Richmond District

Medical Cannabis Advocates to Rally in Statewide Protest Against the Feds

Medical cannabis supporters will rally in front of the San Francisco Federal Building at noon today, joining Sacramento and Los Angeles to protest the feds' nonstop stonewalling of California medical marijuana laws. Rally organizers are urging protesters to contact California Attorney General Kamal ... More >>

SF's Hemp Center Is the Latest Target in Federal Marijuana Crackdown

The crackdown is back. A Richmond District medical cannabis dispensary is the latest local law-abiding marijuana provider to be put on notice by the federal Justice Department. The Hemp Center, on Geary Boulevard near Park Presidio, has been in business for nearly 14 years and has been in its curr ... More >>

Here's How Long it Will Take You to Find an Apartment in San Francisco

There's that one dreaded spot we've all experienced alike in San Francisco: an open house. It's those Saturday mornings you spend next to 50 San Franciscans shoving past you with their credit reports and pay stubs, vying for the city's last 500-square-feet of squalid paradise. It's as depressing ... More >>

Still Rockin' It

Richmond Club the Rockit Room Will Rename Itself Neck of the Woods This Weekend

For years the Rockit Room at 406 Clement has been the capital of live music in the Richmond District, hosting, among other things, lots of local rock and hip-hop, including such luminaries as Etta James, Third Eye Blind, John Lee Hooker, and, er, Train. Well, this week, the club is changing its name ... More >>

Good For the Wallet, Good for the Glass: Talking Holiday Wines With Bi-Rite's Trac Le

There are fine wines. And then there are the ones to bust out on a near-daily basis: end of the day. Your widescreen TV is glowing. Maybe your friends are headed over. Or you decided to cozy up with that furry pet of yours... all relevant cases for a glass or two of decent and not overpriced wine. T ... More >>

Really, Really Good Sandwiches in the Richmond

Angelina's Café, nestled on California and 22nd Avenue, is one of the Richmond District's hidden gems. Bustling with a lively and spirited neighborhood vibe, Angelina's is the perfect place to venture when you have a hankering for a mouthwatering sandwich, side dish, and soda pop. See also: - Porc ... More >>

Toilet Arsonist Sets Mobile Potties on Fire

A couple of Porta Potties were torched early this morning in the Richmond District, which naturally leaves us with this burning question: Is the outhouse arsonist back?As readers recall, back in 2009 a pooping pyro went on a hot streak, setting fire to more than a dozen Porta Potties throughout San ... More >>

Tosca Update, The Corner Store and Bread of Life Open, Ron Siegel Heads to Michael Mina

The latest gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. There's more to the Tosca story, according to Inside Scoop. While Tosca has officially received its eviction notice, landlord Roger Forbes, makes a point to say he wants to keep it Tosca Cafe -- under the same owne ... More >>

Woman Refuses to Let Go of Cell Phone During Robbery, Gets Dragged by Bandit

Thinks about it: How many blocks would you be willing to be dragged by a determined crook if it meant keeping your cell phone?On Wednesday, a 24-year-old woman was at a Muni stop in the Richmond District, using her phone, when a man ran up to her and snatched her cherished gadget.But he didn't exact ... More >>

Rick Scheuer Identified as Motorcyclist Killed in Fourth of July Accident

Update (2:55 p.m.): The medical examiner has identified the victim in last night's crash as Rick Scheuer. Original story (9:01 a.m.): A 54-year-old man was killed on Independence Day as he rode through the city's Richmond District, police said. Officer Gordon Shyy says the man, who has not yet been ... More >>

Panchita's #3 Under Fire, Francis Ford Coppola Sues, Hakkasan Heads to S.F., and More

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. A growing number of S.F. restaurants are having a hard time figuring out the easy fact that they need to pay employees properly. Mission Local has news on the latest restaurant under fire: Panchita #3, wh ... More >>

Dateline's Chris Hansen Nabs S.F. Liquor Stores for Claiming Winning Lottery Tickets

Chris Hansen, Dateline's personal pervert-catcher, has a new gig busting liquor stores for lottery theft, and guess where his latest stop was? Yep, San Francisco. That's right, Hansen and his camera crew recently descended on a Richmond District liquor store where he calls out Tom Nguyen, owner of t ... More >>

Almost-Senior Citizen Accused of Attacking Muni Driver Over Bus Fare

​A 64-year-old Muni passenger apparently lost his composure recently perhaps because he didn't get his senior discount for his ride through the Richmond District -- and for good reason: He's not quite yet a senior.  Police arrested the soon-to-be senior citizen (the qualifying age is 65) on s ... More >>

Map Game: Redistricting May Make Neighbors of Voters

Meet Mikado, San Francisco's Most Gigantic Wafer Cookie

Tamara PalmerCinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe's Mikado wafer.​The Mikado wafer is the most bizarre-looking cookie at Cinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe, a Richmond District staple since 1953. It stands out from the fruit hamantaschen, powdered sugar-dusted honey cookies, and dry butter cooki ... More >>

Jack In The Box: Burgers Are Not to Blame for Brutality

What is it about cheap tacos that make people do crazy things?​Late-night burgers might make you fat, but they don't turn you into sociopaths. While the Richmond District Jack in the Box fights to keep serving hammered and hungry patrons at all hours of the night, residents are pushing to make sur ... More >>

Open & Shut Report December 2011: New Starts and Year-End Goodbyes

Some restaurants took the ushering in of a new year as the time to bow out of the city's restaurant scene. Elizabeth Falkner is officially out after closing Citizen Cake on the heels of Orson's shutter. No longer will you venture out to the Richmond District to eat Dennis Lee's ramyeon at Namu, as t ... More >>

New Year's Eve: 10 Bands Playing Live in S.F. Worth Spending Your Evening With

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve is still an option for the night of Dec. 31, since the man himself has lived to rock another year. But if the glow of the television screen isn't gonna provide enough sonic warmth this year, there are thankfully plenty of options to hear and see music performed li ... More >>

Public Defender Alleges Cops Stole From Child's Piggy Bank, Used Excessive Force (VIDEO)

Charles Tran (at podium) alleges excessive force by SFPD at today's press conference​Update 5:00 p.m.: SFPD department spokesman Sgt. Michael Andraychak says Chief Suhr will forward the theft allegations onto the FBI, which is investigating the previous criminal misconduct allegations brought forw ... More >>

Pissed-Off Driver Rams Police Car After Being Towed by Cops

Anfer management classes would be so much cheaper​Parking in San Francisco will, at one time or another, bring out the absolute worst in us. Of course, some more than others, like this 63-year-old San Francisco man who was arrested recently after he plowed his van head-on into a police patrol car, ... More >>

Facebook Page Dedicated to 'Fix the Richmond'

​San Francisco, a competitive news market that has been home to a number of pioneering media enterprises, has also led the way in one journalistic sub-genre: Nagging government over the pace of infrastructure repairs. The now-defunct "Chronicle Watch" feature of the San Francisco Chronicle was per ... More >>

Tolosa Shows What Chardonnay Smells Like Without Oak

​Earlier this year I attended a fascinating seminar, led by a perfumer, at Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo County. Over the course of several mentally exhausting hours, we learned by blind-whiffing essential oils exactly what many of the descriptors we use all the time smell like. For examp ... More >>

Umami Burger Is On The Way, Bottle Cap Set to Open, and All Seasons Cafe May Be Back

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. It's official: Southern California's Umami Burger has called dibs on a Union Street spot. Eater SF reports it will be taking over the former Jovino's space (2184 Union at Fillmore), and is slated to open ... More >>

Grocery Chain Fresh & Easy Opens First Location in S.F.

More Food Truck News, Chef Changes, and Trader Joe's Next S.F. Location

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Food truck news: Eater SF reports Kati Roller is set to, well, roll. This July, the truck from Kasa Indian Eatery will debut at Off the Grid, serving the usual favorites and street food additions. And if ... More >>

Previewing San Francisco's New Fresh & Easy Markets

Jonathan KauffmanFresh & Easy's prepared salads are attractively packaged.​Wednesday, June 22, is opening day for the Richmond District Fresh & Easy, a Britain-based grocery chain spreading across California with the speed of kudzu vines in Georgia. Owned by Tesco, Fresh & Easy opened ... More >>

Anda Elevates The Local Piroshki Scene (Yes, That Exists)

Alex HochmanNo gut bombs at Anda Piroshki.​A San Franciscan could be excused for having a lackluster attitude towards piroshki. Until now, choices have been limited to limp, microwaved deli counter ovals or the greasy, fryolator variety served up at numerous Richmond district Russian bakeries. ... More >>

Hawker Fare Readies for Lunch, Fresh and Easy Braces for Trouble

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Inside Scoop gets word that James Syhabout's Hawker Fare (2300 Webster at 23rd St. in Oakland) is set to open for lunch May 17 and dinner on May 26. A sharp departure from Syhabout's meticulously refined ... More >>

Jewel Thieves, Accused of 'Brazen' S.F. Burglary, Nabbed ... in Nebraska

We're not in Kansas anymore​Cops finally caught up with some local jewelry thieves as they cruised along Interstate 80 -- in the middle of Nebraska. The tale begins on the 300 block of 29th Avenue -- a quiet residential block near upscale Sea Cliff. Jewel thieves plotted what police are calling a ... More >>

Jeff Godown, Police Chief, "Troubled and Kind of Perplexed" by Latest Police Misconduct Allegations

Dazed and confused ​Yesterday SF Weekly told readers about the latest allegations over police misconduct, where a San Francisco judge dismissed a drug case after more video footage of cops allegedly busting into an apartment in an illegal drug search. Needless to say, Chief Jeff Godown woke up fee ... More >>

Jersey's Soars, Benu Recycles

​The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco restaurant scene. Carina OstBetter than a green bin: the Benu burrito.​DTF: Grub Street told you what to eat before it unlocked the doors, and yesterday the Richmond District Blog checked out Jersey's, 200 S ... More >>

Tsunami Doesn't Affect San Francisco: An Eyewitness Account

Ocean Beach​The call came just before 7 a.m. A concerned friend, who has lived in San Francisco less than a year, wanted to alert me that a deadly tsunami was headed my way. After devastating the northern coast of Japan, the tsunami -- generated by a staggering 8.9-magnitude earthquake in the Paci ... More >>

Hey Drunk Drivers Beware: Cops Out in Force This Weekend

Consider yourself warned.​You can't say you haven't been warned. Police are telling you now that they will be stationed in the Richmond District this weekend, looking for drunk drivers. Cops will set up a DUI checkpoint at Geary Boulevard and 9th Avenue Saturday night starting at 8:30 p.m.So here ... More >>

Historic Preservation Commission to Review New Plans for Alexandria Theater

The Alexandria Theater​If you're a fan of cool old movie theaters in the Richmond District -- and there are a few of them -- you might take an interest in a new set of designs for the renovated Alexandria Theater that city officials will review tomorrow.The Historic Preservation Commission will be ... More >>

Brittany Mae Smith, Missing Virginia 12-Year-Old, Safe in San Francisco

Brittany Mae Smith is currently safe with the city's child protective services​A 12-year-old girl whose mother was found dead in their native Virginia earlier this week turned up in San Francisco today. Brittany Mae Smith was spotted in a Richmond District store. Her mother's boyfriend, Jeffrey Sc ... More >>

Filipina Caregivers Win $70K In Back Wages From Richmond District Rest Home

​Meg Whitman isn't the only one forking over thousands of dollars in back pay to her hired help. While "Queen Meg" made her problem go away with $5,500, a Richmond District care home had to pay far more in back wages -- $70,000 in fact -- to two Filipina caregivers who say they worked long hours s ... More >>

Happy Meal Ban Architect Supervisor Eric Mar on 'The Daily Show'

Eric Mar is ready for his close-up!​After poking fun at San Francisco's Happy Meal Ban not once but twice, The Daily Show took the next natural step: It had the creator of the ban, Supervisor Eric Mar, on the air. Our calls to the District 1 supe to see how it went haven't yet been returned. But i ... More >>

Roderick Doneldson Murdered in Visitacion Valley

​An 18-year-old Oakland Man named Roderick Doneldson was shot to death yesterday a shade after noon in Viz Valley. Officers responded to 911 calls and the sound of gunfire to spot Doneldson on the 1400 block of Visitacion Ave. He was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead there Thursday. ... More >>

The SFoodie Advent Calendar, Day 1: Fruitcake!

Jonathan KauffmanFruitcake from Schubert's Bakery.​SFoodie isn't one to cover our cubicle in tinsel and pine boughs. We opted out of Black Friday, preferring to huddle up in our apartment, using meditation and whiskey to quash the mounting stress over gift-giving day. We're already sick of Christm ... More >>

Rachael Smith, Alleged Craigslist Apartment Scammer, Hit With 14 Additional Fraud Counts

Rachael Smith is not thanking God it's Friday​Rachael Smith, the woman accused of renting out the same Richmond District flat to scores of would-be tenants and then absconding with more than $100,000, did indeed make her hearing this morning. It wasn't a pleasant encounter. Smith was charged with ... More >>

Burning Man Ends, and S.F. Supervisor Eric Mar Returns Home

Eric Mar isn't the first S.F. supe to go to Burning Man. But he was the first to go to Mars. ​The smoke is rising from Burning Man, and its participants are straggling back into town. Hardware store workers, lawyers, and architects are heading back to so-called "real life." And, if you live in the ... More >>

List: How "smart" meters will change parking in S.F.

Baylinks: Transbay Terminal, U-locks, & Petco

Not so fast, Petco. Get in line behind Target.​Get one last look at at the Transbay Terminal here [KQED] A 10-year-old and 33-year-old face off in chess match [Richmond Confidential]Petco wants in to San Francisco, the city that proposes bans on selling pets. [Richmond District Blog of San Francis ... More >>

Never Mind Those Pit Bull Maulings: 'Bun Bun,' 'Piglet' Need Good Homes

Leave Pit Bulls Alone!!!!!​Last week, a herd of pit bulls mauled a 2-year-old boy to death in Concord, and  an Oakland dog bit a girl's face over the weekend. They killed a 12-year-old boy in the Richmond District back in 2005, prompting a city law mandating all pits be spayed or neutered. Th ... More >>

Start the Fire

The grazing's great at the Richmond's most inviting Korean barbecue

Speak to Me

You don't need to know Chinese to enjoy a tasty chive dumpling

Letters to the Editor

Week of September 11, 2002

The Other Asian Cuisine

Living Large