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MIKEY: They say nothing good happens after 2:00 A.M.
I beg to differ.
Whoo!
I'm Mikey Roe.
A night owl by nature,
I've spent years seeking out the most extreme...
Look what I have created!
...and delicious nighttime food possible.
[ All cheering ]
Now I'm on a mission
to find the best late-night chow-down spot
in each great American city...
Late-night food is so much fun. There's no rules.
...all before the sun comes up.
Tonight I'm in San Francisco,
from a taqueria where those in the know
get a top-secret off-menu super burrito...
It's coming in hot.
...to a place where they celebrate guilty pleasures.
MIKEY: Anybody that puts on their menu
Hawaiian Punch and alcohol, I'm a fan of.
Plus Chinatown's most adventurous feast.
I'll tell you.
What?!
The options are endless, but only one place can be the best.
We got to go fast, bud. Let's get there.
Get ready to...
ALL: Feed the beast!
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
MIKEY: San Francisco, California.
From the Mission District's famous burritos
to the colorful cuisine of Chinatown,
this is a foodie destination.
And since it's the counterculture capital,
you know they stay up late.
My quest to discover
its greatest late-night chow-down spot starts now.
Midnight -- I'm in Fisherman's Wharf
en route to see my first destination.
And I see this.
I've got to check this out.
I don't...
What is going on?
Yeah, this is called the Friday Night Skate.
We've been going this for the last 20 years.
This is why I love late night.
You never know what kind of party you're gonna stumble upon.
MAN: We started doing this in 1989.
There was an earthquake in San Francisco.
1989 was the last time I was on skates.
[ Laughs ]
I think you can handle it, though.
Do we have paramedics?
Any paramedics here?
[ Laughs ]
Stop filming.
Damn it.
12:37 A.M. -- Less than six hours till sun-up.
Not even the Friday Night Skate can derail me from my mission.
So I skate over to the Mission District,
home of the Mission-style Burrito.
Now, burritos are a longtime Mexican staple,
but it was here in San Fran's Mission District
back in the '60s that the burrito got supersized...
...and turned into late-night salvation.
Rice, beans, and veggie side dishes
were shoved inside the tortilla and totally changed the game.
And while there are burrito joints
up and down the Mission District,
only one dared to make the burrito even bigger --
El Farolito.
This tiny hole in the wall invented the super burrito,
a hulking two-pound version of the classic.
And people line up for it all night long.
May be a long line, but definitely worth the wait.
How many nights a week do you eat here?
Depends how many nights a week I'm drunk.
[ Laughter ]
This place, El Farolito,
has saved my hung-over *** so many times.
This is local food columnist Marcia Gagliardi,
and I like her already.
That's the thing that makes El Farolito so special,
is this place is, like, the melting pot of the city.
I say you're not a San Franciscan
till you have been here at 2:00 A.M. getting your burrito.
Because you're in line, you've got trannys,
you have cabdrivers,
you've got, you know, beat boys and girls.
Like, it is the full scene.
I have a feeling there isn't a better person in the city
to share a super burrito with.
Super -- that's the magic.
That's when you get the avocado, sour cream, cheese.
And which kind of super did you get?
Well, here we have the "Boss's Burrito."
So, this is the insider-track burrito.
Are we off the menu right now?
We're so off the menu.
The Boss's Burrito is a two-pound,
super-secret super burrito
stuffed with cheese, rice, refried beans,
fresh tomato, onion, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, avocado,
plus a pile of sautéed shrimp,
and a heap of al pastor, a spicy, grilled pork.
Then he puts a little tomatillo salsa inside.
Hello, kick, then.
You ready?
And I like to cheers my burritos, as well.
[ Laughs ]
Going in.
Oh, wow.
Mm-hmm.
One bite and I am in burrito bliss.
You get a taste of everything --
the quick hit of the salsa,
the spicy pork, the fresh shrimp.
I love it.
That's a perfect late-night burrito, by all means.
The super burrito at El Farolito is an instant classic,
and the scene is a trip.
But is it the best Frisco's late night has to offer?
It's pushing 1:00 A.M.,
and I have so many more great late-night spots to explore,
so I'm taking the bus.
Not that bus.
[ Rock music plays ]
[ Cheering ]
That bus.
I found the right bus to get on, that's for sure.
And it's taking me
to one of the most insane late-night spots ever.
You have SpaghettiOs?
[ Laughter ]
I'm on a mission to discover San Francisco's
most extreme late-night food spot in just one night.
1:00 A.M.
I've already taken down a super burrito at El Farolito.
Definitely great. But is it the best?
I got to keep moving to find out.
I hit the streets in search of grub
when I see the most epic bus ever.
One of San Fran's legendary party buses.
Wherever it's headed, that's where I want to go.
Can I get on this thing?
I just need a ride. I need a ride.
MAN: Come on. You got it.
Guys, you mind if I take a ride with you?
[ Cheering ]
Where are you guys going?
[ Indistinct shouting ]
You guys are going to Butter?
[ Cheering ]
Then I'm going to Butter!
[ Cheering ]
[ Upbeat music plays ]
Why Butter?
We got deep-fried Twinkies. We got JELL-O shots.
We got...
Hawaiian Punch.
You have SpaghettiOs?
SpaghettiOs.
Wait. SpaghettiOs?
Lowbrow guilty pleasures
are exactly what you crave late night.
Butter wasn't on my list, but late-night rule number 22 --
You got to go where the night takes you.
Could this *** paradise be San Fran's best late-night spot?
We'll see.
JELL-O shots, girls dance on the bar,
people spank people.
Come on. It's like...
I don't know.
Best, best bar ever.
But shh.
But keep it on the down-low it's the best bar ever.
It's not really that good.
What is that?
A Twinkie.
That's a deep-fried Twinkie?
That's a deep-fried Twinkie.
I'm about to drizzle some bacon syrup
on your deep-fried Twinkie.
Smell that.
It's bacon syrup.
MIKEY: This place breaks every culinary rule.
It's like if you ask 10-year-old me to create the menu
and grownup me to supply the ***.
And somehow it works.
Cheesy jalapeño tater tots.
Mini corn dogs.
SpaghettiOs.
Why go home and eat SpaghettiOs by yourself
when you can have them with friends?
It tastes really good.
The options for late-night decadence are endless.
But of all the treats on their menu, I've got my eye
on the deep-friend peanut butter and jelly.
Though I love the party here all night, it's 1:30 A.M.,
and I have so many more places that I need to discover,
so I got to high-tail it to the kitchen.
Head chef Benny Hillbilly
pulls a frozen prepackaged PB&J from the freezer...
Yeah, you heard that right.
...and then drops it in the deep fryer.
Chuck it in there.
Press the numbers.
Press the numbers.
It's expensive. It likes it.
[ Laughs ]
Now you just have a bag of candy.
Well, I mean, how else am I gonna stay awake?
Obviously Benny is fueled by sugar.
[ Giggles ]
He's got a little giggle.
That's a little giggle out of you.
He covers the PB&J in marshmallows, whipped cream,
chocolate syrup, candy, gummi bears.
The rainbow's happening right now. It's rainbow.
Oh, and now you actually are putting on
rainbow-colored sprinkles.
[ Rhythmic tapping ]
This might be my favorite place I've ever been.
The rhythm is important.
You guys make late-night food even more fun.
In the end, I think Benny ate more toppings than he added.
[ Chuckles ]
I'm ready to destroy this candy-covered PB&J
when Benny pulls out the secret ingredient.
But we actually have a super secret bacon juice,
you know, we call vegan sweat.
It's 100% vegan, and it tastes 100% like bacon.
Sweet! Sweet.
Go ahead. A drop.
I think you're completely lying to me.
No, it's just true.
This is for people
that want a bacon flavor, but are vegan?
Yeah.
It's yummy.
Can't wait to see your expression.
Oh, God.
Is that not just love in a can?
I mean, is that just not beautiful?
Stop it.
Yeah, I know, huh?
[ Giggles ]
Give it back.
Oh, he's over it now.
Me now?
This is, like, the nectar of the gods.
Yeah.
It's the smell and taste of bacon,
but it's liquefied.
That's really good.
[ Giggles ]
So we douse the PB&J in vegan sweat,
and it's go time.
Now we're ready to go.
Wow.
So good even a knucklhead could cook it.
That's remarkable.
2:00 A.M.
I've hit the Mission District for a super burrito
and Butter for the finest *** treats,
both unbelievable late-night spots.
But are they the best in San Francisco?
To find out, I'm heading to Chinatown,
where I'll try the chef's secret surprise.
You want me to tell you what's in it?
Yeah, what is it?
What?!
2:00 A.M.
I'm tearing through San Francisco
on a mission to find the best late-night food spot
before the sun comes up.
I took down a monster burrito at El Farolito,
had a feast of SpaghettiOs,
deep-fried PB&J,
and tons of *** at Butter.
Wow. That's remarkable.
Now I'm craving one of the best things to chow down on
after a night of partying -- Chinese food.
ALL: Feed the beast!
And Chinatown's best late-night restaurant, that's easy.
The one and only Yuet Lee, one of my all-time favorite spots.
I've been coming here for years
to chow down on their 10 famous dishes.
And my favorite part of Yuet Lee, the owner, Sam Yu.
You know the chef that will whip up
something special for his regulars?
That's Sam.
And at 2:00 A.M., his recipes can get a little creative.
My boy Sam makes an unbelievable everything.
Hey, how are you?
Hey.
Good to see you.
Good to see you again.
How you doing?
I'm doing great.
I'm so excited to be here.
This is one of my favorite places.
Come on.
You know what I want, right?
I want the crab with ginger.
How about here?
The ginger crab.
Seafood-wise, one of the best late-night dishes
in the country.
And tonight, it's gonna taste extra special
'cause Sam lets me go fishing.
Hey, Mikey.
Yeah?
Pick a crab, man.
I get to pick any one?
Any one you like.
You're so good to me.
Oh, yes.
Use this?
Yes.
All right.
[Bleep]
Here we go. Oh, I lost him.
Okay. It's okay.
He's grabbing on to the net, though.
Oh.
Beautiful.
That's a good one.
Oh, man. Beautiful.
That's my guy.
Yeah, Mikey, 1, Crab, zero.
This is one of the best things you'll ever have.
Fresh ginger.
Fresh ginger.
Onion.
Wait here. Get a crab now, okay?
Is that your first time doing that?
No.
[ Laughs ]
MIKEY: Sam boils the crab, then sautés it
with huge chunks of fresh ginger, onion, and garlic.
And it smells so good.
Is this ready? We ready to go?
Yes.
You gonna share with me?
You gonna try it?
Yeah, of course.
I'm gonna do more than try it.
Oh.
It's amazing. The ginger, the onion -- ah.
So perfect. Come share this with me.
Yeah. Go ahead. Take it.
Oh, my God. Here we come.
I love everything here. I always have a blast when I'm here.
Do you want a surprise?
I'll make something good for you.
You make something good for me?
You'll make a Sam Surprise?
Yeah, right.
That's like Indiana Jones.
You ever seen Indiana Jones? "Snake surprise."
You know what I'm talking about.
This is why this guy is amazing and takes care of you.
He even knows my movie quotes.
I'll make it for you now.
All right. Let's do it.
I don't know what I'm gonna get.
This is authentic Cantonese cuisine.
So I have no idea what's coming out.
But late-night rule number 45 -- Always trust the chef.
Here we go.
It's really good.
Very good.
Very good.
You know what's in it?
Is it chicken?
No!
I didn't think you'd make me chicken as a special.
No, no, no, no. Not assembled.
Rabbit?
No, not that small.
[ Laughs ]
Is it duck?
No.
Is it goat?
No.
Is it snake?
Nah.
I give up.
You want me to tell you what's in it?
Yeah, what is it?
Tin ***.
Tin ***?
Yeah.
What's tin ***?
What?!
Frog.
Frog.
Yeah.
A frog.
Yeah.
[ Ribbit! ]
Frog.
I didn't even know
that was part of Chinese cuisine.
But like everything, Sam made it great.
How have I never had this before? This is amazing.
You like that?
I love it.
Jump, froggy, jump.
Man, you never, ever let me down.
Next time I come back, I want another surprise dish.
Yuet Lee is the best late-night Chinese in San Francisco,
but is it the best the night has to offer?
3:15 A.M.
There's a legendary late-night spot I got to hit
before the sun comes up for an incredible feast
where the food is just as exotic as the crowd.
We'll cuddle up a little bit.
[ Laughs ]
ALL: Feed the beast!
MIKEY: I'm on a nocturnal quest to find San Francisco's
best late-night spot before the sun comes up.
3:15 A.M.
I've tackled a Mission-style super burrito at El Farolito,
deep-fried deliciousness at Butter,
and ginger crab at Yuet Lee in Chinatown
and a surprise dish of frog.
[ Ribbit! ]
Have I found the city's best?
I got to keep moving to find out.
Next, my sights are set on a San Francisco landmark
that's home to an epic Portuguese feast,
the Grubstake Diner in *** Hill.
Housed in a retired railcar,
this 45-year-old diner is the only place in S.F.
serving real Portuguese cuisine
until the wee hours of the morning,
from the Caldo Verde to the Bife com Ovo a Cavalo.
These amazing meals are perfect to fill you up late night.
You come here a lot?
Yeah, over 20 years.
Really?
Yeah.
Three nights a week.
And Grubstake attracts a crowd
you'd probably never see in the daylight.
Tell me about it. What do you love about Grubstake?
God, the chicks.
The Nugget is a burger,
and I get it medium-rare with bacon, cheese,
and a fried egg.
Oh, and a fried egg?
Oh, yeah.
And it's very satisfying at 3:00 in the morning.
'Cause at 3:00 in the morning,
you're in that perilous decision.
Breakfast or...
Sex.
[ Laughs ]
You chose food over sex right now.
Oh, no. I have had both here.
[ Laughter ]
Grubstake.
At any hour, it's the amazing Portuguese menu
that makes Grubstake worth seeking out.
MAN: Vegetables and breaded pork chops.
And he makes a sick --
I mean, amazing -- Portuguese bread soup.
But one of the things that he serves on his Portuguese menu
is Linguiça, which is a traditional sausage.
I come here, and he gives it to me
so I can take it home to cook it.
That's how much I love it.
You just get the sausage raw here?
Oh, there's so many jokes I can go with that one.
[ Laughter ]
And moving on.
Welcome to my house.
Ah. This is your house.
Yes. It's my house.
Thank you for having me.
I have heard from everybody in San Francisco
that this is the place I need to be for late-night food.
I know.
Santos gives me a whirlwind tour of Portuguese cuisine.
Bife covolo cavalo?
What does that mean?
Oh, it's like a horse ride, horseback.
The egg's riding on top of the steak.
You get it.
I got it.
That's exactly what I want late night --
a hearty dinner with tomorrow's breakfast right on top.
Next I try the Portuguese sausage called Linguiça.
I'm gonna put two of them.
Make three. Put three.
He's challenging me.
Put three.
Oh.
You like it?
I love it.
It's almost 4:00 A.M., and I am eating like a king.
Steak and eggs, sausage, kale soup,
and to cap off our feast,
Santos offers me his unique take on buffalo wings.
I do something different.
And I bake them, and I grill them after bake.
This is the dip.
These might be some of my favorite wings I've ever had.
That's good.
I'm serious.
These are perfect wings.
You can really taste the garlic
and the Portuguese wine baked into them.
Amazing. One-of-a-kind wings you can only get in San Francisco
in the middle of the night.
Mojito delicioso.
[ Clock ticking ]
6:15, and here comes the sun.
My night in San Fran was a wild ride,
but I'm ready to declare the best spot of the night.
Super burritos at El Farolito
are a delicious part of San Francisco's history.
Grubstake offers a late-night feast like no place else.
Butter is a testament to the city's wild night life.
And Yuet Lee serves up some delicious Chinese delights.
But the one truly outstanding late-night spot?
Grubstake.
A diner that only exists at night
has a crowd you'd never find in the daylight
and serves a menu so delicious,
you're guaranteed to go to bed happy and full.
The perfect place to go after a night on the town.
I came, I saw, I fed the beast.
ALL: Feed the beast!