Michael The prices for food in restaurants have noticeably increased in San Francisco, so it's important to know where you can still eat and drink well and affordably in our expensive city.

An institution of this kind with a long-standing tradition is Tommy's Joynt, located on Van Ness Avenue at the intersection with Bush Street. For tourists, it is somewhat off the beaten path, but still within walking distance from downtown if one doesn't mind passing through the somewhat rough Tenderloin district. Tourists are rarely seen in this rustic establishment; instead, it is mostly working-class people who line up on weekdays as early as 10:45am when the place opens at 11 a.m.

At Tommy's Joynt, it's self-service. You order your food at the counter, where the knowledgeable staff slings it onto your plate, and you pay immediately at the register there. There's all sorts of grilled and roasted meats, with sides like mashed potatoes or salad.

I can recommend the BBQ brisket with potato salad as a so-called "plate," for which the place is famous. I can't recommend the sandwiches there; they lack flair. But such a "plate" is just the right portion for a hungry worker like myself, and I like to get a beer at the bar, which operates independently and separately from the counter. You pay your bar tap right there as well.

The whole arrangement takes some getting used to, but at least during the week, you can always find a free table, and the food is really good. The beer selection, with certainly 20 drafts on tap, is quite stellar, and the crowd, a mix of working-class people and local celebrities like me, is definitely worth seeing.

The most famous customers of the store, by the way, are the members of the band Metallica, who grew up and became famous in the Bay Area. As young, poor musicians, they often ate there, supposedly mainly because at Tommy's Joynt you can take as many pickles as you want from the barrel-sized jar without having to pay extra. Perhaps there's even a pickle or two in there that James Hetfield has already touched!

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• More topics you might be interested in:

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