Grubstake
The Verdict
"If you're looking for a late night diner experience. "
What you need to know
Grubstake is a late-night Polk Gulch diner open since 1927, partly built from a converted railcar. Open until 3 or 4 AM most nights. The diner is also a longstanding part of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ history.
The Food
Burgers, steaks, breakfast, and homemade pies. The dinner menu also has Portuguese specialties: bacalhau and other dishes reflecting the kitchen’s history. The pies are baked in-house. Grubstake was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The Space
Half the room is the original railcar, narrow and lined with booth seats. The other half is a more conventional dining room added later. Both share the same kitchen.
Practical Info
Price: Most items $15 to $25
Reservations: None. Walk in.
Hours: Sun-Wed 6:30pm to 3am, Thu-Sat 6:30pm to 4am
Getting there: Pine Street is a few blocks from Polk. 19 Polk and 1 California Muni lines stop nearby.
Filmed here
Productions the city recorded shooting at or beside Grubstake.
- B Roll - Nob Hill District13m awayA Man on The Inside 2024
- Holiday Inn San Francisco, Golden Gateway, 1500 Van Ness Ave.106m awayDreams 2025
- Polk Street between California and Pine124m awayDope Queens 2025
- Intersection of California at Polk124m awayAnt-Man 2015
From the San Francisco Film Commission permit record.
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