Hard Knox Cafe
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Party of 2 and it's been a while since I've had hard Knox. Customer service was amazing and food was a hit! Will for sure return
We go for the fried chicken but mostly for Susan and the rest of the crew at Hard Knox because their level of hospitality is something special. Susan is the best. Since we have two little ones, she's so considerate about bringing out their favorite cornbread muffins before we order, extra napkins, ice for our teething baby and throughout the whole meal she anticipates our kids' needs better than us! Our go to is the spicy fried chicken with either the waffles or sides (mashed potatoes, mac & cheese). The spicy option is actually not even that much spicier than the original but has an extra level of flavor to it! Every time we've ordered it, it comes out super hot, fresh, crispy and juicy. I also recently tried the oxtail, which was super tender and smothered in their amazing gravy. If you want to feel taken care of...by comfort food and hospitality, come here!!!
I've been going to this place for a long time .When ever I feel like some heavy comfort food that's close this is it . I do not do Uber Eats. The service is fair usually good workers. The place has a sort of southern decoration it's clean and welcoming. They have a nice breakfast Benedict s my favorite and a few other high cholesterol treats . So once in a while I'm here . Like last night open only till 9 but that's what it is . They have a steady run of daytime clients like regulars that enjoy their food . The parking is really hit and miss but not too bad . Prices have gone up recently on the items I like but that's life . They also have a tasty beautiful pear salad with a little blue cheese if your in to a healthier alternative
Staff was friendly and inviting. Ordered the fried chicken with sides of red beans and rice and Mac and cheese. Came with a side of cornbread. Chicken was hot and great! Red beans and rice were also quite tasty. Wasn't a fan of the Mac but my taste buds have been off lately so I will chock it up to that. It was too much food and staff suggested on a future visit to order ala Carte and customize. Would definitely go that on a return visit.
Let me start my review off on a positive note, the staff is really friendly and nice. However, that's about the only positive thing I can say about this restaurant. I ordered takeout after searching for soul food and most restaurants were closed. I seen that they were open. I live in the East Bay so I took a drive after seeing the pictures on yelp of their food. I ordered the oxtails mac & cheese, greens, fried chicken, yams, and red beans and rice. I have never had anything like this before. I wouldn't consider this soul food. The flavors were really off the mac & cheese taste like it had nacho cheese on it. It was just not good to me. I didn't like anything that I ordered.
Came in for Sunday dinner. Was greeted and seated immediately. Loved the decor. Service was very friendly. We enjoyed: Hush puppies Chicken & waffles Fried chicken with Mac n cheese and fries Oxtails with collard greens and rice & gravy Country fried steak with candied yams and collard greens All the meals were served with corn muffins. The corn muffins were soo good. Oxtails were fall off the bone tender. Large portions for sides.
Parking was a headache. Once we found parking, we had to walk about one block which wasn't bad at all. We were greeted and seated in a timely manner. Was seated in a comfy booth, but lighting was a bit too dim for us. There were some tables that had different brightness in light so not all tables had the same lighting. Our server was kind and attentive, checked on us a couple of times and refilled our beverages without being flagged down. EVERYTHING we ordered was delicious and my kids were very vocal on how they enjoyed their dinner. We also have alot of leftovers for tomorrow.
Friendly service is foremost at Hard Knox on Clement Street. We are welcomed and seated and served warm corn muffins with delicious fried chicken, oxtails, and shrimp po'boy...generous sides of green salad, collard greens, mac and cheese, red beans and rice to satisfy our lunch appetites. The menu entices us with breakfast favorites...corned beef hash, CFS - chicken fried steak, and chicken with waffle for another visit.
Eight of us came for lunch. The corn meal muffins were nice, but wasn't fresh out of the oven. Most ordered the fried chicken. We thought the chickens were pretty small. My oxtail was pretty big for 2 pieces. The catfish looked good too. It's a lot of food so everyone took half their meal home. Our waitress Susan was so friendly. I didn't know you can ask for certain pieces of fried chicken - like all wings or 2 thighs and a leg. She also offered gravy for the fried pork chop and kept coming by to refill our hot water with lemon. An excellent dining experience!
A very interesting place! Atmospheric in its own way. At first glance, the interior doesn't really stand out, but after the first bite, you start to sink into the experience and see everything from a completely different perspective. The food is delicious, and the staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. Highly recommended.
This is the spot for comfort food. Soul food always hits, just be ready to work off those calories from all the fried stuff and rich foods. Here's how I rate all the dishes I've tried. Hush puppies: B Cajun shrimp balls: C Mostly rice. Shrimp flavor is there but pieces of shrimp are not noticable. Gumbo soup: B Chicken fried steak: B Cornbread: A- Candied yams: A Mashed and heavy on the cinnamon and sugar. Loved how this tastes, although it's almost like a dessert! Collard greens: A- These taste great and are super tender and umami. Mac n cheese: B- Pretty cheesy, macaroni was quite soft. Potato salad: C- Too sweet for my preference. Amazing service every time we've been to this location. Huge portions too!
Walked in and everyone that worked there greeted us as well as helping us figure out how to put our name in the list and where to wait. They checked on us frequently (we only had to wait 15mins on a Saturday night) they sat us and helped us with the menu right away. If there's one thing you MUST try it's the GUMBO!!!!!!!!!!! Do not miss out!!!!!!!!! We didn't even get a picture of it because we devoured it so quickly lol. All the food was incredible. I need to go back asap. The whole inside has a classic look to it and makes you feel like you're right at home. A big thanks to our server Nora who treated us like VIPs
This is one of my long time favorite spots in the city! Discovered it about 10 years ago. Perfectly nestled in the central Richmond neighborhood, blocks away from the stunning Baker Beach. It's a cute and small spot but still spacious. They now have some outdoor patio seating as well which is lovely on a sunny day. The service is always a hit. Yesterday my server was fantastic and made sure I was well taken care of the entire time. The food is the reason I keep coming back - those corn bread muffins are out of this world!! With some melted butter on top, they are to die for. The fried chicken is perfectly crispy and juicy, and the waffles are made just right. If you're ever in the area and in the mood for Southern cooking, I'd highly recommend Hard Knox.
12 days ago
Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 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. read more
Quality/Quantity - My friends recommended this place. We wanted a break from Asian food, even though 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. read more
6 months ago
the food here is bomb. the service was amazing and the portions were great for the price you pay for. i will be coming again and our hostess was amazing!!! read more
5 days ago
7 months ago
We go for the fried chicken but mostly for Susan and the rest of the crew at Hard Knox because their level of hospitality is something special. Susan is the best. Since we have two little ones, she's so considerate about bringing out their favorite cornbread muffins before we order, extra napkins, ice for our teething baby and throughout the whole meal she anticipates our kids' needs better than us! Our go to is the spicy fried chicken with either the waffles or sides (mashed potatoes, mac & cheese). The spicy option is actually not even that much spicier than the original but has an extra level of flavor to it! Every time we've ordered it, it comes out super hot, fresh, crispy and juicy. I also recently tried the oxtail, which was super tender and smothered in their amazing gravy. If you want to feel taken care of...by comfort food and hospitality, come here!!! read more
3 days ago
I've been going to this place for a long time .When ever I feel like some heavy comfort food that's close this is it . I do not do Uber Eats. The service is fair usually good workers. The place has a sort of southern decoration it's clean and welcoming. They have a nice breakfast Benedict s my favorite and a few other high cholesterol treats . So once in a while I'm here . Like last night open only till 9 but that's what it is . They have a steady run of daytime clients like regulars that enjoy their food . The parking is really hit and miss but not too bad . Prices have gone up recently on the items I like but that's life . They also have a tasty beautiful pear salad with a little blue cheese if your in to a healthier alternative read more
Staff was friendly and inviting. Ordered the fried chicken with sides of red beans and rice and Mac and cheese. Came with a side of cornbread. Chicken was hot and great! Red beans and rice were also quite tasty. Wasn't a fan of the Mac but my taste buds have been off lately so I will chock it up to that. It was too much food and staff suggested on a future visit to order ala Carte and customize. Would definitely go that on a return visit. read more
7 months ago
Let me start my review off on a positive note, the staff is really friendly and nice. However, that's about the only positive thing I can say about this restaurant. I ordered takeout after searching for soul food and most restaurants were closed. I seen that they were open. I live in the East Bay so I took a drive after seeing the pictures on yelp of their food. I ordered the oxtails mac & cheese, greens, fried chicken, yams, and red beans and rice. I have never had anything like this before. I wouldn't consider this soul food. The flavors were really off the mac & cheese taste like it had nacho cheese on it. It was just not good to me. I didn't like anything that I ordered. read more
1 year ago
Came in for Sunday dinner. Was greeted and seated immediately. Loved the decor. Service was very friendly. We enjoyed: Hush puppies Chicken & waffles Fried chicken with Mac n cheese and fries Oxtails with collard greens and rice & gravy Country fried steak with candied yams and collard greens All the meals were served with corn muffins. The corn muffins were soo good. Oxtails were fall off the bone tender. Large portions for sides. read more
7 months ago
Parking was a headache. Once we found parking, we had to walk about one block which wasn't bad at all. We were greeted and seated in a timely manner. Was seated in a comfy booth, but lighting was a bit too dim for us. There were some tables that had different brightness in light so not all tables had the same lighting. Our server was kind and attentive, checked on us a couple of times and refilled our beverages without being flagged down. EVERYTHING we ordered was delicious and my kids were very vocal on how they enjoyed their dinner. We also have alot of leftovers for tomorrow. read more
Friendly service is foremost at Hard Knox on Clement Street. We are welcomed and seated and served warm corn muffins with delicious fried chicken, oxtails, and shrimp po'boy...generous sides of green salad, collard greens, mac and cheese, red beans and rice to satisfy our lunch appetites. The menu entices us with breakfast favorites...corned beef hash, CFS - chicken fried steak, and chicken with waffle for another visit. read more
Eight of us came for lunch. The corn meal muffins were nice, but wasn't fresh out of the oven. Most ordered the fried chicken. We thought the chickens were pretty small. My oxtail was pretty big for 2 pieces. The catfish looked good too. It's a lot of food so everyone took half their meal home. Our waitress Susan was so friendly. I didn't know you can ask for certain pieces of fried chicken - like all wings or 2 thighs and a leg. She also offered gravy for the fried pork chop and kept coming by to refill our hot water with lemon. An excellent dining experience! read more
9 months ago
A very interesting place! Atmospheric in its own way. At first glance, the interior doesn't really stand out, but after the first bite, you start to sink into the experience and see everything from a completely different perspective. The food is delicious, and the staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. Highly recommended. read more
This is the spot for comfort food. Soul food always hits, just be ready to work off those calories from all the fried stuff and rich foods. Here's how I rate all the dishes I've tried. Hush puppies: B Cajun shrimp balls: C Mostly rice. Shrimp flavor is there but pieces of shrimp are not noticable. Gumbo soup: B Chicken fried steak: B Cornbread: A- Candied yams: A Mashed and heavy on the cinnamon and sugar. Loved how this tastes, although it's almost like a dessert! Collard greens: A- These taste great and are super tender and umami. Mac n cheese: B- Pretty cheesy, macaroni was quite soft. Potato salad: C- Too sweet for my preference. Amazing service every time we've been to this location. Huge portions too! read more
2 years ago
Walked in and everyone that worked there greeted us as well as helping us figure out how to put our name in the list and where to wait. They checked on us frequently (we only had to wait 15mins on a Saturday night) they sat us and helped us with the menu right away. If there's one thing you MUST try it's the GUMBO!!!!!!!!!!! Do not miss out!!!!!!!!! We didn't even get a picture of it because we devoured it so quickly lol. All the food was incredible. I need to go back asap. The whole inside has a classic look to it and makes you feel like you're right at home. A big thanks to our server Nora who treated us like VIPs read more
This is one of my long time favorite spots in the city! Discovered it about 10 years ago. Perfectly nestled in the central Richmond neighborhood, blocks away from the stunning Baker Beach. It's a cute and small spot but still spacious. They now have some outdoor patio seating as well which is lovely on a sunny day. The service is always a hit. Yesterday my server was fantastic and made sure I was well taken care of the entire time. The food is the reason I keep coming back - those corn bread muffins are out of this world!! With some melted butter on top, they are to die for. The fried chicken is perfectly crispy and juicy, and the waffles are made just right. If you're ever in the area and in the mood for Southern cooking, I'd highly recommend Hard Knox. read more
27 days ago
2 years ago
It was a gut punch learning the 3rd St. location had closed. So, I took my valentine to the Clement St. location. Pains me to say it, but this was a complete let down. We both got fried catfish. Catfish 2.5outta5 Fried perfectly but had no seasoning Collard greens 2.5outta5 tender cook but no flavor & lukewarm Red beans & rice 2.5outta5 No seasoning Hushpuppies 4outta5 nice cook, nice flavor Potato Salad 1outta5 Bell peppers, diced onions, grainy potatoes, a very off-putting bite. We've never had potato salad like this. It's not a southern recipe. We passed. Cornbread muffins 4outta5 Attentive & prompt service, chill atmosphere but the food left a lot to be desired. No comparison to 3rd St. It could've been an off day for the kitchen. read more
Went to Hard Knox after work and had some amazing comfort food! I went around 6pm on a weekend and there was no rush. Although there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. There are TVs if you wanted to watch a game and have some good comfort food. I love the portions--well worth the price. Not only do you get to pick what types of cuts for the chicken but you get two generous portions of sides (I got macaroni and collard greens) and the best part, two warm corn bread muffins. I will definitely come back! read more
I wish I could give more stars. But it's was ok. Checked them out today, we ordered the fried chicken, pork chops, greens, yams, Mac & Cheese. The presentation was not the best at all, so I was really surprised and shocked. It made me scare to even try the food. But it was not bad, it just was okay. Now, the Chicken was the BEST, it was cooked great, fresh and hot. The Greens were good, wish they had a little kick/spice to them but I enjoyed them. The YAMS were very flavorful- second best item. Mac & Cheese was very disappointing- they just didn't taste right. No taste at all. Texture was off. I didn't like the actual noodles being used. Idk maybe just me. Porkchops was the worse. No season at all and it was a very very thick porkchop, we literally took one bite and did not eat anymore- waste of money. Parking is terrible. And that's all I can say. I hope your experience was better than mines - * my waiter I wish I got his name was the BEST and he was very attentive... so sorry I didn't get your name because you deserve recognition- THANK YOU FOR THE BEST SERVICE TODAY. read more
1 year ago
One of the classics, Hard Knox has been the go-to for a little soul food in SF. It's a cozy spot with old-school decor and some San Francisco trinkets, such as SFPD signs and equipment mounted on the wall. Their cornbread is some of the best, shaped like little muffins and always fresh. Have previously had their fried chicken, which is always solid, but the true star of the show is the oxtails. Always cooked to perfection, they provide generous cuts which fall off the bone. Pro-tip, call in advance because sometimes they run out. read more
3 months ago
2 years ago
Only come for the fries chicken and corn muffins, nothing else Dishes: 1. Fried chicken: the only good item here and apparently their specialty. Perfectly crispy but not too oily. Would come back here just for the fried chicken 2. Mac 'n cheese: dry. 3. Mashed potatoes & gravy: super dry that it soaked up all the extra gravy I requested 4. Hush puppies: the sauce is good but the hush puppies themselves were dry 5. Corn muffins were good! Logistics: -street parking -accepts card -good for groups of up to ~6 read more
1 year ago
Came to have an early dinner with my fiance and when I tell you everything was great. Our server was amazing. I checked our receipt and it says her name was Susan. Susan gave perfect service. My fiance and I kept talking about how great she was and how nice it was to have a server who actually cared and showed it. The food was delicious. The game was on and everything was pretty quiet (probably because everyone was just focused on eating the good food). My fiance said he'd definitely make the drive to come back and I agree! read more
Some might say "why go to a soul food restaurant if you want a salad?" but I say, "if it's on the menu, it should be as equally delightful as everything else". What did I sample here? * Cajun Shrimp Salad ($20); * Hard Knox Cobb Salad ($21); and * Gumbo ($12) None of it could be described as delightful. The Cajun Shrimp Salad featured many shrimp but none featured any identifiably Cajun flavor. The Cobb Salad was robust in size but there was something adding a sweetness to the flavor profile and it was neither expected nor welcome. Gumbo, which should've been the thing that turned everything around, tasted like the flavors hadn't settled in; sort of like stewy soup best consumed days after preparation. This one felt like it had been made moments before and I didn't enjoy it. Can I tell you what I did enjoy though? Hard Knox Cafe demonstrated exemplary service levels. I felt very well taken care of by each server that came to my table. The menu features a big array of breakfast items and I spotted some good looking fried chicken on the plates of others. Were I to make my way back here those are the menu items I'd focus on. read more
9 months ago
3 months ago
1 year ago
If you like southern food and oxtails, this place is awesome! We come here usually about once every other month and I remind myself every time that I should be coming back more often. The oxtails are delicious. The cornbread is sweet dense and buttery. The collard greens are always delicious. The candy jams are always way too sweet :-) So much food great price point. The wait could be sometimes a little bit long, but the servers are always very nice and will help you and are very attentive. read more
2 years ago
Don't walk!! RUN! This restaurant was soooooo good I can't even begin to describe how impressed I was from the food to the service and their deals! On Mondays they have $4 pint beers. Plenty of seating in doors! Bathroom. Food - DELICIOUS! Chicken crispy! Oxtail fall off the bone! Ribs saucy! Sides were a hit! My favorite was Cole slaw (not pictured) and Mac n cheese. Serving portions was goood. The waiting staff was impeccable. We had a sweet waitress who was very tentative, a great conversationalist and made us feel special. I forgot my bag in the restaurant and another staff member came out to give it to me. read more
2 years ago
Craving southern food in the city? Then you've got to come eat at this spot! There aren't many southern options in SF, but this one definitely hits the spot. I came by on a weekday night for dinner for two, and there was no wait. We ordered the fried chicken dinner item and a chicken pot pie. The fried chicken comes with two sides and corn muffins. The corn muffins here are to die for!! I am such a big fan of cornbread, and the way they bake it in the muffin shape is absolutely scrumptious. I ordered another of the muffins since they were just that yummy. Perfectly crispy on the muffin top, moist and soft on the inside. For sides, we got collared greens and Mac n cheese. Loved the Mac n cheese, collared greens were decent but I'd likely try something else next time like the mashed potatoes. The fried chicken is so delicious and filling! We got the spicy chickens and the flavor was 10/10. I think if they added another chicken to the set, it would be a better portion size. The chicken pot pie was underwhelming, would skip on this next time. But purely for the fried chicken and corn muffins, this place is a delight. Will return whenever I'm craving southern food! read more
1 year ago
Great spot for Southern comfort food! We ordered the family meal which came with three meats and four sides. Perfect way to try a bit of everything. We chose the fried catfish, oxtail, and fried chicken. Each one had its own unique flavor. The oxtail came with rich, flavorful gravy, the catfish was light and well-seasoned, and the fried chicken was crispy and satisfying. For sides, we had cabbage, collard greens, candied yams, and mac n cheese. The cabbage was the standout with great flavor. Collard greens were decent. Candied yams were a little too sweet for my taste. Mac n cheese was solid, no complaints. Also got sweet tea with free refills, which was a nice bonus. Big shoutout to our server (didn't catch her name but she had a mask on). She was really kind and attentive, always checking in on us and making sure we were doing okay. Service was quick and appreciated. The decor is fun and unique, which adds to the experience. Would definitely go back! read more
This is the second time I have eaten here. The Cajun shrimp salad I had really hit the spot. The service was very friendly and the Ambiance of the place was as good as the last time I ate here. I recommend people here in San Francisco to try this place at least once 1 time. I give them 5 stars read more
My go to place late clinic visit, a bit comfort food for me and waiting out commute hour traffic. I have waffling between short ribs and oxtail. Although I truly enjoy the two, the previous occasion with the short ribs I had to go back for more. Today the short rib was changed up to the thin sliced rib like those in Korean and Hawaiian dishes. I missed the thicker cut where it is meatier. Also, I had double side order of red beans and rice. Two corn bread muffins were included. The best way I enjoyed my meal was with a hard dose of hot sauce and extra gravy. My kind lovely server had accommodated my requests. I should try other dishes and will try to do so on my next visit. I thought the portion at first didn't appeared much but in reality it was very fulfilling. And the value for the meal is definitely there. read more
1 year ago
Beautiful service. We sat inside, where the waitress noticed I was chilly, so she sat us at another table, without prompting. Her attentiveness was excellent when ordering. Great food recommendation for my friend as well. Soon we had hot corn muffins, always excellent, but don't think I didn't notice the butter on the table already (PERFECT). Nobody likes cold butter on hot bread! Then we were served the best oxtails w/cabbage and red beans & rice and I had fried chix wings with grits. They hit the spot! Thanks so much for the great service & tasty food. You never fail to delver an excellent experience. read more
11 months ago
cute lil restaurant with plenty of both seating and friendly staff. ive been here several times to try out many different dishes but I always leave feeling underwhelmed and craving something more. today was the spicy grilled chicken sandwich, the taste of BBQ overwhelming any spice that might have been, and the red beans and rice as a side which lacked any flavour altogether. at $20 its the cost of a typical meal but as far as southern food goes this doesnt seem like it should be my first choice. id also like to note that the door is left open during the day, and so there are a ton of flies circling by at all times. read more
2 years ago
Major staple if you're from the Richmond district. Service is top notch. Food comes out hot and yummy. Can't forget the cornbread muffins and butter. Must try and come back to kind of place. read more
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More info about Hard Knox Cafe
2448 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121
Outer Richmond
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(415) 752-3770
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http://www.hardknoxcafe.com/
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Ask the Community - Hard Knox Cafe
Is hard Knox Cafe on clement closed? I see recent reviews.
No they're open for pick up but hours are different than what's listed on google. I ordered from them Friday 7/17.
I just found out about this place. I'm originally from Texas, this is the kind of food I grew up eating. Any recommendations?
Yes, my husband also grew up in Texas eating this stuff. Oxtail!
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