Sam's

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 the size (and width) of a U-Haul is filled with old photos of customers, cash-only signs (even though they do accept credit cards), and even 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