I had told my coworker about this place a few times and he'd been dying to try it out, we had some extra time one day and decided to stop by and get to-go orders from this place. We walked in and the ambiance was pretty typical of the store at lunch: a few patrons eating and customers coming in, a few to dine in, and others to grab to-go like us. I immediately told them my to-go order as I frequent the place often, and my coworker was interested in his own go to item, chicken and asparagus which they had on their lunch special. My colleague wanted to grab some pastries next door for some other coworkers, so we walked by there and got a few egg tarts before walking back. Our order was ready in about 10 minutes and I paid them and we were on our way back to the office. What can I say, this is still the best tasting Mongolian beef I've had in San Francisco since another store I used to frequent closed, flavors are always on point, beef is extremely tender, onions are nicely stir-fried, sauce is melting into the rice, and the portions are always good! I asked my colleague what he thought, and he said wow, the food was delicious too, he didn't finish it all because of the large portion, but I told him I stuffed it down! We will of course be coming back here soon, and hoping to dine in for lunch to maybe grab a few more items! read more

Chef Hunan - Mongolian Beef - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Our first time back after 2 years of not eating here,,, cuz of bff at this route been working n caring for his mom during his off days,, n this restaurant has changed ownership...I took Lyft n finally met up with him,, I went in n ordered.. sweet n sour pork, lamb clay pot, house chow mein , n braised vegetables tofu,, as the dishes came out,, I am very blind of not see the tofu dish right n mistake for clay pot dish,,, ;( ,,, the noodles was just ok,, lamb clay pot was lots of water chestnuts n ginger n the taste was off for me.. tofu veggies the veggies was over cooked n taste yuck.. the good tasty was only sweet n sour pork,, must be new cooks,,, I had it box home lamb n tofu to bring home n toss in trash ... hmmmm disappointed... its not enough wok chi in the dishes... I'm not thinking about coming anytime soon .... read more

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Ordered Mongolian Beef lunch plate & it was good! Huge portions for the price & very flavorful. Quick service & cash only.

Walked by this place a dozen times but never went in till today. Pretty spartan interior but very clean and and comfy. I ordered the BBQ Pork over Crispy Noodles, hella good. I really like crispy noodle dishes and so I guess I now have a good spot nearby to go get it. Service was really fast and polite so I'm defo coming back. There were a buncha families so I'd call it family friendly. Very wallet friendly too although it is cash only. read more

2025 update. I used to come by about once a week. They are still busy for take-outs and the food tastes the same. Tonight I had the BBQ crispy noodles $13, includes tax. This might be their best dish. The younger waiter wasn't there today. The replacement elderly women that usually fills in said he was on vacation in China with his family. That guy was always cool to me. read more

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My Chinese food spot growing up!! Love chef hunan, delicious food will always be expected here. read more

Chef Hunan - Family style meal - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great deal if you are in the area for some Chinese food. Portion size is also good. Usually come for take out but they have dining area. read more

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There's nothing "hot", "instagrammable", or "trendy" about Chef Hunan... Well, other the piping hot food coming out of the kitchen. There's only been 9 reviews posted in 3+ years for Chef Hunan but they're still here in the city so that says a lot, than most "new new" restos that barely make it a year. Chef Hunan has been serving the local Excelsior community for 2+ decades. They're open for takeout and indoor dining only. No delivery and no outdoor dining. M E N U Extensive menu of Cantonese and American-Chinese dishes (not really a hunan resto as the name may indicate). Most dishes are $11-$12. Lunch specials served everyday from 11 am - 3 pm: $8.25 - $12.25. Complimentary hot tea for dine-in. CASH ONLY. F O O D * 椒鹽雞翼 Salt & Pepper Fried Chicken Wings (10 pc - $12): https://tinyurl.com/2b4e34ud Hot, crispy, and salty. The flats were a tad overdone but still tender. They're not Capital wings but they'll do without having to trek to Chinatown. * 豆腐牛腩煲 Braised Beef Stew & Tofu Claypot ($13.80): https://tinyurl.com/2nr6bfhu Served bubbly hot, the flavorful stew was very home-y and comforting especially paired with a bowl of steamed rice. The tofu was the star....crisp and meltingly soft. The beef stew (rough flank) was on the chewy side but manageable. * 清炒菜遠 Stir-Fried Tender Green: Yu Choy ($11): https://tinyurl.com/3tp56cz3 Simply prepared, the yu choy was blanched then stir-fried with garlic. It was overdone since it lost its crispness but otherwise fine. Gotta have your greens in a Cantonese meal. S E R V I C E All business and prompt with just one chef and one server. The phone kept ringing during lunchtime so great to see they're busy with takeout orders. A M B I A N C E Old-skool but clean with 10-11 tables. P A R K I N G Very challenging street parking so more of a neighborhood spot. Overall, if you live in the south side of the city and looking for humble Cantonese fare that serves up generous portions while being easy on the wallet, give Chef Hunan a try! read more

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Their lunch special is the best bang for your buck, I always get their fried rice. Great place and nice people, fast service. Cash only.

Solid options for low-price Chinese takeout. If you want tasty, no frills Chinese food without a lot of the goopy syrupy sauces you see at other places, this is a great option. P read more

CASH ONLY I love this place when you dine in the portions are even bigger and the price is really good for all the food we got. Potstickers were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I would come back here again and again. read more

Chef Hunan - Beef wonton soup, beef with brocolli over rice, pot stickers - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing customer service and even better food service. Definitely a must if you are looking for some Chinese food

Food 4/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Convenience 5/5 Looking for something quick, affordable and good? Look no further. Chef Hunan on Mission always delivers. One thing though is that they're cash only. Make sure you at least have a $20 if you're going out for a quick lunch. I like that this place although a little dark looks and actually is clean unlike other similar Chinese restaurants in the area. I recommend their salted pork chops and any lunch special. Bang for your buck for sure! And have I mentioned the portions are huge? read more

Chef Hunan - Beef with Tofu - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Didn't feel like meat, so I got braised Tofu & Vegetables and Eggplant w/salted fish clay pot. Braised tofu vegetable was laden with lots of garlic. The tofu was crispy on the outside and creamy soft on the inside. Eggplant had nice big slices of ginger. There was plenty of salted fish, but not enough to raise the blood pressure! I need to try the Gnow Nam next time. Remember to bring cash, as it's CASH ONLY!!! read more

Chef Hunan - Braised tofu and vegetables - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good food, and service. Nicest family and the portions are big. I go there at least twice a week. Their steamed vegetables is really good and Broccoli beef and Mongolian beef is my favorite read more

Is good good place you get value especially when you're looking for a meal on the go the soups are wonderful. It's kind of a weird neighborhood but it's the mission what you expect service is good. Ambience is quiet and relax. read more

super warm and friendly host. they cooked greaf fried rice and chow mein for me. I would come back again ! read more

Basic, inexpensive, no wait. I had a craving for Beef Chow Fun and this place satisfied me. Not all dishes were great but averages out to a 3-star place (also note "spicy" is more like "extremely mild"). Also, it's a 2-minute walk from our house so it's convenient. Otherwise no reason to go out of your way! THE FOOD: * Eggplant garlic - 3 stars * Garlic prawn - 2.5 stars * Beef chow fun - 3.5 stars * Wonton soup - 2.5 stars read more

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I've had a lot of Chinese food in my lifetime, but Chef Hunan's is something else! I am literally writing this review as I eat because it is that good. I ordered the beef chow fun and they tasted better than anywhere else I've had. There was also tons of meat, and it was a large enough portion for two people! The chili sauce they had on the side made it even better. It had a good kick, whereas sometimes at other restaurants the spice is just weak. As for the beef clay pot - you MUST get it!! The tofu is so soft inside but the outside of it still holds it together well. It just melted in my mouth omg. And there's also huge chunks of beef - the kind you would find in beef noodle soup! There is so much of it. And also it has veggies which I love! The sauce is so delicious. Pair it with some rice and you've got yourself three meals. Both of these together were only $25! Such a good deal, and remember cash only. The staff was also super nice and let us sip on tea while we waited. Our food was ready in 5 minutes so we didn't wait long! I could've sat there for 10 more minutes the tea was so good I already had drank two tea cups! It was just us there and one person getting takeout so it was quiet besides the staff watching TV and commenting on it, but I really loved the vibe. COME SUPPORT THIS GREAT RESTAURANT!!! You will not regret! read more

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Good Chinese food. Cash only. Negative is no delivery available. Fresh and not too oily.

Other day me craving sweet n sour pork.. omg friends u all must come n order this.. the batter so lite n crunchy. Even with that sauce u still has the crunch.. party in my mouth.. worth every bite.. first time order pan fried house special noodles .. woooohoooo.. so fresh hot n tasty.. but most of the items in menu is so so good.. prices r reasonably good.. if I can I would come 3 times a week to eat here... read more

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Food is solid and the price is on point for a smol local joint!! I've been twice and the second time didn't grab me like the first time did. Last trip we ordered the chow fun with the runny egg that folks talked about. I won't order it again as it was really under seasoned. I did order the salt n pepper pork chops again and those were fire just the same as the first time! We will be goin back soon to try more dishes. read more

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I just moved to the neighborhood and one of my first thoughts was. "I hope they have great Chinese around here". I came to Chef Hunan due to proximity but there were others. They claim to be "The best restaurant in our neighborhood". So far, I have to agree with the statement. The food is ridiculously low priced for what you get. Expect to pay double anywhere else and for less quality and quantity. The food comes out lightning fast, hot and ready to be devoured. The smells are intoxicating as well. At the first taste of anything you decide to order you'll be totally hooked and be here frequently. I swear it's so good that you'll, for even just a moment, forget about your stresses, worries and your bad day. Sit back and enjoy the ride!! Take time out of your busy day and take time for yourself and enjoy. This isn't just food, it's a fabulous experience!! Enjoy my friends. Hope to see you here!! read more

Chef Hunan - Curry chicken over rice $6 the best deal in SF. - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I come here all the time - the food is AMAZING and their portions are absolutely huge. Flavors are perfectly balanced, nothing is too salty. I especially love their eggplant in garlic sauce & their salt & pepper tofu!! Sooo good over rice. The servers are super sweet - they're always extremely patient with my broken Cantonese lol highly recommend this spot & I hope it never leaves the neighborhood :)) read more

Doesn't look like much, but food is good and prices are even better- especially for SF. We had a few of their lunch specials - mapo tofu (nice amount of heat), BBQ pork fried rice, and some flat noodles. Portions were very good for the price (all around $6-7) and can even be split into 2 meals, making it an even better bargain. Cash only. read more

Favorite Chinese spot around here, they're closed on Sunday now which is a bummer, cause I like to have Chinese food on Sunday

Solid Mongolian beef as their cuts of meat are of better quality than Chopsticks down the block. With that being said the portions are small and would visit again if Chopsticks was closed. read more

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Probably one of the best pickup Chinese food in this area in the cheap category. They are pretty fast and food quality is good, varies from dish to fish though. Sweet and a sour chicken is usually a hit. read more

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my friend recommended coming here, we ordered take out. we got the house fried rice, beef chow fun and egg rolls. honestly everything was so good no complaints. the people there were really nice too ! just know its cash only read more

It's very cheap！Cash only. The restaurant is host by a friendly couple. The dishes are really good for this price. Not fancy but family dishes. Definitely will go again when I don't want to cook myself. read more

Hunan chicken Mixed vegetables chow fun Mushu pork with extra pancakes $26 Ordered it to-go, but restaurant is very clean and bright. All the food was very good, and lots of veggies added to the dishes making it seem somewhat healthy. read more

I been coming here for years This is my spot So what if its slow and all the other petty crap... i can deal with it.. the food is more than good... i can say there are times when i taste like theres 2 different chefs cooking there... one is far superior.. u can tell the other one is the apprentice... in any case this place is great!!! With all its flaws read more

This family of restaurants throughout this great city of San Francisco has been a staple in my long list of restaurants in The City By The Bay. If you are searching for a great place for Asian food then look no further...try their soups, chow menu noodles for lunch and if you like it real Spicy you gotta try the Henry's Chefs Special...it practically has the kitchen sink in it's ingredients. The menu has something for everyone in your family and friends. They even serve brown rice ! So, if you are searching for the spicy side of Chinese food in San Francisco...my advice is to try Hunan Style Chinese food from Henry's Hunan. It's definitely for the adventurous people who like their lives SPICY SPICY HOT...NOTE: just request the staff if you want your order on the more mild side and they will be gladly to accommodate any of your Spice Level! Henry's Hunan...A long time San Francisco Treat! read more

There are a number of Chinese restaurants on Mission in Excelsior/Outer Mission and I'm trying to eat my way through all of them: Sungari Dumpling House, Beijing Restaurant, Henry's Hunan just to name a few. As a newbie to the neighborhood, it's tough to choose between them, so sometimes you just have to take the plunge. I remember Chef Hunan from the wonderful woman who greets you and the very simple interior. This gave me nostalgia to my favorite back in Miami, Kon Chau, so was glad I got there on a cold Friday night. The hostess/waitress quickly greeted me and asked if I was ordering take out or dining in, then if I needed a menu. I guess a lot of regulars know what they want and order from heart. I, however, needed time. Their lunch menu has a ton of options, all for less than $6, so might be worth loading up on one day when working from home. As for dinner, the menu is still quite impressive. I ended up going with staples - Mongolian Beef, and an order of steamed dumplings. The Mongolian Beef was great. Had the sweet flavor that I'm used to, with delicious pieces of yellow and green onion, and the beef. But it also has a bit of heat to it - I wouldn't recommend it for my mom - so I loved it even more. The dumplings came 6 to an order and were huge. more steamed than pan fried, they were filling with pork and veggies inside. Between 3 dumplings and half the beef, I had a dinner for Sunday! What I also really liked about the casual atmosphere - seeing what everyone else got. An old Chinese man ordered a large bowl of wonton soup which looked really good; a young man ordered the pork chops; but a couple behind me got the beef hot pot which stole the show with sights, sounds, and smells. If you're looking for a casual, tasty, quick, and friendly atmosphere, hard to do wrong here. I can see why a lot of regulars give it 5 stars, and I may change my review after a few more trips. read more

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Yummy yum yum. Mixed vegetables with rice and chicken. Dang it tastes so good. Feels like eating mom's homemade food. Bill came $6.50! What a deal. Feeling fat and stuff now read more

Chef Hunan - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very good chinese food at affordable prices. The food is always fresh, hot, and made to order/specifications. I've been coming here for the better part of 15 years and have never had a problem. When it gets a little busy you might have to wait a few extra minutes, but nothing out of the ordinary, and always worth it. They have all the usual favorites, including a variety of fried rice, vegetarian, chicken, beef and shrimp dishes. read more

For the first time in my life.............I had to eat alone at a restaurant. My doctor was behind schedule (I was starving) so I walked to Mission st. to look for a quick bite. If I wasn't that lazy ............I would've walked another two blocks to El Farolito. Instead........ I found Chef Hunan. I didn't want to run into anybody I knew so this restaurant was the perfect place. None of my friends would be caught dead in this place. It's cheap It's fast it's a whole in a wall mom and pop restaurant Of the three Chinese restaurants on this block.........this was the cleanest. It does the job but I really wouldn't recommend it. I had the chicken chow mein. I ate half and left the rest. I can't see any of the other items being that good. You either have to be a tourist or drunk to give this place more than 3 stars. read more

First time here, very close to house. Came in to make order to go and promptly assisted by the one server in the place. Ordered string bean chicken, Kung pao chicken, potstickers and one serving steamed rice. No white meat chicken option, "only dark meat". Server was distracted watching the game, little to say and and pretty dead pan face...may be language barrier. They said it would be 15 minutes. It was ready in 15 and the bill was $25. I gave him $40 and he went to the back not returning. I went to get my change, he pulled it off the counter and gave it to me. Either he was multi tasking or hoping I'd forget? food was relatively plane but spiced up w soy sauce, hot pepper oil and some mustard. Anyway, plenty of fresh food for the price . I would return. read more

Chef Hunan - 8 pot stickers, Kung pao chicken, string bean chicken, one order of steamed rice, for $25. - Cantonese Near Me - San Francisco, California

this place. My 2 favorites are general chicken and chicken wing rice plates. They are so friendly and fast when ordering your food. great tip which makes me continue to go there. If you take forever to pick up your order. They don't give you cold food . they actual remake your food again so that it is fresh hot and ready to go. Always greeted with a smile read more

Had a strange experience but most people seem to like their service so it may have been a strange night for them. The sign says they close at 9:30pm. I placed my order at 8:00pm and showed up half an hour later to pick it up. I was very weirded out to see that they had the deadbolt locked on the door even though there were still a few customers eating inside. I had to stand sheepishly outside knocking until a lady came to the door, and she made me recite my full pickup order before she'd let me in. On my way out after paying she had to bring her huge keyring over to let me back out, and she actually jabbed her finger at someone's face who was trying to come in. I don't know what the deal was, everyone just seemed battle-weary as if they'd been hoarding off an army of hungry undead zombies all night. Very Walking Dead-esque. I left feeling unsettled but hey.. at least I had my chicken wings. read more