The Iconic Late-Night Restaurant With A Storied LGBTQ+ History And Some Of San Francisco's Best Burgers

San Francisco is known for being LGBTQ+-friendly, though it wasn't always that way. There are many places throughout the city known for being rather accepting, including the beautiful San Francisco Beach, one of the best LGBTQ+ vacation destinations in America. However, there are some businesses and locations that stand out due to their strong sense of community and long history of supporting LGBTQ+ people. That is the case with Grubstake Diner, a late-night eatery located in the Polk Gulch area since the 1920s. From the beginning, the restaurant offered a safe space for anyone who entered its doors.

Even without knowing the history of the Grubstake, it's easy to see that it's a quirky and charming place. The restaurant is shaped like an old cable car and is painted bright red, standing out from the two gray high-rise towers on either side. 

For those not familiar with the areas of San Francisco, the Grubstake Diner is located in the northern part of the city, near Chinatown, Union Square, and Japantown. With San Francisco having so many interesting restaurants, such as the chance to eat and enjoy stunning California views in the sky at an iconic revolving restaurant, it's easy for many places to not catch public attention. However, Grubstake manages to stand out with its late-night options and delicious diner food and is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. 

The food is so delicious and famous that even Guy Fieri had to highlight this restaurant back in 2007. Though it is technically an American diner with classic dishes, it does have hints of Portuguese flair and influences many of its meals. Some of the popular plates include a Cali chicken sando sandwich, clam chowder soup, cheeseburgers, and the double Johnny burger. However, if you are feeling adventurous, or you want something new, you can also try the green caldo verde soup or the bife à portuguesa.

It's not just because of the history that the Grubstake Diner is popular. The food is also delicious, according to those who have visited. For example, Sheri L on Tripadvisor wrote, "It was a hop skip & jump away from our hotel. We needed some yummy food and drinks to call it a night. This cute diner tucked away beside big building, has quite the menu to fill all of your late night cravings. Most of the menu items come fresh off the grill, i enjoyed the grilled chicken was exactly what i needed. Our food & service was great." The customer also had lots of praise for the restaurant's friendly servers.

Grubstake Diner operates primarily late into the night. It's open every day of the week, starting at 6:30 p.m. and staying open until 3 or 4 a.m. depending on the day. It's the perfect greasy-food diner after a long day, or when you have a few too many drinks and partying, as it stays open even after the local bars close.

When the Grubstake Diner was first established in 1927, It was a beacon and a welcoming place for everyone who needed it, and even as the restaurant changed hands throughout the years, the main principles and food from Grubstake remained the same. Now, there are more openly accepting places for the LGBTQ+ community, including the most LGBTQ+-friendly small towns across America, but it's worth paying respects to and visiting the few places brave enough to start it all. 

That LGBTQ+ community isn't just a thing of the past. Even now, popular and local members of the community can be found hanging out in Grubstake. For example, Donna Sachet and Gary Virginia, both activists and familiar faces for many LGBTQ+ members, especially locally, not only regularly visit the diner, but have their own favorite menu items. Additionally, the diner makes sure to hire members of the community when possible, to support and give back to the LGBTQ+ individuals that help to keep the restaurant alive.

Around 2020, the Grubstake Diner did face several issues. As business owners attempted to buy out nearby land and create condos, they slowed down the potential building project and renovation by protesting whenever they could, as there was the chance for companies to raise already high prices and build yet another gray building if Grubstake Diner had ended up closing its doors. Thankfully, it managed to fight through and survive.