One of my first meals in SF was with my mom and Uncle Calvin at nearby Houston's, which serves pretty good standard American fare. I really liked the crab cakes I had there last time, and my mom was happy with their varying vegetarian plate. I didn't realize it was such a big chain until just now when I checked out their website, but despite the numerous locations Houston's seems pretty reliable. At least the one near the Embarcadero - haven't tried (or seen, for that matter) any of the others. 
"knife and fork" baby back ribs, cole slaw & french fries - $22 I'm not sure if I took down the price right, but it's somewhere in the low 20s. These ribs were very good, and amazingly, they were actually "knife and fork" tender. The meat came right off the bone, and I didn't even have to use my hands. And the portion was just right - there was plenty of meat without being overwhelming. I finished the whole plate and was very full, but not stuffed. The cole slaw is great too - refreshing and crisp, a good rest from the ribs. The fries were crispy and just the right thickness. Houston's continues to satisfy...