B&TD Review: Emmys Spaghetti Shack and the 500 Club
Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 02:27PM 
Luckily, we have some great local friends who show us around the peninsula. They have given us so many pointers - like where the good neighborhoods are, what festivals to attend and all the cool bars/restaurants to check out. That's how we ended up at Emmy's Spaghetti Shack and the 500 Club last night. Good food, good times and great company always make for an awesome night!
Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
Atmosphere: Small and intimate - there were only 10-12 tables in the whole place. It really felt like someone was cooking right out of their own little kitchen. There was so much to look at on the walls and ceiling, a hodgepodge of items from music posters to women's cooking aprons. The room definitely kept us occupied while we waited for the yummy food.
Service: Great! Even though we had an incomplete party the hostess/waitress made sure that as other groups walked in, we were first to be seated when our friends arrived. While we waited for our table we grabbed a drink at the small bar - bartender was patient and super cool to us. Drinks came fast and just like we ordered. At dinner our waitress was very attentive. Never felt like I needed anything which is always a good sign!
Music: DJ spun some old school music in the background - top 40 songs from every era (it reminded me of the Bungalow 8 show on Sirius radio).
Favorite food: Absolutely LOVED the Strawberry and Mozzarella with Hazelnuts Salad. For dinner we had the Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Gorgonzola Sauce and Asparagus - AMAZING.
Not so much our fave:
Garlic Bread - I could have made it at home (and I don't cook).
Meatballs and Spaghetti -Meatballs were HUGE! It was good but not great.
Favorite drink: Shack Mule - Lotus (vitamin B-12) Vodka, fresh lemon and lime juice, ginger syrup and a splash of soda for $9. They also offer 40 oz beers - remember Mickey's back in the day? The special we thought was funny (besides the 40 oz beers) - shot of Jim Beam and a 7 oz bottle of Miller High Life for $7.
Pros: Delicious food at affordable prices. Atmosphere completed our experience. We left entertained, full bellied and still had money left to grab some drinks afterward!
Cons: Parking, what parking? Good luck finding a spot. Also, get there before 7:15pm or you will be waiting for hours.
Recommendation: This place is a must-see for anyone looking for a unique experience.
Emmy's Menu for March 14th, 2009
500 Club
This place won Best of the Bay Best Dive Bar 2008, so it's no surprise that we had fun there.
Atmosphere: Like any little bar in the Mission area, it was super tiny with 3-4 booths/tables along one wall, bar along the other side. Everything (including the fireplace) was definitely well-worn. We liked how they attempted to add some girlie flare with the miniature crystal chandelier above a table in the back and child-like tiara above the girls bathroom. None of which went with the rest of the decor ha ha ha.
Service: Bartender was quick - gotta love that!
Music: Old school classics from the 80's.
Favorite drink: Full bar with your usual suspects for beers.
Pros: Fun, relaxed atmosphere with a good crowd. Cheap drinks and decent music - enough to keep me in the bar.
Cons: Cash only. Parking was a little hard to find.
Recommendation: Definitely wish I had heard about this bar before our TEAM BUZ (my drinking team) event last fall, they would have loved it! We will definitely bring our friends here when they are looking for a cool dive bar.
Reader Comments (1)
I had a great time with you. Great review!!! I look forward to the next interesting place. I think we need to try http://www.thestinkingrose.com/" REL="nofollow">The Stinking Rose