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Burmese Kitchen
Category: Restaurants Burmese Burmese [Edit]
452 Larkin St(between Golden Gate Ave & Turk St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 474-5569
- Hours:
Mon 10:30 am - 3 pm
Tue-Sat 10:30 am - 8:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
309 reviews for Burmese Kitchen
Review Highlights
"I love the tea leaf salad and beef curry."
(in 131 reviews)
"Fish with Tamarind Sauce (loved it."
(in 20 reviews)
"The coconut rice is an excellent side dish at $2."
(in 45 reviews)
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309 reviews in English
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Review from Jeremy G.
1/30/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If you want tasty Burmese food and don't feel like going to the Richmond and waiting in those ridiculous Burma Superstar lines, then hop over to the 'loin and fill your belly with the goodness of the Kitchen.
Coconut rice is a must have. As is pork and pumpkin. The pumpkin curry is quite unique and bursting with pork and sweet potato chunks. The tea leaf salad has far too many different flavors that I know nothing about. Regardless of whether I can distill what each specific component is, I know what bomb tastes like. Yes, this salad was the bomb. The Tamarind Fish is also hella delicious. The fried platter is also a strong choice, especially the golden tofu. Yes, fried tofu can be utterly mouth-watering. The portions are not huge, so you definitely want to do some sharing. The prices aren't crazy high, so it can still be affordable. And the menu has so many intriguing dishes to offer. Run. Ok, maybe walk briskly. -
Review from Ed U.
Jamie W. and I came here on a whim as we were strolling toward Little Saigon for dinner. As the madcap gadabout that I am, I was thinking to myself that it might be interesting to try a little Rangoon rather than a little Saigon. But alas, we ended up with a little indigestion instead. The photos of the food looked appetizing taped on the window, probably not the most dependable measure of quality, and so looking blind trust in the eye, we entered the modest establishment. If you don't know, Burmese cuisine is a cross between Thai and Indian, no surprise since that's where Myanmar is on the map.
Burmese Kitchen is on the map between Civic Center and the 'Loin, just so you know this ain't a highbrow dining experience. We started with the $5.50 Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, which consisted of tender chunks of Chinese eggplant lacquered in garlic oil (see photo). I liked it, but Jamie passed. Instead, he went for the $7.95 Pork Garlic Egg Noodles, which tasted alright but looked a bit strange (see photo). It was a pile of yellow egg noodles unlike the kind you would find in a Rice-a-Roni box, and mixed amid the glistening noodles were these odd little pieces of pork that looked as if it came out of a Play-doh can.
Better was the $7.50 Chicken Coconut Curry, which was just a leg and thigh drowning in a curry sauce thickened with coconut milk (see photo). The chicken was a bit overcooked, but I still preferred it to the noodles. We also had a side of Coconut Rice to sop up all the curry sauce. I honestly couldn't taste the coconut flavor, but it was nice to have the rice anyway. If my review of Burmese Kitchen strikes you as rather lackluster, it is. Listen, with so many proven options like Lers Ros Thai and Pagolac just on the next couple of blocks, I would be hard pressed to think of a reason to come back. But it's decent, unspectacular food from a country that deserves more representation in this city.
FOOD - 3 stars...middling Myanmar cuisine
AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...kinda spartan
SERVICE - 2.5 stars...they serve quickly for sure
TOTAL - 3 stars...no superstar found here -
Review from Chris R.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
This place is absolutely amazing! So my friend and her gf introduced me to this place a few months ago and I literally have dreams about eating here. I could eat here everyday.
You have to try the Tamarind Fish. OH MY GUUUURD this is so good. I don't even know what tamarind is, I'm assuming some spice or sauce, but this is so good. It's creamy and delicious and fulfilling. You have to try it with the coconut sticky rice, I know it sounds weird but the combination goes very very VERY well together.
Also if you're a fan of something hot you should try the Spicy Fish. Be warned though it's REALLY spicy and you made need a glass of milk to go with it haha
There's also this like tortilla/pita like thing that my friend ordered and it's REALLY good to dip in the tamarind fish sauce after you've already devoured your meal ;] -
Review from Rebecca A.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012
Came here once on a late night whim, when we were feeling famished.
We didn't regret the choice. The fish with tamarind sauce was simple and delicious - beautifully tender white fish with a nicely garlicky, full-bodied sauce (somewhat more mildly sweet than sour) that won us over instantly. I had the vegetarian Tamarind Leaf Salad - sans the peanuts - which I devoured happily. Loved their slow-cooked kabocha squash stew, as well. I only wish the portions for the squash and salad were bigger, though they are quite normal for authentic Asian food.
Service was very good, the waiter was attentive and overall it was a solid, no-fuss dining experience. Will come here again to try the other dishes. -
Review from Chelsey G.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2012
Got it in w Mandaly.
Got it in with BStar.
It was time to slum it and head to the TL to get it in at BK.
Tea Leaf Salad was good, but not as good as Mandalay. Garlic Eggplant was nothing special. I will be heading back to try the samosa soup and prawn and pumpkin. Cant beat the prices, and when you work in the area it is a pretty sweet, clean, healthy option. -
Review from Lily W.
1/9/2012
WOW. Authentic. I loved it.
We ordered the golden tofu (tofu dote), daun baut with chicken, and samusa (with some other fried stuff I don't know the name of). Super good. The tofu dote was a little too spicy for me but it had that burmese kick that makes you remember the first time you were blown away by the taste. Daun baut was awesome as well. We went on a Saturday after 2pm and the place wasn't too busy. Service was good.
The interior is kinda small, not very "burmese" in terms of decoration but who cares. The food was slammin'. -
Review from Meghan L.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic!
I attended a GrubWithUs event here last night and was very impressed with the kind customer service we received. Besides eating with a great group of strangers the food was very tasty.
My favorite dish was the Pumpkin Curry, it had a bold rich flavour, I could have eaten the entire plate. -
Review from Jasmin L.
San Francisco, CA
Burmese Kitchen has always been my sanctuary since I started working in the Civic Center area 3 years ago.
I tend to work until I am pooped and have forgotten that there is such thing as mid-day break called lunch. Lunch for me is between 2 -3 in the afternoon, even later.
AMBIANCE:
These are the best times to go to Burmese Kitchen. 3 PM might be the witching hour for most employees. However, in the mid-afternoon, Burmese Kitchen is calm, peaceful and almost empty. With the soft traditional instrumental music playing in the background, it is almost like being in a temple.
DECOR: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Or at least it is like being in a cozy village in Southeast Asia with the the bar decorated with thatched roof, a Burmese puppet hanging and the soothing artwork.
BURMESE TEA: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
And the tea! A steaming cup of HOT BURMESE TEA awaits you! Soothing and earthy, this tea is almost like magic. One sip and my tired mind slowly feels restored. And they generously pour me cups after cups of this healing tea. One time I drank 8 cups in one sitting!
SERVICE:
The servers are gracious and friendly. They always keep my tea cup full and they do it with a smile.
I have tried many dishes at Burmese Kitchen over the years and everything is consistently good and satisfying:
* TEA LEAF SALAD: Fermented tea leaves with crunchy peas, nuts and garlic
* PUMPKIN STEW: Big chunks of sweet pumpkins. Great for pumpkin lovers like me.
* GOLDEN TOFU: This is served as an app but I ordered it with rice. Silky tofu with mild curry. Very good! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* MOHINGA (FISH CHOWDER): Spicy flavorful fish noodle soup with tomatoes. Soothing. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* TAMARIND FISH CAKE: Dense fish cake in tomato sauce. Savory. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* CHICKPEA CURRY: Sauteed chickpeas in mild curry http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Burmese Kitchen also serves meat but I have never tried them. I have always stuck with the vegetarian dishes.
PRICES:
Lunch specials are the best deal in town at Burmese Kitchen. Served until 3PM, combo lunches are less than $10 which usually include 2 dishes, choice between coconut rice or lentil rice and Burmese Tea.
I usually go for the Vegan Option Lunch Special #2: 2 veggie dishes, lentil rice and bottomless tea = $7.55 before tip!!!
VERDICT:
You might find me at the Burmese Kitchen on a blustery cold day. I have not been to Burma yet but Burmese Kitchen gives me the same sense of peace that I felt when I was visiting a temple in Thailand. I guess I always pick the right time to go which is mid afternoon on a weekday.
The food is satisfying, tea is always soothing and the staff are always friendly.
Go if you find yourself craving for a little peace in TL.
ADDICTIVE FACTOR: 5 I am seriously hooked on the Vegan Lunch Special! -
Review from Gani U.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
I called one night for delivery. I'm in Russian Hill, and they've delivered to me before in the past. I was told they don't drive out to my neighborhood. I'm not far away and let him know I gotten delivery from them before.
He went to ask someone, and still said, "No....not today." I asked if they won't deliver to me today or will never deliver to me again....then he hung up on me.
Sucks b/c food is good, but will probably never go here again. -
Review from Joanna M.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Soup and salad combo.
(SNORE)
Sounds boring and geriatric, right?
Not at Burmese Kitchen. At Burmese Kitchen the soup and salad combination is way more exotic and wonderful than your normal deli fare going by the same name. For a lunch place, BK has got it going on. Get your mind out of the gutter: I am not talking about Burger King.
The soup and salad combination in question may be one of the best lunches ever. For soup you can have the chicken coconut noodle or go really glitz and get the samosa soup. The salad is a great tea leaf salad, or you can get a ginger salad. The portions are perfectly sized, and the endless refills on their house Burmese tea (a lot like Thai hot teas) hit the spot on a chill afternoon.
The service is impeccable. Just warm, inviting and the kind you want to Yelp about. This restaurant may not be as legendary as Burma Superstar or Mandalay, but it could be. Just give it time and have an open mind. And it's like whoa cheap. Really.
I'll probably never be able to go back to a regular ol' soup and salad with this soul nourishing option available. Bye bye, thin lettuce and watery soup. Hello, love! -
Review from Harriet W.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
Someone recommended us this place, and I'd like to disagree.
We we a fairly big group, so we ordered, quite a variety of dishes on the menu. Everything on the menu has a different name, but they actually all tasted the same. The noodle soups were meh, nothing special, you can probably make something at home that tastes better. The curries all tasted the same, and they weren't really that special. My favorite dish was one of the appetizers (I forgot the name) but that was it.
Definitely wouldn't waste my time coming back here again. -
Review from Tina L.
Los Angeles, CA
12/7/2011
For being in an expensive city, it's actually a relief to a find a great spot with great eats that won't burn a hole in your coinbag.
I came here for the lunch special, but even if I wasn't dealing with a combo, the prices are all under $9 which is AMAZING. I can barely find that in L.A.!
I recommend the chicken curry - it's super delicious. The tapioca is a little scary because it was given to me warm. Is it supposed to be that way? -
Review from N S.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
All of the food was cooked in old oil and very oily -- almost rancid. The chicken and potato curry was salty past the point of eating. The lemongrass beef was dry. The garlic noodle shrimp was stale and burnt. The potato curry that comes with the roti is tasteless. The combo fried platter was the best part of the meal, but that's not saying a lot.
We did takeout and after taking a few bites, called them to take back the food and they would not, saying this was how there food was always cooked. If so, then count me out. Burma SuperStar is 100 times better. -
Review from Audrey T.
1/9/2012 4 photos
Meh, nothing I can't get at home. My friend and I lunched here on a late Saturday afternoon and were surprised that there was only one other party. I had a lunch combo which came with tea leaf salad, coconut noodles, and a cup of hot tea. I loooove tea leaf salad and Burmese Kitchen executed that well, though I wish they included more tea leaves and less filler. The coconut noodles left something to be desired...wasn't coconutty enough for me. My friend enjoyed his curry chicken and potato lunch plate though. We also had the samusas, which were okay, good for potato lovers cause they contain very generous amounts of curry potatoes. Other than that, service was good; the waitress made sure to come by every so often to ask how we were doing. Overall, 3.5 stars :)
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Review from Markito M.
Oakland, CA
12/20/2011
Had lunch here after being on a green tea salad tear. Been making it at home several days/week.
The green tea salad portion was rather small (especially compared to the behemoth ones I've been making) but it was tasty. It didn't seem to have shrimp powder and had toasted legumes. Probably not my favorite version but enjoyed it nonetheless.
My wife had a chicken leg curry. She loves meat on the bone and she was delighted with how flavorful it was.
We shared the roti (I thought more greasy than other versions) and it came with a small (very lukewarm) bowl of rather bland potato curry. The version at Burma Superstar is more rich and intense and is much better in my opinion.
For me the standout dish was the green beans. The seemed to just be boiled and then combined with a lot of sesame seeds. They were delicious - seemed like something served in someone's home. A real everyday dish that was delightful.
They had several lunch combos including vegan ones. I really wanted to try the pumpkin dish and the coconut rice. -
Review from a a.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011
Oh man this place is sooooo good. It's a dump, but the food is fab and the cost is low. First off, other Burmese places in the city tend to have a Chinese lean in my opinion for the non-Burmese dishes (like Burma Superstar). Mingalaba in Burlingame is great too, with some dishes with a great asian flare. This place had a more Indian influence in regards to the sauce tastes, but with the coconut curry bases incorporated. Everything was terrific from the tamarind fish to the tea leaf salad to the fish stew.
The biggest downside was the somosa soup...epic fail...very watery, and heavy lemongrass flavor, and tasted like the flavors weren't integrated if that makes sense. The soups at Superstar and Mingalaba are insane good and this version wasn't anything like those. But avoiding that, everything else was terrific.
Your in the loin, and scumbags await, but power through it and you'll be well rewarded! -
Review from Carmen H.
San Bruno, CA
2/3/2012
I must say, it's by far the best Burmese food I've had outside of my sister-in-law's mom and grandmother. My husband and I shared a tea leaf salad, a nice bowl of Mo-Hinga and added a boil egg and crispy split peas, a curry chicken, and coconut rice. The tea leaf salad was very refreshing and enjoyable. The soup was hot and tasty like homemade. The curry chicken was tender. The coconut rice was yummy, but not too sweet. It pairs very well with the curry chicken. Since everything was so good, and we wanted to try other things on the menu, we ordered an additional bowl of Ong Noh Kau Swel and added a boil egg and crispy slit peas. The Ong Noh Kau Swel is good compared to other Burmese Restaurants I have been to. However, personally, I like Mo-Hinga more, and will definitely go back for the Mo-Hinga. We also order a cup of Burmese milk tea. It is very similar to Hongkong milk tea, but the tea was not as strong, which I like it. The Total price was surprisingly inexpensive, which I thought was a pretty good deal considering the damage we have done at Burma Superstar. The food at Burmese Kitchen was much better than Superstar and the love that was put into the food was definitely felt. I have to try their Tamarind Fish next time. The only thing I don't like about the restaurant is its location.
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Review from Kevin L.
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Solid 3-star place for lunch. Not something I'd hunger for, but it was decently tasty.
We had the lunch specials, so I got a fish chowder rice noodle soup with a tea leaf salad. Tea leaf salad had way too much sesame seed action for my taste, but it had a good textual crunch to it. The noodle soup would have been better with a more substantial bite to the noodles since it just all washed together. Good fishy stew, but it made me want some bun rieu from a Vietnamese place down the street.
Had a bite of the tamarind fish (tilapia?). Good flavors, but super salty. -
Review from Nancy B.
Los Altos, CA
1/24/2012
We had the tea leaf salad ( our favorite dish, will order it every time), Shrimp and sour leaf (good, but only 5 shrimp), string beans with onion ( well cooked but bland) and Lentil rice (good, but bland).
For dessert, mango pudding (more like a super dense jello, not good) and the cake
Despite my descriptions, we really enjoyed our meal, and service.. We look forward to going back -
Review from Sue L.
11/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I wish there were as many Burmese restaurants in San Francisco as there are Thai restaurants. Perhaps people think that because Thai restaurants serve coconut rice and Indian restaurants serve samosas and both serve curry...they've got the entire Burmese culinary side covered. There are maybe a handful real Burmese restaurants in the city. My bf discovered Burmese kitchen through Yelp. Note to the general eating public: Burmese, Indian, Pakastani, and Thai are different...please don't group them all together. It makes our yelp search that much harder :/
This place is a big hole in the tenderloin wall. Not classy. Not chic. Super spacious and somewhat cozy. The servers are friendly and the food is fantastic. Although the tea leaf salad was subpar, I highly recommend the chicken biyirani rice. It was sooooo good. Best of all, for the price you pay for a set meal at McDonald's these days, you can enjoy a plentiful freshly made dish at Burmese kitchen. Andrew Jackson will cover a meal for 2. -
Review from Christine K.
Oakland, CA
1/17/2012
I work down the street, and it was very easy to go online and order lunch from their website for pickup. They do delivery, too. The food was ready when I arrived. And there was a SUPER friendly and welcoming staff that greeted me immediately. It was a very clean and pleasant restaurant, filled with multiple patrons.
I ordered the lunch special to go, with the green tea leaf salad and coconut chicken noodle soup. The price was really great, less than $9 for both.
The star of the meal: the green tea leaf salad. Sooo tasty with fermented tea leaves and shredded slaw, crispy garlic bits, lime and more nuts and seeds you could imagine. I loved the balance of flavors. Unfortunately, however, the portion really should have been a bit bigger, though. It was just a "wee-taster", the container was the smallest that they come and it was only half way full.
The not so shiny star of the meal: The coconut chicken noodle soup. I had really high hopes for this. Especially since it's so freakin' cold out! I love coconut curry, love spice and depth and had thought that this soup would be a bit more complex in flavor like that. Unfortunately, however, the flavor more closely resembled processed Campbell's chicken noodle soup from the can. Maybe I am not as well versed in this particular Burmese soup, but it had absolutely no flavor other than the dried bouillon cubes that you get in those small yellow card board box packs with the green writing and red rooster on them. There was no coconut flavor, just texture.The noodles were ok, but there was very little chicken (like maybe three or four thumbnail sized pieces?) and that was it. I guess the name really does say exactly what it is. Coconut chicken noodle soup. But truth be told I was hoping for a little more spice and ooomph. Not chicken noodle from a can or a box.
I would give four stars instead of three just for the salad and for the service alone, but the small portions and the bland soup left much more to be desired. But I will definitely be back for the green tea salad, I promise, and a full order next time! -
Review from michelle s.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2012
You can't beat this tiny lunch place for value and price. I hope to see this place get better and better, but it is pretty darn good now for the price.
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Review from Suzanne C.
Arcata, CA
11/29/2011
Ate here on a whim. The place is small, and the neighborhood ambiance extends to the barred windows, but the waitstaff and owners are warm and friendly. As I was dining by myself and not ready to gorge on a big dinner, After seeing the owner (and my waiter for the evening) wince at my order, I asked what he'd recommend...He brought out a mini-combo for me of Ginger Salad, Pumpkin Stew, and Coconut Rice. Perfect! So, yeah, I'm a fan.
The menu includes vegan options, a brown rice option, "Burmese Organic Hot Tea," they take credit cards, cater, and they deliver (with a $25 min. order). -
Review from Dennis W.
Daly City, CA
1/5/2012
Great food. The curry dishes are more like the Indian curries, which is spicy and hot. Generous portions, friendly service, and very delicious food. If you like spicy and hot dishes, I recommend you to try pork with mango pickle dish. Love it.
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Review from Monelle P.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've waited the 1+ hour in lime for Burma Superstar. I've also been to Mandalay. Burmese Kitchen is on par with those restaurants, but without the horrendous wait and half the price.
We started with the Tea Leaf Salad (Tea Leaf, Shredded Cabbage, Tomato, Fried Garlic, Sesame Seeds, Assorted Peas & Peanuts). I enjoyed the variety of flavors and crunchy textures in the salad, but I wished there was a bit more tea leaf in it.
Next, we had the Garlic Egg Noodles with Chicken. This dish was just ok. There was a slight hint of a burned essence in the dish... maybe it's the garlic? Or maybe Im just more accustomed to the garlic noodles at PPQ, Thanh Long, and Crustacean.
The highlight of the meal was the Tamarind Fish accompanied by a side of fragrant coconut rice. The fish was tender and flaky. It was served in a sweet tamarind, tomato and coconut milk sauce.
We ended the meal with mango pudding and a rich semolina cake. The mango pudding was delicious! Light, delicate, creamy, and perfectly sweet, the pudding is a refreshing combination of fresh mangos, cream, and evaporated milk. Although flavorful, the rich semolina cake was a bit dry and heavy for my taste.
Overall, Burmese Kitchen is a solid restaurant. You can't go wrong with large portions, excellent service and unbelievably cheap prices!Listed in: Food Crack in the Tenderloin
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Review from Katia T.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011
Husband and I came here at 8:05pm, and were promptly seated. The service was a bit slow, though amazing, and that actually gave us more time to relax and decide on what we wanted. We had the fried combo platter, coconut rice, chicken in potato curry, and beef with pickled mangos. The food was cooked perfectly. We loved it all. Finished the dinner off with mango pudding, yum! It was so delicious.
Oh, also, try the Burmese Milk Tea (hot), it's almost like hot chocolate but not as thick and tastes like tea. I will be back again. -
Review from Tran N.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
The store was small, warm, and has nice decoration. Perfect for couple or small family. The food is really good and cheap! My 2 friends and I had 2 salad dishes, Curry Chicken and Potato, Spicy Beef Jerky, and 2 dishes of Coconut Rice for only $35!!! Unbelievable!
My 2 favorites had to be Rainbow Salad and Coconut Rice. So good I got to heaven. Definitely must try! The Tea Leaf Salad was okay to me but people like it so it's only me. The Spicy Beef Jerky was not spicy at all (Not only because I'm Asian though!) but a bit tough and dry.
The service was 5 stars for sure! The waiters and owner were so nice and caring. Love them! Definitely go there again for sure! Can't wait to try on the new food! -
Review from Natasha R.
San Francisco, CA
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really wanted to like this place. Nothing excited me more than having a takeout Burmese place on my route home from work. Unfortunately their food wasn't the Tenderloin diamond in the rough I had hoped for. My tea leaf salad was really off tasting and I ended up throwing out most of my vegetable curry.
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Review from Mayra L.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2011
My friend and I were walking through the TL on our way to Off the Grid and decided to stop by this place instead because it looked delicious.
We ordered the appetizer platter with samosas, fried tofu and falafel balls in a tamarind sauce. I ordered the masala chicken noodles and my friend ordered with coconut masala chicken curry.
I felt like the food was a little too heavy with grease. The appetizer platter was really good, the noodle were a little to sweet for my taste but that's a personal preference. For 30 dollars, I felt like like I was okay, but we left the restaurant leaving bloated and sick for the rest of the day. -
Review from Sofia R.
I stopped by here for lunch with some friends who wanted to try something new. We thought Burmese Kitchen would be worth a shot but I would give this place a 3.5 or a little higher.
The place itself is pretty nice! Service was quite friendly as well. They were really speedy with everything too! We got our food almost right away.
We ordered coconut chicken noodle soup, roti with potato curry, 2 orders of iced Burmese milk tea, and garlic egg noodles with chicken.
We got the milk tea first. It was strange at first only because it was warm...so I had to let it sit with the ice for a while. Overall taste and quality is good but I've had better. Worth getting regardless because it's tasty and goes with your food.
The roti and potato curry looked kinda puny and pretty oily...but it was still delicious. I wouldn't have minded another order. I would think it would be worth a little less than $5 though.
The garlic egg noodles were good. I was annoyed when the noodles stuck together. What was strange was that the noodles were made with oil so it was clumped yet oily in taste. I did like the flavor a lot because the garlic wasn't over powering. I like the garlic noodles here better compared to other Burmese places.
The coconut chicken noodle soup was delicious too. Especially delicious with lots of cilantro and lime! The only downside to the soup is that it's really heavy and high in fat content from the coconut milk...but it's really good.
In this way, I have mixed feelings about the place but overall I do think it's a pretty good Burmese place. Worth going to if you're in the area and looking for a nice sit-down. -
Review from Hannah E.
9/10/2011
Yum!...
This was the overall consensus of all four people at the table.
Some of us liked the tamarind fish, some of us liked the ginger pork (which came out using beef instead, but whatever), but all of us liked the delicious chicken coconut noodle soup.
More of an Indian bent than the Thai bent I'm used to on Burmese food, but this wasn't a bad thing.
I discovered that tea leaf salad always tastes weird, no matter how used to it I think I am.
I discovered that there is something about Burmese tea that is awesome, but that the waitress will not elaborate on what it is, apart from, 'it's from Burma!'
Don't order the tamarind fish if you don't like shrimp paste! I like shrimp paste, and I like tender, flaky fish, so it was all good.
Neighborhood is rough-ish (walked through a fight on my way back to BART, got yelled at "YOU BEST KEEP WALKING!" Well, OK, I will, thanks) but the restaurant is beautifully kept, with tablecloths and art and mood lighting and everything. -
Review from Marlis T.
10/2/2011
I work in a Burmese restaurant, and I love Burmese food! A lot of times I have to go other places to satisfy my cravings when I am not at work.
So one day I came and try Burmese Kitchen.
I had Ong no kaw soi, tea leaf salad, roti with potato curry, and chicken briyani.
What I loved the most from my meal was the Burmese milk tea.
The ong no kaw soi and tea leaf salad are okay, not too impressive.
Roti is really good! My advice is, skip the potato curry... it doesn't compliment the bread. Just get the roti.
The chicken briyani comes with a huge chunk of chicken leg and thigh.. very unappetizing.
Decor and service is alright, no complain.
Price is very reasonable! It might be bring me back. -
Review from Vivienne P.
San Francisco, CA
9/5/2011
I don't think it's fair to compare this place to Burma Superstar/B-Star. One is upscale dining, one is not. Burmese Kitchen is not.
What Burmese Kitchen IS is really cheap, really fast service, with delicious food.
A $4 entree and a $2 rice plate to go with it? Yes please! The entree was delicious (pumpkin stew) and the coconut rice paired with it in ways I never would have expected. For a buck less I could've had regular rice, but what can I say, I'm a big spender.
The servings were on the smaller side, but again, very inexpensive. And I definitely did not leave hungry! It was plenty of food. It's a problem when we feel like we should have to leave a restaurant full to the point of illness in order to be satisfied.
I really enjoyed everything I had (my friend and I also shared some steamed bamboo, samusas, and tea leaf salad), and the service was friendly and prompt, despite my friend and I showing up only about a half hour before closing. It was a very pleasant atmosphere.
This isn't a date place. It's not fancy. It's just simple, straight forward food at a bargain basement price with a good staff. -
Review from Benny M.
Walnut Creek, CA
The best Burmese kitchen (pun intended) in the Bay Area. And the competition is fierce. The fish with tamarind sauce is a simple yet incredibly tasty dish. I get it every time. With the potato curry. I'm not a fan of nuts (tried the Tea Leaf Salad first time) and so, the owner recommended the potato curry. Delicious.
And the review wouldn't be complete without kudos to that owner. The waitress on Tuesdays (lunch time) is awesome, too. Both are so friendly and you can tell that they enjoy the fact that I'm enjoying my food, too.
Good people, good food and reasonably priced. About $10 for a lunch that is so consistently yum. That's why I went there every Tuesday (and more when in the mood) when working in the city. -
Review from Hilarie S.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
I've only been once. So I'll try to update this again.
3 stars for being closed on Monday night, and for closing at 8:30 every other night. Bummer.
5 stars for the tofu salad. It's not soy bean tofu, it's made from lentils I believe. It's not a "salad." It's more like a meal. AMAZING delicious.
3 stars for the other dishes we had: garlic noodles and potato curry (I think). They were just OK.
4 stars for being VERY reasonably cheap and good beer for $4 or less.
4 stars for delivering.
4 stars for really nice staff.
So I think 4 stars wins out. We'll see how it pans out on my next visit, although 2 of the 3 times I've tried to eat there, they were closed! -
Review from Chloe B.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
There aren't enough Burmese restaurants in SF. There are a hundred thousand Thai and Chinese places and only a handful of Burmese. Most of them seem to be in the Richmond for some reason. Burmese Kitchen in the TL is a nice alternative.
Not crowded like Burma Superstar or even Mandalay. Those restaurants are both awesome but sometimes you have to wait forever. At Burmese Kitchen you can sit down right away.
They have a variety of tasty and interesting salad options (tamarind leaf salad, tea leaf salad, stuff like that), noodle options, meat and vegetarian options. They have home made slip pea tofu that is interesting and tasty.
I live near here and will definitely continue to go in the future. -
Review from Anthony A.
San Francisco, CA
10/13/2011
I stopped in here for lunch ahead of a meeting in the federal building across the street. I had never tried Burmese cuisine so I thought I'd give this exotic taste a whirl. The lunch specials are worth what you pay if my spicy fish and rice plate was a valid indication.
The curry dishes look good enough for a repeat. Thankfully the riff-raff of the Tenderloin stays outside. -
Review from J. S.
San Francisco, CA
10/13/2011
I finally went to Burmese kitchen and it was a good choice. Place as clean and nice.
We ordered a couple of noodle dishes and a papaya salad. All the food was very tasty. The only issue was the noodle dishes were brought about one minute after the salad, so we didn't get a chance to enjoy our appetizer. It would have been nice if we had a moment between courses.
The bottled beer was ice cold and tasty and for $3 non-happy hour price a deal. The place is very affordable and I'll go again. -
Review from Ozymandias H.
Civic Center/Tenderloin, San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011
Rainbow salad was especially good.
-
Review from Hema K.
7/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whenever I think of wanting to try Burmese food - good food, expensive, busy, small restos, long wait time to get tables, few on the map - these are the thoughts come to my mind. Apparently while walking around downtown for lunch, came across Burmese kitchen which looked like a hole in the wall types. Easy to get tables, service was fast and food - not so great. But damn cheap. We ordered samosa soup, shrimp garlic noodles, chicken briyani.
Samosa soup - lacked flavor and freshness. samosa tasted good.
garlic shrimp noodle - reminds me of Vietnamese garlic noodle.
chicken briyani - meh! dry and not fresh
I wouldn't recommend dining here if its your first try to Burmese food. Would suggest Mingalaba - burlingame, Burma superstar - SF, Pagan - SF.Listed in: I Heart SF
