Hancock Street Cafe

The soft breeze of a San Diego Sunday evening in June warmed my face as I stepped out of the car onto Hancock St. A life-​size plaster statue of Marilyn Monroe sat unapologetically under larger than life golden letters that read «TRUMP 2016». Upon further review of the exterior’s graffiti-​esque design and unseemly color scheme of red, blue, purple, and green, «Make America Great Again» stickers littered the walls and windows. After passing an alabaster brontosaurus affectionately referred to as «Trumposaurus», I pressed on through the front door. A man in his early 50s sat unperturbed behind the counter of an intensely decorated establishment as I crossed the threshold. His rough, but well-​meaning greeting revealed a moderate Eastern European accent that admittedly caught me off guard, given the atmosphere of the restaurant. The walls were covered top to bottom with Americana décor that reflected every era from the 50s on, taking longer stops in the 60s and 70s. A quick tour showcased several adjoining rooms featuring booths and small tables that I suspect provide an appropriate environment for the «live jazz» advertised on the café’s outer windows and signs. An outside patio/​courtyard can be found further to the back, and it was there I decided to seat myself. I walked back to the front to find Mario sitting in the window awaiting my order. After asking what he recommended, to which he replied, «I don’t care», I decided on a chicken parmesan sandwich and a Heineken and retreated once more to my seat, imported beer in hand. More plaster statues of the Rat Pack riddled the patio, along with more supportive signage for the 2016 Republican nominee. A glance to my left found a garden statue of a gnome gracefully exposing his behind. A spray painted trailer comprised the fourth wall of the inner patio. Before long Mario retuned with my chicken parmesan sandwich on a paper plate. After a small conversation about the state of affairs of our country that was surprisingly not politically charged, I was left to dive in. Soft French bread complimented quite nicely the perfectly cooked chicken breast. Rather standard marinara and parmesan cheese coupled together to form a nice, yet simple take on the classic sandwich. After paying $ 12.75 for my beer and sandwich, a very reasonable price for what I got, I bid Mario farewell and left the café. One last glance at the out of place little restaurant oddly prompted a certain sense of pride for America and all who call it home. Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge a man for his allegiances. You never know what small gems you might miss. Hancock Street Café serves modest tasty food and it’s décor is surely something to marvel. Give this small joint a chance and I assure you, you will not leave disappointed. Make Cafés Great Again. –Creedus

no. do not enter. trump signs everywhere. do not support hate and racism in america by even entering this establishment. 0 stars.

Stumbled upon this place after a Gulls game and thought it was closed. Walked in anyway and we were greeted by Mario. Amazing and welcoming host who entertained us with stories and music late into the night. One of the most surrealistic nights I’ve ever spent in my hometown!

Love this place. We just opened a business up the street from here and we will be spending all of our money on food here. Mario is a great host and the food is killer. The place is absolutely fantastic and by far one of the most interesting places I’ve walked into.

Mario claims to be Benny Hills son, he could easily be… food is excellent, crazy décor, one of a kind joint!
Gotta check it out if in the area!

My wife and I were in the area, was near 10am on a weekday– she wanted lunch, I wanted breakfast. Turned to Unilocal,and found this place. Perfect. I had a breakfast sandwich, croissant with bacon/​ham/​cheese, she had the meatball calzone flatbread. We were almost the only ones there right at that time, so we even took some pictures of the decorations — wonderfully eclectic — from Elvis to the Rat Pack. We sat outside in the far corner booth. Mario brought our food out, said that everyone seemed to like that spot, has some sort of vibe. Food was excellent, both sandwiches were hot, cheese melted, breads were toasted slightly. My wife says «super tasty». Perfect. We will return.
Its a couple blocks off the beaten path, but more than worth it. We spoke with Mario after paying the bill, very nice, down to earth guy. Stop by and see him, take some pics, enjoy the food and and relax.

This place definitely has an unusual vibe. I walked in and thought it was closed but Mario, the owner and one man show, greeted me and was very gracious. He really makes the place. The décor is super. I had a calzone and the crust was thin, almost like a tortilla. I’d go back because the owner is awesome. Thanks Mario!

Mario, the food and atmosphere is beyond incredible. I highly recommend. Breakfast sandwich was delicious.

Found this on Unilocal,decided to stop and glad we did. What a nice surprise! Met Mario, not just the owner but cook & waiter too! I’m glad it wasn’t busy cuz once he served our food he was able to sit down with us and chat while we enjoyed our breakfast sandwiches. It’s nothing fancy, we were served on paper plates and the cups were mismatched. Mario made us feel at home and we had a great conversation. It’s off the beaten path and eclectic but worth it! We will definitely be back!

Yummy breakfast sandwiches! We had two croissant sandwiches one with bacon one with ham and one bagel sandwich with egg and bacon. Mario is super friendly and makes you feel at home. The place has all kinds of crazy decos it makes you feel like you are at Sanford and Sons… Stuff everywhere. Interesting place!

Interesting little place in a very sketchy area. The owner is very eccentric and has story after unbelievable true story to tell you. The breakfast sandwiches are amazing, but I would skip the pizza unless you want thin crust. The pizza only comes in thin crust. The home-​made meatballs are to die for.

Very helpful staff and entertaining… great atmosphere. would definitely go there again. Mario was very attentive and very accommodating. Omelette was amazing. Stopped by on our way back from San Diego trip and glad we did.

I love this little mom and pop shop. It is run entirely by family. They are friendly and super fast. I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes for my food, no matter how busy they are. The cookies are baked fresh daily, and they just melt in your mouth. This is a great place to stop if you have a short lunch break, or you need to run errands on your break.

This place is phenomenal! My fried and I saw this place after we went to modern times and it is great! The atmosphere is insane and beautiful! And the owner is so nice and makes amazing pizza! ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would go again!

A must do when you come to town. The owner is so friendly and always has a story to tell. The beers are cold. Always changing décor and fun photo ops. A fun place to have a beer.

The breakfast pizza here is great, but Mario and his stories are the real draw. The entire place is decked out in awesome memorabilia and mementos from his life, and all of it has a story.

Had breakfast here. Great little café with wonderful artwork. Owner was super friendly, the whole place has a great vibe. Can def recommend

Tried this little café out while vacationing in SD since it was walking distance from our hotel.
Place is chill and has A LOT of random stuff to look at while you wait for your food. Mario sure collects a lot of things.
Mario, who owns the place, is super sweet and accommodating.
My friends and I ordered half mushroom and half pepperoni pizza. Although it taste really good it was pretty small for the price. Unfortunately, Mario only offers thin crust. I’m impressed that he makes everything himself. You can taste the freshness and overall I enjoyed eating here.

This sandwich shop was such a departure from the norm that I need to make sure everyone knows about them This sandwich shop has more cheese options than my cheese shop! The meat and vegetables are defiantly second fiddle to the cheese. An the staff making your sandwich will take you on a guided sample journey that may just change how you eat cheese going forward. I feel enriched by eating this special sandwich.

Found this hidden gem on Unilocal!Very interesting place. The vibe is really cool.
As for the food, my breakfast croissant was excellent.
Marco gave me some homemade Belgium chocolates for the road and they are simply amazing!
I will definitely come back and may even find a reason to throw a party there!