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Tu Lan
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
8 6th St(at Stevenson St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, SOMA
(415) 626-0927
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
1121 reviews for Tu Lan
Review Highlights
"Imperial Rolls - definitely a must order."
(in 319 reviews)
"Pros: lemon beef salad was uniquely excellent."
(in 34 reviews)
"Their Shrimp Fried Rice is awesome too."
(in 73 reviews)
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1121 reviews in English
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Review from Raymond Z.
Milpitas, CA
2/3/2012
Tu Lan has pretty delicious imperial rolls. I usually get the rice noodles, grilled pork, imperial combo. The beef steak with fried noodles is pretty awesome too.
It's super cheap and well worth it. (I've never seen that large of a to-go box in my life!) -
Review from Sara P.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
My recent experience here was great.
I came in with low expectations for the waitstaff because other reviewers said they are a bit brash, which I found to be untrue. They are just efficient! They brought menus and water immediately, then our other drinks came out right after that.
I had the lemon beef salad. WOW. Huge portions here, I had to take half of it to go.
Manfriend & I also split the shrimp spring rolls. I highly recommend them!
Food comes out SO quickly!
If you want to sit at the counter and watch them cook, that's cool. I chose a table because, quite honestly, I did not want to see the conditions back there.
**Make sure if you have a peanut allergy you let them know because most of their items have peanuts!!!Listed in: SF Lovin'
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Review from Johnny W.
Fremont, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best imperial rolls ever! SO crunchy and big. I always get the vermicelli bowls here as its cheap, portions are huge, and delicious.
The area is pretty run down, and it is def. a hole in the wall spot, but that is where all the best foods are!
~20$ fed 3 guys, with a little to spare -
Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
While waiting for a table at Tu Lan the other day, I got yelled at by a cross dresser who accused me of throwing her baby into the street and got plowed in the leg by a man riding a shopping cart. But it was all worth it for that delicious, comforting, greasy Vietnamese fare that I had heard so much about.
In terms of ambiance, there is absolutely nothing to write home about here. But that's not why you go to Tu Lan. You go for the best Imperial rolls in town, their fresh and tasty beef salad, their curry fried rice and pretty much everything else on the menu (though for pho I'd recommend going somewhere else as there are lots of other places not too far away that specialize in it and probably do a better job).
The service is quick and efficient if a bit unfriendly. But hey, can you blame them? Their place is always packed and they're in a very rough part of town - I can understand that they might develop a bit of a callousy personality there!
While I wouldn't recommend wandering in here late at night on your own, it's a fabulous place to take people who want awesomely satisfying Vietnamese food that comes quickly and without a lot of fuss! -
Review from Athena S.
1/9/2012
3.5?
With such a terrible health department score & oh-so charming neighborhood, it is a place like this that can both scare off tourists and make locals wait in line next to the human zoo/urinal that is 6th Street. Prepare to still maintain an appetite. It's just one of those SF contradictions.
So let's be honest, Tu Lan isn't very healthy. Anyone who claims it is must have never had any noodle dishes here.
But dam oh dam is this joint fcuking good, despite taking 'hole in the wall' to an extreme level. And I've got to admit, witnessing those men thrown down in the kitchen makes for not only cheap eats, but pretty cheap entertainment as well.
Just don't be stupid with your purses or act too flashy because higher chances you will get mugged. This street epitomizes gross. The fried rice makes up for it. :)Listed in: This SF Native speaks...so…, Cheap Eats
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Review from Ellen C.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
My introduction to Tu Lan: A friend of mine hoovering chow mein from a comically large chinese take out box. Love at first sight.
This place is cheap with heaping portions. Totally worth it to wade through the parade of human desperation south of Market. To be fair, I did get a proposal out of it. "Be my wife, Michelle." That's not my name, and yes I will.
Went there for the 2nd time and brought a friend. Friend asked the waiter for a recommendation, and he eagerly told her 14 - some type of pho (I can only remember the #s). Going off on my own I tried to order 17 and 1. After the waiter informed me that I was trying to buy imperial rolls twice (total accident, but would have been heaven) he insisted I get number 3.
Our food was on the table in a miraculous 3 minutes.
The imperial rolls are so good they can end friendships. The wrapper is a doughy wrapping covered in a delicate crispy skin. All of this houses a meat nugget the size of a baby's femur. The dipping sauce is a sweet vinegar syrup which acts as the mushroom cloud of your flavorsplosion. They're not fucking around here - which you know because there are always 6 people right behind the bar shaking large, hot woks and chopping jalapenos - without gloves!
Number 3 was some sort of meat-packed spring roll, which managed to be simultaneously fresh and hearty. The 14, some sort of pho, was the least impressive. It was technically seafood pho, but by the end of the soup we counted 5 shrimp tails. To put that in perspective, that means shrimp accounted for 3% of the epic bowl handed to us.
Conclusions: This place is unbeatable. Eat the food there, it's better hot. Ask the waiter for advice because he/she will actually know the menu. Be conservative since you'll get American portions. Bring cash - you won't need much. Be careful not to step in human poop on the way inside. -
Review from Chris G.
Concord, CA
2/3/2012
This place is dirty, the neighborhood is sketchy, and the food is totally amazing. Imperial Rolls all day and night! Great fish, noodles with grilled pork...and yes, cheap. A must-visit SF spot.
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Review from Misha T.
1/11/2012
The bun is pretty good and the egg rolls are large a la cordon bleu on california.
My main knock is that nuoc mam is way too sweet and because it goes on everything it's a real problem. really a shame. -
Review from Jade W.
a great dive restaurant in the middle of crack-central. Prices are right on, generally under $6, fast food, quick and effiecent service and yummy.
Check it out -
Review from Mayra L.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011
Do you want to eat the same imperial rolls that Julia Childs did?! Do you love huge portions of pretty damn good food, and for ridiculously cheap prices as well? Are you poor, a student, or just love good cheap greasy food? Then Tu Lan is the place for you.
Seriously though, this place is like a gem in the rough. Once you move past all the SOMA street sketchiness, past the crackheads and crazies, you come into this tiny little restaurant packed with people and are quickly motioned to sit somewhere. You sit underneath a plethora of fake flowers and put your elbows on the sticky table tops and look around at the varied types of people who come into Tu Lan. Order a carafe of wine for 6 dollars and prepare yourself for one of the most delicious meals of your life.
I was introduced to Tu Lan by a chef friend, who is seriously the pickiest eater in SF. Being a chef, she has super high standards and I almost fell over when she chose to bring me to Tu Lan, when she was hatin on Gracias Madre and Delfina the week before. Alas, I trusted her gut and my my girlfriends instinct and we came here for dinner with a bunch of friends.
The menu greats you with an old picture of Julia Childs, declaring that she looooved (insert silly Juila Childs faux European accent) Tu Lan when she visited it in 1960 something. Hmmm...okay...
The main highlight of Tu Lan is definitely the pork imperial rolls. That stuff is delicious and you get huge portions for 5 bucks. Seriously, they alone could be your meal. They are super crunchy on the outside but it's whats inside that counts, and whats inside is so good. Paired with a mildly spicy/sweet sauce...AMAZING
We usually do family style dinner where everyone picks a plate then we share. Try the sauteed vegetables with mushrooms (5$), vegetarian fried rice (5$) and def. go for the chow mein (5$). Then top that off with another imperial rolls round.
You'll leave with your belly full, a little tipsy and about 10$ weighing less in your wallet. including tip :) -
Review from Abby S.
12/13/2011
Ever have those days when you're craving greasy noodles? Unfortunately, I have those days more often than I'd like to admit... And if I find myself in San Francisco when those hankerings are tugging my appetite, Tu Lan is the answer.
Yeah, it's in a pretty shady 'hood, but don't worry too much - it's usually so crowded (with mostly "normal" people) that you're not in danger. Just don't talk on your cell phone while you wait in line and don't flash a giant wad of cash and you'll be fine :)
You can get your order to-go, or do what I do and head upstairs - they have about 6 or so tables where a waiter/waitress will help you out. It's a little less stressful and the food is still effing cheap. Their noodles are SO good!
Side note: Tu Lan is NOT for those who are germ-a-phobic! Seriously, do not go here if you're one of those people who carry hand sanitizer in your purse. You will be grossed out. But if you don't pay attention to your surroundings and focus instead on the delicious food in front of your face, you won't regret it.
Cheap, delicious and satisfying - what's not to like? -
Review from Carolyn F.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
There's a woman near the entrance who takes your to-go orders. And it's probably best to stand near there too. If you stand too far in the restaurant, several waiters will try to hand you a menu and seat you.
Since I was grossly hungover, I got both the lemon beef salad and bun bo hue (because salad is healthy and soup is nurturing, yes?). Both were excellent. The beef in the salad was tender and flavorful and great with the crunchiness of the peanuts and veggies. The bun bo hue - spicy beef soup - was actually pretty spicy. Very flavorful broth, perfectly chewy noodles.
Getting an order to go was pretty fast, and everything was wrapped up all nicely. My order came with a ziploc of bean spouts, jalapenos, cilantro, and lemon and a carton of rice. Soup container was in a second plastic bag, which is always appreciated! -
Review from Helen L.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
My first impression of this place was the cheap prices and the fast service!
I been here twice during my pervious job for take out with my coworkers. The service was very fast, probably a five minute wait. The portions are huge, I definitely took advantage and got the entrees during lunch time to finish the plate off during my dinner time.
The two entrees that I ordered for take out which was the rice noodles with the pork chop with the imperial roll and the chicken salad over rice was spot on.
Recently, I revisited Tu Lan with a friend who wanted to go to lunch. This time was my first time eating in. To my surprise they are pretty roomy in the back of the diner and had more seating upstairs.
The service is fast and friendly. The dishes my friend and I ordered included the famous imperial rolls, their pho, and they fried rice.
The imperial rolls were great, it came out hot and crispy. The rolls were huge enough to be a meal for one.
I was less impressed by the Pho, which is according to my friend made in the Northern style, the pho lacked flavoring and wasn't to die for.
The fried rice was really oily. -
Review from Cathy M.
Garden Grove, CA
12/27/2011
My parents came here a couple years ago. I don't know how we even managed to find it, but we did, despite the fact that the neighborhood looked a little creepy. When we first came in, it was a really small place, but there was still room for us to sit.
I forgot what we had ordered, but I remember them giving us pretty large portions of food. It was really good, and since we were hungry, the food came out pretty fast.
To top it off, it was very cheap for such large portions! I will come here again next time I'm in San Francisco. -
Review from Scott A.
Johnson City, TN
1/21/2012
This may be one of my favorites restaurants in the whole world. Seriously. Don't got at night, be prepared to have some crazed guy throw a whole cabbage in anger through the door at the staff (yes, that happened, and every other story that people have told here happened too- nothing is beyond belief in this place), DON'T USE THE TOILET (I can't emphasize that enough, unless it's miraculously (I'm mean God himself) has been cleaned), but be prepared for some of the best Vietnamese food in the world, including Vietnam.
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Review from Jenn D.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
Went here today with co-workers and it was pretty good, definitely a place we will return for some noodles or soup. We all know that 6th street is seedy, so just get ready for it. It's cheap, the portions are massive, and it was fairly quick. One of my coworkers got the Pho and he said it was better than a nearby competitor, the Turtle place. I had the veggie noodle soup and it was chalk full of big pieces of tofu and veggies. Another one of my coworkers got a noodle dish, and I've never seen such a huge to-go box! We got the Imperial rolls based on Yelp reviews and they were really good, until one of my coworkers found something undesirable in them...but we aren't letting this deter us from returning again. Cash only, but you probably won't need more than $10.
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Review from Ken B.
San Francisco, CA
12/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Haven't been in a long, long time.
They've cleaned the place up a bit since my last visit, which is a welcome change.
The service is still friendly, and helpful, and the prices are reasonable for generous portions.
We had the vegetable curry egg pie, which had fried eggs on top. Delicious.
And the imperial rolls are a must-try. Crunch and chewy at the same time. MMM. -
Review from Karina C.
Albany, CA
11/23/2011
I came here the first time and it was super delicious - imperial rolls, pork kebab and tossed noodles.
Came here the second time and tried their lemon beef salad, and had FOOD POISONING! I'm guessing that their salad either wasn't fresh enough and/or the beef wasn't cooked properly! There was a reason why they doused the salad with lots of vinegar, perhaps to cover up the rotting salad.
I will never get their salad again. -
Review from Lisa Z.
San Francisco, CA
Tu Lan is dirty on the outside and a little inside too but they make up for it with the chicken fried rice, fried spring rolls and lemon beef salad. The food comes to you in super lightning speed so you don't have to sit in the windowless restaurant for long. Just enjoy the food and be on your way!
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Review from Eve L.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Plain fried rice. Very very legit.
Curry Fried rice is ok too. but not as good as the plain.
The pho is not good their
The vermacelli is okay. -
Review from Ryan G.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
Julia Childs gave this place 5 stars, and so do I! The restaurant interior and neighborhood are a little unsavory to the eyes, but it's not enough to keep me from coming back.
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Review from Timothy d.
Oakland, CA
10/11/2011 4 photos
Sketchy doesn't begin to describe where this place is. Just steps south of Market, on the outer brink of the 'loin area (Dave Chappelle said it so eloquently, "Aint nothin tender about that place.") this Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall is just that. From take-out orders, the counter or patrons sitting at the sparse number of tables, this place and its staff is bustling.
The fried rice dishes seem to be very popular among the take-out patrons, while the traditional Vietnamese dishes were being ordered by the Asians.
I decided to order the bun bo hue, there version of the spicy beef soup. Tender beef pieces, thin noodles, chili peppers, cabbage and bean sprouts help balance the homemade spicy broth, just enough heat to incite the breaking of the sweat.
If you don't feel comfortable in a place where you think you might need tetanus shot afterwards, move right along!!!
At the end of the day, the place is fairly safe and puts out some wonderful affordable options to fill your inner and physical Buddha. Yes, it's in shitty location; but, if it's good enough for the late great Julia Childs (R.I.P.), than it's good enough for you and I.Listed in: San Francisco... so many…, Nissin and Maruchan has…
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Review from Fra'tan L.
San Francisco, CA
10/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
2.5 stars
The restaurant itself is a fucking dump. Do you remember in the film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf when Liz Taylor says "What a dump?" Well, she wasn't talking about Tu Lan. Because if she had been, she would have said, "This place is a FUCKING dump X10."
The entire restaurant is covered in a thin layer of grease. If you decide to eat upstairs, don't touch the railing on your way up because it hasn't been cleaned for 20 years. Frankly, if you were an infection control specialist, you'd know to implement droplet precautions in this particular space. Mask. Gloves. Gown.
Now, about the food. The first time I was here I loved it. It was fvcking awesome. I can't remember exactly what I had, but it was some sort of pork thing, plus their Imperial roll, plus rice. Delicious.
The second time I was here, I decided to branch out. Hideous. I ordered some dish that had crispy noodles and that was cool, but the entire dish was swimming in a pool of oil whose only rival could be that disaster in the Gulf.
I'll try it again, sure, but I'm going to wear clothes I would be happy to throw out. -
Review from Rob C.
1/18/2012
an sf institution. has the feel of yamo. fat imperial rolls, tasty but only the initial bites, really way too oily. thit nuong rice plate, kinda dry, but home made. must be the hole in the wall type cookware that gives it the extra stir fry greasy seasoning.
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Review from Ethan S.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012
Suburb spot in a grimy area. I love the soups here. The imperial rolls are f**king fantastic! There is a slight roach problem but if you've ever been to a Vietnam its pretty typical. The food is prepared fast, hot, and furious. Great flavor and great price too!
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Review from Patrick V.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This wont sound like a favorable review but it is. Tu Lan is located in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. For those that dont know what the Tenderloin is, think of the seedy, janky parts of NYC that Travis Bickel of "Taxi Driver" would drive through. The tenderloin has that same vibe. Filthy streets with filthy buildings and filthy people all around you. Hookers at night, colorful odd characters by day, crackheads and disabled folks everywhere yet there you sit, in Tu Lan enjoying arguably the best Vietnamese food in all of San Francisco. If you can get past the atmosphere, you will be pleasantly surprised. Their claim to fame is that Julia Childs gave this place her approval back in the day. Truth be told, their food is above average and like most restaurants, they do some things exceptionally well, while they also lack in some areas. The actual restaurant consists of a long hall kitchen with an upstairs room that seats about 20 people. Parking is non-existent and if there were parking, you wouldnt want to leave your car unattended in the Tenderloin. Your best bet is to take Bart or Muni to the "Civic Center" station and then walking. Here is my breakdown of the basics. Take a look at some of the photos that others have posted. There are some good samples to view.
Pho: They crank out lots of this. The broth is usually on point however, I have had one occasion where it seemed like they spilled a canister of pepper into my soup. Noodles are fresh and so are the herbs. They serve the same variety as most phoa restaurants. Beef tendon, tripe, brisket, etc. There are chicken and seafood options as well as vegetarian. They actually have a wonton soup that I think is fantastic.
Bun: Great flavors. Good size portion. Can be shared for two unless you are uber hungry and can mow it down solo. Choices of BBQ pork, imperial rolls, grilled shrimp, or various combinations of these three.
Spring Rolls: Always fresh, always tasty. Good way to start your meal
Imperial Rolls: Basically, these are fried spring rolls with pork in them. They are bigger than most places. Great appetizer if you want some fried goodness.
Fried Rice: It's not bad but nothing special either. They use curry powder in the rice which can get boring after a few bites.
Vegetarian Dishes: Yes, there are quite a few on the menu actually. Sauteed mixed veggies, tofu salad, or my personal favorite bean cake with vegetables and crispy noodles.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee: Love it here. They also offer it hot but in my opinion, it should be consumed on ice :)
Banh Mi: Sorry folks. They dont make sandwiches here. -
Review from Helen V.
10/31/2011
Ehh.
Tu Lan was alright. I ordered the Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) and it came waaay too spicy. I was instructed to just "scoop the top layer off of my soup" instead of the waitress asking me what level of spicy I wanted my dish when I ordered it. I was coughing for a good 10 minutes and sweating during my entire meal. And even though it was terribly spicy, the broth itself wasn't flavorful but bland. The imperial rolls were on the mediocre side also...I like to think that all things fried are delicious, but that was not the case here.
My friends really liked their Pho Ga, though it was compared to Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup so...you can make your own judgement. However, they also said there was a lot of chicken in their bowls, claiming Tu Lan used "a whole chicken" for each of their soups. The BBQ Pork vermicelli noodles were a hit though!
All the portions were huge and more than enough and the prices are pretty solid. The server was nice and friendly, making jokes with all night. Regardless, at the end of the night, I wasn't too impressed, so I probably won't be back. -
Review from Nancy S.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011
I first came here years ago while I was still working in the mall downtown. It was one of the closest Vietnamese restaurants (shop) that was cheap and close by that I can go for lunch.
The walk over was a bit intimidating since it's on 6th and Market. That's not the part of town I would usually go to. The place was small and it was literally a showcase of the kitchen. I couldn't have sat there and ate since it was so busy so I grabbed take out. I got the cold Vermicelli noodles togo, with grilled pork and egg rolls. God, was that amazing!! It was reallllly good!
I ordered that dish from them a few more times during lunch but have been meaning to try their Pho. I really need to take a friend with me here next time! -
Review from Kelly S.
San Francisco, CA
9/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
It won't look like much. It's on 6th, known as one of, if not the most foul block (btwn Market & Mission) in the city. But Julia Childs says it's the bomb. And dammit, she was spot on.
Price to quantity considering, you can't get a better deal. You will, most likely, have leftovers.
Top items: #25 pork and pork
#24 pork and rolls
or just get the rolls as an appetizer and split the #25
or the Chicken Curry. sooooo good.
Eat in on the second floor, or do take out, it's fun either way. Just be on guard from the crackheads and other whatnot coming at you on the walk back. It's a doosy, wouldn't recommend you taking a cellphone out at all.
Some guy literally straight up hit me in the face trying to take mine, not my smartest moment. But I survived many a walk down 6th, amid junkies and crack hoes literally fighting over my head, needles on the ground, crazy drivers, a consistent smell of urine.
I know what you're thinking: how could there be good fare at the end of this? Trust me and the others who shout it out. This is the most famous thing the street has besides crack and hoes. Just say 6th street and the first thing out of anyone's mouth with most likely be TU LAN!!!! (said in loud adulation) -
Review from David S.
12/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food here is actually quite nice (surprisingly so) and the people are friendly. I don't think I'd often brave the bad and the ugly to get the good here; especially since there's better Vietnamese to be had in the city.
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Review from William B.
Palo Alto, CA
10/8/2011
Remarkably tasty Vietnamese food in a real dive. Julia Child apparently used to trek through the Tenderloin for the Imperial Rolls, and I can see why. They are the best thing on the menu. Get them. I also liked the Hanoi roll, the lemon beef salad (which was a little too wet), and the pork with noodles. I didn't much care for the shrimp curry, eagerly foisted on us by our waiter.
Totally worth the trip. -
Review from Jia min C.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011
Tu Lan is right around the corner from my work, so I'm quite used to and prepared for the sketchiness of the surrounding area. But fair warning: the area is super-sketch! So go for lunch, or get takeout while there is still daylight out. I generally avoid this area when it get dark... I like Tu Lan because it is cheap, delicious, and extremely fast.
I've never eaten in at lunchtime but the place always looks super packed. There is usually a crowd in the doorway either waiting to order or waiting for their order.
You know how sometimes the dirtiest places have the best food? That is definitely what is going on here. If you can look past the dirtiness, you'll be able to get some great food. I usually order one of two things, #16 (Imperial Roll and Rice Noodle) or #18 (Beef Sauteed and Rice Noodle). I've gotten #13 (Beef Spicy Noodle soup), which was good, but greasy past limits even I'm willing to take. Plus, it's hard to get noodle soup for take-out so it definitely resulted in a mess as I tried to eat it. Numbers 16 and 18 are very good though, and I get them depending on whether I feel like having sauteed beef or minced pork in a deep fried roll. I gotta say, I'm very pleased with the cut of beef they use for #18 and in the Beef Spicy Noodle soup-- it's very lean with no fat pieces or tendons, etc. For both 16 and 18, the meat comes on top of a bed of cold rice noodles, with bean sprouts, lettuce, cucumbers and other assorted fresh vegetables on the side, and with a small container of fish sauce. I just dump all the fish sauce on top, pour the little packets of hot sauce (Sriracha?), and then mix it all together. Not sure if part of the reason why I love these dishes so much is because of how much I love fish sauce and salty food... Either way, delicious. The portions are great too-- I can eat a lot, and I always have leftovers.
Admittedly, the other reason why I tend to get the same thing is the safety and comfort I find in the tried and true (i.e. these dishes have worked out for me). A while ago, my co-worker got one of the vegetarian dishes and got food poisoning. I really like this place, but I'm definitely not going to risk food poisoning.
Tu Lan is worth it if you are willing to try good, no frills Vietnamese food. I recommend getting the food to go as it gets so busy and loud, especially at lunch time. Plus, if you get it to go, you'll be able to enjoy your food in a more clean and serene setting.
One more suggestion: some of my co-workers have complained that while the food is delicious, the cooks are way too liberal with the oil. One of them was able to cajole them into putting in less oil, so if you want it to be (a little) healthier, you can try to convince them. -
Review from Hilarie S.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
Even though I live 3 blocks away and am not scared of the hood, I definitely wouldn't dine in here, take away is the best bet. It's not the "best" Vietnamese food by any means, but the portions are monstrous (2 entrees plus spring rolls fed 2 girls with big appetites and one extremely hungry guy and we still had plenty of leftovers), it's CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP....and probably due to copious amounts of MSG (just a guess and I wouldn't be able to find out since I don't speak Vietnamese and they don't speak English), the food is quite tasty. Yes the fried stuff is greasy, what do you expect?
Tip: get takeout and take it to City Beer Store on Folsom to eat along with some amazing beer! -
Review from Patrick A.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011
The Imperial rolls are the bomb!
I ordered the Chicken with VN herbs, expecting something more exotic than onions & scallions. It was unbelievably salty .... literally swimmimg in thickened soy sauce. My partner had Spring Rolls, which were delicious. He then had Vegetarian Chow Mein, which was less salty than my chicken entree. Nice mix of tofu and veggies; the fresh broccoli was a nice touch with all the canned stuff they use.
We'll go back just for the rolls. -
Review from Marc S.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011
Loved the imperial rolls. Among the best and biggest I've had and doesn't have the black fungus that I don't care for. I had the pork with noodle bowl with Imp Rolls and loved it. Only thing keeping it from a 5 was the pork was dry either from over cooking or from being prepared in advanced to serve faster. Food came in under 1 minute from ordering. Still, I enjoyed it a lot and I will return. Not too scummy. Efficient operation. Lots of yelling and a great mix of people. Huge amount for $8.75 with tip. Veggies in the bowl were nice and fresh. Fish sauce not too fishy, but still had a bit of that odor that places like Slanted Door are too scared to offend the neophytes with.
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Review from Carson L.
San Francisco, CA
8/18/2011
Tu Lan is it.
I've been eating here for five years and still have no complaints
Its loud, its dirty, its greasy, its cheap, and its fucking awesome
Rather then try to make this place something it isn't, all the haters should slag off and go eat some Panda Express, im sure they have the cleanliness and attentive staff you yearn for.
This is the best Vietnamese food in the city, for Pho you will have to venture to Turtle Tower, everything else can be found here.
A meal for three people, three beers, and plenty of leftovers : $20 + Tip -
Review from Peter L.
7/26/2011
The food here does not match my palate since I eat at many Vietnamese eateries and am already aware how different they could be. While the dishes on the menu are similar, to me the food here is saltier and on the sweeter side. I would not go out of the way for it, but if in the area, then sure.
If you don't eat Viet foods often, this place is probably good. On my dinner visit the place was full but there were maybe one other Vietnamese customer, at most. I don't know if that tells you what Viets think of the place? Similarly, the high starred reviews are mostly from non-Vietnamese. All I can conclude is go here if you don't eat Vietnamese food often.
Everyone knows about its location and interior, and so do not expect much if you've never been here...but the food is cheap! A generous four stars for non-Viet-food eaters. -
Review from Rocky K.
San Bruno, CA
Updated - 8/8/2011
Like the US credit rating, the unthinkable has happened. I've downgraded Tu Lan (one of my go to places for cheap and good Vietnamese food) to three stars.
The food is still good but the wait staff has gotten to the point where I've come back to Yelp after a year and a half to update (and I know it's Tu Lan, so it's not like I'm expecting superior service).
Ordered the combo plate and requested substitution for the curry fried rice. The guy that took my order (definitely new, never seen him before even though I had been 2 weeks ago), looked dumbfounded when I asked him that, as if I he had never heard the request before (he also looked kinda "special needs, mouth gaping at us the whole time). After having to repeat it a good 4 times, he kinda got the gist and asked someone and told us its a $1.50 more. No prob.
Food comes after 5 minutes. The "fried rice" I got back was slightly off white with a sprinkle of egg on it. It looked like it had been fried for literally 5 seconds. Hell, I could have borrowed a pipe and lighter from the crackhead outside and fried it up better myself. They might as well have given me the white rice. Again, I'm not expecting super fancy food, but at least make it taste like the delicious shrimp fried rice. If I knew what I was getting, I would have ordered a shrimp fried rice as in addition to the combo plate. Don't know how they can charge $1.50 for that little thing of fried rice when a) a whole shrimp fried rice order is like 7 bucks, b) it was basically white rice in oil, with a crack sprinkle of egg "fried" for a whole 3 seconds.
During dinner, I hear the head lady berate the new guy about how he quoted us $1.50 for the fried rice instead of the white when it should be $2.00 in Chinese. Perhaps she didn't know I understand what she was saying (or more likely she didn't care), and told the new guy to charge us $2.00 and scribble some stuff down since they (us) wouldn't know what we were being charged for anyway.
Next time she walks by, I ask her how I would go about ordering/substituting the fried rice from the shrimp/curried fried rice instead of the mediocre fried rice on my menu. She says they don't do that and I nodded (since I've seen it ordered by other people countless times before). She then puts the bill on our table and I noticed we had been overcharged. My combo plate was $6.25 on the menu (I know they update menu's with sharpie pens like other items on the menu , but mine still said $6.25) Somehow my bill said $9.50. I asked how much my combo plate was, and she replied $7. I wasn't caring about the money, but I wanted to see how far she went with lying to my face and overcharging me.
Again, I'm not expecting anything that comes to fancy at Tu Lan. Nor do I care about being overcharged by a buck or two. Nor am I bitching about the guy reaching for a bunch of stuff in the beverage fridge 4 times during the 30 minutes I was there. But I am irked that the fried rice substitution I ordered was NOWHERE near what I expected. And the whole "just scribble some stuff down, they're not gonna know anyway" just makes it all that much worse since I know I was being lied right in my face (she was standing right next to me).
2 weeks ago, I came in with a friend. 2 beers, an imperial roll app, and 2 mains came to $25 w/ tip out the door. Tonight's one main + substitution for "fried rice" = $11.
Sad. After countless times, I've never left Tu Lan disappointed. Guess there's a first time for everything. Won't be as eager to come back as I usually am.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/20/2008
Shrimp Fried Rice!!! Hallejalulah! (sic).
Totally worth stepping over the crackheads to get to this… Read more »
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Review from X X.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011
This place is a true "hole in the wall." Grungy little Vietnamese place that honesty if a health inspector came in would have a field day writing them up for health code violations. But the food is tasty and good and they make it pretty fast. I usually get the Vermacelli noodles or the beef salad very good dishes.
Things that are annoying: It's f***kng loud in here and its not the customers, its the workers and owner either having arguments or just feel the need to hold conversations from across the rooms very loud in Vietnamese! The bald headed cook always touches his nose or sweaty head-gross. Our waiter with the front of his teeth missing always gets mad when I ask for Chinese hot sauce and he just sits and watches you while you eat. There are homeless and crack heads hanging outside the joint and its annoying, it's one of the worst locations in the Tenderloin.
If you can get past the annoying stuff the food is presentable and good and the prices are fair. Welcome to San Francisco dining! -
Review from Erica L.
San Francisco, CA
8/8/2011
Another well-reviewed vietnamese place in the middle of sketchiness.
Went with my roommate, got the imperial rolls and we each got a bowl of pho. It's huge portion and really cheap.
We had asked if one bowl of pho is enough for the both of us (2 girls) and they said no, we'd need two orders. We were a bit upset when we saw how big the portion was and how we totally could've ordered 1 and be fine. We ended up taking more than half of the pho to go and ate it for another meal.
This isn't the best pho I've had. It's super greasy, and it smelled like old grease. The restaurant was literally a hole in the wall, and not the nice and cute "ooh check out what I found the other day!" hole in the wall way, it's the "it's in the middle of the loin and very dirty, floor sticky, everything in the kitchen's covered with dark yellow grease" hole in the wall.
I went because I read good reviews on it. I'm very disappointed and have never gone back again.
