I will be at a concert in a few weeks Saturday night in Oakland which most likely will be done around 11pm and so I look for a place either in Oakland or San Francisco for a late night dinner around midnight. I was hoping to find some non-fast food places - a place with cocktails would be an additional bonus (something along the lines of the late night menu at Red Medicines or The Pikey in LA would be great). Normally I end up at Lost & Found but would like to explore new options
What’s your radius? Near BART? Not too many places serving food after midnight unfortunately.
I’m not sure if the hours in their Instagram are accurate, and it is a bit like fast food, but I enjoyed my shrimp falafel sandwich at Shrimp Falafel Mix, which when I went was a food truck but now is a brick and mortar called Cairo Station Cafe in Uptown near the Fox Theater open late. I went there once after they became a brick and mortar but forgot what I had there. Not sure what the drink situation is there but there are several bars around that part of Uptown including Cafe van Kleef.
In Oakland Chinatown there is longstanding restaurant New Gold Medal, open until 3am, and a good place for some late night Chinese food like congee and beef ho fun.
Also in Oakland serving food past midnight is Dan Sung Sa on Telegraph aka Porno Palace. I haven’t been in forever. Korean food that’s good with drinks - corn with cheese, Korean fried chicken, etc. I don’t think they have cocktails nor hard liquor, but definitely soju and beer.
In SF there is classic burrito spot El Farolito on 24th and Mission which is open until 4am Saturdays and Sundays. Only beers there though. There is also a newish El Farolito open in North Beach that closes at 2am. Also near North Beach on Broadway is Taishan Cuisine, which opens until 3am. I’ve only been once and had the dry fish w/ pork meat rice, which was enough for 2-3 people. Good but a little too much dried fish. I should have gotten myself a rice plate or a bowl of congee. They also have dim sum and hot pot. No cocktails there either though, but there several bars open late nearby in North Beach and Chinatown, among them Vesuvio Cafe, Devil’s Acre, Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe, and Li Po Lounge, home of the Chinese Mai Tai.
ETA: rice with dry fish w/pork meat rice at Taishan Cuisine
One place that might fit the bill and has good cocktails is Horsefeather on Divisadero in NoPa, SF. Very good burger and fried chicken. Open until 2am on Saturday, looks like the kitchen closes at 1:30am.
ETA: food and drink at Horsefeather
There’s also the Grubstake in SF, which is kind of a diner with some Portuguese dishes like caldo verde. It’s fine in a pinch. One of the few places open until 4am on Saturday.
And finally another option that I sometimes end up doing late night is a slice or two from Seniore’s in the Lower Haight (open until 1:30am on Saturdays), taken to go and eaten down the street at Toronado with a beer or two.
4 Likes
Thanks - great suggestions.
I will have a car and so will be flexible wrt radius
1 Like
They have great Wontons as well!
1 Like
New Gold Medal has been a late night standard for a long time, going back to when they were Sun Hong Kong. Some menu items are still reasonable (but have gone up) like a rice plate or chow mein. But be careful ordering a la crate or for a few people.
Last year, went with my sister and nephew. Ordered a small live fish, beef and something (melon) and pea shoots…total was $105 before tip. Rice plate or bowl of noodles should still be okay…just be careful. $125 bucks out the door for 3 dishes was a surprise. I get it, everything has gone up, still experienced sticker shock.
Yuet Lee (seafood) on Broadway in SF is open until 12 a.m. Use to be very good.
3 Likes
Asian restaurants are definitely showing higher prices this year, but I think the big kicker on ML8000’s bill was the live fish. Those are REALLY expensive these days!
2 Likes
Yes, it was definitely the fresh fish. Still, figuring the beef dish and pea shoots were about $20 each, that means the fish was $60 bucks. It was small but it does require special handling and keeping it alive.
That said, for a long time ethnic food has been ghettoized and the expectation was always cheap (me included) so perhaps now is when that gets adjusted. I’m okay with it, it was sticker shock and that’s the norm now. That said, will stick with rice plates, simple stuff like wok or soups for mom and pop places…and/or will pick a better place if I have to spend $$$ for live seafood. That’s why Yuet Lee came to mind.
3 Likes
Went to Dan Sung Sa recently, it was pretty good with clear potential. Seafood pancake had imitation crab in it, fyi.
1 Like
Just to update - ended up at East Bay Spice Company in Berkeley which was perfect Indian food for a midnight dinner (Bhaji and Lamb Tikka Masala) and very good cocktails
4 Likes
another data point. went to lanesplitter in oakland based on past enjoyment from university ave days.
Could not recommended. although the pizza was ok, there was literally no people there and it was unpleasant.
Glad you found the Indian place. will be on my list, i run into this east Bay problem myself.
