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Turtle Tower Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Vietnamese Vietnamese [Edit]
631 Larkin St(between Eddy St & Ellis St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 409-3333
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8:30 am - 7:30 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
1337 reviews for Turtle Tower Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The pho ga had such a fresh, homemade flavor."
(in 354 reviews)
"The Chicken Noodle Soup won't disappoint."
(in 145 reviews)
"can't get Northern Style this good in many places."
(in 181 reviews)
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1336 reviews in English
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Review from Liza T.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fast, Simple, Cheap, Convenient and DELICIOUS!
Got the Chicken Noodle Soup with Chicken Giblets, Spring Rolls and Three Color Bean Dessert.
Everything was good. I got the small noodle soup and the portion was still good to me. The soup base was flavorful with good amount of chicken The spring rolls and the dessert drink were good too...nothing could really go wrong in the Vietnamese restaurants. -
Review from Corey C.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
The trick to enjoying this place is to not expect your usual pho (lots of hoisin sauce, sprouts, chili, cilantro, etc). Don't expect it because you won't get it! Instead, have a mindset that you're going to have some great quality, simple soup. The chicken noodle soup is great, and would be the perfect thing to get if you have a cold.
I also highly suggest the fried imperial rolls. They're very delicately fried to perfection, crispy and delicious. -
Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
2/1/2012 1 photo
Wifey and I were craving some noodly/brothy goodness, so we turned to Yelp to look up some pho. Turtle Tower is one of the tops, so we treked on over to the Tenderloin to fill our bellies.
We sat down and ordered what everybody on Yelp recommends, the Pho Ga Chicken Noodle soup (#9). We also ordered a pho with beef flank (#3). Thinking we were super hungry, we ordered both as larges.
When these bowls arrived, they were much bigger than the normal large pho bowls we are used to. The noodles were flat and wide, also different than the norm for us.
Anyway, we dug in, and we furiously attacked the bowls and finished every last drop and bit. Yeah, it was delicious. And yeah, we were in pain from being so full. But such is life when eating good food, right? -
Review from Lei T.
Las Vegas, NV
1/27/2012
This is not your typical Vietnamese pho place if you are used to Southern style pho- this is ALL Northern Vietnamese style dishes so may not be to your liking...I however, was born in Hanoi and grew up eating Northern style Pho, Hu Tieu and Bun Cha and this place is LEGIT. Growing up in San Francisco, my mom took us down here every Saturday to have their pho, it's the only place that compares to my mom's pho.
I stop by every chance I get when I come home to visit, I see that they've expanded their menu to now have Cha Ca ( Fish cake) and Bun Cha ( pork patties). I'm gonna try those next time I'm visiting SF since my mom make's the BEST pork patties and I have not found a place that makes it like mom's!
I just wish there was a place like this in Vegas :( -
Review from James V.
Garden Grove, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Terrible Terrible Terrible. Where's the Rooster Sauce, the Hoison Sauce, and the limes? For a broth that tastes terrible and filled with msg, you would at least let me soak it sauce. Also, where's the fish sauce to dip the chicken with. Actually, there wasn't that much chicken anyways so that didn't matter too much. I am done trying Vietnamese food in San Francisco.
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Review from Nick B.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2012
Ugh sick with a cold and sore throat which leaves me slightly annoyed at the world in general. Screw everything except getting food to make me feel better. So who has the best chicken noodle soup? Turtle Tower - hands down!
The place is usually busy as hell but I peaked at just the right time and was able to grab some soup and spring rolls to go. Usually I love the Pho Ga but I just wasn't feeling it. Quick service.
Home to brew to super hot tea and let that chicken noodle do it's work. So good it made me forget I was sick for awhile. -
Review from Marymarie P.
Miami, FL
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Rude, rude, rude! I cannot express enough how turned off I was by their service and how much this place got my blood boiling!
After being seated in the tiny corner, the waiter dropped the menus on our table and left. About 2 minutes later (barely enough time for us to glance at the menu), another waiter comes over with her pen and looks at us and doesn't say anything..when we don't say anything, she then impatiently taps her pen on her pad and rudely says "order what" to us. Once our pho arrived, the BF asks the front politely for hoisin sauce only to get a snide remark in the most belittling tone about how it's a "northern Vietnamese pho restaurant and hoisin sauce is not to be used with the dish" ugh wow.. First, we know this already because why? Bc my BF's family is from northern Vietnam..secondly, it's a restaurant and people can have their pho any way they want it, they could have simply said "no sorry, we don't have the sauce" and let it be.
As for their "special Northern pho" it was okay hence the two stars, but seriously, it wasn't out of this world so the employees should get their heads out of their own butts and work on being nice to customers. There was also a bug in my water. I couldn't get out of that place fast enough! Ughhhh! -
Review from Alex C.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
Went here because of the great Yelp reviews and as a recommendation from numerous friends. It's different from other Pho places, so keep that in mind. They use flat rice noodles, and they give you just jalapenos and lemons on the side (no sprouts, no basil leaves). Maybe this is more authentic/traditional? The broth was ok, kind of light and bland for a beef pho. I'd rank Pho Vietnam, Pho Clement and Sai's ahead of it.
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Review from heather h.
San Jose, CA
1/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
THIS THE BEST PLACE FOR PHO I'VE EVER BEEN TO!
Now that i have your attention, my friends have taken me here a few times and told me how great it is. I thought that going from the marina to the tenderloin for Pho was a bit aggressive but i tried it anyways.
We arrived and there was a bit of a wait for 3. There is no seating area so we had to wait outside. We finally got a table by the window so we were freezing the whole mean. I ordered the rare beef pho with yellow noodles. ($7/$8). It taste great! My only recommendation would be to put more beef in it. I haven't tried the others yet.
We also ordered the fried spring rolls which are super yummy!
My recommendation: Bring a coat, chances are you will have to wait outside. -
Review from Erica H.
Ontario, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here on the recommendation of a family member that said it was the best Pho around. Unfortunately, they do not cater to the Vegetarian, which is no fault of theirs, for there is no requirement, I am just used to being able to order Vegetarian Pho filled with tons of veggies and served in Vegetarian broth. This was not the case. It is also a different type of Pho that I have never tried. I did enjoy the noodles and the broth, but had to get the chicken stock, which I usually steer away from. My walk along Ellis street was less than pleasant as well, as I was followed by a crazy man the entire way. At one point I had been fearing for my life and was grateful to have come upon Turtle tower when I did. Note to self...do not travel in the Tenderloin alone.
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Review from Robert J.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
This is a place that serves bowls of Pho Soup and when you leave you are still hungry. We're not big eaters, but Turtle Tower is certainly not very satisfying. Their service and handling of our order is unsatisfactory.
My friend and I were in the Larkin Street area looking for a place called Happy Dumplings. Unfortunately, it is no longer in business and we decided to eat here since there were lots of customers. It is located on the corner of Larkin and Willow. When we arrived there, the hostess directed us to a door on the Willow Street side. When we got there, it seems like all the tables were not cleaned and we waited for a few minutes. Finally we were seated and the menus were just dropped on us with no greeting and a small pot of tea.
When the waitress came to take our order, I wanted to ask her which Pho dish had the most vegetables, since my friend wanted that. Before I could finish with my question, the waitress answered wrongly and said that the most popular dish was #9 the chicken soup. I am annoyed when people do that - they seem to be snotty know-it-alls. Finally we ordered small #1 Beef and Brisket Noodle Pho Soup ($6.20) and #5 Stir-fried Beef with Celery, Carrot, Onion, and Leek Noodle Soup, ($7.00).
When the Spanish speaking man brought out our food, he didn't know what we ordered and couldn't understand English. Finally the waitress came over and straighten the order, but fortunately she got the order wrong. Instead of #5, our waitress place an order for #9 - the chicken noodle soup. My friend was gracious enough to accept the mistake and not make the kitchen redo the order.
Both soups consisted of a thin broth with small pieces of floating meat and just a small amount of Pho noodles. Though the soup was refreshing due to the very cold day, it was not very fulfilling. We were still hungry afterwards.
For being in the heart of Vietnamese restaurants, Turtle Tower is a disappointment. There appears to be many other similar restaurants in the area that probably has much better value. It is very unlikely that we will eat here again. -
Review from Tiffany W.
Fremont, CA
1/4/2012
omg, Pho Ga (Chicken Noodle Soup) is SO good here... a few years ago, I was out to lunch with my cousin and her bf (who is Vietnamese). I still remember, we were having Pho and I ordered Pho Ga, and he informed me that you can't just order Pho Ga anywhere - he also told me that Turtle Tower in the city is the place to get Pho Ga. Ever since then, Turtle Tower has stuck in my mind as the place to go and try Pho Ga.
This past New Year's Day my girlfriend wanted to get Pho as our first meal of the year (and since we were kinda hungover). I immediately jumped at the thought of going to Turtle Tower, and so we went.
When we got to TT, there were already a bunch of people waiting outside. We waited maybe around 20 minutes, then when it was our turn to get a table, the lady who worked there gave us a number and instructed us to walk around the side to the side door - I instantly thought, weird, but at the same time, no wonder I saw people getting numbers and walking around. So there's pretty much two dining areas in this restaurant but to get to the second one, you gotta walk around the side to the back. Kinda sketch, but whatever works!
Anyhow, Pho Ga here is awesome - the broth is so delicious and I love that it's got that oil factor going on that you know they probably cooked the chicken in there for a long time to extract those natural oils. ALSO, I don't think I've been to a pho place before where I thought, WOW, the noodles are so delicious and fresh. It literally tastes like it's made to order. I also loved that the noodles are on the thicker side - after doing my research, I found out that this is because Turtle Tower is a Northern Vietnamese restaurant, thus more Chinese influenced - awesome!
That brings me to my gripe about the reviews for this restaurant - people are not realizing that this is not a South Vietnamese style restaurant, which is the majority of Pho restaurants. That being said, the noodles are going to be thicker, and they won't be giving you bean sprouts, etc. to top off your noodles. (from what I read about North Vietnamese cuisine) I told a friend a few days ago I finally tried this place out and he was bitching about the fact that they don't give you bean sprouts, don't have Hoisin sauce, and the noodles are thicker. I love the fact that they use thicker noodles since I like thick noodles in general - but while eating here, I did notice differences between other Pho places so I Googled that shit.
Anyhow, will definitely be back for their Pho Ga, but skip the Lap Chong (Chinese Sausage) Sticky Rice. I make this better at home in my rice cooker. -
Review from Charmaine A.
San Jose, CA
1/17/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Quick and simple-- BEST vermicelli bowls on the west coast!
It's served a bit differently than regular Vietnamese restaurants. They put the pork and pork patty inside of the fish sauce so that it's nice and flavorful by the time you eat it. Veggies, noodles, and side condiments are all kept separate so you can make it just the way you like. Everything is so tasty, it's the only Vietnamese place that I've eaten at that I'm pretty much licking the plate clean.
Besides it being a little on the messy side with the occasional obnoxious customers, I would not eat at any other Vietnamese place besides this when I'm in SF! -
Review from Stella C.
Oakland, CA
1/27/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I will rarely, if ever, choose chicken over beef. There are hardly any instances in which chicken can trump beef in a dish. Turtle Tower proved me wrong.
Don't let the neighborhood dissuade you, this is located on the most delicious stretch of Larkin. But know that coming here will be absolutely worth it. The restaurant is clean, open, bright and the service is friendly and fast.
My mom always makes noodle soups using wide rice noodles, chicken broth, and adding a variety of meat/veggies depending on what she has available. To me, that is one of my favorite comfort foods and no restaurant will ever compare. Turtle Tower is the only place that even comes close.
They serve Northern-style pho so don't expect the pho you have been eating at all other restaurants. For that, go to Oakland. Here, expect wide rice noodles, light broth, and minimal accoutrements. I've never been a fan of using sriracha or hoisin in my soup (they completely cannibalize the original flavor of the soup). And don't worry, you won't miss them. The #9 Pho Ga is simple, but so flavorful and delicious! It comes with wide noodles, shredded strips of tender chicken (the BEST and only way chicken should be served in noodle soup), a light chicken broth so full of flavor. The best way to describe the soup is fresh. You get cilantro, lemon, pepper and jalapeno. Order a glass of the fresh soy milk and that's it, you simply will not need anything else. I've heard that the owner buys the produce from local farmer markets within walking distance of the restaurant, free range chicken and fresh noodles made the day they are served.
I have been eating pho ga all over now because of this and suddenly became such a snob because NO ONE can make it the way Turtle Tower makes it.
Simple, consistent, delicious food. Truly a San Francisco gem that is a must try. SO good. -
Review from Derek N.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This week's weather is deceptive. The early am presents 43F, by noontime you have to strip off your overcoat at 61F, and then at early evening it drops back down to the lower 40sF...blah blah blah Weather Derek.
Luckily, Turtle Tower offers great pho choices.
As usual, the place was mobbed. Shared a table with some older asian couples. [Bonus for being able to practice my cantonese to the ones on my right (the left were Viet). I'm an ABC so I need lots of help...]
I ordered their Pho Ga: Wide rice-noodles, good clear broth, lots of shredded chicken, decent sized bowls...crisp, clean & very "ho-seck." This one is my favorite.Listed in: PHO (pronounced FUH)!!
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Review from Brendan L.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been here one time before and I did not like it....today my friends wanted to go so I came to give it another try. I still do not like Northern Pho as much as Southern, but I have to admit today's food tasted better than what I had during my first time.
The meat was really tender and flavorful. The soup was really tasty but its just those noodles...I guess I grew up eating Southern Pho....the Northern noodles are different but OK...
It was funny that it is still the same that they only give you one napkin....When I eat Pho i need at least 4-6. I had to conserve. I guess with no sauces or hot sauce I didn't really need it...
I would recommend #4 Beef pho Large with the beef on the side...throw it on at the last minute and you get more of a raw beefy taste.
I would also say that if you write your name down and stay near by...When i got there, there were at least 8-9 groups ahead of my group of 5...so we went to Lee's sandwiches for a pre-game snack...We came back in 10 minutes and we were almost next.... The lady was calling out the names...if you weren't present within 20 seconds you were cross out!
This place is good but i still prefer Southern Style. -
Review from Michael C.
Berkeley, CA
1/1/2012
After a chilly (and touristy) NYE bay cruise on the Blue and Gold fleet, I needed something to warm me up from the inside out...and Turtle Tower did just the trick.
I had no idea that there was a difference between Northern/Southern pho, so I was in for a surprise when the food came. I usually ask for raw onions at pho places, but when I asked for them at TT, they explained to me they didn't do it. Upon reading further reviews, I definitely want to try the pho ga next time I'm around, but I sprang for the beef pho this time around
The first thing I did as soon as my bowl arrived was take a sip of the broth...and I was blown away. It tasted so different from any pho I had before, and I could tell this was an entirely different beast. The noodles were thick and flat, and much different than what I was used to, but still delicious. The entire experience is new, yet familiar at the same time.
My favorite thing about pho is that it's always so well priced, and TT is no exception. The small bowl was enough for me, but the big bowl is a steal for only a little bit more $. Highly recommended, and I'll certainly be back! -
Review from Sonny S.
Arlington, TX
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
The waitress was extremely rude to my girlfriend and I. She also was pushy and tryied to rush when ordering, and that was the extent that she served us.
Food was decent, but the customer service was horrible. -
Review from Christy C.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
i always thought i disliked pho until i tried turtle tower.
i mean, i LOVE soup, especially japanese ramen, so no one got it when i passed on pho over and over. we got and split the stir fry beef, delicious! leeks, carrots, tons of sriracha, and the beef was perfectly cooked. we also got the plum soda and lemon soda...i love sugar so i preferred the lemon as the plum is a little too savory for my liking.
$15 plus we had leftovers! love it. -
Review from Cassie D.
San Mateo, CA
12/28/2011
Came here with high expectations. Boy, was I extremely disappointed. It's definitely not your typical pho place. I should have known as the window had a large sign saying "Now serving bread & paté".
As I was craving a traditional bowl of pho this day (rare beef, brisket, tendon, tripe, & the whole nine) I was given a small bowl filled with noodles and broth more than anything. Shall I mention, their noodles aren't the regular thin vermicelli noodles. I'm not a fan of flat noodles. I was even more bummed when I found out they don't serve sprouts, mint, hoisin sauce, and lime. Boo! That was an instant thumbs down for me. Not to mention we waited five minutes for our menus and another ten to order.
I think I'll stick to my regular pho spot from now on. I will not be returning here! -
Review from Huntting B.
Washington, DC
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hole in wall!
Can get one fried and one steamed roll. Woot!
Both plastic and takeout chopsticks at table! Great thought!
Wide noodles. Weird at first, but very tender and easy to eat. The broth was very thick and flavorful. The meat for rare beef is cubed and pretty meh as it tasted like ground beef :(
The fried roll was pretty meh and the fish sauce was less than desirable. The steamed roll was pretty yummy but something was OFF.
Overall come just for the soup and u wont be disappointed.
Oh yeah the ice coffee was OK but had an odd aftertaste. I think the water wasnt quite hot enough
3 stars on a san francisco comparison, 4 for the continental USListed in: Vietnamese Pho-shore
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Review from Michele P.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here, like most people, by someone who spoke very highly of Turtle Tower (the point where the dinner conversation turned to a discussion of where the best pho in the city is).
I know nothing about the differences between regions of pho, but know enough that this isn't the "traditional" kind of pho you get from most Vietnamese restaurants. The noodles are thicker (which I love), the soup base is a little different and there is no hoisin sauce (which I also love). The portions are large too! I had enough soup and noodles for another meal as leftovers.
We also ordered the spring rolls, which I were actually amazing. They didn't last long.
It was actually a refreshing change and great for cold a day. I only knock of a star for the location (which isn't really fair I know) and service, which was a bit slow. -
Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
Just like the rice and noodle products you can buy at 99 Ranch Asian Market that are branded the 3 Ladies Brand, there are 3 famous ladies known in Vietnam. But the difference is that the 3 Ladies Brand food products represent women from different countries. In Vietnam, they represent different regions of the same country, the North, the Central, and the South.
You can go to a Vietnamese home store and find representation of the 3 regions by the 3 Ladies, often in statues or paintings. Each lady has a different hairstyle and/or hat, and different traditional dress. They are known for different traits, too. The music in Bac or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or South are different, too, the accents are distinctly different, even the facial features of the natives vary, and so is the food different.
Through the centuries Vietnam was heavily influenced by the Chinese, especially in the North. Pho, or noodle soup, started in the North originally, but became very popular and spread throughout the country. Noodle soups from the other regions are also popular, with the Central, centered around the ancient capital of Hue, offering their spicy Bun Bo Hue, and the south, with their Hu Tieu, perhaps known best for Hu Tieu My Tho, for the style from the city of My Tho in the south.
Turtle Tower serves food that is for Bac Ky - someone from the north, from the Hanoi area. This means the noodles are flat, more like linguini style, than vermicelli style. It also means that they do not serve you fresh basil and bean sprouts with your Pho order. Nor do they have Sriracha Tung Ot or Hoisin sauce on the table for condiments. More like a Chinese restaurant, they do have chili paste, soy, and wine vinegar on the tables. They do serve you sliced green chilis, however, like most Pho or Vietnamese restaurants. They do have some Sriracha if you ask them. They don't have Hoisin, because I asked and they said no.
It's sort of like ordering breakfast expecting scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns and getting chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy, and grits instead.
Service here is extremely slow compared to all the other 95 Pho Restaurants I have dined in. Perhaps this is because they supposedly make their own noodles, rather than using dried ones. They could have made their own noodles with the 4 of us, as it took about 10 minutes to order, and another 20 to get food.
Turtle Tower is your classic Asian Dive in decor, and to top that, it is in the Dive area of SF, the Tenderloin, on the Larkin Street Viet corridor, filled with other Viet businesses for a block or two. A couple of blocks away is Riff Raff City, with drug dealers and users and other low life.
I am used to, and prefer, Pho from the South, with fresh basil, lime wedges, sprouts, chills, with a side condiment dish of Sriracha and Hoisin to dip my meat, with clear, savory broth, and prompt service. I don't expect a smile, as I have only got that in maybe 5 out of the 95 places I have ordered Pho.
Unfortunately, I have to go San Jose or Westminster to find Pho I like, or even Seattle or Portland, or the East Bay. I haven't found a good bowl in San Francisco that I really enjoyed.....yet.
Here's my Pho list of 96 (and counting) different restaurants from all over the country:
http://www.yelp.com/li... -
Review from Sofia R.
I stopped by this place with a group of friends because we were all in the mood for pho.
It didn't take too long for us to get seated. Service was okay. Kind of awkward and straight forward.
I ordered the rare beef and well done flank steak pho (#3) with Thai tea. My friends ordered #1 and an order of grilled pork with rice.
Thai tea is average. The glass is small and I assume they use powder over actual Thai tea.
The quality of the pho is as good as I remembered. This is my first time ordering pho that wasn't chicken flavored and I enjoyed it. I think they put more meat than most places I've been to have, but one friend said otherwise.
Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. The friend who ordered grilled pork said that they gave her more rice than needed and that some of her pork pieces were burnt.
I didn't expect this problem til now, but this place only accepts cash. Luckily, there's an ATM available for use just next door at Lee's Sandwiches.
Great place for pho!3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/23/2011
I come here every time I start feeling sick so I dragged a few friends here and ordered my usual pho… Read more »
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Review from Samantha B.
Carson, CA
12/21/2011
Very different from the pho I've had at other pho restaurants. No typical bean sprouts or mint leaves offered, nor Sriratcha or hoison sauce. You can ask for Sriratcha sauce, as it's behind the counter, but no luck on the hoison. (Bummer!)
The restaurant gave a different taste to the typical pho people are introduced to that's why. The broth was more Chinese-broth/soup like, which was really good. It added a new spin to the pho I'm used to. And the noodles were thicker as well. I really enjoyed my bowl! The meat included was delicious. Ahhh just everything together: noodles, meat and broth... MMMMM!! To die for.
I do prefer the other kind of pho though. But for what it's worth, the kind of pho Turtle Tower offers is really tasty. (Don't even dare comparing it to the typical pho everyone else offers!) I'd definitely hit this place up again. -
Review from Anna T.
12/5/2011
You have to understand that not all Vietnamese food is about beef broth and heavy meats in order to truly appreciate Turtle Tower.
My parents are from Hanoi, so I grew up eating pho that was lighter in flavor. Regular pho restaurants tend to be too salty for me. Naturally I love Turtle Tower because it makes the best tasting chicken broth I've ever had.
Service is pitiful, but I would generally say that most Vietnamese places are lacking in service. They are really fast at taking your order and bringing out your food, so that's always a plus.
Remember, only get chicken pho here. Don't be a noob. Get what they are famous for! -
Review from Raven L.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Turtle Tower serves Northern Vietnamese pho, do not expect a plate of bean sprouts, sriracha and hoisin sauce! During lunch hours, this place and it's Geary location is packed, so come a bit after or before!
From my experiences coming here, I was pleasantly surprised by how rich, homemade and natural the broth tastes. The pho consisted of flat noodles, the meat, broth and sprinkle of cilantro and scallions. Refreshing and simple, the pho ga is my favorite! The soup actually tastes like chicken broth and uses yellow skinned/feathered chicken (Asian variety of free range chicken that holds strong chicken flavor)! The beef pho on the other hand, although quite good in broth, has beef flanks cut into thick slices of rough cut beef. Not my favorite, I think I'll stick to the Southern style for thin cut beef pho. But come here for pho ga! (chicken pho!) It's literally just tastes like homemade chicken noodle soup (: -
Review from Joyce B.
1/15/2012
did not know this is a northern viet pho place bc i asked for hoisin sauce and they said they don't eat their pho with that bc they're northern. interesting.
but omg... their pho is AMAZINg!!! the specialty is all in the soup!! people recommended pho ga which has chicken. i ordered the beef combo, with rare beef, brisket, tripe and it was soooooooooo delicious! the beef was very very well cooked and literally melts in your mouth. they also have small flat noodles instead of vermicelli noodles. i tried the chicken one and it was good as well. overall, def try this place and it's good esp for hangover food. the only thing is, it's in a sketchy location so come here for lunch or early dinner. -
Review from L C.
Burlingame, CA
12/14/2011
As others have said, this is not Southern Vietnamese pho so some differences -- i.e. noodle thickness and different trimmings -- are to be expected.
The main event for me when eating pho is the broth. The rest of the items -- meat, veggies, trimmings, noodles -- are easily obtained at Asian supermarkets and thus it is not hard to make your own pho at home. EXCEPT for the both -- which necessitates several steps, various spices, time to cook and strain the broth for clearness/ less fattiness. Thus I judge pho places by the broth and a distant second, the cuts of meat.
Turtle Tower makes an exceptional beef broth -- fragrant, flavorful with spices, clear, and non-fatty. It likely has MSG in it but not enough to overpower the flavor nor leave you with a bad aftertaste. Too many pho places fail or skimp on the broth; I can taste the MSG, there are not enough spices used, or it tastes like canned beef/ chicken broth. For people who usually put hoisin sauce, soy sauce, or other stuff {other than lemon, jalapeno, herbs, and black/ white pepper} in the broth, consider not doing that next time as the other stuff covers the flavors of the broth. The way I learned to eat pho, the sauces are used to dip your meats, not put in the broth.
Secondly, the cuts used for the pho tai were tender and flavorful and of an adequate amount.
The chicken pho also has a reasonably flavorful broth but it wasn't all that different from what my mom can cook at home.
We also had the cuttlefish cakes as an appetizer and that was very good. Crisp and non-rubbery. -
Review from Bhanie C.
I ordered the #4 combination pho bowl, which came with everything and my friend ordered the pho gha which is the chicken version. I've had a few pho places, and this one is pretty damn good. Both my bowl and the my friends was on point. The broth tasted like it was really home made and it took them time to make it. The beef combination tasted just exactly how my daddy makes his pho. The meat is all soft and tender, just melts in your mouth. I never add anything to my pho when I'm eating at a pho place because i don't want to ruin the taste of the broth. But I do like my side sauces, which consist of sriracha, chili paste and hoisin. I like to dip my meat into the little concoction. But from what i learned since this is a NORTHERN Vietnamese style kind of dish, they get offended when you asked for hoisin. I asked my friend where's the hoisin, and he said, "oh no don't ask for it, last time i asked they yelled at me!" haha Apparently they are very proud of their dish and don't want you to ruin it by adding any other ingredients. That was a first for me. Overall I'd return, i would like to give their other dishes a try, since there isn't many Northern Vietnamese restaurant around. The service is fast and friendly and the pho is oh so yummy!
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Review from Adonis V.
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pho-rhaps this was not the most pho-nomenal pho I've ever had but it definitely deserves Pho-r stars. The noodles are strangely fatter than the pho noodles I'm used to but that's because it's northern Vietnamese cuisine, which I soon won't pho-rget. It's pho-licious pho-sho and worth all the pho-shizzle-ma-nizzle on my turtle...
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Review from Mandy H.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2011
Lunch time with bro. Walk in the door and the waiter directs you back out, to the annex space around the corner. Share an eight-seat round table with another lunching pair. Low ceilings, flickering fluorescents, slurping noises. Waiter comes from kitchen with four heavy bowls of noodle soup balanced on a plastic tray.
Pho ga? Yum. Eat and get out. -
Review from Stefi C.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2011
Turtle Tower will not cure a hangover, that's for sure. Maybe I'm just not used to this style of pho, but I had a bowl of pho ga and left completely unsatisfied. The broth was mediocre at best, there was still skin on the chicken (no thanks), and slurping up the flat noodles proved to be challenging that early in the morning.
As for the service, our water cups were constantly filled but our pho took ~15 minutes to arrive, which is a lot longer than the 2 min I wait when I go to the typical spots in the east bay. If I ever go back, I'll sneak a bottle of hoisin sauce in my purse (so wrong, I know!). Next time I'm looking for something after a late night along Polk, I think I'd rather go to Lee's next door lol.
PS. CASH ONLY -
Review from Stephanie A.
South San Francisco, CA
12/9/2011
For all the people giving this restaurant one or two stars just because this is not what you're used to and what a big ass shock it is because the style is so different... you ought to have a more open mind.
This is a different style than your usual hoisin, sriracha, and bean sprout add ons. I've been to this place many times and I have to say that this place gives pho ga justice. Yes it's a different flavor but it's still satisfying and hits the spot. You don't need additional flavoring except for the squeeze of lemon and jalapeno.
This is an awesome place if you know exactly what to expect and are used to this style. Not to your taste? Then keep walking, but don't trash this restaurant with bad reviews cause it's not to your preference. -
Review from Nick C.
San Francisco, CA
Legendary SF spot. Why not give it a shot?
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Review from Mindy Y.
11/5/2011
Very, very different from all the Vietnamese pho places I've been too.
Every time I come here, I only order two things: beef noddle soup and egg rolls.
(1) Beef noodle soup: beef comes out in rare grounded slices topped on top of the noddles, and half soaked in the tasteful broth. Cilantro and onions sprinkled - delicious. Let's talk about the noddles - so, so fresh. Turtle Tower uses fresh, very fresh noddles! Again, I love this place because it's so different.
(2) egg rolls: their eggs roll are very different, again, compare to the rest o f the Vietnamese places out there. Egg rolls wrapped in a clear-rice-paper, the ones they usually use for spring rolls. And then it's deep fried - delicious! Wrap it with lettuce and dip it in fish sauce - a soaky flavorful crunch to it. 5 stars.
**OVERALL, Turtle Tower, I applaud for their pho and egg rolls - so, different, yet delicious.Listed in: Can't Ever Get Enough Of..., PHO & BUN BO HUE
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Review from Derek L.
Fremont, CA
12/8/2011
NOT GOOD!
If you've ever had a bowl of decent pho, this place would just make you mad. I'm from the east bay and there are tons of pho places in San Jose and I've experienced phos. This is by far the worse out of the bunch.
CONS
- No hoisin sauce(blackish sweet sauce)- what viet place don't have hoisin sauce??
- You must ask for the rooster hot sauce (another standard)
- Price - $7 for a small? Get outta here!
- Service- slower than molasses
- Cash only
Terrible experience even for a hangover meal. Came out unsatisfied and disgruntled. -
Review from Jerrilyn W.
Burlingame, CA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
the best hangover food - a nice bowl of scolding hot chicken noodle soup. but it's not your mommy's regular chicken noodle soup, it's the vietnamese style, pho.
turtle tower certainly has lived up to its name. however, i feel the quality has somewhat deteriorated a bit with the soup within the past few years. don't get me wrong as it is still very yummy. but it's just not the way it use to be, a lot more flamboyantly tastier.
my usual order:
-fresh spring rolls
-vietnamese ice coffee
-pho gà lòng = chicken noodle soup with chicken giblets
if you never tried vietnamese food before, these are "must-haves" in my opinion. the fresh spring rolls, in particular, is the epitome of vietnamese fast food cuisine. i tried making the rolls before, from scratch, and obviously it's a lot easier eaten than made! so i do give props for the always perfect-looking piece of roll with the shrimp right on top. just perfectly rolled.
as for the noodles, i absolutely and thoroughly enjoy the pho ga long, chicken noodle soup with chicken giblets. what comes with the giblets? chicken liver, heart, gizzards. my fav is the gizzard. i always ask for dark meat for the chicken, just because i'm not a fan of white meat and although they charge a dollar or two extra for ordering dark meat only, i don't mind given that it just taste so much better.
comes in 2 sizes, small or large. obviously the only difference between the 2 sizes would be less or more noodles. my little tummy can only hold the small bowl, but it sure does fill my tummy after all the noodles expand!
they now have 3 locations: the original in tenderloin (TL), in the richmond district on geary street and now in SOMA (to which i think the location isn't exactly in SOMA itself since it's a few blocks down!).
i've been to TL and richmond but have yet to visit SOMA (since they close on sundays). will try to visit soon.
happy pho'ing! :) -
Review from Patrick M.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
the soup base is off the chain. Good price, fast, what else can i say.
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Review from Cindy W.
Rosemead, CA
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
HOLY - BEST Chicken Pho EVER!
There are a lot of pho shops in LA, but Turtle Tower has best chicken pho that I've tried in California so far. The first time I visited I didn't know what to expect, but now every time I'm in the SF area I have to have some Turtle Tower Chicken Pho. The broth is totally all natural chicken; in fact, I think they kill their own chickens in the back!! That's how fresh and tasty this chicken broth is! The noodles that come with the soup are not your tradition beef pho noodles, it comes with a type of rice noodle, slight wide. Goes terrific with the soup and strips of chicken meat. The egg roll are all right, and the Vietnamese coffee is pretty standard.
Service is fast and no hassle, while parking can be troublesome as it's street parking only. If you're in town, do yourself a favor and have a bowl of this spectacular chicken pho.
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