Old Skool Cafe
Soul food restaurant · Bayview
1429 Mendell St, San Francisco, CA 94124
Highlights
Global soul food, live jazz, and 1920s speakeasy vibe
Global soul food, live jazz, and 1920s speakeasy vibe
"Jordan’s Fried Chicken is our constant at this Bayview restaurant and nonprofit. It can do no wrong with meat that requires a bibbed napkin and a crust that stands its ground like it’s super-glued on. Near perfection on its own, we also love to swipe it through the garlicky whipped potatoes on the side or adding a little drizzle of gravy on top. It’s called resourcefulness." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Old Skool Cafe is a restaurant and a nonprofit violence prevention program that provides job training to youth ages 16-22. Everyone on staff, from the servers to the hosts, wears red and black fedoras, bowties, and suspenders, to go along with the '20s-inspired jazz supper club theme. This spot serves soul food classics, like fried chicken, gooey mac and cheese, and brussels sprouts with a sesame soy dressing, plus a few dishes inspired by the staff. You won't be disappointed by anything you order, especially if you order Abu’s West African peanut butter stew. It’s cooked in coconut milk with sweet potatoes, and is light yet incredibly rich and creamy at the same time." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway
"A nonprofit supper club on the city’s east side where San Francisco youth play jazz while diners enjoy dishes such as groundnut stew." - Paolo Bicchieri
"A local nonprofit restaurant serving soul food while supporting at-risk youth; recommended items include peanut stew, a Creole meatball po’ boy, mac and cheese, and sweet potato tart; located on the upper concourse (600 level)." - Paolo Bicchieri
"This '20s-inspired jazz supper club and soul food restaurant in Bayview also doubles as a violence prevention program. For Restaurant Week, they’re serving a three-course $45 dinner menu with your choice of an endive and arugula salad or tempura fried shrimp, a nine-spice seabass or smothered chicken, and a brownie with ice cream or a sweet potato tartlet with berries and whipped cream. " - ricky rodriguez
