Henry's Hunan Restaurant
674 Sacramento St
(between Kearny St & Montgomery St)
San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 788-2234
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
79 reviews
Neighborhood: Glen Park
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68 Reviews for Henry's Hunan Restaurant
Really high-quality, authentic Chinese food with the exception that it is not as spicy as Hunanese food. So if, like me, you want it extra hot you need to order it extra hot.
The Harvest Pork ($8.00) was excellent and really tasty. The Eight Delight Vegetables ($7.50) was just literally just vegetables, oil, and spices, which is the authentic style, but it lacks flavor.
Diana's Meat Pie Special ($6.95) is practically a must order appetizer.
The Polish Sausage ($8.75) dish is a personal favorite, and the pork dishes are really what they specialize in.
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I would give 3.5 stars, but I can't.
Generally packed at lunch time from the financial district crowd. But don't let this diminish the fact that the food is solid, prices reasonable, and the flavor will satisfy your hunger (so long as you don't burn out your taste buds).
I recommend the black bean chicken over a bed of white rice. Certainly one of the more mild dishes, and it may leave you with a case of food coma - but only because it's so good! Go spicy or go mild, but try some of their onion cakes if your waistline can handle it.
The food is a bit greasy, service a bit spotty...but the true measure of this place is the food. And it's on target for sure!
If you're 1) drunk, hungry, and in the area, 2) have friends who might cringe from excessively sticky "cleaned" tables a few blocks over in C-Town, and 3) don't have your own private driver, by all means enter, this will probably satisfy your party's hunger without having to worry about death threats.
I've been here a bunch of times. Only for business dinners so price doesn't factor 'cause I don't know how much the bill was! Usually higher paid muck-ity mucks ordered as well "charging it" so maybe I didn't get the "good stuff". Enough excuses?!? ;-)
OK, I did pay a little attention to the food and it was average. Good, but not great. No one spit out a bite or two while finishing the rest (1-2 stars) or got violently ill (should be 0 or less stars, but hey, Yelp! has a limited range.), or went into anaphylactic shock (-1x10^999999999999 stars).
Likewise, no one said that they need to eat here as often as possible and sing it's praises to every passer-by (5 stars) or even that they'd recommend it to friends, if asked (3+ to 4 stars). Most agreed it was decent with no standout or "Wow" factor so please don't ask me what I ate . . . yes, it was that memorable.
Well there it is. 3 stars
Add to that, I enjoyed the food (everything tastes better when it's free), but haven't come here whilst paying my own way after having free samples numerous times. What does that say?
OK, 3 stars. Sorry for repeating myself!! :(
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Maybe Tim Burton can make another version of "Sweeney Todd" with Diana's Meat Pie, and Henry can sing some Sondheim ...and then all would be right with the world, don't you think?
There is something reassuring about seeing the red sign for Henry's Hunan, as I have been a semi-loyal customer for years. When I was an innocent babe in the big, bad corporate jungle of this city, I used to go to either the Sansome or the Natoma location to get a wedge of the Diana's Meat Pie, a heaping helping of Henry's Special, a fiery mouthful of Kung Pao Shrimp, or the cooling peanutty goodness of the Chicken Salad. Sure it was a ton of food, but I was ready, willing and able to cope with indigestion back in the office.
My cholesterol count doesn't allow me such indulgences anymore, but I still have a craving for Henry's now and then. This location is a lot smaller and probably the most low profile of the four locations in the city, probably because they're not open on weekends or in the evening. Make no mistake that this is a lunchtime hub of activity for the working drones in the area, and this drone is just a few steps away from the place. Even with a second floor of tables a precarious climb away, it still gets packed pretty fast at noon. I usually try to come after the rush if I'm not drowning in afternoon meetings.
What does strike me most is how much friendlier they are here versus the other locations, especially the semi-surly staff at Natoma, and I've been trying other things on the menu. Recently, I went for the $6.25 Noodles with Pork Meat and Special Hunan Sauce. Honestly, it was like a bowl of Chef-Boyardee Beefaroni, but it did hit the spot in a greasy sort of way. With a vegetarian colleague, I went for the meatless version of the $7.50 Sauteed Eggplant and the same-priced Country-Style Vegetables. Both were tasty and more than filling. This ain't no Michelin Guide three-star destination...it's just Henry.
FOOD - 3 stars...dependable, big portions and sometimes even tasty
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...the most claustrophobic of the Henrys
SERVICE - 4 stars...the friendliest of the Henrys
TOTAL - 3 stars...feels like an old shoe...luckily it doesn't taste like one
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I went here looking for some legit Chinese food in China TOWN!!! This was the first place we saw, as we were roaming through China town. I decided to roll the dice.
The people in this place are friendly as hell! You can tell there were a lot of regulars as everybody seemed to be on a first name basis with each other.
Anyway, we ordered some noods and spicy chicken and both items were bomb. Not to mention, that the chefs seemed pretty much like the coolest guys ever. They kind of reminded me of that guy who won top chef - hong
Enough said - check it out and it was cheap
If you're in the mood for spicy, this is it. Food is delicious, some of the best Hunan I've had in a while. Casual cafe style restaurant. Plates average $10. Take a look at their menu http://henryshunanrest...
Ask for extra hot and you'll be sweating during your meal. Seating is limited, although they do have an upstairs seating arrangment. Great place for lunch.
Great pork noodles with special spicy sauce. The meat pie is also very delicious.
Seating is 2 levels.
The only complaint I have is when they took 30 minutes to cook the mao pao tofu dish. It's pretty much the easiest dish on the menu. Grrrr...
Pay the bill downstairs and get a mint on the way out from all the garlic and hot sauce.
Ok. So maybe it wasn't exactly atmospheric. Maybe we had to go up two flights of stairs and we were a little scared. It was totally worth it! That was the best hot & sour soup I've had in San Francisco. It was in fact so tasty that I will be ordering it again - ASAP.
The whole meal was just delicious, and I'm a convert.
Good place, good food, fast service...The meat pie is very good, as well as the kung pow shrimp. Try the Marty special and the orange chicken too....ask them to make it as spicy or not as you like....Good place for a small lunch party...
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Dang, I love the food at this place. But I only order 2 things.
1. Chicken and stringbeans over rice. I could have this every day and never want anything else.
2. Meat pie. mmmmmmmm.
The other stuff, I dunno and I don't give a shit.
Whenever I dine out here with my coworkers, I have to order either Diana's Meat Pie or the Noodle with Meat Sauce dish--two examples of their "non-spicy" dishes. Among our favorites are also Chicken with String Beans and Velvet Chicken.
Henry's service may be perceived as bad, but I like their no-nonsense policy, especially when I just want to get in, grub, and get out. Sometimes, I really Heart Zero-Frills.
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Chicken fried rice (blah blah), Pork Chow Mein (yikes---something in here was WAY OFF...threw the whole thing out), some spicy beef with green beans (soooooo greasy and the green beans were WAY overcooked)hot & sour soup (BLAH...had a cup and threw the rest out) egg rolls (icky). Luckily I didn't know I was getting take out so I was at home making a chicken stir -fry , which turned out to be the best dish of the night.
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Helyahmhan,
I remenber this joint from back in the day. The first chinese joint to sport the big "No MSG" sign. Hecka good chinese food. I remember one night we couldn't figure out what the chinese waiter was asking us... do loo want a light bulb... Do we want a fuckin light bulb of course not? ohhh light bulb! yes we'd a like rice bowl with our good ass asiatic grub. The same night we'd gotten a flat out in back of the restaurant and the whole kitchen crew (I felt like I was in the chinese indy 5oo) changed our tire for us. Made me wanna be a cook. those guys were heroes. I was like ten it was my birthday, I think? Memories man what a great place.
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The food is pretty good and cheap. But don't think of eating there or placing an order over the phone. For some reason, they NEVER and I'm not exaggerating pick up the phone. And if you eat there, it's pretty disgusting after all it is a hole in the wall place--- you're bound to lose your appetite. Order there and get it to go!
The food here is good and inexpensive.
This is one of four places in SF that i recommend for chinese. Its cheap, it's fast and it's good. My favorite dish is hot and sour beef over rice, it's basically what i go there for. I'd wish they invest some money in updating the interior of this particular location. they have a lot of 8x11 signs on the walls with the specials.... using scotch tape....i digress.....
Henry's "Will Induce Heartburn and Indigestion" Hunan Restaurant, in the FiDi/Chinatown area, is a popular spot, especially if you are doing the SOLO lunch. There is a ton of seating here for groups. Can choose between a downstairs or upstairs seat. The wait staff at the door might TACKLE you if you do not heed their warning, "There is no room upstairs!".
Avoid the lunch rush if you need some nice table space. Otherwise my favorite thing about this place, food ASIDE, is sitting at the counter. Only counters I have sat at to eat are a pub, think we call that a BAR, and a breakfast diner. Makes the meal so much more intersting. Can watch the chefs WHIP out the lunches in their giant woks, flipping the oil soaked ingredients with the biggest kitchen UTENSILS this side of something.
Place is a bit pricer than H K nearby, and quality is not half as good. It will suffice. Just be prepared to be clutching your heart, chest and any other vital organs as you walk back. Place is spicy!
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Best Chinese food in the Financial District. They hand make their Dumplings which tastes fantastic. Their Beef with broccoli, Beef stew and many other dishes are absolutely delicious. Me and Co-Worker use to walk from the ballpark at least once a week to eat there. Now I work much closer and introduced new co-workers to this place. Fantastic, not 1 dish I don't like. Not your typical American Chinese restaurant, my friend from China loved this place and use to order stuff that wasn't even on the menu. A+++++
Flawless. The best Chinese food in SF, and that is really saying something. Get the smoked ham with string beans, it's mind-numbingly awesome. All locations are equally great.
great spicy food! I tried garlic chicken and kung pao beef (super super hot) and they were both very good!
I reviewed the Sansome St place a few weeks ago, and was on the search for some other Chinese food on the periphery of Chinatown. Saw this, but didn't put two and two together until I saw the meat pie on the menu.
This time, I ordered takeout, the pork chow mein noodles for $8. They brought it out, and it was in this little takeout box, I thought I got screwed. But, it was packed with spicy noodles and a decent amount of pork.
Food was good, like other reviewers before me, its a little pricey for what you are getting. Restaurant seemed a little grotty, but that's kinda normal in these parts.
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After one visit, I was torn between 3 and 4 stars. But I willing to go back and re-evaluate. We got two dishes, and both were supposed to be spicy, only one of them was. The garlic chicken was forgettable. The spicy shrimp was yummmmm! I agree, the prices do seem on the high side. For lunch, I prefer to have smaller rice plates for a smaller price. We kept eating after we were full, just because there wasn't enough food to make it worth bringing it back to the office. The service was pretty fast. The walls are an abysmal shade of pepto pink.
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Excellent food with just the right heat to jumpstart one's system, especially on a cold San Francisco day. Their dry-sauteed string beans with meat sauce, hunan fish, beef and broccoli, chicken chow mein and hot and sour soup are great defaults.
The key in enjoying your meal is to make a reservation prior to 11:45am. Otherwise, the lunch crowd gets in and your food will get delayed, especially if you are with a group.
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If you like onions, onions and more onions with a few peppers thrown in then this is the place for you. It isn't good food. It isn't gourmet. It all tastes basically the same. I go here occasionally because it is close to the office. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.
I hate how they mix tables here without care, or asking. I don't mind a communal table depending on my mood, but shoving me to one without my consent is NOT OK.
Service here is deplorable. Food arrives in shifts and it takes FOREVER to get anything you request as an extra.
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It's some pretty greasy stuff. But, it works when you go with a big crowd of your co-workers -- something for everyone. Easy seating, fast service.
CoWorkers and I used to frequent this place quite a bit when I worked in the city. I attribute at least a 10lb weight gain to Henry's Special, a combination seafood/meat dish that is hands down, the best chinese food I have ever had.
The restaurant itself is a dive, service isn't great, and they pack you in and rush you out. But no one goes here for the ambience, it's all about the best Hunan and that is it.
They guys would go crazy over the meat pie dish as well, even had a birthday for a friend catered by Henry's Meat Pies. Once you look at the meat a little further, you may never eat it again. Fair warning, it is a mysterious dish to say the least.
Either way everyone needs to eat here at least once!
My friend Debita took me here for my first time and I was like this place is gonna suck, run down old buliding. she has been coming here for years and all the staff know her by name, so I let her order for us which was a smart move.We sat upstairs which isnt much better visualy. But when the food came, GOOD GAWD was it good. I had the Henrys special which is a seafood chow mein and I keep going back at least once a week.
Awful service, I went with a group of 5 and got a dish every 10 minutes, when I asked if the other dishes were coming the waitress got mad and told me that everybody was waiting (?) When asked for a fork got an attitude (I needed a fork and knife for the meat pie). I gave 2 stars because food is good. Not worth it with all the other restaurants to choose around eager to have you in --I mean it is not cheap.
I have been a lot of times to the one at SOMA and that I would recommend, nicer and service much better.
We ordered Diana's meat pie which is like a Chinese tostata. My basic rule of thumb is if you stuff anything between two pieces of fried anything, it's gotta be good and it was tasty (tho it would have been better with melted cheese). The kung pao chicken lacked the kung and the pao - it was all onions and peppers. For those two items and 1 coke the bill came to $25 after tax and tip - kinda pricey for an average lunchtime experience.
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On one of my last few lunch dates with my colleagues, I suggested Henry's Hunan. I was introduced to this chain by my previous employer who absolutely loved Henry's and ordered from there on a weekly basis.
We head over to the Sacramento location and find a few empty tables upstairs during their busy lunch rush. This location isn't quite as nice as some of their other ones, but it'll do.
For the four of us, we ordered Shrimp Chow Mein ($8.50), Chicken with Black Bean Sauce ($8.75), Beef with Broccoli ($8.75), Dry Sauteed String Beans ($8.25), and one of their specials of the day - Fish Fillet. And of course, a pot of steamed white rice.
Service is typical of the Chinese restaurant. Just plain fast and efficient. No frills here. We were all surprised with how quickly our orders came out and we were woofing it down quick. Everyone was pleased with all the food we got and we had minimal leftovers, only because we had ordered so much. My favorite has been the Chicken with Black Bean Sauce and the Dry Sauteed String Beans. They do them right here. I've also had their Dumplings ($4.50) too.
Yes, it's pretty pricey, too pricey for what I would normally pay for Chinese food, that's for sure. But when it comes down to it, it's the kind of food that the masses enjoy from all ethnic backgrounds and usually has a little kick in it as well.
Solid 3.5 stars.
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So while I munched on my Harvest Pork today at Henry's it occurred to me I hadn't even Yelped it yet.
I have been going to Henry's for 11 years. Scary. It's like Chinatown Cheers when I go in, everyone knows my name and they're glad to see me. I sit up at the bar and get my fix, just like old Cliffie. While the dynamics aren't quite as quaint as the Cheers bar, I can say a few good things about Henry's.
Obviously, we all go for the food. I seem to always get either Kung Pao chicken, Harvest Pork, or maybe Marty's Special. All are salty, spicy, bold bliss. I'm not even a huge Chinese fan, but there is something about Henry's. This is not the kind of place to go if you are concerned about what your ateries may look like during your autopsy. If you can get over that though, is is a great way to satisfy a grease + spice craving with some genuine good flavor to boot. Most people think it is too spicy. You can ask for it less spicy, but part of the fun is building up your taste buds and immune system to handle the kick. It's a great way to combat a cold and chilly day in downtown SF (which is about every day last time I checked, and could explain my habitual patronage of Henry's). Tell 'em I sent you there.
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Another Henry's Hunan location brought to us by Henry himself.
This place tastes just as good as the Natoma location, but has more of a Chinatown ambiance. See my review of the Natoma location between 2nd and New Montgomery.
Greasy, Tasty, Salty, Spicy, Yummy.
Sit at the kitchen counter to watch how Eliza's Meat Pie is truly made. It will make you love it more. The Dragon is back there putting his special sauce all over everything, and if you can see him, it is good luck.
Great no-frills, hole-in-da-wall FiDi lunch place for fast, flavorful, and yes, greasy Chinese food. Lunchtime is crowded so if you can go before or after the rush all the better. I'm always down for the Henry's Special (yes, i'm a wimp. medium spicy only), which comes with a healthy smattering of shrimp, scallops, chicken, cloud ears, bamboo shoots, carrots, bell peppers, and onions all over rice. Dare you to try the Mabo Tofu & tell me it's not addicting, too. I feel my arteries clogging up as we speak . . .
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It is not Hunan Chinese food.
It is not American Chinese food.
It is not real Chinese food.
It is just AWFUL Chinese food - so salty and greasy!
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Diana's Fantastic Meat Pie
- is that a quesadilla?
- is that Manwich/ sloppy joe meat inside it?
- is just calling it 'meat' being a little to generalized?
- is it even Chinese?
-is it going to kill me?
I don't know the answer to these questions, but if you ask me "is it really fantastic?" The answer is YES.
I don't understand why this place is always sooo packed at lunch time. The food is a bit pricey esp. since it is sooo close to Chinatown (about $8 a dish) and it is not that great. Service is slow because it is always so crowded. The dumplings are pretty good. But, I could not eat the hot and sour chicken lunch dish. It was too sour. I actually threw it away and had to buy something else to eat.
Dreadful food. Some of the worst slop I've eaten. Had Kung Pao Chicken. Crappy service too, as the waitress hovered over us pushing us to order. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted as the menu was not varied at all.
It takes A LOT for me to trash a place but it was truly awful. Thankfully a friend paid for lunch that day.
This is my first review on yelp due to the worst Kung Pao Beef I've ever tasted. The dish was extremely salty. I just couldn't finish it. I'll give this place two stars only because I haven't tried other dishes. A friend added that his Kung Pao chicken was rather salty and we would have been better off going to a cheaper Chinese restaurant near by.
It's seriously a gut warmer. If I need to be woken up internally mid day, then Henry's is the place to go. My coworkers and I love this spot. It's always crowded (a good sign!) and they do not skimp out on the spice.
It's very reasonably priced with great portions. They may rush you out during peak lunch hours, but they also serve you rather quickly. I've also ordered at the counter for takeout, and if you're willing to get smooshed behind the door bc of the horde of folks wanting their Hunan, then it's also a decent deal.
The veggies are crisp and fresh, no mystery looking meat and super casual. Not for timid bellies though.
Update 5/22
I just had an office lunch with 13 people. We all stuffed ourselves silly for a little over $130. My new favorite is the shrimp napa cabbage dish. SO GOOD!!
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I just ate an early lunch at Henry's, and now I'm sitting back in my office chair and feel a little out of context. After feasting as I just did, I feel like it should be the weekend, or time to go out to a bar or show; not back in front of the computer in the middle of the day, middle of the week, staring at a desk full of papers. I guess what I'm getting at is this lunch was too good for a Tuesday 11 AM meal.
The food here packs a punch. I recommend Henry's shreaded pork, which comes with a mix of spinach and scrambled eggs and a nice combination of spices. If your taste buds are craving flavor, this dish will not disappoint, and all for under $9.
The building itself is not the cleanest, fanciest establishment. But after you start eating, the background will just be...background.
Hook up the pork, Henry!
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