Casual Dining

The Home of Chicken and Waffles (444 Embarcadero West, 510/836-4446, www.hcwchickenandwaffles.com [1], Sun.–Thurs. 8 a.m.–midnight, Fri.–Sat. 8 a.m.–4 a.m., $7–14) serves up good ol’ Southern comfort food late into the night. Specialties of the house include the gooey mac ’n’ cheese, true Southern sides (lots of grits), and of course chicken and waffles—served together, if you please.

This definitely isn’t the best spot for low-carb dieters to slake their appetites! But if you don’t count calories and you need some late-night grub (or breakfast, or lunch, or dinner), HCW can hook you up. Note that after 11:30 p.m., you must prepay for your meal.

Some travelers take the opportunity to try just about every type of world cuisine that’s available in the Bay Area [2]. At Phnom Penh House (3912 MacArthur Blvd., 510/482-8989, Mon.–Thurs. 11 a.m.–9:15 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–9:45 p.m., $7–14), you can give Cambodian food a whirl. You’ll find the dishes similar to Thai cooking, with some different spice combinations. At Phnom Penh, the fish, the soup, and the green papaya salad all draw rave reviews from frequent diners. Rumor has it that the curries are worth trying as well.

If you’re out on the island of Alameda [3] and you’re looking for a tasty meal, consider sampling the German food at Speisekammer (2424 Lincoln Ave., 510/522-1300, www.speisekammer.com [4], lunch Fri.–Sun. noon–3 p.m., dinner Tues.–Wed. 5–9 p.m., Thurs.–Sat. 5–10 p.m., Sun. 4–9 p.m., $15–24). This Old World eatery specializes in sausages, marinated meat, red cabbage, and sauerkraut. And, of course, beer. Check the website for information about the beer drinking contests.

Just to make your dining experience that much more fun, Speisekammer hosts live entertainment every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night—mostly jazz combos, but you might find a country band or even a local musicians showcase to enjoy with your wiener schnitzel.