By Roman Fong

A Parkside neighborhood staple, the Tennessee Grill, has remained at its original location for more than 70 years, serving American and Asian-inspired food.

Located on Taraval Street near the corner of 22nd Avenue since 1952, the two-room diner radiates a welcoming atmosphere, characterized by the lively open kitchen, diner-style booths and peach-painted walls with lime green trim.

Owned by Kyaw Soe since 2017, the Tennessee Grill serves not only as an affordable option for classic diner food, but also as an important social hub for longtime customers and the local neighborhood.

Soe’s connection to the Tennessee Grill began in 1998 when he immigrated to San Francisco from Myanmar (formerly known as and referred to by Soe as Burma). He began working as a cook and a waiter, eventually purchased the business after the previous owner, Min, retired. According to Soe, the name of the Tennessee Grill comes from the original owner, who moved to San Francisco from Tennessee.

“I wanted to improve my life,” Soe said. “I had an interest in the food business, so taking on the Tennessee Grill was a big step for me.”

Since becoming the owner, Soe has dealt with multiple challenges. Like many businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tennessee Grill suffered. According to Soe, the diner struggled to stay open, only serving takeout orders. Soe cited regular customers as the reason the restaurant stayed afloat.

Some of the Tennessee Grill’s regular customers have been coming back for years, even before Soe started working there. Patsy Smith has been dining at the grill since the 1970s. According to Smith, she has been going to the Tennessee Grill since she immigrated from Ireland, eventually bringing her family to eat there.

Smith’s son, Tim Okeeffe, never worked at the grill himself but remembers his sister working there. According to Okeeffe, a large part of why he and his family keep coming back to the Tennessee Grill was not only for its affordable prices but also for the diner’s ambiance and atmosphere.

“It’s always pleasant here,” Okeeffe said. “Besides the reasonable prices and great service, it’s like a little home. There aren’t too many old-school diners like this anymore.”

Smith agreed with her son, emphasizing how the Tennessee Grill has always been family oriented.

“You can bring in your family; younger children, but also older folks like coming here too,” Smith said. “Almost every time we come here you see someone you know, and I’m happy to see young people come and like it too.”

As the owner working multiple days a week at the diner, Soe enjoys the community feeling the Tennessee Grill fosters. Displayed around the restaurant are local news clippings, community postings and posters featuring San Francisco sports teams like the Giants and even the nearby Lincoln High School basketball schedule.

“I always see people from the neighborhood meeting here,” Soe said. “They meet over meals, and even I have regular meetings here, too. During the school year, we have a lot of students come in, especially from Lincoln High School.”

The restaurant features all of the staples for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with home-made menu items made fresh daily.

Longtime customers of the Tennessee Grill, John Mecurio and Michael Ford, agree that it is a place that brings the community together. Like Smith and Okeeffe, they both appreciate the diner’s lively atmosphere.

“It’s just a good neighborhood spot,” Ford said. “If we go on a motorcycle run, we’ll meet up here and grab some food before we head out.”

While the Tennessee Grill is a local favorite, construction on Taraval Street has limited public transportation and parking access to the diner. According to Soe, the construction and inflation of food prices have created challenges for the Tennessee Grill, but he remains cheerful about his future as the diner’s owner.

“When you see a lot of customers eating your food, it makes you happy,” Soe said. “Overall, business has been good, so I plan to keep selling food.”

Learn more at tennesseegrillsf.com.