A family grill on a cable car street.
Long before Tony’s, Geary was a cable car street. Starting in 1880, cars of the Geary Street, Park & Ocean Railroad ran from Market Street out to Central Avenue, today’s Presidio Avenue, just up the street from 2500 Geary. In 1912 the cable gave way to Muni’s very first streetcar line, based at the Geary Car House a short walk from our door.
Since 1972 the same family has kept the grill going at Tony’s Cable Car. The menu is classic drive-in. Quarter pound and half pound burgers, the small burger with relish and onions, chili dogs, fish and chips, curly fries, shakes, malts and floats. Order a Cable Car Special for a burger, fries and a shake. Everything is made to order.
2500 Geary, through the years.
1880
Cable cars come to Geary
The Geary Street, Park & Ocean Railroad opened cable service from Market Street to Central Avenue, now Presidio Avenue, running past this stretch of Geary.
1912
Muni’s first line
The last Geary cable car ran in May. By December 28, the city’s new Municipal Railway was running streetcars on Geary from its car house at Geary and Presidio.
1972
The family chapter begins
The family that still runs Tony’s today has owned and operated it since 1972.
Today
Still frying
San Francisco historian Woody LaBounty counts Tony’s among the city’s surviving drive-in-era diners. Burgers, fries and shakes are still made to order at 2500 Geary.
Come find us on Geary.
San Francisco, CA 94115