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Categories: Seafood, Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Outer SunsetTue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"Perfection....and I am not even a seafood person! We brought my sister here for a seafood feast, essentially her wet dream. When we got…" read more »
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Roasted Crab and Garlic noodles are the best here! I refuse to go to other restaurants that serve the same dishes, or tries to imitate.
It's worth the money.. and worth the drive to the city if you live 45 mins away like me.
My only complaint is that parking sucks in this area!!! Thank goodness they have Valet, but still!!! I could spend that $10 Valet fee for dessert or something.
It's ok - essentially it's Crustaceans in the Outer Sunset, but with less butter. The crab is pretty good but small (liked the Drunken versus the Roasted version)...garlic noodles are ridiculously overpriced...and shaken beef and pork medallions were pretty good.
Overall, I really don't see how this place can justify the price with its food - it's abs ridics...
I've heard so many good reviews on this place and had to check it out for myself!
I'm a HUGE fan of sea food especially CRAB and I heard this place had the best roasted crab in San Francisco, so I had to get my 'YELP FACE' on and see what the hype was all about!
As I walked into the restaurant i was impressed! The exterior of Thanh Long looks like a 'hole in a wall' establishment, but i was proven wrong. It's really cozy and professional.
I suggest you make reservations if you decide to come with a party of 4 or more. It can get busy on the weekend.
Since this place is kinda pricey, its recommended that you skip out on the appetizers; to be honest, they are over-rated, tiny and over priced! Just get down to the nitty gritty and order the main dishes....
Here are my recommendations:
1. Thanh Long Spicy Eggplant ~
sauteed with jumbo prawns, chicken, fresh basil, baby corn, shitake mushrooms and fiery red chillies in a tamarind and chilli-soya
2. Shaken Beef ~
tender cubes of marinated new york steak flambeed in chardonnay, served with potatoes, mixed green and cherry tomatoes
3. Colossal Royal Tiger Prawns ~
butterflied and grilled with secret spices, served on a bed of garlic noodles
4. Roast Crab ~
a whole dungeness crab roasted with thanh's garlic sauce and secret spices
NOTE: The spices used in their food are really intense, so if you don't like the after taste of garlic and spices in your mouth, then the majority of the food isn't for you.....but who doesn't like INTENSE SPICES! haha
The portion size of each dish is some what small so try to diversify your choices and order smart....
Much LOVE and eats!
Delicious, but pricey. Most likely the downturn in the seasonal crab haul is partially to blame for that. And then there's my laziness for not wanting to buy the crab at 99 Ranch, bring it home, cook it myself, and make a giant mess of my dining room table with newspaper, crab shells, and melted butter, which I'm sure is also to blame for sustaining the exorbitant price point.
Regardless, worth the splurge, and I got 2 huge meals out of 1 crab.
Not to mention the bomb-ass garlic noodles and awesome giggling girl-time I got to spend with the fabulous ZT and JM.
-------------
Market Price = Approximately $40/Crab as of this review.
Get there early if you don't have reservations - we arrived 10-15 minutes before they opened, and there was a crowd milling about on the sidewalk waiting for the ceremonious door-unlocking to take place. And BYOB(rass knuckles), because some of their patrons are not above shoving a visibly pregnant woman into a door frame to get to the host(ess) podium before you.
For being the mother of Crustacean, this takes the cake.
My BF and I went and ordered a feast here but in actuality all we needed was the crab and garlic noodles - I guess we got too excited. The crab is completely infused with flavor and quite juicy compared to your typical dry unflavored crab meat elsewhere. The garlic noodle is quite tasty! The only negative thing I would say is that the crab AND garlic noodles together can get a bit overwhelmingly oily in the throat. There's a pretty good selection of wine as well - don't waste your time on a glass, get a bottle. The food is a bit pricey but well worth it.
This was our first time at Thanh Long. Having been to Crustaceans several times we kind of knew what to expect...Garlic Noodles and Crab! This time around we also got the shaken beef which was great! Based on the reviews I expected this place to be expensive - yet cheaper than Crustaceans. WRONG!!! I found the prices to be comparable to Crustaceans but with a much more casual atmosphere. The restaurant is also in the Sunset, which takes forever to get to (coming from the East Bay). Food didn't disappoint, but next time we need a crab/noodle fix we'll hit up Crustaceans.
This review is long overdue....
If only I can afford going to this restaurant everyday! Vietnamese crab... you make life precious... :-)
Yes, it's super expensive but it's totally worth every penny. You're paying for real quality here... not many seafood restaurants, even in the Wharf, can cook the crab like these people can. That's the only dish Thanh Long is known for plus the "to-die-for" garlic noodles. I have not seen anyone order anything else from the menu, and you won't need to! You will be beyond content with just crab and noodles!
And the service is even great... the waiters actually tie the bib around your neck for you before you get your crab. I never have to complain.
Even though I say in a lot of my other reviews that you must try all the places, I am absolutely serious about this one! Put this on your priority list!!
Crab and garlic noodles.
What else has not been said about this place and the food?
In A Nutshell:
*Went on a double date this past weekend (11/14/09).
*Parking was a small challenge. Don't bother paying for the $10 valet parking, just cruise around and you'll find a spot. You'll need the $10 to pay for what's to come.
*The prawn garlic noodles were DELICIOUS, but very pricey. We ordered two plates for about $68.00! I wouldn't pay for that again if I knew what the market rate was before ordering.
*The drunken crab was average, not much flavor. Costly at $37.00
*The salt and pepper crab was much tastier and a tad bit bigger. Again costly at $37.00
Overall, the service was good. The wait was PACKED, but we made reservations. A good packed place usually equals great food. The place doesn't look very fancy from the outside, but it's the food that counts. I'd come back here again someday, but not anytime soon.
Might as well write the 700th review which echoes what everyone else says. Mind you, this was a heavenly meal - and not just cause I didn't eat for 5 days straight before I came here... (don't ask why I fasted).
I was an avid PPQ follower when it came to my Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle combo, but oohhweeee... Thanh Long was something else.
The spices on the outside of the crab was way too delicious that I found myself sucking those spices forever and ever... the peppery and garlicky goodness was pure bliss. PPQ's spices is butter, butter and more butter, lumpy and quickly congeals (blech)... which, although deliciously delightful, it's supremely evil on my curves.
Anyway, long story short, PPQ serves a bigger crab, but Thanh Long's is the tastiest! Same with their Garlic Noodles. More slip and great texture.
Why hello crab, can you please come into my mouth
Thanh Long sounds like Thank God.
My boyfriend's cousin had his birthday here. OMG, OMG. Did I die and go to crab heaven? My mouth is actually watering thinking about the garlic crab and garlic noodle. My dog, Missy, is looking at me weird as I write this review.
If you don't love garlic, seriously don't eat. I love garlic in everything. The whole roasted crab was huge. They have already taken the top off (Head). you just lift and start tearing away at the legs. The buttery garlic sauce it so tasty. This goes great with the garlic noodle. They are sooooo good. So warm, buttery, and garlic. OMG, I'm drooling all over my computer.
They have a full bar. I ordered some kind of green martini. I think it was melon. It was very good.
The service was wonderful and the atmosphere is upscale, but casual. The decor is very modern.
FYI: I put out when taken here.
My wife and I ordered the roast crab and garlic noodles, and just devoured it. We emerged from our feeding frenzy, shells flying, peppery butter everywhere, and deliriously settled up exactly half an hour later. Believe the hype.
A lot of the reviews I have read for Thanh Long start with lines like this:
OMG. So much garlic!
LOL. Don't go here on a first date!
FML. Garlic breath ruins a blind date!
Here I am, two years in deep with the perfect, most amazing, loving, sweetest man model ever and none of that shit applies.
We are like, hey let's eat some delicious broccoli and refried beans covered in jalapenos, dijon mustard and garlic and then make sweet, sweaty, ordinary two years in deep love.
That's kind of where you need to be to enjoy Thanh Long to the fullest. But believe me, when you get to that sweet spot, you can't imagine anything else.
They are right. Don't go here on a first date.
For starters, as a lady who has had her share of first dates that do not end in relationships (hi jerks), you can't order just like a salad or a glass of water here. That would be weird.
Secondly, the specials are SUPER rich, butter laden Garlic Crab and their SUPER greasy carb laden Garlic Noodles. Both of which are totally greasy and fatty and hard to eat without looking like a total slob.
Thirdly, they put bibs on you. It's hard to rock a bib sexy. I mean, I pull it off, of course. But for the average person, a bib puts you on a one way train to Shortbusville.
Fourthly, it's a lot of food. I don't know about you, but on a date, I like to keep the food to a minimum. Muffin tops are not an aphrodisiac -- to most. My boyfriend is different -- he encourages them.
Fifthly, you will reek of garlic. Amazing, delicious garlic. And at the end of the night, a garlicky kiss is sort of a buzz kill.
Unless you're us. Or are where we are. Then you know that a garlic kiss at the end of the night simply means you are in an awesome relationship.
One where you can totally say 'Ew, gross, that sounds awful" without hurting his feelings when your man suggests you have sex after dinner at Thanh Long.
Thanh Long, me love you long time.
Okay I can't say I love you long time since I only discovered you a couple months ago, but I am pretty fond of you. Food is good. I wouldn't run home to granny about the garlic noodles and the crab and everything else is way over-priced. I don't know what it is but I leave here so energized. It might be the cheap plastic bibs (diapers not included) they wrap around your neck, but I think they lace the crab with whatever Whitney & Bobby are smoking. That's probably why they have a "Secret Kitchen".
Service is outstanding and they don't laugh when they see you acting like a caveman trying get the last piece of crab meat out of one of the annoying crab crevasse, joint, elbow or orifice.
Mr. Long, I'm in like with you and this is the best way to describe my feelings. http://www.youtube.com...
Maybe my expectations were too high... Ok, the crab was good and the garlic noodles were hella good, but I just felt like I was getting ripped off. I have NO problem shelling out the big bucks for a great meal, but for me the crab just wasn't quite worth it. It is cheaper than Crustacean, it's sister restaurant, but I still felt it was too expensive for that it was...
Parking was really tricky. I had to walk through a group of punk kids that were hanging out at the bus stop outside as I left. Luckily, my crazy garlic breath probably warded them and any vampires away.
Thanh Long has a menu. A pretty extensive one. But there are two reasons to come here, the garlic noodles and the roast crab. Making a meal of anything else here would be like doing chicken at a steakhouse.
Yes we did get a few additional things. An appetizer of salt and pepper calamari was a bit rubbery but nicely spiced and was OK. The Vietnamese salad was mainly cabbage with some stray shrimp and strange tasting chicken that was best forgotten. Likewise the Mango salad composed of tasteless mango and some stray shrimp. The scallops described on the menu as being in the salad were undetectable. Also best forgotten were mains of stringy steamed sea bass and shaken beef marinated to the point where the beef had lost texture and taste.
The saving graces here were the roasted whole crab, which had obviously been done in garlic and some pepper. Not a wondrous dish but fresh crab that was properly prepared. The garlic noodles were nice as well. Nothing remarkable about this plate, just noodles with oodles of garlic.
So come. Get your fix of crab and noodles. Avoid the rest of the menu and you will do well for yourself.
The crab is freakin delicious here and the simple but extremely tasty garlic noodles are the two must haves at this restaurant. I know this is what everyone says but I just felt like I needed to reinforce the fact as I a have been craving some lately.
A few things to note:
1.) Parking is ridiculous here. If you see a spot a few blocks away, take it or else you'll be wishing you took it 5 minutes later when you're circling around for another 15 minutes. (unless you're an extremely lucky person, then lucky you)
2.) There can be a long wait so try to get dinner a little earlier especially if it's a Friday or Saturday.
I would have never gone back to Thanh Long if it wasn't because of PPQ. Disappointed by PPQ, I got really curious how Thanh Long measured up to PPQ. According to Yelp, they are equals at 4 stars, but PPQ had well over 100 more reviews. I had been to Thanh Long as well as its sister restaurant Crustacean a long time ago, but couldn't remember how they were.
A couple of weeks after PPQ, we went to Thanh Long. We had mango salad for appetizer, and of course the roasted crab and garlic noodle for comparison purposes. Presentation-wise, Thanh Long's roasted crab was more appetizing than PPQ's, which came drowning in watery butter and garlic. Taste-wise, Thanh Long's was more flavorful, though a tad too salty and dry for my taste. Thanh Long's garlic noodle beat PPQ's hands down. Not too buttery, not too garlicky, and portion was generous.
Now that I've determined the winner, I must say that this roasted style of crab is not really my cup of tea. I'd much prefer the salt and pepper crab of R&G Lounge. But that doesn't mean that Thanh Long doesn't deserve its 4 stars. It definitely deserves it much more than PPQ.
I don't think I'd have to say much since 600+ yelpers already said all of the nice & great things about this place.
It was my first time in San Francisco & my boyfriend and I really wanted some Vietnamese food. Right when we got to Frisco, he turned over to me and said, "babe, yelp up some good Vietnamese place!" LOL, we're such yelp whores :) Sadly, it was Monday, so we had to wait to go eat the next day because they're not open on Mondays.
This is place is hella nice. The food is great and the service is also great. We ordered their Roasted Crab, Garlic Noodle, and their Shaken Beef. They gave us bibs to wear so we won't dirty our shirts. Oh man, their Garlic Noodle is SOOOOOO GOOOOD! I don't know how else to say it. SO FREAKIN' GOOOOOD! LOL. Place is a bit pricey, but dude, totally worth it!
My friends and I have an annual dinner to Thanh Long to celebrate the holidays and the opening of crab season. I CRAVE the roasted crab from Thanh Long. I CRAVE a side order of the garlic noodles. Yum! Let's talk about other things on the menu that I love. We also get the shaken beef which is delicious and we've had the calamari, which is also very good.
One thing I usually ask with my roasted crab is a side of the tamarind sauce from the tamarind crab, which is so good but it's just way too messy for me. I drizzle the sauce on the garlic noodles and dip the roasted crab in it as well...oh boy, I'm getting hungry.
BTW, check out the small freight elevator in the kitchen. I heard that in order to keep the recipe a secret, they make the roasted crab in a secret kitchen and send the crab up to the restaurant level for the waitstaff to pick up.
OMG the garlic noodles were delicious. The roast crab was like crack. I loved it. You will definitely drop a pretty penny but it's worth it. Honestly, just get the crab & garlic noodles. You'll regret it if you don't because they're so damn good :)
The service is great - super fast turnout for food & amazing date-like ambiance. You will get messy, don't wear white (even though they give you a bib). You will smell like garlic for a few days - it will be wonderful. Make reservations.
Food = I love their ROASTED CRAB!!! 'Nuff said.
Service = Fast. I didn't have reservations on a Friday night, but I was able to get a table easily. Our server was friendly and attentive.
Decor = Great for a romantic dinner & it's not too fancy, so you don't have to come in there all dressed up.
I'll definitely be back!!
The family and I have been hearing about this place from the younger sister for years. Finally, for my brother and Dad's birthday, we haul 13 of us to SF for the experience. I must say, it's all about the roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle. All the other stuff are just average.
The Crab:
It's full of pepper, garlic, and butter sauce. The flavor is just amazing.
The Garlic Noodle:
Dunno how they make it, but I can eat a full plate by myself.
The price is pretty good too. I can't wait to go back.
Thanh Long is a must for all crab lovers! Just walk in, tell them you don't need a menu, all you want is the roasted garlic crab, garlic noodles, and a order of the crab puffs! Can't go wrong, your wiinning everytime. And if you eat there as much as me and my buddies do, they'll already know what time it is when u walk in and start callin you by your first name!!!!
Same food as Crustaceans, which of course is excellent. Decor is nice, not too fancy. Atmosphere is more family style, meaning that tables are close together, the room is open and there is not much privacy. You will easily overhear neighboring conversations. But this is very fun, depending on your mood. I ended up conversing with the neighbors.
The crab is second to none. They must get the first picks off the boat.
Nice change up from Crustaceans.
Same food as it's fancier counterpart, Crustacians, just a little more low key. You aren't required to have a shirt with a collar, but I wouldn't come in work out clothes, either.
Whatever you order, be sure to order the garlic noodles on the side and then get one TO GO for lunch the next day. It's worth the ten bucks.
Service is wonderful and be sure to make reservations! Street parking is shady, but they do have a vallet parking system (where they park your car on the street anyways).
A pricey meal, but completely worth it.
If you're a crab lover like I am, you'll love Thanh Long. Skip the appetizers. I've tried the salmon carpaccio, lemongrass chicken satay, and mango salad. I wasn't really impressed. Order the roasted crab and garlic noodles!!! They're to die for. The crab is fresh and big. The flavor of butter and cracked pepper just explodes in your mouth. I'm a big eater so I always have to have my own crab and another entrée. Stick to the roasted crab instead of the tamarind crab. The sauce on the tamarind crab is a little sweet for my taste buds. The Thanh Long spicy eggplant is good, but nowhere near spicy. As for dessert, don't get the bread pudding. The orange sorbet was good and the presentation was clever. It's a frozen orange sliced across the top with orange sorbet inside. It's nice, light, and a good ending to any meal.
At about $40 per crab, it's not cheap. It's a good place to for special occasions or if you just want to satisfy your craving for really good crab. The atmosphere is casual so no need dress up. Get your hands dirty and enjoy!
Ahhh I miss this place! I grew up right across the street and have wonderful memories of this place. This is by far the best crab dinner ever! I'm long overdue for a visit. My brother goes here any chance he gets. Childhood memories and wonderful food...Who can beat that! YUM YUM YUM!
My wife & I ate here when they first opened and how the price of their famous Vietnamese garlic buttered roasted crab has gone from $7.99 to almost $40 today. Mind you, the approximate weight of the first crab we ate there was approximately 1.5lbs and now it's closer to 2.5lbs. It has been over 30 years, and it use to be easy to find parking, but now... you know San Francisco, it's still worth it. Their sister restaurant is Crustacean, where you need a collar shirt, no T-shirt... kind of silly as there's so many tourists with T-shirts.
To die for: roasted crab and garlic noodles
A fun place for a large group celebrating and perhaps wanting to sing all verses of Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday To Ya without recourse.
Pineapple Lycee martinis delicious. Mmm.
Great crabs, and seafood appetizers. The noodles were good and served family style.
The boy and I drove waaaay the heck out to 46th and Judah one evening to fill our bellies with freshly buttered seafood and garlic noodles. Yum.
Being that I am reviewer #626, you might guess that we were served some pretty amazing food. We shared a Soft Shell Crab starter, which was very fresh and juicy- not quite as fantastic as the same starter at House, but still very good. The boy ordered a whole crab with garlic noodles and I had the Colossal Royal Tiger Prawns served on a bed of.. you guessed it- more garlic noodles. We thoroughly enjoyed our carb/ butter/ protein filled meal. I never thought I'd find myself eyeing some lettuce garnish carelessly left on a plate from the table next to us..
The crab was bathed in steaming butter- what looked like perfection, if I were a fan of crab meat, which I am not. I am also not a fan of lobster. And I don't drink. I am the ultimate cheap date, but despair not; what I refuse in seafood and wine, I more than make up in desserts and starters!!
I am, however, a SUPERfan of shrimp. Especially tiger prawns. Yummy yum yum. As for my order, I'd have to say that the 'Colossal' in the menu name might be a little misleading- they are Jumbo prawns at best. The prawns are splayed open when served, but if you put them back together (like I did) just to gauge their actual size: I'd say they were Jumbo, not Colossal. Size aside, the meat was tender and moist. So, so good.
Side comment on valet parking:
Not sure where exactly they took the car once we handed over the keys, but we ended up waiting like fifteen minutes with no line when we were leaving. Seriously- we made a quick trip across the street to the liquor store because they were taking so damn long. Really makes me question where they take the cars. Back home to the An Family garage, perhaps? I'm sure they can fit a few dozen cars on their property with all the money Crustaceans rakes in.
Roasted crab + garlic noodles = the best.
appetizers = not that good
service = friendly but not that good, either.
But, r. crab + garlic noodles make up for the rest.
wow. this place is soo amazing. we usually go to crustacean on vanness but we came here because it is a little more laid back. The food is soo good. Crab and Tiger Prawns with garlic noodles. we dont even need menus. it was a bit crowded on a saturday night but well worth the wait. We could not be any happier with the food. This is one of those places where they do not have the prices on the best food but it does not matter. It did cost us about $37 per crab but well worth every pennie. I can't wait to go back.
I have never in my life tasted Crab better than the Roasted Crab at thahn Longs. I like it soo much that I used to try and get someone to go with me every month!
The Roasted crab is smothered with butter, garlic, and pepper and those Garlic noodles are a great blend of garlic and butter.
Service is always very friendly and efficient and the wait is only about 15 minutes tops.
i've heard about these famous garlic noodles for years and finally made my way to thanh long to try them.
o
m
g
forget the colossal royal tiger prawns i ordered to sit atop this dish (though i'm sure they were delicious), the garlic noodles were the star of the show. this is serious garlic, people, they're not messin' around.
roasted crab lived up to the hype as well. couldn't resist ordering the tamarind crab though because my parents make this at home with pure perfection. not fair to compare a restaurant dish to a homemade dish, but thanh long would have to pack their knives and go. their tamarind was just ok.
all in all, totally worthy of the drive to this strange location. and in response to the warnings not to go here on a first date, i'd like to add: do not go here for dinner right before heading to the orpheum theatre to see wicked. oh, and don't arrive just as the lights are dimming to start the show. not only are you the annoying latecomers shuffling past people to get to your seats, you smell filthy disgusting. yeah, sorry bout that...
Butter drenched pepper crab and garlic noodles - enough said.
We tried the sea bass, but big disappointment.
The warm chocolate cake with dessert with ice cream was a nice end to the dinner.
What happened to this restaurant???
They are not living up to their reputation any more???
The last time I came here was about 7 years ago and it was so good.
Garlic noodle and roasted crab were really really good, I remember.
Went back recently and had really terrible meal.
Garlic noodle had way too much garlic on it and it was awful.
I ate garlic noodle with rice just to kill overpowering garlic taste.
Shaken beef was also really awful.
I thought both dishes were like really bad Chinese food rather than great Vietnamese food.
It could have been an off night for the chef, since it was on a weekday, but the restaurant like Thanh Long should not have an off night. They should be serving great food every night.
I had the roasted crab, shaken beef and garlic noodle.
$37 for crab
$22-24 for shaken beef
$10 for garlic noodle
$4 for beer
The total come up to $80 something. I like the garlic noodle the most. It was creamy garlicky and it taste like pasta not what you expect from vietnamese noodle.
Be warned: finding parking was hard like hell, unless you're willing to shell $10 for valet parking. I spent 15 minutes trying to find parking and got a small cramped spot at 4 blocks away next to the caltrain stops.
Service was prompt and attentive. Price can be a little expensive. I think PPQ has similar taste for cheaper price and they have a parking lot next to the restaurant.
SO TASTY!
For three people we ordered: two crabs, two plates of garlic noodles, and two fried banana desserts (we drank only water). The food arrived mere minutes after we ordered! The crab was amazingly buttery, and Thanh Long's famous "secret spices" were excellent. The garlic noodles were delicious, too -- a great compliment to the crab. And you can never go wrong with fried bananas!
The wait staff was friendly and efficient.
It's a bit pricey for my budget (total came to about $120 w/o tip), but definitely something to try once -- you won't regret it!
There's nothing for me to say that hasn't been said before - there are freaking over 600 reviews already. I just wanted to put my star vote in. Thanks for visiting. Come again soon.
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