Dinner at Tommy's is always something of an adventure, starting with the warm glow of the heat lamps above the food line that meets you at the door and ending with the last bite. But all the kitschy, cluttered décor and way-back nostalgia makes taking dinner at this institution (open since 1947) a strangely thrilling experience. It's not just that it feels haunted by the ghost of Old World S.F. — the foggy days we hear about in Dino ballads and read about in Herb Caen columns — but also that the artery-clogging repast is part of the decadent era in which meat and potatoes (not to mention carbs and gristle) were king. Best about the cafeteria dining experience is that everything is a la carte. You want a ham side with your plate of watery spaghetti? Comin' right up! How 'bout an extra juicy nibble of roast beef with your apple pie? You're in the right place.