"Like it or not, San Francisco’s late night scene is, um, a work in progress. But Sam’s has always been holding it down. The old-school burger institution at the North Beach, Russian Hill, and Chinatown border is open until 2am on weekends, and midnight on weekdays. This space is the size (and width) of a U-Haul and filled with old photos of customers, cash-only signs—even though they accept credit cards now—and a “F*ck Off, I’m Hungry” t-shirt. Sidestep and shimmy your way to a stool at the bar, and let a drippy burger come to you. Sam’s keeps theirs simple, like what you’d get at a backyard cookout: it’s loaded with just cheese, onion, tomato, and a fistful of shredded lettuce. Diving into it while it’s pitch black outside is one of the happier half-hours you can spend in SF. photo credit: Brit Finnegan Food Rundown Sam's Double This is as classic as it gets—the usual fixings, charred patties, and a toasted sesame bun. Doesn’t get much better than that. French Fries They’re billed as “world famous” on the menu, and while we can’t verify if these thick-cut babies have gone global, we can tell you they taste damn good at 1am when your stomach’s a tequila bounce house." - Julia Chen
