Off the Grid: UN Plaza

I’ve been coming since day one (I have gone more than twice, believe me. I don’t always bother with the check in feature), but I go AWOL for long periods of time. Why? The lineup gets SO stale to me. Please switch it up more often!!!
Also, there’s only so much harassment one can stand in the UN Plaza. But not much can be done with that.

Fun, sun, and hipness — expect to pay between 10 and 15 but it’s a great way to break the routine and show off SF food truck culture.
I have a couple of favorites that I haven’t seen here (koja, señor sissig, etc) but I still always walk away happier than I arrived

There were some good food options. I’d try the Peruvian spot next time, with a sandwich and fries. I tried the Three Slider Sampler from (their words, not mine) «Me So Hungry» for $ 11. I’m glad I had the foresight to grab napkins. It was definitely substantial and «dripping» with flavor.
The big down-​grade in rating was the environment. It was simply not relaxing or comfortable on a work day. And, let’s devote a few more dollars to picking up trash in the Civic Center. I am a fan of shade, and there was none. There were some interesting conversations to overhear — and, I’ll give a few points because there were quite a few hard-​working 25 – 40’ers out to try to find something awesome for lunch — which really is the highlight of a lot of days, sometimes.

Went back for my second trip to Off the Grid at UN Plaza today. Enjoyed the Hawaiian slider place … sorry, forgot the name. I had the original and kalua pork plus a side of tots. The original was okay — what can you really say about a burger. The kalua pork on the other hand — SOOO good! It had some wacky spicy green sauce that was really good!
On to the location … While this plaza is a little sketchy, the people at OTG bring plenty of chairs and make you feel «safe». Today, there was an interpretive dance thing going on — just added to the charm of the plaza. It’s a great place on a beautiful, sunny day!

I love the off the grid events, especially during lunch! OTG UN Plaza helps get me out of the office to enjoy yummy food, fresh air and delightful music.

I have become a huge fan of the food truck movement, and Off the Grid at UN Plaza is just too convenient. Fiveten was beyond good.

A little on the pricey side but we are in SF!
I tried the Koritto (Korean buritto) from the Korean BBQ truck & it was so yummy!
I am sure all of you have had a buritto experience that required you to pull out the magnifying glass to find the meat, right?
Well, my carnivores, I have good news for you… this Koritto is PACKED with meat. And by packed, i mean it basically consists of meat (with a dash of rice and kimchi) wrapped in a tortilla.
Very filling & worth the 7 $.
I am excited to try the other options in the future.

I live in Seattle and it’s hard to find food trucks congregated together.
It’s great the Off the Grid organizes locations for the food trucks.
Not only that they provide tents, chairs etc…
While I was there I believe there were 5 – 6 trucks.
Nom Nom Truck, Fins on the Hoof, Saguchon a burger truck and one other that was already closed.
I can’t wait to go back to San Francisco and eat at more of the food truck pods that Off the Grid sets up!

I’m so lucky that I work close enough for both Off the Grid Civic Center and UN Plaza! The food trucks rotation do not disappoint.
Not to sound mean or ignorant, but I do wish that there weren’t as many transients hovering around that area. But the culinary experience isn’t hindered by this.

I love a good food truck. And when there’s a bunch of them parked together, waiting for me to come buy their delicious wares, I like it even better.
The options were slightly limited, but I can’t complain about a world in which I can get Kung Fu Tacos (Asian Asada is what’s good), my girl can rock the Rib Whip’s huge, messy pulled pork sandwich, I can steal some lumpia off an unsuspecting friend and we can eat it all in the sunshine as suits and students and everyone in between rocks out to barefoot hippie guitarists’ acoustic harmonies.
That was a long sentence.

I was never really into the idea of food from trucks but this by far has changed my mind. I had food from SenorSisig and Tomkat something… (sorry I forgot the truck name, but you’ll know it when you see it!).
The portions are big, and my stomach is happy! The only thing is when I was browsing through the menu selections (of all the trucks…4 at the time), was that it was a bit pricey. But it’s still doable!
For some reason, this particular day, there was only 4 trucks and little scattered seating. I think there was suppose to be 6 trucks to choose from and perhaps would have been a large venue? Normally this wouldn’t throw me off, but if it’s advertised as a certain way, I would like to see the results.
Overall, pretty good. Try it out for some fun and unique way of dining out!

I go to the heart of the city farmer’s market most weeks and occasionally come through here for some other event, but I guess this was the first time I came where there wasn’t something big set up. It’s a lot funkier than I expected. On the one hand, I was really impressed that the otg employees kept everything in line (there was a guy looking at menus while smoking a really nasty-​smelling cigar, and they told him not to smoke in that area, which I appreciated), but on the other hand, you’re sitting there eating your fancy foodie lunch from compostable containers while a church is handing out free lunches in plastic bags to homeless people. So, I guess it’s sort of like everything else in sf.

In theory I love the idea of a lunch at Off the Grid, mainly because I’ve been a big fan of Off the Grid at Fort Mason Center for a long while now so on a recent trip to the area for work I suggested it for lunch. We struck gold with the weather — one of those rare completely sunny and beautifully warm days welcomed us into the fold of food trucks and goods on display.
But I have to say I was a little disappointed with how many trucks were there (four) compared to how many booths were set up to sell non-​food items. And if you get there any time after 1 pm or so you should expect that many items from each truck will have sold out. This is both good and bad in mind — hooray for the trucks for doing well! Sad for me for having an even more limited menu.
They do put out the folding chairs so you have a place to sit and eat which is wonderful and there is quite a lot of entertainment going on, including plain old people watching in the area.
All in all, if you are looking to experience a wide variety of food trucks in one gathering I’d recommend the Friday night version at Fort Mason, but if you don’t have the time or inclination or just want a quick bite for lunch then this will definitely do you right.

Sunlight beams down from the sky. Stomachs all over the city begin to growl. Coworkers collaborate, conspire, and corroborate. Fleeting feet march to a quickening cadence on their merry way to satisfy the body’s hunger. Left. Right. Left. Right.
Two blocks. Now one more. A happy harmony fills the air with the sounds of music. It’s a man – no two – singing in bearded guitar-​glee under a tent. Happy vendors provide their backup orchestra. The tinkle of chimes and jewelry and a few coins in their pockets.
A symphony for the senses. Colorful goods displayed, and vibrant, rich aromas of barbecue, tacos, filipino fare, organic foods, and other tempting treats each, as if orchestrated by a mighty conductor, play their parts in each of their sanctioned sections.
For a few hours it comes together in a beautiful San Francisco song. Meals are shared and once-​rabid coworkers take their content bellies back to work or play with renewed energy.

A lot of people are mixing up the reviews between OtG: UN Plaza and OtG: Civic Center Plaza. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME FOOLS! UN Plaza Tuesdays have very limited seating and add it all the rowdy homeless people and you get a very annoying and unpleasant environment. Just stay enclosed in the OtG section and you’ll be fine, except when Calvin the African-​American guy with the newspapers starts soliciting OtG patrons mid-​bite like myself. Luckily the 2 – 3 OtG staff in the red T-​shirts were here to save the day many times, salute to you guys.
There were 5 trucks today and one had it’s oven out of service and only served soup sadly, no empanadas there. Every time I go to an OtG, I’m wonderstruck on what to order, there are so many options. I went with An the Go today and it was very good garlic noodles for $ 7.50. The sun was amazingly out today and at full blast too so a few friends and I had to scout out some good places to sit. At first we went toward the crazy homeless people but that was a bust. When we returned to the OtG seating area, seats were open under the tent.
I can’t wait to go to the other OtGs to complete my summer.

Off the Gird: Un plaza gets a variety of new, upcoming food trucks showing up here. maybe thursday schedules are more flexible. .
sampling:
–3 dim sum: versatile gastromaster. deviled egg and mushroom sammie delish.
–an the go: pricey garlic noodles, shrimp interesting.
–el tonyonses: pricey, tasty mex eats.
–curbside cofffee: premium coffee plus baked goods i haven’t tried yet.
–rib whip: bbq: probably choose wrong item. brisket so-​so.
–little green cyclo: didn’t get to this one yet.
–brass knuckle: snoop dog was pretty good. notorious p.i.g. is next
–southern sandwich: southern hospitablity with near perfect southern comfort food
–a continuing eat-​a-​thon
foodnotes:
–OTG civic center always has the same trucks. un plaza changes.
–seems to be busier at lunch here than at civic center
’-more trucks here. than at civic center
–metered parking, 3.00/hr.

This little mini off the grid is a fun one for Thursday lunches. I had just gone to the Haight one so it felt a bit smaller and apparently the Civic Center location also boasts a few more trucks. This was a momentous day where we enjoyed lunch away from our desks near a fountain. We went late in the afternoon and it wasn’t too crowded. Things I enjoyed:
3 Sum Eats: amazing smoked mozzarella sticks and housemade twinkies
Curbside Coffee: flavorful ice coffee on a warm day
Kung-​Fu Tacos: Duck and Chicken always a favorite
Also present that I did got get to try.
Senior Sisig, Rib Whip BBQ, and Seoul on Wheels

My third Off the Grid at the UN Plaza. Now this was a little more crowded than my first two OtG experience, maybe the nice weather was the reason, but my favorite so far. First off it was a little harder to find parking at this OtG especially with all the constructions going around, but like any of the OtGs I’ve been to, it worth all the troubles to get here.
Like usual there were five Food Trucks serving and all of them were pretty busy. Here were the following trucks that were present:
Kung Fu Tacos — Asian Asada Taco ($ 2) and Nun Chuk Chicken Taco ($ 2). Great starters.
Little Green Cyclo — Vermicelli with Lemongrass Grilled Pork ($ 7). It was fantastic.
3 Sum Eats — Grilled Chicken Club ($ 8) and Homemade Twinkies ($ 3). Nice and juicy, the Chicken not the Twinkies.
Hapa SF — Really wanted to try again, but I had to save room in my stomach.
Rib Wip — First time I’ve heard or seen this truck, must be new. Didn’t get to try.
I like this OtG spot because there were plenty of spots to hang out. My daughter and I had our picnic on the stairs next to the fountain. There were also plenty of little kiosk stations, I’m not sure why but maybe a farmers market was going on (sorry I was too focused on the food).
If you want to follow OtG and find out the whats and wheres, go to
and get on their email list. They will send you a weekly email on what food trucks will be in which OtG and where. Have fun!

OMG, OtG is OG.
Don’t tell my boss, but it’s true… I pretty much show up at the office on Thursdays so I can go to Off the Grid for lunch.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with OtG, they organize gourmet food trucks together to make delicious mobile food available to the masses at a small handful of public open spaces throughout the city.
Thursday lunches at the UN Plaza brings six vendors to tempt your taste buds. The food trucks vary from week to week, but you’ll likely be able to get your fix of Asian (Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Japanese, fusion), Mexican, Americana, and drinks/​dessert. Whatever genre you’re craving, you’ll probably find it here. Better yet, whatever it is you didn’t know you were craving, you’ll find it here, too!
Quick tip: Check out OtG’s Facebook or Twitter for weekly schedules, locations, and food truck participants.
As if good food wasn’t a good enough excuse to lure you out of your home or office, OtG also brings along live music and portable chairs for your pleasure and convenience. Now, if only the sun was a little less shy in San Francisco…

OTG: UN Plaza
Organizer website:
Hours: Tuesdays (new*) and Thursdays, 11am-​2pm
5 – 6 food trucks
Today was the first day of location #5
for the Off the Grid food truck event at United Nations Plaza. In the same space where the Civic Center’s farmers market (on Wed.), and right next to the Arts and Crafts market. Expect to see a rotation of food trucks, and live music.
This time I saw: Señor Sisig, Le Truc, El Tonayense, and Iz It. And I bought a Hawaiian steak taco.
There are plenty of hungry office workers in this area, so I don’t believe that it affects attendance of the similar Ferry Plaza street food event. Not crowded when I visited. Yay!
My 5 star rating is for this weekly venue, my truck reviews are posted separately.
Remember to bring cash — only a few trucks accepts credit cards (like Le Truc).
* Update: added Tuesdays to schedule on May 10, 2011.