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Hem By Lequy

4.3 (102 reviews)
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Mango Salad with Shrimp
Melinda L.

What a fun spot in the Mission with a decently large menu and lots of grilled seafood options. For appetizers, I'd recommend a mango salad. I loved how crispy it was and opted for shrimp as the protein. Flavor of the salad was excellent. The shrimp was fried well, but the only downside was the shrimp itself was underseasoned. For my main, I got the clay pot rice. There were a lot of ingredients in it and was great. Would get again. For the grilled seafood, I got the scallop with quail eggs and then the spicy butter Canadian snails. The scallop was a little underwhelming, even though it was cool seeing it sit in a fried quail egg. It was underseasoned, but once you dip it in the butter sauce from the snails, it was great. The snails on the other hand were excellent. I've never had such large snails and the garlic butter flavor with it was wonderful. I look forward to trying different variations of this dish in the future. Will definitely come back. I didn't try their pho so it'll be on my list next time.

Photo 1: Montage of images from Hem by Lequy
Ed U.

Strolling on Valencia St, I noticed this relatively new Vietnamese street food cafe and finally tried it when I had a hankering for their menu. The art-filled decor definitely felt a level up from most of the eateries in Little Saigon. It was close to empty on a weekday afternoon, so it really didn't matter much where I dined. They're apparently known for their pho, their various seafood hotpots, and intriguingly, their garlic butter sea snails. However, I thought I'd try something basic for my virginal visit. I went with the $17.50 BBQ Pork Vermicelli Bowl (Bun Thit Nuong). It was definitely a fresh bowl of ingredients, though I have to admit the preponderance of rice noodles made it feel heavier than I was hoping. The thin slices of pork shoulder were a tasty main attraction because I could taste the marinade which was dominated by lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and soy sauce. The fresh layer was appropriately allocated with shredded carrot, lettuce, daikon, bean sprouts, and cucumber. The topping of crushed peanuts and fried shallots was generous, and the spicy-sweet dressing made an effective dipping sauce (Photo 9). It was good and made me want to go deeper into their street food options like the sea snails, the garlic fried chicken cartilage, and the mango salad with grilled squid. Plenty of dishes to consider for the next visit. FOOD - 4 stars...less vermicelli for me, please AMBIANCE - 4 stars...pretty spacious in the Mission SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty efficient and polite TOTAL - 4 stars...nice South Vietnamese dining option RELATED - Exploring the Mission? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/j1y6BNPILa

Garlic noodles with shrimp.
Sondra H.

I've had much better Vietnamese food in the city. I had the vermicelli with pork egg rolls. Lots of veggies in there, but as soon as the egg roll hit the dipping sauce it got mushy. Not just the outside but the inside too. Unsure what was in there... but it was definitely lacking crunch. And the sauce was on the flavorless side of mild. My dining partner had the garlic noodles with grilled shrimp. Nothing beats the garlic bodies at Thanh Long, so why even try? These were just okay, lacking a real garlic punch. Shrimp were on the small side. The worst part? The water. It has that moldy smell that they tried to cover up with a lime slice. I prefer water with my meals so it was really annoying to not be able to drink it. I might go back to try the banh mi.

Stir fried beef banh mi
Vinkin Ken T.

I tried their char siu pork and stir fried beef sandwiches. The first time I had it the bread was soft and wasn't toasted and started to fall apart. But on subsequent visits it had improved. They give a good amount of filling. The char siu pork meat was tender and thick but a bit salty. The beef is on the thin side. I believe it is the same beef used in their pho. I wouldn't order it again. Their pho lacks depth. The broth is light with little beef flavor. I also would not order this again. The avocado shake isn't even green which makes me believe they use powder. However their sugarcane and Vietnamese coffee drinks are really good. They do a very good job in packaging, by sealing the drink cups with cling wrap since I usually bike here to do take out. The staffs working are always nice, offering us water while we wait for our orders.

Alice S.

I've walked by this place a couple of times and finally tried it last night. So glad I did! I ordered the bun cha ha noi. I've only ever had this in Hanoi, so I was pleasantly surprised how authentic the bun cha was here! However, service was a bit slow and inattentive. We had to flag down the staff multiple times to get the bill, and we never got our empty water glasses refilled. Despite poor service, the food more than made up for it. The menu had so many items that you don't typically see at most other Vietnamese restaurants in the city, including lots of seafood that looked pretty good. So I'm interested in coming back to try some more dishes another time.

Menu
Toni L.

So happy to have an Nhau/Oc restaurant like this in SF so I won't have to make the long drive to SJ but was a bit disappointed since it was an off night for them. Newly opened in the Mission down on Valencia street, we were lucky enough to find parking In a relatively hard neighborhood to find street parking, although there is a public parking lot 2 blocks away. Two attentive, hard working, literally running the entire packed restaurant waiters with 3 chefs in the kitchen, so lots of food to crank out and served. The table next to us were missing some dishes and had to wait long for theirs. Our food arrived in a decent time and spacing. I was so thrill to see my favorite bun dau mam tom on the menu so Imust ordered yet I think that cause my upset stomach that night. The pork belly has a weird smell, like the meat was not properly stored or just older meat. The mam tom was also a bit off so I will not order that here ever again. It's rather brave to have that dish in SF and probably due to the lacked of how often it get ordered the freshness of the ingredients and supply go with the demand so lesson learned here. The clams was over cooked and the fish sauce was unbalance and a bit salty. They didn't have the chili garlic sauce (Ot bam) for the fish sauce, they did brought me a thawed out Thai chili to use for my sauce. So maybe bring your own chilies. The mango salad lacked of brightness do to the massive amount of chilies oil poured over the grill squid, I would asked for the chili oil to be on the side next time. The tamarind Oc huong was the tastiest, would have been great with some rice but the rice I ordered never came, they were so busy running so I was like forget about it and just talking the food To go as my stomach started to get mad at me anyway. Either way, I am.glad we have a new addition to the Viet food scene here in SF. They have extensive menu options like ca kho to and Canh Chua so I want to come back to try and give all this young, hard working chefs a chance. Hopefully I can up the stars after my next visit.

GRILLED SCALLOPS WITH QUAIL EGGS
Allena C.

We wanted to have Vietnamese food, but wanted something different and new. Our friend mentioned Hem By Lequy and thought we'd like it. So we ventured towards the mission area and didn't have to look far for a parking spot. We found one across the street! It was nearly 8 pm on a Thursday, so parking was pretty easy. I think it would take some time to find parking during peak hours. This place has a modern vibe with nice, bright lighting. Even though it was a weekday night, many tables were occupied, but we were seated quickly. The menu had a variety of Vietnamese specialties and seafood dishes. It's not your typical Pho eatery! ***OUR PICKS*** MANGO SALAD WITH GRILLED SHRIMP ~ Shredded green mango, green papaya, and carrot tossed in a tangy lime dressing, topped with peanuts, fried shallots, and a choice of protein. Served with shrimp chips. Vibrantly refreshing with a nice tang! Loved this salad; I kept going back to it even after all the other dishes arrived. 5/5 GRILLED SCALLOPS WITH QUAIL EGGS ~ perfectly cooked tasty scallops with a quail egg on the bottom and a lovely garnish of fried scallions on top. This was a good starter/appetizer. 4/5 BEEF SIZZLING SKILLET/BÁNH MÌ CHAO ~ Beef filet mignon, sausages, egg, and pate on a skillet served with a baguette and mixed salad. Our friend told us this dish is a breakfast staple in Vietnam. Unfortunately, this wasn't a hit. The meat was a bit tough, and it was over-seasoned. 3/5 BÚN CHA HÁ NÔI (Medium) ~ A Hanoi Specialty with grilled pork patties and sliced pork in a sweet, savory dipping sauce, served with vermicelli, fresh herbs, and pickled papaya and carrots. Perfect dish to share! The meat was juicy and delicious! The pairing of lettuce and pickled vegetables with the savory meat gave the dish freshness and a clean finish. This is a must-try dish! 5/5 LEMONGRASS STEAMED SEA SNAILS ~ plenty of large snails in this dish! But we felt it wasn't as flavorful as we had hoped. The broth probably washed away some of the seasoning. Still, it was a hearty dish. They definitely didn't skimp! The snails were done perfectly and had a good chew to them. 4/5 All dishes were beautifully presented! The three of us enjoyed our meal, and we were quite satisfied. The 2 dishes that stood out for us were the mango salad and the bún cha há nôi. So glad we tried Hem By Lequy!

Linda Y.

I came during their soft opening and was pleasantly surprised! We were one of only two tables there for lunch, but the interior is spacious and just renovated so plenty of room for business. The menu here is big and focuses on a lot of different Viet foods besides pho. I tried: * Buttery garlicky Escargot: Interesting flavors! The snail meat was big and chewy and the dressing tasted a bit like thousand island dressing with basil. Snail could have been more tender * Special clay pot rice: Yum, very well marinated meat that was tender in thin slices (reminded me of galbi) over rice * Quail eggs in Scallop: Probably the star of show, with these flavorful garlic crisps on top of perfectly fried little eggs. Highly recommend. Overall, would love to come back and try more dishes. Hopefully more folks come to the Mission to try the place out so that it becomes livelier :)

Becky V.

This place is fabulous and service is efficient and courteous! This place seriously rocks my world Grilled Oysters with Vietnamese sauces and flavors scallions, satay chili sauce,etc). My god I have to get this every time. It's a real treat. Papaya salad with protein choices like squid or clams or others. Amazing presentation Catfish in clay pot, spicy and oily chili and sweet too. It's the stuff of my childhood dreams. I can come here solo and they give me a table for one but I really need a table for two because I fill the whole table with food cus there are just so many good choices. It's a feast!

Robert F.

Tried the grilled chicken bánh mì yesterday at Hèm by LeQúy and it really hit the spot. The bread was perfectly crisp yet soft inside, and the chicken was juicy with a nice smoky flavor. Loved the balance of pickled veggies and fresh herbs--everything came together really well. Only small critique: I wish they had cut the sandwich in half for easier eating.

Mango salad with grilled squid topped
Melissa L.

This is now my new Vietnamese spot in SF with courteous service, clean comfortable seatings and delicious food. Street parking can be a challenge but it's worth it. Tried combination beef pho with fresh flat noodles - 4.5/5 good portion size and quantity of meat. Broth was tasty and came with jalapeño, bean sprouts and lemon ( would be better with some basil) Mango salad with grilled squid - 4.5/ 5 tartness from mango salad goes well with grilled squid topped with mildly spicy chili sauce. Bun cha Ha Noi - small portion for 1 pp - 5/5 my favorite dish w/ tender pork patties and grilled pork. Came with lettuce, noodles and plenty of herbs. Love the fish sauce that goes with it.

Chicken things
Gyul G.

This place was amazing! One of the best pho I have in the city. The service was pretty quick. We got seated quickly and the atmosphere was great. Even though there was a lot of people, it was not too loud!

Grilled scallops with quail egg, mango salad with grilled squid, beef noodle soup
Amanda L.

Had dinner at Hèm by LeQuy and honestly everything we ordered was so flavorful and satisfying. The beef noodle soup had such a clean, comforting broth that tasted like it had been simmering for hours. The beef was tender and the noodles soaked up all that flavor. It was simple but really hit the spot. The grilled scallops with quail eggs were one of the highlights of the meal. The scallops were perfectly seared and the little quail egg yolks made each bite extra rich and savory with the herbs and sauce. The mango salad with grilled squid was also really good and probably the most refreshing dish on the table. The mango was sweet and crisp, the grilled squid had a nice smoky flavor, and the crispy shallots and prawn chips added the best crunch. It had that perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and a little spicy that kept you going back for another bite. Service is great, and the ambiance is modern but still cozy and relaxed, making it a great place to catch up with friends over dinner. The plating is beautiful and everything tasted just as good as it looked. Definitely a spot I'd come back to when I'm craving something fresh and full of flavor.

Bun cha Ha Noi

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Reviews are largely positive. Diners highlight the unique Vietnamese menu, fresh and flavorful seafood, friendly, attentive service, and a clean, modern space.

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Ask the Community - Hem By Lequy

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Sobakatsu - Cold soba

Sobakatsu

4.4(312 reviews)
2.2 mi•Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights
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Worth the wait! This small soba and tempura shop services up delicious fare in a casual ambience…read more We arrived about 45 minutes before opening and were just one-person shy of the first seating so we had to wait for a table to finish before settling in. I decided on their cold soba with shrimp kakiage and vegetable tempura. Heavenly! Their tempura batter is whisper light and crisp. My favorite surprise was a piece of crab tempura tucked into my selection. We ended our meal mixing in the hot soba broth. I would definitely return, and hope for a shorter wait!

Came by for lunch around 12:15 PM on a Wednesday and ended up waiting about 40 minutes. When we…read morearrived, the restaurant was already full, with at least three parties waiting ahead of us. I was likely part of the second round of seating. While we waited, the line behind us grew quite long, with probably around 10 parties waiting by the time we finally got inside. One thing to note is that you don't place your order until you've secured a seat. If you're dining with someone, there's a good chance you'll have to share a table with other customers or potentially sit separately, especially if you're in a group of more than two. They have tables for four and counter seating for around three people (I think). Once you get a seat, you can place your order at the kiosk. They then call your number when your food is ready for pickup. Overall, the food was good, but probably not worth waiting in line for again. Personally, as someone who prefers udon over soba and ramen, the noodles tasted similar to what I've had at other soba restaurants. However, I did love the variety on the menu compared to your typical soba spot. Most places I've been to have cold soba with standard tempura options like shrimp, pumpkin, broccoli, etc. Here they offer more unique choices, such as fish tempura with roe, scallop kakiage, shishito pepper, etc. They also have both hot and cold soba options with a variety of toppings. I ordered the hot clam soba ($25), which was good and came with a generous amount of clams. My friend got the cold tenzaru soba ($22) with fish roe and another type of tempura. The portions were generous, and I couldn't even finish my soba noodles. Unfortunately, they don't offer takeout boxes so keep that in mind. If you want to get a seat during the first round of seating, I'd recommend lining up before they open. I'm glad I got to try this place, and I can see why people are willing to wait for it. However, I probably won't be returning since the food wasn't memorable enough for me to justify the long wait.

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Mensho Tokyo - Vegan Miso

Mensho Tokyo

4.1(3.4k reviews)
2.2 mi•Lower Nob Hill
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Back in December 2018, I passed by and caught a whiff of something pleasant. There was a remarkably…read morelong line, but I decided to get in it thinking I could order quick, chow down, and be on my way. Alas! it was not to be, as I had to meet up with my group, and the line only moved in smidges. The intervening years visiting SF didn't provide me with any opportune moments to stop by. That is, until one Saturday evening August 2026 while I was walking around and by chance happened upon the same lovely scent. Although it was a few minutes before 11pm, the line to get in was closed off. Tomorrow was my last night in SF, so I made it my primary objective to dine here. Well, Sunday I was at the Chase Center till about 9:20pm where the Muni line was packed and going nowhere fast. In the spur of the moment, I ran all the way from Chase Center to Lower Nob Hill, a 2.3-mile journey, yielding to red lights and Pokémon fans. Exhausted, it was a couple minutes past 10pm when I arrived. Lo and behold, the line had not closed yet. Ordered their Signature Toripaitan ramen and was very pleased that it was ready in about two minutes. I'm not afraid to admit I literally vacuumed the contents of that bowl. Sure I was sweaty and famished, but the combination of chashu, menma, burdock root, ajitama egg, chicken broth, and every other element checked all my proverbial boxes. The waitstaff who took my order was likely aghast that I ate so violently, though she was professional and responded energetically when I showered her with thanks and praise for the meal. I also ordered a mazemen to-go for the next day's lunch, and that was a real treat. Recently, I learned that there is a location in Culver City. Heck, why wait another 8 years?

I remember the last time I was here I waited an hour in line and I still decided to come back for…read moretheir ramen a few years later! My wait this time wasn't too bad since I came on a weekday and on the earlier side. The signature toripaitan ramen featured a creamy chicken broth with al-dente, chewy mochi ramen noodles. I enjoyed both the pork and the duck meat, especially the latter with its inherent seasoning and tenderness. The mushroom pieces were tasty as well; appreciated the ratio of soup to noodles to other ingredients. I personally liked the signature over the spicy version. I very much appreciated how they keep their soup warm with a second bowl. You really can't go wrong with the enoki chips - crispy, umami, and slightly citrus-y to cut the oiliness. The line moves at a reasonable rate, given how small the space is. Probably much harder for larger parties. Every seated individual is required to order a bowl of ramen. Would come back on a weekday if I'm craving their ramen!

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Taniku Izakaya - Spicy beef ramen

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4.6(358 reviews)
2.1 mi•Tenderloin
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I've been there twice and everything I've tried is delicious!…read more They have vegetarian ramen and different, unique appetizers. Their sake is also great! There is a line to enter, but it usually goes fast. The ambiance is cozy and nice.

We were exploring town late at night and found this place on Yelp. Unfortunately, it shocked us in…read moreall the wrong ways. I'm still a little speechless 48 hours later. Granted, we came in around 9 PM, about an hour before closing, so we understood that the kitchen was getting toward the end of the night. We ordered a few dishes to share and there were actually some highlights. The scallops: These were great! Easily one of the better dishes we ordered. The karaage chicken: The chicken itself had great flavor, but the creamy sauce on top was extremely rich and ended up overpowering the chicken. I think with less sauce, this could have been a really good dish. Now, the ramen: This is where I was genuinely left speechless. I don't think I've ever had ramen with absolutely no umami. Like, none. It was one of the strangest things I've ever tasted. I was biting into something, there were textures in my mouth, it smelled great... but that was it. No depth. No richness. No umami. The broth, meat, and even the noodles somehow had almost no flavor. The only thing that really came through was the greasy chili oil that lingered on your tongue afterward. After a couple of bites, we looked at each other and decided to leave. At that point, most of the food was still sitting on the table practically untouched. Maybe we caught the kitchen on an off night, especially coming in later in the evening. The scallops showed us that there's definitely potential here, but unfortunately, the ramen was such a miss that it overshadowed the rest of the meal for us.

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Hem By Lequy - seafood - Updated October 2026

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