First time here and it was so good! Inside, it's a pretty small space but big enough where they can fit in my group of seven. Unfortunately, it was breakfast time so I wasn't able to try their rice plates and pho, but the breakfast items were delicious! I ordered the C2 and it was a big portion as well as tasty. All off the other food my friends ordered looked so appetizing too. Aside from that, the service was excellent. Our server was super nice and attentive and even gave my friend her own pancake and candle for her birthday! Literally everyone in the kitchen started clapping for her. 10/10, would come here again! Shout out to our server who did that for us and gave us recommendations about SF! read more

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I recently heard about Darren's cafe that has been open since 2007 that serves up Vietnamese food along with the typical diner foods in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. This got be curious because you don't really see much Asian cuisine in Pier 39 as it's mostly filled with what I call typical tourist food. Decided to visit for lunch on a Thursday afternoon and got seated right away with no wait. I ordered a Vietnamese coffee and Beef and Beef Meatball Noodle Soup. The coffee was nice and strong and quite refreshing as I expected. The bowl of Pho was quite decent but is on the smaller side from what you would expect at a typical pho spot. The price was on a higher side but is as expected since its located in Fisherman's Wharf. Overall, I would recommend coming to this place if you are in the area and craving a bowl of Pho in Fisherman's Wharf. The owner is super friendly and they have more Asian dishes that I want to go back and try. read more

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This place has been open 18 years and I'd never heard of it. Pho broth was good. Not too salty, I thought i tasted fried garlic. It reminds me of a broth that is homemade rather than restaurant made if that makes sense. Also had a viet ice coffee. It was strong. Staff was friendly and attentive. Definitely want to go back and try some other items on the menu. read more

Darren's Cafe - Q2- pho with beef, brisket, beef ball - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Really enjoyed the excellent pho here--flavourful, comforting, and delicious! The service was also wonderful, a young boy who can speak Cantonese was friendly and polite when taking our order. Patiently answered our questions. Sorry I did not manage to ask for his name. Another gentleman David, who was attentive and caring. As I was just casually told him I like my takeaway fried rice spicy, he came back to our table showed me small red chili and checked if I would like to add some onto my fried rice. I was so happy and the fried rice was indeed yummy You can really feel that he puts his service from the heart. Thank you for making the dining experience so enjoyable! Highly recommended. read more

Darren's Cafe - Shrimp fried rice with small red cut chilli - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fast service! They do it so fast but so well to get as many people in and out. You are basically touching elbows with the other tables but the food is well priced and delicious!! They have an American items, Vietnamese items, and vegetarian items. Big menu to browse! Staff were all attentive to where we needed and you could see who were the regulars in this place. We came in with 45 mins left before close and people were still coming in with only 15 mins to left. It was packed but I can see why! Small ish restaurant right off the Main Street down there and I'd come again to try more things read more

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Service was below average. They were out of a lot of stuff like shrimp and chicken; half of the drink from beverage section because the espresso machine was apparently broken, but honestly could've told us that when we got the menu initially. The younger Asian server seemed to be snarky whenever we asked him for stuff. Asked for grapefruit juice and he gave me apple juice, and then when I corrected him, he sat the grapefruit juice down with a bit of attitude. Or when I ask for fork (because the round metal chop sticks were hard to use), he seemed irritated that I asked for a fork. Food was okay, nothing remarkable. I do think that the satay soup was a little too spicy. For satay, I'd expect something that's more mild to moderately spicy. read more

Darren's Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a gem this place is. Great breakfast food, but who knew that they had 'Pho?! The food is delicious and the food is great. read more

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What a nice little surprise! Great place to eat food is excellent and the staff is friendly and fast. Nice place to grab breakfast too.

We love coming to Darren's Cafe! All the workers are super friendly! We tried so many different dishes from here and we have zero complaints! My brother always gets the French Toast from here! It's a must! read more

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Had dinner here, went with the filet and lobster. Being from the south I could have used a little more salt and pepper on the steak. The steak was not cooked to my liking but it was edible. read more

Darren's Cafe - Menu - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Spur of the moment choice while at Fisherman's Wharf. Excellent find. Great mocha and cappuccino. Very tasty Eggs Benedict. Quality food. Great service. Recommend this cafe for anyone looking for a breakfast place while at Fisherman's Wharf. read more

Beef pho had so much flavor I added a bit too much of the dark sweet sauce and made my broth a little too sweet so add it slowly limon and siracha was a must! Our tummy was warm and satisfied for the rest of the afternoon. We sat outside and with the outdoor heaters above the tables and the constant check ins for refills or other things we were extremely comfortable and well taken care of. Highly recommended read more

Darren's Cafe - Beef pho - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Tried Darren's Cafe while in San Francisco and really liked it. The food was tasty, came out quick, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Staff was super friendly and made the place feel welcoming. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

Darren's Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing service, amazing staff, great food. The music was even good, this place is a must try, a nice selection of Vietnamese/American fusio

Second time trying this place and the food was excellent. Service was good, menu is extensive. Appreciated the breakfast options at lunch time. Will definitely include in the rotation. read more

first restaurant i ate at in san francisco!!! everything was DELICIOUS. EVERYTHING. and service was more than extremely pleasant. environment was really cute and cozy. read more

Darren's Cafe - italian breakfast scramble/ three eggs italian style - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's a really nice place. The customer service was great, everyone was so nice and polite. The food was really good. 10/10

The food was amazing and they serve a really good portion. The customer service was wonderful, Darren is a great server. The place is amazing, I really recommend it. read more

This place was hopping when we arrived around 8:30. We did have to wait about 10 minutes for a table, but it was nice and cool out and they have a menu outside that we looked at while we waited. Once we were seated they took our order quickly. Food took about 10 minutes to come out. We ordered the eggs Benedict and then the bagel with cream cheese and avocado...and added an egg to that. The bagel came all separate so you can add the amounts of what you want to it...which worked great for us. Definitely enjoyed our breakfast here...would come again. read more

Darren's Cafe - Eggs Benedict - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good ol fashioned pancakes n sausages with eggs how i like it everything was good there.syrup was good read more

Causal breakfast/lunch place with outside seating near the wharf. It has the usual American breakfast like pancakes, French toast, omelette and egg Benedict. In addition, it does a decent Vietnamese pho and rice plate. Food is solid and service is friendly. We usually seat ourselves with our dog. There are heat lamps outside should you need it. read more

We had breakfast at Darren's for three consecutive mornings. The food and service were excellent. The service staff were extremely friendly and especially the owner David. Although the cafe was 75% full, the order for our party of 4 came out unexpectedly quick. A good find. They have a great looking menu for all appetites. read more

Fisherman's Wharf is not the first place I think of to grab some breakfast, but here I was in the most tourist congested area of the city thinking optimistically that I could find something worthwhile to eat. On my way to the Presidio, I just happened to walk by this spot which was already bustling at 8:30AM. I found a table for a solo diner right in front of the register, and the staff encouraged me to take it. The breakfast menu was a robust combination of all American favorites and Vietnamese family dishes. I didn't go got the hotcakes or omelets but chose instead the $16.95 Veggie Fried Rice, a satisfying homestyle mix of rice, soy sauce, eggs, and a variety of chopped vegetables (photo: https://bit.ly/3DdfSsk). There was no art to the execution, but it didn't matter because it hit the spot. Good to know Darren is here for good eats. FOOD - 4 stars...good fried rice fresh from the wok AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...busy and surrounded by tourists SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty conscientious and affable TOTAL - 4 stars...solid breakfast plates both American and Vietnamese RELATED - Exploring Fisherman's Wharf? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2HyFdzC read more

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The Dungeness Crab Benedict is out of this world. I've tried this dish at other places, but none compare to Darren's rendition. These bennies are full of flavor! I close my eyes and savor every bite. Great folks and great service. They took care to make sure I could get in and out in time to catch my next appointment. I always eat outside so I can enjoy some nice SF weather. It's only a short distance from the trolley stop so SF is your oyster when you are done. read more

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Awesome little cafe just off the Embarcadero/Fisherman's Wharf area. Great service and delicious food for a reasonable price. Feels like a mom and pop restaurant. Close to hotels and the trolley line. Great iced coffee also available to go. read more

Stopped into this café and had such a great experience! The server, Kevin, took excellent care of me and even made a fresh pot of decaf. The food was delicious and came out exactly how I ordered it. The restaurant was very clean, and everyone I interacted with was super nice and welcoming. Definitely a place I'd come back to! read more

DARREN'S CAFE was excellent!!! California omelette with bacon. It was amazing & country potato's were a the perfect crunch and seasoning. The staff was super friendly and welcoming. A must go when you are in San Francisco read more

Darren's Cafe - California Omelette with potato's and toast. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped in on a Friday morning around 8 and had no issue getting a seat although it started to fill up as we were leaving. Solid breakfast food, excellent service, and great name for a cafe read more

Because I decided to grab a lobster roll and some clam chowder on Pier 39, my wife and son decided to come to Darren's Cafe for lunch since they don't like seafood. I came to join them while they were eating their meal. My son had the burger which was medium and he thought it excellent. Fries came with burger and he thought they were very well seasoned. He gave his meal a 10/10 My wife had the spicy satay beef combo noodle soup. She said the broth and beef were very good but that the glass noodles stuck to each other in the bottom of the bowl. In short, she felt that the noodles didn't separate properly. She gave her meal a 6/10. They both commented how nice their server was (10/10). In general, they both enjoyed coming to Darren's and would return again. I saw the menu and would like to join them next time. read more

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VEGAN REVIEW Randomly walked into this joint for Veggie Pho. And was surprisingly good! I appreciate that the veggie soup didn't feel like an "afterthought " & just thrown together they took time to layer flavors which most places don't. They had great take out packaging too. ** It was a bit pricey but standard for that area for sure read more

Customer service is excellent, now the food was exceptional. I loved the Teriyaki Chicken plate! And the atmosphere was extraordinary for a small diner! Thank you so much!! read more

Darren's Cafe - Teriyaki Steak n Chicken plate. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food 5/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Customer service 5/5 Speed 5/5 Price 5/5 Outdoor seating? Yes Wheelchair access? Yes Restrooms? Yes Found this place a few years back and had their veggie pho. Loved it so much, I had to try it again on my next trip. Yep, still delicious! Highly recommend. read more

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Great place just outside of a high traffic tourist area. Pork Bahn Mi was excellent! Staff is nice and attendent too.

If you need a good old fashioned breakfast, check out Darren's Cafe in the Fisherman's wharf area. They have your usual go-to like French Toast and Pancakes, but also offer a couple of asian fusion dishes if you want something a little different for your brunch. Their food was basic but yummy nonetheless. They offered both indoor and outdoor dining at the time. Service was quick and courteous, great if you just need to stop by to eat on your way around the touristy area. Pricing was about average, but if you're not a big eater you can definitely share one of their combo dishes and still be full. A great place to keep in mind if you're around the area! read more

Darren's Cafe - French Toast with Bacon and Eggs - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food and services were great. We had 5 people in our group and everyone loved their meals. Highly recommended for everyone. read more

Darren's Cafe - Cafe sign - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Small store front restaurant with an absolutely amazing breakfast! The service was fast, and the staff was friendly. We even met Darren, the restaurant's namesake! We will definitely be returning on our next trip to San Francisco! read more

Darren's Cafe - Chicken fried steak, eggs, country potatoes, which were AMAZING, and wheat toast. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good little brunch place that has a variety of food. From Vietnamese to American Breakfast foods. I usually get the charbroiled beef Bahn mi that's really good. Good Amount of meat and the fresh veggies taste all great. Definitely get that all the time I go there. There Beef Pho is good, taste clean and not oily. Good amount of meat and noodles. Just regular good pho nothing crazy. The same for the French toast nothing special. Just regular French toast that you can make at home. But this place is good if your hungry and get something quick. Service is pretty fast read more

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The food was amazing, really good service super fast !!! The staff were very kind and generous. This is the perfect place to visit with your friends and family read more

Darren's Cafe - Eggs Benedict - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Took the CalTrain early in the morning with my parents and we hadn't had breakfast yet, but we were all craving pho . At this time many restaurants were offering breakfast options until I read very high ratings from Darren's Cafe. It's known to serve breakfast and lunch including Vietnamese cuisine! First impression, the stall was busy and we had to get in line with a waiting time of around 5-10 minutes. Tip: Come early! The waiter including the owner I assumed took our order as soon as possible. They were very accommodating as they asked customers if everything was going well, if they need anything such as to go boxes. Our order came out 10 minutes later and I love how the owner always had a big smile. I asked how I wished they had more pho options and listened to any recommendations I had. My parents and I devoured our pho with a happy stomach! Our day started off well with a warm stomach on a foggy San Francisco autumn morning (concise this) read more

Darren's Cafe - Q3. Beef Meatball Noodle Soup - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Not bad. They were nice people and the beef noodle soup was ok. Keep your expectations set on medium and you will not be disappointed.