Joe DiMaggios – North Beach
601 Union St
San Francisco , CA
(415) 421.5633
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VdV Rating: 3.5
Food: Steakhouse
Ambiance: Fancy & Scmancy
OK, originally we’d picked Perbacco to go to dinner with our buds Rob and KellyAnn, but Robbie wanted some Beef. Whatever you want, Rob! So in a city with no shortage of meat restaurants, we went n-e-w. New to us anyways, Joe Dimaggio’s Chop House has been open for about a year. Hey, we’re always on the cutting edge for you VdV’ers!
The Vibe? Old school, Gangster, which was pretty cool. And I mean ‘gangster’ not to be confused with ‘ganst-a’, which would be a place right from the heart of the LBC (an important distinction). I mean, with a name like Joe DiMaggios we were expecting something like a Bob’s Big Boy except with an old decrepit baseball player on the roof.
We stand corrected. Sorry, Joe, and the entire Dimaggio fam. Apparently this place was done up by a company that represents the DiMaggio family and represents what Joe would have wanted in a place. Love it when a steak house feels, acts and smells like a real damn steak house! Kinda like a place your parents woulda taken you (or maybe just parked your ass with a babysitter and gone themselves) on a Friday night for a splurge after dad got paid. But no worries – it’s still way cool enough for the hip VdV
crowd.
Great old b&w photos on the wall, new shwank bar with tellies. Sideline: we love bars with tellies! Great in case you just want to ‘not talk’ for a second, your date is boring, or if you’re there solo as a kick-ass conversation starter. Like conversation kindling!) And, I must say I think they win the award for the biggest bouquet we’ve ever laid eyes on. Damn, this was like something plucked outta the Brazilian rain forest. Hope not. Anyhoo, surprise! We didn’t sit at the bar and instead got one of those big ol’ plush leather booths, the kind that you slide in and around?
First, BYOT (Bring Your Own Trough) and wear those elastic pants you’ve been hiding in the closet (along with a shirt or 
blouse so to hide the elastic, of course). And a stomach pump. Moo! OK, I think you get the picture. Big-ass menu, appys, salads, pizzettas, meats, fishes, and desserts.
What’d we have? Arancini, deep-fried saffron risotto w/ provolone and prosciutto. Good, esp if you like a) risotto and b) deep fried starch. We thought it was ‘good’, not great. NEXT! for a little roughage, the Chopped Salad. Good, fresh salad, great blue cheese and tomatoes, Suggestion Joe? (or actually Allen Vitto, the great exec chef, ex-Frigale) – Red Onion on a chopped salad ROCKS. Then, a Margherita Pizza. Good crust and mozzarella – damn good pizza for a chop house! We’re not done yet – then we had the Breaded Piquo Peppers, (yes) deep-fried pepper and cheese yodel. Good! At that point our cholesterol is racking up about as fast as watching the price when you’re filling up your gas tank.
Then, for the main course? Off the to slaughter house – Filet Mignon all around of course, all rare. So they were 3/4, as I had to send mine back since it wasn’t still fidgeting around on the plate. But they were very gracious and accommodating and even brought me (gulp) a free appetizer of soup for the short wait. I mean, a) unwrap the beef b) wave it over the flame c) bring it to me. Excellent cut of meat, great taste and tender, baby. Very good, they do it up right.
Wow. Who orders that much food? You woulda sworn it was Kirstie Alley’s last meal before she started Weight Watchers, BTW, did she really lose 75lbs? From where, her right cankle? Sorry bad taste, You go girl!
Vino was excellent. They have a large, well-selected list of about 250 bottles it seemed like. Lots. We had a bottle of the 2001 Wing Canyon Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Yee Haw! Look for a post on that in the next day or two. An awesome Cab. Bummer for us, we had to share with Rob and KellyAnn so it didn’t go too far:) and it was their last bottle.
Oh, and great, friendly service to boot, not to mention SUPERB company!
So where does this all put them on the VdV-o-meter? We give it a solid 7.5 out of 10. And for you uber-carnivores, an 8!
Joe Dimaggio’s
601 Union St
San Francisco
415.421.5633
