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Betelnut
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Malaysian Asian Fusion, Malaysian [Edit]
2030 Union St(between Buchanan St & Webster St)
San Francisco, CA 94123
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
(415) 929-8855
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Leo I. said: "There are plenty of good sushi restaurants in San Francisco. Returning to the bar at Nikko's Anzu is a special tradition for me, because of the fond memories I have from this hotel. The sushi itself is reliably good. The service prompt…" read more »
1004 reviews for Betelnut
Review Highlights
"Don't forget to try the special green beans."
(in 211 reviews)
"Glazed Pork Short Ribs - So tasty."
(in 20 reviews)
"Highly recommend ordering the firecracker shrimp."
(in 66 reviews)
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1004 reviews in English
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Review from Ashley J.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place has some really awesome specialty drinks. I suggest you try a few. Not only are they tasty, but beautiful too. I don't remember the drink I ordered, but it was pink and came with a flower. Impressive!
This place is usually pretty packed, but it's generally not a painfully long wait. If you're with friends I suggest grabbing a few cocktails at the bar while you wait for a table (probably half an hour or so).
Out waitress was full of humor. She was really awesome, and made our entire experience better.
What I Tried:
-Firecracker shrimp: really good, and full of flavor with a nice zing at the end
-Satay O' Chicken: not my absolute favorite, but it was tasty and everyone else seemed to really enjoy it
-Cecilia's chicken and mushroom lettuce cups: my favorite appetizer... 5/5 YUM!
-Penang rice noodles with crab and shrimp: pretty good, but extremely spicy. next time i'd ask for this to be more mild. I wasn't able to eat it all because of the spice, and also how filling it was. I'd almost suggest splitting this or another noodle dish, and going with a few appetizers for a meal.
I'd definitely come back here again. I love the modern Asian twist this place has, and the food is really creative. -
Review from Natalie G.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Is this related to PF Changs? It has the same effect.
I really wanted to like this place, because it does have some great specialty drinks. Drinks that make you think you are on vacation, but the food is quite mediocre. It has a very western take on asian cuisine. It also seems a bit greasy.
- Beggers Baked chicken in the shell: They pride themselves on this chicken dish, and although moist, it was very oily. It has great presentation, but just had a very slimy taste to it.
- Ribeye Steak: A little bit tough, but nothing truly amazing.
- Penang Rice Noodles: Missing something.
It's a great place for a group, but the food is mediocre. Unless you plan on drinking and just doing apps, I would only come here for that reason. -
Review from Leslie N.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/29/2012
Great service and atmosphere but the food was neh!
I tried the calamari appetizer, laksa noodle and wagyu zajiang noodle.
The calamari was soggy and wasn't that exciting. Coming from SE Asia, I know what laksa is supposed to taste like, and that laksa was not even close. I can't believe some magazine said that this was one of the 100 things you had to try before you die! The chicken in the laksa was dry and tough and the broth wasn't that tasty! Lastly, the wagyu noodle was too sweet and salty and the beef wasn't all that tender.. I guess the best thing I liked was the honey blonde ale, but at $5.75, you would expect a full pint! -
Review from Amy D.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
ZK and I came here to celebrate Faux Chinese New Year. He didn't realize I was planning ahead when I messaged him during work that we should go somewhere for Chinese New Year, so he got on the ball and made a 7:15 reservation that very night. Even though it was a fake Chinese New Year dinner, it turned out to be a very interesting one.
Our waitress Velma was super friendly and peppy. When she learned that I spoke Mandarin and there was a Chinese exchange student at another table who didn't know what to order, she asked if I could translate the menu. I went over and helped the little girl decide on the Malaysian Curry "Laksa" soup noodles. I was wearing a full-on suit having just come from work so the family probably thought I was a manager, especially after I did a little bow and belted a very enthusiastic "Enjoy your dinner!" while walking away.
Back at my table, we had the following appetizers:
-Cumin lamb with buns, with a creamy tzaziki-like sauce (This was my favorite).
-Pork and chive dumplings (Good although you can make this yourself with frozen dumplings, sauce, and scallions).
-Scallion pancakes (Average/Not worth it - puffy and bland, and the red chili sauce that came with it did not work...we ended up using the rest of the tzaziki sauce from the lamb dish).
For the main course we had:
-Beggar's Chicken - Of course ZK got wide-eyed and was sold after our waitress said they only make 2 or 3 chickens a night and it usually sells out after 8pm (time was currently 7:43pm). This dish was actually worth it - a tender chicken stuffed with brussel sprouts, smoked pork belly, and mushrooms, baked in clay.
Imagine my surprise after my translation work when I was now being handed a big wooden gavel to smash a round ball of clay in 4 spots. I hit it pretty hard (stressful day at work). Waitress poured a small cup of tangy sauce over it and we dug in.
-Penang noodles with egg/shrimp - nothing special, tasted like a shrimp pad see ew.
At the end of our meal, the waitress told me the exchange student family wanted to buy me a drink. I politely declined but after paying the bill she still brought over a huge bowl of coconut ice cream. Um, how did she know coconuts are like my most favorite things in the whole world?!! It was 3 heaping scoops of creamy perfection that even ZK, who is nowhere near as hardcore a coconut fan as I, declared to be "one of the best coconut ice creams he's ever had".
3.5 stars for food, 4 stars overall. Happy Chinese New Year! -
Review from Rose A.
My husband and I came here for lunch for our anniversary. We were greeted by Amos who was super nice.
We tried 4 dishes and each and every one of them were pretty delicious.
-Baby Butter Lettuces
-"Little Dragon" Dumplings
-Malaysian Curry "Laksa"
-Crispy Cauliflower
Because we were celebrating our anniversary, we were to choose a dessert on the house. Yay! = ) -
Review from Kristin S.
Palo Alto, CA
1/24/2012
Food here is decent though the atmosphere tends to be a bit crowded and perhaps fratty. We absolutely loved the barely fried cauliflower. Other than that nothing we had was completely memorable. They accomidated our vegetarian tastes well though the menu doesn't look very veggie friendly at first glance. Solid place, we may or may not be back.
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Review from Kels D.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012
Honestly, I didn't see anything special about the food. The drinks were great and the staff is even better. But other than that, the food was just ok.
-firecracker shrimp to start out
-sizzling iron rib eye steak
-penang rice noodles -
Review from Eric L.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011
When I think Asian Fusion, I think overpriced Asian food with a nice presentation. There wasn't much of a difference of what I think about Asian Fusion and Betelnut but one thing did set it apart. Their "beggar's" clay baked half chicken stuffed w/ mushrooms and smoked pork belly.
The beggar's chicken is a half chicken wrapped in a lotus leaf and then encased in clay and cooked for several hours. It comes to your table with a story from your server of how the dish originated. Then you get to slam the clay housing with a wooden mallet which releases an aroma that will have you drooling in anticipation for a bite. The chicken is very moist and tender and the components of each flavor of the dish compliment each other impeccably.
If I had to overpay for Asian food again, the beggar's chicken would be the only thing I would go for because the dish itself is good but having a story told and a little customer interaction just makes it a bit more bearable for my wallet. -
Review from M.M. S.
Clayton, CA
Updated - 2/4/2012
Sad situation. They have lost the edge. Living off of reputation. Key items off of menu. Service seems rookie. We have been going for 10 years + That's done.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/27/2009
This was an all-time-favorite and we've been regulars for years - hadn't been in a while and very… Read more »
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Review from Sarah M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012
fake Asian food.
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Review from Jackie D.
Oakland, CA
12/24/2011
Came in here after realizing that Umami burger was closed...um wth...you close on one of the busiest weekends of the year?? Anyways...Betelnut was a fine understudy!
Service was excellent, even got a free sample of their kiwi sorbet :) bonus points! Ordered their short ribs and rice noodles with crab, shrimp, etc, and was not disappointed! These are all small plates, but man do they pack them full of flavor! Short ribs are a pile of sticky, sesame, basil and garlic orgasmo. Perfect amount of crispy glaze with meat that proceeds to just fall off of the bone. Noodles were also really tasty with huge hunks of crab and very rich. Overall, really delicious meal, but I would advise against ordering a ton of food all at once and deciding as you eat. My friend and I (envision big volleyball guy) were extremely satisfied with just these two plates because of their super rich flavor punch. -
Review from Rick V.
Redwood City, CA
12/2/2011
I have been going to Betelnut for nearly 10 years. Each time, before I go, I read the reviews - and I get worried. But then I show up - and it always surprises me to be really good. Except for one thing. Their overall reservation and seating process really does suck. Everytime I am there - I am always seated at least 15-45 minutes after my reservation time. They just are really bad about either scheduling tables too tight - or allowing walk ins, thinking they can fit them in. I had made my reservation on Open Table - and still had to wait at least 30 minutes.
The food was pretty good. I lived in SE Asia for 7 years. I know these flavor profiles. They are not exactly authentic - but they take the same flavor profiles and "fuse" them...
Their appetizers are really good - and one might think about just ordering a lot of them. As we did.
Glazed Pork Short Ribs - heavy and saucy. But loaded with garlic - and tasty. 3.5 out of 5.
Minced chicken with Lettuce cups - again - not spicy like an authentic Thai lettuce cup. Heavy on the soya. But still - not too bad. For me - 3 out of 5.
"Little Dragon Dumplings of Pork and Shrimp". So - it appears they make them, hoping they turn out to be soup dumplings. But by the time they arrive to the table, half of them either have leaked their soup - or it just absorbed into the dumping. The noodle is thick. Not wonderful. For me - 2 out of 5.
Crispy fried squid / calamari with fried jalapenos. Well done. Crispy. Yet tender. A light batter. A small kick from the peppers. I would order it again!
Penang rice noodles, rock crab, shrimp, sprouts, chives and chili-soy. So - this is a moderate take on Char Kway Teow. Except that it didn't have the heat (had to order extra sambal or chili) and it didn't have much of the sesame oil / char taste to it. And no Chinese or spicy sausage. The flat noodles were good.
Overall - there are other places in San Fran that I would go to first for more authentic SE Asian / Malaysian / Singapore food.
But if you have a guest with you that is slightly spice risk adverse - or you just want a good fusion SE Asian food - it it not a bad place to go.
One last thing. Once were were seated, late as it was, the service was really good. The maître de plus a waiter called David were very attentive. -
Review from Edda O.
San Jose, CA
12/11/2011
Went there for Ang H.'s birthday in a group of 14 people at 8.45 pm on a Friday evening. I love eating in big groups as we got to try a huge percentage of their menu.
We ordered 2 orders each of:
Chili crusted Calamari - Big portion, pretty good but a tad overdone.
Satay O Chicken - I didn't care much for it.
Minced Chicken Lettuce Cup - The minced chicken came of grainy, but flavours were pretty good (mainly oyster sauce).
Happy Buddha Dumplings - delicate and very tasty with lots of different textures
Veggie Spring rolls - OK but nothing exciting
Braised Flounder wSzechuan Hot Bean Sauce - Excellent! Fish was cooked so well, flaky and moist with rich bean sauce.
Sizzling Ribeye steak - tender and very well cooked rib eye. Delicious.
Malaysian Curry Laksa - Not bad... Pretty one dimensional with coconut milk and way overcooked noodles but still tasty.
Penang Rice Noodles - very salty but very tasty! Good fresh seafood.
Roti Prata - not very good, tough and hard to eat.
Szechuan Green Beans - Amazing! how could green beans be so good?? Salty with a nice kick to it and well cooked smoky beans from the wok.
Pink Lotus cocktail - not very good. No distinct guava flavours and only lime and tequila was prominent.
Overall, food was very tasty (albeit salty).Service started off a little shaky.. even with reservations we waited a good 20 minutes to be seated (which was understandable coz they were packed!!!).
But it took eons to order, our server kept saying she would come back but she never did. It took over 40 minutes of being seated before we finally got to order our food (we got drinks about 15 minutes after being seated). That being said, the food got to us as record speed. Dish after dish came about 10 minutes after ordering and all came piping hot.
Note: be sure to make reservations, if possible don't opt to eat at the bar area because that is where guests wait for their table and it gets crowded and would be unpleasant to eat there. -
Review from Jen E.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011
Great food, atmosphere (trendy) and bar!
I've been coming here for over 7 years, each time is better than the time before. The food is excellent. Try the lettuce wraps (delic!), the scallops and the green beens are a MUST! Recently, i tried one of their seasonal specials: baked pumpkin with some sort of yummy thing on the inside! Tasty.
Make a reservation but go early and grab a drink at the bar. -
Review from A E.
San Francisco, CA
12/26/2011
Two best ways to enjoy Betelnut:
1) Go with your BFF / better half / someone you want to spend a nice early afternoon with and ask to sit outside when it's one of those San Francisco indian summer days.
2) *with ample planning and calling ahead* Go with a big group of friends, order pretty much everything on the menu (including the green beans and the lettuce cups) and be pleasantly surprised when the bill comes
I chose #2, called a few weeks in advance for a spot on Friday night, got a group of 14 going, and had a great time.
My expectations were low and I was stressing out a bit because, as a general rule, I avoid Union Street on a Friday night, simply because parking is normally a hassle AND am too old to be associating myself with the typical young-ish college-y Marina crowd.
Walking into the crowded bar area of Betelnut, I thought my paranoia was true. In fact, 'crowded' was an understatement. The place was packed to the gill and I felt sorry for the people who sat at the table by the bar. It can't be much fun trying to eat your meal, chat with your dining companion and have people standing up a few inches from your table (note to self - do NOT opt for a table by the bar). We waited in the uncomfortable bar for 20 minutes before our table was even ready, AND when we finally were whisked to our table, it took forever to order and while our server (who was very very busy, bless her soul) was trying her best to serve us, she also had a bunch of other tables to mind.
Thankfully once the ordering was done the food came out in no time. There were too many dishes to name (I think we ordered more than a dozen *oink*!), but of particular note are the sautéed green bean, the sizzling steak and the lettuce cups, which made it to the 7X7 list.
The bill came without the sticker shock usually attached to a large group dinner - $30 per person including tax and tip for the bunch of food (and variety) that we had = simply awesome.Listed in: SF Bib Gourmand
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Review from E k.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012
Though this place is a bit pricey I love love love the firecracker chicken and the green beans. Two of my all time favorite dishes. It also helps that the staff and the bartenders are super nice and welcoming. I highly recommend this restaurant as long as you have enough cash to spare.
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Review from Michael D.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Look past the faux amusement park-meets-Rush Hour aesthetic: Betelnut is a great meal. Sweets, sours, and spices coalesce in all manner of dumplings and braisings, where the emphasis on flavor overwhelms the kitschy atmosphere. There are tons of highlights (Pork dumplings in bitey peppercorn sauce, the tender-as-a-dream ribeye with sweet onions, the sinfully smooth glazed pork ribs) but ultimately, Betelnut's family-style menagerie is a savory surprise on Union St.
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Review from shojua p.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
The portions aren't exactly generous, but with the fire-roasted shrimp appetizer and salmon entree with a side of rice, it all ended up being filling and delicious. Charming atmosphere, an attentive hostess and server, and lovely specialty cocktail menu. Not sure that I would hit it up a second time, but still recommend you check it out.
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Review from Ying F.
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice little Happy hour place that I like to go to. I've been there several times and every experience was delightful.
The bartenders are friendly and quick with the drinks!
The waitresses are really sweet and attentive. I don't I asked once to refill my glass of water.
The food is actually pretty good! I always get the Chicken lettuce cups (my favorite there. The "healthy choice") and the Glazed pork ribs (not so healthy choice but freakin' good!).
I love how this place really focus on the chinese theme. Even the dessert menu, all the prices are $8.88. haha if you know Chinese peope, you would know that we love the number 8 and its suppose to be lucky. Clever owner. haha!
Beware this place can get packed cause it has a small bar area. But they draw a great crowd. -
Review from Rachel M.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012
I really like this place! Sometimes I go here after shopping with my mom, or when I want to have lunch with some friends. Sure it's not the absolute BEST asian fusion that I have ever had, but it's pretty good! I have yet to be disappointed by one of their dishes.
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Review from Shannon E.
San Francisco, CA
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Small plates + good food + cool ambiance is a pretty winning combination in my book! I'm a big fan of tapas-style plates and this place does a great job with their Asian fusion version! Their green beans (yes, green beans) are to DIE for -- suspiciously delicious and addicting. The vegetarian dumplings were also good; not crazy creative but still a good choice. The prawn noodle dish -- which I was over-the-top excited to taste -- ended up being a bit salty for my taste. Everything is well-seasoned and in this case, it was a bit much for my taste, personally. Still good, but a bit hard for me to actually eat. In terms of quantity, 2 - 3 dishes per person is probably a safe order depending on how hungry you are. Good food; a fun, young crowd and a fun drink menu! Scorpion bowl on the menu for next time. :)
Ambiance: 4 stars
Food: 3.5 stars -
Review from Rajkumar J.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/21/2011
Went for dinner on Saturday. Even though our party increased in size from 5 to 10 the hostess was really nice and gracious about it and gave us regular updates on when the table would be available. The bar area is nice and the bartender made us some great drinks.
We were seated in good time at a long table. Our waitress gave us useful tips on what to order and in what quantity. We had 2 each of starters: succulent pork short ribs, tasty pot stickers, fire-cracker shrimp and so so calamari and superb pad thai. Special mention to the inventive sauces and dips. Main dishes were Firecracker Chicken, Mee Goreng, green beans and Roti Prata. Firecracker chicken was a bit too salty for my liking but this was a minor complaint. Chocolate lava cake and tempura bananas with ice cream were a perfect finish to an excellent meal. Service was efficient, friendly and unobtrusive all through.
The meal came for $42 per head inclusive of drinks and gratuity.
I would definitely recommend this place to big parties who want to have dinner family style. -
Review from Crystal A.
Vacaville, CA
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here with a gf, last minute plan, and did a 10pm reservation. We checked in at the restaurant around 945p and it was crowded. We were seated quite promptly at 10pm and by this time, we were both starving because we were saving our appetite since our original plan failed and then detoured to Betelnut!
At any restaurant that I go to, i take notice of its ambiance and decor and this maybe one of my fav things about Betelnut. It was also very loud in here, I felt like i was yelling across the table. I would say service was slow, we got water very quick but the waiter took very long to come to our table. We were able to choose our drink and all of our food before he even came to say the initial hello.
Food is a la carte portions. For two petite girls who were starving, we ordered:
(1) glazed pork short ribs, garlic, thai basil: very yummy, ribs peeled off the bones (big, big plus...highly recommended!!)
(2) "little dragon" dumplings of pork & shrimp with ginger vinegar: came with 10-12 so this serving size was decent for two people
(3) shoyu ramen, sous vide pork shoulder, soft poached egg, ginger-garlc oil: it was "alright", i expected fried noodles but i guess i just read it wrong, make sure u stir the ramen because it has a strong ginger-garlic oil if you do no stir it well
(4) szechuan green beans: side dish, alot of two people so make sure theres more than two people eating this; not a big fan of green beans but the sauce is pretty good.
(5) 2 alcoholic beverages (forgot what they were)
All in all, it was an "alright"/good experience, don't come here on a busy/starving night...not the ideal place to go...will be waiting on getting served and waiting on the food to come out. Spent roughly $40 each (including tip) but I don't think it was all worth it. -
Review from J J.
Napa, CA
1/29/2012
I had lunch here a few years ago and didn't think it lived up to the hype. Today, I gave it a second chance. Unfortunately, It wasn't any better. We had soggy calamari & plain, flavorless, lettuce cups. I won't go again, nor would I recommend.
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Review from Tina M.
Phoenix, AZ
11/2/2011
Fab Pan-Asian fare here peeps! Great outdoor feeling inside or out.
We enjoyed the daily sashimi, Salmon, Pear Kim Che & spring rolls. Everything was fresh & delicious. The accompanied sauces were absolutely luscious ( I could have drank them from their bowls) and the green tea flavored with lavender and mint was addicting.
The waiter was kind enough to give me the card of Leland Tea Co. so I could go get some of my own to take home.....now that's service! -
Review from Robert H.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Great place. Been many times. Always a winner. Cool atmosphere and great food.
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Review from Shephalie L.
San Francisco, CA
10/4/2011
As an official newbie SF resident, I naturally start off my restaurant adventures based off of the 7x7 list. Now, while they don't always tell you exactly which dish is amazing, they are usually pretty spot on with which restaurants are the "big names" to hit.
This one . . .was decent. But what I do give stars for is the uniqueness of its food and flavors.
I'd heard from many, many people about the amazing food from Betelnut, so we decided to go there as a date night. I can probably see going in a group as being something pretty fun, but maybe not the greatest for a date night.
However, I digress, let's get to the food:
Firecracker shrimp with 5 chilis - I'd say that it is basically shrimp tempura with tons of freshly cut chili peppers. The delicious part of the dish lies in the sauce. But, very much not the spiceyness we were expecting. . . .
Cha Ca La Vey - I had this in Hanoi during my summer trip so I was immediately excited seeing this on Betelnut's menu. The waiter shared with us that they had obtained the recipe from the original owner of the recipe in Vietnam. Had to try. I'd say this was better than the one in Vietnam since it had a lot more flavor than my bland Vietnamese experience. Very herbal, has tons of dill and may be a bit on the sweeter side. While traditionally a noodle soup, this one almost has a pad thai consistency, with sea bass. Pretty tastey!
Sri Lankan fish pot curry - While we were expecting something full of flavor and heat in a curry, it didn't completely satisfy our expectations. BUT, the curry was quite flavorful and had a lot of creme. We wanted spicey so the waiter put medium level spice, but I definitely wish we took the dish to another level by cranking up the spice level!
Other items:
They are known for their dumplings, so do try to get a few into your meal!
Desserts were amaaazing - chocolate lava cake and my weakness - fried bananas with ice cream. Mmm
Tropical cocktails - Great variety, definitely wished I couldve enjoyed one on the side, but alas -- it was a late work night.
Would probably go again with a big group of people. I definitely agree with another yelper about the decor - did remind me of Disney's Mulan! Regardless, will probably come again sometime in the future. -
Review from Rosanne D.
Santa Rosa, CA
11/10/2011
Stopped in last week after picking up one of my BFFs from the airport. It had been at least a year since I had been there last. I was not disappointed. We ordered some classics like the shrimp fried rice and the amazing green beans, as well as some items from the gluten free menu.
The menu is tried and true, so don't expect a whole lot of surprises...they have it down. For those of us who have been dining at Betelnut for years, it may be a bit uninspired, but you won't be disappointed.
As time has gone by, the good news is that the service has gotten better and the dial on the attitude has been turned WAY down. What a relief! Betelnut is my go to place on Union when I am feeling that Asian fusion itch! -
Review from maureen b.
Bay Area
I've lived in the Bay Area forever now, and had yet to try Betelnut. It's in a spot that's not freeway easy... so wasn't on my list.
I remedied that today, and had a very good lunch. I wouldn't say it was an "oh my god I didn't know lunch could be this amazing" sort of experience, but it was good.
We started out with 2 flights of saki - which was cool. I'm not a saki connoisseur, but I was lunching with a sommelier, so was educated along the way. That was fun.
The food was hit or miss for me:
- spare ribs: YUM! Fall off the bone, lick your lips yummy & tangy
- shrimp dumplings: just OK, filling fell out several times
- pea, corn & tofu dumplings: Very tasty indeed - better than the shrimp
- hot schezwan beans: Show stopper
I liked it, but didn't taste anything that would make me come back to this neck of the woods without another reason. There was a lululemon down the street, so that may be my draw!
VERY pricey - lunch for 2 = $100.00Listed in: San Francisco Restaurants
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Review from Terry D.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012
I have been to Betelnut twice now, and each time, I've had an incredible experience. The ambiance and the staff go hand in hand. The food completely speaks for itself. Its nice when a restaurant appears to take pride in a patron's overall experience. I take people there and refer folks as well. Each time, I receive the same feedback - "excellent". Major kudos to Chef Siegel.
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Review from dan b.
San Francisco, CA
10/23/2011
The service here is outstanding. The manager, Ben, is absolutely incredible. He remembered us after not coming in for 6 months including my girlfriend's food allergy and treated us like regulars. The wait staff is always great too, we never leave this place without leaving a 30% tip.
The food is creative and interesting. We have not had a bad dish yet.
This place is one of the few things I miss about not living in the marina any more. -
Review from Shannon R.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2011
Betelnut was ok. You could easily compare it to PF Chang, but frankly I prefer PF Chang. I brought a group of foreign students here, one of whom had a gluten-free need, and as far as that goes, it was great - they have an entire gluten-free menu.
The server was friendly & helpful, but the up-sell was out of control, and to that end, it seemed slightly insincere... I get that servers are under pressure to meet sales quotas & want big tips on a large table, but this was too much. We just needed some plates of hot food... Bottles of wine & dessert was not in the cards for us, but he did not give up. It was kind of a turn off by the end of the night and fairly awkward. I did not go to dinner to hear a sales pitch. I'm sure he thought he could easily talk a group of shy young foreign women into a huge order through the power of suggestion, but sorry man, not with me in tow!!! My poor students just turned to me, a bit horrified, and asked, "is this normal in restaurants in America?!" My answer: NO.
Good enough food, but not a great value. Vibe was a little stuffy. I was glad to try it...And hey, it was on work ;) Not dying to return though.Comment from Robert W. of Betelnut 9/20/2011
Shannon, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with… More » -
Review from Mark N.
Newport Beach, CA
10/17/2011
Young, Fun, Hip Crowd and a Delish Meal to boot!!!
We met up with some friends here by their recommendation and it was fan-tas-tic!!!!
The crowd and wait staff were both fun and cool. Seemed to be THE place to grab a great Chinese meal and drinks in San Fran!
The food...I think we eat one of everything on the menu. Really don't know if we left any stones unturned. All of it was so darn good! I must have added 40 inches to my waist!
The stand outs:
1) Scorpin Bowl - I mean what meal isnt complete with a giant bowl of booze!
2) Beggars Chicken - Fun to break open the clay around the chicken but better than that the chicken's smoky tender flavor. It way have been a little dry but the flavors stood up even stronger!
3) Green Beans - I love me some good green beans. These covered in garlic and ginger, they are pretty, pretty, pretty...good!
Still have to say, Girl and the Goat in Chicago has the best Green Beans...EVER but these are some of the best this side of the Mississippi!
Also note they have lots of specials and a kids menu...so bring down the whole family! -
Review from Pauliee V.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
Always take my SF visitors here at least once when they stay. The staff are without exception, friendly and the speed of service is quick without being rushed. My only gripe is that it gets so busy in here because it is rightly popular that is is sometimes hard to hear what the person next to you is saying. Still after a great cocktail or a glass of wine you just up your volume to the same level as all the other tables.
Your waiter will always explain the goal of Betelnut for the uninitiated. Basically it's about sharing which is an SF thing I love.
The szechuan green beans are delicious. The calamari is plentiful though the sweet chili sauce a little too sweet and not enough chili. Firecracker shrimp delicious. Little dragon dumplings are good but I've had better in NYC. They just need a bit more scalding hot filling (genunely!) The firecracker chicken is deliciously spicey.
It's a great restaurant and wonderful in the summer when the front opens up but equally fun when the fog rolls in.
I want to get round to having the claypot chicken but it's best to order twenty four hours in advance and I'm just not that organised. -
Review from Arlie F.
Everett, WA
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice atmosphere, friendly waitress, good food...everything is original and organic. Love Malay-Indonesian food menu. Little bit expensive and seating process is sucks! i hate waiting!!!! guys, i think you should do something about this one...
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Review from N Q.
Washington, DC
12/23/2011
Do not go here if you are allergic to seafood! While there are many non-seafood options, they use shrimp paste, oyster sauce and fish sauce in many of those dishes (the braised beef, baked pumpkin). Very glad the waitress thought to ask.
The happy buddha dumplings were delicious, the lamb was ok, but the lettuce cups were way too salty. Almost inedible. Pei Wei makes a better lettuce cup. The other dishes may be good but I'll never know.
Atmosphere is nice and servers were nice but slow. Overrated. -
Review from Lauren M.
San Francisco, CA
12/16/2011
Went here for the first time last night after having heard several friends rave about it. We were a group of 5 and it was a perfect place for a group as they serve family style and we got to try a bunch of different stuff.
We had a 7:45 res and I called right then as we were running a few minutes behind. By the time we arrived just past 8, they were still friendly and had our table ready. The waiter was really enthusiastic and offered his favorites.
We tried:
-calamari - big portion, pretty good but used the sauce from the fire cracker shrimp, it was much better
-fire cracker shrimp, tasted great but would have preferred prawns instead of the small shrimp they used
-Pork dumplings - no Shanghai Dumpling House, but still quite good
-spare ribs, also solid and they brought out lemon and hot damp towels for our hands
-laksa soup - they didn't ladle it out which was kind of a pain for me to do, but it was a good soup
-the roti is delicious, reminds me of a malaysian place I go to in London
-green beans - these were good, but i heard this is what they are famous for and i wasn't blown away
-we ordered noodles but they never came and by the time we realized it, we were over it.
I feel like a trendy place like this can unfortunately survive on borderline food, but I'm happy to report that it's definitely above average. it's got a really fun vibe, lots of room so it's good for groups and with a drink each, we got out of there for $30 - by far the least we've spent on our monthly girls dinner. I would go back here. -
Review from Frank D.
Clayton, CA
12/19/2011
This place is great if youre a fan of Chili's, or Applebees. I heard this place was good, so i grabbed some lunch here with my lady. We were greeted by some rude host, who seemed to be one of the managers. (This is the type of place that has many managers. Not family owned. at all.) we sat and ordered almost half the menu. It had to be some of the saltiest food i have ever had. Im a salty rather than sweet person.. but this was crazy salty. In a nutshell.... food sucks, managers are f-in goofs, and even expensive. You couldnt pay me to eat here.... yet the place is full (of idiots apparently).
Comment from Robert W. of Betelnut 12/20/2011
Frank, I'm sorry to see you feel this way. I wish you had… More » -
Review from Elizabeth J.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 9/8/2011 1 photo
Came back here again after moving out of state. Always a crowd pleaser. Pricey but great atmosphere.
We loved
* Crispy cauliflower with tribal salt & peppers
* 5-spiced garlic edamame *(Best edamame I've ever had)
* Spicy pork dumplins
* Grapefruit shrimp salad
* Glazed pork short ribs, garlic, thai basil
* "Little Dragon" dumplings of pork & shrimp with ginger vinegar
*Spicy margarita cocktail
Do yourself a favor and make a reservation :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/22/2009
I love this place and for some reason whenever any of my friends visit I always take them here.… Read more »
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Review from Dana H.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2011
Over the years, I have read a certain SF food critic's top 100 restaurant edition and was somewhat perplexed that no matter what, Betelnut always seemed to make the cut.
When looking to try a new restaurant, I kept looking on line at Betelnut's menu, but could not bring myself to pay such high prices for what amounts to Asian-fusion cuisine. This week I had a meeting on Union, and finally bit the bullet and decided to try Betelnut to see what wall the fuss is about.
My conclusion - Betelnut provides a Disney-like atmosphere with fast nice service, but this cannot make up for mediocre food that is outrageously expensive. My dining companion and I started with the calamari which was overly breaded and tough (if you want some awesome Chinese calamari head to Heaven's Dog). Then we had the tempura sugar snap peas which were pretty tasty, but for about 10 peas at $10, this was in no way worth the price. The roti was fine, but again way too expensive for pan-fried bread (a much better and less expensive version can be had at Lime Tree in the Inner Sunset). The shrimp dumplings were overcooked and the seafood with wide noddles were odd tasting calling into question both the quality and freshness of the crab and shrimp in the dish.
I have no idea why Betelnut was completely packed on a Thursday night, nor do I understand why people are willing to pay so much money for poor quality pan-Asian cuisine when OTD, Heaven's Dog, and Yank SIng are at the same price point providing much better quality and tasting food. Bleck.
