Off the Grid: 5M

Bouuuu. Mais pourquoi on a pas ça chez nous? Off The Grid, c’est une sorte de festival qui rassemble quelque-​uns des meilleurs foodtrucks de la ville, tous les mercredis midis, au même endroit ! C’est aussi simple que ça. Un peu comme notre «foodtruck festival» à nous, mais hebdomadaire au lieu d’être…annuel ! Franchement, ce concept coche plusieur cases :
1– les foodtrucks né font plus chacun leur truc de leur côté.
2– les gens sont content car ça devient leur point de rendez-​vous pour le lunch du mercredi.
3– ton collègue n’aime pas les tacos? Ça tombe puisqu’il y a plein d’autres choix, et les camions changent toutes les semaines !
Mon chili con carne était parfait, de A jusque Z, de la file jusqu’au paiement par carte via la plateforme Square !
Bön, alors? Qui se lancent? Qui nous organise ça pour Bruxelles? ;) I’m IN !!!

We went this past Wednesday at 12:15, having heard the lines get crazy after 12.
We decided to have DUM Indian soul food for about 10 $ each (13 $ for combos).
We must have waited 10 minutes max! The line for Señor Sisig and the Chairman were huge, probably 25 minute wait or more…
It was really nice to be able to eat in the sun, on the chairs available. Lots of empty spots too and in the shade as well.
I came by bike and parked it right by us which was super convenient.
The Indian food and was good.
I’d love to come back to try the other trucks!

I’m a fan of this food truck area– located in a covered alley way, 5 trucks there, foldable chair seating to one side. Very busy and crowded during peak lunch hours (12 – 1:15pm) Long lines at certain trucks (Señor Sisig and Chairman Bao). Prices range, but expect for pay $ 8– $ 14 for a filling meal.
What I am not a fan of is all those pigeons in this area. Ugh, I hate birds. But I ain’t gonna hate on Off The Grid cuz of that. Not yo fault these creatures exist.

So convenient to have this around the corner from the office — about 5 or 6 trucks last time I was there — good enough variety and didn’t have to wait in line very long around 1pm. The chairs are not under the overpass so if it’s sunny it can get pretty hot and bright. As others have noted, not as many tables but there wasn’t that many people when I was there so I just used another chair as my table.
Only con was being harassed by the panhandlers from time to time.

one of my favorite off the grid locations. its smaller and not as crazy but perfect for the lunch crowd. there is also seating that is provided so you can eat outside and enjoy the sun. the trucks rotate so it’s hard to say what will be there but you can check on the website beforehand. i ate at bacon bacon and you def cannot go wrong with bacon! and most of the trucks take cards now so that’s great!

This is a great location to have food trucks as it is close to Union Square; it is relatively close to my gym so after a hard workout, I can head over here; and it is easily accessible if you are in SOMA too as I was near Yerba Buena for an appointment and then just popped over to this Off the Grid for a late lunch.
I like the change in trucks and vendors as it keeps things interesting bringing customers plenty of variety to choose from. There are the popular trucks like Señor Sisig and The Chairman — but give the lesser known, shorter-​lined trucks a try too. You might be pleasantly surprised!

I went here last Wednesday and two of my favorite trucks were there! Curry Up Now and Chairman. I was super excited! This OTG is in a small alley with about 7 trucks more or less. I totally forgot this was here, but when I walked by Wednesday I smelled the yummy food and instead of going to another place for lunch I went here. I think I may make this my Wednesday lunch treat:) Yum!

What’s not to love about OTG5M? The location is awesome, even though we’ve moved offices and my walk is a bit further. What better way to use an alley in SOMA? Park a bunch of food trucks to feed the masses of folks looking for a variety of food options. True, you only get a choice of maybe 5 food trucks, but the ones they get are the ones I’m typically interested in (Señor Sisig, The Chairman, Slider Shack, CurryUpNow, Koja Kitchen).
Yes, the lines can be long, so plan accordingly when to go. Obviously, early or later are most advantageous if you don’t want to wait in line. Stop by any Wednesday or Friday and get your grub on.

5 stars because this is my favorite Off the Grid location (close a lot of public transport connections, close to the financial district and SoMA).
If you’re at a tech startup (of course you are!), conferencing (at the nearby Moscone Center) or co-​working in SoMA then this is the place to grab lunch every Wednesday and Friday.

I’m glad this place is here. Because not everyone can enjoy the amazing food truck parties at Fort Mason. This is the closest I can get, since it’s near my work, and it’s good enough for me. My favorites are Liba’s Falafel and the Koja Kitchen. There is a rotation, so what you eat one week, will most likely not be there next week, which is good, because it adds variety. I also really like how it’s under a tunnel. The lines can get pretty long, but I like that the area is a bit hidden, so that more people who don’t know about it don’t make the lines any longer. I try to come at 11:30am, because nobody is really there, and I don’t have to worry about things running out.

The idea of food trucks has its own charms and quirkiness — who needs to go to a restaurant for lunch when you can easily pop into a hidden alleyway and pick among the tasty offerings provided by a not-​so-​sketchy truck?
I was lured in by a friend who worked by Fifth & Minna to stop by during my lunch hour. Faithfully I trekked 10 – 15 mins from my office to see if I could catch one of my favorite trucks (Señor Sisig, Chairman Bao, Bacon Bacon). Alas, none of those were available! This is when I wish the OTG website would update which trucks would be at what location; sometimes it is necessary to be more logistical with lunch planning endeavors!
I ended up getting a mango lassi from one of the Indian trucks and it was so-so…needed more mango flavor!
Would I come back? Probably not, only because it’s a long trek for me when I only have an hour for lunch (and there’s already a tiny food truck alley near me on Mission and 1^st). It was a novel adventure though.
The perks:
+ Convenient lunch options for ppl working in the downtown area
+ Trucks are constantly rotating, so hopefully you’ll find a delectable choice during Wednesday or Friday afternoons
Things to note:
— They run out of food/​choices if you come after 1pm
— There are many chairs available, but less tables which makes eating outside slightly more difficult

i’m actually quite amazed at how well Off the Grid can transform a cutty, usually smelly and dirty alleyway into one of the most poppin’ lunch parties in the area on wednesdays and fridays!
got your mix of interesting people… the techy startup hipsters, fancy financial people, convention goers from moscone, construction workers, your ordinary average joes, and a random bum or two. but hey this is soma so you can’t complain. there’s even a live band that plays music! this isn’t your average band either, there’s a harp, a trumpet, and a huge cello! the music is quite enjoyable too.
my office is a block away, so OTG is one of the more popular dining spots. the trucks alternate quite often, so you never know what you’re going to get. however, there’s always one that tickles my fancy! there are usually 5 – 6 trucks, ranging from koja to chairman bao to sisig to ones i’ve never heard of, but still find intriguing. most of the trucks accept credit/​debit now too, so don’t worry about it being cash only!
for an eating area, there’s a large amount of relatively comfy folding chairs (you know those bendy ones that you can really sink your behind into?) set up next to the trucks. i feel like there’s always available seating, because a majority of the people buy their food and head back to the office, or elsewhere to eat their food.
i’ve scoped this place out enough times to know that the line length peaks at 12:30 ish. the smartest thing is to go get your food at around 11:50, to avoid the lines and minimize wait time!

Fun experience esp since the trucks are always changing.
It would get 5 stars but the trucks location is a bit troubling. They are all housed in a tunnel which resonates with the hum of their generators and you can’t hear yourself think.
Everything smells like cooking fumes and exhaust fumes from the aforementioned generators.
Lines can be long.
But aside from that you can’t beat a different flavor every week and reasonable prices.

A trip to the gym is mandated every Wednesday. Because Wednesdays are when Off the Grid is close to the office.
This isn’t your typical OtG with tons of trucks and lines that are never-​ending. Normally there are 5 trucks (not the same every week, which is fantastic!), and usually only 2 of them will have a long line. The nice part is, that long line never takes more than 20 – 30 minutes to get through. That may seem like a long time, but given the wait time of ANY restaurant/​truck in SoMa and FiDi on any given weekday during lunch… 20 – 30 minutes isn’t so bad.
5M happens in an alley between the Chronicle and Square. This makes the alley smell like HEAVEN for three hours. It also allows for some shade during those sunny days in SoMa. But… is also allows for space IN the sun during lunch.
Keep up the great work, OtG 5M organizers! Keep it coming!

Ebbett’s Good To Go to your mouth hole. Eating 1,000 Cubans earns you a silver medal when racing this guy. I’m pointing to myself.
Look, Bro Namath, if you’re looking for a bread sangwich/​wrapped sangwich/​global sangwich, find the cavalcade of shaded trucks at 5M and feast til your heart’s content (or still, whichever). If Ebbett’s hit an errant porcupine on the drive over and you find yourself forced to explore (GASP!) other options, you’ll find tastes that’ll sate any globetrotting gourmand. Pick a truck, any truck.
A Myriad of Mobile Magicians Marketing Meat and other fare. Hey, hey — 5Ms.

One of the best things about living in this day and age is OPTIONS.
I feel absurdly lucky that not only do I not need to worry about hunting and/​or gathering my next meal, but I have also almost infinite choices for what that meal could be.
This Off The Grid alleyway is a perfect example. Previously, when walking inside I might have been worried about being murdered by roving gangs of bandits, but now my most pressing concern is that I might make the wrong decision among all these food trucks lined up just for me. Life is good.
Merry Christmas.

By their powers combined, they are Off the Grid!
…Deciding where to grab lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays got a whole lot easier!

You don’t know this about me but I love food courts. The choices, the energy, the decisions all create in me a sense of breathless anticipation. Of course, its connection to my jr high days of trolling the mall for a glimpse of my crush and then eating sbarro’s calzones certainly doesn’t hurt.
Off the Grid is indeed, off the grid. It’s in a breezeway/​hallway/​parking lot situation and there are approximately 5 – 6 food trucks ranging from thai to cuban sammys to bacon to bbq. Our lunch group headed there on a surprisingly sunny SF afternoon. The lines were quick, all the trailers had square and we were able to grab and go hang out in Yerba Buena park for a lounge and a chat.
If you’re looking for something quick to satisfy every palate, Off the Grid’s your one stop shop for all your lunchtime needs.

Where else can you get a party line-​up of food trucks to choose from when your stomach is wailing like a banshee? Why, over at the Off the Grid location, but of course. This is a great way to sample quick dishes from multiple culinary views under one big venue and with drunken burrito size portions to put you in a slight food coma to top if off.
The total line-​up usually consists of 6 food trucks with Señor Sisig being the most popular based on the long lines. There’s also tables and chairs set up towards the end of all the trucks with live jazz music just in case you needed more of an ambiance then there already is.
Such a fun place to check out if you’re in the area.

OTG: 5M
Organizer website:
Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays (new*), 11am-​2pm
6 food trucks
This is location #6 of the ever so popular gathering of street food vendors. The space is smaller than a few other OTG events (only 6 food trucks allowed), but they get to park under the SF Chronicle’s building underpass (5^th and Minna = 5M), which offers cover on rainy days. Yay!
Today was the first day, on a beautiful sunny day. So far, this is the closest location for downtown workers. Plenty of seats and tables at the end of the tunnel, as well as live music.
This is a nice complement to the Mint Plaza Farmers’ Market (July-​Oct.) just a block away, during the summer.
*Update: added Fridays on Sept. 9, 2011.

The «roaming mobile food extravaganza» came to a corner near me and I couldn’t be happier.
There was sun, there was big band live music, there were lovely people, and most importantly, there was delicious food made with love.
My friend and I hit up the Kung Fu taco truck, and for less than BART fare I enjoyed a roasted duck taco with mango salsa, and a char siu taco. There was a generous amount of chairs and even more generous smiles as spring is ushered in early this year, so Punxsutawney Phil says. If this inaugural day of Off the Grid 5M is also a harbinger of good times ahead, I say ‘bring it on!’