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Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
"Awesome spot. As other yelpers have mentioned, the service is very friendly and the menu is extensive. I first came for breakfast, and loved…" read more »
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If it weren't for Yelp, I wouldn't have stumbled onto Good Luck on my own, that's for sure. But my confidence in this place was bolstered by all of the 4 and 5 star reviews.
The service is here is extremely friendly and if you need help figuring out what to order, they're very patient in offering up suggestions. I ended up with a jam-packed roast beef sandwich on dutch crunch. It was a monster of a 'wich, but I was famished that day, so I didn't have too much difficulty polishing it off. The bread is so fresh and soft, and the ingredients all seemed fresh.
I've directed a couple coworkers to Good Luck...and they were stoked to have another alternative to the Specialty's downstairs from us.
450 feet as the crow flies;
.3 miles as the vehicle drives; or
520 steps as the Chris D. walks.
That is the distance between me and lunch time happiness Monday through Friday.
High quality and low priced sandwiches made by someone who obviously gives a damn. I will gladly walk past the Quizno's and Subway(s) to plunk down my hard earned cash for this fantastically ran independently owned business...as should most people when making even minor daily shopping decisions. But I digress...this is an amazing deli with good sides and quality offerings.
Couple tidbits: (1) vegetarians might have a harder time than normal here as the selection looked relatively limited for you poor saps; and (2) CASH ONLY.
If you work around here you should go. Become a regular. These people run this place right and should realize success beyond their wildest imaginations.
Go get yourself some Good Luck.
Day 2 of my budget tour landed me here for lunch today. The roast beef sandwich on Dutch bread with cheese and extra meet, bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon and drink came out to $13. Super cheap!
The roast beef sandwich was juicy and flavorful. So not like the bland varieties you get at other delis and supermarkets. Also, the owners were incredibly generous with the extra meat option--for an additional $1.75, you get a combined total of 1.5" of roast beef. So worth it. The Dutch bread topped the sandwich off--it's was crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Yum.
I really enjoyed the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon because the lady used just the right amount of cream cheese to moisten the bagel but not overpower the smoked salmon. Also, the red onions were cut in 1" long strands and sprinkled evenly throughout. All in all, each bite was easy and delicious.
So 4 stars for the food and an extra star for the friendly owners who actually cared enough about their sandwiches to ask us how we liked them. I'd definitely recommend eating in because they really spend their time babying the sandwiches and serving them hot and toasty!
Besides actually having to work on a Sunday, one of the biggest bummers of working downtown on the weekends was the shortage of open food places to go have lunch at a cheap price. Lo and behold, Good Luck Cafe has come to my rescue.
This place is a really nice mom and pop shop on the edge of Chinatown and their sandwiches really can't disappoint. For $4.65 you can get an awesome chicken breast sandwich on dutch crunch. You can never go wrong with that. Also, unlike other places like bread and cocoa, for that price the sandwich is actually at a good size where it's not too small and not too big where after you eat it, you feel guilty. If you're ever around the area and don't know what to eat for lunch, stop by here.
So today I was with my bf at his place in chinatown and he asked me to get us a good luck sandwich's but I was skeptical because first I didn't think they'd be open on sunday so I didn't wanna walk over for no reason and second cause subways right around the corner and I didn't think they'd be better then my fav spicy italian sub at subways BUT boy was i wrong, they were open so I walked in there were a few other customer sitting in eating. I ordered a pastrami on dutch crunch to-go with everything except olives and onions. Ate it back at my bf's place together and LET ME TELL YOU.. it was the absolute BEST sandwich ever. meat was tender and juicy, break wash toasted just right a lil crunchy outside and soft inside and the sandwich itself wasn't too cold or too hot was just right. I've gotta say GL tops subways=] Guess i found myself a new fav sandwich shop!!wooohoooooooooo (=
The sandwiches here are AMAZING!! and the price is cost effective. $4.20 for a 6" sandwich. With that price, you could grab a bag of chips and a drink to complete your lunch. The chicken salad on dutch crunch bread. mmmmmm..... served nice and toasty. -Epic-
GL could replace Subway :) For a small shop the service is tops and they're friendly. You can sit and eat your sandwich or have it to-go. Nice location too, between Financial district and Chinatown.
Four well deserved stars their sandwiches. You get to pick from an impressive selection of breads (including the highly sought after wheat roll), and for about $5, the friendly asian folks running the place will pack it with your choice of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and condiments. It was absolutely delicious.
Fifth star for their confident service. As I was reviewing the menu, the gentleman working the counter asked, almost incredulously, had I not eaten here before? I had not, but I won't be making that mistake again.
So I'm in Chinatown looking for some good Chinese food and where do I end up (by accident)??? At a mom and pop sandwich shop.
The Good Luck Cafe and Deli is a little hole in the wall near some of the financial buildings, and I must admit, I was not expecting much going in (the strong reviews on Yelp were the only thing that stopped me from walking out once I saw the place).
I ordered a roast beef sandwich on Dutch crunch bread. No BS, this sandwich ranks strongly on my Top 10 All-time Sandwich list. Oh yeah, the price was very nice as well: how does $4.50 sound to you?
This is one of my top fav sandwich shop! It's cheap, delicious, and comes in a good portion size! One sandwich was like 4.75 or something like that. The first time I went, I ordered the roasted turkey on dutch crunch (crunchy bread) with bacon. It was stacked pretty high so it'll fill you right up. You have to ask them to add the bacon. After the first half, I was so full already, but it was so good I continued with the whole thing anyway. Haha.
This mom and pop shop is so cute, the man taking our orders was so nice, friendly, and efficient. I'm going to be buying more sandwiches here in the future. Maybe I'll try out the whole menu! Wayy better than the Subway sandwiches down the block.
Excellent atmosphere and I just can't resist going back for another round of Avacado sandwich on a Dutch Crunch Roll! Great service and had a great time!
Best Dutch Crunch bread I've tasted. I'm not much of a bread eater but I make an exception at Good Luck. It's also known as Tiger Bread, originally from the Netherlands. Supposedly it's rarely found outside of the Bay Area (kudos Wikipedia!).
All the glowing reviews peaked my interest in trying this place. The chicken salad sandwich, as many have said before me, is fantastic! They also offer breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs, and a variety of other sandwiches, including eel!
My friend who is always searching for new (non-alcoholic) beverages would love this place. They have a rainbow assortment and even carry the latest A&W Rootbeer Float drink + Orange Float drink in bottles. They also have an ice box full of ice cream (the strawberry shortcake one intrigues me).
If you need to prep for a close encounter or getaway, they sell Binaca breath spray, travel pack Q-tips, legal pain meds, floss, razors, Cup-O-Noodles, and snacks galore. This is definitely a place to go to stock up on luck of the good kind.
Service is friendly, the sandwiches are good with ample stuffings and good choice of breads (even whole wheat roll) and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely a good place for lunch in this area
I have only had the dutch crunch chicken because it is SO good I can never get enough of it and never order anything else. This is the best cheap sandwich around--bar none !! and is big enough that I can't finish it.
The service is fast and friendly, and the tables and so on are clean.
When I compare the taste and value here to the places I have tried in the 'hood, this place clearly wins! If these foks can do this for 5 bucks AND have a storefront WHY can't the roach coaches do the same? I mean after all, last time I checked, chicken was more expensive than beans and rice...). I have been to $$$$ restaurants that don't make me this happy --woot!
This yelp is dedicated to S & M.
(No, not THAT kind of S & M. Sheesh!) The bromance S & M. S is a self described food geek who has meticulously yelped many restaurants like the French Laundry and Gary Danko. Not to be outgeeked, "frugal" M loves cooking and spends a disproportionate amount of his time sous-viding things. They spend their days in their adjoining cubicles gossiping about elBulli and cyberstalking their mancrush Grant Achatz via twitter. (Oh and occasionally working.)
So when S & M jointly recommend a place to me I pay attention.* Re: Good Luck Cafe they said:
S: "This place is the real deal."
M: "It's LEGIT."
S: "Forget Quiznos!"
M: "The sandwiches are only $4.25 and they're HUGE!"
S: "The Asian couple that run it are sooo cute!"
M: "They have chips! And tons of drinks! And RAMEN!"
So I went and it was as they said, inexpensive well-made good-sized sandwiches like the Chicken on toasted Dutch Crunch bread with all the fixin's that I ordered. Made by the cutest Asian couple ever, recommended by the food geekiest couple ever. ;)
Thanks S & M!
*Unless they are talking about Tu Lan.
i love this place.
don't get me wrong, the sandwiches that they make at Good Luck aren't mindblowing (you could easily make most of them at home), but there are numerous positives:
- its a mom and pop shop, and they're ALWAYS nice
- it looks like Mrs. Good Luck Cafe always makes the sandwiches, and she always PACKS the sandwiches with the ingredients you ask for
- guaranteed UNDER $10 for sandwich, chips, and drink
working in the FiDi, this is a never-miss lunch spot when i'm in the mood for an inexpensive, friendly deli-sandwich.
Our breakfast bagels were tasteless and grody. The service was very friendly. I'm thinking this is a better choice for lunch.
Another one of my favorite Mom and Pop shop. When I was working around that area, we (other co-workers) usually get our lunch from this sandwich place. It's very filling, and the price is great. The lady who makes the sandwiches is very friendly. I love supporting this small joint!
Best to call in and place your order. Then wait 10-15 minutes and go get your pickup.
Finding a GOOD sandwich downtown for under $5 is hard to do. Sandwiches here are good and generous on the meats. The old asian couple working there are nice too.
I love this Chinese deli shop. Their sandwiches are humongous and it's VERY cheap. They always pack their sandwiches full of whatever you order. Chicken salad on Dutch Crunch is my favorite. I never have to worry about my bread getting soggy, even with all the healthy portion of chicken salad they heap onto the bread. I used to get lunch here when I worked nearby and now I visit here whenever I'm home from school.
Ate here with a co-worker who read good things on Yelp. We were curious about the tasty sandwiches that only cost about $4. And I have to say, we were very impressed! The restaurant is small, with a few seats inside, but offers a large selection of sandwiches. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich on dutch crunch, and was very impressed when the sandwich came toasted, but with the cold fillings still cold, and only what was necessary warm. Soo delicious. Also, I thought the sandwich looked small at first, but after I ate half, I was already getting full!
I brought my leftovers with me, and had stopped by my boyfriend's place before going home. You can imagine my sadness and disappointment when I forgot my sandwich in his fridge! (And you can imagine his disappointment when someone else in the house ate it!) ~_~
So I am definitely looking forward to visiting Good Luck Cafe & Deli again and buying another chicken salad sandwich!
Edit 8/17:
I've eaten here at least twice more. The chicken salad on dutch crunch is most likely going to become my "usual", but I've also tried their chicken breast sandwich with avocado and it is just as tasty. The restaurant is run by a married couple; the husband takes the order, and the wife makes the sandwiches. Considering that there are only two of them running the place, and that it can get fairly busy at lunch, the sandwiches come out quickly and are always more than satisfying. Definitely one of my favorite sandwich shops (ever), and I'm happy to continue supporting this local business.
This place is a hidden gem.
Great, tasty, filling and fresh sandwiches.
The chicken salad on dutch crunch is very good.
All for under 5 bucks. That's a deal!
Oh and it's cash only.
Really delicious sandwiches. The price is pretty cheap also. Since Subway is only half a block away, I recommend getting a sandwich here instead. Also, the people working here are pretty nice.
Great portions, great food, and great prices.
I've been getting really lucky so far in SF with sandwich shops and this doesn't disappoint. With generous and happy owners, paying $5 a sandwich, including condiments, and lots of substance, is totally worth the cost. I'd recommend the roast beef with cheddar on Dutch Crunch and everything on it besides mayo --you can barely beat that sandwich.
"If the earth were a sandwich,
We'd get along so well.
And we could feed everybody
With a piece of ourselves.
As I lay this bread on the ground,
I know my job ain't done.
But, if the earth were a sandwich,
We would all be one..."
-- Ze Frank
Oh come now, you kinda have to titter that this modest little sammie shop is currently rated the second best restaurant in San Francisco on Yelp. It's rated better than Gary Frickin' Danko...that must put a bee in his pleated chef's hat. But the devoted following for Good Luck is not without merit for indeed I tried the Chicken Salad on Dutch Crunch and was impressed.
It's on the Kearny edge of Chinatown, and it looks like it's run by a very friendly couple. The husband takes the order, and the wife makes the sandwiches. Sandwiches run about $4 to $4.50 (despite what it may say online). The bread was perfectly toasted and all the ingredients were immaculately piled in between (see my photo). I still think Ike's is a bit better and more creative and even Morty's in the 'Loin has more volume. But Good Luck deserves its place on the pantheon of San Francisco's premiere sammie makers.
SAMMIES - 4 stars...a fine sandwich...I'll try more
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...it's a sammie shop...that's all
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...made with tender loving care...but expect a wait if you are there during the height of the lunch hour
TOTAL - 4 stars...if I were a sandwich...I'd get along so well...
I love the sandwiches here! Cheap and yummy and perfectly toasted!
I have to admit, Good Luck Cafe is one of THE best place to go to for toasted sandwiches. Each sandwich is made to proportion. If you want everything on it, it is stacked with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and a good amount of mayo. I personally like the Salami sandwich on Dutch Crunch with Avocado added. The pictures you see outside the windows is what you'll get. They are not stingy on putting the stuff in your sandwich. :)
Also, they have a wide variety of beverages to choose from to pair with your sandwich. Enjoy!
I don't know where else near the Financial District that I can get a smoked salmon sandwich for under $5, let alone a sandwich in general for under $5 that actually has a good amount of meat inside. The bread comes heated too.
JONASAPPROVED!
love this place. I used to come here, at least, once a week for about 6 years (before I moved from SF). I always got the same thing, and the proprietors eventually knew what I wanted without me having to say it (although they still wrote it down on a post-it?!) well, I was back in town - about 10 months after leaving, and they remembered my sandwich!! Of course I'll keep getting that sandwich - how could I ever try anything else.
I came here for lunch since I was in the neighborhood and saw the rave reviews on yelp. I had a turkey + avocado sandwich, and it was great.
There isn't much seating and it kind of has a "eat and go" feel to it. I would say its more Deli than Cafe (Not a great place to lounge around sipping coffees).
One day at work, my co-workers and I were starving!.. we weren't really craving dim sum, spare-rib over rice, or Vietnamese sandwiches... but we were craving... good ol regular hoagies, submarines... we couldn't think of a place to go, but my co-worker mentioned that there is an awesome sandwich place in Chinatown.... i ordered the Roast beef with dutch crunch with all the fixins..DAMN that sandwich was good... the best part of the sandwich was that it was TOASTED!
FOR THEM TOASTING THE SANDWICHES THEY GET THAT EXTRA STAR FOR A TOTAL OF 5 STARS!
Try this place out... these sandwiches were just as good as the little luccas... but probably the same quality as submarine center or maybe a bit better, but at the half the price of submarine center.
I was never really fond of sandwiches--your choice of filling between two slices of bread. It all sounds too simple for a meal. And not very satisfying.
But finds like Petite Deli and Ike's have given sandwiches a whole new meaning; they've become more appealing as a staple for lunch or dinner. The friendly service and preparation that goes along with it is just icing on the cake.
Add Good Luck to the growing list of all around top-notch sandwich joints. The dutch crunch lives up to its name, and could nearly chip a tooth. Their selection of chips are varied, certainly more than I expected from a tattered looking deli to carry. The owners are cordial and efficient behind the counter. But the real kicker are the prices: a large avocado sandwich and small bag of pretzels set me back a whopping $5.
So good for the price, this place never fails to leave me satisfied. I weep for those who walk by to patronize the Subway on the corner; they have no idea what they're missing.
MMMMMMM.... tasty. Thanks for pointing me to this delightful little spot yelpers!
I had roast beef with cheddar on a sour dough roll. Warm, toasty, piles of meet, jalapenos, deliciousness.
Thank you Yelp for helping me find this little gem near my office. Seriously... their chicken breast sandwich warmed on Dutch crunch is the best in the area--and only $5.45!
They have every drink, chip, snack under the sun in there too.
The owners are so nice.
Beats the TERRIBLE service I got at the Subway on Bush.
Yay for a true mom & pop shop!
Nothing but love for this place.
Owners = magnificent, nice and genuine
Sandwiches = good and hearty (super generous portions).
Good Luck Deli = 5+ stars!!!!!
Sidenote edit: They have alfalfa sprouts!! My fav: toasted bagel with alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, avocado, and a little bit of cream cheese! Yummm!
$4.50 roast beef sandwich
$2.50 morning special breakfast bagels (varies); $2.95 in the afternoon
$1.00 add-ons -- bacon, avocado, cheese, etc.
I coudn't leave SF without trying their sandwiches. It was my last day in the city, and I was to have dinner in two hours at Osha with friends. But yet, I insisted on trekking to this place for a taste of what everyones been talking about.
I ordered the roast beef on dutch crunch. It was fantastic! Ingrediants were fresh and the bread was delicious. It's not a Lucca sandwich, but it could be if Lucca didn't exist!
Okay, stumbled onto the reviews for this place a couple of weeks ago and waited for an opportunity to check this place out. My wife works down in the FiDi two blocks from here and I went to pick her up yesterday.
"Hey, I know of this sandwich place you gotta try near your work." After picking her up, we ended up picking up three (3) sandwiches (2 for us to eat after it was made then and one more for lunch today, for me =)!
I ordered the smoked salmon on dutch crunch (ohh -- 2 die 4!!!) with enough crunchiness from the bread in each bite. This was a really, really good sandwich! You're able to taste the freshly sliced tomatoes and leafy lettuce with the right amount of mayo/mustard and onions in each bite. The smokiness of the salmon is not overpowering but comes through just enough and they were generous w/their portions -- YUM!
My wife had the ham and avocado on sourdough bread w/the fixings. She said "it was good." And I finally finished my lunch order earlier: Pastrami with provolone cheese on sourdough! As fantastic as the sandwich was earlier I'm sure it was way better right after it was made yesterday. All of the sandwiches left the store still warm in the brown paper bag and were approximately $4.75 each.
We mentioned to the nice lady in Chinese what a success they were and what positive things people were saying about their shop on the internet. She said, really? She realized that business had picked up quite a bit and during lunch time can be SO busy, she said. She also mentioned that someone offered them to put "an internet sticker" (Yelp?!?:) on their window. She said: "no, no, no" because she "didn't understand that internet stuff" and was scared she couldn't answer the questions if asked about it. Pretty funny stuff.
I will most Def be back for the smoked salmon Fo Sho!
You know this is an authentic Chinese business when they take cash only!
Okay, okay -call me a 'germ-phobe' but I just had a not so tasteful experience at this joint recently.
This is my third venture here and each time I have been, Mister behind the counter goes to help Misses with the food when there is a lull with incoming traffic. Upon a transaction and handing over some change I noticed he went to put a bagel in the toaster without washing his hands. I don't like this. Do you?
What I do like is their multi-grain, toasted veggie sandwiches for under $5, so I returned. After today -I think that will be very unlikely.
During my recent & last visit, I noticed Mister going back and chopping up some veggies for a salad. I leaned in and very quietly asked if he washes his hands as to not make a scene in front of everyone else. Well, Misses did NOT like this and started speaking in a rather LOUD tone that only she makes my sandwiches and they do wash their hands...they DO wash their hands....they DO wash their hands.
Great -thanks for bringing attention to yourselves.
The fact of the matter is, I have seen him NOT wash his hands.
For those of you that don't mind the transfer of filth from money to your food -this does not apply to you. All others, keep your eyes peeled and don't say anything unless you want to get a very defensive, reactionary tone thrown your way.
Even if this is not a daily routine for Mister and Misses ... their attitude was enough for me to part ways.
I will walk my lazy butt 3 more blocks from work - pass the quizno's, pass the subway, pass the lee's, and all the other deli places just to get a yummy sandwich from Good Luck Cafe. I was introduced to this sandwich joint from my good friend Mike who works near by, "ohhh lisa, you gotta try this hot link sandwich." *drools* So one day, we walked over and it was even better than Mike's hype. They offer a large variety of sandwiches, beverages, and chips. The veggies in the sandwich are fresh, the bread is toasted, and the sandwich doesn't overpower you with condiments. It's yummy! Also, the owner's of the restaurant are super friendly which made my overall experience even better. I love Good Luck Cafe! (funny name though)
Recommendations:
Hot Link Sandwich on sourdough
Tuna Sandwich on sourdough
I have been a devoted customer of Good Luck Cafe for a year or two now. I only discovered it two years ago and have been considering it my favorite sandwich shop. Even though there's a Subway right around the corner, it is 110x recommended to eat at Good Luck Cafe instead. The sandwiches they offer are always delicious and fresh, and the price can't be beat! The owners are the nicest people you'll ever meet, and I have never seen them without a smile on their face. In fact, I think I'll be going there for lunch today since it's near my work place.
Boo. It's not really near my work place but I really want to go back. I miss them!! I mean, I miss the sandwiches... =]
I am a picky eater. I am one of those "people" that recreates an item to my liking. It is usually easier for me to tell people what to put on it, instead off what to take off it. No onions,no mayonnaise, no meat, no pickles, no cilantro and so on. Point being, it is freaking headache eating out. Especially in the financial where I work. The food tastes like shit and costs twice as much in these parts.
After researching yelp (that is what I do instead of work), I found out about Good Luck Market. This place was actually pretty easy to find and like the reviews said the sandwiches were great. I ordered an avocado tomato sandwich there was enough for lunch and dinner. Best part...all sandwiches are 4 bucks. Smile.
I loved this sandwich. The sandwich lady hooked it up and I was beaming ear to ear. I love a good sandwich. Didn't even need to pick anything out of it. They actually made it like I requested. Shocking.
I found a new sandwich shop, so...Fuck you Subway.. Seriously, I saw someone order avocado on their sandwich there the other day and it looked like green diarrhea. Kind of like their meatball sandwich. No thanks
Kangen water now available!
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