The Emmy’s Unicorn Mural Is Gone, But the Spaghetti Shack Is Here to Stay

First things first: Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack isn’t going anywhere. That being said, the business is changing ownership. An eagle-eyed tipster and Emmy’s regular recently noted some slight changes including a new website and a handful of new menu items. As it turns out, Emmy’s bartender Michael Irish bought the business and officially took over on Wednesday, July 31, as first reported by Broke-Ass Stuart. It’s perhaps the best case scenario for the sale of a longtime San Francisco favorite; Irish saved up and was in the market to buy and run his own bar, and Emmy’s founder Emmy Kaplan wanted to sell. “I was doing it all on my own through Covid, working every day delivering food and even opening a temporary grocery for neighbors,” Kaplan told BAS. “I never wanted to close the Shack but I started to think about different options.”

Irish hails from Brooklyn and snagged his first San Francisco job at Emmy’s, working as a bartender for the last three years at the Bernal Heights restaurant. Most importantly, he understands the shack’s place in the neighborhood. “I’m gonna keep it really fun and silly,” Irish tells Eater SF, “and we’re still going to have fun for the holidays and put up all the lights and the fake snow and everything, as Emmy’s always been doing for years. I’ve been a loyal employee and I’ve always liked the place.”

Still, Irish is placing his stamp on the place. Cocktails will run between $12 and $14 while shots are priced at $5, and there will be happy hours, as BAS reports. Irish will maintain the majority of the menu but he also plans to add new dishes. On the weekends, food will be available until midnight and Irish is also preparing a whopper of a regular Monday night (cash only) deal starting Monday, August 12: One salad, one appetizer, one entree, one dessert, and one bottle of wine for $60. “Everyone complains about how expensive things are,” Irish says, “so put your money where your mouth is and we’ll see you on Mondays.”

One thing that has already changed, however, that Irish hopes won’t freak people out: The unicorn mural is now gone and replaced with old-school, 1950s wood paneling. “I had to make something more mine,” he says. “I’m not a big unicorn guy. But that’s the only thing that’s gone — everything else will be the same.”

Irish promises he will keep the Dolly Parton booth up, and when he gets some time, he’ll add a tribute booth for Kaplan, a fitting salute from Irish as he and his family take over as the next generation of Emmy’s. “Especially here and in Brooklyn, all these bigger cities, places just leave all the time,” Irish says. “This is not one of those cases. If you liked Emmy’s before, you’ll still like it. I promise.”

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Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack

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Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack (3230 Mission Street, San Francisco) is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with plans to extend weekend hours soon.