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Hooker's Sweet Treats
Categories: Food Desserts Food Specialty Food Chocolatiers and Shops Food Coffee & Tea Desserts, Chocolatiers and Shops, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
442 Hyde St(between Ellis St & Ofarrell St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Neighbourhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 8 am - 4 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Crixa Cakes specializes in high quality old world Hungarian, Russian, Central European, and American desserts. At Crixa Cakes Bakery and Cafe, we create… read more »
120 reviews for Hooker's Sweet Treats
Review Highlights
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"Tried the pineapple/blueberry/coconut bread pudding." In 29 reviews -
"I've had other salted caramels that I've loved." In 18 reviews -
"...the most amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie I HAVE..." In 4 reviews
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120 reviews in English
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Review from Samantha L.
Sacramento, CA
I felt a bit awkward searching "hookers" on Yelp, as I was a bit unsure of what may pop up. Luckily, Hooker's Sweet Treats is so popular that it was the first result. Hooker's Sweet Treats is located in the Tenderloin area, and it's a hidden gem.
My boyfriend and I planned to visit Hooker's after seeing it on a list of the 10 best bread puddings in S.F.
http://www.refinery29....
We visited on a Saturday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. and were warmly greeted by two men working. They were very friendly and helpful in explaining the products that they offer and they made us feel at home. We ordered the bread pudding, which happened to be banana-chocolate bread pudding that day (the guy said that it changes every few days).
The bread pudding ($5) is pre-made, but warmed up in the oven when ordered. At the time of ordering, they also prepare the delicious caramel sauce. It took about 5 minutes for the bread pudding to be brought to our table and it was well-worth the wait. In the meantime, one of the guys brought us a bottle of water and two mason jars as well. When the bread pudding arrived at our table, I'm sure both of our eyes lit up. It was a fair-sized piece of bread pudding topped with pecans and drizzled/surrounded with a delicious, flavorful caramel sauce. The bread pudding had a nice slight crispiness to some of the edges and was very moist on the inside. The center of the bread pudding is filled with chocolate and a piece of caramel- a pleasant surprise that I wasn't expecting. Overall, it was delicious. If you like caramel, you will love this dish.
The bread pudding was plenty for my boyfriend and I to share- but another woman ordered one for herself- so it can be done. The shop is not too big, but there was plenty of seating because it wasn't really too busy that afternoon. It's cutely decorated and I hope to come back soon to try out their caramels.
Notes:
-They serve Sightglass coffee. -
Review from Regina C.
3/31/2012
if you didn't know this place existed you'd walk right past it and never know it was there. actually, i take that back. if you didn't know it existed you would never even walk past it because what the hell are you doing in that neck of the woods with no destination? the tenderloin is no place to be without good reason.
the caramels, covered in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt were good, however i'd prefer it if the caramel itself was salted as well. the bread pudding was tasty and moist and the caramel sauce was super sweet. -
Review from Kalani C.
3/14/2012
Coco brown hookers are my new found addiction. "Hey baby, what's it gonna be?", they ask me. I wave my Jacksons and point to everything. "Ok honey, daddy wants the Tenderloin special...line up girls." She winks and says, "Sugah, you're in for sumthin' sweet!"
"Honeydosugachocolate dumplin' yeah Sista with a certain sumthin' sumthin' Flavor with a cocoa kinda flow Baby, baby act like you know" (Musze 1996)
I received a couple boxes as a gift from San Bruno yelper, Kim A. OMG! This sh*t is crack! I'm a huge fan of salted caramels and these delectable treats are amazeballs! Substantial, gooey and generously salted. The hardest part is pacing yourself and not indulging in more than one at a time. Another new found addiction.Listed in: SFO, the Best of...[a work in…
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Review from Johnny W.
3/11/2012
Did someone say Hooker's? Why, yes please! Being Hooker virgins, my friend and I made our way out here after a mediocre lunch out at John's Grill, in search of some post-meal sweets, and showed up at this cozy little cafe in the middle of the TL, comfortably occupied by a variety of fellow patrons, deep in their studies, reading, or other cafe-ish preoccupations/
We settled upon some bread pudding, coffee, and a salted caramel to share. While the coffee and salted caramel were both okay, the bread pudding, of the coconut and pineapple variety, covered with a bourbon syrup, was amazingly tasty, and well-worth trying. And I don't even really like coconut! -
Review from Laura H.
1/28/2012
Definitely a diamond in the TL. I love this place. A little hidden, but this place makes delicious treats and very fresh french pressed coffee. I've had a variety of their snacks, and the salted caramels are the way to go (nut and chocolate). The coffee is delicious, and and the place has done a great job creating a very nice ambiance where you can sit and enjoy your treats.
I've been here twice in the past two weeks, and the service has always been great. Although they cook everything at the spot, it doesn't smell super buttery which is a bit odd. With the name and location, it's always funny when you are searching for this place and what else pops up. Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Nick B.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012
After some very boring time filing court documents I thought I would treat myself. Ron said we needed to visit a hooker. At first I was leery until he led me in here.
Ho-ho...funny man. I must admit this place has a really great name!
Bread pudding and a nice french press cup of coffee turned my day from rather blah to Hell-yeah in the time it took for me to enjoy it. The ambiance is decent and the service was polite but rather ho-hum. However the delights they serve easily push this to a solid 4+ on the ole rating scale.
I will be back to sample more of what they are selling because the first and last bite of that pudding was so damn good.Listed in: Fiending for the Bean!
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Review from Kim A.
San Bruno, CA
2/8/2012 6 Check-ins Here
Definitely a problem in the making...
Received a box of these tasty treats for Christmas and didn't share any (had to ration them). Brought a fellow candy lover in this afternoon to sample these delicious treats. She loved the salted caramels as much as I do and bought a box to gift a cousin. On the walk back to Union Square we joked that maybe her cousin would prefer a Starbucks gift card so she could keep the caramels for herself...see, Hooker's Sweet Treats are a problem in the making! -
Review from Jarrett C.
Oakland, CA
1/29/2012
No one would ever guess that such a place exists in this neighborhood. Passed by there many times without even noticing the place. It wasn't the first time I stopped by. It just wasn't open when I came there many times. Finally, I walked in, looked around and the lone staff guy made some recommendations.
I decided to go with the bread pudding because so many reviewers have raved about it and with good reason. That caramel/bourbon sauce is so friggin addicting. Never mind the little chocolate and strawberry gems hidden away at the fare. Talking about an explosive combo. It was love at first bite.
He asked me if I wanted a latte or any other of their coffee beverage which I declined. Without asking, I was provided water with their homey jar and bottle.
Why just 4 Stars? Such a spot needs to be in operation with longer hours. Went by there several times only to find it closed, and there's no hours of operation listed at the doorway. -
Review from Carol C.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
Tucked away in the heart of the TL, it may take you a few passings by to notice this neighborhood gem.
The interior is cozy, and charming knickknacks and antique goodies are artfully tucked away in nooks and crannies and strewn about on shelves.
Always a solid cup of coffee (Sightglass) no matter what you order, and the accompaniments are absolutely delicious. Bread pudding and sweet cheddar biscuits top my chart, but I can't leave out the salted caramels, either. They make a great post coffee snack, and are available in larger quantities for gifting that special someone-with-a-sweet tooth.
Service is quick, and the staff, courteous.
My only real complaint is that they don't serve iced latte's. I have to venture elsewhere for my caffeine fix on the hot (indian) summer days. Probably something to do with not wanting to ruin that amazing texture from the heavy cream they use. Hello, Clover!
Cash only bar, so come prepared.
And bring a friend! -
Review from Sofia R.
I've been dying to visit this place again and I finally had a chance to go just a few days ago.
My friend never had bread pudding before this so we made sure to get it. Flavor of the day was banana/salted caramel. He thought the caramel sauce was too sweet, but he told me he thinks a lot of things are too sweet. I think Hooker's bourbon caramel sauce is perfect. This flavor of bread pudding was great too!
The workers were friendly and attentive as always. Great people!
I'm addicted to Hooker's.4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/12/2011
My love for Hooker's never falters. Always there to fulfill my needs...for sweets.
I take as many… Read more »
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Review from Fancypants X.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was gifted a box of Hooker's Sweet Treats caramels this week & wanted to scream (from a mountain top) every yelp hyperbole I swear I'd never use...best I've ever had! Changed my life forever! FOREVER! Touched my heart, soul & tastebuds in a way no food ever has! Ah-may-zing! Nothing compares!
The sad thing is, none of those are really exaggerations. The stuff was so good that I dragged my BFF there today to get my fix again. $2 each, we got a mix of dark chocolate salted caramels & nutty caramels w/ a thin, chocolate coating on the bottom (I *just* love surprises!) So super buttery. And the best part is that the chocolate outside isn't a hard, separate shell...it's as soft as the caramel & when you bite down, it's one cohesive flavor combo & texture. Good ingredients all around.
Whoever thought to combine chocolate & caramel & sea salt deserves a kiss (with tongue!)
The Hyde Street coffee & confection shop is adorable (blues & browns, my favorite!) We sat & had ceramic cups of Sightglass coffee (which we didn't fancy; BFF & I are hardcore Philz advocates.) I'll be back for them caramels. They make good gifts, if they last long enough to get to their rightful recipients (odds of that happening: unlikely. I'm keepin' them for myself!)Listed in: Purely San Francisco, I like candy...
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Review from joyce l.
2/1/2012
i know my DH loves me because he bought me a box of Hookers handmade salted caramels. DEEELISH. worth every mm of fat that will be on your hips after each bite lol
adding this place to my list of favorite chocolate places -
Review from Mira L.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
One word on the Bread pudding DEEELLLLIIICIIIOUSSSS!!!
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Review from Lynn M.
Washington, DC
3/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I could drink the bourbon-caramel sauce they pour over the bread pudding all day long. The little salted caramel candies are amazing. My Friday sweet tooth is so very satisfied!
Listed in: Best of San Francisco
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Review from John D.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The Cajun Corn Bread is to die for. This place has gotten me seriously hooked on Sight-Glass coffee. I mean, it's gotten to the point now where I am buying in bulk and grinding my own all day at work.
Honestly, I love the minimal, no frills, no-ego atmosphere this place brings. It's welcoming, but isn't implying you stay for 6 hours and work on a laptop. It's everything you love about neighborhood coffee shops, but without everything you hate about Starbucks and Peets. It's not even fair to compare.
David knows what he is doing.. and I beg you to let him make you a cup of his Joe. You won't be at all disappointed, unless you are expecting a laser light show to go with it. -
Review from Seung Hyun Y.
Everett, WA
11/8/2011
I am HOOKED on Hooker's Sweet Treats!!!
When I first heard of this place, I was pretty pervy minded. Until a friend dragged me over here did I finally understand what she was talking about.
Here's what's up:
* Dark Chocolate-covered Caramels with sea salt
* Sweet Cheddar Biscuits
* Strawberry Bread Pudding.
* Spicy Chai Latte
Friendly service, a local neighborhood business and this place satisfied my sweet tooth for the week.
Hooker's has a late 1800's antique feel to it and is almost like walking into a confectioner's store.
Leave your plastic cards at home, this place deals with CASH ONLY.
I think I am salivating for more again.. -
Review from Rebecca R.
Oakland, CA
12/20/2011
I've seen the buzz as well as walk by, but just never made it into the store. But not today!
Wowie, one salted and chocolate coated caramel later. I've only eaten half and it's amazing! Soft, rich, wicked complexity and with just the right amount of salt to jolt you awake to pay attention to all of it.
Cap it off with a thickly foamed americano with a healthy dose of cream...
Somehow, these piles of papers at work don't seem so horrible after all! -
Review from Mike C.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Don't let the smell outside fool you. You didn't step in anything. It's just the smell of the Loin especially in the morning. This place feels like a cozy cottage with treats of the legal variety in the form of their incredible caramels. They also make cookies and other baked goods which are great. Farm Table is right around the corner, so if you're in the area for whatever reason (real hookers, crack, etc.) be sure to check out these two places, your stomach, and possibly your Loin will also thank you.
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Review from Clace F.
San Marino, CA
2/8/2012
Two customers walk in at the same time. The first one sits down lethargically at a table, puts her head down, and says nothing. The second one approaches the counter and gets yelled at for not waiting his turn. Then is very condescendingly denied a large coffee. After he leaves, the barista loudly mocks the customer and the other customers (all regulars) join in laughing. What a fun place!
Oh, and the bread pudding was disgusting. -
Review from Christine T.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012
I don't generally write Yelp reviews, but I felt compelled after reading Clace F.'s review on 2/8/12, as I am the lethargic customer mentioned in the review. This false account of the service doesn't sit right with me.
Being a regular, I often come in lethargic (who isn't in the morning?) and sit down without a word, and the owner, David, knows what I want. That being said, the reality of what happened:
I walked in, sat down, received eye contact from the owner, and proceeded to sit quietly and wait for my coffee as I do most mornings. You, dear reviewer, were already there and waiting for your bread pudding. A few minutes later a gentleman walked in and up to the counter to order, to which the owner told him there was another customer before him (I believe he was referring to both of us actually). He explained the coffee was made to order and the French press would take some time. I took the situation as the owner just letting the man know it would be more than a minute to get his coffee, as he looked in a hurry. The man obviously was and left.
As for regulars laughing, you are again mistaken. The owner commented to us that good coffee takes time after the man left. There was no laughter. The comment wasn't a joke. We agreed. Noticing a man doesn't have time to wait isn't a comment on him, but mere fact. There are mornings when I am in a hurry and do not have time to wait. I would appreciate a business owner warning me of a wait. It means he is paying attention to the fact that I am rushed.
Glad that's cleared up. Now I can get back to work and school, so I can wake up tomorrow lethargic and know there is great coffee (and bread pudding) right across the street.
--Lethargic (and satisfied) regular -
Review from C T.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
A hidden gem of a place. Awesome space, awesome unique treats, and awesome staff. Coffee and cake brought to our table. That type of service is rare at coffee shops these days so the extra touch is appreciated.
Tip: They are known for their caramels but try their specials, you'll be surprised. -
Review from Erich D.
8/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I tried some Hooker's Sweet Treats the other day. A few blocks over at a stand at the corner of Larkin, a pleasant young lady wearing a leopard-print mini-skirt and stilettos was also offering me some of her sweet treats. Both preferred cash, but the lady was charging considerably more for her sweet treats that she wouldn't display until after I agreed to purchase so I went to Hooker's instead because they were much cheaper and I could see them making the treats I wanted to buy.
Having the insatiable sweet tooth that I do, I ordered everything on the menu on my first visit: a couple of dark chocolate covered caramels topped with sea salt, a sweet cheddar biscuit, a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, and a raisin and pluot bread pudding topped off with warm caramel sauce.
The salted dark choco-covered caramels were delicious and hit almost all parts of the palate -- sweet, salty and bitter. Haven't had a better peanut butter chocolate chip cookie in recent memory. The raisin and pluot bread pudding, warmed up in their convection oven, and topped with warm caramel sauce was heavenly -- thick and dense yet still very moist with a crisp and dark golden-brown crust on top. The sweet caramel sauce also had a very slight and subtle bourbon or whiskey kick to it. I've had bread pudding from a number of places in SF and some pretty good ones in New Orleans as well, where it's more popular, but this was easily the best I've ever tasted.
I went back the following weekends for some more bread pudding. Once it was chocolate and pecan and the other, chocolate banana. Not as amazing as the raisin and pluot, but still excellent.Listed in: Golden Gate-r-aid
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Review from Joanne G.
8/15/2011
Wait, am I in the Mission? Hooker's Sweet Treats smack in the middle in the Tenderloin, who would've thought? Quite happy to discover this cute little place!
We made it in just before closing on Sunday, and unfortunately they were sold out of a lot of items such as the bread pudding and iced coffee. But the sweet cheddar biscuit was delicious and the Sightglass coffee well appreciated.
I will be back soon enough to try the famed bread pudding and the salted caramels too. -
Review from Elaine W.
8/12/2011 5 photos
There are a lot of hidden gems within the Tenderloin, and Hooker's Sweet Treats is definitely one of them.
My friends and I visited on a Sunday morning around 11am and it was pretty quiet. Just a few patrons coming and going with their dogs in tow. Inside, there are some bar stools set up along the window and then a large communal table in the center. We love the laid back vibe - took pics with our phones and the photos look very vintage!
We ordered a little bit of everything on the menu...chai, a latte, coffee (I feel I'd get the coffee again because it arrived in its own French press and was good for about a 3-4 cup serving...delicious dark roast too!) - for eats, of course we got a couple of the salted caramels, a peanut butter chocolate cookie, a cheddar biscuit, and the bread pudding of the day which was coconut blueberry in a sweet bourbon syrup. Everything was sinfully rich and paired wonderfully with our drinks.
Definitely coming back again and again - I love Hookers! -
Review from Melissa W.
Los Angeles, CA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm addicted to hookers... wait... that sounds very wrong...
AMAZING salted caramels. amazing. $2 a pop but will make all caramels you've ever had obsolete. Really great packaging and super cool all around. I can watch him make caramels all day. The place is cozy and has some pretty cool antique bits scattered throughout. I have a sickness and the only treatment is more hookers!!Listed in: san francisco treats
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Review from Tanasan S.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2012
Salted caramel chocolate treat is so delicious!
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Review from Fran M.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
I was NEVER into dark chocolate until I had a Hooker's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel. When I was introduced to it, I immediately turned it down for it was dark chocolate, sea salt, and caramel. I couldn't imagine that combination be any where from good! But once I bit into it, it all made perfect sense. Mmmm..the smooth sweet caramel mingling with the sea salt that really complimented the creamy decadent dark chocolate....all inticing my taste buds....yum!!! Ahhhh...they are pricey for a little piece of heaven. $2 for one square, surely this is a place you would go to treat yourself for a hard days work. Can't afford this stuff everyday with the amount of money I make. Nonetheless, undeniably the best spot to get sea salted caramels in the city!
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Review from Anna H.
Millbrae, CA
1/29/2012
The chai tea latte was pretty strong, could be sweeter. The salted caramel is good but too pricey. Good experience I don't know if I would go back again though.
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Review from selina n.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe I haven't reviewed Hooker's yet! I've been coming here for about 2 years now as they are located only two blocks from where I work. Hooker's is a little gem tucked away in the Loin and I'm actually glad 1) it keeps the hipsters away and 2) it's like a secret between the Tenderloin and I. They used to make the best ginger/caramel popcorn but stopped. Their bread pudding is amazing as well their cookies and salted caramels (their treats are a bit pricey but it's made on site so well worth it) HOWEVER you should come in early as all the treats are usually gone by the afternoon. I love, love, love their coffee drinks; their iced spicy coffee is a must try but did give me a tummy ache (too strong for me). The owner is wonderful and supports everything we do (I work at an after school program nearby).
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/21/2011
A hidden gem in the TL. Yes, the TENDERLOIN. Okay, i just had to make that clear since the TL sends… Read more »
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Review from Jang David K.
San Jose, CA
9/14/2011
ok. I hope that my readers understand that this is a dessert place. I'm serious. Please don't judge me. All I did was drink coffee and eat some pudding/chocolate with my fellow staffs.
Salted Caramel Chocolate: It sounds pretty weird but actually, it's real good.
French Press: I loved it
Bread pudding: descent...actually pretty good....=)
too many great coffee/dessert joints in SF. I'm not sure if i'll be ever back due to many great joints in SF. It didn't hook me in any way. -
Review from Jason B.
9/5/2011
A week of brothels* and Hookers.
I can't comment on the, um, other offerings in the Tenderloin. But I can say that this Hooker and his caramel praline cookie is awesome. The caramel is baked right in. He turns quite the trick.
He charges by the cookie. Not the hour. The deed goes down in a well designed space filled with vintage artifacts.
You will leave feeling anything but cheap and won't feel the least bit ashamed. You might even become a repeat customer. And tell everyone.
*http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Christy T.
Wailuku, HI
4/11/2012
Hooker's salted caramels are so yummy that I had bought some to bring home to my friends and I ended up eating almost all of them. Its in a very tiny coffee shop in the tenderloin and if you walk too quickly you will miss it. I was using my GPS on my phone and had to back track a couple steps because if you blink you will pass right by. I'm so glad they do mail order!
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Review from Jessica T.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2011
Strawberry bread pudding and a soy spicy chai.
That's all you need to know here.
The strawberry bread pudding will dance in your mouth with such rich decadent flavor - that you won't be able to put down your fork.
Not even for a second.
And the soy spicy chai's frothy crown will cushion that pudding in pure Hooker's Sweet Treats elegance.
Trust. -
Review from Paul T.
San Francisco, CA
8/8/2011
Given the proximity of the place (less than a block from our apartment), its ambience, the quality of its offerings, the amiability of the owner and his help; this should be my favorite coffee house, and not just my favorite in San Francisco, but anywhere I've been.
Quite frankly? Can We Talk?
I can't stand their coffee.
My partner, the guy who drinks instant when camping (yecch) threw his out. I'd never seen him dump coffee before. And that was after more than a month of regular visits. We tried...
But coffee, like wine, is subjective; one person's swill is another person's nectar, and a lot of people seem to have no issue with their coffee, so that's all I'll say.
I gave this place four stars because everything else is so well done. There are lots of coffee houses in San Francisco, even if our district can't seem to get any good ones; either the decor sucks, or the owner is depressing (and in one place it's both), or it just has the wrong vibe, but few have put so much effort into the aesthetics of the place ("Sugar" on Geary comes to mind) as Hookers Sweets, while still maintaining the quality of the food (if not the...okay, I said I'd drop it, I'll drop it).
When I go out of town I come here for the salted caramels, as part of the "Taste Of San Francisco" locally made foodstuffs I take as gifts for those we're visiting.
So, while I now brew my own coffee at home, I'd still recommend this place if you're in the area. Enthusiastically. -
Review from Josie M.
5/20/2011
Sightglass coffee runs a close second to Four Barrel, in my opinion.
But I prefer my beans robust, like my mens, not sure about you haha.
That said, this is a tiny coffee front filled with lots of sweets (that I've yet to try) and a whole lotta love from the sweetheart barista behind the counter.
Support your local coffee shops! -
Review from Victor S.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2011
I sooo wanted to love this place. And I did!
Amazing coffee, amazing treats, amazing people, amazing amazing.
Yo, folks. Stop sucking down sugar-infused drinks from Starbucks made by people who don't know steaming milk from taking a dump. Support excellent, authentic coffee shops like Hooker's. Once you do, you'll understand why.
Square. -
Review from tal n.
5/28/2011
I was dead set on choosing one of the many disappointing spots I've visited for my next review - after all, I have to worry that my integrity as a reviewer would be questioned by either algorithm or person for writing reviews which are suspiciously dandy.
Well, I can't, please believe me natural-language-reading machine: this place merits the reputational risk.
Why?
1. Fantastic Sightglass beans accompanied by the expert hand at using them which they deserve.
2. Those caramels... Well, I don't feel that I need to say anything about them, since the issue has been chewed over (pun intended). I agree with every word and with respect to both types, new and old. I'll just say that the new type is so sweetly salty that I am afraid I am running the risk of an addiction.
3. The caramel cookie (not the choclate chip. haven't tried that one).
4. The people.
5. The music.
6. The curio whole in the wall and the delight you derive from sitting there on the bar stool and looking outside while reading.
After all that complaining about the inaccessibility of wifi would just be grousing. -
Review from Roy M.
3/29/2011
When life gives me lemons, I get Hooker's. Here's my short list: dark chocolate-covered caramels flecked with sea salt (yes), a nutted version with a base of dark chocolate (my preference), a spiced chai latte (!!!), sweet cheddar biscuit (more exclamation marks), and unreal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Cash only. Closed on Mondays. Great if you live in the neighborhood. Worth the walk in.
I generally find myself crestfallen after stomaching a Monday back at the office after a weekend of blowing off steam after a week of bottling up the dark matter. So come Tuesday, when the lights at the crosswalk on Geary conspire against my preferred steady pace through the throngs of tourists, junkies, kids and conventioneers, it's with great pleasure that I walk in the opposite direction, down Hyde and into a shopfront that'd be easy to miss and one's usual, hurried pace.
And what light. I'm not talking the luminescence of the several few scattered Edison bulbs, or the lamps in the back illuminating the baking area, nor do I speak of the raw sewage-colored light reflecting off the building facades across the street. No. This is the light of warmth. From David "Hooker", the friendly gent that runs the place, to the slight heat coming from the ovens in the back, the smell of baked goods and the patina on the collection of slightly nautical, if not coastal Americana inside.
Of course, the salted, dark chocolate caramels are excellent. Subtle in taste and texture; just a wonderful bit to let hang around in your mouth. It tells great stories, but doesn't cause a ruckus. The other version, boasting a base of dark chocolate and family of nuts in a small Vanagon of caramel resting on top, really topped it for me. Add to that subtle wonder of the Original, and put the lovely, nutty pleasure of nuts. Crazy, baby. They have Sightglass Coffee. The spiced chai latte is both refreshing and savory, perfect for any climate, and the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies just slay. Like everything here, it's subtle: the peanut butter flavor just playing rub-a-dub footsie with the chocolate, a base of moist yet almost chewy cookie, and peanuts.
My personal favorite: the sweet cheddar biscuit has a wonderful, almost cornbread texture (when cornbread is moist and cakey), with a slight spice somewhere in there. Eating that and walking to work makes me think that the lights on O'farrel are changing just to keep my walk leisurely, despite the engineering of people with big brains, who program those lights to change at some pace that's a mystery to me. A mystery it should remain.Listed in: My Opinions
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Review from Chad P.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been to Hookers about 4-5 times now and I am 'Hook'ed ;)!
Everyone who works there is really friendly and I am was really impressed that despite not making it there in about three months, "Hooker" (the owner) remembered our conversation that we had had there previously. Definitely very receptive to feedback because I had asked about Sunday hours back when Hooker's was closed on Sundays, and sure enough, now they are open on Sundays!
I have tried the coffee which is really delicious and also the bread pudding, praline cookies, and the caramels. There is no hit-or-miss here, I have never had anything that I would not get again.
I plan to continue visiting this gem and hopefully will soon be able to call its neighborhood home and able to visit waaay more often! -
Review from Sean M.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2011 3 Check-ins Here
If you are in the area and craving something sweet or coffee you can't beat this place! The salted chocolate caramel is amazing! The guys working are always friendly and cool! Even provided a doggie treat and bowl of water for our old dog this last visit! Spread the word so this treasure place sticks around!
They also do cool little gift boxes for those you/we deem worthy to share this bit of deliciousness with!
Hooked on Hookers!
