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Thanh Long
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Vietnamese Seafood, Vietnamese
4101 Judah St(between 46th Ave & 47th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
(415) 665-1146
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Our restaurant Specializes in Southern Vietnamese style cooking, like the Vietnamese Crepe, Clay Pot Special, and more famously the "La Vie Roast Crab… read more »
1213 reviews for Thanh Long
Review Highlights
"As already recommended, roasted crab is terrific."
(in 379 reviews)
"Shaken Beef is always my favorite thing there."
(in 112 reviews)
"Also I recommend the salt & pepper calamari."
(in 55 reviews)
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1213 reviews in English
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Review from Ines C.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
On the outside, Thanh Long resembles a small, quiet family restaurant. You don't realize the bustling nature and star power of this restaurant until you enter the door.
I notice a crab (or two) on everyone's table as I walk to my seat. The room is fragrant with garlic and spices. This is the real deal, I say to my parents.
We order the salmon carpaccio and Thanh Long mussels as starter dishes. Capers give the fresh salmon a nice, salty hint. The mussels practically melt in your mouth. Mop up the remaining juices with your bread. Perfection.
Garlic noodles are delicious, but they're nothing special without the crab. Isn't that why you came in the first place? So we order one roast crab. By itself the crab is meaty and fragrant, but the sauce is the extra level. It's like instant gratification when you drizzle that over the noodles.
The flavor's slightly more subtle in comparison to Boiling Crab, of course--especially if you love the whole sha-bang--but that's where the sophistication lies. That, and the customer service makes Thanh Long worth the price and visit. -
Review from Z L.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
The garlic noodles were great and the best dish that night. The calamari was a little rubbery and didn't have much flavor. The reason why I am taking away more stars is because I came for crab and the crab of all things sadly didn't impress. It was bland and overpriced. We left with that sandy taste of MSG in our mouths. I'm not against restaurants using MSG but it took a few glasses of water to get that aftertaste out.
Bottom line: the garlic noodles were good and I'm sure there were other tasty things on the menu I have yet to try, but that crab needs to be worked on. -
Review from Carol H.
Bay Area
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Was here with some family today and realized we have been coming here for almost 20 years already. Wow! Out of all of their establishments, this is still my favorite location, even if parking can be a beast, unless you valet, or just come early. You can always expect an attentive waitstaff who will give you good service.
My all time guilty pleasures is the roasted crab and garlic noodles. This is a guarantee to be on point and for us, usually get individual crabs instead of sharing for left overs.
We also get the salt and pepper calamari (not as crunchy as it use to be and less flavorful, but still one of the better tasting ones out there), combo fried rice (another winner), added on mixed vegetables and the stuffed calamari (both of the sauces tasted similar but was still tasty). -
Review from Mimi V.
After a long day of bike riding through the Golden Gate Bridge, my bf and I wanted to end the day with Thanh Long due to it's raving reviews. We called in advance to make reservations around 2pm on a saturday and the only opening spot they had was 9pm, so we took it. Walking into this restaurant, it was jam packed! This Vietnamese restaurant is nothing like any other typical Vietnamese restaurant that i've been to. They are very modern and service was awesome. However, the food? I must say it was just okay and ive experienced better.
Things i tried:
Mussel Appetizer - I enjoyed this appetizer. Every Bite i took was great and the flavor of it was just right.
Asian Bouillabaisse (soup) - This soup tastes like Canh chua, but it was very sweet. Not the best soup i've tried.
Roasted Crab - This crab was just average. There wasnt much flavor to it, and it was quite oily. The way it was cooked was perfect, but the flavor? It was okay.
Garlic Noodle - I actually like PPQ's garlic noodle a lot better. It was okay and nothing was really special about it.
All in all, service was great, food was okay. Parking sucks and it may take you a long time to find parking! Tip: Make reservations.
Stars: 2.5 -
Review from Sunny L.
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thanh Long is quite an established restaurant. With lots of loyal customers, i found it difficult to eat here without reservations. Upon entering, me and my gf faced a barrage of sardines [people] in a packed waiting area. The other patrons waiting were quite rude. The bar area was big enough to fit about 5 people max. Expect to wait when coming here. Always make reservations, that's the most important tip here ever. Things we tried.
Mussel Appetizer: 9/10
Really good and delicious. 5 mussels on top of slices of french bread only but quality over quantity.
Asian Bouillabaisse - Bowl of Soup for one : 4/10
Really really sweet with a slight sour.
The taste was there but it was so sweet that it wasn't appetizing.
It was really a turn off.
Roast Crab - A whole crab: 5/10
It was expecting a good flavor to this. I was thinking about it all day actually.
It was just crab that was roasted. I felt like this could have been improved in so many small ways. It was just okay to me. Nothing special.
Garlic Noodles: 5.5/10
The GN was okay, nice hint of flavors but I also didn't feel this was lip smacking good. It could have been better.
The Service was locked down on everything.
Water here and questions here.
Very good good good service.
Ambiance was okay; more so, it was loud and noisy.
Overall, I would recommend this place to try but I wouldn't expect to be blown away.
Pros: Service, Mussels
COns: Improve on the items listed above. [IMO]
STars:3 -
Review from J A.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012
We were quite excited to check out this place being huge fans of crab (and during dungeness season too)! Sadly, Thanh Long was quite disappointing with high prices and mediocre food.
We started with the mango salad with seared shrimp and scallop that ended up being the highlight of the meal. The flavors were fantastic although there could have been more scallops. The warm seafood paired with the fruit flavors of the sliced mango and raspberry vinaigrette were really fun and well worth trying!
We also had the tamarind crab and a plate of garlic noodles. The crab meat was good and well cooked but the sauce was really strange with ingredients that did not go so well together. The tamarind component of the crab did not come out strongly (this wasn't your normal tamarind sauce) and we were quite disappointed with the conflicting and unappetizing flavors of this ~$40 dish.
The garlic noodles were also just bleh. For $10, I would really like more than a plain plate of spaghetti noodles with a some garlic seasonings. I generally love garlic noodles but at least most places present the noodles with a sprig of greens or extra sauce and charge at least 1/3-1/2 less. Really- with how expensive the food is at this place, I expect a bit more presentation if not better flavor.
Overall, this place was mediocre to average (we count 2 stars as average). The mango salad was fantastic but the big miss on the other dishes plus the unjustified high prices brought it back down to a 1.5 stars for us. -
Review from Kris G.
1/31/2012 6 photos
this is no mere roasted crab... this is god, speaking to us through food.
i'm paraphrasing jason segel here, from HIMYM, and although he's speaking of the best burger in new york, i'm here to tell you about the best crab in san francisco.
most of you know, i'm a proud maryland gal who's been cracking blue crabs over newspaper since i was 3, thank you very much. for me, crabs come by the bushel, they're served with buckets of beer and plates of hush puppies, and it's a social thing - you spend time at the table with family and friends, talking and eating delicious morsels of old bay-seasoned crab meat.
when i came to san francisco, i was shocked and appalled at the flat discs of fish-flavored breadcrumbs that pass for crabcakes in the bay area. the dungeness crab i found in my salad louies and crab fried rice left me underwhelmed and longing for the lump crab of my hometown. i had been in SF three years, was planning to move back to DC for a new job, and had thoroughly given up hope of finding good crab in the bay area... until i went to thanh long.
have you ever licked your hands in the middle of a nice restaurant, trying to suck every delicious drop of flavor off your fingers, not caring who saw your atrocious manners? well, if you go to thanh long, you will.
i tried their buttery, garlicky roasted crab exactly one week before i was set to move across the country, and literally had dreams the next two nights of tender crab meat eaten with white rice by the handful. refusing to leave california without another taste, i went to sister restaurant crustacean (thanh long is closed on mondays) before hitting the airport for my cross-country flight.
their garlic noodles are fantastic; so are the crab and cream cheese wontons and the desserts, but that roast crab still haunts my dreams. and you better believe thanh long is the first place i'm gonna go when i'm back in the bay.
best. crab. in. san francisco.Listed in: best of the bay
-
Review from Krystine D.
Oakland, CA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
My family was visiting from San Diego so we wanted to wanted to indulge and heard about the crab here. Fortunately, we set reservations because this place was packed!
Superior service. We were told our table would be ready by 8:30 and our name was called right on the dot. For starters, we ordered the salt and pepper calamari. The calamari was good, though I'm usually used to having some sort of dipping sauce with it. Lightly breaded. Then we ordered to the Vietnamese traditional salad, which was the perfect starter to a heavy meal; it was light and refreshing.
As for the entree, each of us had one roast crab each. Previous reviews definitely reflected well; the roast crab is delicious. It seems as though they must marinade the crab ahead of time (probably why the restaurant doesn't open until 5) because the crab came out quickly but was still tasty. We paired the crab with two orders of the garlic noodles - great combo. The noodles are rich - garlic-y and buttery YUM - and went well with the crab.
For dessert, we had the fried banana with ice cream. Each order comes with two fried banana portions and one scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!
Ultimately one of the best meals I've had since moving to the Bay. I would absolutely come here again if the budget permitted. My mom even dared to say that was the best crab she has had her whole life - now that's bold :)
Can't say enough about the service here. They were friendly, fast and extremely attentive. Awesome staff. -
Review from Lauren L.
1/15/2012
Hello, mother of Crustacean restaurant (one of the popular restaurants in Beverly Hills) -- but a grungy, hole-in-the wall version of it.
I mean....the crab is good? But I wish it were in the "great" category, especially since it's quite expensive. I have no qualms paying big bucks for a good meal, as long as it reflects the taste of the food.
As for the garlic noodles....they're garlic noodles. People rant and rave about the garlic noodles this...garlic noodles that...And how it's a secret family restaurant, but just type into Google: "how to make garlic noodles" and you can probably find a comparable recipe. MMM.
Overall, the food is good. Nothing that would make me want to come back another time -- especially for the $$$. -
Review from Robert W.
San Ramon, CA
2/4/2012
40 for a crab. Hm... The dish was fresh but not exceptional. The service was a c -. Pay very little attention to customers.
I will not go back. -
Review from DOM d.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
I gave this place 5 chances but I inally concluded that it's not for me.
The flavors are too rich for my taste .
this place is usually busy so if you have a reservation expect to wait
service could be better.
im not sure if it 's the butter but this crab went through me and back to than long in like 20 min. -
Review from Albert M.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
go here for the roasted crab and garlic noodles, that's it!
PPQ has a much better peppered crabs. Garlic noodles better at Thanh long -
Review from Amy T.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
Extremely disappointed with the three meals my parter and I ordered. Crab Puffs, Stuffed Calamari and the Snapper.
Every dish came out a "little too quick." The snapper tasted microwaved and the Stuffed Calamari had absolutely no flavor and was extremely tough, rubbery and lukewarm. Crab Puffs were extremely fishy and also tasted microwaved.
We will never return.
The service was superior. That is the only positive feedback I am comfortable giving. -
Review from Danielle B.
Fullerton, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was finally able to knock this off my bookmarks list. We came on Jan 1 and the wait for a table of 6 was 30-45. I think if I would have had Thanh Long prior to PPQ and Crustacean I would be much more impressed. But I can't help but make comparisons.
PPQ has the best value for the food. Thanh Long is definitely cheaper than Crustacean, but by no means a casual dining option. The roasted crab runs at market price and happened to be $40 on this particular night.
As far as the garlic noodles, I have to rank Crustacean's as the best, PPQ in second and Thanh Long 3rd. However, that being said, all three are fantastic and worth a try.
Crustacean obviously wins in the ambiance category, but Thanh Long is a very nice, quaint place. I like that Thanh Long impresses and is appropriate from anything from a romantic date to a fun family dinner.
Enough comparisons, let's talk about Thanh Long's food. The mango salad was a nice surprise. It was warm and I wasn't sure what to think about that, but it was good. Salt and pepper calamari was good, but kind of a dish you can find at many other restaurants. The spicy eggplant dish had good flavor and lots of vegetables. We had chicken fried rice (mostly for the baby) which was your typical chicken fried rice. The shaken beef was a definite stand out dish. It was super tender and the flavor was wonderful.
My only gripe about the crab was they didn't leave the shell with all the juices and good stuff. The shell was turned over and we had to dig around to find some fat (which of course is one of the best parts!).
By the way, skip the drinks here. They come in tiny glasses that are much overpriced.
All in all I will probably stick with PPQ as my go to, but Thanh Long is definitely a good option for a special occasion. -
Review from Ryan S.
San Jose, CA
If you're a crab lover and love garlic, this place is ideal for you.
The ambiance was a steak-house feel and very clean.
The garlic noodles are to die for. I've NEVER tasted anything better! The portion size is enough for two people and is tasty with every bite.
The roasted dungeness crab was "OH SOOOO GOOOD!!!!!" The spices include salt, pepper, and garlic...a perfect combination for crab! The crab was mouth watering delicious! Every bite was filled with heaven (butter)...and it wasn't too "buttery" at all. The best thing I EVER TASTED in my LIFE!!!!! -
Review from Glenn H.
4.5 stars. Minus a half a star for the value of some of the items but overall a terrific night out.
This is a prize of a place. Comfortable setting, great service, excellent quality food and, while maybe spend-y, is worth a look.
For our New Years eve dinner there we four had reservations (needed given the size of the place) at 8 PM. We started the night with two appetizers:
1. Tempura Style Coconut Prawns (3/5). These were not so much the Japanese style tempura (corn starch batter) that you might have had but more coconut shaving encrusted large prawns. There were 5 and were good but, if I had to go again, not a must have.
2. Dungeness Crab Puffs (4/5). These were 6, small, perfectly deep fried, wonton-skin wrapped pillows of Dungeness crab filling that were so much better than the typical Crab Rangoon's that you might have had elsewhere. They came with two dipping sauces, the better one was the sweet mustard. This was a nice, if pricey, treat and a good start to the entrees.
Four entrees:
1. Roasted Crab (4/5): this smelled wonderful as it came out and was a large, already cut up Dungeness crab, with the carapace shell. It was meaty and perfectly done with the garlic sauce. Really glad we tried this. I like crab but it isn't a must have for me. My table-mates really like it. Market price was almost $40 each.
2. Shaken Beef (5/5): very tender tasty cubes of beef (not well done, if that's important to you) that was marinated in a lightly sweet sauce, served with potato cubes that had also been marinated in the same dark sauce and grilled; all of this served over tender bay greens. Delicious! Everyone liked this dish. The Rice and Roll's Hunan Grilled Butter Beef was very comparable (and less expensive) than this dish but this was still a winning dish. And I need to mention the tender-crisp cuts of sweet Vidalia (that's my guess) onions that were served with this dish, they were great in their own right and really added dimension to the beef.
3. Seafood Combination (Scallops, prawns, Dungeness crab) Fried rice (6/5): if there was one dish that stood out from all of them, it was this dish. A simple, (even unimpressive) looking fried rice dish that just blew people away with its wok-seared taste and awesome flavors. Fried rice, yes. But extraordinary? For a mere $16 Absolutely!
4. Colossal Royal Tiger Prawns (5/5): 4 large butterflied and perfectly grilled in the shell prawns that were served over a bed of their famously delicious garlic noodles. Yeah this was a splurge, at almost $10 a prawn, this was expensive but very (very) good and to be served over the deservedly vaunted garlic noodles, this was a plus. We didn't have to order the Garlic Noodles as an entree because of this, and the waiter was smart enough to understand this by ignoring our order for these Prawns PLUS a Garlic Noodle order. The prawns did have a tendency to stick to their shells, but they were perfectly done and marinated in some fantastic sauce to make them outstanding.
The Garlic noodles had the perfect consistency of Yee Noodles, http://en.wikipedia.or..., which gives them an extra nice bite and appear to absorb the flavors better. They are also pricey. The Garlic Noodles by themselves were $9.50 an order, which seems a bit high for lo mein noodles and garlic, but if they are Yee noodles, they would be more fairly priced. Everyone at the table loved these.
Three deserts:
Creme Brulee (3/5): this was an OK rendition of Creme Brulee, not bad but not up to the standards of the rest of the meal. Nothing really special.
Chocolate Lava Cake (5/5): Oh yeah! This chocolate delight was the size of a very small hockey puck served with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream over a pool of Grand Marnier & melted vanilla ice cream. It was pricey ($9) but oh so very wonderful to have that rich oozing chocolate goodness.
Fried Banana Fritters a la Mode. (5/5): 2 fritters (your choice of pineapple or banana) served with that same scoop of dense vanilla ice cream. Love, Love, Love this simple but wonderful desert.
It was almost a perfect amount of food for 4 with each of us full to the neck and almost giddy from the great food experience.
While the restaurant was crowded, it never seemed loud or noisy and the service was spot-on: unobtrusive, available, and very polite.
With tip we were at about $50 per person without drinks (which included one modestly iced tea for $2.50).
Loved it and would eagerly go again for a special occasion! -
Review from William C.
Tiburon, CA
12/27/2011
I have been coming here for years but lately I think they have changed their business attitude. maybe I am over reacting but I think they treat customers of other races better than Asian. lady at the front of check in has this my family owns Thanh Long and I am better than all you asian waiting here kinda attitude. Also the asian works behind the bar has really bad temper, he yells at the poor white bar tender as well as the waiters and waitresses there waiting for their drinks. I think all asians working there are owner's relatives and they all have this "i am the shit" attitude.
The crabs are the same throughout the yrs, same as PPQ, if you want to save money go to PPQ instead. Also they try to rush you out of there so they have higher table turn over rate, typical asian business style!
overall go to PPQ, same stuff, lower price, service is much better. -
Review from Sarah C.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
Roast Garlic Crab, Garlic Noodles, Shaken Beef, nice bottle of wine, handsome date. All checks!
Definitely a place to check out at some point- especially during crab season. Crab was delicious and fresh and had just the right amount of extra seasonings and flavor. Garlic noodles were the perfect partner to the crab and highly recommended! -
Review from Andrew W.
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place serves some very incredible food and some very good food, but it is very pricey. For $38 dollars, you get one crab in a variety of styles. The best here is the roasted crab. It is delightfully buttery and peppery. The sauce is so good, it inspired my sister to toss her entire bowl of rice into what was essentially a whole lot of crab flavored butter. Calories be damned. So, this dish was good.
I was less impressed by the drunken crab. It was a little on the bland side. I was expecting a bit more flavor, but the broth was kind of dull and watery. It could have used a lot more flavor. The crab was fresh, so it wasn't all bad.
We also got the shaken beef, which is beef marinaded in a sweet, salty sauce served with vegetables. It was very tender. The meat was cooked perfectly. The vegetables complimented the meat very well. But, the fried potatoes were a bit weird. I would get this dish again.
The other good thing here is the garlic noodles. FYI, it tastes like it has some fish sauce or oyster sauce or crab broth in it. So, if you are vegetarian beware. The presentation is really poor. They come out looking like very ordinary tan noodles. But, the flavor is salty and sweet with a nice garlic flavor. It is a bit more on the sweeter side than I expected. But, it was very good.
We also had the boulliabaisse, the salmon carpaccio, the soft shell crabs, the mixed seasonal vegetables and the sea bass. The soft shell crabs are a definite miss. They lacked seasoning. The batter was not that crispy. It was a below average dish.
The boulliabaisse was a nice fish broth with vegetables floating in it and some rock shrimp that were cooked well. It was ok. Just think Tom Yum soup. Nothing really special.
The salmon carpaccio was tasty. The shallots added a nice contrast to the sweet salmon. But, the portion was very small.
The mixed seasonal vegetables were well cooked, but ultimately they were just roasted vegetables. Nothing special.
Finally, the sea bass was a little overcooked. The sauce was nice and mild. It was ok. But, nothing special. It came with some vegetables in a light sauce.
I also had a mixed drink. It was a bit on the sweet side. FYI, the food here is not spicy, so fruity drinks do not pair well. It is better to go with one of the dry white wines. For a Vietnamese place, they don't use a lot of sour flavors, so the dry wine brings a little acidity to the food and makes the flavors come out.
The dessert menu was not very exciting. Deep fried banana, chocolate molten cake. All the standard stuff. Nothing unusual or complicated. We skipped it.
The service was typical for an Asian restaurant. Not very attentive. But, everyone was well dressed.
The atmosphere is clean and surprisingly modern inside. Outside, it looks like a dumpy Chinese restaurant in the Sunset. But, there are some nice silks and figurines decorating the interior of the restaurant. This is a good place for a special occasion meal or for a date although the clientele is a bit on the older side (mid to late 40s). So, it is not exactly hip. But, your date will appreciate the decor and the high quality food.
A word about parking. Come early. Parking in the Sunset is horrible. You might have to walk a few blocks. Our reservations were for 6 and we had to walk 2 blocks. If you eat around 7, be prepared for a hike. They have valet car service. So, you have that option. -
Review from Amy D.
Fremont, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came in a group of 6 on a Saturday night, so we got to try a lot of dishes. Making reservations is definitely recommended, and parking in this area is tough- the $10 for valet is well spent.
Ordered-
Salt & Pepper Calamari (nice and peppery, but calamari could've been a bit more crisp)
Dungeness Crab Puffs (good, but def not authentic)
Seafood Dumplings (only ok and 5 pieces- wouldn't recommend for the price)
Crispy Rice Paper Roll (too dry for me, I wouldn't order this again)
Curry Lotus Prawns (good taste but the "jumbo prawns" were teeny!)
Shaken Beef (really good flavor, imo better than at the Slanted Door and cheaper. however, they mix in potatoes pieces to trick you into thinking there is more meat)
Roast Crab (good, but wasn't super flavorful)
Tamarind Crab (wasn't very flavorful, but both crabs were cooked perfectly)
Garlic Noodles (good, but could've been more garlicky)
Fried Rice with Shrimp (your standard fried rice, I wouldn't order again)
Fried Banana & Fried Ice Cream (both were good but I like the banana a lot more)
Overall, the dinner was good, but not amazing. I actually liked the crab I ordered at Three Seasons better (taste wise). My favorite dishes were the shaken beef and garlic noodles, but this restaurant is worth a try for the crab. We paid $57pp including tax and tip, which isn't bad at all, but we didn't get that much crab. -
Review from Roxane W.
12/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thanh Long was a great experience for my family and I. Yes, it's pricey. At $38 per crab, you have to be prepared to spend a large sum - but I think it's worth it. Luckily, we made reservations. I would recommend you do the same.. The front area was constantly packed during our meal. We shared the salmon carpaccio to start, which was delicious. The spring rolls were good too, but nothing special.
The waiter was kind enough to let us know that we could easily share crab (instead of ordering one per person) and share the noodles. Both were very, very good. Definitely the best items on their menu. And since not everyone in my family is as big of a fan of crab as I am, we also ordered a combo fried rice and their shaken beef. The rice knocked it out of the park; the shaken beef - not so much. It was a bit rubbery and much too sweet.
Overall, a great experience at a high cost. -
Review from Ramon T.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012
We ordered the salt & pepper calamari, crabs and garlic noodles. We had fried banana and fried ice cream for deserts. Overall, the food was excellent. Great place. A little over priced Vietnamese food though.
I have been to many Vietnamese restaurants and this place was definitely expensive, considering the location that's in.
Otherwise I would give this place a higher rating. -
Review from Sonny W.
Fremont, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Garlic noodles are wonderful. The calamari was great. The wontons were pretty good. Okay, so appetizers are wonderful....
With that, however, the main course dishes are "acceptable" but overflavored. The eggplant seems like they just dunk it in sauce. The shaking beef could be a bit more tender cut.
As for the main course (crabs, of course), I was surprised to be more critical (as I've gone 3 years ago to the more "high end" looking Crustacean in the other part of the city). Very heavy garlic and very heavy tamarind flavor fo the two types of crabs that we ordered.
But seriously, what got me was how much sodium or whatever they put in. When I got home, all I could do was to keep downing glass after glass of H20.
Finally, parking in the neighborhood is hell. I was glad to drive the smaller, gas-sipping car rather than my small sport SUV. -
Review from Ana T.
San Jose, CA
1/17/2012
This place has the best dungeness crab and garlic noodles around. I really believe that this is what they are truly known for. If you haven't tried out the crab and garlic noodles here then make sure to come by and check it out. The seafood tastes so fresh and unique with its special flavoring and spices.
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Review from Liz N.
Hayward, CA
Updated - 12/20/2011
This review isn't for crab, since I can't eat it. So my sister has this thing we call her "birthday crab" because every year on her birthday she likes to come here and pig out on the crab.
I hate this occasion because I'm allergic and while everyone else is smacking their mouths and raving how good the crab is, I'm stuck shoveling garlic noodles into my mouth. Although the noodles are good, I would much rather taste the delicious crab.
All the other food here isn't worth the $$$. I thought I found a winner with the Shaking Beef, I was wrong. I ordered it again and it was very sweet. UGH1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/18/2010
I'm Allergic to crab, so this review will be for other dishes here.
On special occasions (birthdays,… Read more »
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Review from Rosie W.
12/6/2011
Who doesn't like crab and garlic noodles?? Oh my, so delicious.
Thanh Long is located in the Sunset district, kind of tucked all the way near the 40's streets. There aren't any other big name restaurants around the area, it's kind of quiet actually. Parking shouldn't be too bad if you're worried about that.
It's really nice inside. If you've ever been to PPQ on Clement st, this places's decor doesn't even compare to that. The inside reminds of me a nice steakhouse. I first came here with a group of 6 of my coworkers and they sat us in this half circle booth table in the middle. Awesome service and they were all very attentive.
I'm only giving it a 4 stars (which is really good btw), because the food didn't blow me away. I think it's comparable to PPQ, but the place is really nice, but it's more expensive. If you haven't been, you should definitely try! -
Review from Michelle C.
Stockton, CA
12/27/2011
All of the crab they offer here are great but my favorite is the black pepper crab.
The garlic noodles are perfect and NO they don't have a garlic sauce drenched over them. These babies are sauteed with garlic instead of ruining the integrity of the fresh noodles.
This is seriously one of my favorite places for food...well crab and pasta. -
Review from Cecilia B.
San Bruno, CA
1/24/2012
BEST GARLIC NOODLES! and the crab too of course! everything else is just ok. Service is excellent the handful of times that I've been here.
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Review from James L.
12/12/2011
If you don't normally eat crab, I can see how this place is potentially delicious to you but getting a similar quality from any Asian market in Garden Grove for cheaper makes it seem not worth getting a crab here (only doused in garlic). We also tried the stuffed calamari but it was meh.
The garlic noodles are tasty but with crab in garlic sauce after awhile, it becomes a single monotonous note. As someone mentioned in their review, white rice probably pairs better with the crab. But yes, eater beware- garlic burps to ensue.
Great service, good ambiance, but the food is not compelling enough for me to want to be a must go to spot when I'm in SF. -
Review from Wayne L.
Millbrae, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend was craving Thanh Long's famous roasted crab and garlic noodles. Since it is crab season, I was in favor of her suggestion. I visited Thanh Long more then 20 years ago. Back then, it was a dive with cheesy decor. It has been up graded with a full bar and frescos on the walls. The restaurant is well lit and comfortable.
Once you walk in, wading through the crowd in the tiny front lobby. tip-make reservations for two or more. there's a full bar on the right before you walk up to the host station.
We started off with a traditional Vietnamese salad comprising of shredded cabbage, and shrimp in a kind of sweet rice vingarette sauce. The crab was in butter with copious amount of pepper, tasty. Ordered the garlic noodles too. My companion added chili sauce to the already tasty noodles to, "give it a kick." Great idea! Add the crab meat and Ooooo. Don't worry about messing up your clothes, they put on a huge plastic bib on you. They also give you hot towels to wipe your hands after eating crab.
We sipped a lemon drop with Chambord. Good.
Dinner coupled with great company and it was a nice time and meal.
Service was very attentive, but not intrusive.
I would give it more stars except it was not spectacular in uniqueness. Although I noticed there are varieties of other delectable items on the menu. Who am I to say? There were people still coming in at 9:30 for dinner. -
Review from Nat N.
I started coming here when I lived in San Fran, and even though I don't live there anymore, I'll still make it a point to come here every time I visit the Bay area.
By now you should know that the owners of Thanh Long are the same owners as Crustaceans, and both places have the same menus and presumptively the same recipes. But I've tried Crustaceans in San Fran and also LA, and Crustaceans is just not as good as Thanh Long. Not only is the food tastier at Thanh Long, but the portions are more generous. I also like how the atmosphere at Thanh Long is more casual than Crustaceans.
The only drawback is that it's located in the outer sunset area, which is accessible via the N Judah line, or you can drive (good luck finding parking in this neighborhood).
Hits - roast crab, garlic noodles. That's it. Don't waste your time ordering anything else.
Miss - dessert
I like to end my meal with their hot Jasmine tea. Hot tea is always soothing after a greasy, buttery meal. -
Review from Kent T.
San Francisco, CA
12/24/2011
The famous garlic noodles man.
However, it's a hit or miss sometimes on how good it's cook.
As for the crab, it's good but maybe not work the price if you can steam your own crab or in my case, go and catch my own crab and steam it myself. -
Review from Stacey D.
Mesa, AZ
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been there a few times. It gets packed, so make a reservation. The valet service outside is very accommodating too.
Roast crab and garlic noodles are a dream! I haven't had anything but those two items, and really, that is all I want. Call me a creature of habit with crustaceans...
Creme brule is a nice desert to end the night. They have a great wine selection too...I might add.
Service has been great both times I have been there. When the servers offer you a bib, don't be offended. You will notice by looking around about everyone is wearing one. I rip it off as soon as the last piece of crab is taken away...but those juicy suckers are messy! Lastly, I love a restaurant that boxes the food up for you...especially messy crab. Thank you servers! -
Review from Gayle G.
Soquel, CA
12/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great service. Roast crab delicious ,as well as their garlic noodles,shaken beef!
We saw this restaurant reviewed on, "Check, please Bay Area." It sounded very intriguing , so we decided to take the 90 minute drive and try it. We were wowed. It is
located in the outer Sunset . After reading the Yelp reviews and recommendations,
we tried the 3 dishes that were so popular. The waiter was attentive without be intrusive.
By the time we ordered, it didn't 15 minutes, before the roasted crab was on the table.
We've been back three times! Be sure to take reservations, as the restaurant
quickly is packed and people are waiting in line. The parking is limited, but there is
a valet service. -
Review from Stephen L.
Ladera Ranch, CA
2/1/2012
Garlic noodles and roasted crab, what else do i need to say... Love this place!
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Review from Gorgeous P.
Berkeley, CA
1/20/2012
This is my absolute most favorite restaurant! The garlic crab and garlic noodles are straight scrumptious! My favorite appetizers are the crab puffs. Yummy yummy yummy YUM!!
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Review from Jen G.
New York, NY
11/7/2011
Allright, I'll be the first to admit that I exaggerate stuff and can be overly dramatic sometimes, but honestly- I think our dinner at Thanh Long was probably one of the best meals of my life. Top 5 for sure.
My friend kept raving about this place and how great the garlic roast crab is. I L-O-V-E crustaceans, crab legs and lobster tails rock my world. Garlic not so much. I of course use garlic in cooking to enhance a dish and can appreciate its use, but you're not gonna find me eating at The Stinking Rose where that shit reeks of almost raw garlic, ew. So, I was slightly skeptical as to whether I'd enjoy this garlic crab, and the garlic noodles that you can order as a side dish.
We walk into the restaurant, and I'm pleasantly surprised to find out it doesn't have an overbearing garlic smell to it. Awesome. I was tempted to stray from convention and try the Tamarind crab, or the Drunken crab (cooked in white wine and olive oil I think), but everyone kept stressing how legit the garlic roast one was. Ok, I caved.
Boy, I've never been so happy to cave into peer pressure as I was Friday night. The garlic roast crab was sooooooooo delicious, I went to town on that motha. I kindof pride myself on my waspy crab-eating skills, I can pick every single morsel of meat out of a crab leg, which I did again that night. Honestly it's a lot of crab meat so many of weaklings out there might want to follow in the footsteps of the couple next to us and "split a crab." I don't know what "sharing" or "split" a meal means as I've never done it myself, but I hear some people don't experience the food coma afterward, so I guess try it if you want.
On to the noodles, which again sounded super dicey to me. I envisioned half-cooked garlic which would make me vomit. Ohhhh silly girl, silly naive Jo. No no no no- the garlic noodles were exquisite. They tasted faintly of garlic, and like McDonald's fries, had to have a touch of sugar in them b/c they were slightly sweet and addictive as fuck. Score.
As a sidenote, this place is a nicer restaurant, you still get a bib but it's definitely not a hole in the wall crab joint. With that said, I wouldn't recommend it for a first or second date, b/c most girls will squirm at the thought of cracking crab legs (which might mess up our outfits, God forbid our date's crab gets flung inadvertently into our hair), and the garlic factor too, just don't do it. Wait till you guys have reached that comfort level where you just don't give an F and can school that crab in peace without any insecurity. -
Review from Adelaide H.
Tustin, CA
12/4/2011
Holy buttered crab!!!! This place is amazing for crab lovers. They roast a whole dungeness crab with butter pepper and secret stuff to make the stuff of dreams.
The garlic noodle is also a great compliment to the crab, but for me the steamed rice really does it.
Make reservations, this place gets packed, and get there early, parking is hard, sometimes they have valet. -
Review from Christine P.
Daly City, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
The crab we got was pretty skinny. Call me a Pinay but I prefer my crab with lemon or vinegar instead of swimming in butter. The garlic noodles left something to be desired. Eh, I was expecting better. I'll take my brother's crab over this any day.
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Review from Vivian L.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2011
Finally came here last night with great company!
Ordered the mango salad, garlic noodles, lemongrass chicken. Bill came out to be $43 dollars. My friends weren't a fan of the lemongrass because it has a strong taste, but I loved it- being a fan of lemongrass flavor all the way back from Thailand! The garlic noodles was flavorful, but was a bit salty. Still good and would order it! The mango salad's dressing tasted fabulous too!
