Cool place with a cool atmosphere. Also, one of the best sandwiches I've had in a while! I will say they seemed a little bit shocked that we did have members of our party who were blind and I'm not sure they knew how to react to that but they were still polite overall and the food was great, so I would definitely recommend! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lots of hugs, handshakes, and fist bumps. It was my final visit and meal from this Dogpatch pioneer that launched this neighborhood as a restaurant, bar, and business friendly one. . Yes, this restaurant did that. Earlier this week, I saw an article announcing their closing after Tuesday, 12/24/2024. They were unable to negotiate a new lease here This prompted me to change my original plan of a Malaysian family dinner for the Saturday before. To avoid the dinner rush, I phoned in my order and picked up our family's dinner around 3 pm. The dining room was half full but I'm sure it would get busy as it got darker outside. For my final meal from here, I had the BBQ ribs with corn and potato salad (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=oEOr5DU5miue2U2PT87Xfw). As usual, the potions are generous especially when considering each dinner meal comes with corn muffins (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=mvFQcDrIquWE65UB4w_7NA). I was only able to finish half of my meal and will finish it tomorrow. It was delicious and filling. The gals who man the counter are always nice and it was nice to wish them a farewell. I was fortunate to see Koo who has manned this location for at least the last decade after they expanded to the Clement location. He told me that they plan to operate a ghost kitchen at 6th St. and Market St., close to my office. Thank you, Hard Knox, for providing so many memorable meals to my family and me. Stop in today or tomorrow to enjoy it one last time and bid them farewell. read more

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Ambiance: I visited Hard Knox Cafe on a Saturday evening. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. The atmosphere had a rustic vibe filled with colorful vintage cultural art pieces. Food: I got the Fried Chicken waffle and ordered a side of mashed potatoes and gravy and mac and cheese (the sides are not included with this plate which was a downside). The chicken was piping hot, straight out of the fryer. It was juicy and crispy! The waffles were nice and soft! The butter was salty and the syrup tied everything together! The mashed potatoes and gravy were creamy and comforting. It lacked seasoning but they provide black pepper and salt to add to your liking. My only complaint was that the mac and cheese was cold however, it was still creamy and cheesy. If you are looking for a casual yummy soul food meal, I would recommend this place! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Spicy Fried Chicken - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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When I worked in San Francisco it was always a treat to visit Hard Knox. Me and a buddy had finished walking in the Alzheimer's Walkathon & were famished. I chose the spot and as usual, they didn't disappoint. Catfish 4.5outta5 perfectly fried, crispy and moist. Seasoned just right! I wish they had cocktail sauce Black-eyed peas & rice aka Hoppin John 5outta5 This is one of my favorite dishes & it hit on all cylinders. Collard greens - 4outta5 Tasty & tender. You'd think my Granny was in the kitchen whippin the food up. Those Latin cats know how to cook & have never let me down. Good service & chill atmosphere. Hope to visit again sooner than later... read more

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I've been here a few times and it's always consistent. I come here when I have a craving for ribs and mac n cheese. I live the BBQ sauce they use on the ribs, it's delicious. The ribs themselves are decent, sometimes they can be a bit overcooked. The mac n cheese is great and their corn muffins are so freaking good! Always get the corn muffins! I have tried their fried chicken before which while being cooked well and crispy on the outside, lack flavour. I want to come back for the oxtail (they have run out on the day each time I have gone) read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Pork spare ribs with nac n cheese and collard greens - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

10/12/23 Pretty isolated restaurant but serves up really good southern food! Has the old timey diner vibe with SF sports memorabilia as decor and counter seating. Not too many tables at this location but I don't think it gets too busy during peak times. The menu is pretty classic southern food. The entrees are the best deal bc you get 2 sides and 2 corn muffins included. I got the fried chicken entree which with candied yams and mac and cheese for $21. Portions are huge and fed me for like 3 meals. The mac and cheese was pretty good and the candied yams were very candied lol but I liked everything. Overall, really good pricing for the portion and the flavor! read more

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Sometimes you just want some oxtail and in a city where there is no Caribbean oxtail, you'll settle for any oxtail and the oxtail at Hard Knox is pretty good! Everything had a nice flavor and the proportions were big (three oxtail with two sides). Red beans and rice were kept moist with gravy and corn is...corn lol We also go the spicy fried chick and it was solid, mac and cheese/mashed potatoes were standard as well. Would def recommend this place for delivery or dine-in. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Spicy Fried Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Gravy - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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LOOKING FOR AUTHENTIC SOUL FOOD?! COME HERE!! THATS IT, THATS THE REVIEW. Whether you wanna dine in, that's on you. Personally, I wouldn't, just put in a call for pick up. They take a while, due to how popular they are, but it's worth it!! Staff are always nice and actually put in the condiments that you ask for. *CHEFS KISS* My usual is oxtails, Mac & cheese, collards greens & corn bread. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - MY USUAL!!! - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Highly recommended! I did catering for my work happy hour event, and they were efficient, reliable and prepared everything on time. Friendly and patient staff also! We got a lot of compliments about food and had a lot of leftover. Our favorites were of course their fried chicken. Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and yams were simple. The only downside was we expected the cut corn to be actually cut out, but they were more like individual corns like canned ones. read more

Hard Knox Cafe on 3rd street hits hard with the service and incredible food!!! Staff is unbelievable. So kind and very attentive. They stole my heart. These guys care! The food was so good!! The kitchen knows their stuff. Crispy and fluffy cornbread muffins were so yummy!! Collard greens are perfect My aunt loved her fried chicken and waffle. Actually everything we had was amazing. Fried Cornmeal Catfish with the black eyed peas & rice???!!! Crazy good and the steamed melt in your mouth cabbage is a game changing side. This is a chill hang out spot in the city. Great vibe, cool decor, stellar service, and top notch food and drinks. Thank you all for making us feel so welcome and the consistency of your delicious food. I will be back. read more

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Nice little spot located in the Richmond district. I've enjoyed their fried fish and oxtails. Their sides are tasty as well as my favorite cornbread cakes. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Oxtails - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been to the Clement St. location several times, but first time at this location. All the tables were taken when we arrived, but counter seating was open. Non-stop customers arriving to either eat in or take out during our visit. The warm cornbread with whipped butter is always a hit. Kiddo loves them and eats them (and ours) all up. I love the oxtail, which is my usual go-to order. Huge pieces (about 6 of them) - tender and enough to take home for leftovers. Also like the stewed cabbage and collard greens, but this time I went with the fries. The fries would've been better if they were hot when they arrived. Kiddo and hubs ate up all their fried chicken and were quite full. They were quite busy, and no one really checked on us. But, they were attentive when we caught their attention. read more

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Finally got around to trying this classic spot in Dogpatch on a Saturday morning! Staff was very welcoming and I love the classic booths and decor. We ended up sharing the chicken and waffles, with one piece spicy and two piece regular. The waffle was buttery and very dense, and the chicken was nice and crispy (however slightly overdone for my liking). The real star was the unexpected complimentary cornbread which was piping hot and crispy on the edges! We also got fresh squeezed orange juice which was very pulpy :) hoping to come back here for some of their dinner items! read more

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I've eaten in at Hard Knox Cafe twice and ordered takeout another 4-5 times and I cannot recommend it enough! If you're looking for a cozy and affordable spot in Dogpatch, this is the place! It's pretty small so you may have to put your name on the waitlist at the door when you arrive but I've never waited more than 15 minutes for a table. Servers are not overly friendly but get the job done. My go-to order is either the 3 Piece Fried Chicken or the Chicken n' Waffle. Both dishes come with two pieces of warm cornbread. The fried chicken is crispy and juicy and both regular and spicy are full of flavour. The waffles are fluffy and come with a much too generous blob of butter that is delicious but dangerous (LOL)! You get to choose two sides with the 3 Piece Fried Chicken. My favourites are the Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese and Collard Greens. The best part: each dish is under $20!!! A STEAL in SF for the amount of food. I always have leftovers to take home. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - 3 piece Fried Chicken, Chicken n Waffle - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Jambalaya was lacking in flavor, fried chicken was good but not the best. Sides were just ok. They lost our reservation and were still able to quickly seat us which was nice. Crowded, lively ambiance. read more

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Visited Hard Knox Cafe as a party of two in a weekend day as soon as they opened. We came in as a walk in and we're able to be seated right away. From there, we had an attentive waitress who we soon placed our orders with. Hard Knox Cafe is known for their Southern comfort food so you know I had to get that chicken and waffles. It took about 10 min for the food to come out which was very reasonable timing, especially since they had just opened. Presentation was simple yet clean, with a large waffle accompanied by two crispy chicken thighs and a wing. Texturally, the wings were perfectly crispy and fried well. The waffle was also a perfect texture; not dense but actually airy and easy to cut through. There was a large round of butter on the waffle as well as a side of maple syrup which I lathered all over my food. There is just one opportunity from my experience and it's that the chicken's flavor was a bit bland to me. I definitely mixed it in with the syrup and waffles for some extra flavor but eating it by itself could have used just a touch more seasoning. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Chicken & Waffle - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious southern food! The corn muffins and candied yams were standouts. And sweet tea that's actually sweet? A rare find in the Bay Area! The portion sizes are large so it was a good deal for the price. We reserved a table in advance but it really wasn't necessary, they had plenty of open tables during weeknight dinner. It's very casual, think '50s diner status. read more

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Friendly service and delicious cornbread. I am addicted to chicken and waffles at the moment, and this place has a decent deal of 3 pieces of chicken with a waffle for around $20. I wouldn't say that I would return for the chicken and waffles because the spicy chicken wasn't spicy. And the breast meat was a bit dry. But the breaded skin was delicious. Not much to say about the waffle because, in the end, it's just a waffle. But I could go on for days about their delicious cornbread. It's served 2 per person if you get an entree, and comes with lots of butter. I could happily just make a meal of their cornbread. The staff was very nice and attentive as well. This place just has good vibes. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - The best cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's a little difficult to find good soul food in San Francisco. Hard Knox is always mentioned as a go-to place. It's a small restaurant with about 6 tables. I was excited to see a menu full of things I ate growing up. It took some time to decide what to eat because every option sounded good. I settled on smothered pork chops, yams, and mashed potatoes. The pork chops were very good, tender and easy to tear apart. The mashed potatoes were okay but definitely tasted like they just came from a box. The yams were way too sweet and I couldn't even eat half of them. The corn muffins were my favorite part! Our direct service was okay but they have an extremely rude server who impacted our experience. Given that the place is pretty small, I could overhear the server being rude to a customer after messing up the order. The second server also started mistreating the customer. It made me so angry I decided to leave. It was busy so I understand they were a little stressed, but taking it out on customers is not the answer. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Smothered Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Candied Yams - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Excellent service. They kept checking in on you. The fried chicken was perfect. It was so crispy and hot. The complimentary cornbread was still warm and the butter just melted on it. The potato' salad had fresh ingredients and the celery popped in your mouth. The shrimp po boy was nice and fresh but the seasoning was a little off for me. I wasn't a fan of the Cajun spices. The mashed potatoes and gravy was terrific as well. Bravo to the chef read more

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Love this place! We always go here for the chicken if we are in the area. This one is in close proximity to the Chase Center in the Dogpatch neighborhood. We haven't gone past the fried chicken but I'm sure there are other favorites on the menu! read more

Hard Knox is my go to spot for soul food in San Francisco - it never disappoints! I ordered their spicy fried chicken meal with mac & cheese and candied yams. I also ordered a waffle to share with the table. Their portions are generous, so I'm always leaving with leftovers (that warm up great)! Below is a breakdown of each item I ordered: Spicy Fried Chicken - Well seasoned, decent spice level and overall tasty. I really appreciated how crispy the chicken was. Mac & Cheese - A simple and classic take on the popular side dish. The cheese was perfectly melted and paired so nicely with the other dishes. Candied Yams - Words truly can't describe how delicious their yams are, but here is my attempt: The perfect blend of spices, warm, melt-in-your-mouth, and definitely on the sweeter side (but that's how I like my yams). Belgian Waffle - Crispy around the edges and perfectly soft and fluffy in the middle. Textbook Belgian waffle. You have to try it! Besides their remarkable food, what really makes me comeback time and time again is their friendly staff and laidback atmosphere. I cannot recommend Hard Knox enough! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Belgian Waffle - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you're on the hunt for a a meal as comforting as a warm hug, look no further than the corn bread & chicken and waffles at Hard Knox Cafe. Corn bread was golden and slightly crumbly on the outside, yet delightfully moist on the inside. What truly sets this place apart from the rest, is the staff. They make you feel like an old friend visiting for dinner. When in the mood for brunch done right, i'd swing by for a delicious meal here! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love their friend chicken with two sides (I got mashed potatoes and cut corn)!!! I like the booths with the cushioned seats and wait staff were especially friendly and accommodating! I've had their oxtail and ribs before which were also good, but a tad too much gravy for me. Maybe placing them on the side so you can pour to your heart's content. read more

If I could, I would give them no stars. The last few times I went in; they messed up my order and won't take ownership. I've called several times for a remake or refund, but all they keep saying is that the manager will contact me, and they never do. I always order the same thing when I go in. Three piece chicken with yams, rice with gravy, and cabbage. They only ever give me two pieces of chicken with no meat on the bones. I feel gripped. I'm calling my bank on Tuesday. I was going to have hard Knox cater my school black excellence dinner in February, but now I'm going to look elsewhere, and they just lost a loyal customer. read more

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Third time here for lunch! Needed the fried chicken fix. Got the 3-piece regular lunch with greens and potato salad. Service was friendly, as usual, and efficient. Chicken was crispy and piping hot. The two complimentary corn bread muffins were great. All good! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Three piece fried chicken - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Southern comfort, that's the phrase that comes to mind. Comfort food at its finest, this quaint place is tucked away on 3rd street. Walked in to what wee thought was a bar and sat down for brunch. Hot or not? Mimosa: 10/10 sips, this beverage is not your typical brunch mimosa it is fresh squeezed pulp OJ. Refreshing yummy morning sip w/ a kick!($10) Corn muffins (2): add a little butter and some honey. Drooling just reminiscing about these muffins Fried pork chops: 10/10 bites, when I think fried pork chops I think dry jerky like meat. No no no this is juicy and crisp coated. Tasty dish. (2sides) mash & Mac. The mash was good. Must have hot item! Crispy Chicken Sando: 9/10 bites fried crisp chicken breast cole slaw, special sauce. Good vanilla option has a nice kick. Chicken & Wafffles: (spicy) 10/10 bites now this chicken is very crispy, spicy, savory, juicy meat. Nice big Belgian waffle butter dollop and syrup. Cannot go wrong by getting this. Ribs: 8/10 bites fall off the bone tender juicy drenched ribs + yummy mash, rice &beans mix. Hot link sandwich: 9/10 bites, brace yourself this is spicy , includes cucumber tomato and lettuce. Which somewhat balance out that Louisiana spice. Parked on the back street but metered street parking along the Main Street. V Wonderful service! read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Corn Muffins *drool* - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super amazing little hole in the wall on 3rd in Dogpatch with amazing food and down-home service. Had some of the best fried catfish ever... really juicy and delicious and crisply breaded. Fried chicken was excellent and so were the sides.... Black eyed peas, sweet potatoes are all excellent. And, cornbread is specifically awesome. Great assortment of beverages and cool vibe. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Fried Catfish - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

I don't know if I destroyed this food, or it destroyed me. Regardless, my stomach is nice and full. The food was amazing, I wish I could eat more. The guys in here and nice and friendly, quick to serve, refill water... The ambiance is right for a place like this, the old pictures, painting and figures around the restaurant add character. Give it a try, I got what was pictures I can't vouch for anything else. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Corn muffins, Sweet Tea - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A super solid cafe for comfort soul food. Note, if you make a reservation, it might not be honored - we had a reservation but had to wait anyways since the place had all the tables full - it's a really small place so my advice is to try and arrive when the place opens. Good: The free cornbread muffins are so amazing - super crunchy texture and the cornbread tastes awesome - I feel like the pure quantity of food here is just already worth the value. I got the spicy chicken sandwich and was glad that I got that and not the fried chicken since I heard that was more dry. Overall the sandwich was actually NOT spicy which was surprising. I also loved the mac and cheese- better than the average I've had in SF. Bad: The place is a bit more rundown, a bit more messy and dirty, but it's a true diner experience- the service is also quite slow past the first cornbread muffins which come out immediately. Overall enjoyed coming here and felt like there was some really good food on the menu that I might try next time. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

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One of my favorite spots to eat whenever I come to the city. Everything I've had is delicious, but today we decided to have the fried Catfish, smothered pork chops, and fried chicken. We sat pretty quickly which is rare since this place is normally packed. Great service and they had the football game on so it added to the lively atmosphere. read more

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It's pretty easy to miss a small restaurant like Hard Knox while walking through Dogpatch, but I cannot recommend this place enough for comforting Southern food after my last visit here! We received complimentary corn muffins upon being seated, which easily moves this restaurant into my "favorites" category. Blackened Catfish: Incredibly savory and buttery-soft. I've never eaten catfish with this kind of texture before! This dish is a little more on the salty side, so make sure you have plenty of water before you dig in. Spicy Chicken and Waffles: Perfectly crispy on the outside, flavorful, but not too spicy. Doesn't come with sides, but the portion itself is well over enough! It might be a good move to make a reservation if you anticipate swinging by during busier hours like dinnertime. read more

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I came in on a Sunday around 2pm after bouldering across the street. Since it was past rush hour, there were a few tables open. I ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side salad. The chicken was immaculate. There were three huge pieces of them. I ended up only finishing the breast because it was so filling. I normally don't like the breast because they end up dry, but the chicken was moist and seasoned really well. The plate was huge. There was a lot of mashed potatoes but not enough gravy. However, you can ask for more. I didn't prefer the way they made the mashed potatoes because there were still chunks of potatoes. I prefer smooth and creamy. The side salad was okay. It wasn't anything special, but it was a good way to balance a heavy meal. I like that they did have a lot of options for sides. This is a really solid option in Dogpatch, especially if you're looking for a satisfyingly filling meal. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Fried Chicken w/ Mashed Potatoes and Side Salad - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here on a Sunday around 1:30ish after climbing. Waited around 15 mins for 2 people. Get the chicken, it's juicy and crispy at the same time. The Mac and cheese is alright, nothing amazing. Wish there was more gravy with the mashed potatoes. Staff was friendly and approachable. We did wait quite a while for our food and there wasn't too many people inside. But it was nice and warm once it came out. Complimentary cornbread on the side. The interior is more 'old school style dining' . Gender neutral bathroom available with street parking (see pics!) . read more

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I use to pick up food here many years ago and decided to eat in. Great ambience with very friendly staff. I ordered the turkey wings, rice and bean, fries and cornbread. All I can say is delicious. Every bit of it. If you're ever around the Dogpatch in SF. It's a must try. read more

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It's been awhile since I ate here but stopped by recently with a friend. We both had the gumbo and corn muffins, delicious! The service was outstanding. There was a downpour when we went and slight flooding in the kitchen so we were offered the option to leave or stay. We decided to stay and our server made sure we had drinks on the house that were refilled regularly. Half an hour later business was able to resume and we had our food. I like that they check and make sure you are vaccinated before seating inside. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a good hole in the wall find! I've eaten here multiple times now and it literally never misses. My favorite thing was the spicy chicken & waffles omg my mouth is watering just thinking about it. But honestly I enjoyed everything I've ordered. And don't get me started on the CORN BREAD. Easily the most tender and fluffy and moist corn bread I've ever eaten. Also, the pricing is very solid for the amount of food you get. 10/10 this will definitely become a regular spot for me! read more

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Food was delicious, I was either hungry or forgot how good it was. Got the fried catfish with collard greens and candied yams. Service was a little slow, but they were busy and gave us extra cornbread and didn't charge! Their booth chairs can be better, but overall great! Will come back for sure read more

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Solid food, generous portions, homey ambiance, and top-notch service! Seriously, they were so attentive that they came by to refill my water 3 times lol. Their portions are huge, and you could probably split an entree between 2 people. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend. read more

Hard Knox Cafe - BBQ Pork Spareribs - Soul Food Near Me - San Francisco, California

Was in search of oxtails while in town for work. My bf sent this place to me since I couldn't look due to driving. I placed my order and went to pick it up. Upon my surprise, I did not see one black person in the kitchen. Not to say that other ethnicities can't cook soul food, but there's def a difference. I had the black eye peas with rice, collards, oxtails, fried chicken, Mac n cheese and corn muffins. Don't judge me, I was hungry lol. I enjoyed the chicken, collards, and the muffin. I was very disappointed with everything else. The oxtails had a ton of fat on them and weren't properly seasoned like I would expect from a soul food restaurant. The Mac was super bland, and the black eye peas and rice had no real flavor. Doing your research is so vital because I ordered almost $50 worth of food and only ate maybe $20 worth. The rest went in the trash. Maybe I didn't order the right items because I see so many good reviews. Maybe it was a bad day, maybe it was just the wrong restaurant choice for my level of hunger that day. I'm not local, so I know I won't be back. read more