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    Sam's Chowder Mobile

    3.6 (162 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Food Trucks
    Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Sam's Chowder Mobile Photos

    SAM'S CHOWDER MOBILE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Lobster roll
    Bianca G.

    I looked up the spot when I was visiting the Academy of sciences. Of course I came to Yelp. And let me tell you this spa is literally so freaking good. We got the lobster roll since we had ordered some tacos from the spot next to it to try it. However, the spot 100% beat the taco spot. The lobster roll was fresh and it was packed with lobster. I feel like a lot of places just don't give you any lobster or lobster rolls or it's generally not that good. This spot lives up to its hype. It is literally so good. The bread is buttery. The lobster is fresh and well seasoned. Service was kind of quick I mean we went to the food truck so it was just kind of an order and then you pick up your plate. They do have this food spot though like right by the academy of sciences, so it was really nice area with a really nice scenery. I will 100% be back and try this spot if I am ever around town again.

    Lobster catering
    Steph K.

    Sam's provided a great mobile catering experience with selections of lobster, seafood, shrimp, clams, mussels boil was delicious. Andouille sausage and coleslaw yummy! Watermelon and lemon slices served. Highly recommend for catering. Friendly on-time service.

    Lobster roll
    Nick C.

    One of the rare food trucks in the Bay area that doesn't serve up the kind of slop that one might eat in a fever dream. Lobster rolls have gorgeously buttered bread, are generously portioned with sweet-tasting fresh lobster, with a lovely light dressing that doesn't overwhelm. Coleslaw is good. Old bay fries are lovely. If only it weren't so expensive...

    Front to back: clam chowder, fries, lobster roll, fried calamari
    Hannah C.

    I'd be happy following this food truck around because the food is just that good! Sam's Chowder Mobile seems unassuming from the outside - it's a simple red truck. However, the seafood is fresh, and the portions are generous. The service was really speedy despite the long line. I got a variety of dishes to try. Sam's Famous Lobster Roll is well-known for good reason. The buttery roll is heaped with loads of lobster. Every single bite is packed with butter, bread, and delicious lobster meat. The roll comes with a side of cole slaw, a fresh contrast to the rich lobster. The New England Clam Chowder is creamy and delicious - the chowder contains clams, potatoes, and bacon in every scoop. The Fried Calamari is beautifully crispy and comes with a good selection of sauces. Lastly, the fries are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I really consider Sam's to have some of the best seafood in the Bay. I'm looking forward to my next visit!

    Avivi W.

    I stopped by try their lobster roll and clam chowder and it was not so great... The lobster roll somehow it tastes like medicine and I'm not sure why?? The clam chowder was alright but it mostly consisted of celery and potatoes with minimal clams in it.

    Fish and chips and chowder in the park
    Jordon B.

    A much needed respite after a great exhibit at the De Young museum. It was a bit pricy, but the food was excellent. We had the clam chowder and fish and chips. The chowder was the perfect consistency, not too thick, with plenty of tender clams and potato chunks. The fish and chips were delicious ( fish needed a little salt) but the coating was crispy and not greasy, and the fish flaked beautifully. Fries were nicely seasoned. A good lunch stop!

    Spicy popcorn shrimp
    Jenna C.

    This truck comes by San Francisco General Hospital during lunch sometimes. I usually order the fish and chips which seem very fresh, crispy, and tasty. Today I ventured out and tried the spicy popcorn shrimp, and I was a little disappointed. The spice they put on the crispy shrimp was sprinkled on at the end and not well mixed. This makes the shrimp soggy with the pieces that were sprinkled with the hot sauce. The other pieces were pretty bland tasting. Although the shrimp is very plump and fresh, next time, I will go back to my old order of the two piece, fish and chips. This truck is pretty pricey but at least all the seafood is fresh

    Lobster roll with butter
    Lynn F.

    This review is solely about the magnificent lobster roll drenched in butter, on a slightly elevated hotdog bun. I like the competing as well, but Sam's is more generous with the lobster meat. Usually a claw or two in there. Food slathered in butter? Yes, please. So why the side of slaw slathered in mayo? No thank you. Yeah, I'm a picky eater. Further proof: I know the truck says chowder, but I'm a strict Manhattan tomato base fan, so I'm not having it. I'm sure it's good. Three cheers for the lobster roll! Every time they're in Levi Plaza I'll be there.

    Crab cake
    Mary Ann B.

    My fave item from this truck is the crab cake. Sam's crab cakes are all crab and minimal filler. I love that because I hate when crab cakes are mostly fillers. Items that are shareable for the price are the shrimp popcorn and calamari. The shrimp and fish tacos are huge. Unfortunately my fish tacos were bland as hell. The clam chowder is good and great on cold days.

    2 Piece Fish & Chips
    Eric H.

    An amazing food truck that stops by Levi's Plaza every so often. They have the best Fish & Chips I've ever had. Very large pieces of fish and the fries are seasoned well. Their clam chowder is also pretty decent.

    lobster roll
    Rona C.

    My partner and I went to Sam's chowder mobile because we got hungry and to our surprise, a very tasty lobster roll! The roll is PACKED with lobster and the bun is toasted perfectly with a generous amount of butter. We only visited 2x, but if it was closer to home, we would definitely go more often :) Maybe next time we can try the chowder!

    The Chowder mobile by DeYoung Museum entrance!
    Joanna T.

    Sam's Chowder is fantastic! I have been down to their restaurant down the coast of Highway 1 on my way to Half Moon Bay. For Sam's to have a chowder mobile come up to the City is Awesome! They sell their classic New England clam chowder, fried local calamari, po'boys with choice of bay shrimp, chicken or kielbasa, Old Bay fries ($5), and more! Super easy to order at the window. Use a card and poof it's done (except you do have to sign the screen). The food is so heart warming! The cashier was sweet when I explained that I put my bag down on a bench, took the box of calamari out and then a gust of wind blew the bag to the ground. The Chowder was spilt and my mask were messed up :( Amazingly, after I shared this tale of woe, he gave me another cup of chowder! Definitely tip the truck staff! Another delicious meal from Sam's Chowder in Golden Gate Park!

    Menu 2020
    Ann T.

    Just before COVID founds Sam's at Treasure Island on a very windy day. We had to hold onto our food boats to avoid having them fly away, the seagulls were having a feast! With all that we had some great seafood and an amazing view of the bay! Lobster was fresh and a good portion size, clam chowder warm and hearty and French fries had a Cajun type seasoning . With all the French bread I ate, whatever the babes didn't eat of the fries went literally to the birds!

    Regular lobster roll

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    2 months ago

    Shrimp and fish tacos both pretty bad. It's probably not their specialty though, I would consider trying lobster roll or chowder.

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    I stopped by General hospital and seen this truck i decided to order. The fish was not seasoned at all and the fries was over cooked.

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    Page 1 of 5

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    Spark Social SF

    Spark Social SF

    4.5
    (635 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    SPARK Social SF is one of those places we end up at again and again, usually without overplanning…read moreit. It just works. Open air, a mix of food trucks, people hanging out, dogs everywhere, and that easy San Francisco energy where you can show up however you are and it fits. It never feels like a production, just a good place to land. We have eaten our way through a decent chunk of the trucks at this point, and that is half the fun. One day it is something messy and indulgent, the next it is lighter, but it always hits. Grabbing a drink, finding a spot at the picnic tables, and slowly settling in as the place fills up is kind of the rhythm. It is social without being overwhelming, lively without being chaotic. What keeps us coming back is how consistent it feels in the best way. It is easy, flexible, and always a good time whether you stay for an hour or lose an entire afternoon there. It is the kind of spot that turns into a routine before you even realize it, and honestly, we are not mad about it.

    Spark Social is a great place to host an event. Big ones (company-sponsored), small ones (a group…read moreof friends huddling at a table), really any of them, because they have a couple different set ups that are open for reservations, but they can also accommodate walk-ins with the abundance of seating. Beyond that, the food and drinks are all food truck based. They are all quite good, and there's a wide variety of items. This also means a good variety for folks with different dietary needs, because they are mostly picking their own food. I have always enjoyed my time here, whether it's on company dime or if I'm just hanging out with friends. I do wish that there are more heaters around for the colder days but that's just life in the bay! It can be kind of cold and foggy all seasons here, so if you have a solid group of folks I'd recommend reserving a spot with a fire pit. One more note: parking can be tough. You either have to circle around for street parking, or rideshare here.

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    Off the Grid Fort Mason Center

    Off the Grid Fort Mason Center

    4.2
    (1k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$
    Large group friendly
    Outdoor seating

    Came here this past weekend with family and friends my girlfriend's family and friends as well with…read moreher sister and her boyfriend They have a lot of food trucks and a lot of vendors as well that sell things from jewelry essence six and other HomeGoods. We tried the Filipino food, Ethiopian food and Indonesian food and they were all really good. The lines weren't as bad as last time so maybe about a 10 minute wait for most of the food trucks. Service was good. The ambience was really crowded and there was a lot of people live band music people selling clothes, jewelry earrings, and other home accessories.

    Come to dance, hang, grub, and support small businesses!…read more Night Market: Hosted as a monthly collab by Off the Grid and West Coast Craft -- this night market (7/18/25 specifically) was very well organized and super lively. There were plenty of craft vendors and food vendors, organized space-wise by category: craft vendors were closer to the entrance, food vendors were farther in. My favorites from the craft side were the amount of curated clothes sellers!! Soooo many cute jackets, dresses, tops, skirts, shoes, and bags. There were also a couple music stages playing music -- I liked that they had enough space between them so the sound didn't overlap when you were trying to listen to the artist(s) at either stage. The stage in the back was more of a DJ set, playing house music, and the stage in front had live music -- they had a full band and even a group playing an Irish jig earlier in the day, which was very fun. There were plenty of alcohol stations all around -- in the back, in the front, lining the whole perimeter of the event. There was also a good variety of crafts and a solid selection of food vendors. My only wish is that there had been more sweet options because there were tons of savory options. But overall, everything was very diverse, looked great, and was interesting and unique -- you had Nepali food, Indonesian food, Indian food, Mexican food, etc. -- very ethnically diverse. Overall, I think this is a great event and opportunity to spend time with loved ones (fun for adults and families alike!), grab a bite, and support local businesses! The friend I came with said the market has grown so much since before the pandemic, so it's lovely to see the community show up and show out for this. I hope OTG and WCC continue to host this market! Capelo's Barbecue: My friend and I ordered from Capelo's Barbecue's food truck. We got the 3-meat plate with beef brisket, pork ribs, and BBQ smoked chicken. First -- that line was hella long. We waited about 30 minutes (not including the wait after for the food), but it was fun since I had my friend to talk to. The layout of the menu and pricing were quite clear, so it was easy to decide what we wanted while we waited in line. Also, no dedicated seating area for the truck (night market!). The meats: beef brisket and pork ribs were an extra $2 each on the meat plate. The beef brisket was my favorite -- super smoky and so tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth, but not mushy. Just the perfect texture. Honestly, I wish it had a little more salt to add another layer of flavor besides just meat and smoke, but I still enjoyed the heck out of that brisket. The pork ribs were solid -- not the most amazing ribs I've ever had, but good flavor and texture. They weren't fall-off-the-bone tender, but they had a satisfying chew. I had to put some effort into tearin' the flesh from the bone with my teeth (as you do with ribs), and I liked that. The BBQ smoked chicken? Honestly, nothing special. It was a good, neutral option compared to the brisket and ribs, but the main flavor I picked up was black pepper. Solid chicken breast, but nothing memorable. Even the skin was meh. For the sides, we chose the baked beans and mac and cheese. The baked beans were wonderfully sweet and savory -- they paired perfectly with the BBQ. The mac and cheese was good and worked well with everything, but it wasn't particularly special on its own. Altogether, I think we paid around $32 for the plate. If I hadn't been splitting it with another person, honestly, I don't know if it would've been worth it -- but it was good in the moment. Quite tasty overall.

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    California's largest nighttime street food festival!
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    Kuker

    Kuker

    4.8
    (31 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    I wish I knew about this Bulgarian food truck sooner. Not only is the food really good, the people…read morethere were so nice to me and my pup when we last visited them. I love their food--the Kebapche. Delicious! Bittersweet because they just announced on IG that they are ceasing their food truck operation. However, it looks like they are doing private catering, etc. Excited to see what's to come. Good luck to them.

    This was one of the food trucks at the Sunday Presidio Pop Up on the Main Parade Lawn (across from…read moreThe Walt Disney Family Museum). When I came here with my friends last time, I remember having a good experience so decided to pay them another visit. Their menu looked smaller with different items this time around. I saw a lot of people ordering the Yogurt Marinated Chicken ($17.00 + tax), so I decided to order that. +Even though the grilled Mary's Chicken looked dry, it was moist and juicy. Never thought of yogurt as a marinade, but hey it works! +Organic spring mix salad was fresh and lightly dressed w/vinaigrette. +Lutenitsa, a Bulgarian spread made with roasted red peppers and other veggies, was flavorful and not spicy. -Chicken was burnt in a lot of parts: Seems like it was left too long on the grill -Herb polenta cake was soft, but bland. Other items I tried during my last visit: +Black Sea Fisherman's Stew +Baklava Side notes: 1.) Check the Presidio's website for their schedule: https://presidio.gov/explore/park-attractions/presidio-pop-up-schedule 2.) Enjoy your meal on the picnic tables or lawn. 3.) Paid parking lots: Bring coins b/c there's a surcharge for credit cards. *Verdict: If the chicken wasn't burnt, it would have been a winner winner chicken dinner.

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    Kebabche
    Kebabche
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    Monastirska Chorba
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    New food truck!
    California Kahve

    California Kahve

    4.3
    (56 reviews)
    3.7 mi

    If you like your coffee strong and bitter, you'll like this coffee truck!…read more Located in Presidio this is a great addition to a day out -- espresso drinks and non caffeinated ones as well, and they carry some pastries too. Although we didn't get any end of day, they were sold out. Also, expect a queue! Cappuccino was strong, Mocha was delicious and not over sweet. I'll definitely come back whenever I revisit Presidio.

    I stopped by California Kahve while walking through the Presidio. The food truck setup is genuinely…read morecharming, and there was a long line, which made it feel like a must-try. Between the location and the aesthetic, I was excited to see what the hype was about. My friend and I ordered the turmeric golden latte and the butterfly pea latte from the "botanical + herbal" section. Both drinks looked beautiful, but they tasted surprisingly thin and pretty flavorless. There wasn't much depth or richness, and we were confused because we expected a latte-style drink to include espresso. After asking the barista, we learned that the botanical + herbal drinks don't come with coffee or espresso at all. That wasn't clearly indicated, and the word "latte" definitely led us to assume otherwise. To their credit, the barista was kind and offered to add an espresso shot to my drink once I mentioned the confusion. After the addition, it tasted significantly better and finally had some body. I just don't understand why that wouldn't be the default or at least clearly labeled on the menu. The concept and setting are appealing, but the experience itself felt underwhelming.

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    Presidio.
    Presidio.
    Golden turmeric latte
    Golden turmeric latte
    California Kahve

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    Leo's Tacos

    Leo's Tacos

    4.0
    (121 reviews)
    6.3 mi

    Was looking for a place that did lengua tacos and this place came up…read more 3 dollars for al pastor tacos and 4 dollars for the lengua. It was so good. The spicy sweetness of the habanero salsa is amazing. My new go to when I have a taco craving.

    What's better than the ocean/beach and tacos?!?…read more I've been a super fan of Leo's tacos since my LA days, and when Leo brought one of his food trucks up to the Bay Area, it was inevitable that I would try out the tacos! The Leo's taco truck literally is located in San Francisco/Ocean Beach with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Leo's taco trucks are known in Southern California as THE taco truck for reasonably priced street tacos, that are beyond delicious. The experience at the San Francisco/Ocean Beach taco truck was great. For the most part it mirrors the LA experience, which is exactly what I wanted. It's like having a piece of home. Menu prices are nonexistent so there's no way to determine exactly what you're going to be charged. I ordered two Al pastor tacos, and was charged seven dollars which included tax. I really like that they always include a piece of pineapple with the Al Pastor. The tacos were absolutely yummy. The meat was flavorful, but definitely not as juicy as the LA version. Plus, they don't seem to be as generous with meat at this location as they are in LA. The talk of themselves are not the traditional small street tacos, and yet they're smaller than the traditional sized tacos. They do provide bagged condiments that include sauces and radish. I was super hesitant to try them because of some of the other reviews. Tasty tacos, and if you've ever been to Leo's, and you, in this part of the Bay Area, it's definitely worth a stop.

    Photos
    Leo's Tacos
    Al Pastor Nachos
    Al Pastor Nachos
    Exterior

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    Exterior

    Sam's Chowder Mobile - seafood - Updated July 2026

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