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Burma SuperStar
Category: Restaurants Burmese Burmese [Edit]
309 Clement St(between 5th Ave & 4th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
(415) 387-2147
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
3066 reviews for Burma SuperStar
Review Highlights
"Tea leaf salad is freaking awesome here."
(in 1247 reviews)
"The coconut rice provides a perfect combination."
(in 572 reviews)
"samusa soup must be what they serve in heaven."
(in 382 reviews)
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3065 reviews in English
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Review from Kelly W.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Like all the other reviewers, I agree that the tea leaf salad is simply fantastic, but that's not all there is to this place. Honestly, everything I've ever tried at Burma SS has been super fresh and incredibly tasty. The coconut chicken noodle soup is the perfect balance of savory and sweet... the broth alone is sublime. The garlic peashoots are a perfect compliment to any dish. While I'd like to widen my entree selections, more often than not I end up with the same sesame chicken... and it's so good that I guess I don't mind having it as my go to dish.
At the end of the day, this place deserves all the accolades that it's getting. I'd highly recommend it. -
Review from Alena R.
San Bruno, CA
2/9/2012
ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE WAIT!!.
My father and I came on a Wednesday evening about 6:30pm. The line was already out the door but the smells of incredible food permeated the city street. There was only two of us so we were quoted a 25 minute wait. They offered immediate service at their sister restaurant a few blocks up the road but we decided to wait instead. We waited across the street at a cafe, had a beer, enjoyed some conversation and less than 20 minutes later my cell phone rang and we were invited back to Burma to begin dinner.
The restaurant is small. There are wooden tables, very modest decor and pretty noisy. I didn't have to shout but I was definitely speaking louder than normal. The menu was fairly extensive for the size of their kitchen but we were anxious to dive in.
We started with the Tea Leaf Salad. INCREDIBLE. With every bite the flavor continued to dive deeper into your taste buds. The crispness of the lettuce, the crunchy peanuts, the acid from the tomato, the surprise of garlic and the subtle hint of an aromatic tea. Despite the many reviews nothing could have prepared me for how wonderful it was.
We then had the SuperStar Vegetarian Noodles. The noodles had a great texture and the tofu had so much flavor. The chili's gave it a nice heat, while the cucumber made sure our tastebuds were comfortable. We knew prior to ordering that the dish was going to be served at room temperature which I was a little wary about but it was a perfect compliment to the rest of the meal.
The Pea Shoots. This was a great side dish. The pea shoots had the texture of spinach without the grittiness left on your teeth! Lots of garlic!!!
Garlic Chili Shrimp. This was the ONLY dish I likely would not order again. The flavor was great, lots of chili, lots of garlic but the shrimp itself was kind of blah. It was as if the sauce couldn't penetrate through its slimy texture. I am a HUGE seafood fan so when it comes to shrimp and fish texture is a big deal for me so Burma Superstar just barely missed the mark on this one.
I can't wait to return to try something else. Thanks for a great dinner Burma Superstar!! See you soon -
Review from Yun C.
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
WOW... who the hell wait in line for like 2 hours at 9PM at night just trying to get in here??!!but seriously some people do!!! crazy eh??!!
Went on a Friday night... with 4 other friends...we let the waiter ordered for us (a friend knows him :)) and tried:
Tea leaf salad - My first time ever and it was certainly love at first bite, garlicky, nutty, fermented-ly yummy,!!!
Samosa soup - delicious and hearty, good for sharing (enough for 5 bowls)..
Pork curry - the curry sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking, but certainly had a great flavor
Chilli Lamb - too sweet, not spicy enough, I felt that I could cook better one at home
Chicken noodle in coconut sauce - my FAVORITE, it was very very good...try it to experience the magic!
Steak kebat - it was nothing to write home about..one word.."sweet"
Peashoot - good but you can easily find this exact same dish in most chinese restaurant without having to wait 2 hours
A shrimp dish - a bit too salty for my liking and I tasted some kind of a bitter after taste, weird!
Coconut rice - a bit sweeter than the Indonesian version I usually have but it was delicious and a great compliment for all the dishes that we ordered
A pitcher of White Sangria - refreshing but a bit on the weaker side
A pitcher of beer - light and refreshing, the waiter picked for us.. not sure which one
Overall, the food was good but not all the dishes were as spectacular the the wait. I really don't see too much of superiority that worth waiting 2 hours for dinner. The service was friendly but not attentive, typical asian restaurant I guess. I did like that the server helped us to mix the tea leaves salad and served the soup.
Will I be back? Yes, but not in the near future.. I don't know if I would like to wait 2 hours for some rice and dishes type of meal..(or should I say any type of meal but the boiling crab?! lol) -
Review from John K.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2012
The catfish chowder was delicious the first time I ate here. The second time, not so much.
The chicken curry with hard boiled eggs and fried onion and noodles is delicious.
The pork belly is tender and fatty and full of yummy goodness.
The RAINBOW SALAD IS AMAZING.
My brother didn't want to come eat here with me. He called it Burma SuperSuck. But that's because before, he ordered the Tea salad and was underwhelmed. He also shared that tea salad with two other model-esque folks who don't eat a shit ton like I do. I dragged him back here and he ate all of the above and was pleasantly surprised at how good the food can be here!
Watch out for lines... the guy at the door says that on the weekends, they open at five and by 5:20 they are packed. I believe it. -
Review from Don T.
Seattle, WA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dare I say it? The food here is not that good. It gets 4 stars because the service is awesome and I welcome a change from the thai-vietnamese domination of southeast asian food. However, the classic burmese dishes like oh no kauswer and the tea leaf salad are not as good as they should be.
Feel free to slaughter me now for such blasphemy, but my wife is burmese and those dishes can be done better. There is a lot of fusion going on here, and while I'm not a purists who lives-and-dies by the flag of authenticity, I left this place wishing they had not watered down the flavors for the masses (and there are plenty of masses as evidenced by the immediate line of fan-dom that forms prior to opening). That being said, I did stuff my face and drink lots of ginger beer, so maybe these criticisms are a little bit hypocritical. -
Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
Yes, we came here because of the hype. Yes, the wait was ridiculous. Yes, we left mostly satisfied!
Since everybody raves about the tea leaf salad, we had to get that. We rounded out the order with the beef Burmese style curry, chicken Burmese samosas, and thai iced tea.
Surprisingly, the tea leaf salad lived up the hype. The various textures were interesting and the flavors were excellent. However, the chicken samosas were pretty bland and the beef curry wasn't anything special. But I'm sure we'll be back, and next time we'll try the samusa soup! -
Review from Ruth H.
Irvine, CA
2/6/2012
Like this place needs another glowing review... but I will go ahead and give it. First off, the only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because it's so dang far from what I would consider centralized SF, and also the wait can be painful. The first time I went here we waited for 2 hours to be seated. But.. I would say well worth it.
Best dish is the tea leaf salad. Rare to find and impossible to make yourself apparently. All the web searches for Burmese tea leaves were in vain. If you haven't tried it, might sound a little weird, but all the flavors blend together so well. The rainbow salad is also unique, but in my opinion not as good.
Coconut rice is amaaazing, and goes well with all the delicious Burmese style curry. I will admit that a lot of the menu is nothing special, but overall a very good restaurants and one of my SF faves! -
Review from Lucille M.
Concord, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bottom line: amazing food, wonderful service, i will go back again and again
I've eaten here something like 7 times and will continue to return many times over. My favorites are the chili lamb and the tea leaf salad. Matched with coconut rice this meal can't be beat. Other things I've tried and thoroughly enjoyed are the superstar shrimp, garlic duck noodles, garlic basil eggplant, rainbow salad, pea shoots, and string beans. Everything is delicious! Everytime. Order a serving of coconut rice for each person because it will disappear.
I remember on one of my first visits, it was explained that they are one of the few places that has Chimay beer on tap and it's a great beer. Service is always impeccable, and the place is busy busy busy. I always seem to get a table at first seating. This seems to be the way to go for me, because they dont take reservations, and if you miss the first seating you'll obviously have to wait a while.
Absolutely one of my favoritest places to eat ever. -
Review from alex c.
San Diego, CA
2/7/2012
I wonder what I can say as the 3059th review of this restaurant that would sway someone either way about this place. Probably nothing. This review is essentially padding stats. Here's one nugget of truth- I don't come to SF that often. But whenever I come, I make sure to eat here. The tea leaf salad and rainbow salad probably have little bits of crack sprinkled in. That's the only reasonable explanation for why I'm so addicted to it. Until next time!
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Review from liz c.
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
You can read the other reviews to figure out what to order or ask your waitress/er. They'll be helpful with recommendations.
Here are my thoughts:
- Is this place worth the wait or the hype? Yes.
- Come on a random week day evening; you'll probably have to wait but your wait won't be as long. I came on a Thursday evening and waited about 10 minutes. Plus parking will be more plentiful too.
- They open late; don't be discouraged by their closing times.
- Fantastic place for "low price luxury": great tasting, unique food with excellent wait service
Definite "Must Tries":
- Tea Leaf Salad
- Samusa Salad
- Mango Chicken
- Burmese Curry
Just get everything. -
Review from Meagan B.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2012
Went for the first time here the other day. Of course, just like the reviews say, it was amazing. The Samosa soup... mmmm.... garlic noodles with duck... mmm.... we also ordered another noodle dish (cant remember the name) but it was the best thing we ordered! The service was great. There is always a wait here, but If you go prepared to wait at least 20 minutes, then you won't be disappointed by it. Also- you can pop next door to Quickly and grab a hot or cold (depending on the weather) Thai ice tea with the tapioca balls in it while you wait! Its great!
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Review from Alice L.
This place has been on my most-wanted list for a while. We came here early on a Saturday and only had a 5 minute wait. Usually, this place takes forever and they don't take reservations.
We got the tea leaves salad, curry noodles, spicy lamb and a side of brown rice. To start, we also ordered a pitcher of white sangria. The sangria was loaded with fruit and was yummy. Not sure how much alcohol was in there, but it was very refreshing.
For the tea leaves salad, I was expecting something full of tea leaves, but I guess the tea leaves were fermented and serve more as a flavoring agent than anything. It had a cornucopia of seeds and nuts, too many to count! The salad was so delicious, a vegan's wet dream. The seeds added so much flavors and textures to the salad. My only complaint is that it's not bigger :).
Our noodles and lamb came pretty quickly after we polished off the salad. The curry noodles were just ok. It was good, but seemed pretty ordinary. The noodles needed less cooking, I thought. The lamb was the standout. It was choked full of peppers and pepper corns. There's also cumin and such a wonderful dish on a cold day.
The service here was prompt and we ate quickly because there was already a long line outside. Definitely come early if you don't want to wait 2 hours for your food! -
Review from Carlos K.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
The Green Tea Leaf Salad is amazing! Probably the best salad in town. Also, the waiter, Kent, was extremely accommodating when I had to return my soup (I accidentally ordered one with onions, and am allergic). Great service, great food, five stars.
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Review from Julia D.
San Francisco, CA
Wow, I toooootally get it now why people wait 2 hrs just to eat here. Ive never had burmese food so this was my first experience. My bf and I were checking out our new neighborhood and this place just happens to be right down the street! I have a feelling its going to be dangerous for my wallet.....
+ Ordered the Vegetarian self wraps. What do they put in that sauce?? Its thick, somewhat sweet and smokey. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water.
+/- Ordered the Garlicky Eggplant. It could be eaten with rice or some noodles, but I was happy with eating it as just the dish itself. A little too oily for me, but the flavor was divine so I overlooked it.
+ My bf ordered the most popular noodle dish (Sorry I forgot what its called). It was also very good considering we constantly eat thai food and never want to venture off and get disappointed.
+++ Another pitcher of lychee mojitos please! Keep 'em coming!
++ Only 20 minute wait on a thursday night for us, wow did we score!!
++Staff is sweet, knowledgeable about their menu, and very patient. Ive never been to a place where they toss your salad and noodles for you when brought to the table. Guess its just awesome SF city livin' baby.
Conclusion: MAKE A RESERVATIONNNNNNNNNNN. We were lucky to get a table so fast, but i hear on the weekends, its routine to wait 2 hours. I'd be down with that anyway, put your name down and then walk up the street and drink at a bar until they call you. Now added to my list of top 10 things to do before I die....try everything on Burma SuperStar's menu. -
Review from Elisa T.
Fremont, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
YUM is all I can say... why did it take me so long to finally come here...
What i ate:
Coconut rice- Tasty
Tea Leaf Salad- no shrimp stuff- very different but good
Tofu (appetizer) i dont remember the exact name- GOOD
Sesame Chicken- good
Nan Gyi Dok- REALLY REALLY GOOD
Burmese curry with beef- REALLY GOOD
Great experience, i'll be back! -
Review from Vivian N.
Irvine, CA
1/27/2012
Burma Superstar is my all-time favorite. Nothing can compare to this restaurant. I'm from Orange County so every time I come to San Francisco I make it a point to eat at this place. I've eaten here 4 times now and each time it gets better and better. There might be a longer wait on the weekends but don't even worry, the wait is completely worth it. Also while you're waiting you can sip on some of they have to offer(for $free.99!).
Items I've ordered:
Tea Leaf Salad- an absolute must. If you're debating whether or not to order this, JUST ORDER IT! I wish I could have this salad mailed to me in Orange County.
Fried Yellow Bean Tofu- I'm going to be honest, I am not a fan of tofu at all but this place has allowed me to see how delicious tofu can be. Reminds me of fries, but way healthier.
Nan Pia Dok- curry type dish with flat flour noodles. Delicious flavor!
Chili Lamb- if you love spicy, you are going to love this dish. All the different spices and ingredients all mesh so well it develops such great flavor. Probably one of my favorite dishes!
Steak Kebat- states that it's spicy but I don't recall it being too spicy. Eat this with rice and you'll be pretty happy.
Anyone visiting San Francisco should make the trek out to Burma Superstar and I promise you will not regret it :) -
Review from caitlin k.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I'm not sure what the hype is about this restaurant!
I went on a Thursday night. I had called in advance and the hostess told me to call an hr before I came to put my name on the wait list. We arrived at the restaurant 40 minutes after we called and we checked in with the hostess who told us it would be 15 minutes. An hour and a half later, we were sat down! Unbelievable!
The only good part of the dinner was the tea leaf salad. It was amazing and nothing I have ever eaten before. I would go back JUST FOR THAT. It was a super simple salad but the flavors were so robust.
The coconut rice was good too and the shrimp dish we had was okay as was the chili lamb. I did not like the lettuce wraps or the samosas.
I might be compelled to go back if only for the salad as it was incredible but I would probably see if they did take out so I didn't have to wait 2 hours for it! -
Review from henry n.
San Jose, CA
2/6/2012
I've been here twice in the last month and all i can saw is this place is awesome!
The tea leaf salad brings different flavors to the table and also brings them together!
The chicken curry noodles are probably my favorite here! I can eat 2 orders in a sitting if I had too!
Didnt enjoy the Rainbow salad....they need to minus the potatoes from this dish, the lamb curry needs better quality meat...something more moist with a lil more fat on it.
Can't wait to go back here and try more dishes......be warned dont wear nice clothes here as when you leave you will wreak of burma superstar.... -
Review from Vicki h.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
*i have never had Burmese food, so my friends decided to take me to Burma SuperStar to pop my Burmese food cherry.
We put our names down (45 minute wait), went to Pizza Orgasmica for a few beers and watched the Broncos vs. Patriots game. By the time we were done with our beers, walked over to Burma SuperStar, they had a table ready for us! :)
We ordered:
Tea Leaf Salad
Coconut Rice with Pork Curry
Samusa Soup
Chili Lamb
My favorite would have to be the Chili Lamb *drooooool* it has a nice kick to it!
I can't wait till my next trip to SF, I'll definitely return back to Burma SuperStar! -
Review from Charlene C.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Lesson learned: don't always assume there's a 2+ hour wait here (and if there is, it's totally worth it). Unfortunately, given that we were immediately seated, my friends and I weren't ravenously hungry and otherwise prepared to mack down.
Did that stop us from ordering a huge meal?
Bitch, please.
Every bite from start to finish was manna from heaven and yes we finished it all. Tea Salad, of course. Samusa Soup, drank to the very last drop.
We even threw some new dishes in the mix and those were devoured with gusto as well. The taste of the Pumpkin Pork Stew with Kabocha squash and ginger encapsulates both Northeast American autumnal and Southeast Asian flavors in a bowl, yet it's a wholly Burmese dish. It's a little sweet from the squash, the ginger and vaguely curry-esque spices give it a kick, and it's got this comforting, warming quality that I associate with fall. Coconut rice was also new to the line-up and ooh lawd. Exactly what is there not to like about jasmine rice permeated with coconut milk and finished with crispy, savory fried onions? Not a damn thing I tell you. I can't remember dessert, I think it was coconut pudding something, but we certainly didn't dislike it because we finished all of that too.
This visit sealed the deal - everything on their menu is great. Not good, not just OK, but fricking amazing. It's the kind of place where in order to get the best experience you should look up the menu, pre-plan your order with your dining companions, and schedule your day around your meal. It's not pretentious, it's not fancy, it's just straight-up great food. Among all the amazing restaurants in San Francisco, Burma Superstar permanently remains on the "I NEED to go there" list.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/6/2009
I've heard about Burma Superstar from my friends in the Bay for, oh I don't know, ever. When my… Read more »
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Review from Janina V.
Daly City, CA
1/30/2012
One of my favorite restaurants =)
Food is soooo good. Service is on point. Wait gets a little long on weekends and dinner time but it's worth it. I usually eat there on weekdays after work. If you get there early enough, you won't even need to wait. Just make sure you get there at least before 7 and wait won't be a problem. TIP: Tea leaf salad! -
Review from Fiona S.
I don't know how I can ever make or purchase a salad that rivals the Tea Leaf. It is just incredible. The crisp of the lettuce, crunchy of the peanuts and pine nuts, slight tang of the diced tomatoes, and the overall flavor brought by the tea leaf. A glorious mix of orgasmic senses. Plus, it looks like magic rainbow on a unicorn. Just so damn beautiful.
Other dishes are great too: Walnut shrimp is sweet plump and sticky in the right way. Chili lamb makes your mouth go on fire but wanting more at the same time. Garlic noodle is such the perfect side dish if for some bizarre reason you reject the delicious coconut rice. And the tofu tower made a meat-lover friend of mine weep.
Don't forget to wash everything down with a pitcher (or 7) of the ginger beer. -
Review from Rho T.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
With 3000+ reviews, I won't even get into describing in detail what everyone and they mama's have already. Being featured on TV always hypes up a place, so with that said, I knew what I was getting into. I made sure to taste with my palate, and not a preconceived notion. But even after that, the food ended up just being okay. I noticed minor variations in sauces, and the tea leaf salad just tasted like oil, nuts, and salt to me. Highlight of the nite though, happened when I walked out of their bathroom on my way back to my table:
Big scary Russian guy customer stops me and yells: It took us half an hour to find parking. We waited an hour and a half for our table!!! People who came in AFTER us were seated before US, how is that even possible??
Me: Blank stare
Customer: Then ANOTHER table seated after us got THEIR food first?!?! And we're just 2 people, and they had 5 in their group!!
Me: That's messed up.
Customer: I am SO upset!!!
Me: As you very well should be!
Customer: Do I get a refund?! A free meal then? What is it?? The food wasn't even that good!!!
Me: Uh...
Customer: Please get your manager. This is ridiculous.
Me: Oh wow. Yeah, I'm sorry...I don't work here.
Customer: *Storms off*
(5 minutes later as my friend and I are getting ready to leave)
Same customer points in my direction: HER! SHE'S THE ONE WHO TOSSED OUR SALAD!!!!!
(whole restaurant quiets. a giggle is heard.)
Me: *mortified* blank stare
My friend: With his hand on my back, starts to lead me out. Let's go, you could cry in the car...
*if you didn't get the "tossed our salad" reference, bless your heart. -
Review from Tran N.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a cute little restaurant that has an extremely long wait. My bf and I came here on a Sunday night and luckily snuck onto their wait list before they closed it. The wait was over an hour and we were with the last bunch of people seated after the restaurant had closed.
We ordered the samusas soup, tea leaf salad, pumpkin pork stew, and coconut rice. Overall I thought that the food was prepared very well. I felt like all of the dishes were comfort food/dishes, and didn't really jive with the whole 1.5 hour wait. It's like telling me that I have to wait 1.5 hours for a bowl of pho, makes no sense. The stew was very similar to other Southeast Asian home dishes like the basic Vietnamese pumpkin soup. The dishes themselves did not blow me away, but the quality of it did.
I feel like this is a restaurant that serves comfort food...in a foodie kind of environment that's safe for people to try out a new cuisine. Food was good and service was very friendly; however, important to note that there were no Burmese or other Southeast Asian dining in the restaurant. -
Review from Sung C.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
I have gone to this place twice, and luckily we didn't have to wait to be seated at all both times.
atmosphere: it's a nice neat asian restaurent, nothing too special but just cozy and warm.
service: their service was quite pleasant; they were very helpful. i am sure everyone who has ordered their tea salad would know what i mean by thtat.
food: the foods were quite good but definitely not amazing. i've had some great dishes and not so great dishes. i want to be careful giving it a higher rate because i do think this place is a bit hyped at this point.
I don't think this place would offend anyone, but there are other restaurents that i wouldn't mind waiting for an hour to be seated! not this place. -
Review from Eileen Z.
Oakland, CA
1/16/2012
This was definitely a better experience compared to the one I've been to in Alameda.
We had a group of 10 and got to the restaurant at least 20 minutes before they opened at 5pm to get seats. Lines started forming right after we arrived so good thing we got there early!
AMBIANCE: comfortable, a bit small but very cozy
SERVICE: Superb! our waiter was really nice and make some good recommendations.
FOOD: EXCELLENT. My friend's mom is from Burma so she knew exactly what to order and what's good. Right away we ordered and the food came out pretty quick. We ordered numerous dishes ranging from samusas, to noodle soup and curry, to salad and lamb. Every single dish was savoring and flavorful!
It is really like a fusion between certain Asian dish with Indian dish. GREAT Experience!
I will for sure come back for more! The only downside is probably the price- it's not exactly a cheap meal....but I think its well worth it. -
Review from Hannah E.
1/7/2012
It was unseasonably sunny the day we stopped by, but still cold, and the outdoor space heaters were appreciated as we waited in a line that seemed teeming when we drove by on the way to park, but turned out to not be that bad.
The food, though, was.
I mean, OK. It wasn't offensive. But after the hype, and the line, and listening to the people next to us rave on and on and ON about how transcendent the dishes were, and how complementary the flavors were, and how this was quickly becoming their favorite restaurant and getting straight on the regular rotation with a bunch of pizza places (from what I gathered)...
I don't know, I just looked at my fried yellow bean tofu with the sauce that was so salty and not much else as to have effectively come straight from some salt flats and thought, "Huh?"
And I looked at my coconut chicken chili noodles, which had all the flavor depth of a Stouffer's frozen dinner (all coconut milk, no heat, lots of gristle in the chicken) and thought, "What?"
Our waitress was so nice and friendly and all-around awesome that I couldn't look her in the face when she asked me how everything was. Luckily, the couple next to us provided her with the joy she deserved.
I do like Burmese food (see other Burmese reviews for corroboration); just not feeling this one. Go to Burmese Kitchen on Larkin, enjoy fresh, complex flavors for half the price without the lines.
I will say, however, to end on a positive note, that SuperStar's mango coconut juice rocked. -
Review from Colleen M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/4/2012 3 photos
A solid 4 1/2 stars.
The rainbow salad is delicious and really does consist of 22 ingredients. Your server will bring your dish to your table and mix them together right in front of you while listing them all. It's light, fresh and completely flavorful. A must, unless you're already ordering the equally delicious tea leaf salad.
The garlic noodles with duck meat were, as my dining companion Jamie N. puts it, rather disappointing. Flavorless duck over greasy noodles... Definitely not worth ordering. However, as a side dish, I won't put it too harshly against the place.
The chicken samusas, however, were perfectly crisp, lightly fried puffs with buttery smooth centers with a delicate house dipping sauce. The sauce isn't quite needed, but oh my gosh these were delicious.
Downfalls:
*Longest. wait. ever. We waited around 40-60 minutes on a Tuesday evening.
*Small venue
Pluses:
The rainbow salad
Samusas!
Tea leaf salad (From another occasion)
AND THE SERVICE. Such wonderful people, really. -
Review from Brittany A.
New York, NY
1/10/2012
Interesting. I have never had Burmese food and it is a pure mix of Thai and Chinese cuisine. The restaurant always has a huge line so make sure you have time to wait (there are plenty of bars in the area so go have a drink while you wait!). The tea-leaf salad is a must try. It contains an interesting array of flavors and is a great dish. All of the noodle dishes are also tasty, but there is something about Burmese food that just doesn't tickle my fancy (which is why the 3-stars only are presented).
The restaurant is quaint. Tables are packed to the brim and the restaurant is rather noisy. You will easily be able to listen into other tables conversations.
All in all, if you have never tried Burmese food, this is the place to try it. -
Review from Jeena C.
San Jose, CA
1/7/2012
MY MENU PICK: Coconut rice.
SUMMARY: Meh. The food was good, certainly not bad, and fun to eat, but in a word, I think this place is overrated. No reservations and a long wait. However, if I think about whether or not I would take a visiting friend back to show them "the real San Francisco," I would - hence, the 3 stars.
FOOD: If you want authentic Burmese food, this is NOT the place to go (instead, pick Mandalay a few blocks away, which was Michelin Guide-recommended in 2011). The tea leaf salad, samusa soup, and stews tasted pretty good, but was definitely catered to more Western tastes. Everything had the same overall flavor: sweet and garlicky. After tasting these flavors, I can see why they would appease a general audience, but there was no real innovation among the dishes.
The coconut rice, though, was fantabulous and had a wonderful aroma!
AMBIANCE: A bit dated (and very... brown-ish) for such a popular hangout, in my opinion. They would benefit with a hipper update to their decor, like they did with their sister restaurant, B Star Bar (just down the street), which was more upscale, fresh, and clean. -
Review from Mark i.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
+6 ga-jillion for serving the tastiest Asian dishes ever. Imagine your favorite (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay, Pac. Island, etc.) dish multiplied by about 10x. You then would be getting close. Like no kidding.
+4-ish for service. B-S has goofed about 50% of my to go orders (all between $85 and $150). I'm serious. But then, after I press the issue, every time - and I mean EVERY time - they turn it around and get it right quick, fast, in a hurry. Plus they always give me a high-octane, sugar-y coffee drink if I ever have to wait: All's Forgiven, My Friends! RAWR! -
Review from georgefromsf g.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
This is a great place. I have been coming here for over 15 years.
Service is good, food excellent. The one dish I repeatedly go back to ordering, after trying other dishes,is the beef Kebat. It is a very good taste sensation combining spices and tomatoes. It is also good with tofu. My friend would order it with tofu as a substitute for a meat, then eventually the Tofu Kebat officially appeared as a menu item. On a chilly foggy night it is worth waiting outside for your party to be called for an open table, sipping tea provided by the restaurant. -
Review from T S.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
Do not miss the tea leaf salad (I loved it despite being a salad-hater).
I also tried the Nan Gyi Dok which was pretty good too.
The service was excellent and the food inexpensive, I will visit this place again to try the other dishes. -
Review from James V.
Garden Grove, CA
1/31/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great taste, tons of flavor. Expect long wait and spending 15/person
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Review from Andy S.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
Maybe I'm jaded by the new food experience. Maybe I'd not give this 5 stars if I'd tasted this before. Maybe it's just that good and should be lauded as the best ever.
I'd never really known what Burmese food was. I'd heard of Burma Superstar because it was the name of a restaurant that everyone raved about, but the Burmese part confused me no matter how Superstar-y it was.
I happened to be in the area with a friend. We were getting some framing done at Cheap Pete's. We asked what was a good lunch place and the lady said Burma Superstar. So, we went.
Had the chicken samusas, lettuce cups, crispy & spicy chicken, and coconut rice. All of it was superb. I'm going back. I'm having one of everything and there's no question left about it. The food was a-freakin'-mazing.
The service was pretty awesome as well. Everyone was just great and I'm thinking I'd like this to be a date night. The only thing is that there's no reservation and, what could be, a long wait. Don't fret. It's worth the wait. -
Review from Jenn S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Rundown
- The wait is long - be prepared. Small location
- The food variety is good
- I truly believe the quality has gone down
- Don't be fooled, the "sister" location does not have the same menu
I used to go to SF craving Burma SuperStar. When I was in town, I asked my friend to make a trip to Burma SuperStar to satisfy my cravings. However, I doubt I will crave this place again.
My previous trip to Burma SuperStar, my friend and I were told that we should head over to the "sister" restaurant down the street to avoid a long wait. My friend asked if the menu was the same and the hostess said yes. Sadly, when we sat down, we found out that the menu was limited and didn't have the dish that we always order.
My most recent trip to this location wasn't great either. The quality of the dishes seemed to have gone down and just didn't taste the same. My friend and I were disappointed and have now crossed this place off on our usual places to eat while I'm in SF.
We normally order the following:
- Tea Leaf Salad - I love the variety of flavors in the salad. They tell you the ingredients before you eat the salad. Just ask them to mix the salad for you.
- Burmese Style Curry (Catfish) - A usual favorite. However, the last plate had too many bones and the catfish tasted very muddy. Seems like they used nothing but the leftovers to make the dish. Never a pleasant experience.
- Coconut Rice - Small portions, however it is a necessity when eating the dishes at this restaurant.
We have also tried the following:
- Riblettes - On the sweeterside but very yummy. They really are small.
- Mint Chicken - I recently tried this and it was good. Good flavors and had a hint of spicy to it.
In about a year, I might consider going back. However, after my last experience, I have to give it a 3 star. I'll update if I ever go back. -
Review from Scott V.
Philadelphia, PA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great value. I got the tea leaf salad, samosa soup, chili lamb, spicy crispy chicken, and mint chicken which were all superb. Very friendly staff, they even brought us complimentary dessert.
Make sure if you are in a group bigger than two you come 1/2 hr before closing time or you risk not being seated. This place gets really crowded so be prepared. Overall best Burmese food I have ever had. -
Review from Andrea S.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I hadn't been to this place in like 10 years. I had to have some work done on my car and am never in this neighborhood but I found myself there on a Monday afternoon around noon and I took myself over to the Superstar. Pretty hopping for a lunch crowd. There was no wait though, which was nice. I ordered the coco rice noodle curry and it was super yummy. I like that you can have a nice lunch for $10. I guess I will find new reasons for heading over to that area just to get lunch again.
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Review from Irina P.
Philadelphia, PA
1/1/2012
I guess a place with over 3000 reviews doesn't need another one, but I simply couldn't NOT write a raving review for this place. Over the several times we've been here, we tried the following incredible dishes: Tea Leaf salad (WOW such a unique and incredible flavor!), Rainbow salad, Chili Lamb, Lamb Curry, Walnut Shrimp, vegetable soup, and the incredible coconut rice. I can't decide which one of these dishes was my favorite because they were all unbelievably good. I especially recommend pairing the spicy Chili Lamb with the sweet coconut rice (what do they put in it?! I could it the whole portion by itself for dessert!) - the combination is fantastic.
Can't wait to come back to SF and have more of this fantastic cuisine! -
Review from Rafael s.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
I'd heard about Burma SuperStar so when I moved out to Lake District about two years ago I decided to finally give it a go. The first couple attempts I simply walked away due to the LONG line that swirls around outside of people waiting to get in. Initial impression "...this has to be good..." Fast forward a few months, I've now been here a couple times over the last several months and I have to say I am not at all impressed.
Not sure how they acquired all the hype? Is it the "cool, hip" sounding name? A sprinkle of hipsters as patrons? Caucasian friendly? I am not quite sure.
The food isn't necessarily bad it's okay but in my opinion not great enough to warrant the hype. In fact there are at least 2-3 other Burmese restaurants in the vicinity that are as good or better. I actually recommend folks try out Mandalay near 6th and California. The food is better quality and their tea leaf salad is phenomenal. It may not have a cool/hip sounding name but they sure know how to cook.
Back to Burma, again the food isn't bad it's just not that great. The folks who work here are pretty friendly and their service is prompt (once you get in). I encourage folks to explore some other places in the neighborhood and don't get swept up in the hype.
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