Chow claims to serve American cuisine, but the management must be thinking of today's America, because the menu is not exactly baseball and apple pie. And that's just fine for eclectic and cost-conscious diners. After all, what's not to like about starting with a Cobb salad before moving on to Thai-style noodles with steak, chicken, peanuts, and spicy lime-chile garlic broth, or linguine with clams? Better yet, everything except the fish of the day costs under $14. More traditional are the budget-wise daily sandwich specials, which range from meatball with mozzarella (Sun) to baked chicken with bacon, brie, and pears (Mon); both come with salad, soup, or fries, for less than $8. While the food and prices alone would be a good argument for coming here, beer on tap, a great inexpensive wine selection, and the fun, tavernlike environment clinch the deal. A second location, Park Chow, is at 1240 Ninth Ave. (tel. 415/665-9912). You can't make reservations, but if you're headed their way, you can call ahead to place your name on the wait list.