Turtle Tower Restaurant
Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin631 Larkin Street
(between Eddy St & Ellis St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 409-3333
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
62 reviews
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
"This is my favorite pho place in the city. I like that it's close to my house, but don't worry, I'm not giving it extra stars based on that…" read more »
350 Reviews for Turtle Tower Restaurant
My friend said i should try their famous chicken noodle soup, but (1) i was not sick and (2) it looked extremely unappetizing! So i had bbq pork on vermacelli. Meat was burnt and so bland. It was like eating rubber. It was not eatable!!! I'm very easy to please when it comes to food. This just didn't do it for me...
Date & Time: Friday August 15, 2008 @ 6:30pm
Company: Michael
Crowd: Mostly Neighborhood Asian & Latino Families & Couples & A White Couple
Vibe: Super-Casual
Decor: Hole-in-The-Wall. Pale Yellow Walls w/ Photos of Saigon. Small TV. Very Tightly-Packed Tables for Deux & Quatre.
Service: Efficient
Imbibe: 3-Colored Drink, Fresh Soy Bean Milk, Vietnamese Coffee
Devour: Rare Beef & Tripe & Chicken Pho
Total: $26.62
Notes: #28 of The 31 Restaurant "Cheap Eats" List
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3.5 Stars
So silly me, I knew this place was great for Pho. Heck, I even saw it on Kron 4's Bay Area Backroads. However, I ended up ordering the grilled pork with rice which was tough and chewy with no flavor. It took awhile to come out while other customers kept on ordering the pho bowls and those came out really quick. My friend also ordered the grilled pork vermicelli which he thought was alright. I have to come back to Turtle Tower because I know it's good but silly me, I didn't get the Pho. Next time and I will see what all the fuss is all about.
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Today's trip to Turtle Tower marked my first time trying both pho ga (chicken pho) and northern Vietnamese food in general. Their pho is a bit different. The rice noodles are flat and broad, and you don't get a plate of veggies to put in your soup. The broth is also richer and meatier, and heavier with the flavors of cilantro and green onion than your standard pho. All in all, I liked it! The pho ga reminded me a little bit of this Korean soup that I like, which also contains tender chunks of chicken and flat "knife-cut" noodles. They don't skimp on the chicken, either. A small was more than enough to fill me up, and cost in the neighborhood of $6.
The soda chanh isn't that great here. Whatever mineral water base they used for mine was too flat. Go for something else instead; they have a wide variety of soft drinks and also some beer.
The restaurant itself is small and plain, lacking any sort of ambiance whatsoever, but it's pretty clean. Turtle Tower is always crowded in the afternoons, so you might have to wait a little while for a table. I did notice that they added a second dining room on the other side of the kitchen (the entrance is a few doors down the alley) if you can't get a seat up front. Cash only.
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after all the hype, i HAD to check it out.
pho tai - beef noodle soup.
served with fresh ho fun noodles
no veggies North Vietnam style.
no hoisin sauce either.
good soup. served very hot which is the proper way.
Dept of Health' s problem child but good pho.
next time the chicken pho to see what their signature dish is all about.
I love pho ga. I love chicken intestines. I love the little egg they give you in my pho ga. I love the slender pieces of dark meat floating around in my soup. I love the fresh thin ho fun. I love the soup because it was flavorful and clear. I love how it didnt make me feel like I needed to suck down a whole bottle of water afterwards. I love the green chopsticks. I love turtle tower.
I didnt love how we had to wait 30+ minutes for a table of 6. But... we did come on Sunday afternoon and there were hella big tables with people just chilllllllin there. not cool. See me waiting, please hurry, I'm hungry. thanks ^^
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For the Past Month I have came here at least 4 times with a group of people of course and there is always one thing that we all love to get
PHO GA
This is like the best noodle soup Ive ever had, its not no normal soup, this is chicken flavor goodness. This Whole bowl is different than any other place and has got my taste buds going crazy. The taste is so extravagant that i swear i will never be sick of this place ever. Every time i come here i always get the usual # 10, Ive heard that this is the only thing you should get here because all the others get shitted on by this special delicious Pho Ga. Eating This every morning gives me so much energy through out the day because it feels like i got drawn into a puddle of Heaven Soup.
For those newcomers out there. if you get anything else besides #10 then don't expect to talk to me because your no one and you didn't listen...there only known for there chicken soup
Whoever hates on this place is the dumbest person ever and I'm calling you out. Yall slippin so hard.
I gave this place a 5 stars because eating Pho Ga is just so incredible and its the tastiest thing ever
5 Stars. if it was out of 100 it would be to the max 100..peep it out. its IRRESISTIBLE
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Let's just say "lucy has some explaining to do" for this one. OK-It looks nice, and it is right down in little Vietnam here in SF, but the food we had was super lacking in quality, quantity, and freshness. Let me explain it this way: It's like ordering the new Ryan Adams off Amazon.com but receiving David Hasselhoff's Greatest hits instead. Now that might be all good if you are a twenty year old German or Swedish tourist, but with so many Vietnamese Awesome options here for the locals in SF, don't hit this one. Pho Tan Hoa or Yummy Yummy are so much better than is spot it will make you cry you ever even thought about hitting Turtle Tower. FYI-the one saving grace is the service. The waiter was awesome, friendly, and very positive.
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#22 not so much. Sticky rice and chicken. The rice was sticky. Bonus point. The chicken is what I would feed to my cats maybe, or another animal lower on the food chain? I wasn't impressed, my friends I dined with weren't impressed, and again we were foiled by the 4 star average that Yelp presented. Hmmmm.
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The best value and Pho Ga (chicken noodles) in town. Try their number 2 Beef noodles as well. The vietnamese ice coffee is strong and good. Don't go at 12 unless you don't mind waiting.
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***UPDATE*** People, i have been reading the current reviews about TURTLE TOWER and I'm very disappointed.
OK Mc D has the big mac and Burger King has the whopper that's what their known for. And turtle tower is known for their PHO GA the chicken pho the number 9 and 10.
So if you do not like chicken pho or want some pho bo the regular beef pho, please go somewhere else for it. This place is not known for their BEEF Noodle. It is known for the CHICKEN NOODLE. So if you order anything else besides that then that's your bad.
Order anything else besides the number 9 or 10 and you will be walking out of turtle tower mad. Because everything else is just blah blah blah.
Its like me going to a steak house and ordering fish, come on people that's just stupid.
So the point of my updated review was to let people know what to order and what not to order.
Once you have your number 9 or number 10 please do not ask for extra stuff, such as lemons or cilantro. Because it is PERFECT HOW IT IS.
INSIDE INFO: The pho ga is perfect how it is do not i repeat do not ask for any siracha (the red rooster hot sauce) or some hoisin because the soup does not need it and they do not serve hoisin here it is not their "STYLE".
Damn after this review i need me some TT right now. I'm heading over there right now.
5 Stars for Turtle Tower the best place to get PHO GA
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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04/06/2008
I was at my friends house and his mother made some pho ga and i couldnt belive the taste, it was out… Read more »
Oh my Jesus, I bring all my friends here.
Step 1. Order Pho Ga (#9)
Step 2. Order drink of choice (try the vietnamese coffee)
Step 3. When food arrives, squeeze lemon in chile peppers and soup
Step 4. Pour Fish Sauce into chile bowl and dip chicken .. feel free to eat the chiles
Step 5. EAT EVERYTHING
Meh... I've had better. Way better. This place lacks options. And my vermicelli bowl was not a bowl at all. It came out on a plate. Huh? Weird.
But I don't like chicken pho or any chicken broth for that matter. So I'm not the best person to judge this place. But I will say it again, not enough options.
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I read about this restaurant and was WOW by all these good reviews up here so I finally went and tried the Pho Ga and the Bun .. OMFG .. let's start with the chicken soup noodle .. it was oily broth, asked for skinless ($2.00 extra), and there was hardly any noodles or chicken meat. I have never had such HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE pho ga in my life. Next the vermicelli noodle with meat patty .. again, tasteless. The meat was over cooked and dried; not to mention not much of it as well.
No offense to those who think highly of this place but I guess perhaps this restaurant is a better fit for westerners who don't know the Vietnamese cuisine too well. To me, this place is anything but authentic. When the soup is oily, we don't it call rich .. it's oily and even the chicken meat doesn't look fresh; fat also.
If you want noodle, I suggest you walk down further and try the Hai Ky Noodle place around the corner. As least this restaurant is authentic and up to par with its food. But you might need to wait ... Don't go toTurtle Tower Restaurant ... it's a waste of your money; not to mention bad for your health. I know that good and tasty food normally bad for your health but for this place, certainly not worth it. I rather pay $8 for Vietnamese sandwiches across the street (Lee's Sandwich or Banh Mi Saigon) than here for the noodle soup.
Eh, didn't do so much for me.
I only get pho tai (rare beef pho) and I can pretty much say that by now, I know enough about it to know what I like. Wasn't crazy about the noodles (too thick for me to handle with my oh-so-average chopstix skills), wasn't crazy about the broth, wasn't crazy about the fact that they didn't serve basil or cilantro or the sprouts or anything else that I like to soup up my soup with.
On the plus side, the spring rolls were okay and I loved the lemon soda...but neither are enough to draw me back.
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Before you go here, know that you're ordering NORTHERN vietnamese pho (No cilantro, no basil, thick rice noodles instead of thin, etc...) so it's going to be DIFFERENT from the traditional SOUTHERN vietnamese places that most of us are used to.
With that caveat aside, I enjoyed the pho at Turtle Tower. The noodles were really good, but I prefer a stronger ginger flavor to my broth. The broth is generally lighter than the southern style, but it still has good bones to it. I ordered the #5 which had carrots and leeks in there (imagine the horror of the vietnamese pho critics!), and overall, I liked it quite a bit, but the broth just needed a little more ginger punch for me.
Just come here knowing that you're getting northern pho cuisine and then judge with an open mind. Taking this and comparing it against southern style is like re-newing the biggie vs tupac debate (and we all know biggie was better right?)....
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I came here last weekend for the first time with a couple of friends and, per the Yelpers' below me suggestions, ordered the large chicken pho instead of my usual go-to bowl of rare steak pho since supposedly it's the shit here. Nope. The soup tasted like your run-of-the-mill chicken broth (but much more oily) and the chicken was pretty flavorless in small, stringy pieces. The noodles themselves weren't bad. However, the straw that broke the camel's back was running out of chicken with more than a couple bites of noodles left - and believe me I budgeted hard after first looking down at the dismal amount of chicken floating in my bowl. If a restaurant does that to me, it's violating the cardinal ratio of starch to meat. Boooooo.
I wasn't really sure what to make of the pho bo here. On the one hand, I was interested to try the place as it bills itself as being Hanoi style, as opposed to the Southern style of pho that's more frequently seen in the US. On the other hand, I've been to Hanoi and this didn't really resemble the pho I had there.
Had the combination pho, and it was okay, but to be honest, didn't really leave much of a lasting impression on me. I guess given some of the reviews I'd read, I'd expected something more delectable. Considering how they make a big deal about how you're not supposed to add all the herbaceous greenery that usually accompanies Saigon-style pho, I'd have thought the broth would have been more flavorful, more complex. Frankly, I found it a bit on the bland side. Also seemed a bit skimpy with the meats, which struck me as being of middling quality.
And yeah, gotta chime in on the noodles... you can count me among the camp who think they were overcooked to being on the verge of disintegration. (I never experienced that in Hanoi, either)
Also had an order of Imperial roll as appetizer... unremarkable, and fish sauce too weak. (a constant peeve of mine with Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area... are they worried Americans won't like it stronger, or are they just cheapskates who are watering it down to save money?)
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I'm not normally a Pho Ga fan, but I have to say, Turtle tower does it right. I appreciate this bowl of chicken noodle soup for what it is, down to the last drop of broth.
My friends tried the pho tai, and weren't TOO terribly impressed, it looks okay, but not something I'd get a hankering for once in a while, like the Pho Ga here. I swear they put crack in it or something, cuz I'm fiending for it now.
And there's a Lee's Sandwiches right across the alleyway, in case you need a post bowl of soup munchie!
I can't remember if I yelped this place or not.
It's so good, it's a weekly or bi-weekly ritual for me. I personally order the chicken noodles with intestines. The plain chicken is good, but the intestines make it just that much more special. No, really.
The broth is savory, light, and although a bit salty, is very simple. I have tried their beef noodle soup, and although it is different, it isn't the heavy hitter that Turtle Tower fans come for.
There's almost always a line, and the alley smells wonderfully of hobo, but if you can overcome that then you have found some cheap eats.
All my friends talk about this place, so I gave it a try. It is Super GOOD... Anyone that hasen't tried Northern Vietnamese Pho, needs to give this a try. Love it.. Just don't like the area it's in TL.
Pho Ga! chicken noodle soup. i ate here before geary opened and the pho ga was soo good! the soup was flavored just right...BUT....
this place has disappointed me the last few times i have gone. they are skimping on the chicken. without ordering extra chicken, i swear i would only get, max, 3 pieces of bigger size chicken and the rest are little scraps you can barely pick up with you chopsticks. The soup is a surprise now, cuz sometimes the soup is flavorful and sometimes its bland. very disappointing. i would give these place 4 stars if this had not happened. i have migrated to the geary st one.....see other review for details.
I had Northern Style Pho here for the first time ever. I never really knew such a thing existed. If you go here, don't bother ruining the soup with your Hoisin or Sriracha sauce--just eat it the way it is. The flavor is already all in the soup. It's a much more clear broth compared to Southern Style, but much more fatty.
I've had it twice and it's a much more "pure" type of Pho.
Authentic BAC' KY` HAI` NOI PHO~!
Don't expect beansprout, basil, 'Ngo` Gai' or sauce here, unless you request it. This is how you eat PHO~ in HA NOI or North of Viet Nam. If you are Vietnamese & BAC' KY` like myself, then you know what I'm talking about :-)
Of course there's some MSG, but I didn't get sick after I ate it, so for that, kudos to this place! Most people prefer Chicken Pho, I'm on the other hand prefer PHO~ TAI' here, Rare beef noodle soup! The Pho Bo`here is quite good! The broth is very tasty, sweet, clear & make you want to drink it all!
P.S. if you prefer a clean place, this is not for you!
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PHO. BAC. HA NOI.
it's all in the purity of the stock.
& glorious fresh noodles.
~if you don't know how eat,- DON'T GO. -more room for me.
the ONLY place I'll eat Pho in the city.
& vietnamese mother approved.
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I ordered the rare beef pho. The broth was tasty, but I have had better. Also, there was hardly any meat (like 3 little slices) or noodles, for that matter. There wasn't anything really special about this place
The menus smelled like dirty floor/mop water. Not a huge fan of that aroma.
However, we were seated quickly and the waiter was nice in explaining why we didn't get any basil (read the 1st page on the menu, FYI).
I finally was able to try the chicken pho here, which is their advertised special and although the bowl was very delicious, less greasy than Vietnam II or some other TL. This pho though is different from the typical pho with thicker noodles. The only reason I'm giving this place a 4 star rating is because it isn't the normal "pho" you expect. It is more in a sense really really good chicken noodle soup. SO if you just want a warm bowl of soup to sooth you, then this is the place to go.
Sorry to disappoint..the pho ga here is nowhere close to tasting like Vietnamese pho ga.Have you noticed I did not even use the word.."authenthic"....
I can't speak for the Bay Area..but their pho ga will not fly with the folks in OC!
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I swear.. they love the chicken noodles here.. which is what this place is known for.. but I guess chicken noodle just isn't for me. I WANT MY BEEF!! But I'm not hating on this place or anything. Cause I've had chicken noodles elsewhere.. and I didn't enjoy it either.
Small hole in the wall dive of a pho shop. The first thing you will notice is the lack of plum sauce, because the pho is served "authentic northern style" (Whatev)
Avoid if you want pho bo (beef). Chicken soup with beef = teh sux.
In closing: guai lo don't know pho!
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I tried the Chicken pho finally, and it has a really good soupy flavor. Though I'd prefer to eat it only if I were sick and not feeling well.
I still stand by the panfried noodles in soup!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/29/2008
Come here to eat, then get out, because there is usually a long line of people who are cursing you… Read more »
I come here at least once every other week. It's close by my work and great for a quick lunch. The price have gone up just a bit but still very affordable. A large bowl of Chicken noodle will set you back at $8. I love how the chicken taste and the soup is YUM...
Occasionally, there maybe a line. I never have to wait longer than 10min. I don't think I'll ever get sick of eating the Chicken noodle here. Simply the best.
every time i go to a pho place my eyes get puffy i get a huge migraine and i need Excedrin to take me away, that's because I'm MSG sensitive...but eating the chicken pho number 15 egg noodle i was prepared for MSG attack ,but it never happen the broth and chicken was off the hook i went a second time and no MSG attack so i tried another pho place and low and behold MSG attack puffy eyes and migraine then i went back to turtle tower nothing. my pho place is turtle tower the service is excellent my co workers and i continue to go there for our Friday lunches.
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Hmmmmm......lets see...Campbell's Chicken soup is more flavorfull then this bowl of pho. I'm Viet and I will eat the "southern" style over the "northern" style any day!!
The crappiest bowl of pho in VA, there are quite a few, will beat this place hands down any day!!
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I remember when I first had my bowl of pho ga. I was like.......?? Yuck, I'd rather eat cup o noodles. I hated the chicken, and the soup was so bland I added almost all the condiments they provided to make my soup more flavorful. But then my friends kept dragging me here, and somehow I became addicted. I haven't been here for a very long time but I remember for about 2 months straight when I had no appetite(personal matter), I made people bring me here every single day. The server didn't even need to ask what I wanted, they already knew. Literally, I came every single day because I just couldn't eat anything else. But then I recovered and since then, I haven't been back. I will though, on a cold day for sure.
I come here religiously especially after a rough Fri or sat night. I don't come here for the service or the atmosphere...but purely for the food.
Can't comment on the Chicken Soup because I've never tried it. Just when I think about trying it i always revert back to my large # 6. which surprises me no one ever talks about. It's the one on the menu with the pan-fried leeks and veggies. It is a slightly oily dish, but definitely my favorite.
The one on Geary is also not bad if you are in the Richmond. It's a little cleaner and less crowded.
Two words: pho ga. I hear the noodles are homemade? Not the typical thin rice stick noodles, but the flat and wide kind you'd normally see in pad see ew dishes. The chicken broth totally hits the spot. No additional flavoring needed (hoison, sriracha, etc).
My friend swapped my bowl with his "bun thang" (rice stick noodles, shredded scrambled egg, and pork cha) and I was really sad. This one was more bland and I wanted my pho ga back, but he was selfish.
Next time, a large bowl of pho ga for myself for sure.
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Holy crap, I am addicted to the #9 (pho ga) from Turtle Tower! I've been here twice for dinner in the past two days. The chicken broth is amazing - it's light, sweet from the chicken, and it really warms the soul. Coming from somebody who rarely drinks much of the broth from regular beef pho or even ramen (for fear of MSG after effects), I have inhaled the soup from my LARGE bowl of chicken pho. The broth is so good that I don't need to add anything to my bowl. No Sriracha, no fish sauce, no lemons. My first time around, I did add some of the jalapeno peppers and was attacked by coughing fits because the peppers were so spicy. So, in my opinion, the simpler the better. The noodles are a little thicker than the regular rice noodles found in pho, but not as thick as Chinese ho fun. They do have and pho ga egg noodles version, but I have not tried it yet.
Service is so lightning fast here. They drop off the menus, and will be back within seconds to take your order, even if you're not ready yet. But now that I've been twice, I wouldn't need a menu (#9 Large, please!) Once you place your order, your bowl of soup is at your table within a couple minutes. I have been in and out of this place in 20 minutes!
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The #9.... I'm salivating.
I luv the pho ga here! its soo good! but if you
like really clean restaurants, i recommend you shouldnt
go here
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