Hood Grub @ The Broken Record

Well it’s been close to two years since I ate here last, and I live a few blocks away. It’s gotten better, still nowhere as good as it was prior to being hood grub, but it’s better than when they first took over the food program.
The vibe is still divey with a touch of the ghetto, but the food is tastier and the menu a bit more interesting then my last visit (2 years ago).
The pulled pork sandwich (I refuse to call it a «Sammy» as the menu reads– it’s not 2009 anymore, is tasty and friggin huge. Tje big glaring omission from the menu is no French fries. Not even with the bourgeois. They have tots instead– TOTS ARE NOT THE FUCKIN SAME AS FRIES-don’t get me wrong? I like tots, but give me a fuckin break, I want fries as an option. I can’t be alone in this admonishment either. So speak up people and demand your drenched fries!

in mahbelleh there’s been heartburn & pain
i do know if i can eat it again
can’t stop now! we’ve driven so far
to find this mission diiiiiiiiiiiiivvve…
i wanna know what Grub iiiiiiiiiiiiiss!
nah nuh nuh nuh
i want Hood to showwww meeeee!
awanna feed what Grub issssssss!
aknow Hood can shoooow meeee!
(-_​^) MEATLOAF SAMMY nice but bland.
(-_​^) PULLED PORK SAMMY nice but bland.
(-_​^) TOTINE care to guess?
prepare to drown hot sauce on everything.
no i’m not Hillary Clinton.
i’d like to try brunch andor desserts.

We descended — and by «we» I mean an unexpected party of 30+ people — on Hood Grub last Sunday night for a surprise birthday party. I had called Broken Record to warn them but they didn’t pass the message along to Hood Grub — my bad. These guys worked like crazy to keep the delicious food coming, everyone I talked to said how yummy everything was, and we caught 0 attitude for the lack of communication. Even my lovely yet food picky neighbor was super happy with her order. I cannot emphasize enough how fast I would come back here for another get together — they were completely terrific and we all had a great time! Promise to call you guys directly next time!!! And thanks so much, again!

This place is like sex on a sick. Get the Bleu cheese. You won’t regret it. Tip Jojo.

This place was exactly what we looking for upon arriving to San Francisco. I had made a personal pact to only eat seafood while on the west coast so I without hesitation ordered the Crab patty Sammy. It was refreshing to have (seemingly) fresh seafood on a sandwich coming from Indiana. Who am I to know though; could be naïve of me.
It is a walk up counter, like most San Francisco eateries are. The service was good and the place was dark. We loved it for its almost metal feel. We grabbed a pitcher from the front (Broken Record) and settled in while they brought the food to our table quickly and friendly.
All in all, a great quick place to grab a bite and take in the ambiance of somewhere delightfully grimey.

I’ve been here a handful of times and come back every now and then when I crave a pulled pork sandwich. I come late at night and street parking has never been a problem. Not sure if you’d want to bring your kids considering there’s a bar at the front that you have to walk through to get to the food area in the back. There’s additional outdoor seating in the back. Atmosphere inside the food area is dark with cute lighting and some good hiphop that’s a little too loud.
I always order the Pulled Pork Sammy and the Sweet Potato Tots. Both are really good and they are usually consistent with how they make it. The only thing that disappoints me is watching them make the food. Everything looks pretty processed and packaged. However, the wait for food is very short! You order and pay at the counter, grab a card to place at your table, then they bring the food to you. There’s minimal interaction with the workers (they don’t check in on you), but that’s fine with me.
It’s cash only!

When the original chefs of broken record left, I was sad knowing that one of my favorite go to restaurants was never going to be the same. Then Hood Grub came along and they did a pretty good job keeping with what the broken record food was all about. We stopped by here and there and the food was pretty consistent. But all it takes is one bad experience for it go south. So bad i had to write about it the same night i ordered from there.
First of all, the food took about 40 minutes till we actually got it. Mainly because there was no order for them on bringing out the food. There was another couple that came in 20 minutes after us and watched them enjoy there food before us. Being with a pregnant wife thats hungry was not fun at all. As for the food we ordered the Pulled Pork Sammy, Catfish and Tots, Wings and a side of Sweet Potato Tots.
Lets start with the Pulled Pork. or they should have called it a coleslaw sammy with a garnish of pull pork. By the time we got home it was cold. Yes, we got the food to go but living only a couple of minutes away it shouldn’t have been cold for us to have to warm it up. Biting into it the bread was still toasty, but the pork was very bland and didn’t have enough/​any sauce to be consider pulled pork.
The wings, which mad me really mad because i love wings and to had these made me want to throw up. It wasn’t the taste that did it or the fact that they weren’t hot but for the fact that my pregnant wife ate raw chicken!!! Im praying nothing happens being the same night of eating the food.
As for the catfish and tots they were okay. Didn’t have much flavor and same goes for the coleslaw that came with it. And the sweet potato tots taste just like they always have.
Just to add the cherry on the top of the sundae. As we were watching them make the food. There was a cockroach roaming around the food prep area.

I actually got to see them making the food today, and while before I thought it was legitimate stuff, I now know that most of their food is pre-​processed and packaged. It was kind of disappointing. I’ve been here three times now and service is hit-​or-​miss, as is the food. When it’s good, it’s hot and fresh and fast. When it’s not so great, like it was today, the sauce is bland, and it takes over 20 minutes to put out a single order of tater tots when there are less than 3 – 4 orders ahead of you. I like the vibe of this place because it’s low key, but they could use an extra hand behind the counter and more housemade ingredients.
Plenty of benches to chill on and lots of tables. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but if I need a quick bite, I would be tempted to drop back in and see if they’ve fixed some of the issues.

Damn this was some good grub! No pretense, tucked into the back of a whiskey bar in the Excelsior District, this is worth your while. We split the kale salad (fine), homemade sweet potato tots (bacon aioli on the side was underwhelming). We both had the Hood Burger topped with bacon, blue cheese and a fried egg. Wow! Great flavor and what you could tell were fresh ingredients. Great food surprisingly located in this divey bar! Music in the dining area was way too loud but the patio seating was perfect.

I liked their totine. The gravy was thick, the queso fresco was a nice sub for curd and the tots were crispy. Plus, the brisket was an awesome addition. But, it’s just not the same kind of texture that I want and it falls a little flat on flavor. The tots got soggy way too quickly and the gravy was somewhat bland.

Craving a burger. Thrillist listed the hood burger here as the best burger in the mission. Called in for pick up.
2 hood burgers without the egg & 2 orders of tater tots.
What’s striking to me is that they’re organic. They have their own curry ketchup & garlic aioli sauce. The attention & care w all their ingredients is impressive. That’s something that is expected @ high end & gourmet establishments, but they really go the extra mile here when they don’t have to. They deserve props for that.
The burgers were great. They’re dressed w their garlic aioli. The bacon & the beef were über flavorful. A win.
The tater tots were crisp & delicious. They’re served w their curry ketchup on the side. Another win.
The meal hit the spot. They were great on the phone when ordering, & the menu covers all the right food groups.
4 stars.

Omg the totine was probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten!!! I just recently made a trip to Canada and was living on poutine for three days so to find this in San Francisco made me soooo happy! My girlfriends and I came in Halloween for a quick bite and ordered the pulled pork pizza, the totine of course, and the sweet potato tots with bacon ketchup. Everything was delicious, I will definitely be back for more totine, and I hope it stays on their menu!

This joint used to be my go-​to spot on a Friday night when I just want to kick back at a dive bar w/​some good food. Curious by their brunch menu, I decided to check it out, and boy that was the last time for me!
Services: Don’t expect great customer services when you eat here. From the cashier to the cook, they hardly greet you with a smile and always look annoyed when you ordered.
Food: My go-​to dishes here were the kale salad and tots. Recently I wanted to try their brunch menu so I ordered 2 breakfast items. Mine was a 2 scrambled eggs with toast and potatoes and the other order was some kinda breakfast grits. It took 45 effing minutes for my damn meal to arrive, and there were less than 10 people inside. By the time my food arrived, I had already lost my appetite.
Overall, stay away from this joint unless you want to get shit faced before your food come!

I was surprised by the ambiance. When you walk in, you might be deterred from continuing to the back for their fun food because of the dim lighting, pool tables and graffiti. But as you walk back to the patio and into the diner area there are families enjoying burgers, sandwiches, and other novel small plates like fried asparagus and specialty kale salads.
It is a fun unexpected place to try ! Try it. It’ll be an adventure.

Food is made fresh and hot when it arrives! We tried almost half the menu because everything looked sooo good! I’d recommend the regular tater tots, crab Mac and cheese and the s’more sundae. My husband really loved their turkey leg. Didn’t get a chance to try it.
It does get crowded so be prepared that even though you’ve ordered food that a table isn’t available.

My wife and I love trying new food spots located in San Francisco. So when we we’re driving around looking for something tasty to eat, we remembered hearing about the broken record on popular food network show diners drive-​ins and dives. So we decided to stop by and see what all the hype is about.
First off let me start by saying it was a little confusing finding out where the restaurant was in the broken record. Hood grub (the name of the actual Resturant) is the place you need to order from. When you first walk in it’s a bar but with nobody really giving us directions on where to go and how to order it was a little bit confusing at first. So we finally found where the restaurant was by simply walking straight into the back of the narrow hallway to the back of the building. Here’s some advice for first timers, When you get there take a look at the menu and and then order. Or even better go online to look at their menu to figure out what you want because there are no waitresses or servers there to assist you. Your job is to basically go up and order what you want so they can make it fresh for you.
We ordered the very popular turkey leg, similar to what you find at fairs or even at Disneyland, it’s a huge turkey leg. Then we ordered their take on the popular Canadian dish poutine called tater-​tine. It’s tater tots smothered in gravy shredded beef or pork and topped with cheese curds. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised and do plan on going back because there’s so many dishes on the menu that are worth trying. There’s even a special menu that they only serve on Sundays such dishes as the corn beef burrito.
The Decour is fairly simple but at the same time fun. They have holiday lights completely wrapping the ceiling & graffiti art on the walls. In my opinion it looks like a hipster’s dream. Although somewhat small they have plenty of room to fit a decent amount of people. They even have a backyard with picnic style tables outside, so you can enjoy whatever whether San Francisco gives you. I say it’s worth trying if you want a funky & fun twist on popular barfood.

Grabbed some late night dessert here. Probably should’ve had dinner here too after seeing what they offer on the menu. This is grub food. Fatty and sinful but oh so good food. It’s located behind the bar so don’t be worried. Just walk in and past the bar you’ll find it. Or just follow your nose.
We ordered the Fried PB&J and the baklava. Really yummy desserts, definitely fatty though. This is like hang over food. I want to come back for sure to try their burgers for sure.

Be prepared for some delicious food that will probably make you want to sleep when you get home.
–Turkey leg here is the ultimate order. I’ll always order one every time.
–The spicy crab mac and cheese has a great kick. Devoured that right when it arrived. –The craw fish. Let me say that it was the best tasting morsel I’ve had in a long time. Juicy, flavorful, and plump to the fullest. The garlic bread that comes with it comes with fresh raw garlic on there as well. That was my calling to come back.
–The totines is amazing and the boyfriend can’t help but order it every time we go.
–The fish and chips and I think that was our only «Eh, we can try something else»; still great in flavor, just not amazing like the others.
The drinks are great at the bar and the food is delicious. Parking is easy and I can’t help but love the fact that you get great food at a great price. Comfort food at it’s finest.

In a world of Guatemalan pizzerias, phantastic Phở, and $ 1 stores, this place totally surprised us. Located in the restaurant portion of the Excelsior District’s favorite dive bar, Hood Grub offers creative and organic food at a low price ($ 12 is the highest price I saw on the menu). I’m talking Fried Rabbit, Kale Salad, local Dungeness crab, and a Pakistani Eggplant Ragout/​Garbanzo Veggie Pot Pie. And that is just the regular menu. Tonight’s specials were a Huitlacoche salsa and a bombizzle Chicken Torta.
Where do they get off? Bringing local, sustainable, and innovative dishes to the food desert of Geneva Ave? You’re so CRAZY!
And I love you. With some cool Brazilian bossa nova playing on the sound system, an amazingly friendly staff, and a laid-​back vibe, this place is my new go-​to spot around here. My Dad and I went there because we had heard there was someone new in the kitchen and we wanted to give it a shot. After effortlessly finding parking, we breezed in through the bar to the back area where there was a hand-​written menu on the wall. We ordered a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, a chicken torta, and a kale salad to split, which ended up being only $ 25. In a few minutes we had before us two baskets of sandwichy goodness. The bread was fresh and delicious, the meat was tender, and the flavors were on point.
Behind us was a large table celebrating a birthday, which made me think, «Hmm, this is a great place for a party.» The bar up front offers good cheap drinks, while the restaurant offers good cheap food. There are lots of big tables, and even a patio for those mythical warm San Francisco nights.
The starry lights on the ceiling reminded me of the night of the ’89 earthquake, when all the power was out and you could see all the stars. On the wall behind us was a well-​done graffiti piece, emphasizing the working-​class roots of this place. The simple and sturdy tables made me feel at home.
This place is unique in San Francisco. In the ‘hood we finally have high quality food at very reasonable prices, which is what I’ve been looking for all along.

Bye Bye Broken Record Grub, Hello Hood Grub!
As with many things in life, all good things must come to an end. Sadly.
Based on the reviews, there seems to be a confusion about the connection between Broken Record and Hood Grub. I received clarification from one of Hood Grub’s owners. Broken Record owns the building and the bar area. Hood Grub has leased their kitchen and brought over their chef from another restaurant they own called, The Vine (Fremont):
to man the kitchen. So basically, Hood Grub has replaced the Broken Record kitchen with their own menu. Yeesh, I think I just confused myself further along with the rest of y’all. :X
Not to be disheartened, Hood Grub serves a similar gastropub menu with more pushin’ for the cushion fare like Poutine w/​beef short ribs, BBQ Pork Sammie w/​fried pickles, and Tempura Asparagus w/​sriracha buttermilk sauce (brunch offered on Sundays). Not diet friendly but if it makes you feel any better, all ingredients are local, sustainable, and organic. Everything is reasonably priced at $ 12 or less. The ordering system is similar to Broken Record: order at a counter and grab a «number» which are named after cities. It’s CASH ONLY. There’s an ATM in the bar area.
Sorry in advanced with the fugly IPutMarthaStewartToShame food pics. It was dark inside and there was a red lighting above our table.
A must order is the Warm Kale Salad ($ 4):
which has a nice balance of savory, sweet, and tart from the feta and cranberries. Loved the toasted pumpkin seeds for a nutty crunch. Being a sucker for asparagus, we also ordered the Tempura Asparagus ($ 5):
. It’s was nicely tender though a bit soggy. As it’s crab season, an order of Garlic Butter Crab Legs were next ($ 12):
. Since they crack the legs for you, it makes it easy to devour that dragon breath goodness. Make sure to dip that crusty bread in the crab juices.
For our mains, I ordered the Crispy Turkey Leg ($ 10) which was appropriately brown bagged like a 40:
. It was deliciously crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It could of used a little more time in the fryer as the meat close to the bone was still cold. My dining companion ordered the Local Cod & Tots ($ 8):
. I had a bite and the fish was perfectly flaky with a delicate crunch from the tempura batter. The lemon tarragon tartar sauce was on point: lusciously thick with a good balance of acid and herbs.
Even though everything is self-​serve, I love how proactive the owner was. She delivered all orders to customers and checked in periodically with everyone.
Don’t forget to grab some cheap booze from the bar. Fernet on tap for $ 6. YEEEE!
Seeing that Hood Grub carried over some menu items from The Vine, I hope to see «The Morning After Burger» on their brunch menu one day. Of course, sans the Walk of Shame…