that same red car? Yet, I’ve never been inside. 

Not until my official Grubstake diner date.

Grubstake Diner in San Francisco

It’s not actually a cable car. It’s a diner inspired by the iconic mode of transportation that has represented San Francisco since 1873. 

Considering the history of diners, originating from horse-drawn carriages and later train cars, the vehicular shape is fitting. 

After all, Grustake is a diner. One of the most well-known diners of an era gone by.

So how have I not been there before?

When we arrive on Monday night, my eyes catch the classic sign that hangs out of the sidewalk of Pine Street. 

It boasts burgers, steaks, and breakfast, as well as the ungodly closing hour of 4 am…

That explains it. 

I love a diner weekend breakfast or an early weekend lunch. I’m not one to arrive at the wee hours of the morning, despite my love of this trope in movies and television. 

The fact that Grubstake doesn’t open until 6:30pm, makes it obvious why I hadn’t been there until this night. 

When my diner date suggested a weeknight visit to the cable car in Nob Hill, I was more than ready to accept.

Inside Grubstake Diner on Polk Street

The first thing I’ll say is that the exterior of Grubstake Diner is no bait and switch. The interiors are just as much a reflection of the nostalgia-inducing, cable car-inspired setting. Booth seating makes for a cozy atmosphere in a palette of warm red tones that contrast perfectly with cool green window frames. 

Speaking of windows, there are open “windows” inside the diner, separating the seating sections, that make you feel like you’re in an old train car. You can look out to the street or through to a counter where an old coffee machine is set up, ready for anyone who needs a late-night cup of Jo. 

Velvet valances top the windows that open to the street while old photographs and vintage signs litter the upper half of each wall. 

They’re kitschy and feature humor from an era gone by (one that we should perhaps forget, but are somewhat comforting to me, reminiscent of the signs in my grandfather’s office).

“Beer,” one begins, “helping ugly people have sex since 1862!”

What we ordered

I was especially excited about this diner date, because it I knew it would be with a fellow non-meat eater. We can share everything we order!

We scan the QR code at the table, peruse, debate, align, and order. 

I must say, one of the things I love most about diners are the oversized, over-filled menus, but COVID has changed things, and a QR code works just fine. 

The two of us are strategic. We order from both ends of the diner menu: a burger and a cheese omelet. We also order all types of sides: home fries, French fries, onion rings, and a side of veggies. 

The veggies turn out to be a sleeper hit, doused in butter and seasoned to perfection. 

The food is exactly as I wanted it to be. 

Though I love a good Impossible smash burger (like they do at New Taraval Cafe), I do also love a house-made patty. That’s what is served up this evening. The onion rings are perfect, hot out of the fryer and crispy, not doughy. The French fries are just adequate, but the home fries are deliciously seasoned. 

Grubstake has its own green hot sauce (homemade hot sauce is always another win for a diner in my books), and it’s delicious with the perfect amount of heat. My diner date likely prefers even more spice, but I can only handle a certain amount. 

Has the golden era of Grubstake ended?

I crack open a Kolsch, and my diner date opens an IPA. We sip while we eat. It’s such an enjoyable experience, but it’s hard not to notice that the place is fairly empty apart from one older man eating in a back corner and a couple at the booth behind us. 

Coming to diners solo in my seventies is a life goal of mine, but still, I can’t help but feel like there should be more life in this place. 

I’d heard from a friend that her coworker used to frequent this diner after late nights out on Polk Street, so I wonder if we’re just here at the wrong time. A weeknight. Dinnertime. 

Curious, I ask the lone front-of-house worker. 

He wears a gray Grubstake apron and has neatly cut white hair. 

“Does it usually get crowded after the bars close on weekends?” I ask him. 

“Used to,” he says in a quiet voice, “before COVID.”

He reminisces about what it was like. There used to be a line out the door, people waiting to get a spot inside. There were always new specials, written daily on the board he points to behind us. People ordered things like catfish and Portuguese dishes. The new owners don’t think it’s worth creating new specials now. 

On New Year’s Eve, Grubstake was a place filled with everyone who wanted to keep the celebrations going. 

They’d made peach jam from scratch and had a wide range of breakfast options that always excited customers who came to try something new or enjoy their favorites. 

I do notice that they have chocolate chip pancakes on the menu. It’s something I look for on most diner menus. You’d be surprised how often this item is missing. 

It’s hard to miss the nostalgia that creeps into the man’s voice as he speaks about the golden age of this diner. He’s been working there for many years. 

I try to convince him that diners are making a comeback. People are seeking the comfort of no-frills dining. Still, I’m not sure this place will get back to what it once was. I hope it does.

Most Popular Items at Grustake Diner 

I notice a lot of delivery pick-up orders coming in as we eat. Men in motorbike helmets, waiting at the counter and grabbing brown paper bags of food. 

I’m curious what’s in the bags, and ask the same front-of-house man what most people order for takeaway. He answers quickly, “the chicken sandwich and the Philly cheesesteak.” 

Not something I would enjoy as a vegetarian, but I like that it’s the hearty stuff.

Diner Date Questions

As always, I have to ask my current date the diner date questions while we eat. 

We start with his preference for savory versus sweet. He shares that his preference is savory, though if he's going to get something sweet, it's going to be Egg Bread. If you're not from the Midwest (like he is), this is French toast.

When it comes to beverages, if it's not a dinner setting like we're in now, he wants black coffee, and keep it coming. Man after my own heart.

As for condiments? Hot sauce all the way! This isn't my first experience dining with this date, and he's always looking for hot sauce before we have even sat down.

Potatoes? French fries are lowest on his list (which is a bit controversial). He prefers home fries and then hashbrowns.

He's mostly sat in booths when he comes to diners, but is intrigued by sitting at the counter. He wants to experience more of that in the future.

Grubstake Ratings:

• Atmosphere: 9/10

• Food: 7/10

• Beer Selection: 8/10

• Staff: 8/10 (loved that he spent so much time giving us the scoop!)