Golden Lotus - San Francisco, CA (original) (raw)

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631 Larkin St

San Francisco, CA 94109

Willow St & Eddy St

Tenderloin

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Susy C. said"I don't freaking effing care what any of you Yelpers have to say about this place. I have MAD MAD RESPECT for the delivery guy. He braved the freaking storm last friday (1/4/08) to deliver the breakfast order for my office. Normally…"read more

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2.5 miles away from Golden Lotus

Lisa C. said"I came here with my family and grandpa on a Sunday around 11am and the place was not packed, so we were seated immediately. We were immediately handed menus and tea was given to us. The service was alright, the man was more…"read more

in Taiwanese, Chinese

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Limited Vegetarian Options

About the Business

Rice roll with grilled lemongrass pork Pho with American Wagyu steak Vietnamese Crepe Special broken rice plate with pork chop, egg cake, shrimp cake, fried egg roll and shredded pork.…

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• 
  The food here was excellent!! I visited here with my vegetarian friend and I cannot speak highly enough about the Pho Chay specifically-- BEST veggie broth I have ever tasted. Everything we had was fantastic
  The service felt homey, cozy and we were well taken care of by the kind man working there. He was attentive to details and made good recommendations for us. Next time I'm in San Francisco I will definitely return!
  
• 
  If you come here, it will feel sketchy because there are lots of people around doing things that won't make you feel safe. However, once you get inside and eat your food, you'll realize this is one of the few places left that's homey and cheap. The pho was nice and large and actually had too much meat relative to the noodles. The owners are nice.
  If you set your expectations of this being a place where you can get good cheap pho and understand there's a reason it's cheap, you'll be happy
  
  
• 
  Located in the heart of the Tenderloin area, some may find it not that appetizing as you'll need to find street parking with parking meters that either don't work, or very dirty. If you are lucky to find parking you're greeted with a strong pungent unpleasant aroma created by humans and their by product. But once you make your way inside the restaurant, the environment gets lot better.
  The workers here are friendly and attentive with great food at great price that's unheard of in this era. This place had more than the traditional Pho with lot of good ol' Vietnamese comfort food. Didn't try all but the ones we tried are spot on. Their chicken wings are tasty but I prefer wingettes. Their pho was plenty and favorable.
  The Pho in this area is a dying industry. Although the exterior ambiance may be less than ideal, this place is worth the trip.
• 
  We came during lunch hours on a Saturday and were quickly attended to. The service was friendly and food arrived shortly after placing our order. I was pleasantly surprised to see they offered Cá Kho Tộ and Bánh Xèo on their menu, which I don't often see. The good was great and was the perfect fix for our Vietnamese food craving.
  
• 
  This was my second time here, and it was even better than the last.
  A really tasty broth pho with yummy fresh noodles and the service was extraordinary. He kept checking I was okay.
  Was $16 total with tip, which is fair for the area.
  Very clean and white background so looks nice, much nicer than outside.
  I would have like more veggies but probably could have just asked for more.
  
• 
  Baba O.
  Chinatown, San Francisco, CA
  I'm often told by locals that there aren't any good Pho spots in the City. Key word Pho, so that's what we are focusing on.
  My go to spot, Pho 2000 right up the street was closed on Tuesday and I just needed a big bowl of Pho to get through the cold and commute. Conveniently I'm in Little Saigon for this.
  I dropped by here instead, looking for a large chicken pho. I'm simple, nothing too crazy. Just a nice large bowl of Pho.
  At first, they serve you a big glass of tea. Not a cup of tea, a big glass. That was a green flag already. The waiter was super chill, friendly, and fast with taking your order. I received my pho in less than 7 minutes. Place is spacious, has plenty of seating.
  Broth was what I needed for the night. Broth had a ton of flavor and I didn't need to add anything else to enhance the broth, but when I had the noodles; they were way more fresh than the spot I go to up the street. This surprised me because I would always pass by Golden Lotus. They used big pieces of chicken in the pho, and had a nice consistency to every piece. They did not skimp on the chicken, all pieces in the broth was consistently good! Definitely was blown away from the quality of Pho I got. Now I'm not Vietnamese to tell you if this was authentic or not, so I'll let you be the judge of that. I preferred this bowl over Pho 2000. It had a good ratio of everything. I paid $17.90 in total for a large Pho, and a sprite on the side. I will be coming back soon.
  
• 
  I found this place a few years back when my favorite place was closed. Since then,...I have not been back to my "favorite place". Golden Lotus is exactly what you want it to be. When you come to Larkin Street for pho, this IS the experience. Small clean space, authentic great food, always friendly service. Best pho in the city, IMHO.
  They open at 9:00, and I like to go early...My go-to pho is 特別牛肉粉 Pho Dac Biet
  -combination of Rare Steak, Flank, Brisket, Tripe, Tendon, and Meatballs. it is accompanied by a plate of fresh veggies: lots of basil, mint, leafy greens, bean, sprouts, lime wedges, and slices of jalapeño pepper. That along with a Vietnamese iced coffee...is something I will come back for over and over.
  My photos do not do this place any justice.
• 
  we picked up togo when our neighboring pho was closed. we got home to find extra large noodles and greasy broth. i will still to my go to and it's more a affordable
• 
  Forever craving pho when hungover so walked to this place near my new apartment. The area is a little spicy but manageable during the day on a Sunday with lots of people walking around.
  The pho was okay. The broth was good but I felt that the cut of meat was wrong and it was already fully cooked in the soup. Typically with pho tai you get raw slices of steak that cook in the soup so they're not over cooked. This meat had a bit of fat and muscle in it so didn't like that it was a different cut. Also, the noodles were the thick kind of pho noodles. I know these are used in different parts of Vietnam and are a regional thing but I like the thin noodles better. I need to learn the names for the different type of noodle so I can ask before ordering when going to a new pho place!
  The imperial rolls were amazing though. Super crispy and yummy and love when they give you fresh herb and lettuce to wrap in!
  The family that owns this restaurant was sooo nice with amazing service. They seemed to know and remember everyone that walked in the door which was very sweet. They definitely put in the extra effort to make their customers feel welcome and at home. Would come again just for the thoughtful service!
  
  
• 
  Came here twice and I tried the beef pho and the chicken pho and they were both very solid. The service is always fast and friendly, the only downside is the area is a little sketch.
  

12 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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