St. Francis Fountain

One of my favorite little corner breakfast spot that opens early. I always forget to snap a picture of the fabulous food, so I remember this time. It's the basic breakfast items with its own unique home cooked feel, every plate I tried on the menu did not disappoint and the pancakes are the favorite. Go early because they fill up fast and close early.

SUPERB! This is the place I take my friends and family to when they visit SF. The vibes inside are so cool, the staff is super friendly and most importantly the food is awesome! The prices are so reasonable, which is surprising around SF today and the quality of food is really good. You can tell they really care about giving you tasty and high-quality food at an amazing price. Make sure to get a Bev with your dish. Oh and I know that is an simple shout out but the coffee is really darn good.

I’ve been a customer for years, I’m not a regular but would like to be one day. The food is delicious, the service is fantastic. This is truly a hidden gem in the city. The wait time might be a lot on the weekends, (what place is not) but the food and beverages are worth every single time.

I loved it. Magic vibe, laid back, cozy, amazing food, plenty of delicious vegan options, reasonbaly priced. Just perfect.

Okay, I've only been here once, but I gotta say, it's a really cool spot. Once you're in, it's like you're back in the 1940s-50s. Very old-school, classic feel to the decor and everything. I mean, it's been around since 1918, and I assume not too much has changed from the looks of it. I love that they have vegetarian/vegan/lactose intolerant friendly menu choices. I got the "Veggie Mess" and freshly squeezed OJ. It's basically a very thick omelet. Scrumptious and a generously filling portion for a reasonable price. I am certainly stoked to come back and try more of the menu. They have a vintage candy counter which is definitely an interesting browze and includes old trading cards.

Step back into decades past and enjoy greasy-spoon classics — updated without the grease. Wooden booths, vinyl bar seating and pineapple with cottage cheese evoke a 1950s feel. Standard diner sandwiches, milkshakes, breakfast and egg platters. The burger well-cooked, savory and served with an all-encompassing special sauce. Yummy and creative sides include a garlicky mac and cheese or a Thai sesame salad. Breakfast burrito, a real treat. Prices very, very reasonable.

This establishment is darling! A blast from the past with friendly service and great food! There are two dining areas, both decorated cute. Many vegan, dairy-free, and gluten free options here! I ordered the vegan mess. Note, the soy-rizo is likely not GF! So ask the waiter. I’d absolutely come back here for breakfast or brunch!

I was disappointed by my experience at this establishment. The corned beef hash could have benefited from more time spent roasting the potatoes and grilling the beef for added crispness. The French toast was enjoyable, but also could have been improved by additional time on the grill for a desired level of crispiness. On a positive note, the side potatoes were a standout aspect of the meal. While the prices are reasonable, the overall quality of the food was lacking.

Cool little throwback diner with all the charm of the fifties without the problematic memories. The food was exceptional with many vegan options across all food groups. I shared a 3 vegan pancake plate, which was quite enough to share being filling and delicious. Also had the vegan nebulous potato thing, which was so good like a rustic home style nacho fries. Was gladly surprised by the soy milkshake that we added strawberries to and made an excellent topper to a superb breakfast. Quick service, flavorful creative menu items and the classic aesthetic make this a must return place in San Francisco.

Blondie is not a fan of tacos, burritos, etc. That's pretty tough if you're on 24th Street and hungry. Fortunately, I knew that there is an old school diner, so we walked down to St Francis. The vibe is right out of the 50s. But the food is much fresher. I ordered huevos rancheros, which came with an interesting black bean side covered with cilantro. There's also a side of chopped tomato with queso. The egg yolks were plenty runny, which was great. There were also two tortillas, if you want to package your food, so to speak. But they got soggy fast. Oh well, it still tastes great. Blondie's grilled cheese looked excellent, and disappeared fast. The French fries looked fresh cut. Service was fast and friendly. A nice alternative on the street, if you want it.

San Francisco's oldest diner is still serving up amazing food in the year 2024. I had the Vegan Thing and it was ridiculously delicious. It's quite literally a delectable mess - soft tofu - serving as sort of mock eggs, Soyrizo crumbled into every bite, hearty hunks of potato, gooey, sliced mushrooms (I detest mushroom but it was more than tolerable as it was just a small amount), silky vegan cheese melted all throughout - topped with beautifully fresh guacamole. A hearty vegan meal. My brain says this is breakfast food but honestly - I could go to town on this at any time of day. We were a large group - EVERYONE loved their food! Everyone also commented that their fries were "real fries" - thick but not too thick - perfectly cooked - flawless. This is a legacy business. I yearn for the days of the old St Francis Fountain - that had heart and felt like a home away from home. As it is now - we were ushered into the side/attached room that smelled old and damp and funky - and had a cafeteria vibe. I don't know - the charm of the St Francis Fountain I used to frequent is all but gone. At least they still have some very sparse holdovers in some original decor on the walls - that's about it. We mostly dealt with the manager - I forget how to spell his name but apparently it's pronounced like "Ronny" I think. He was okay. He seemed to barely tolerate us from the get-go. Maybe it was an off day - I'll give him that. He was disconnected - disinterested - almost dismissive. No, we didn't slip in just before closing. No, the place wasn't slammed. We were all happy, quiet and respectful - not sure what rubbed him the wrong way. We weren't impressed. The bathroom. It's not very clean. I had to clean pee off the toilet seat, there was pee on the ground, it smelled like pee, etc. A bit gross - but! Not the grossest public restroom I've used. Still, I expected a little more from a food establishment. It can be awkward if you're pee-shy - it's basically *very* near a booth - facing the booth, to be specific. You go there making eye contact with someone on one side of the booth and come out making eye contact with someone on the other side haha. No biggie. The door was too loose for my comfort. I peed while leaning forward and holding tightly to the doorknob. There's a flimsy slide lock to keep the door closed and it's hanging on for dear life. It's also loose enough that it seems like the door will flap open, just enough, for the restaurant to see you sitting on the toilet. It would take someone 10 minutes max to break out the drill and re-align the lock. Just putting that out there. So do I recommend this place? Yes - for the food! For the history! The atmosphere is lacking (yes, even for a diner). The service was bare minimum. The bathroom is gross and a bit strange. But seriously - the food is top tier and the location truly is magnificent. Updating the menus was a wonderful and strategic move! This keeps them competitive and will turn diners into loyal customers. They should consider leaning into their history a bit more, tho. The history is what keeps us coming back - generations of our family have eaten there. It's sad to see a little less of that history each time we return. Having a conversation with a local who's been there for decades - I learned we weren't alone in that thinking. We moved a long time ago but return to the old neighborhood to see how the Mission is getting along. St Francis should print up some historic photos, frame and hang them. Print up some of the articles written about them. Add some throwback decor. Right now, it just seems like a rundown building that's seen better days. If they remind people of why it's a little rough - it would be embraced and not unfairly judged..... Just my two cents. Go to St Francis Fountain. Eat the incredible food they're serving up - put money into the owners hands to keep the place going. If you have a little time, familiarize yourself with that location and then go eat there with fresh eyes. It's pretty cool. We don't want to lose this place like we lost Roosevelt Tamale Parlor (another location - right there - that was rich with storied history). Go. Eat. Tip. Keep it alive.

One of the best places to get vegan breakfast/brunch in SF! St. Francis Fountain is an old-school diner-style brunch restaurant. They have old-school booths inside and they even sell old-school candy at the counter! You already know they make delicious milkshakes diner-style. Their menu includes a bunch of diner classics such as eggs, pancakes, and more, but the best part is that they have vegan options for every category! They make tofu scramble instead of eggs. They have vegan sausage and vegan pancakes. They make this thing called The Vegan THING, which is just a giant boal of their house potatoes topped with guac, salsa, other toppings. Wait times can get very long on weekends, so I would recommend going early or later than standard brunch times.

One of my favorite breakfast spot that open early. I always forget to snap a picture of the fabulous food, so I remember this time. It's the basic breakfast items with its own unique flavors, every plate I tried on the menu did not disappiont . Go early because they fill up fast and close early.

Quaint and cozy diner with an impressive vegan selection. It was crowded but no wait for the counter.

Get the veggie mess! Get the banana bread! Went to this place years ago and was so delicious to return today. Super cute inside and love their veggie options and the fact that they have banana bread as an option for the toasts. The soyrizo was so good! Service was okay, could've been a little warmer but it's okay. Waited a bit for coffee refills and for the check but regardless loved it all.

Okay, I've only been here once, but I gotta say, it's a really cool spot. Once you're in, it's like you're back in the 1940s-50s. Very old-school, classic feel to the decor and everything. I mean, it's been around since 1918, and I assume not too much has changed from the looks of it. I love that they have vegetarian/vegan/lactose intolerant friendly menu choices. I got the "Veggie Mess" and freshly squeezed OJ. It's basically a very thick omelet. Scrumptious and a generously filling portion for a reasonable price. I am certainly stoked to come back and try more of the menu. They have a vintage candy counter which is definitely an interesting browze and includes old trading cards.

when I got there my expectations were low but Man what a delicious vegan breakfast, there is many different options for vegan, the portions are great and the service is very nice and kind. The ambience is pretty cool, decoration at the restaurant takes you to the past. I'm very satisfied with this restaurant. Thank you.

A couple of friends ans I came here for Saturday brunch because they had a decent amount of vegan options. Parking.... Street parking Ambiance.... It felt like old run down diner-soda-fountain vibes. Not very inviting and I would not have felt drawn to it if I was just walking down the street. Service... AWFUL. The waitress asked if we were ready and when we said no, she looked upset and never came back. The other waitress who served us looked like also had a bad attitude and seemed like she didn't want to be there at all. It was intimidating just to ask for a Togo box. They don't come and check if you need anything and don't make you feel welcomed. Food... just fine. The corn beef has was nothing special. My friend ordered the vegan mess and it came with bread toasted with butter. Overall the food was heavy, oil, and not memorable. I don't think I would return.

I had not been to the St. Francis Fountain in a couple of years and a friend had never been so when I was looking for "new" breakfast places, I suggested we go there. Parking can be iffy but we got lucky on this Wednesday around noon. We took a booth in the back and our waiter Ronnie was great and patient while we decided. My friend had "The Usual" breakfast and I had a short stack of the banana-walnut pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. My friend enjoyed his Usual and I told Ronnie that mine was one of the best breakfasts I'd had in a while and that we'd be back sometime soon! The low prices and quality food and service make St. Francis Fountain a new "old" favorite!!

I really loved this place. It's a hidden gem. The staff was friendly and the food was such amazing quality and affordable. I was surprised with how amazing it was. I don't usually write reviews but this small business was very impressive. 10/10 recommend

This Food was absolutely amazing . Highly recommend this place. And the atmosphere is very homey.

This place was a very delicious find. I ended up having the chicken club and it was very good. What I enjoyed most was that they used fresh grilled chicken which was a nice surprise. They surprisingly also had a couple vodka drinks on their menu inside, which are shockingly very good for a diner drink. This place had great service as well as the waitress was very attentive as well as the buzzers. Will for sure return again. :)

This place is too cute! I ordered the chicken club with fries and my fiancé ordered a 3 egg omelette with spuds and a short stack of pancakes. My chicken club was very delicious and their fries are very good. My fiancé liked his omelette and pancakes! Would definitely go here again! 4 stars because it didn't wow me but it was still a very good meal!

Love that this place has plenty of vegan options. I also appreciate that it is convenient to reach via public transit. It's about a 10-15 min walk from the nearest BART station. Came here around 11:30am on a Saturday and we were able to be seated outside. Keep in mind that the whole party must be present before you can be seated. The menu has sweet and savory breakfast options, as well as savory lunch options. I ordered two vegan pancakes and paid a few dollars more to add chocolate chips. They tasted great! I'm not a frequent pancake eater, but I don't think I'd be able to tell that they were vegan. The saltiness of the butter and sweetness of the chocolate complemented each other nicely. I also ordered a regular mimosa. Tasted classic! No complaints. They offered more than just the usual orange mimosa flavor, so maybe I'll try those if I come again! Overall, solid brunch option whether you're vegan or not. :)

Came here on a Sunday morning for brunch for 2 people and there was no wait at all and we were seated inside at a booth. The interior is like a retro diner which I thought was pretty cute. We ordered the fired egg sandwich w/ sausage and the chefs mess. The fried egg sandwich was honestly better than expected! The egg was the perfect amount of fried and the yolk was not over cooked. Everything was well held together in perfect cohesion with cheese on both sides of the grilled sourdough. The chefs mess was also really tasty and was sort of like a hash. But I think compared to the fried egg sandwich it wasn't as good. Overall a nice local brunch diner, would've given it 5 stars but decided to give 4 since the food wasn't anything out of the ordinary and the price was not particularly cheap. But overall still would come here again!

Returned here after some years and it has changed a bit. An underwhelming / disappointing experience for such a cute diner. First grief - a broken hollandaise. My pool of butter was served with whole wheat muffins I did not ask for / nor were they on the menu description, and, instead of runny poached eggs I had the sad neglected ones hardened and slapped on from the bottom of the pot. The server was very out of it. I asked for orange juice and they asked me if I wanted cream with my coffee. Our food came out late, cold and incorrectly cooked. Our plates were slammed on our table. I hope they had a better day after that!

What you would expect from a classic diner.. service was speedy and welcoming, and the interior was a classic diner with booths, stools, and vintage diner posters around.. the chicken pesto sandwich was tasty and they've got good vegetarian options as well! It's a bit tough to get street parking around the area though..

One of the best breakfast brunch spots I've been to since moving to SF. Stopped by here for brunch with my girlfriend this past Sunday. What drew our attention to this spot were the vegetarian options that were on the menu. And they did not disappoint. My girlfriend and I split a few items. We got the : * Vegan Rancheros * Devil Burger with a side of Mac and Cheese * Nebulous Spud Everything we got was really good. The Vegan Rancheros were perfectly flavored. That was the first time I had a tofu scramble and it was genuinely very good. The Devil Burger was also my first time having Seitan - this was a highlight for sure. The bun was toasted nicely and extra buttery, the seitan tasted great and was texturally really nice (had some crispy bits), and everything came together really well. And last, but certainly not least, the Nebulous Spud. This thing was LOADED with toppings and tasted delicious. To top it all off, the price of everything all together was extremely reasonable (which is hard to find out here in SF sometimes) Without a doubt this takes the cake as my favorite diner in the city so far. Will definitely be bringing friends here and making more visits in the future. 5/5

The website leaves a lot to be desired so I wasn't really sure what to expect when we got here, but picked this spot for a Friday morning brunch since yelp said they have vegan options. If you're not coming by public transit, street parking is tough but we lucked upon someone leaving right out front after circling the block once or twice. We were told to grab and seat and took a booth. I was in the mood for pancakes so I got the griddle combo which comes with eggs your way and a side and a manzanita to drink. My friend got the vegan mess and we both got coffee. It's diner fare so what I got was exactly what I expected. No frills, just comfort food which hit the spot. My friend really liked his meal also. I don't know that I'd make this a destination spot but if I was in the area and wanted a bite, I would stop in again.

Really good food & price (especially considering the area) they also have good vegetarian options so that's always a plus. Very cute vintage soda fountain interior. Always a favorite when I visit the Mission!

I've been here quite a few times and it never fails to leave me feeling full and happy! I'm vegan and I love that they have a large selection of vegan items (including pancakes!) on their menu. I recommend the vegan mess with sourdough for a good brunch! Service is fast & friendly but you can't get seated until you're with your whole party.

Had an amazing eggs Florentino this morning. The eggs were cooked to perfection and the Hollandaise sauce is spectacular. The food, service, and prices are fantastic. I look forward to eating there again.

Pregnant & picky, with random cravings and today it was St. Francis Fountain's Fried Egg Sandwich BUT on French Toast The kitchen and staff were not only friendly (even with a crazy line and full restaurant) but were also accommodating & understanding. THANK YOU for making me Morning SATISFYINGLY Pleasant

I love this place! Whatever you order, get the banana bread. The egg scrambles are excellent, and my spouse enjoys the tofu scrambles. I like that they still have ample outdoor seating. This place isn't fancy, but it's tasty, reasonably priced, and will never stop being charming due to its past as a soda fountain.

Classic diner, tasty breakfast. Last time we got the piggy pancakes, a tofu scramble, and coffee and it was delicious and delightful and we left full and happy.

Great vegetarian keto options like getting the veggie mess without potatoes or their amazing Caesar salad without crotouns. A go to diner for vegetarian keto folks.

Tldr: food was great, staff was concerning... Debated writing this review for a while, but I talked it over with my partner and I felt I had to say something. First of all, the food was great. I got the tofu scramble and it was delicious!! Recently I found out I'm allergic to eggs, and the tofu scramble was a fantastic replacement. Ok.. now onto the service. When I first came in everything was already pretty chaotic. It took a while for someone to greet us. The hostess(?) was nowhere to been seen, but it was a busy day so I understand. When we were finally sat service was great again! My waitress was super nice and kept refilling my coffee which I appreciated. I was enjoying my food when I was rudely interrupted by the hostess(?) getting aggressive with a waitress. It even looked liked she pushed her. Right in front of me and all the other tables!! It was completely unprofessional and made me uncomfortable. I have worked in a restaurant before so I know that it can be stressful, but I felt that it was unnecessary. Weird dining experience for sure. *edited for typo

We were promptly seated on arrival with our two doggos. We've been here a few times and the food is always consistently good. The service can be hit or miss. Our waiter forgot a few items, which can be forgiven on a busy Sunday. Their Benedicts are so good. I think the secret is the Hollandaise sauce. The buttermilk pancake and banana bread are worth trying as well. I definitely recommend this spot for a decently priced filling breakfast.

Please God why is there no more St Francis Fountain vegan blueberry pancake and nebulous potato thing delivery in my life? For the love of all that is syrupy, what must be done to restore balance to the city? Seriously tho, I fondly remember and cherish the few months where we could order Postmates delivery of the best vegan breakfast in the entire city. Please hear my plea and accept my many hundreds of dollars

Welcoming service and food is amazing. The decore and dinner looks nice. Sat in the booth and got a coffee with a griddle combo and egg/sausage sandwich with fries.

Great brunch! Loved the decor and the atmosphere. There were a few vegan items on the menu and the vegan pancakes were amazing - they even came with vegan butter!

A great place for breakfast with cute old diner vibes. Highly recommend! The service was also fantastic.

The food was very good for a diner. I was very impressed with the wide variety of choices on the menu, as it seems like there are multiple things to choose from for any special diet (unusual for a diner!).

The food here is amazing and my partner and I come here all the time. Today we were seated. It was not at all busy. We got a booth in the back. We waited about 10 minutes, wondered if they forgot about us in the back. We made eye contact with the staff, including the woman who seated us. Still no one came to take our order. We had our books so we start reading and figure they'll come over eventually. After about 25-30 minutes of waiting a blonde white couple gets seated and their order gets taken within the span of five minutes. Of course, we promptly left. I'm a portly brown guy and my partner is Latina. Maybe we're just not high priority? You can draw your own conclusions but that was our experience. It's sad because i love the food here and i usually love the service, but i guess they started taking their historic 50's diner vibe a bit too literally.

Working at the nearby hospital St Francis Fountain is a go to lunch spot. Old skool interiors with booth seating and counter seats feel comfortable. The food is straight diner delicious with flavors that hit the right spot. Recommend and will be back.

Cute Brunch place! Notable experiences include: 1) Great Atmosphere - I love how this place reminds me of a traditional diner. From the typical pancakes, eggs, burgers, and ice cream on their menu. The layout of the restaurant. The place was very relaxed and comforting. The staff was also kind. 2) Good Traditional Food - For the price point, portions were great. I ordered the Breakfast Burrito which comes with a side of beans, salsa, and a small tomato salad. The tomato salad was refreshing with the burrito and the beans. What could have been better with the burrito is including more meat in it as meat like sausage is an add-on. As for the chili cheese fries, the ratio between the fries, cheese, and green onions was perfect. Beans were a little too much, however I did like that they were seasoned as it brought flavor to this side. Overall, this place is cute! I would come here again if I'm craving a traditional breakfast. Looking to catch up with a friend or bring a date for brunch by the Mission District? Come to St. Francis Fountain! 9/10 :)

Lunching here with blueberry milkshake, iced tea, root beer float + N.Y Reuben, Chicken Clubs with avocado on sourdough and multi-grain. Delicious! Friendly service - we'll be back!

This is my new favorite restaurant in SF! Amazing vegan options! I had delicious vegan pancakes with strawberries and real maple syrup. It also came with vegan butter. And I had an iced coffee with soymilk. My husband and our friend both had a "vegan mess" which was a delicious plate involving tofu scramble, vegan meat, vegan cheese, and a choice of bread (with vegan butter!). There were also vegan milkshakes which I didn't get, but I want to get next time. I think all vegans should know about this restaurant!!! I plan to return here often. Vegan brunch like this is so hard to find!

Incredibly grateful this SF institution is still here serving delicious diner food. I love getting to come here and eat. There's options for vegans and non vegans alike. If you like old school diners with good food then this is your place. The fresh squeezed orange juice is amazing, don't forget to try it.

Very good diner. Has lots of breakfast options, I always say I'll try something else but I always stick with a chefs mess. Never went for lunch but they have that too. They have vegan options too! It is down the street, a couple blocks, from Wise Sons which I also recommend.

Dine In during Covid Overall: 8/10 N.Y. Reuben: 8.5/10 This is my first time updating the review for the same restaurant because the N.Y. Reuben worth it! TRY THE N.Y REUBEN. This is THE BEST REUBEN I have had in SF! I will come back and back and back again for this mouthwatering jewel!

I generally like this place. The food is delicious and the service is good, but my portion of food was dramatically smaller than in the past. Including the tip, I paid $27 for my meal and it would be nice to be full.

I love coming here for breakfast or brunch on the weekends. There is a bunch of out door seating, but they also have an indoor option if you're vaccinated for those that prefer it. I've been a few times around 10-11am on the weekends and there's usually no to little wait time to get seated, so it's great for a last minute brunch plan if you want some classic breakfast dishes. I always get the griddle combo with French Toast (which is probs in the top 5 best French Toast dishes I've ever had--the bread is super soft). It's a lot of food, especially for the price.

Was not expecting much from this small, low key, diner stop. Everything looked out dated and the vegan menu options sounded a bit straightforward and plain. Yet when I took the first bite out of the V Nebulous Potato & the V Philly... both exceeded expectations. Quality & Sauce are what transcend these two originally straightforward dishes to the next level. * Ended up getting the "Vegan Nebulous Potato Thing ($8.50 SM, $12.00 LRG)" and goodness gracious, Potato Queen please have mercy, this mashup saucy bowl was ridiculously addicting. Imagine loaded nachos (melted cheese, salsa, guac, sour cream, green onions) but instead of chips, you have carb heavy potatoes topped with a secret creamy sauce. * Vegan Phantastic Philly ($7.50), 9/10 scrumptious philly cheesesteak panini. Nailed the bell pepper, melted cheese, deli-sliced-saucy-seitan philly flavor. Sourdough was buttered and toasted to a perfect golden brown. * Vegan 3-Bean Chili ($3.75 SM, $5.50 LRG). Nowhere near the level of the first two items. Great flavor, but was a tad bit runny (more like a soup), and contained an overwhelming amount of beans.

I work nearby and came here for lunch with my coworker. I love how the interior looks like an old diner! I got the Chef's Mess with an English muffin. It was so good! I loved how cheesy it was combined with bacon, mushrooms, and potatoes. I also made myself a breakfast sandwich with the English muffin, 10/10!

The St. Francis Fountain is a San Francisco gem and if the city lets this business die to become a trendy spot or some crappy condos, shame on SF! It's been here since 1918 and while it's had a few updates and a few changes in ownership, it has survived and still exudes all the charm and ambiance. We were here after eating tortas a few doors down and left enough room for dessert: a chocolate shake for me and a rootbeer float for the Mister. We sat at the counter and got very friendly service. Our treats were straightforward and just what we wanted on a beautiful Friday afternoon.

We were seated immediately, coffee was poured quickly, and our server made great menu recommendations. Food arrived minutes after ordering. Other staff members were just as friendly and attentive. Great experience, I will definitely be back. Egg sourdough sandwich ... 5 stars Hamburger ... 5 stars Root beer float ... 10 stars (out of 5 stars)