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Chilli Cha Cha
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
494 Haight St(between Webster St & Fillmore St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhoods: Lower Haight, Hayes Valley
(415) 552-2960
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
201 reviews for Chilli Cha Cha
Review Highlights
"...panang avocado with shrimp - or the spicy pan-fried noodles."
(in 6 reviews)
"Firecracker balls- spicy and very tasty."
(in 11 reviews)
"...a "chicken in coconut milk soup with mushroom, onion..."
(in 4 reviews)
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201 reviews in English
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Review from Libby B.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
Good Thai food for a decent price. I've ordered take out from here twice, and both times were great, though the first time was definitely better. I think this places is a GREAT deal as long as you know what to order.
GET:
- Spicy Thai Noodles with chicken (Nice variation from the usual Pad See Lew that we order..more veggies and yummy spices. I ordered medium hot, though I may even go light next time. They take their heat seriously!)
- Coconut Milk Soup with Chicken (soooo good. I've never had anything like it. Sweet and spicy and just heaven. I could eat it every day)
SKIP:
-BBQ short ribs (Dry, not very flavorful, and not much meat)
-Lamb curry (not as good as other curries and lamb was really fatty)
Like I said, good Thai food, good price, but nothing revolutionary. -
Review from Murphy O.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meh, I've had much better but its still pretty good.
It's still pad thai after all.
Except it costs a little more here and it doesn't quite hit the spot.Listed in: Pad Thai Time
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Review from Anthony H.
San Francisco, CA
10/7/2011 2 photos
I had lunch here today and It was very good! You get a decent amount of food for only $10.50 for the lunch special! You get to choose two items from a list of 15 different dishes. It comes with either salad or soup and rice. I got the veggie pad thai with tofu and the eggplant tofu. Both were very good. I especially liked the eggplant tofu which was very tasty!
Very random decorating with paintings of all different kinds of cultures. When my friend and I were there, they were playing a mix of top 40 music was different for a thai place but I wasn't compalining! lol
Definitely a great place for a big lunch at a decent price! =] -
Review from Lisa P.
9/17/2011
I had a nice Saturday night dinner at Chilli Cha Cha. Service was fine and they have Singha which is a nice bonus. The menu is varied but has everything you'd expect at a Thai place. My Chilli Cha Cha Tom Yum Noodle Soup tipped on the sweet side, curiously enough - Thai Place II up on Divis's version has a sharp tang to it that I missed here. The pan fried noodles had delicious pieces of duck, and they were happy to make a curry with tofu instead of meat.
I'll be back, but like others have said, this is basically just your standard neighboorhood Thai spot. And I'm glad to have it. -
Review from linda L.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011
CLOSE ENOUGH TO THAILAND'S Boat Noodle Soup! As well as LA's Boat Noodle Soup :) Only difference btw this place and LA is, you add the peppered spice according to how spicy you want it just like thailand!
WILL BE BACK :) -
Review from Luke M.
San Francisco, CA
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I used to love this place when I was in college, a little younger, and a little dumber. Found myself back here after finding Metro Cafe unexpectedly closed (okay so it was after 9 on a Sunday), and realized that cheap does not equal good.
The pad thai was just okay. Thai Palace II on Divis makes it much better, and the red curry chicken was boring, not nearly as good as Thai House Express.
Plus it's actually not any cheaper than those other options.
You can definitely walk right by and explore the other options in the neighborhood and San Francisco's better Thai restaurants. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2011
I very rarely miss working in a restaurant, but when I do, I usually miss those summers in high school when I worked nights. My boss would sometimes let me off before the restaurant closed, but when it was busy, I was there until everyone else, and that meant lots of sidework and chatting and general camaraderie. It was a completely different story when I worked days because the daytime servers were older, and they had kids and lives they wanted to go home to. They didn't want to be talking to some seventeen-year-old.
The younger servers also tipped me better, but again, that's because they were twenty and weren't paying mortgages and car payments and dental bills. Besides cleaning the toilets, everything was perfect at night. This was especially true because the restaurant didn't close that late, so even if it took you a long time to do what you were doing, it wasn't close to midnight when you got off.
I came to Chilli Cha Cha for the first time right before they closed. It's nothing like my first-job restaurant. In fact, it's very similar a million other Thai places you've been in the city. But there was a general ease about everyone when I walked in. I made sure to ask whether they were still open, and when they said they were, I think it made them feel better that I was ordering takeout. The cook whipped up my pad see ew quickly, and the two or three other people working were falling all over themselves to make sure I had utensils and a non-leaky bag.
The food itself is good. Not spectacular, but also better than I expected for the last order of the day. I'll be sure to come back, hopefully at night.Listed in: Within One Square Mile of Me
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Review from christine c.
San Francisco, CA
8/9/2011
Really good prices for crazy big portions. Free delivery $15+. Spicy pan fried noodles with chicken was delicious as was the spicy string beans with chicken and rice. Both hot, gotta do it! The string beans were a little sweet and spicy, interesting combo.
The only thing that was kind of annoying is that I had to repeat my phone number for delivery 5 times, my address two or three times, the cross streets (I live just on the other side of Divis... on a main street) etc. then I got another call because they couldn't find my place... They got my address wrong.
It was pretty speedy, though. Despite the mix ups. -
Review from Stephanie C.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been here a couple of times and have walked away happy and satisfied with the food. It's your standard, neighborhood, thai place, so no surprises!
I had the thai basil chicken over jasmine rice and that definitely hit the spot. It came with bamboo shoots, carrots, green beans, and was sweet due to the basil. The boy had chicken fried rice with an egg and we shared the chicken satay. The chicken satay was my favorite and I LOVED the peanut sauce.
Although there are better thai places in the city, this place doesn't disappoint. They also do delivery and we received our food in about 30 mins! Can't go wrong with that. -
Review from Sunil M.
San Francisco, CA
7/3/2011
I am new to hayes valley and decided to try some thai food. I was lazy hence got the food delivered. They have a $15 min on delivery.
I ordered the spicy chicken tom yum noodles and must agree that it was really good. I also had the fried tofu in peanut sauce and it felt like i was eating raw tofu. The delivery was fast 20-25 mins. In short, its worth trying the food :) -
Review from Soo Jin K.
Alameda, CA
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Do you remember that SATC episode when Big takes Carrie to that seedy Chinese restaurant after they "um-hum" for the first time? And Carrie runs into her guy friend who takes his secret gf there, because he's embarrassed to be seen with her in public. And Carrie assumes that Big takes her there too because, well he's trying to hide her too.
Well, Chili Cha Cha definitely has that kind of feel, even if, hopefully that wasn't the reason why I was taken there.
When you walk in, the kitchen is located right next to the dining area. Sort of like a diner. There a several tables, nothing out of the ordinary. But what I didn't find appealing was that the tables were sticky and not thoroughly washed off. Nothing is more unappetizing then placing your arm down only to find a bunch of crap get stuck on it! Gross!
The food however, was pretty delicious. So that made up for the lackluster ambiance. It's definitely a place you go to eat when you're starving or sh*t-faced and you want to shove food down your throat.
But as Big says, "he took Carrie there because it's his favorite Chinese restaurant." So, don't judge a book by it's cover. Just read the crap out of the introduction. -
Review from sunny o.
San Francisco, CA
6/16/2011
can someone play this for the owner and worker?
They don't know abou t this song
Chili Cha Cha which is a famous song in the 1970s in Asian
http://www.youtube.com...
sung by Jessica Jay, European Singer (2 singers used this name)
The restaurant #1 and #2 are 2 different owners -
Review from jill n.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2011
What does "close at 11" mean to you? Cuz me? It does NOT mean that when I get off work late, wander in at 9:45 and say "When do you close?" and they say "Eleven" that:
at 10:15 all the chairs start going up,
at 10:25 I have to put my empty plates on the table next to me,
at 10:30 I stop getting water and have to chug from the bottle in my bag,
at 10:35 guys are chucking drippy rubber mats next to my table,
at 10:45 a big bucket of bleach is placed in front of my table while I'm trying to enjoy some mango with sweet sticky rice.
But that's just me. -
Review from Brandon R.
San Francisco, CA
10/5/2011
It really isn't that good. I have had better food from other delivery places. The chicken satay tasted like it was previously frozen and was very very rubbery. The panaang curry was not that tasty either. Probably order from somewhere else from now on.
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Review from Ruth C.
2/22/2011
This cozy ltitle eaterie reminds me of Amelie's cafe Les Deux Moulins in Montmartre,
I'm not sure what a normal lunchtime looks at this place because we rolled in at around 2 on a Monday which also happened to be a holiday. The atmosphere of the place is welcoming and has an ease to it which fit our mutual low-key mood.
We decided on the tom kha khai soup to start - a "chicken in coconut milk soup with mushroom, onion, galanga, lemongrass and lime juice." It was tangy, but subtle/delicate, yet complexly flavorful. Highly recommended.
The pad see eu with pork (per the recommendation of the waitress) was exactly what I would look for in a pad see eu. It wasn't overly salty, but I think it could have come with more... something. Can't quite put my finger on it. Wasn't quite 5 stars. I think with the vast menu, I would try something else, but since I had felt like having noodles and love wide noodles... this satisfied the craving.
All in all quite delicious. -
Review from Cooter T.
Portola, San Francisco, CA
12/25/2010
I've had food from this place a few times. I'm not a huge fan of their pad thai but my days of ordering pad thai every time i get food from a thai place are long over.
I love this place for their pad see ew with pork and their wonton noodle soup. their green curry is okay but not great.... like a 3.25 star curry. I've had better quite honestly.
that said, back to the wonton soup:
the wontons were killer and you can get it with egg noodles for an extra dollar. the broth is good but i don't love it quite as much as i lvoe the broth over at pho clement #2. i had a few slurps of poe's tom yum soup and was very impressed with the flavor. over all this place is solid.
the service for take out orders is really good. i was across the street at walgreens buying some cold medicine for my kitten, poe, and got a call letting me know that my food was ready. i had asked that they wrap the soups really well because it was going into my messenger bag and then for a motorcycle ride and they got it. i'm happy to report i was able to get back to poe's house with a warm, dry back. i love it when people follow instructions.
Cootz OUT!
({})Listed in: I am wonton soup obsessed
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Review from A L.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2011
**I am strictly gluten-free, so my review is from the perspective of someone with this need.**
PROS: Red curry with tofu was full of veggies and, when ordered as medium spicy, had just enough kick. Service was fast on a Thursday night. Lots of vegetarian options. Inexpensive.
CONS: Portion size (curry over rice) was smaller than I would expect; I would have loved to take some leftovers home.
Overall, Chilli Cha Cha is a solid option for an inexpensive Thai dinner. -
Review from Karen T.
Ok I can officially say this is one of my top favorite Thai places in SF!
I came back yesterday and pigged out with a friend. We ordered the bbq shortribs, nom nom good! The peanut flavor curry, forgot the name but it was also tasty, you can taste all the spices and no ginger after taste, thank god! And can't go wrong with Pad See Ew! Perfect dinner :) Tempted to give them 5 stars!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/24/2010
I went here for the 2nd time today and it was as good as the first time. I wouldn't go out of my way… Read more »
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Review from Amy M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/4/2011
I dont know what happened!
I loved them dearly and then they gave me the most disgusting dish I've ever had in my life. Its the same thing i order every time but the sauce was the consistency of mucus, even as I'm typing i feel myself trying not to gag at the memory.
Why?! Why have you taken away another great place. Maybe they got a new cook? Or its changed ownership but god I will never order from there again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2010
My first experience here was typical of a me and a Thai restaurant:
Got Thai food
Had bell peppers in… Read more »
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Review from Travis S.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2010
I've been here a few times. I typically order one of the curry dishes as I love me some Thai curry.
The last time I got a red curry and chicken, along with a order of Pad Thai. Both were disappointing, and the Pad Thai was actually some of the worst we have had. Though no one on San Francisco seems to make a decent Pad Thai.
Is this dish considered the General Tso's chicken of the Thai world? ...that would explain why a city with so many good Thai restaurants fails to produce a good Pas Thai. -
Review from Anne Marie B.
Manhattan, NY
12/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I ate here after buying a christmas tree. I guess that's irrelevant to the restaurant, but I smelled of sap, it was cold out, and I had just completed some heavy lifting, so comfort food was a must.
Firecracker balls - right on. I love me some ahi tuna, deep fried goodness, and spicy mayo. And per Cathy Y.'s suggestion, we shared the soft shell crab, and yes, it's all it's cracked up to be (almost funny because hard shell crabs need to be cracked? no, too much). It was delicious, and very large! We also shared the pumpkin and lamb curry. It was good. The portions were generous, the lamb was gamey (how I like it), but it didn't really compare to the crab. -
Review from Annette M.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2010
Just finished eating my delivered Red Curry over Rice with Pumpkin added. I got MILD, which I never get (spice is a flavor!!), and it was OK. The portion was huge, but the pumpkin was falling apart it was so over cooked.
The delivery was fast and the delivery driver was polite. So was the person over phone who took my order.
Would order from here again when I'm feeling like a lazy bum and can't take the 38 down to Osha or if I'm in Lower Haight. -
Review from Vanilla C.
Los Angeles, CA
10/31/2010
Service: 2 stars
Food: 3 Stars
Casual Atmosphere: 3 stars
I have been to this place about 4 times. I have not had the urge to go back since I did not care for the service and those mini-paper napkins.
I have been here twice for lunch and twice for dinner. The last time I was there there were two guys cussing and arguing and the staff just let them go on and on. I finally stepped up and asked them to be quiet and stop fighting (verbally) in the restaurant. Then the staff finally got in involved.
Ok, Back to the food: I've had the Lunch Combo Plate @ $9.95 Twice. The plate comes with steamed jasmine rice & 2 lunch choices. I have had their Chicken satay, Beef with broccoli, thai B.B.Q Chicken, and Fried chicken. All were good, I did not have any issues with them.
Below are the 15 lunch options (pick two).
1. Veggie spring rolls
2. Thai fish cakes
3. Chicken satay
4. Spicy chicken with basil
5. Chicken pad thai
6. Fried garlic & pepper ( chicken,pork or beef )
7. Spicy eggplant ( chicken, pork or beef )
8. Spicy string bean ( chicken, pork or beef )
9. Tofu vegetable combination
10. Beef with broccoli
11. Cashew chicken
12. Curry Red,Green,Yellow.Panang (chicken, pork or beef)
13. Broccoli with roasted side pork
14. Fried chicken
15. Thai B.B.Q Chicken
If you are a Vegetarian they have items upon request, however, I am not sure if the sauces and oils are meat free. So, you might be getting a vegi dish that has been in a pot or holding vessel that might have had meat in it prior. So, I am not sure about their quality control.
This is not a destination restaurant, but if you are into a casual setting and want a quick bite, then check it out. Take the bus to get there. There is limited street parking and you might drive around and around for a while before something opens up. -
Review from Elly G.
San Francisco, CA
6/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
One thing that you have to remember to order when you first get here....FIRECRACKER BALLS!
I love everything on their menu. You can also ask for extra spice if you'd like which is always my case.
The people are nice and friendly, the place modern and clean. -
Review from Cathy Y.
9/27/2010 9 Check-ins Here
$12 soft shell crab chef special = magic. Crunch from the water chestnuts and crab, dense curry flavor oozing from sauce and soaked eggs, and carrots and sprouts for freshness. It was the best thai dinner I've had, and then a very delicious lunch the next day as well. Service was friendly and prompt, never letting our water glasses run down.
We wanted to sit at the cute cafe table + stools at the window, but it was way too hot sitting that close to the grill/stove area. That was kind of strange, but they had good ventilation in the rear dining area so heat wasn't a problem there.
I was also impressed with the presentation of our food. I was expecting a dirty/greasy thai joint, judging from the text-full awning and various neon signs on the storefront. However, inside it was quite clean and well-appointed, with food served on white ceramic with modern lines. Just goes to show, you can't judge a restaurant from the outside! -
Review from Veronica T.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2011
I have been here twice now. Both times for take out.
My roommate have an obession with their soup. #25 its a coconut chicken soup. I recommend getting it medium spicy.
This is definately the best thai food in the Haight.
Since I have only used them for take out I can only be objective about the food, which on the grand scale of good thai food I would give it a 3.
As far as take out thai food goes it deserves a 5, it is incredibly difficult to find quality take out thai. (reasonably quick, still steaming hot & pretty delicious)
The first time we got the pad thai- #45 it wasn't the best, the second time it was much much better. 3.5 stars
Last night we ordered some fried shrimp thing #70 the shrimp was cooked perfectly. Very garlicy though.. but we like garlic :)
Honestly... the soup... you wouldn't have to force feed me if that was the only dish I was restricted to eat for the rest of my life. -
Review from ani l.
San Francisco, CA
4/28/2010
My vegetable noodles with tofu tasted like BEEF! i don't know if they used beef broth or just cooked it in the same pan, but it was gross. if i liked the taste of beef it might be a glorious accident that i could turn my vegetarian head on. but no. they also didn't have many veggie options- isn't this san francisco? my friend who got the chicken yellow curry said it was meh.
i live down the street from here and was always curious about this place. at least i know to never go again, and i would not recommend this place to anyone. i'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 because the workers were nice and i didn't vomit.
disclaimer: i've never been to Thailand, but i would assume they use fresher looking ingredients than this place. -
Review from Emily T.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2010
My programmer friend had awoken from an evening of listless slumber at 2 p.m. and myself, bedraggled and burned out from spending a fair weathered Sunday on a research bench.
We were starving, famished, and begging for sustenance.
Cue Chilli Cha Cha - perfectly located two blocks away from these overworked scientists. Being a frequent patron my companion suggested the lunch special - two dishes, rice, and soup/salad for 10 bucks. Sure, whatever, sounds good; at this point the corner street gutter water was starting to look tasty. I ordered the red curry chicken and string beans with chicken.
Well, they were certainly generous with the chicken. Nice big chunks of breast meat simmering in your typical Thai curry sauce. Check plus. The "salad" consisted of a bed of iceberg lettuce doused in peanut sauce (blech) and my friend's coconut soup had bits of wilted iceberg drifting in broth. Check minus.
Okay, so it was you typical, generic Thai food but you know what? I didn't give it a shit. It was 2:30 and the most I had to eat was a bowl of oatmeal. Call me easy, but I would pay 10 bucks for instant gratification any day. -
Review from Mark C.
Oakland, CA
1/31/2011
I have been a fan of Chilli Cha Cha for years and continue to be. I live in Oakland now, but I still get take out or eat in whenever I come to the city.
Their curries are THE best. Yellow, Panang, and Red are all kick ass. The duck and the green, eh, not so much. But I don't like green curry anywhere, so probably isn't them.
A really fun game to play for the old timers is to see what kind of china and glassware they use. Every month it's different. Some months, it's old school plates. The next month, you get platters. The next month, it's a new combination with side plates that you don't need.
Yes, some dishes might be better than others. But overall, my favorite Thai food in the city hands down for portion, flavor, and simplicity. -
Review from Archie R.
10/29/2009
As a kid, I was a great "situational learner."
For example...
My Dad handed me a 1/2 empty Coors tallboy and said "DO NOT DRINK THIS!! THROW IT AWAY!!"
Of course, when I rounded the corner and got out of his sight, I pounded it.
I quickly learned that his concern wasn't to keep his only son from being yet another 8 year old Russian alcoholic.
His concern was with me ingesting the 3 discarded cigarette butts he placed in said Coors can.
Lesson learned.
It was a good 7 or 8 years before I could even look at a large can of beer.
So why the hell do I still find it impossible to learn that fire IN equals fire OUT when eating hot and spicy foods?
I suppose that besides being a glutton for food, I am a glutton for punishment as well.
In fact, I will try again to learn the lesson tonight on my way home by stopping at Chilli Cha Cha.
Hydrant. -
Review from Pauline L.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2011
Great thai food! It's quick and the food is delicious. Get the Thai Boat Noodles! YUM! Or if you like spicy, their Chilli Cha Cha Noodles Tom Yum is yummy too. Oh, and they deliver! Awesome lunch combos for $10.50.
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Review from T N.
Sausalito, CA
10/15/2007
It's your run-of-the-mill, non-transcendental http://delivery.com Thai food. Which, for me, is generally not a bad thing...fast, hot pad thai and chicken curry make me a happy girl, even if they're not the best in the city.
In the delivery/food continuum, however, one must consider not only quality of food but the delivery time. I was hungry like the wolf at the time of placing the order, one hour and endless Seinfeld promos for his stupid bee movie later, I was in a my own private hell. I called Chilli Cha Cha to find out what's the deal (a little Seinfeld humor), and the woman told me that our delivery guy left a half hour prior and should be at our place at any moment. Another half hour passes by and D gives them a call. She offered to have food delivered to our place in fifteen minutes, so our order must have gotten lost, or never left, or whatever (despite the fact that she called immediately after we placed the order to see if we wanted rice). So we canceled the order and scrounged through our crappy fridge, gnashing our teeth all the while.
To sum up, decent delivery Thai food, but not worth waiting an hour and a half for. -
Review from Eric M.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2007
I've taken out and eaten in here, and each time I feel like the place is having some sort of an identity crisis. It is a Thai place called Chili Cha Cha...which sounds a whole lot like a Mexican place, not a Thai place. Add to the fact that there is a painting of a matador and other non-Thai (and more Hispanic) imagery and I get the distinct feeling that this place used to be Mexican place and the budget for the new place just couldn't cover the cost of new decorations or a new name. Maybe they should open a sister place, Yang Ping's Nine Happiness House of Artichoke Mexican Dim Sum. I'd go.
Anyhow, the food is cheap, the servings are generous, and the takeout is good. Menu is not super huge, which is nice because it doesn't overwhelm you with options. Ingredients taste fresh and none of the dishes are overly heavy, not even the curries (mmm, curry). Most entrees are between $7 and $10, appetizers about half that. One per person is more than enough, you'll have leftovers for another meal!! Best recommendation I have is to get four people together and to order three entrees and an appetizer. -
Review from Oliver N.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2008
Chilli Cha Cha is my go-to thai restaurant in the Lower Haight. I've been eating here with fluctuating degrees of regularity for the past 2 years and I still highly recommend it. They deliver and they make good food.
I will just list some favorites: The firecracker balls, the tom kha gai, the crab fried rice, the tom kha gai poured /over/ the crab fried rice, and the pineapple fried rice.
If you live here, you know it. -
Review from Steve K.
CA
1/1/2008
I've only tried the som tum (green papaya salad) here, and it's decidedly underwhelming. The quantity is ok, but both times I've tried it here, the green papaya was kind of limp, lacking the crunchiness that I have enjoyed at numerous other Thai places.
Combined with their relatively low 80 health inspection scorecard, there aren't many compelling reasons to branch out on the menu. Thep Phanom is also decidedly average (and grossly overrated), so I will limit my Lower Haight consumption to delicious beverages. -
Review from Viv C.
San Francisco, CA
2/18/2007
I can't have it all. If only Berkeley's Thai Noodle was in my neighborhood instead of this overpriced for what it is Thai place, then I would never leave the two block radius of my apartment. So I guess I should be thankful this place isn't Thai Noodle, but instead a place that wishes it was as good. The Thai food here is only okay and I'd rather eat here than extremely overpriced Thep Phanom but that doesn't say much.
My overall feeling of this place? If I'm really craving Thai food and I'm too lazy to leave my hood, I'll begrudgingly go here. Otherwise, eh.
(PS And as Ed M pointed out, this is NOT located in Hayes Valley. Chili Cha Cha's address is on frickin' Haight St. Hello...Lower Haight!)Listed in: Thai is the New Chinese
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Review from NaN K.
San Francisco, CA
10/4/2005
I beg to differ with most of the reviews on this page...HATERs! Try something besides Pad Thai for once ya followers! For the portion size the prices are excellent. Obviously none of the people who have written reviews on Chilli Cha Cha quite understand what a gem this place is...not gem in the sense of ambience but that they serve up true homestyle cookin' without pretense AND they have kool local art on the walls which sets it apart from the gang of "Experience Thailand" posters found in most of the city's Thai joints.
Chilli, Chile, Hot Pepper and Sriracha addicts will find salvation at Chilli Cha Cha...They stock jars of fresh chile sauces, dried chile flake, and their own homemade fresh-pickled jalapenos(stop me before I nut on myself) that can be whisked to your table at a moments notice when the crave strikes. If you're down they will slice whole jalapenos and cook 'em up in your dish if you just say "Please". Clearly most of the reviewers on this page are not about the heat...they have missed what this place is all about...Delicious home cookin' with that burn that true lovers desire. C'mon it's called *Chilli* Cha Cha for a reason people!
If you're more adventurous than the majority then I would suggest the Thai Fish Cakes appetizer, the Thai Fried Egg, the Yum Woo Sen Salad, the Crab Fried Rice ( a heaping plate that one person would have trouble finishing) made with REAL crabmeat, and the Chilli Cha Cha Spicy Pan Fried noodle with tender BBQ duck and loads of fresh veggies...and don't forget your CHILE...Excellent! -
Review from Zac H.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2009
I used to eat here daily. When I am in the hood I always pop in and wave hello. I have fond memories. It used to be kind of dumpy and good. Then they remodeled and now its fancy and good. I think that's why there are only pics of the bathroom. Seriously, the bathroom was creepy, and now its all special.
Spicy Tuna Roll? Who knew thai food could include a deep fried sushi staple? Who knew it was awesome? Me. I'm telling you this now. Coconut soup. yes. Spicy noodles? Of course.
I lurve this place. The staff is nice, the beer is cold, the food is hot. Try the Spicy Pan Fried Noodle. -
Review from George A.
4/11/2010
3 1/2 stars really, and normally I mark up, but i don't know, giving this place four stars seems like a bit much. This review is only based on one experience though, and I would go back, so there's room to improve :)
I got takeout from here, but when I went to pick it up the restaurant itself looked cute and a good spot to grab Thai when in the Lower Haight. I liked the open kitchen and even though I didn't have that much interaction with the people working there they did seem nice.
I decided to get the Panang curry (I've been having an affair with Panang curry the last few months...don't tell red or green curry ;0). It was very good. Normally with Thai, I like my curry spicy but when I asked the woman over the phone if spicy meant REAL spicy, she said yes and recommended medium. It had a good kick. I think I could have handled the spicy spicy, but the medium still had good flavor.
The prices are fair (I can't remember exactly what I paid, but it was about $10 with tax), but I honestly think the portions were a bit on the smaller side. I get a lot of takeout, and when I get curry they usually give a bigger container at most other places. I didn't have any leftovers.
All in all though this is a solid place for Thai (well, for curry anyway) and I would definitely go back. -
Review from BOSHIKA T.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2009
Went here two days ago, did a take out, ordered vegetarian spring roll ($7.95), spicy thai style noodles w/tofu ($8.95) and clay pot seafood($9.95) and a side of rice(which I think was $2.00).
So, why am I upset, here is why
1) vegetarian spring roll: give you four small greasy rolls that I can get probably at 1/2 the price at any Asian resturant
2) spicy Thai flat noodles w/ tofu: nothing spicy about it, inspite the fact that I told the lady to make it EXTRA spicy. Absolutely bland and NO tofu in there either.
3) clay pot seafood: When I opened the box, guess what I found a mesh of brownish rice noodles with chicken and some prawns :-(.
What part of clay pot did you not get?.
I do not mind paying more for my food, just that if I pay more I expect more...Anything wrong with that Folks?.
