Grubstake Diner
Diner · Lower Nob Hill
1525 Pine St, San Francisco, CA 94109
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Highlights
Nestled in a vintage train car, Grubstake Diner serves up late-night American classics and Portuguese delights, steeped in LGBTQ history and charm.
Nestled in a vintage train car, Grubstake Diner serves up late-night American classics and Portuguese delights, steeped in LGBTQ history and charm.
"Grubstake looks like a streetcar, which is certainly one reason this American diner in Polk Gulch stands out. The other is that this spot, which has been going strong since the 1960s, caters to the red-eye crowd—serving straightforward burgers, tuna melts, breakfast plates, shakes, and fries until 3am Sunday through Wednesday and 4am Thursday through Saturday. And since this is a late-night spot with greasy-spoon energy, you can slide into a red booth, admire the old mural and fake grapes hanging from the ceiling, and fill up on all things fried." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"This classic San Francisco late-night diner has stood the test of time, continuing to serve three square meals a day in the Pork Gulch neighborhood. The menu is full of the usual fare — burgers, pancakes, and good old-fashioned American apple pie — but with a Portuguese flair in the form of dishes such as bife a Portuguesa and linguica sausage." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri
"Polk Gulch was the home to San Francisco’s first Pride parade, which strutted along Polk Street to Aquatic Park. Fueling up and cooling down took place at Grubstake Diner, an important relic and present-day diner destination. Yes, Guy Fieri checked this place out and said it was unlike any other restaurant he’d seen. But Fieri fans and newcomers alike can get behind classic burgers and salads, and Grubstake’s singular bife a Portuguesa, or Portuguese-style steak." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri
"Serves Portuguese fare and meaty burgers, providing a safe space through the late-night." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Grubstake is more than just a popular late-night dining option on Pine Street, it’s an essential piece of the city’s LGBTQ history. In the 1970s, Harvey Milk hung out in the railcar-turned-restaurant, and these days many celebrities from the queer community have long-standing regular orders. Former owners Fernando and Linda Santos added the now-famous Portuguese influence to the menu, including dishes such as caldo verde soup and bife à Portuguesa." - Lauren Saria
