Aside from the generously-sized portions and the kindness of the people running the place, Kate's would have received two stars from me solely on the basis of food. Although I did enjoy eating there with my girls for a late Friday brunch, and the French Toast Orgy was definitely a winner in my book, everything else just wasn't up to par. Dining with fellow Yelpers Angie B. and Natalie M., as well as another foodie gal pal of ours, we entered a completely full restaurant and were seated in the back, right near the entrance to the kitchen. Our server (GO BEARS) was sweet and always handy but she did manage to drop Angie B.'s syrup on the floor. Anywho... As a self-proclaimed corned beef hash princess, I had to give my order both good and bad points. Seasoning was spot on, but there was sooooo much more red potato and vegetable than corned beef that I felt like I was forced to ration my meat throughout the duration of the meal. Otherwise I would have finished at least a good 20 minutes before the other ladies did. Eggs were cooked to perfection though. Angie B. proudly requested, then proudly shared, the aforementioned French Toast Orgy and it was delicious. I can't say anything negative about orange spiced anything. Yogurt/granola/fruit combo was definitely a great pairing, and just a touch of syrup made this a great morning meal. Natalie M. got the special omelette of the day and I LOVED IT for its unabashed display of garlic heaven. Our fourth food lover ordered the 9-grain oatmeal and although it was pretty good for being her 'detox' meal, it still was what it was... 9 grains which were pretty distinctly tasted. Coffee was so-so, owner (operator?) personally brought me strawberry jam in the absolute kindest manner possible which REALLY impressed me. Overall I'm sure this joint can boast of better food, but until then, I'll just keep indulging in my Orgy, thank you. read more

Stopped here for Brunch on a Sunday with my boyfriend and we were really happy with our experience! It's a little pricey but definitely with hefty portions you won't leave hungry. I got the special pumpkin French toast and it was probably some of the best French toast I've had. My boyfriend got the special meat omelette which he could hardly finish...quite the rarity. The food does take a bit to come out so be prepared to wait but the staff are friendly and welcoming and after all it's brunch! Relax and enjoy the people you're with while waiting no need to rush! Coffee here is excellent as well! read more

Finally got a chance to check this place out. The occasion...my old high school friend was visiting from NYC, I had Monday off work and we earned it by staying up drinking whiskey till 5am ;-) Fortunately for us Kate's serves breakfast 'till 3pm. Yea! I order the "big boy" or something like that. The dish came with two eggs, two strips of bacon, sausage patty, and cormeal buttermilk pancakes. I order my eggs overeasy and they came out perfectly...goopy yellow centers..mmmm! The cornmeal pancakes were really tasty. I like the extra texture the cornmeal adds to the pancakes. The place is a bit dingy, the bathroom is no exception, plus the fact that you have to walk thru the kitchen to get to it. Overall the food was good, but given the choice I'd probably head to the Pork store. I'm givin' 3.5 stars. I will be back to try the French Toast Orgy, it looks tasty. Plus this place is like a 5 minute walk from my place, serves breakfast till 3pm and it's a good bargain for the amount of food you get. Now if I could only find a good local brunch place that serves Bloody Mary's too! read more

I love coming here for a little down home brunch. My stars almost entirely go to the following: --Both of the fruit/yogurt/granola concoctions are amazing and well worth their inexpensive price. --The green onion and cheddar biscuits are also delicious, as well as their hush puppies. --They also serve a delightful cup of OJ --Ambiance/people watching is never disappointing It pays to come a bit earlier, as the line can get a little out of control. read more

Mmmm... breakfast all day. Great coffee. Crazy people outside. The waiter was a little unfriendly. Somehow forgetting to give us utensils was a humanizing experience for him and he became a lot nicer. I got the corned beef hash which has big chunks of potatoes, onions, carrots and corned beef. Drop some eggs on top and some bread on the side and you're golden. It was a good deal at $8.50 but not a culinary masterpiece. I'd probably go back if I were sticking around San Francisco and hope for a friendlier experience next time. read more

I was made a very happy girl Saturday morning when my sweetheart agreed to stopping for breakfast the rainy day after Halloween. Note* there is an actual wait list posted outside the door. Sometimes people miss this and newcomers get seated first. After my last experience with the delicious French toast orgy, I decided I should probably go with something lighter, so I ordered the fruit orgy (ok, still a lot more than one person should eat in a single sitting). All the same fruit/yogurt/granola/honey goodness but without the sinfully fantastic French toast. Coffee is mediocre (there were a few grounds in the bottom of my cup, truth be told). On the way out, I noticed a spectacular-looking large biscuity thing balanced on the edge of a plate one table over. Turns out my keen eyesight did not deceive, it was, in fact, a biscuit. So, I did what any self respecting girl who'd just forgone the French toast in favor of a healthier breakfast should do and ordered a biscuit to go. It arrived, probably 10 minutes later (I think the waitress forgot). It was hot, flaky, cheese and green onion flavored goodness. I'll be back to try all those indulgent menu items I've neglected thus far and enjoy the fruit orgy again. read more

I had the oatmeal which was a multi-grain with fruit affair that they served with maple syrup. I rather enjoyed it. I wanted to try the cornmeal pancakes but I wasn't hungry enough unfortunately. My friend got the meatloaf sandwich which he thoroughly enjoyed. The menu seemed pretty diverse as far as breakfast and lunch go. I also tried the ginger ale which they make there but it was late in the afternoon. This meant that it was pretty flat but otherwise pretty gingery. This place has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward to continuing my research in the near future. They do pack you in though. read more

Breakfast, the most sturdy of meals to start off a good day. My friend was in town and we stumbled across Kate's Kitchen due to the idea of having Hush Puppies in the morning. She completely sold on the idea, me feeling a little nervous for my aching stomach. My tastebuds require copious amounts of coffee in the morning and very little else but we decided to give a few things ago. This is not a tapas bar but we ordered like one. For the food: Hush Puppies *Small fritters fried just right, not burned and served with whipped honey butter. I would have like plain honey minus the butter but they were still a sweet surprise. Corned Beef Hash *Carrots, there are carrots with the big chunks of corned beef and potatoes. An egg served medium was placed atop everything and oozed its yolk goodness into it. Orange Spiced French Toast w/fruit, yogurt and granola *I do believe that my 4th quandrant of my stomach opened up with eating a few pieces of this. I'm not sure if it was plain or vanilla yogurt but there was a slight bitter taste to the dish. A little fresh honey would have done it just right! I liked this cozy little quick brefassis place in lower haight and may go back if in a hugely hungover stupor! Their servings were too big for my mini stomach : ( Prices were dirt cheap considering all of the food you're getting and the decor is fun with a huge map of the country on a side wall. read more

We had great memories of this place and since we had business in the city we decided to have breakfast there. Unfortunately, we had a dismal experience. We ordered our food...and waited...and waited. We were waiting a good half hour when my husband inquired how much longer it would be. We were told there were online orders ahead of us! It would have been helpful if the waitstaff had informed us from the very beginning that we'd be subjected to a very long wait, and that we would see people who came in after we did get served way before us.As we had an appointment, We couldn't wait any longer, so we left a five dollar bill on the table for the coffee we had. They really need to change their service policy. This left a very bad taste in my mouth and I don't think we are going to be back. read more

Four-star food plus huge portions equals five-star rating. The first time I got the French Toast Orgy (one of the most aptly named meals I've eaten in my life), and the second time I got the breakfast scramble. Very reasonable prices, and the homemade sausage is absolutely incredible. Either go here really early or really late on a Saturday or Sunday though, don't go between 9 and 11. I often wonder if the 3.5 star-review is due to all the stupid hipsters who intentionally enjoy criticizing what everyone else likes. read more

No complaints here! Walk over, put your name on the list by the door, and get seated. I got the corned beef hash with eggs over easy and a biscuit. Oozy eggs over crispy potatoes and tender bits of corned beef? I am so totally there. The BF got the NL West omelette, which was full of sausage, tomato, pesto, and other goodies. And, of course, melty, gooey, delicious cheese! We were both very happy with the food, which came quickly, and the service, which was friendly. I'll definitely come back! read more

Amazing food. Even better people. I went there on a friday evening and was treated to live music by Sons of the Beach: a local jazz band. I ordered Mary's fried chicken. It was delish. :-) The chicken itself was crispy. But what won me over was the garlic mash. Would gladly go here again. read more

Kate's Kitchen - Mary's fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

The corn beef hash is out of control amazing, but don't expect it to look like canned hash - 5 stars The egg sandwich and home fries are average - 3 stars We got there at 9am on a Sunday and there was no wait, but by the time we finished eating people were lining up outside. read more

Their strawberry jam is crack! Took a bus to come here for breakfast. It was worth it. The apple juice was super delicious. The meat in their breakfast hash is super fatty and delicious. The carrots, um, not so good. But they didn't ruin the meat in anyway. I just picked around it and only ate the meat. But it was the jam that was so freaking good. It really taste like strawberries although I know it is just jam. I swear I can just eat that with like 10 slices of bread and I'm super happy! Total came out to $20+ for 2 ppl. Well worth it. read more

Heaven in my mouth, each and every time. I've never had to wait, and the service is always shiny, happy people. Really, I can't even single out anything to recommend, it's all so good! But the honey butter is special indeed. I want to slather myself with it, lick it off, rinse, and repeat. read more

It's nice to find new little spots in the city. Not in the sense that this place is new... but it's new to me. We had just finished getting our visas (Brazil trip, woohoo!) and we were looking to score some brunch. My good friend Miker (shameless plug/see his reviews here: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=xObzTAC6gsFH6XKhc9yRYQ) suggested we try out Kate's. A less than 10 minute trip lands us right into Haight. Awesome sunny day, feelin' good. Let's do dis ting. Once you walk in, you really know you're in San Francisco. The environs just scream classic Bay Area. Surrounded by lots of local folks as well. We were able to quickly find seats even though there was a good amount of people in this kinda sorta hole in the wall. Lot's of breakfast and lunch options and they have their specials listed in chalk on the wall. First off, I want to say that the service was kind, friendly, and prompt. Big thanks to our waitress and server. Food was ordered and brought to us in a timely manner. The food itself? I really really wanted to love it. I liked it though. I ordered the Big Men's/Man (I don't remember which one it is) Breakfast with some gluten-free pancakes (since i'm a health nut stickler like that, sometimes). The pancakes! I enjoyed them a lot, no complaints there. Thick cut bacon was a treat as well, as always. The sausage patty and eggs... small servings and sort of dried out (especially the sausage). I asked my friends how they liked their food. They said it was ok. My friends had the corn beef hash and they noticed the potatoes were somewhat on the burnt side. All in all? Good to decent eating experience. Prices and extremely reasonable and the service is good too. I just wish the food side of things was a little better. Also, bring cash as this place is cash only. Not a complaint (well, maybe a little) but more of a PROTIP. read more

I got the breakfast burrito, whatever it's called. It's giant, came with a bunch of potatoes. Staff was very kind and attentive, even for a take-out customer. I'd come here again. read more

Great service, nice place, and excellent breakfast food! I had the standard breakfast with homemade sausage and a biscuit. The portions are generous and everything was cooked perfectly, including my eggs. The sausage has a lot of garlic, I think, and the biscuit has a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and some other herbs. My wife had the French Toast Orgy that she loved. The OJ tasted freshly squeezed. I'll definitely go back! read more

First time customer orders delivery and is delighted! Wow, the chicken fried steak was delicious, juicy, tasty and oh so good, the habanero burger made my night, seriously good. But it was the Texas Fries that knocked my socks across the room, so very good, a must eat. Great food, must try. Enjoy! read more

Still one of my favorite brunch spots after all this time. Food is always great, interesting flavor combinations for specials, relaxed and friendly service, neighborhood vibe. Real SF vibe. read more

Best breakfast ever. The conmeal bacon cheddar pancakes are to die for. Friendly staff, excellent coffee!!!! Thank you

Consistently a good breakfast. I'm a big fan of the corn-meal pancakes and when totally starving, I get the "Big Guy's Breakfast", which is a ton of food, and I'm usually full until dinnertime. The specials are usually good, too. When I lived in Lower Haight I remember the wait to get in being epic, kind of like Pork Store on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but lately the lines haven't been bad at all and two people can get in pretty quick. The service has always been friendly and prompt. One tip - the breakfast potatoes here aren't the best in town (in my opinion) - the hot setup is to get the very generous bowl of fruit instead of the potatoes. Very good. There is always music playing there, which is cool, but a few times it has been deafening - not so cool. Breaky for two is usually around $20-ish. read more

Went here with three other friends on a three-day mini vacation to SF. Found it on some traveler magazine thought it would be a tourist trap then Yelped it and saw all the great reviews. My visit that day was on point. I didn't try the french toast orgy, which I regret. I always say order the unique/staple item on the menu. But I did try the Cornmeal pancake and hush puppies with pooh butter. Yum, everything was fresh out the kitchen. I also got the Corn beef hash with potatoes. I wish they put a little more time into cutting the potatoes and veggies to appropriate size and uniformity, but who am I to ask that when the place was soo busy and they need to fulfill orders? Anyways Kate's Kitchen, SF you were great! read more

Can someone tell me what it says on the wall? This place rocks. - the food comes in heaping servings and it all tastes amazing. We had a short 10 minute wait on a Sunday afternoon. The french toast can feed an army! Many of their dishes include unique ingredients and combinations of toppings. There are so many things on the menu to try, I'll definitely come back. read more

Medicore everything. The food is hit or miss with some dishes are fantastic and other are really lackluster. The Meat Scramble special was particularly mushy, but the french toast is great. Crispy and delicious. The hush puppies were so dry and mealy I had to drench them in the delicious pooh butter to get them down. The service is equally crap shooty. There are some great staff here and the food is prepared quickly, which is nice. But the other day I was told by the make-shift host that my party of 2 could not have the open window seat as it is reserved for parties of three. And not more than 5 minutes later, that same host sat a party of 2 at that very table. Clearly not an oversight or mistake as only a few minutes had passed, and while I'm sure there's a rational explanation for the obvious double standard, it still left a very bad taste in my mouth. Will I go here again? I doubt it. I've been 3 times, each instance telling myself to give them another shot, but I've done my due diligence and Kate's Kitchen has come up short. read more

I've visited Kate's a few times for brekkie recently, and I love it. It's sparesly decorated inside, but cute. You can't go wrong with the cornmeal or oatmeal pancakes with fruit. The specials on the chalkboard are great too. Good coffee. The waiters are friendly and the owner was a cool dude. The space is a little tight, and the wait can be annoying, but a walk in that area is always an interesting experience. You may need to find an ATM, because it's cash only. read more

I really like Kate's. It's cozy, the food is made with care and the portions are immense. I dig the amount of fruit them put atop brunchy things, like pancakes. Seldom am I delighted by lots of fruit, I guess I'm finding alot of brekkie places that cut up a single strawberry and a few piece of banana and call it good. The french toast is delicious, but I strongly recommend setting aside the menu until after you've read through all of the daily specials on the chalkboard. Else, you might miss something like pumpkin-chocolate-whipped cream zomg so delicious :) I don't prefer cornmeal pancakes, the texture and taste is kinda weird to me but the lemon curd and fruit made it good. Just a heads up for anyone who wonders why the pancakes taste different. Skip the beneigh/hush puppies unless you truly are a fan of cornmeal. The coffee. *cough* Eeeee! Okay! I get that Kate's has a unique and locally-roasted brand, something very different. It sets them apart from the norm, they're proud of it. I'm occasionally okay with chicory but most mornings I'd rather not and they do not have an alternative to their alternative chicory-coffee blend. Has anyone fully deciphered the 1337 speak sentences painted on the wall? I'm missing the first few bits. read more

We went to Kate's last Saturday for brunch. I was more in the mood for lunch fare so I ordered the self-proclaimed "fancy grilled cheese," which was fancy, I believe, because of the tomatoes in it. Or the pesto. I'm not sure which is fancier. It was good nonetheless, and it was served at the non-fancy price of $6.50. My boyfriend ordered banana pancakes with walnuts, one of the many cornmeal pancake specials for the day. I didn't try them, but they looked delicious and he was happy. My other friend ordered a meat omelette that looked gross to me, but only because I don't eat sausage or bacon. Come to think of it, I didn't ask him whether he liked or not, but he had been to Kate's many times before and ordered the same thing, so I'm gonna put him down for a "Yay! I'm a fan" vote. read more

The french toast orgy was good, but not great. Without the orange spice on the side it was pretty bland. But the portions were HUGE and the granola added a nice crunch. A pretty casual place; servers aren't overbearing which I like, but they also don't refill your water etc. unless you ask. Cheap & convenient for weekday brunching. read more

Our server was a doll. The ambiance is friendly. Lots of things to look at. Liked the huge mural of the United States (a depiction of the US glory days with no defining red vs. blue stuff, more pure and nice). The food is meh. Patrick ordered pancakes. Dude, if you order pancakes, you expect your standard buttermilk right? Fluffy and light? Yeah, well...no. These were heavy, mushy cornmeal. You'd think they would alert you on the menu that you were in for cornmeal pancakes but no. Apparently some people love these - OK fine - but they should at least give you a heads up that's what you're getting. Disappointing. I had eggs. My breakfast was fine, nothing exceptional. As I said: sweet people, nice service, cute atmosphere, but meh on food. read more

Been going to Kates kitchen for god, like 15 years? This is a comfort food place and I have to admit, I come here for one thing and one thing only: the bacon cheddar cornmeal pancakes (BCCP). That's it. I have ventured offpath a few times in history, but always end up regretting it as there's just nothing like the BCCP anywhere else. And so, I have come to terms with my single-minded obsession here. One thing that could use improvement is the coffee; it's a bit hit-or-miss. It's always a very thick, strong cup but sometime it's just lukewarm and on occasion has tasted a bit burnt. This is a minor quibble. This is also one of the best breakfast deals in SF, which gets it an extra star for outstanding value. The wait usually isn't that bad or is nonexistent by the time we usually get here (after 1:30). Service is good and I tip over 20% due to how cheap the meal is. They recently remodeled the place to, so it's pretty pimp and has better layout and, you know, feng shui. Somehow that mural of the US with all the stuff going on just never gets old. Overall 4.5 stars, but rounding up. read more

I was torn between giving this place a 3 or a 4 but I erred on the side of not being too generous today. I honestly picked this place because it was the slowest breakfast place at the time when I was in SF and I was just so hungry I didn't care where I ate. They the wait list outside and you put your own name on it and how many are in your party, and they call you in based on that. The table I was seated at with my friend was right next to a couple. These tables were so close that you would have thought we all knew each other and were sitting together. It was highly uncomfortable. The venue is a little close for comfort anywhere inside. The atmsophere is definitely fits its location. Very "hipster" I apologize for lack of a better word right now. They do have vegan and gluten free options. My food was sort of sub par. The "house fries" which are actually cubed red-skinned potatoes were amazing. My toast was very burnt, which I felt they could have invested time to just redo my toast. My eggs were good but they were scrambled and its hard to mess that up. And my sausage was disgusting and it looked like it wasn't real meat. The reason I give this place a 3 is because the staff was very friendly. Our waitress came by just enough to make sure that we were taken care of but she wasn't overbearing. read more

Pros: Service Good and strong coffee that the servers keep refilling Tasty bacon Homemade sausage Eggs Benny w/ homemade sausage, mushrooms and grilled onions! Hubby really liked the pancakes w/syrup. Portions Price Cons: Potatoes tasted like the grill needed cleaning/older oil. They were fine w/salt and ketchup added. Potentially the noise level. We were one of only 4 tables in the early a.m. plus staff. We were able to converse, but with a full crowd which showed up by 9:30, it was getting more difficult. Tip: Go at opening time and reap the reward that is Kate's! read more

I go there when I crave biscuits and gravy. Its more of a sausage thing I guess, biscuits & sausage gravy. Sausage on the side. I can't explain it. Not worth the wait. If you're in the mood for this kind of average din, then stop in if there is no line. read more

Like most 9-5ers, I look forward to going out for brunch every weekend. In San Francisco, I've become accustomed to grabbing a coffee before writing my name on clipboard, and braving a long line before settling in to eat. Kate's Kitchen is among my top ten favorite brunch spots in the SF. Your choices run from savory to sweet, and sometime feature a combination of both (cheddar on pancakes with bacon). Always order the Hush Puppies and get a side of honey to go with 'em. I'm a fan of the French Toast Orgy - it has "orange & spice" infused bread with fresh fruit, vanilla yogurt, homemade granola, and honey. It is amazing. read more

I have been here 4 times and each time I have been disappointed. The food just seems like it is all thrown in a pan and then plopped on your plate. The coffee is good and the scrambbles are creative, but I have never been impressed by their offereings. Burnt toast, cold potatoes and hardly cooked eggs. 2 stars because of the hushpuppies and poo (honey) butter... read more

It's all about the hushpuppies with pooh honey butter. I don't know where else to get them. Even so, these are probably better. Get them. They are a deal and filling and so amazingly good. Otherwise, this place is above average. They have amazing specials. Good for vegans, green folks, etc. Lots of choices. Coffee is good and strong. Warning: This place gets extremely crowded and loud and you will have to wait outside a long time if you come at the wrong time. The only take cash as well. read more

Went with friends early last Saturday morning so we did not have to wait in line. Let me tell you at 9:30am you can easily get a table, Around 10am is when it starts filling up. Ordered hush puppies while we decided. The honey butter was great and made up for the fact that the hush puppies size was too big to allow for the proper fried cornmeal flavor. I got the biscuits in gravy. When I lived in New Orleans Chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy was one of my breakfast faves. Now I realize California is far more health conscious than New Orleans but the gravy tasted like corn chowder rather than white gravy. If you are going to make southern style gravy you can't use vegetables. Enough Said. Additionally I am not sure how they managed this but the grits were sort of watery...and cheese grits was not an option on the menu. Grits with out cheese is like peanut butter with out jelly. The space was cute and our servers were really pleasant, did not rush us, and continually filled up our coffee/water. I would probably try this again for more California styled brunch cuisine. But won't go in with the hope of authentic southern soul cooking. read more

Solid breakfast and lunch joint. I eat here when I'm working from home but never on the weekends, just too crowded relative to food quality. I mean it's good, but not worth waiting in line for 30 minutes over. Coffee is subpar. But the breakfast deal on weekdays ain't bad. I think it's 5 bucks for coffee and basic egg-related breakfasty items. Unfortunately, it's kind of embarassing to have to say "rooster booster" or "flanched farney garney" in public. Also, places that serve breakfast on weekdays should seriously consider being open before the crack of 9am. If you choose to brave the crowds on weekends or stray from the, um, rooster booster, the pancakes are really good and HUGE portion. Hush pups are delish as well. Sometimes I see Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi in here for breakfast. Shouldn't he be at City Hall or something? read more

Hashbrowns, toast, eggs are things you can get anywhere. But the PANCAKES are DELICIOUS! I think they are made from cornmeal, and have a slight gritty texture, but are still light and fluffy. I'm drooling right now as I remember how they taste. Pancakes get 4 stars. read more