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Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street, San Francisco, CA

Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street

4.8
4.8
147 Reviews
$30 and under
Regional American (Southern)

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Child-friendly
  • Great for outdoor dining
Hard Knox Café offers San Francisco diners the best in southern home-style cooking. It is sometimes said that someone has gotten their education from the school of “hard knocks” meaning one born from experience rather than classroom training. Southern cooking is much like that as it is most often learned from family and growing up southern rather than a culinary course. Southern cooking also means lots of stick-to-your-ribs goodness and great hospitality. Both are in great supply at the Hard Knox Café. Great soul food like gumbo, po-boys (shrimp or catfish), pulled pork, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, oxtails, BBQ ribs and fried chicken are good for what ails you. Catering services are also offered by the Hard Knox Café.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Comfort Food, Soul food
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00–21:00
  • Phone number
    (415) 752-3770
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    We Do Catering! Contact us for more information.

What 147 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.8Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Child-friendly

  • San Francisco

    Best Service

  • San Francisco

    Great for brunch

  • San Francisco

    Child-friendly

  • San Francisco

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street is a delightful spot for comfort food with a twist. Known for "awesome and friendly service," the cafe offers generous portions and delightful dishes like pulled pork sandwiches and fried chicken. Patrons appreciate the "warm and friendly" atmosphere, making it a beloved neighborhood staple. Outdoor dining is a plus!

148 Reviews
  1. J. Alan

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The server Jake was great. We ate at the Dog Patch location (last day open) The food was exceptional. I am looking forward to visiting the Clement location in the future. All the best to the owners and staff at Hard Knox. Merry Christmas. Thank you!

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  2. Robert

    VIP

    New York City

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food. Have gone here for years. Best fried chicken in town. Good service and reasonable prices 👍

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  3. Daniel

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 14 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service and food good as always. Chicken and waffles excellent.

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  4. Laura

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    First time at Hard Knox Cafe. We chose it because of the reviews and its proximity to the Legion of Honor. We met my niece and nephew and the staff was very accomodating of guest arriving at different times. The food arrived quickly and was very hot which was terrific. The portions are very generous and we had dinner the next night on the leftovers. The food was flavorful without being spicy. We ordered fried chicken dinner with yam fries and salad; ribs with corn and coleslaw; spicy fried chicken with collard greens and another vegetable; and a pulled pork sandwich with fries. We all enjoyed our food and will definitely be returning.

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  5. Kathie

    San Francisco

    142 reviews

    5.0

    142 reviews

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always wonderfully prepared comfort food , served with a smile and a bit of conversation. A wonderful neighborhood main-stay!

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  6. John

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    You won’t leave hungry from Hard Knox! The food is big and yet far more than quantity. From the light and fresh beignets to the best Benedict’s in the city (try the pulled pork or the crab), you will leave happy. And the servers are smart and attentive, with a friendly (but not too familiar) character. Can’t say enough for this place.

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  7. Sue

    VIP

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 6 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I especially appreciated the attentive service snd kindliness of the staff. When I accidentally left my jacket on my chair, they put it away in a closet to be safe until I could come back to retrieve it.

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  8. Suzy

    Vancouver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 1 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service is always the best here! The portions seemed just a tad smaller tonight, but still delicious. Something happened with the OpenTable app. It confirmed my reservation, but when we got to the restaurant, they didn’t receive the rezzy. But, they did their best to accommodate our large party of 8. Thanks Hard Knox staff!

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  9. Eric

    San Francisco

    31 reviews

    3.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on 15 October 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Good, not great fried chicken and waffle. Excellent service.

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  10. Richard

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 12 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My server was exceptionally attentive and made the dining experience worth coming back

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FAQs

Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street does offer delivery in partnership with Chow Now. Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 752-3770.

Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street is rated 4.8 stars by 147 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Hard Knox Cafe on Clement Street

2448 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Area
    Richmond District
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00–21:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Regional American (Southern), Comfort Food, Soul food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
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