Cancel

Open app

Search

Hard Knox Cafe

4.0 (27 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Hard Knox Cafe Takeout or Delivery

Hard Knox Cafe Photos

Recommended Reviews - Hard Knox Cafe

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Ox Oxtails with Candied Yams Red Beans and Rice
Vinkin Ken T.

I ordered the oxtails for pick up on door dash. You can choose 2 sides out of 11 and it comes with 2 corn bread muffins. My order was ready in just 10 minutes. I opted for candied yams and red beans and rice as my sides. It was a very hefty meal. It came with 3 large pieces of oxtails and was enough to make 2 meals out of it. The oxtails were tender but not falling off the bone. Still has a bit of a bite to them. The candied yams were a bit too sweet for me. The rice and red beans were decent. They also throw in a couple of Crystal hot sauce packets. Corn muffins were best eaten immediately.

Ox tails- lacking seasoning but tender Mac and cheese Candied yams

See all

4 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 2
Love this 3
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 7

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 1

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 2
Love this 0
Oh no 5

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

10 months ago

The food was horrible, it tasted spoiled, this does not taste like any type of soul food. It is horrible!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 3

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Best soul food in SF. Love the fried chicken, burger, gumbo, red beans & rice. Definitely worth the trip.

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Samantha W.
115
93
2024

1 year ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 3
Photo of Adam A.
3
116
21

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Don H.
45
126
72

1 year ago

It's Good fresh hot nice size plates I had the fish it was nice and good the the oxtail was good too and all my sides were great

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Amazing service and great food, comparable to the southeast Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee Alabama! Yassssss

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1
Photo of Den K.
0
95
87

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Great food and great service. The staff was super fun and provided great recommendations. The food was delicious. Decor was fun.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

A little price but the food is good would love to get the oxtails but they are a little to expensive for my purse.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of B N.
0
4
0

1 year ago

Great food, atmosphere and ambiance. Glad to see them weather the storm and charge forward!!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

I was pleasantly surprised that everything I ate had good flavor! I had the pork chops with Mac n cheese and greens. Good stuff!

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 1

Ask the Community - Hard Knox Cafe

Is this an actual sit-down restaurant or only pick up?

Maybe

View All 2 Questions

The Front Porch - Fried Chicken + collard greens

The Front Porch

3.9(3.4k reviews)
2.5 mi•Bernal Heights, Mission
•$$

Used to come here all the time, but after moving away from the area, I hadn't been back in a while…read more Eating here again reminded me exactly why this spot has been around for almost two decades the food is just that good. Everything we ordered did not disappoint: ​Fried Chicken: Crispy, golden, and classic. The meat itself is mild, but it works well with the sides, the punchy, savory collard greens balance out every bite. ​Creole Crawfish Étouffée: Rich, deeply flavorful, and comforting. ​Fried Pickles: Crispy, tangy, and great on their own, but pro tip: put a fried pickle right on your spoonful of étouffée. The crunchy, vinegary pop against that rich crawfish sauce is incredible. ​Pork: Perfectly seasoned with the perfect tenderness with just the right amount of satisfying bite and chewiness. ​Dr. Pepper Simmered Short Ribs (Daily Special): Boneless, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and beautifully balanced with sweet and savory notes. ​Side Note: The chicken, pork, and short ribs all came with mashed potatoes, and the way they season those potatoes managed to complement each distinct main dish perfectly. ​Honestly, not a single miss on the table. Highly recommended!

Writing a review like this is difficult for several reasons, and I very rarely leave negative…read morereviews. As someone who has works in the restaurant industry, I understand firsthand how challenging this business can be, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who work hard to make a dining experience memorable. That's why I don't say this lightly when I say that our food experience tonight was extremely disappointing. We ordered the pork chop, which was okay, but the cabbage side was honestly hard to eat. I'm not sure if it was intended to be slaw or steamed cabbage, but it was essentially wet cabbage with very little flavor. The potatoes were decent, although the portion was quite small and they had a texture that tasted almost like boxed mashed potatoes. The biscuits were extremely dry and hard, and unfortunately, the butter served alongside them wasn't very good either. The spinach that came with the special was, without exaggeration, one of the worst parts of the meal. It had a very unpleasant taste that made us question whether something was off with it. There really wasn't another way to describe it. For a $44 plate, I expect the steak to be cooked properly, the sides to be flavorful and thoughtfully prepared, and the entire dish to feel worth the price. We also ordered a peach soda that was $10, which already feels very expensive for a soft drink. What was even more surprising was finding out that refills were not complimentary. That's something I feel should be clearly communicated when ordering. This is supposed to be soul food, a style of cooking known for bold, comforting, flavorful food. Unfortunately, our meal just didn't deliver that. Everyone at our table left feeling unsatisfied. We spent $163 for three entrées, three drinks, and two orders of biscuits. When you spend that kind of money and the food is exceptional, you leave feeling like it was money well spent. When the experience falls this far short, it's understandably frustrating and leaves you questioning the value. I do want to give credit where it's due: our server was wonderful. We had absolutely no complaints about the service. He was attentive, pleasant, and did her job well. I genuinely hope this feedback is received in the spirit it's intended. I know how difficult the restaurant business is, and I'm not looking to tear anyone down. I simply believe that when a meal costs this much, the quality, flavor, portions, and overall execution should reflect the price.

Photos
The Front Porch - Bar area!

Bar area!

The Front Porch - Asparagus with poached egg

Asparagus with poached egg

The Front Porch - Citrus and arugula salad

See all

Citrus and arugula salad

Nella's Place - Garlic, Parmesan, chicken, catering tray

Nella's Place

4.6(36 reviews)
14.0 mi

While out in California we search for Black Owned restaurants and came across Nella's Place while…read moresearching. I'm must say the vibe and food did not disappoint. Fiod made fresh and was so delicious. One of the best soul food restaurants ever! I thought my grandma was in the kitchen preparing my food. I must say my flight from South Carolina was well worth the drive from San Francisco to San Leandro, California. Ms. Nella can throw down on some soul food. Please visit!!! Great service and wonderful personality!! 5 Star!!!!!!!

Date: 9/4/2026 Time: 9:20 PM 58° Cool…read more It is 7:30 PM and I wasn't sure what I felt like having for dinner. My male companion had a craving for some gumbo. Okay, I was not that impressed with the gumbo from Y's Choice. While searching on this website, I saw another restaurant (Cajun Claws) listed in Oakland. A quick phone call to Cajun Claws re: their gumbo. The gentleman who answered the phone told me their gumbo had sausage and potatoes. That gumbo certainly did not sound appealing to my male companion and me. I pass. Time is flying by quickly. A further search resulted in Nella's Place in San Leandro. I called around 8:15 PM, and asked about their gumbo and what time they close. What was described to me sound quite tasty. Leaving from Alameda to San Leandro, we arrived at Nella's Place before 9:30 PM. Nella's is a black owned restaurant serving up gumbo and soul food. It is a one room restaurant with a seating capacity of approximately 20 people. I have to admit the ambiance and decor are quite classy, beautiful and intimate. The owner is very hospitable, gracious and attentive. It is my first time at this restaurant. I did not know what to expect. I was surprised and totally impressed with the layout of this restaurant and the menu. Samples of the gumbo, mac 'n cheese, green beans and potatoes were served. OMG, the samples were ono delicious - quite pleasing to my palate. Eats: Gumbo with rice and cornbread for my male companion; basa dinner (6 pieces) with two sides and cornbread. My sides were green beans and potatoes (candied) and fried cabbage. The dinner was bomb-diggity delicious. So good, and figuratively speaking, I wanna slap the cook and the mama for this wonderful feast. LOL. Of course, my eyes got bigger than my stomach and I had to ask for a box to take the rest of my dinner home. I hope for more visits to Nella's in the future.

Photos
Nella's Place
Nella's Place - Real delicious food no grease people!

Real delicious food no grease people!

Nella's Place

See all

Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Chicken

Brenda's Meat & Three

4.2(1.7k reviews)
2.0 mi•NoPa
•$$

Great vibes here! The staff were super friendly and had good energy to them…read more The food was very tasty - highly recommend the fried chicken! All the sides were tasty too. I really liked the crawfish beignet The dessert beignet were really big - definitely need to share. I recommend the ube one. We got the flight but only managed to eat one bc we were so full and needed to take the rest home.

We tried to call Brenda's to order food for pick up, but they didn't answer the phone. We used the…read moreapp and the pick up time was dictated as 15 minutes. No option to change it. My husband was getting out of the hospital and I figured we could get there in time. Within a few minutes of the order being confirmed and my credit card being charged, I received an alert that the order would be ready in an hour! My husband was extremely fragile and couldn't tolerate any wait, let alone an hour. We live in Marin County and the idea was that we would get dinner to eat as soon as we got home. I tried calling but again the phone just rang for a long time and then cut off. I tried to call the other store. No answer. Door Dash had no telephone number and I texted them. My husband was feeling worse his caregiver and I had to get him home. I kept trying to reach Brenda's, the time kept getting longer. We were almost home when we received an update that the food was ready. Over an hour later than the initially scheduled time. We had been customers for 20 years, both dine in and take out. We were so enamored with Brenda's that we took our neighbors there and picked up food for our family reunion from them. We weren't trying to reach them at peak times--Wednesday afternoon. Now my credit card company is trying to get in contact with them--no better luck than I had. Our infatuation with Brenda's is over. No matter how good the food is, if there is no human connection and no way to interact, it doesn't work.

Photos
Brenda's Meat & Three
Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Oysters

Fried Oysters

Brenda's Meat & Three - Fried Chicken

See all

Fried Chicken

Old Skool Cafe - Our Family Meal is a great deal! 2, 4, or 6 entrees, plus sides and dessert!

Old Skool Cafe

4.6(710 reviews)
3.0 mi•Bayview-Hunters Point
•$$
Locally owned & operated
Live music

Y'all! Three words.... Sweet potato tarts! This was our…read morefirst time dining at this restaurant and it will not be our last. I planned a dinner with a few of my corporate friends while I was in SF. I really appreciate it the mission of this restaurant and the work that they are doing so we reserved a table for a Wednesday. When you arrive, you enter into a long hallway filled with photos and you can hear the live music playing. The vibe is everything!!! We were greeted when we all were seated and one of the servers brought us a complimentary tray of sweet potato biscuits. They were not on the menu but they should be!! To start, I ordered a Cabernet, and I also started with some of the sweet chili glazed wings. The wings were so good!!! For my meal I had the braised short rib and my goodness.. it was absolutely delicious!!! I also ordered a side of macaroni and cheese which was creamy and flavorful! One of my friends ordered a side of greens and I'm telling you I don't know how they got so much wonderful flavor without any meat!! Absolutely delicious! Everyone's food at the table was devoured. We all kept talking about how delicious everything was and then we got to dessert. We have been talking about the sweet potato tarts before we even got to the restaurant and so of course we had to order those. That was one of the best desserts I've ever had in my life! Y'all have to get you some sweet potato tarts. We even had a few at the table take orders to go. One recommendation for check splitting, don't do it or talk about it at the very beginning with your server. We had a party of five and the splitting our check by individual orders at the end was not the best process at all. We should have just divided the check five ways evenly and figured it out on our own. All this to say that this place is so cool and the food is delicious!!!

Best place to dine in SF! One of the most legitimate and…read morewell deserving restaurants in the City. Loved the fried chicken, salmon and ribs. All sides (Mac and cheese!) and desserts are worth it, Do the right thing and go today!

Photos
Old Skool Cafe - Happy Hour at Old Skool Cafe

Happy Hour at Old Skool Cafe

Old Skool Cafe - Live music and great food at Old Skool Cafe

Live music and great food at Old Skool Cafe

Old Skool Cafe - Warrior Wings

See all

Warrior Wings

Biscuits & Blues - Biscuits

Biscuits & Blues

3.8(572 reviews)
0.8 mi•Union Square, Lower Nob Hill
•$$
Live music
Walk-ins welcome

I've had Biscuits & Blues bookmarked for a long time, and I finally came here last Saturday night…read morewith my man. I randomly saw an ad on Instagram for Lavay Smith & Red Hot Skillet Lickers. They looked & sounded really swanky so I was intrigued. I'm glad that someone took a photo of the parking details on here so we parked at that garage. Upon walking into the place, I asked the front desk person about the parking, and he gave me the parking discount stub so we were able to just pay $10 for parking at that garage. We tried to find street parking, but it was impossible. The place looks swanky. The stairs were adorn with little blue lights and flowers, which was lovely. The room downstairs was dimly lit with each table having a touch lamp with 3 levels of brightness. The restrooms were individual gender neutral stall rooms with a sink area. When I walked into the restroom area, this guy just walked out of a stall, and he just smiled at me then walked out into the room without washing his hands!!! I later noticed him, and I pointed him out to my boyfriend. Lol... He was the trombone player of the band. Lol.. We ordered the following items: - Golden Hour Spritz - pretty refreshing & bright - Louisiana Lemonade - also refreshing & sweet - Biscuits - pretty yummy, I liked the butter - Jambalaya - pretty tasty - Shrimp & Grits - cheesy and tasty - Peach & Blueberry Cobbler - too much blueberry and not enough peach; this was okay Service... It was mixed. Our server didn't bring us waters that we told her when we were ordering. We had to flag someone down for waters. She didn't come by to check on us or refill out waters. They're pretty quick at clearing plates when we finish them. Then when the check came, they tried to charge us for posters...? We didn't get any posters. Wtf... weird. We told her about it, and she apologized and removed it. Nonetheless... We still have an enjoyable evening listening to live music with the lovely jazz band. We weren't a fan of the trumpet player as it was too loud and shrill sounding.

Cute little place to see a live jazz show. Very intimate and nice setup. But food is mediocre at…read morebest. If I come back I would only get drinks. Biscuits are dry and hard. We ordered a variety of food and it lacked flavor. From appetizers to main entrees. Staff was friendly and quick. It's the food that was disappointing.

Photos
Biscuits & Blues - Lounge/seating

Lounge/seating

Biscuits & Blues
Biscuits & Blues - Derreck Dove and the Peacekeepers

See all

Derreck Dove and the Peacekeepers

Hard Knox Cafe - soulfood - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...