The Early Word on The Corner Store

In late August, local boys Ezra Berman and Miles Palliser of 330 Ritch, spit some life into the dim, southwest edge of Masonic and Geary with The Corner Store, replacing the dilapidated Hukilau with an airy Americana-loving restaurant. Here, former Salt House chef Nick Adams serves up seasonally-driven classics, complimented by one of very few full liquor license-driven cocktail programs nearby. Will The Corner Store continue to brighten its massive intersection? To the early word for a read on the situation.

The Burger News: Zagat's Meesha Halm listed their bacon jam burger as one of the city's hottest new burgers. Chowhounder cynsa elaborates: "The perfectly medium-rare burger was full of beefy flavor?just messy enough to be umami blessed on a sturdy/tasty bun but not fall-apart finger-licking messy. Yelper Bobby L. falls in the other camp, finding the burger "dry" and "a bit overcooked." [Yelp, Chowhound, Zagat]

The Other Food News: SFoodie was particurlarly jazzed about the fried green tomato sandwich, saying, "we're still experiencing flavor dream flashbacks." While Tasting Table observed that the menu comprises "affordable bistro food" that is "luring diners who normally head out of the hood to eat," Yelper Jenni D. did not see the same appeal, calling her two-star experience a "$50, waste-of-a-day-off let down." [Tasting Table, SFoodie, Yelp]

The Renovation News: "Hukilau was Hukinasty," Yelper Tamar D. concisely stated. 7x7's Marcia Gagliardi suggested the restaurant as one of five new places to try in September, and said the "massive overhaul" gave way to a "cozy and comfortable space serving unpretentious food." Additionally, Meesha Halm at Zagat felt The Corner Store channeling "the homey, mid-century vibe of an old-fashioned soda fountain with sparkling white subway tiles."

The Noise News: While Tasting Table enjoyed the "buzzy vibe" which is "fostered by terrazzo flooring," Chowhound's bernalKC thought the noise level was "just a notch below deafening, where it was an effort to hear our own conversation above the din." Conversely, cynsa on Chowhound experienced "a happy noisy buzz all evening." [Tasting Table, Chowhound, Yelp]
--Sophia Lorenzi

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· All The Corner Store Coverage [~ ESF ~]