What San Francisco might lack in autumnal leafiness, we make up for in our love of Oktoberfest and German food. Schroeder’s has been the go-to place for German food lovers in San Francisco since 1893, when many a gentlemen quaffed a few Barvarian style ales with friends. The original structure was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, before being reopened at its current location of 240 Front Street by Henry Schroeder, who was actively involved in downtown San Francisco’s reconstruction. And once 1970 rolled around, ladies could finally enjoy a beer too as they finally starting letting women in.

With two Dames with German heritage (Dame Alix and Dame Shona!), we knew a trip to Schroeder’s was in our future. Dressed in our finest dridnls, the Dames descended on Schroeders ready for boots of beer and some oh-so-good dark bread and schnitzel.

The potato pancakes were divine and if they’ve been served since 1893, we understand why Schroeder’s is still around! The spaetzle was unusual for its inclusion of tomatoes and corn (not very authentic) and alas, the dessert was not to our liking.

The biggest bummer was when the boot of beer arrived….. in a normal glass mug. Not the classic glass boot! But no worries! We’ll be happy to come back again for another stein full of good ale!

UPDATE 9/15 from Dame Baby Doe: Schroeder’s Restaurant closed for a few months after the Dame visit and underwent an extensive remodel and now offers “upscale German-influenced fare.” From the photos it looks like the remodel has retained some of the original decor…. the Dames will investigate and report back!

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 3 Dames forks
Service – 3 Dames forks
Food – 2 Dames forks
Cocktails (well… Beer) – 4 Dames forks
Dessert – 1 Dames forks

Dame Baby Doe – “The dessert looked delicious but tasted like dirty socks”

Schroeder’s Restaurant
240 Front Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
http://www.schroederssf.com

Sears Fine Foods has been serving up Swedish Pancakes since 1938. The original owner, Ben Sears, was a retired circus clown who inherited the perfect Swedish pancake recipe from his Swedish wife.

The original location (500 block of Powell Street) had quite a reputation for the novelty of its Cadillac waiting room! What is that you say? Yes it is true, the owners at that time (Mrs. Brenner) used to park two pink Cadillacs in front of the restaurant with the heaters and radios on to shelter the waiting crowds. 

In 1964 the restaurant moved to the location it is in today. Alas the restaurant underwent an extensive remodel in 2004 that stripped it of all it’s retro glory. The one redeeming quality is that they do still showcase many
photos of the original restaurant.

The Dames decided a trip to Sears Fine Food should be themed “Breakfast for Dinner”! Each Dame wore a favorite vintage apron and we hosted our own runway (well really just a strut around our 10 person table) showing off each of our aprons for the delight of all the ladies (and some of the patrons sitting at the bar). The speciality of Sears Fine Food is the 18 Swedish Pancakes for $10.85. Many of the girls ordered pancakes and hearty salads taking the breakfast for dinner idea to the next level. The vegetarian pasta was greasy and too garlic-y but the creamed spinach received many ooohhh and ahhhs from the ladies many of them proclaiming it the BEST CREAMED SPINACH YET!! The dessert was a butterscotch pudding served with whipped cream and ginger brandy snaps – a creamy delicious dessert. On your way out make sure to get your photo taken with the gorgeous vintage Sears Fine Food neon sign. Truly a San Francisco landmark even without the decor or the pink Cadillac’s parked out front.

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 2 Dames forks
Service – 3 Dames forks
Food – 3 Dames forks
Cocktails – 3 Dames forks
Dessert – 5 Dames forks (for the butterscotch pudding!)

Sears Fine Foods
439 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94102
http://www.searsfinefood.com

{After over 50 years of fiestas, La Barca closed it’s doors in 2012}

Located on Lombard Street, La Barca has been slinging “traditional” Mexican food since 1962. Stepping inside, the decor had many fun vintage “South of the Border” touches including a large wrought-iron light fixture and fences and photos of celeb diners like Liza Minnelli and Richard Dawson.

This particular evening, all the Dames aux Gatueax wore festive circle skirts or other South of the Border inspired vintage wear. A boisterous drunken fella greeted us as we entered, slurring “Wheeerree rrrr uuu laaaaadies goooing?!”  We were escorted to our own private room by a charming host and seated at a large round table— our preferred table style!

We often like to have a little theme to the conversation, and the private room provided the perfect place for each Dame to share their international dream vacation location. Destinations like Sweden, Scotland, Paris, Toyko were top picks and each Dame explained what they would do there.

We also indulged in a few pitchers of margaritas and we can officially say that they do not skimp on alcohol! The menu is filled with may classic dishes—burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas—and even some unusual ones like mashed potato enchiladas for the vegetarians. The food was simple, hearty and tasty, with huge portions and great salty crisp homemade chips.

The best part of the evening was the realization that La Barca had their own special retro Latin-inspired birthday song. Think lively Herb Alpert! We all loved it so much we clapped when we heard it played for the table next to us. Dame Alix was so exuberant as she raved about it to the waiter (or perhaps it was the margaritas raving??) that he surprised us with our own mock birthday celebration—playing the song yet again and presenting us with a sparkler-laden dessert! You have never seen grown woman more thrilled for sparklers. It was a truly festive night.

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 3.5 Dames forks
Service – 5 Dames forks
Food – 4 Dames forks
Cocktails – 4 Dames forks
Dessert – 4 Dames forks (although most would say with the sparkler this deserved a “5”)

Dame Katie – “You you never saw such excitement for a sparkler on a dessert!” 

La Barca
2036 Lombard St
San Francisco, CA

Frank Spenger, a fisherman, welcomed the repeal of prohibition in 1933 by opening a restaurant and tavern, Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto. Over the years, celebrities (including Ernest Hemingway and Clark Gable!) dined here with local fisherman, politicians, the local university students and racetrack gamblers. Frank’s son Buddy ran the nautical themed seafood restaurant from 1940 – 1998, when failing health and falling profits forced him to hand over control to McCormick & Schmick, a Portland, Oregon seafood restaurant chain.

Designated a city landmark in 2001 you can still visit the restaurant today and enjoy the nautical decor including ship’s wheels, anchors, rigging and (the Dames favorite!) the Diamond Bar’s Star of Denmark, a 34-carat diamond ring given to Hawaii’s Queen Kapiolani!

Our visit to Spanger’s was our third Dame installment and we were still getting into the swing of how to manage indulging too much without getting the fisherman boot! Luckily the waiter was ga-ga over the Dames, gushing over us and continually filling our champagne glasses. We are pretty sure we were the youngest patrons in the joint in the last ten years and he just adored us!

Dame Rusty described the evening conversation as “Nauterrific!” The Dames played a titillating game of “Truth Or Lie” with our fashionably retro sexy guest Kimberly. The food and drinks are solid at Spanger’s but nothing really stood out as stellar except for the tasty creamed spinach. The only vegetarian option on the menu was a garlic infused pasta dish which was er… not that garlicy. Vegetarians might have better luck sticking to the sides.  The Crème Brûlée and the Chocolate Bag were both delicious desserts. The overall highlight for many was Dame Dottie doing the Sidney Poitier dance. We cleared the place out with our loud laughter – we look forward to doing it again!

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 4 Dames forks
Service – 3 Dames forks
Food – 3 Dames forks
Cocktails – 3 Dames forks
Dessert – 4 Dames forks

Dame Lynn “I got blotto on the Grotto. I don’t even remember what I ate but I think it was the start of my oyster theme.”

Dame Karen “My goodness, the ghosts of proper ladies dining would have blushed at The Dames’ titillating Truth Or Lie game, but the ghosts of longshoremen past would have loved every minute (and bought us a round).”

Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 Fourth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
510.845.7771
http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/Locations/berkeley-california/

Just look for the neon sign! John’s Grill is one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco built shortly after the 1906 earthquake. Made famous as a setting in Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Maltese Falcon. The restaurant is a great example of a vintage seafood steakhouse.  The bartenders here are well versed in classic cocktails and the ambiance is cozy. The Dames were escorted to the 3rd floor where we found ourselves at a large round table. For this dinner we invited a special guest Joey Stevenson (Editor Flavorpill). We ordered cocktails, salads and appetizers while Joey kept us all smart with her literary talk.

The menu included many old-school standards including a Dame favorite creamed spinach and Jack La Lanes favorite Salad (for two). Portions are large. There is no vegetarian main courses on the menu but plenty of sides to keep a vegetarian full. Prices are not cheap at John’s Grill so make sure to savor every bite!

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 4 Dames forks
Service – 3 Dames forks
Food – 3 Dames forks
Cocktails – 5 Dames forks
Dessert – 3 Dames forks

Dame Lynn “I went for the Oyster’s Wellington and would have liked a little less Wellington, a little more oyster”

Dame Shona “Hello, Sidecar, where have you been all my life?”

John’s Grill
63 Ellis St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 986-3274
http://www.johnsgrill.com

{please note this review is pre-the-big-remodel of 2015}

The first Dames aux Gateaux dinner took place at Joe’s of Westlake in the historic Westlake District of Daly City. An old-school Italian style restaurant that has been family owned since 1956. When we arrived we were surprised to find that the parking lot was filled. Honestly this place was happening for a Thursday at 7pm.  The live band in the bar, the clown paintings, the wood-paneled walls and the age 60 plus clientele were as classic as the cocktails. The main Dining Room has solid leather white booths and a counter you can sit at and watch the chefs at work in their high brimmed chef hats. The cocktail bar boasts not only glass grapes hanging from the ceiling but a cozy metal fireplace. The whole place feels like you are stepping back in time.

Our newly formed gaggle of  Dames were seated at a large table in the Cascade Room. Although not the main Dining Room this side room does have many classic touches including our waiter! He seemed was very impressed by our enthusiasm of Joe’s of Westlake. Since some of the girls didn’t know each other we played a round of ‘Speed Dating Dames Style”. We indulged in numerous cocktails, buttery creamed spinach, lots of ravioli and of course dessert!

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 4 Dames forks
Service – 4 Dames forks
Food – 3 Dames forks
Cocktails – 4 Dames forks
Dessert – 3 Dames forks

Dame Shona “Joe’s of Westlake was the first time that I realized the pure joy of sitting at a table with other amazing ladies who also dream of someday having Auntie Mame’s apartment.”

Dame Baby Doe “As a vegetarian I would recommend the Fettucine, I ordered the half order and it was so big I couldn’t eat it all!”

Dame Lynn “It was awesome to be greeted in the parking lot by sauced Senior Citizen Gentlemen who called us ‘The Cheerleaders!’ “

Joe’s of Westlake
11 Glenwood Ave, Daly City, CA 94015
(650) 755-7400
http://www.joesofwestlake.com