Tommy's Joynt • 1947

At the corner of Van Ness and Geary, carvers slice fresh brisket, pastrami, corned beef, and turkey behind the counter at San Francisco's original hofbrau, where the fluorescent pink-and-green sign and circus-font mural have beckoned hungry locals since 1947. Founded by radio personality Tommy Harris and Albert Pollack, the windowless dining room is a technicolor time capsule crammed with tchotchkes, beer steins, and vintage memorabilia, serving cafeteria-style plates piled with slow-cooked meats, mashed potatoes, and the famous buffalo stew over rice that's been on the menu for over seven decades. Open late with over 100 beers and nostalgic prices that defy San Francisco's sky-high dining costs, it's where Metallica invited Jason Newsted to join the band in 1986.