Hank’s Eats

R.I.P.
I brought my meet up group to Hank’s last night for some hookah and sandwiches, but to my surprise it was closed and had a «looking for new owner» sign. I guess they didn’t find one because it’s going to turn into a restaurant called Eleven O Nine. The owner Ike Aboubzou (not to be confused with Ike’s Place owner Ike Shehadeh) also owns Bite in Nob Hill. Haven’t tried his sandwiches but it’d be nice if the new place still offered hookah and BYOB like Hank’s did.
Looking back, the best item on the menu at Hank’s was the pulled pork sandwich. They keep it simmering in a crock pot all day so if you order one late at night, oh man. Hookah, sandwiches, BYOB and never crowded was too good to be true I guess :(

We swung into Hank’s on New Year’s Eve before heading out for the night’s entertainment. It was surprisingly quiet — like we were the only people in there quiet — and kind of dark. We weren’t 100% sure they were open in fact, even though the door was propped open, until we saw a man come out of the kitchen.
We stepped up to the counter to order and I chose tater tots with blue cheese (a favorite of mine that’s hard to go wrong with) and a cheeseburger. I have to say the burger was just okay, nothing to write home about there. And I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to make a special trip to eat the burgers or tots here.
The last disappointment was I was looking forward to trying the watermelon sangria everyone has raved about only to be told they weren’t serving alcohol. Whether they weren’t serving it that night or any more remains a mystery as the man who took our order never really gave us a straight answer.

I’ve passed this place dozens of times on my way home from school, and finally decided to drag my husband here for lunch. I have to admit that it’s not quite as fun on the inside as it is on the outside (the service was a little spotty, which made me feel a bit awkward), but the wall décor is pretty cool and the food is good. I had the «cravin’ bacon melt», which was somewhat bizarre but quite tasty nonetheless. My husband ordered the sweet potato fries based on previous Unilocal reviews, and they were everything we’d hoped for. I certainly enjoyed my meal here and would recommend the place to anyone who wants a quick bit-o’-tastiness, but to be perfectly honest the main reason I’m posting a review here is so I can steal a quote from Look Around You:
«Thanks, Hank’s… Thanks.»

Surprisingly tasty, big grilled sandwiches for about $ 8. Cheap beers ($ 2 for PBR and $ 3 for others), open until 2a (i think) and centrally located on Polk, Hank’s is a great random dining option.
— Tuna «Make Me Melt» ($ 6.99): thought I’d get my weekly dose of healthy proteins by sharing a tuna melt. dunno what I was expecting but this was super tasty — hot buttered foccacia bread, melted cheese, and lots of creamy tuna with a bit of relish tang. and the sandwich itself was quite big.
— Parisian ($ 7.25): thick slab of brie, sweet pear slices (canned kind possibly), ham and maybe another meat, were pressed together in a savory sweet combo.
Hank’s offers a host of creatively constructed sandwiches, hot dogs and other treats. I’d definitely come back for another bite or two.

What a disappointment! I live literally right across the street and have been eyeing this place for quite some time. When I walk by (even when I’m sober) I get a whiff of yummy smelling food.
So I came in for a burger and fries this past week. The fries looked shriveled and were so bland. I poured hot sauce alll over it just so I would have some flavor. The burger came out on a kaiser roll and lacked in so much flavor. I dont know how it could have happened. But I was extremely sad. This would have been my go-​to burger place when I get those cravings.
I will give this place another try and order something different… until then…

YO YO YO my polk gulch homies!
I just got back from a heart attack — I’m okay but it feels like I have a softball stuck in my chest.
Hank’s Frank plus sweet potato fries might kill you but it will feel so good.

The sweet potato fries definitely pushed Hank’s into a 4 star review.
After sweaty bikram with JC and Ian, food was necessary to continue living, so we wandered down Polk and found ourselves here.
It didn’t take me too long to figure out what I wanted. I saw a grilled sammich that had brie and toasted almonds. I was all over it (Parisian).
Oh, and the basket of sweet potato fries. The basket was huge, so prepare to share.
We sat and loitered for a bit, eating and talking, cooling off from class. It was about 2PM on a Monday and the place was relatively quiet and low key, which was nice. Food was good, nothing spectacular, but far from awful.

Wow. I would have never imagined I’d love this place so much. The pulled pork (Porky’s Revenge) is a definite hit, but my favorite is the Hong Kong Phooey hot dog. It’s like eating a hot dog version of a Chinese chicken salad.
My one complaint is that their fries (garlic fries, sweet potato fries …) are a bit on the soggy side and I prefer them crispy, but they were not bad.
Bring your 24 Hour Fitness membership and score 10% off. How awesome is that?
JONASAPPROVED!

As I drag my ass up the incline to the gym day after day, I pass by Hanks each time.
«Hanks?» I think with it’s unpretentious sandwich board tempting me with the sweet potato fries/​garlic fries sign promptly signaling me in. Dam you Hanks!
Came in for lunch and had the «Poor Piglet?» I just can’t remember the name, but anyhow it was the special for the day. 8 hour slow cooked pork, kaiser roll, cheddar cheese and Hank’s special sauce. Soooooo good. Not kidding. They also have huge salads, paninis and wraps. I’m truly impressed with the selection of food and drinks (saketinis anyone?) in this tiny corner hole in the wall.
The man behind the counter looks like he’s better suited at a Twisted Spoke or some biker bar but he whips up gastronomic creations that makes embarrassing noises come out of my mouth. Bless him. This place is not like other small sandwich shops ’cause it’s more than just quick eats. It has a cool laid back feel, especially with it’s loft dining and 80’s old school movies in the background. You’ll feel at home here. I swear.
Oh my gosh, I forgot to mention: $ 2 PBR!!! Woo hoo!

There was a recent change in ownership. The menu is still the same, but the cooking is not. Oh well, I guess you can try and order simple items like hot dogs.
But the bubba burger was bland and doesn’t melt in your mouth anymore. I think the previous guy, Frank, no relation to Hank, who ran the joint took his little book of secrets with him out the door. They said they no longer offer macaroni salad and the potato salad came with a few day old stench. I am going to only lower it one star to give them a little time to adjust. But that is pretty generous.