03/20/09

Don't order from here!

by braindeadjane

I ordered a burger offline. I asked for a veggie patty but it came with meat. The manager refused to fix the mixup and refused to give me a new burger. He said that he would send me a veggie burger only if I paid for it!

• Pros: Quick delivery
• Cons: Manager's an a**hole

09/21/08

good rootbeer, scary restrooms

by anesejatina

we've gone here a good number of times as a couple and as a group

+ 24 hours

+++ root beer freeze

- service was mediocre

- food, no matter what we tried was "eh"

- stay out of the restrooms; they aren't pretty

- parking is tough

02/17/08

Sparkys not the Sparkys I used to know and love

by baybesf

We dropped by there the other night in our continuing search for a decent 3 am meal. I was hoping for the eggs florentine and a fruit side I used to get a few years back. Gone! The menu choices have seriously lessened. I saw nothing we couldn't get at a couple of other local places, save for a few vegan choices. Not what we had in mind. The music was deafening. Literally. We had to leave. I told my partner "I feel sorry for all those people who are going to lose their hearing" and I was sincere.

• Pros: Some vegan choices, nice wait staff.
• Cons: Deafness inducing music makes conversation impossible, reduced menu

11/28/07

New owner is a disaster

by tgeller

ADDENDUM TO THE REVIEW BELOW: I went in again and had lunch when the problematic owner was gone, and with an old friend as the server. He said that she probably wouldn't be back to work the place -- it didn't suit her. I'm glad she realized that quickly, and hope for the best. I'll amend this review as new info becomes available.* * *

I've lived in The Castro for almost 14 years, and have been coming to Sparky's even longer. It's my home-away-from-home, a comfortable place to spend the afternoon without feeling like you're intruding. I basically got my real-estate broker's license there, studying correspondence courses for a year while eating numerous burgers, sandwiches, and bowls of fries. The food, while only fair, is consistent and nutritious. And their shakes were great! * * *

Then I went in today. * * *

Apparently the place has been bought. I was greeted -- if such a word could be used -- by a woman who treated me as though I was an *interruption* to her business, rather than the *reason* for it. She ignored me, snapped when I tried to give my order, then went back to gabbing on the phone and glaring down everyone who came in. * * *

A large group of seniors was having a meeting there, and apparently some of them never even had a chance to give their orders, although others had received their food. When one complained, she just walked away from them. * * *

On my way out I told her I'd never seen such a bad attitude, and that I wouldn't be coming back. She basically said, "Sorry, sorry, sorry, it's the waiter's fault." (I'd been well served by him many times before.) * * *

By the way, this was after closing the place for two days without notice (save for a scrawed note on the door) so they could rip up the carpet. They then re-opened with and uncarpeted, uneven and exposed plywood floor. * * *

God, do I hate saying this. But unless she learns how to run a restaurant, and fast, Sparky's is dead.

• Pros: Unknown at this point -- we'll have to see how much the new owner changes
• Cons: Terrible new owner

01/16/07

Horrible phone person refused to deliver just down the street

by ahagelshaw

The night before my wife was going to have surgery, she wanted to get comfort food delivered to our house. It was kind of late, and we immediately thought of Sparky's, a place we had gone to several times, and had even had food delivered a few times the year before to our same address.

This time, though, I got a young guy on the phone who acted like he had no clue where anything was in SF, and wouldn't believe me when I told him Chenery and 30th St was just a dozen or so blocks away. After putting me on hold twice while taking my address, he finally came back and told me they don't deliver to our neighborhood. I begged him, told him we're right in Noe Valley, and that they delivered to our house just the year before. "Well, that was last year," he concluded. I told him I thought it sucked (I"m never rude to anyone on the phone!) and said goodbye.

Needless to say, we're never eating at Sparky's again, after being let down so badly in our time of restaurant need.

• Pros: Open late, but don't ask them to deliver
• Cons: Very rude and insensitive on the phone

The all-American diner gets a Castro makeover at this all-night restaurant.

by Contributor

In Short
The late-night hours and central locale attract everyone from yuppies to skaters to cross-dressers. Much of the menu is traditional diner fare. Breakfast is served 24 hours day, featuring traditional pancakes and three-egg omelettes. For lunch and dinner, the updated coffee shop features numerous vegetarian options, from soy burgers to soy chicken. Milk shakes with Mitchell's ice cream are also served.

11/29/06

Sparkys

by jessikka

sparkys has poor management. have no control over there drivers. being a 24 hour establishment, but selective about deliveries with "delivery area". i have had many mishaps withh robert, night manager. i wwork in a hospital. i frequently ordder for a large group of my staff. i had arranged for deliveries with one manager. we are a large group, and tip very well. after several situations with mr. robert, will never eat there again, this includes from my home.. there is nothing worse than, a hungry staff finding out NO FOOD is coming an hour after the order was placed, and all of our other restaurants are closed.

in closing, poor customer service!!!! at least four days a week when robert is at work. this he assured me of!!!!! *shame on you*

• Pros: good food
• Cons: bad management

10/09/06

Best place for matchmaking

by tokolosh

In 1995 I moved to SF from colorado. I am originally born in South Africa, and I traveled around the globe as a "restaurant worker". I was hired at Sparkys as a Night "line Cook" and soon "rose" to the rank of "Graveyard Manager". At that time I was one of the few "straight" "managers" and I put that in " " cause we werere neither straight nor managers. However, we had a lot of fun! in january of 1996 we needed some help, so the managers called in one of the "phone girls" to help. I met her, and the rest is history etc, etc . Sparkys is/was notorious for this type of matrch!!! If John Camacho reads this give a call.... Cool place for a sanack,,,.

09/26/06

1 of my favorite late night spots Since the 80's

by sf_native1

Hey what can you say about Sparky's Diner

It's been around forever and I have been going here since at least 1985 It's the best late night option for after club food...Good burgers shakes and meatloaf..

I even eat lunch in here sometimes , it can also be pretty entertaining depending on the time of night you go in therfe

• Pros: 24 hours a day
• Cons: Drunk irritating Customers

07/11/06

Customer service could use some spark.

by brifoxx

The food is average for a diner in the bay area. The real standout is the poor customer service from the "manager" when we were dining there. Our incorrect order promped her to argue instead of correct the problem. That sets a poor example for all of their employees.

• Pros: decent food
• Cons: poor customer service