Fruitful Grounds

it actually pains me to write this review. I like to support small, independent business and really want them to succeed. this place however, doesn’t deserve it. The last few times I went i was really disappointed with the food. and how hard is it to make a veggie sandwich or falafel pita?
the veggie sandwich (cucumbers, avacados, etc) had so much yellow mustard on it i had to scrape it off and even then, the whole thing was just plain messy.
my falafel pita was a disgrace. the falafel wasn’t even in patties, just a tiny pile of of crumbled up falafel crumbs that they threw in a pita bread with waaaaaay too much lettuce, and zero sauce. ZERO. there were 2 cubed tomato pieces.
2 stars cuz the guy working there was really nice.

3 of us went for breakfast yesterday. 6 thumbs down.
SLOOWWW service.
Filthy bathrooms (black dirty ring around the handle of the door).
Tiny portions for the price — and YUCKY food. I know, who uses the word yucky? But it was really gross. Just gross.
Walk two blocks to Café Neon instead — clean, edible food.

The bad? Cash only. Bad fries.
The good? Friendly atmosphere who give you two dollars in change instead of $ 1.85.
Kind of a random location – perfect for USF students I suppose, but otherwise not a destination for most unless you’re a local NOPA resident.

There are so so so so so many choices for coffee in my area… that’s why it’s sad when a place is only OK… Becuase I likely won’t go back unless a place is really good. But it’s not that I don’t want to…
It’s pretty likeable although a major problem for me is that it feels kinda business-​y and chain-​y… the furniture isn’t comfy and there are buzzes from something in the kitchen. I really couldn’t find wireless — I tapped into a nearby one.
The staff was nice but it doesn’t have that nice home feeling I like from cafes.
They do have a pretty big menu and LOTS of space! The wall outlets are blocked — argh! They play KOIT… hmmm lite rock less talk… just a little… umm… suburbian?
What also matters is the espresso and this place did not deliver. Bitter, thin, not creamy. Foam on my capp was frothy and not tasty.

I used to love Fruitful Grounds. Their sandwiches were really delicious, and their fries were killer.
I came recently after not having been in about a year or so, and I was disappointed. The sandwich was still good, but it wasn’t anywhere near as tasty as the ones they used to make. They also stopped taking credit cards, which I don’t normally care about but in this case I did because I didn’t have much cash on me. I’d give it a three, but it’s hard to base a two-​star drop on one visit.

This place used to be a favorite of mine, and not only because of its proximity to school. It was a great place to get a more than decent sandwich and a beer.
Then, something changed. The sandwiches all have the same ingredients, but instead of the great, crusty bread they used to be served on, now its just crammed onto a crappy roll you could buy yourself at Albertson’s (sorry — Lucky) that can’t stand up to the weight and falls apart into a mushy mess before you’re done.
Oh, and now it’s cash only.
Boooo.

Overpriced, mediocre food. Bring cash because they don’t take no cards. Want a cheeseburger? That’ll be about $ 7, plus a few bucks extra for fries. Order your food an hour before you get hungry because it will take a LONG time before you get your food, even if the place is empty. Sure, the owner might always be cheerful but the the amount of time I have to wait to get bad food just makes me hate the bastard. A little.
If you HAVE to go here then order the Mediterranean burrito. If it wasn’t for the M. B I would otherwise give this place 1 star.

I’m surprised that most of the reviews hover at a measly 2 – 3 stars. I actually really like this place, but then again, I’ve only been here once — this past Friday. I was originally planning to only order a coffee, but the employees were so unbelievably nice and the menu was so extensive that I decided to pair some food with my drink. My chicken quesadilla was generously stuffed with cheese, chicken, and avocado slices, with the tortilla toasted to a perfect golden crisp. I was disappointed that a scoop of salsa was not included with the dish, but my dismay was quickly forgotten when I spotted bottles of Tapatio on the condiment table. A couple of fiery squirts of the stuff on my quesadilla made it a delicious and comforting snack. I am definitely planning on returning frequently!
— — — — — — — — — —
[Edit: 11/​16/​2007]
Came back and ordered a side of fries a couple of day ago. My small order was upgraded to a generous basket of thick, crispy and starchy snack. Very delicious! There is a cash-​only policy, but an ATM machine is just down the street in the corner liquor store. The owner is so friendly and was willing to take the time to answer my barrage of questions regarding the establishment. One extra star!

I’m gonna go with 3 stars as well, I don’t mind following the herd because it turns out the Unilocalers are right (they almost always are)!
I’ve lived in the neighborhood just over a year and haven’t ever found Fruitful Grounds particularly appetizing. The coffee was bland, the sandwich was overpriced, the place was empty, but the guy behind the counter, he was nice.
Fruitful Grounds is almost trying too hard. If you want a great atmosphere, great coffee, free internet, and good food, you should just walk a few more blocks to Central Coffee! Why have bronze when you can have GOLD?!
Long-​story-​short: I’ll probably never go back. There’s no point!

Blah. That’s the best word I can use to sum up this place. I remember when I was a wee freshman, wide-​eyed and new to the city, the cute exterior of this place and its colorful chalk-​written menu made it seem cool and urban. However, after coming here maybe just 3 times in the past 4 years it’s become very clear: The extensive, fancy-​looking selection is a cover-​up for the plain fact that the food here sucks. Everything’s overpriced. The service is slow. If anything, this place can serve you up some decent basic coffee. Not much else going for it though.
Students, don’t fall into this trap! You’re better off at the cafeteria, Crossroads, or even *gasp* Starbucks. Hell yeah I said it!

You know, this used to be a sure thing for me. Sort of like that reliable friend you had that always said good things about your fat jeans or your pimple on your nose that’s waving at everyone. «Sure, doll, it’s not bad at all.» Good ol’ friend. Good ol’ café.
Well, apparently things went downhill somewhere… but I didn’t want to listen to my friends. This was, after all, my good ol’ friend. You don’t want to diss your friend even those she’s wearing last year’s flats or last decades’ boot cuts. Come on, she’s been there for you, homie!
I roll through today, order up an omelette (it was not quite breakfast, not quite lunch) and you know, it’s hard to fuck up an omelette, right? Yah it was pretty sad, half scrambled and the cheese isn’t quite melted, mushrooms taste over cooked. I’m hungry though so I tear it up, but after everything, I feel somewhat greasy, slower, and somewhat disappointed.
Could it be, after all this time, my homie, my ace was doing me wrong? Was it I that has moved on and left her behind? Was it something I said? Did I stare too much at last’s year hair style with the highlights that haven’t been stepped up since then?
I did! And guess what, trick! I’m over it! I’m not one with your sad little omelette. You used to be the ONE girl, but not no’ mo! Lose my number. Okay. Bye. That little thing about not accepting credit cards? That’s just cruel. Cruel, cruel, cruel.

The owner/​manager here is just plain rude. The University of San Francisco is less than 2 blocks away from this establishment. WIth that in mind, I am at a loss as to how this place can be so openly hostile to students. Guess what the University isn’t going anywhere.
To make matters worse, the pricing for the bland food is outrageoulsy high. How this place continues to survive is beyond me. Help it along in its eventual demise and avoid this place. I can’t believe I’m saying this but if you want a cup of coffee in this neighborhood, go to the Starbucks less than a block away.

Another 3 star review for this place on my front.
My cousin and I shared a chicken sandwich here, and it was über bland. I got an almond latte sweet enough to satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooths, (which I am, but even I could hardly muster it).
For coffee, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to stick with the so-​sickeningly-​mainstream Starbucks right across the street.

In one word: «meh.» I’ve had the food here several times simply because I don’t know of another place w/​in walking distance of work that works w/​my sandwich/​salad cravings. The salads are amply sized, but still a little pricy for my liking b/​c I am a cheapass (e.g., most are $ 6.50 and it’s an extra $ 2 for chicken). Grilled veggie sandwich is a’ight. They also have some falafel sandwiches, which is novel for the area but haven’t tried that yet.
Just writing this review makes me yearn for the ubiquitous, reliable NYC deli. I miss the point-​and-​choose salad stations (not a salad bar) where I could carefully control the price of my lunch by orchestrating the perfect combination of fulfilling, healthy, tasty ingredients. Oh the NYC withdrawal still hits me hard, sigh…
I digress, anyway Fruitful Grounds is a solid 3. Recommended w/​hesitation.

(Here’s a story about how Unilocal is slowly taking over my life…)
Having just moved up to the Bay Area, my car started making strange noises. My friend Gordon had told me about Unilocal so I searched for a place to bring my car to.
While waiting for my car to be done, my brother and I wandered around looking for a place to eat & found Fruitful Grounds. I ordered a grilled eggplant sandwich that was tasty! (They use this delicious garlic rosemary sauce in the sammie.)
My brother ordered the falafel & did NOT enjoy it. It was a bit dry and chewy…
We did not have coffee so I can’t vouch for that…
But the owner was really sweet and while service may have been slow, I’d much rather the food be made fresh!

Nope. Not doing it for me.
I’ve tried twice now, and both times the coffee was gross. This weekend the house blend seemed to be blended with the water from a hookah. I’ve heard of coffee having tobacco-​like flavors, but this was distinctly bong-​water flavored (except with tobacco).
Also, my food (the two egg breakfast) was gross and took forever for it to come out. The eggs were just eggs. The toast was very dry, very cold, and covered in butter (that couldn’t melt because of the cold toast). The potatoes were okay, but bad when compared to other SF breakfasts.
I won’t go back. Yuck.

Big points for, 1. not being Starbucks, 2. having a menu far more extensive than the vast majoirty of coffee shops, 3. being nice, and 4. being in my neighborhood. They can be slow or occasionally forget an item, but don’t forget items 1 – 4.
Get the breakfast burrito. Ask to sub mushrooms if you’re veggie.

I was trying to remember the name of the place forever. I’m surprised that it hasn’t recieved better reviews. The seared tofu zucchini sandwich on sourdough is unreal — one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in the Haight area. A great place with good food and friendly service. My only complaint would be it’s hours. It closes at five, which can be a hassle when you’re craving a sandwich at night.

Yay! Six three-​star reviews! This place is nothing if not consistent! This is a fairly typical lunch café and coffee shop, but they do have a very extensive menu board with lots of burger and sandwich choices, burritos, as well as a bunch of fruit smoothie concoctions. Its true that the food is a bit hit-​or-​miss and the burgers are just fair. The hours are also a bit restricted.

Good, healthful options in a location where there isn’t too much competition, though a little pricey, and could use better hours and more condiments. Solidly a 3.