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Irving Cafe and Deli Too
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
4845 Mission St(between France Ave & Onondaga Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94112
Neighborhood: Excelsior
(415) 586-1683
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
114 reviews for Irving Cafe and Deli Too
Review Highlights
"...the oh-so-yummy banh mi sandwich store on Irving and 23rd..."
(in 25 reviews)
"Our whole office goes here at least once a week."
(in 6 reviews)
"I suggest the mambo #5 - Fancy pork with pate."
(in 4 reviews)
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114 reviews in English
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Review from Nizaria D.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
Decor: spartan, flourescent
Prices: cheap
Flavor: AMAZEBALLS
Ran in here during last night's rain/windstorms soaking wet and hungry as f*&k. I had long passed Starvation Station and was approaching critical Starvation Rhythm Nation status. Food did NOT disappoint. I had the cha gio (crispy as hell outside, all steamy goodness inside), curry beef noodle soup, [imagine your favorite pho has just flown back from vacation in Malaysia, first class on Singapore Airlines, and brought some pan-Asian flavor with it] plus an awesome wide rice noodle plate with 'fancy pork' and shrimp cake. Polished it off with a Vietnamese iced coffee and combination banh mi to go. All delicious, all perfectly spiced, all satisfying!!!! I couldn't wait to come back so today I stopped in for some take-out pho bo, which also did NOT disappoint. I just snarfed it down for dinner in preparation for tonight's deluge. Because nothing buffers shitty weather better than pho.
My advice is not to expect too much ambience-wise from this place -- it's a hole in the wall which focuses simply on food, not dining experience. That being said, the owner guy is adorably perky and kind, and was super enthusiastically appreciative of me visiting twice in less that 24 hours. -
Review from Erica L.
Daly City, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the closest place to me with good vietnamese sandwiches. They use a different kind of bread than most places. The bread is so crunch, I love it!
Vietnamese Iced coffee... O M G... its soo STRONG! it will definitely wake u up.
Haven't tried their other items yet, I always just want their sandwiches. -
Review from Todd K.
San Francisco, CA
11/13/2011
I hate to give this place only 2 stars, but I can't give it three.
I live in the area and *love* supporting local businesses, so when my brother said, "Hey let's go here for some Pho," I was all in. That first time I went, the Pho was passable. It was nice of them allowing me to do all rare-beef Pho, even though their regular beef pho has a combination of cow parts.
The flavor was a bit bland - it just didn't hit me as particularly good, more like passable. The decor is just blech and the service was nice enough but not at all attentive. That would have been good enough for three stars, but I thought, "Let's give them another go" and went back recently and ordered the same thing.
Much worse.
The "rare beef" wasn't rare at all, in fact it was quite tough, definitely had been cooked. Plus it was *super* grissly, more than I've ever seen (Rare beef pho is my favorite thing when going to vietnamese restaurants). They put the basil directly in my bowl, which is not customary, but upon inspection I figured out why - The basil was already badly wilted, and they didn't want me to notice. And they didn't give us any sprouts, and only a couple jalepenos.
Anyway, I figure between the two it's a 2 star, no matter how disappointed I am with giving a local restaurant such a low review.
Now off to write my Henry-Hunan-in-the-excelsior review to make me feel better :-) -
Review from Megan K.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
For a quick and cheap bite near the casa, this vietnamese place aint bad. And its also very clean inside. I usually get a bun bowl or a bahn mi take out. They do not deliver. You can also eat inside if you wish. Its not the best but its solid and fresh. The meats are tender and tasty and they serve large portions. For about 7-8 bucks you get a huge container of noodles and I always have leftovers.
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Review from Lisa T.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The excelsior/outer mission district has a bunch of quick-eats --- Superstar, Batter-up, El Farolito --- and Irving Cafe and Deli Too just adds another option to the mix. I'm a big fan of the original Irving Cafe and Deli, so it was great to have one open up nearby. I certainly don't crave ICDToo's sandwiches, but it's good for a quick Bahn Mi fix. I normally order the Fancy Pork Sandwich w/ Pate here, but if you're not having a lazy sunday, I would just drive out to the sunset location instead.
One thing I do crave from IDCToo - AVOCADO SHAKE. Try it out and let me know what you think! =D
Highlights:
- Avocado Shake
- Fancy Pork Sandwich w/ Pate -
Review from Michael m.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I came in here one day to check out their food. If im to lazy to head to a good resturant expect me to come back.
The viet Coffee was nasty I thought it would come with aa dripping cup like others have.
Service is good
Parking is a coin toss. -
Review from M X.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
I got a BBQ chicken sandwich here and it was delish! Not dry at all, and the bread didn't hurt the roof of my mouth for the first time! yay! I will def. be coming back.
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Review from Dorian T.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2011
If this was based on the restaurant on Irving, shouldn't it be called Irving Cafe and Deli Two? Unless it's saying we are a cafe as well as a deli, then I guess it should be fine. BUT ONTO THE EXPERIENCE!
When I came in here, I was greeted in Cantonese. I felt respected. Usually people will assume I don't speak my native tongue because of my youth and assimilation in this country - BUT NOT HERE!
The sandwiches are just as good as the parent restaurant. The sandwich is smaller than other places but being tasty comes with a price I guess - less food. The sandwiches are about 3.5 each so it usually takes 2 to fill a big guy like me. I will definitely come back here to try their noodles. -
Review from Cynthia C.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is overrated. Most of the time Yelp reviews don't let me down but this time it was a huge miss. The first boo boo was that it was Chinese owned.... Should've just walked out then. But I decided to try it anyways. Had the vietnamese sandwich which everyone raves out... the vegetables weren't marinated and had no flavor. but the bread was good. It didn't taste like a vietnamese sandwich but it'll pass for a regular sandwich. The pho didn't taste like pho but like chinese onion noodle soup. The spring rolls had the wrong sprouts... basically it didn't taste vietnamese at all.
Prolly won't be back here for food. -
Review from Lisa L.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2011 5 Check-ins Here
The sandwiches are to die for. Get the number 1 or 5. The other grilled/BBQ sandwiches are a bit on the drier side for my taste.
The bread is nice and crunchy, but not hard like at some places. The bread to filling ratio is perfect. I hate it when there's too much bread...
Heard the Pho was okay, but not great. Never tried. I have high Pho standards.
Service is lacking... They're lucky the sandwich is worth it. And if this was sunset (where there are other sources of Vietnamese places,) I'd never go again just bc of the service. -
Review from Smiley D.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2010 8 Check-ins Here
This place is perfect for Vietnamese sandwiches. The service is mostly friendly and when I make a phone order it is always ready to go when I arrive. I see loads of people eating one of the many soups offered here, but I usually just order sandwiches to go.
Must try: BBQ Pork or BBQ Beef sandwich
Super tasty sandwiches made with the typical carrots, cilantro, and delicious meat mixture inside a fresh baguette. I think there is a secret sauce of sorts and the Beef one has red onion and tomatoes in addition and adds a nice touch. -
Review from Angelica S.
Daly City, CA
9/13/2011
Delicious Vietnamese sandwiches at super affordable prices. A combination pork sandwich only for $3.50? uh, yes please! Went here twice in one week for dinner, and thinking about going back again! Tried the pho the first time I was here, its okay, but I'd only go back here for the bahn mi.
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Review from Scott C.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2010
With much anticipation given the other reviews, this place really falls short.
One of the first things I noticed was the mix of vietnamese dishes with Thai dishes with Chinese desserts and drinks. Big red flag. Doing all of these different types of food means they do none of it well.
In short, the vietnamese food here does not have any of the attributes of the vietnamese flavor profile. The spring rolls did not have any mint or basil. All you get is noodle, shrimp and lettuce. No depth of flavor outside of the peanut sauce.
The pho had not chilis or basil or mind or pea spouts and the broth was chicken stock at best. No hint of fish sauce or lime juice to give the fresh brightness of flavor.
For the banh mi, the vegis were not pickled, no chilis and the pate was underseasoned. The bread was pretty good I will admit, but this sandwich did not have any of the signature elements of the banh mi.
The dessert was pretty good. Coconut milk with lychee and sago. Not bad, but this is a chinese thing.
The only reason why I am giving this place two instead of one star is because the staff was super nice and the dessert was OK. I am shocked that so many people rated this place as high as they did. -
Review from Vance T.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2011
Dissapointing.
Long Wait.
Ehh sandwich.
I rather go to Chopsticks down the street and pay the same price fpr Mongolian Beef and a belly full (and I did) -
Review from Priscilla W.
San Francisco, CA
8/14/2010 3 photos
Irving Cafe and Deli Too, just like Irving Cafe and Deli [One], has your basic sandwiches, noodle plates/soups, rice plates, and desserts. I particularly go here for the sandwiches. If I want pho, I'll go to an *actual* sit-down restaurant with a larger selection.
I ordered a Fancy Pork w/ Pate Sandwich and a Three Color Drink w/ Coconut Milk, all for about $7. My sandwich was very satisfying -- the roll was very soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and they didn't skimp on the meats. However, I would've liked my carrots and cilantro more evenly distributed. I'm very picky with each bite of any sandwich -- I must have every ingredient per bite. The three color drink was alright. It was very coconut-y and in general, more of a dessert than a drink. Basically, it's not something I can finish on my own 'cus it's too creamy.
Less crowded than the one on Irving St. More tables and chairs to dine-in. Huge menu on the wall. A few more food items at this one. What's not to like about Irving Cafe and Deli Too instead of Irving Cafe and Deli [One]? -
Review from Sandy L.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011
Everything is good here, mom and pop kind of restaurant. I think they have one of the best BBH in San Francisco. Trust me when I say, I've tried almost all the Vietnamese restaurant in SF and this place has one of the best in the city.
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Review from Dario B.
6/26/2010
They have a bigger menu and a real kitchen if compared to the sister joint in the Sunset, which mainly prepares sandwiches. So, in a way, it makes sense that banh mi is not their specialty....
Now, this doesn't excuse them from leaving an entire pork bone in my banh mi...
No, that wasn't fair...and charge $4.40, while in the Sunset you get a nice $3.75 deal, with more veggies and love in it.
Definitely not worth the schlep if you live in the city.Listed in: Banh mi hunt
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Review from Sarah A.
South San Francisco, CA
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is OOOKAY. I've had better Vietnamese sammiches. But the servings are decent for the price. It's not a great neighborhood but there is a lot of street parking. The place is pretty small so I don't think I'd recommend bringing a group of people here. This place is allright for the price. If you're broke and super hungry, come here!
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Review from Jamie A.
Daly City, CA
When I found this place after doing a search for "Vietnamese sandwiches" on Yelp a few weeks ago, I almost fell off my chair!! All this time and I never knew this was in mah hood!!!
So they don't make the best Bánh Mì I've ever tasted but this place is so easily accessible to me and the prices are decent.
On that first visit, I decided to try their House Special Breakfast Sandwich (to go) because I wanted the biggest sandwich they had. It turns out that they give you all the ingredients (in a box) to make this particular sandwich and they also give you the empty sandwich bun. The box consisted of cha lua (Vietnamese ham), pork with rind, liver pate, pickled veggies AND an over easy egg!!!! Let's just say I had way too much fun sitting in the car assembling this monster and making a mess of myself!!
Second visit there, I figured I would just order a regular Fancy Pork Pate sandwich. Not quite sure what was so fancy about it. All it had was the cha lua, liver pate and veggies. In any case, it was still good.
I might just come here every weekend ;0) -
Review from Alex P.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2010
So my neighborhood is the outer mission district and like many i dont like going somewhere far or congested especially in San Francisco for good food. So one day me and my boy riz were in my neighborhood and decided to grab some Vietnamese sandwiches.
Now as many know here in SF the BEST vietnamese sandwiches is the saigon sandwich shop on larkin hands down BUT sometimes its all about LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Now if i had a pocket full of quarters and TIME i would gladly go to larkin and go get a BBQ pork sandwich GLADLY but its not worth standing in line (becuz from 11:30AM-2:00PM that place is packed a line outside guarenteed) ordering there is pure chaos. But God bless those old vietnamese ladies for making such delicious sandwiches at a reasonable price.
Now the Irving Cafe and Deli too has the 2nd most tasties vietnamese sandwich i've ever had in SF(#1 being saigon ofcourse) no line, no crazy tendorloin crack head tryin to get a bite of your food, parking is not that bad compared to downtown and the prices are more then reasonable. So if you looking for CONVENIENCE and a good vietnamese sandwich go to the Irving cafe AND DELI TOO! try it with a lemon coke hella good :) -
Review from Maya S.
Updated - 7/2/2010
I'm really saddened to write this update but Irving Cafe has unfortunately let me down on a couple of recent occasions.
1) I found a piece of plastic wrap in my bahn mi as i was biting it. It's a bit disappointing that the restaurant microwaves their food as well as forgets to remove the plastic wrap after they heat it up.
2) I finally decided to try their pho, specifically pho with five spice chicken. Once again, the chicken was a bit dry and chewy where you could tell it was just reheated in the microwave. The soup did not have the flat pho noodles, it was quite flavorless, and oddly enough, it was topped with romaine lettuce. It came with cilantro but no basil. Also, the cashier/waitress became quite rude after my bf almost spilled his water on the table. After my bf apologized, she didn't give us that "no problem, it's ok" shrug off. Instead, we got a mean mug and diminished customer service.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/7/2009
i was excited that a vietnamese restaurant opened in the mission/excelsior! parking on mission gets… Read more »
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Review from Peter L.
2/26/2010 3 photos
Go give them a try, as there's only one other VNese eatery nearby (though that is more of a pho-joint). Me, I'm giving this place two stars but could return if friends wanted to (place does have a four-star average). Didn't like their version of two VNese favorites:
- Banh Cuon Cha Lua may look good (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), but it was doughy and the nuoc cham was all fish sacuce and not very flavorful.
- Bun Rieu may look good (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), but it had too much crab-shrimp paste flavoring - not diluted enough. Smelly and salty.
Located in the Excelsior District in the City and out of the way when compared to other SF neighborhoods with similar eateries. Mostly metered parking in the area, and meter maids are like hawks. -
Review from Earl G.
8/23/2009 4 photos
Lookie what we have here!
While on the way to get the best super quesadilla suizas / super burritos in the whole wide world at El Farolito there's a fairly new, clean, not as divey kid on the block.
Irving Cafe and Deli Too
Actually, it should be Irving Cafe #2 not "too". But Asian menus and typos work hand in hand. The more typos, the less Americanized, thus - the more tasty. Your tastebuds don't know what they're missing unless you've had Egg Poo Yung and Crap meat fried rice before.
Irving deli too's menu didn't offer any of that but did present various Viet rice plates, noodle soups, and vermicelli dishes. They even have mango/avocado milkshakes and even a taro w/ milkshake for you taro fans out their (Daniel L). I settled on their speciality, Banh mi sandwiches. Hell yeah, finally some bang me love for the Excelsior.
I suggest the mambo #5 - Fancy pork with pate. http://static3.px.yelp... First impressions, smaller in size from the banh mi's down in SJ but these are really good, packed with the fillings and flavor. 5 star taste for a 2 star price.
And a #18. Viet combo croissant. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Delicious - buttery, flaky, and a recognizable flavor. They must have used the Costco 24 for $5 croissant packages.
It' kinda cool how they rep Irving St. on Mission. Kinda like when I rock my Giants gear down in LA.Listed in: Banh mi's
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Review from Michael M.
San Francisco, CA
7/12/2008
I've been here a few times, and have had pho, Bahn mi, and various kinds of spring rolls. It's a refreshing change to see some real Vietnamese food in an area known for it's burritos over it's Bhan Mi.
Most recently, I had the Bhan Mi, BBQ Pork. It's not near as good as Saigon, and it's a lot smaller, and the bread will tear your mouth up, but it does have cucumber on it, but sadly, no hot pepper. Several other options are available, like the standard chicken, roast pork, and a few other options. It will do in a pinch. At $4 it's almost twice what Saigon charges.
The Pho I've had is OK as well, but nothing special. The Spring Rolls I've had have been the fried type and once in rice paper. The Fried ones are OK as well, but I think I like the BBQ Pork Spring Rolls better that are stuffed with cold noodles, mint, basil, and maybe lettuce?
Like I said, it's nothing special, but it's just about the only Vietnamese place in the neighborhood. -
Review from Nenita E.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/15/2011
So after reading some of the reviews, I find out that this place is Chinese-owned and it's a mixture of Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine? Uh, no thanks. I'll go to my usual haunts when I get a craving for banh mi thank you very much.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/14/2011
Since I just did a review of a Vietnamese sandwich joint, I thought I'd do another.
Yeah, I know,… Read more »
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Review from Tadd T.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2011
Good for your local Banh Mi fix if you live around the area like I do.
I can understand though that it's not worth driving to from far away though if you're looking to check out their pho food or have a better Vietnemese Sandwich shop that is closer to your area.
I'll still continue going here for my quick Banh Mi fix, versus having to drive all the way into the Sunset district for the original location or Civic Center for Saigon Sandwiches. -
Review from Luis C.
10/25/2008 4 photos
I came to try out this new place a couple of weeks ago. It replaced the old Excelsior Chinese Food. It's great to have some more variety of cuisines in the Excelsior area. It's not as good as what you can get at places in the Tenderloin area of SF. But something is better than nothing. So they get extra points for that (2 stars bumped up to 3 stars). I'd rate them lower is there were any decent nearby alternatives.
Here's a list of the food I've tried so far:
-BBQ chicken sandwich (banh mi) - I was disappointed, 1/4 of the meat was just chicken skin.
-Cha gio (imperial rolls) - it's fried food, what's not to like.
-Cold rice noodles with BBQ pork & egg rolls combo - good to average.
-Beef noodle soup (beef pho) - good to average.
-Flan - familiar texture and flavor, but weird color. Must be artificial, will never order that again.
Pho is northern style, so it doesn't come with the standard side plate of vegetables, bean sprouts & herbs that you get at other Vietnamese places (southern cuisine). Menu is large, so it can be confusing. They have many pictures of the food, but it might still be confusing for people unfamiliar with Vietnamese food. The layout of the restaurant was poorly designed. The kitchen space is larger (and mostly unused) than the dining room space.
In general, the staff is friendly, but the woman in charge is usually on the phone taking to go orders, so there might be a short wait to get service.
Some pics of additional purchases:
Cha gio - imperial rolls
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Fishcake banh mi sandwich
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BBQ chicken pho (in togo boxes)
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Assembled bowl of soup
http://www.yelp.com/bi...Listed in: Vietnamese Restaurants, Where to find Banh Mi
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Review from Nate M.
Washington, DC
5/13/2008
YES!
Banh Mi in the Excelsior. If you live or frequent this neighborhood, you know that this area is mostly taquerias and decent chinese food. So this is a very welcoming addition to the neighborhood.
And yes, this is the same menu as the Irving Cafe in the sunset.
I had the #1 combination sandwich and it very tasty. Nice thick juicy slices of pork with pickled carrots and cucumbers. I usually remove the veggies from my sandwich but since they were pickled they give it a nice sweet/sour taste. Srsly yummy.
The interior is nice, and lots of natural sunlight comes into the dining area. I'd even go as far as to say the dining area as a boutique feel.
Damn they serve bun thit nuong too! Wooooo!
I have a feeling I'm going to be eating here frequently.
cash only! -
Review from Ken S.
Oakland, CA
2/8/2010
Yeah, I'm on a roll today...its a two-fer...Was reviewing Bejjing around the corner and had to put my two cents for Irving Too...
#13 Sandwich, chicken or pork...totally rocks...get one of each
The menu is big and the food is tasty, fresh and the pepole are cool!!
Take-out Pho is not easy, but they make it easy!! Suggest getting the egg noodles if its to go...they package the noodles separate but the egg stand up better...for best results EAT IN...
good buy too...gorge yourself and (and a friend) for cheap!!!
Run, don't walk...unless the light is red. -
Review from Brian H.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2008
Irving Cafe and Deli Too opened up yesterday in what used to be Excelsior Chinese Food. We gave it a try for lunch today and it was pretty solid. They have a fairly extensive menu of banh mi, croissant sandwiches, egg rolls, salas, vermicelli, noodle soup, rice plates, fruit drinks, puddings, custards, etc.
We went for a bbq pork sandwich ($3.50), the chicken salad with cabbage ($5.50), vegetable egg rolls with vermicelli ($6.25), a fresh papaya milkshake ($3.00), and some kind of custard. Everything was fresh and pretty tasty. The chicken in the salad had some nasty fatty bits but they were easy enough to pick out, and the salad was otherwise very tasty. I wasn't crazy about the flavor of the bbq pork, but the banh mi was otherwise good. My wife liked it, but I would probably try a different kind of sandwich next time. The egg rolls were my favorite part of the meal, really tasty and fresh. The custard was interesting. Kinda flan-like. I'd order it again. The papaya shake was also very tasty.
Overall a pretty great addition to the neighborhood. Pretty much the only place in the Excelsior for banh mi and other Vietnamese deli items. Super reasonable prices and fresh ingredients. -
Review from Dennis L.
San Francisco, CA
11/13/2008
What the hell? An Irving Cafe and Deli not on Irving Street? Why didn't they just call it Mission Cafe and Deli? I was just as surprised as everyone to discover a Vietnamese restaurant without any Asians in sight.
They have everything here from bahn mi (viet sandwiches), to pho, wonton soup, vermicelli, rice plates, and fried eggrolls. I could probably eat all those in one sitting. Okay, maybe not. But I sure as hell would try.
There's not too much seating and hardly a wait staff, but who cares?! I don't come here for great service or ambiance crap. Just for the food. -
Review from Gigi T.
San Pablo, CA
7/4/2008
Latest Business Hours: Open M-Sat 8:30am-7:30pm.
AND
They now serve the #1 BEEF BOWL! And it was delicious!
Awesome amount of meats, lots of rare steaks (that's what I loovee), light tasty broth.
I'm a happy camper!
And don't forget... cash only! -
Review from Reese R.
San Francisco, CA
9/4/2008
When this place opened, I was sooo happy because it's closer to my home. I was always going to their Irving St location before.
Everything is good here, especially their sandwiches! The combination pork sandwich is yuuummmmy, and their deep fried egg rolls are the best! I always try something different when I go here, and I haven't been disappointed.
And this location actually has tables. Their Irving St location only has three small bar stools and you have to wait for people to leave if you want to eat there. At this Mission location, you can actually have a nice sit-in meal.
Also, their customer service here is so great. The main server lady is so sweet and genuine, and she always makes sure you're enjoying your food. For a super cheap restaurant, THAT is customer service. The workers at Irving, I swear, never smile or say thank you and just always look like someone died. That's why I give the Mission one 5 stars, and the Irving one only 4 stars.
When you have a chance, you HAVE to try this place. -
Review from albion r.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 3/6/2009
SO rocking good.
today we had:
bun (beef with spring rolls) - Delectable. wonderfully flavored, not too fatty beef with ample veggies and a ridiculous amount of noodles. Usually I totally drench my bun in hoisin and sriacha, but today I just used half of the accompanying fish sauce/hot sauce and it was perfecto.
beef pho - Flavorful, but very oily broth. the amount of noodles in this one is monstrous, as well.... but the fact that they are cooked/steamed first is weird and annoying. When you add all the ingredients together, the noodles just break apart so you're left with little bits. Kinda lame, that.
fresh rolls - Flawless. Mint and shrimp and noodles and carrots. Fantastically fresh and simple and a great deal for $3. They are so easy to make at home but why bother with all the cleaning and prep. These are enough of a reason to come to this place, all by their lonesome.
Lychee milk shake with tapioca - So good and cold and sweet. Rad.
this place rules.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/28/2009
We are so stoked to have stumbled upon this place.
We got 2 bahn mi: shrimp and grilled chicken, and… Read more »
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Review from Jen D.
6/5/2008
I was actually looking to get a milk tea and stopped in here. They don't have milk tea, but they do have some damn good looking Bahn Mi sammiches.
I went for one of the dessert cups. Banana in milk and sago. It was GOOOOOOOD. The bananas were old, but really sweet and tasty. But seriously, the star of this place is the bahn mi. Must go back to get one.
Open 7 days. 7:30am - 6pm. -
Review from Natalie G.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2009
Why have I never seen this place here any sooner!? I love eating Banh Mi but I don't like trekking out ALL the way to Irving on Sunset to get it.
Fortunately, the oh-so-yummy banh mi sandwich store on Irving and 23rd has a location closer to where I live. It's the same owners and my BF recognizes the sandwich maker who was originally on Irving. The workers/owner is very nice and they're great to talk to while waiting for your sandwich.
Out of all the banh mi places in the City, I like this place the most. Even though their prices are a few bucks more than what you can get at Chinatown or TL, the sandwiches are soooo worth it. They toast the bread for your sandwich first and then place the meat and toppings so even if you're not eating in the store, when you take it home, your sandwich is still nice and warm. They make your food fresh which is great! but it means you also have to wait a few worthwhile minutes.
I like this location more, not just because it's closer to home but also they have a bigger place and A LOT bigger kitchen. The name is just kinda interesting because Irving is no where close to Mission. -
Review from Marvin O.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2011
Probably the best pho I've ever had in the city. They put green onions and minced garlic in the broth which I love so darn much. The spring rolls are a treat as well. Sandwiches rock too. Though the chicken I had packed a bit too much fat. Probably try the beef on my next "I don't care day" The folks there are nice too. They also have Orangina which was what I fell in love with in Paris. This place is probably the one thing I miss about the mission since moving more toward market. Still love it and I always come back when I'm in the neighborhood.
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Review from Ming S.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2009
Since this place is only about a mile away, I've decided to try this place to see how the four star average place is like. I've had high hopes for this place... Ordered their BBQ chicken sandwich - which contained way too much chicken lard. I ended up eating only the lean parts of the BBQ chicken and throwing away about half of it.
Another turn off is when we paid for the sandwiches. The cook (who is making the sandwiches is also the cashier) asked for $8 for the two sandwiches, so I handed her $10 bucks. Through my surprise, she was actually still making the sandwiches when she touched the money with her plastic gloves on, gave us $2 back, and resumed making the sandwiches... WITH THE SAME GLOVES. So I'd imagine there's a habit of doing it.
I've thought about returning the sandwiches, but wanted to try the actual things, but ended up being even more disappointed by the food quality. -
Review from Mar R.
San Francisco, CA
11/29/2008
I've had pho here before, as well as the imperial rolls, and I've enjoyed them knowing full well that it's good in a pinch if I can't make it to TL. Then I ordered the banh mi today.
I ordered two, in case one or the other didn't turn out well; xiu mai, and fancy pork and pate to go. Got the bag, looked inside, and saw the wrapped bundles, and felt their warmth through the bag.
My first reaction was, "Hmph, kinda small AND kinda expensive. Good thing I bought two!"
Stopped at a deli for a soda and chips to supplement what looked like some meager portions. Got home. Took a bite. WOW!
I ate 1/2 of the fancy pork/pate, and then tore into the xiu mai--delicious!
Although I still think Saigon Sandwiches in the TL are better, Irving's is great when I want decent Vietnamese food in my neighborhood! -
Review from Liz C.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2009
I discovered this place while going to the Safeway across the street. I usually go to their location on Irving, but since I've started working in the Outer Mission, this is the lunch place to go!
I've had their Combo Sandwich, and their House Special Rice Noodles. Combo sandwich is good, albeit a little on the small size, but it's perfect for a girl like me. I've gotten it for my boss, and he's a big guy, so two of their sandwiches would have been perfect for him. The house special rice noodles is probably even better. It's flat rice noodles, with their special shrimp cake, meat, and something else (i forgot) with the fish sauce.
So you might ask, "If it's so good, why did you give them 3 stars?" While their food is excellent, their service could be improved. Although I've only eaten take-out, there have been times when I would try calling in to place my order, and the phone line would be busy for the next 20 mins. I finally gave up and decided to drive there to order and just wait. Another time, I ordered a milk tea from them (probably shouldn't have but I was thirsty). When I began sipping it, it tasted awfully bitter, so I went back to request more condensed milk. The lady behind the counter gave me a look of disgust and said in Cantonese "so demanding/troubling." I'm sorry lady, but I'm only requesting some condensed milk to sweeten this milk tea which tasted nothing like milk tea. Other than the above lady, the other people behind the counter are nice, especially the man.
Because of that most recent incident, I have yet to return.
