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    Chef Li's Cafe

    3.9 (213 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Barbeque
    Open 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Chef Li's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    CHEF LI'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Chef Li's Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Elizabeth L.

    Came here with a large group for a family get-together- there are few large tables with lazy susans, the seats packed close to each other. Unfortunately there's only a single unisex bathroom for the entire restaurant, and that was out or order last I went. The good is reasonably priced and comes in large portions. The salt and pepper chicken wings and pork chops are my favorite. All of their classics hit the spot and nail the texture and flavors of what you'd expect.

    Fiona T.

    You know a place is good when your Asian parents choose the place. They swear that this place has the best Chinese roasted pork / roast pork. It's pricy at $14.99 per pound. The salt and pepper fish was light and fluffy and not too salty.

    Lamb claypot with bean curd
    Griselda Z.

    LOW PRICES GREAT FOOD Hey, we're living in inflation times but somehow this restaurant is able to serve most dishes under $14 a plate. Go support this business to keep the prices low! BEST BEEF CHOW FUN I argue that they have the best in San Francisco. Thick noodles, lots of beef and bean sprouts. I even noticed they took the time to properly clean the sprouts by chopping off the ends so they are more presentable. Not oily or salty. BBQ ROAST PORK SKIN CRISPY LIKE CHIPS Juicy bbq meats. All very tasty and competitive as other top SF BBQ meat restaurants. Also recommend the pig intestine with sour vegetables. Their ginger onion sauce for the steam chicken is extra gingery. Which I like. Ginger is not cheap bro!! No more hot pot service, though. They stopped offering it. Server ladies were decent. Not completely rude but not overly friendly. They accommodated all our small kids needs. Very clean atmosphere with some nice antique Chinese decor. Tall ceilings. Round tables with glass lazy susan. PARENT NOTES One bathroom only. No changing table. One high chair available. Enough space for stroller parking.

    Roast pork - 3 lbs
    Janice A.

    Ordered to-go meats at this authentic Chinese restaurant, located off of San Bruno Ave in San Francisco/Daly City area. We ordered about a month ahead of time, but was not really necessary since they had all the meats prepared and the only request was to have all of them chopped up into bite-size pieces. Of course it's first come first serve but when I came to pick up early afternoon, there were still plenty of option's available which meant they were well stocked. The only downside is the parking. It's not the greatest around San Bruno Ave. Plus the staff speaks limited English but sufficient enough to get what you'd want. Overall, very economical for price. We got 3lbs of their roast pork, one roast duck and two steamed chicken for $120 to feed 19 people for a post Thanksgiving meal, which is sure economical They also have a dining area to seat for one or a party of ten for a chill and causal indoor dining experience. Check out my pics.

    Christina H.

    I went to get take out they give me good amount of the food and service was good and fast since there were no people around think it was almost closing time, their ducks and chicken always taste so good it was quiet overall I always enjoy eating there, no music play so it easy to talk

    Roast pork with rice
    Kemlyn B.

    Excellent roast pork with crackling and charsiu pork. They served both plates with braised cabbage and the charsiu gravy was spot on. The dried salted fish and chicken fried rice was salty and satisfying. It is a new flavor at first, but oh so addictive! All the portions were huge. Our server was disappointed that we were not taking home leftovers. I explained I didn't have a kitchen to reheat anything and I was as stuffed as a charsiu bao.

    Suckling Pig
    Dan M.

    I asked a homie where I could buy a whole roast pig for an important event. The homie who understands the lingo recommended me this spot. At first I thought he was talking that hole in the wall with that step up into the kitchen with them Pokémon cards that remodeled but when he gave me the address I was amazed like what ? This store? The fire pit roast Chef definitely has a roast degree pHD as it clearly showed all the way through. I been here a couple times for the hot pot but this was my first time grabbing the bbq. This whole suckling pig so far is the best I had. Super lightly salted and the skin crispy AF! The meat was baby tender Thank you to the staff and management. This place is a one stop shop for Chinese food, bbq and hotpot

    Soysauce chicken
    Jamie Z.

    Came here for Christmas dinner, and it was lively, busy, and lines out the door. Chef Li's Cafe surprised me with what they have to offer. The front end of the restaurant/cafe/eatery is a fully loaded Chinese BBQ shop with freshly roasted duck, soy sauce chicken, duck wings, BBQ pork, Chinese fastfood for take out including chow mein, fried chicken, sweet and sour pork and more! The back-end restaurant seats a whopping 50+ with 3 large family style tables and 2-4 seat tables for smaller parties. Tables are also modular for hotpot. However, I would say their specialty truly seems to be their Chinese BBQ and Chinese food. What we ordered: Duck Wings Roast Duck 5/5 Soy Sauce Chicken 5/5 Gai-lan Walnut Shrimp Sweet and Sour Fried Pork Chops (4/5) Salt and pepper fried shrimp Lamb and Tofu stick claypot Egg drop corn soup Rice All relatively delicious and price point was great for the portion size. Fast service and great atmosphere inside. Nice spot for family meals

    Philip W.

    I would go to Chef Li's if you are looking for a local place to eat at a reasonable price. The food is excellent. I ordered a chicken chow fun, and you know it is good chow fun because of the smell of the wok in the noodles. Chef Li is a women-owned business; she is there daily to meet and greet customers. The ambiance is that of a welcoming Chinese restaurant with large and small tables, but they could also make hot pots and serve some other special items like spicy broiled fish. Roast pork is also great. They make their items in-house.

    Pig Intestine with pickled vegetables and bell peppers

    Great food! Five stars for the food! One star off for not being car friendly. There's nothing wrong with the environment except for the bus and road noise. What do you expect from San Francisco? It makes it feel more like Hone Kong. You can do hot pot here if you want!

    Carmen L.

    I come here whenever I need party trays, and have introduced them to friends and family. Recently I ordered their party trays again, but the experience was horrible. I called a few times to add more items and repeatedly ask if it was enough food for my party. They kept saying it's enough, but when I went to pick up the trays...I realized they're a lot lighter and smaller than before. Not only that, but their prices did not match the menu that they gave me just two weeks ago...and the boss had the audacity to tell me they haven't changed prices in years. Funny thing is when my coworker called to order, the boss gave her discounts and free food items...she NEVER did that for me. The boss seems to be picking on me because I ordered 7 items that clearly should have been $244, but she charged me $276...no wonder why she didn't give me a receipt! It's also not the tax, because usually the tax is included. I got the receipt from my coworker and not only her food was priced correctly, they even took off $36 and made that item free....6 items only $202...and it was a LOT more food than my $276. How did I know? Because I was at that party! Side note: I paid cash too, so not like I made them foot expensive credit card fees! I understand everything is going up, but don't be here charging people different prices...especially when I was the one who introduced that coworker to order from you guys! The only reason I come here was because your mom personally called me and told me about your restaurant after hers closed down. She was such a nice lady, but you are so dishonest. I'm never coming back, thanks to your disgusting business practice.

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    3 months ago

    This is my go to spot for Chinese food outside of SF Chinatown. Service is ok and their Togo gets pretty busy.

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    6 months ago

    Good food, affordable prices. Staff is kind to customers who are English speaking only.

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    7 months ago

    Very good bbq. Lunch special especially good. Ladies at front are also generally nice and helpful!

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    8 months ago

    Their food is fresh! Love the taste! They don't dissappint. Love that it is in my neighborhood!

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    1 year ago

    Great place for take out. When you do feel like cooking, come here and get Chinese BBQ over rice is cheaper than cooking at home.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    My hubby and love their salt and pepper fish and garlic eggplant. Chef Li's is our favorite spot to get take out in our neighborhood.

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    4 years ago

    Business owner information

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    2 years ago

    Salt and pepper Wings were delicious and crispy. All flats with green onions, garlic, and sliced jalapeños. Yum!!!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Chef Li's Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chef Li's Cafe

    Does Chef Ali still do All You Can Eat?

    No they do not serve all you can eat

    Are any of the soup base options vegetarian?

    Absolutely. They have multiple vegetarian broth options and tons of fresh veggies to go in.

    Do they have an a la carte menu?

    Yes they do. The hot pot is dinner time only but they have a la carte at lunch and also at dinner.

    View All 5 Questions

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    Smokin D’s BBQ

    Smokin D’s BBQ

    4.0(185 reviews)
    4.9 miOuter Sunset
    $$

    I ordered the brisket sandwich and a corn muffin. The…read morebrisket sandwich was absolutely delicious and went well with some leftover baked beans I hade made. The corn muffin is perfectly made and delicious. I am stuffed but can't wait to order again.

    3x I went 2 hours before they closed and SOLD OUT ! They WILL NOT ANSWER THE FLIPPN PHONE !! so you…read morecan't find out if they are SOLD OUT. I finally tried one more time. The BBQ brisket was not so good. I ask the cook for lean brisket and was given 30% fat From 1/2 lb . Payed for extra pickles and got 4 small pieces in it to go cup. The staff really acts like they don't care. No personality made to order from a computer screen. With a staff standing there, playing on their phones. Small amount of sauce. The banana pudding was good, but didn't have very much flavor. But I could tell they made the effort to make it a special dessert. Mac & cheese was OK. But wouldn't order it again. I live in the neighborhood and found them through a TikTok video. Really sad they can't run the restaurant like adults. Adult restaurant tours answer the phone adult restaurant tours have enough food to sell at least 30 minutes before closing. Adult restaurant tours make sure their customer happy. The place is run by children. I've spent 25 years in the restaurant industry and cannot understand the way this place is run. Was really hoping to find a good barbecue place in SF . This one is not IT

    Photos
    Smokin D’s BBQ - Seating

    Seating

    Smokin D’s BBQ - OG Brisky Bao | IG: lisaeatsf

    OG Brisky Bao | IG: lisaeatsf

    Smokin D’s BBQ - Smac S'mac-N-Cheese w Brisket  | IG: lisaeatsf

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    Smac S'mac-N-Cheese w Brisket | IG: lisaeatsf

    4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco - Best Damn Cheeseburger

    4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco

    3.4(2.1k reviews)
    3.9 miNoPa
    $$

    Brisket. Pork. Pulled Chicken Tacos…read more I went there for their notable BBQ Taco Hour Specials. Affordable for each taco, about $3-4 range. Added some Guacamole and Chips, and downed with Almanac True Lager beer, $2 off for beers. Tender meat, good mix of spices to bring out the meat flavors. Wished the meats were warmed up before bringing to our table for better taste with the taco. Setting is casual outdoor, weather fairly warm to enjoy a BBQ bite. Weather expected to pick up later that week. Service was efficient, friendly. I'd give it another try the next time in the area.

    My daughter was craving BBQ, after having a good pulled pork sandwich from Wise BBQ in Los Angeles,…read moreCA, so we opted to go to 4505 Burgers & BBQ. We had the pork spare ribs, a half-pound of brisket, sausages, baked beans, a pulled pork sandwich, and regular fries. The meats were good, but honestly not up to the level of BBQ you'd find in places like Los Angeles or Austin. Everything leaned a bit dry, so we ended up relying heavily on the sauces to bring some moisture back. To make matters worse, they forgot to include the white bread that was supposed to come with the ribs, sausages, and brisket. After all that, the standout of the meal ended up being... the regular fries, which were actually excellent. I also had to wait a bit when I arrived -- our order wasn't ready despite giving them more than the estimated time. On the plus side, the customer service was friendly and the casual outdoor seating has good vibes. Overall, 4505 has really gone down over the years, and SF definitely needs to step up its BBQ game.

    Photos
    4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco
    4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco - Double Best Damn Grass Fed Cheeseburger, Nomadica Orange - Can

    Double Best Damn Grass Fed Cheeseburger, Nomadica Orange - Can

    4505 Burgers & BBQ - San Francisco - Convenience

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    Convenience

    Yakiniq

    Yakiniq

    3.3(1.8k reviews)
    4.3 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    $$$

    YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her."…read more Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards!

    Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore…read morelocation in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here.

    Photos
    Yakiniq - Short ribs

    Short ribs

    Yakiniq
    Yakiniq - Seafood pancake

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    Seafood pancake

    Fikscue Craft BBQ - 2 Dino Ribs, 2 beef back ribs, one sausage

    Fikscue Craft BBQ

    4.3(311 reviews)
    9.4 mi

    Ambiance - 5/5 Walking in I didn't have much expectation…read more But as I step foot into the place. I was fascinated but the wall art. The street art vibe with the cartoon style character. Super awesome. The kitchen is wide open. Everything was super clean and well put together. Service - 5/5 Great recommendations from the staff. The house slaw and banana pudding were clearly popular choices, and they definitely knew what they were doing when guiding the order. I told them it's my first time. These were what they recommended me. One of the staff actually gave a piece of brisket to try. Very nice of them to give a free sample before I order so I know what I'm expecting. Food - 4.5/5 Dish Ordered: Dino Rib, Brisket ( 1/2 lb), House Slaw, Banana Pudding 5/5 Dino Rib Wow. This was the highlight. The meat was unbelievably tender--every single part of it. Usually with ribs, especially the upper portions, you get some toughness or dryness depending on how it's smoked. Not here. This one was melt-in-your-mouth soft, juicy throughout, and you could practically pull it apart effortlessly. The seasoning was perfect--balanced, not too salty, not bland, just right. Every bite hit. 4/5 Brisket ( 1/2 lb) About two slices. Visually, it looked great--nice color, juicy, with a solid fatty portion. But after eating the Dino rib, it felt a bit underwhelming. Still good, just didn't hit as hard flavor-wise. Might be better appreciated on its own next time. 5/5 House Slaw This paired extremely well with the meat. Sweet, tangy, and refreshing. The hint of peanuts adds a nice nutty layer that makes it stand out. It cuts through the richness of the meat perfectly. 5/5 Banana Pudding Not your typical pudding--it's more like a banana cake. The sweetness not too overwhelming, smells amazing, and just hits the spot. A great way to finish the meal. Additional Comments The Dino rib alone makes this place worth it. It sets a very high bar, which honestly makes everything else feel secondary. The best Rib I have ever had in my life so far. Important thing to note is that the rib will be weighed. I don't think you can ask to get the portion you want like you can with the brisket. My Dino rib came out to be 1.6lb. The sides and dessert complement the meal really well and round out the experience. Price is bit is definitely in the higher end but the experience is definitely worth it.

    Wow the food here is amazing, if you're wondering if you should go, just do it. I'm not even a big…read morebbq person but it's so good I finished every plate. My husband wanted to order food from here to take home for his birthday. We came on a Wednesday a little after 4:30 PM and there were less than 5 people in line. It went quick but we can see how there can be a line on weekends since there's only one person cutting meat in the back. The food is phenomenal though and worth the wait (again coming from someone who doesn't eat a lot of bbq or meat). The sides are my favorite. They are so good. We got every single one :). I loved the brisket and the mustard sauce. And we got the dessert drink which was tasty for someone who has a big sweet tooth. Overall, it's fantastic and next to a brewery. There's a small parking lot near by. Would definitely come again!!!

    Photos
    Fikscue Craft BBQ
    Fikscue Craft BBQ - Chicken balado plate, Beef rendang plate and Their famous brisket.

    Chicken balado plate, Beef rendang plate and Their famous brisket.

    Fikscue Craft BBQ - The line 30 mins before they opened.

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    The line 30 mins before they opened.

    Chef Li's Cafe - chinese - Updated May 2026

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