1. Dottie's True Blue Café

Exceptional
My husband and I ate at Dottie's based on reviews. We were not disappointed. In a stroke of sheer luck, we happened to show up 30 seconds before they opened the door (7:30 am). Since we were last in line, we got the last available table (yes, there were that many people standing in line). I had the 3 egg omelet with my choice of add-ons. I chose feta cheese, spinach and kalamata olives - just superb. The omelet came with home fries and buttermilk bread. The home fries were plentiful and flavored with a spice I couldn't place. The buttermilk bread was a complete shocker. I honestly couldn't tell it was bread - thickly sliced and rather darkly toasted. I saved the bread for last as I was sure that I wasn't going to like it. I was wrong. The bread was toasted on the outside but the inside was heavy and soft - and laced with dill. Sounds odd, maybe, but so delicious. I wanted to ask to buy a loaf to take with me, but noticed on the menu that you must make arrangements by phone beforehand. Dottie's is right on the edge of Tenderloin district (which we were told to avoid) but we ate and then immediately walked back to safety.

super super super - cannot fault this one. always consistent and one of SF's little gems.

I stayed at the Central YMCA and managed to navigate around the Tenderloin in the early morning [...] to find my way to Dottie's True Blue Cafe, only a few blocks northwest of the YMCA hotel. Even only half an hour after opening I was waiting in a queue of half a dozen parties. The cafe is small, with perhaps up to 40 covers. The cafe is sunny, cheerful, clean, and with loads of relishes and condiments situated on each table. The waitresses were a blur of motion and efficiency, and it takes a lot to impress this former waitress! The menu is limited but includes all the breakfast basics and more. I didn't pay as much attention to the lunch menu as I found myself overwhelmed with deciding which massive breakfast to choose. I chose one of their all-inclusive specials. The food that arrived – fresh muffins, fluffly eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns, crispy bacon – was enough to feed at least two people. And at $12.95, although not expensive, wasn't dirt cheap. However it was good value for money, and a great way to start a long day sightseeing. The only reason why I didn't rate the experience and value as excellent was because of the wait (maybe expand for example?), and perhaps the cost could be less if the portions were less. Considering that the Central YMCA serves comparable and human-portioned breakfasts at less than $5, I chose to eat at the hotel. Still, Dottie's is not to be missed..