Brenda's Meat & Three

This is such a cute Cajun joint on Divisadero. We ordered the chicken jambalaya (breakfast special) and the crawfish beignets (very large) and they didn't disappoint. Service was quick. The atmosphere is very cozy on a rainy day and this is the kind of place I'd be comfortable eating at alone, at the central bar. The music is lovely. Overall highly recommend!

Know this, they passed the Collards test. Oh everything else was on point as well. Three of us seriously enjoyed each of the meats, and sides from biscuit to fried okra. And leave room for dessert: this group agreed it’s a tie for first place between strawberry cobbler, banana foster bread pudding, AND the ube beignet. Yes a 3-way tie. Topped off with attentive yet genuine service.

I really had high hopes for this place because I’m from the south and I love southern food… the reviews were good, the food was OK… The gumbo was great! I probably should’ve ordered the crawfish beignets since that would have been freshly made, however, I ordered the ribs with macaroni, okra, and red beans and rice. The ribs were not fresh or flavorful, they are not BBQ ribs, they were dry and inedible, and I’m a meat lover. I ate half of one out of three ribs. The red beans and rice and okra were good, but the macaroni was not fresh. Not to say that I wouldn’t give them another chance, but I would stick to the stuff made fresh. That being said it was an expensive $40 lunch for one that I didn’t eat half of…

There are not many restaurants that specialize in Southern cuisine so we were amped to come here. We debated on whether to opt in for the daily special menu but wanted to embrace the restaurant’s namesake (the concept of choosing the meat and 3 sides). We went all in across our family of 4 and we ordered the crawfish beignets to boot. The beignets way larger than we expected. We dug out the cheesy crawfish insides and left the outer crust. The ribs were the best; the catfish was okay but we expected more seasoning; the fried chicken was a disappointment. The coating felt extra hard and the meat was tough as if it was cooked before and fried again before serving? The sides that tasted best were the rice and beans and the cream biscuit. Some of the sides were lukewarm (okra & tomato, collard greens).

I recently had breakfast at Brenda’s Meat & Three in San Francisco, and it was such a delightful experience from start to finish! The moment we walked in, we were greeted by Alicia, the general manager, who made us feel completely at home. She was genuinely kind, attentive, and incredibly helpful, the type of person who makes you feel like a valued guest rather than just another customer. We ordered the two eggs your way combo, and it was exactly what a satisfying breakfast should be. What made this visit truly memorable was the care and attention we received from Alicia and the team. The atmosphere inside is casual and inviting, with a comfortable neighborhood feel that makes you want to linger over your coffee. If you’re looking for delicious comfort food served with a side of genuine hospitality, Brenda’s Meat & Three should be at the top of your list. Thank you, Alicia, for making our morning so special!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​