The Window

So I don’t think this place exists anymore. The arrow and title are pulled off the wall and the window itself has some tagging on it.

It’s funny how The Window is literally a window and I love how their sign has a big arrow pointing straight at it. It’s essentially a spot that gives pop up restaurants a chance to showcase their good stuff. Bayou by the Bay was showcased when I came by to visit.
Bayou By The Bay really surprised me! I got treated so some really good Louisiana Cuisine.
First I started off with their Jalapeño Grits with Creole Shrimp
Jalapeño Grits with Creole Shrimp
Shrimp and Grits topped with a fried egg. It doesn’t get any better than that!
I also wanted to try their Shrimp Po’ Boy
Shrimp Po’ Boy Sandwich
Huge Sandwich with MORE shrimp. Shrimp was fried up nicely and they put a generous amount in the sandwich.
And I figured might as well finish off my meal with some good ol’ Beignets
Beignets
These were really good! Despite the fact that I don’t really know what authentic beignets taste like (maybe Brenda’s), I thought these looked and tasted close to the real thing!
The Window is a very interesting concept and I hope they continue to bring out more interesting pop ups like Bayou By The Bay. Looking forward to visiting them again soon!

After passing by this place on my way to work everyday, I gave it a shot one day since I was tired of eating at my usual spots.
I ordered a carne asada burrito (which I think was the special of the day) and it was delicious! The tortilla was good, the meat was flavorful and it even came with a side of salsa and chips. The only part I disliked was the amount of black beans in my burrito and the lack of salsa/​other vegetables, but it was delicious nonetheless!
I will come back and try the other specials. It’s definitely worth coming to!

Dang good… Its Wed april 20 aghh forgot to write down the name of the pop up chef. All i know is I had a carnitas sandwhich and it was off the hook. Nice to have a spot like this in the area. I work on Mission and Van Ness and there is nothing out here. Love it will frequent it.

Great food and great concept — it is hard to get bored with a lunch place that changes every day. So far everything I tried was delicious.
I don’t believe in deducting stars for high price, but a warning — this is a part of a new trend in the city, where $ 10 for a take-​out lunch is somehow OK. I think it should be categorized with $$, not $ for the price.

A lunch spot with rotating pop-​up chefs — what more could you ask for?
This is a little gem I came across while walking home from the mission. It’s literally just a window that they serve you from with a few tables and chairs outside.
So far I’ve had a fried oyster Po’boy (Bayou by the bay), and an authentic pastrami sandwich (Jablows meats). Both pretty stellar and highly recommended. It’s difficult to really give this place a review since the actual food and people serving it change constantly. I do highly recommend following their twitter feed @thewindowsf and checking their calendar before going though.
All in all, I look forward to my next meal there!

Cool pop up concept right around the corner for me … I tried all the vendors and been happy with each one … everything else has been said about this place … but it is a fun experience none the less.

A heroic incursion of fine flavors into a windswept (and long-​vacant) corner of SOMA.
Wanting to impress a waking-​up partner one Sunday I went and grabbed brunch takeout from one of their rotating purveyors (I forget which one). We got waffles, bacon, and a tofu scramble wrap thing, which I was skeptical about since I’m an egg man, myself, and have weaned off of soy since I heard it was estrogenny and I’m already way too girly as it is. But anyway, I get the stuff home, and wow, after having so many cheap brunches after late or drunken nights, I’ve sort of forgotten how good they can be. The waffle was a dream, crunchy and fluffy and sweet, and the bacon was thick, crispy, peppery, just how bacon is supposed to be. Most surprising of all was the tofu scramble thing which was sort of egg-​reminiscent, but I might even say was better than eggs – an absolutely silken and light texture filled with veggies. It was a real home run.
Now I’ve only been that once and with the rotations, who knows what you’ll get. The corner is still windswept and placing a table or two out there on the sidewalk doesn’t make it any more pleasant. (I’m hoping that once the new Coffee Bar – can’t wait!!! – goes in in the main building that the food will be integrated and maybe the sidewalk will get spruced up). It’s also a little bit irritating not knowing when they’re open or what’s going on, I mean, I guess I just have to check Twitter, but still, there’s been a couple times where I’m like «ooh I can go to the Window» and then I look and nope, nothing. But clearly the people making the food are doing it for the love of making food, and that’s something that doesn’t really exist within about a 4– or 5– block radius of 12^th and Howard (except for the way-​too-​expensive hipster pizza joint you couldn’t get into before they shut down for 3 months for no reason) and thus is utterly invaluable.

Definitely a welcome presence in the ‘hood.
Given the mediocrity of the nearby deli and terribleness of the taqueria, it’s nice to have something like this around the corner. Lots of options including lunch and dinner choices most nights.
I’ll admit the Belly Burgers were not great and overpriced but everyone there was super friendly and it’s a minute walk from my door.
Looking forward to stopping by and trying a few other things.

I have ventured to this corner 3 times now and all vendors had great food and friendly service. Definitely a go to because it is right around the corner and I can chil outside with my dog. I am excited a new coffee hang out will be opening here too, fingers crossed they go with a Sunday brunch there is nothing much to choose from in the immediate area unless you want to sit in a bar at the Mercury Lounge.
I think they have a phone number now to place orders, oooohhh beignets on Sunday for breakfast me thinks.
Off to post it to my local yahoo group.

(See pics) Review #1160. Is there a permanent pop-​up? Or is that an oxymoron?
Even if you love a place, you can only eat there so often before feeling a bit of repeat. A pop-​up is a great solution to serve different food choices with the forever changing vendors so for those who that are not necessarily your favorites you can simply go on a different day /​evening or it may rotate out eventually.
The few tables for standing and eating was also a nice setting.
This location is especially nice since this area really doesn’t have a lot of fast but not fast food places (apart from the future food truck park outside of Best Buy a few blocks away.)
Thanks to a foodie friend who told me all about these mobile and changing venues, I got to check this place out.
Can’t wait when Coffee Bar opens to grab a coffee after eating some delicious food!

so much good food coming out this window!

Schedule: temporary spot (until Coffee Bar 3 opens).
Last week was the debut of a new pop up food vendor venue called The Window. The new owners are the people from Coffee Bar, who plan to add another location here. But in the mean time, before it opens in several months, they’re renting the kitchen section to street food vendors.
Who then sell their food thru a window on the 12^th street side.
The first batch of vendors this month includes: Soup Junkie (bun rieu noodle soup), CBT Belly Burgers (pork belly burgers), Good Foods Catering (soul food), Seoul Patch (Korean chicken sando), Jablow’s Meats (corned beef & pastrami sandos), Bayou by the Bay (shrimp and grits, beignets, and bacon-​apple fritters), Sweet Jo’s (biscuits and chili), Maite Catering (Colombian tapas), and newcomer City Smoke House (urban BBQ).
Long ago this corner
was a tamales restaurant, and the last tenant was a What’s Up Dog location. Sage Lounge is across the street. Not much parking in this area, but I had no trouble finding a spot.
I’ve been here a couple of times already. So far, Soup Junkie’s Vietnamese soup was the only lunch vendor. Additional lunch vendors are expected. My latest visit was for dinner, and got a buttermilk fried chicken and sweet potato waffle for $ 10.
There are no chairs, just 3 tall tables so customers can eat standing. **Update: a few chairs are now available.
CASH only.
There are 3 shifts (11am-​2pm, 5−9pm, 9pm-​2am), but not every time slot is used. So check the schedule for specific vendors on this link:
(new link)
**Update: Flour & Water’s Salumeria pop-​up (charcuterie sandos) will be here on Friday 3÷30÷12 @11am-2pm.

SOMA – I’m glad to see another independent business owner is willing to take a chance on this corner where so many others have recenly failed. (My personal agenda is that another lunch spot near my work that doesn’t require me to schlep to the Mission is a good thing.)
The new shop’s under-​the-​radar business model will hopefully pan out better than the Hawaiian BBQ and what’s up dog that previously occupied the space.
For now, there’s no inside space or seating – just a window on the side of the building.
The guy who operates it seems to only be open when the weather is not pouring rain. Will investigate further and report back.