Pat's Cafe: A destination for good food, ambiance and stories

There’s something to be said about walking into a cafe for brunch, lunch or dinner and feel at home. Pat’s Cafe attracts with its colorful ambiance, but it’s the consistent food and Pat’s personality that has tourists and locals returning for more. This “destination spot” immediately captures the palatte and heart. Tourists have been known to fall in love with Pat's Cafe. They return several times during their stay in San Francisco.

Pat’s Cafe is located on the end of the Powell-Mason cable car line, at the border of North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf. Pat is on site almost every day and continues to watch over the details of the business she began eleven years ago. Her Cafe is most known for its brunch. Customer favorites include: the Eggs Benedict, the Mexican Omelet (with jalapenos) and Old-fashioned Thick Pancakes.

She recently opened the Cafe for dinner and has started to receive positive feedback. Although the dinner menu is new, Pat already has favorites that she is excited to share with her customers. “My favorite dinner meal is the pork tenderloin. It is delicious and wrapped in bacon. Our hanger steak is very tasty and I encourage our burgers to be made the old-fashioned way, thick and juicy.” She was also happy to share that new dinner specials are created every night.

Even with all the great food, what keeps the customers coming back is Pat. The Cafe’s walls are covered with warm customer letters and pictures. Pat is always willing to share her customer experiences and admits that ‘happy customers’ is why she’s stayed in business for so long.

She talked of one experience were a group of tourists sat in one of her booths during the brunch rush. One man was sitting with his arms folded and seemed unhappy to be at her restaurant. Pat went over to the man to make sure that everything is OK. He replied that his family had made him come to the Cafe when he wanted to go to the International House of Pancakes (IHOP). He didn’t believe there was a difference between Pat’s pancakes and IHOP’s. After the group had finished their meal, Pat went over to check on them and on the man. He was now smiling and said, ”There IS a difference!”

Another one of her favorite stories, is when a tourist entered the cafe to ask Pat if someone famous was sitting inside eating at the restaurant. “Why no,” Pat answered. ‘What made you think that?” The tourist replied, “I saw so many people standing outside your café taking pictures, that I thought there had to be someone famous inside.” Pat exclaimed, “Well I guess the only one that’s famous around here is me.”

Pat’s Cafe is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. Chances are she’s inside, talking to her customers and trying the latest additions to her menu. A cut-out chef stands outside carrying the daily menu. ‘Chef Horhay’ and was once Santa Claus that an artist friend of Pat’s creatively changed.

Pat's Cafe is at 2330 Taylor Street (just off Columbus Avenue), San Francisco, CA 94133 Phone: (415) 776-8735

Menu at Pat's Cafe

Hours: Open 7 days a week for Breakfast and Lunch 7:30 am to 3 pm
Open for Dinner, 5:30 to 9 pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday