Rating: 4.5 Lily is an upscale Vietnamese restaurant with inventive dishes. I've been several times and the quality of the food is always excellent. Today's dinner had a few dishes that were standout and a few that tasted good but had a bit too many ideas going on. Fried shrimp and sweet potato appetizer - this was my favorite dish tonight, the shrimp shells were fried crispy, and I've never seen it paired with sweet potato, but I love a fried sweet potato. Filet mignon and divers scallops - this dish had way too many ideas going on, I think if it was pared down it would be more cohesive. However this was my mom's favorite. The dish had lap cheung (Chinese sausage) which I thought was a tomato at first, pate, a unique-looking fried egg that was yolk, then white, then yellow on top of rice, scallops, onions, Laughing Cow cheese, served with a thick slice of milk bread. The scallops were huge and tasty, but felt out of place and were overpowered if you ate it with the pate. Without it, the rest of the dish would have made more sense to me as a take on a "steak and eggs" breakfast. The braised oxtail was a really innovative take on bo kho. It was like Vietnamese lasagna, with a sheet of rice noodle layered on top of baked Bolognese sauce. The rice noodle had a cilantro sauce, but it was hard to tell or taste when you mixed it with the tomato sauce. It was served with bread and shallot aoili, and while the aioli was absolutely delicious, I didn't understand where I was supposed to eat it with the dish. I made sure to take it home though for another use. This was my dad's favorite. The fried whole fish was solid as usual, though pretty pricey. I've gotten this every time and I don't remember if the accompaniments are always the same, but I think the sauce was. Tonight's dinner got the highest praise from my parents - "expensive but worth it"!! read more

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Food tasted good. Service was absolutely not. We placed our orders and our server forgot what we ordered despite having a pen and paper. We gave it to him again and he still managed to not get the entire order. Came back with one drink and forgot about the other. Reminded him again. He Came back with the other drink and spilled it while trying to slide it over the table. He also missed the iced coffees to go at the end so I would say the mandatory 20% charge on service was not deserved at all. Very disappointing Father's Day sit in meal. read more

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Came to Lily on Clement located between 3rd and 4th avenue on Sunday. I was with a friend for our usual get-together, and it was such a treat. Street parking was easy, with free meters on Sundays, always a bonus in San Francisco. We were greeted promptly the moment we stepped in and immediately felt welcome. The service throughout the meal was excellent. They were attentive, engaging, and genuinely friendly. The staff was hard to miss, with several tall, handsome waiters seemingly towering at 6'3" and above, adding to the restaurant's lively and polished atmosphere. The restaurant had a wonderful neighborhood feel while still feeling special. As you walk in, you're greeted by a stunning mural stretching along the left wall, a full bar on the right, and an open kitchen with counter seating that adds energy and excitement to the space. The ambiance is warm, inviting, and thoughtfully designed, making it a great spot to relax and catch up with friends. On busy nights, tables are limited to a two-hour seating, which seems reasonable given the restaurant's popularity. If you're not ready to call it a night, you can easily continue the evening at the bar. We ordered the prix fixe menu, an additional appetizer, and four drinks. Our favorite dishes of the evening were the egg rolls and the chow fun; both packed with flavor and perfectly prepared. With tax and the included 20% service charge, our bill came to just over $240. While not inexpensive, we felt the quality of the experience, atmosphere, and service made it a worthwhile night out. We already have plans to return. Lily delivers excellent service, a vibrant atmosphere, and a memorable dining experience that elevates the neighborhood dining scene. Looking forward to trying more of the menu on our next visit. read more

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was feeling kinda spontaneous with the homie Brian since the initial spot we wanted to go to ran out of food. Stumbled across this joint here. Turns out I had saved it in my to go places for the past couple months. Was a small but very nicely decorated spot I can't lie. All the tables were taken but didn't mind a counter spot. We got the drank. We got the grub. Shit was splendid. Do u remember when Obama and Bourdain ate a meal in Vietnam? Well that's what we had. Except where theirs was probably 4$, ours was 32$ each. Did I enjoy every single bite. Yes. Did my wallet beg for mercy. Also yes. I will be back once I get promoted at work. read more

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I came here for restaurant week with my partner, around 50 dollars per person after tax. The service here was attentive and friendly, we booked online and after arriving were promptly seated and ready to go. We had only one option to pick which was our mains but they also substituted the appetiser pho for something vegetarian friendly The pho itself, slippery goodness, when the noodles feels soft and smooth is when I start hyping shit up and I was mmm'ing and nodding the whole time eating this. It was also perfectly sized as a starter I had the mixed beef bowl, which was surprisingly filling. The amount of meat was very generous considering the times and being in San Francisco, I barely finished but had to unbutton my pants for that one Overall impression is that these dishes aren't groundbreaking but Lily definitely do standard dishes VERY well, with high ingredient quality. I'd be back again! read more

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Came in for SF Restaurant Week and it was a really good time! The lunch special was $35/pp and it was such a good deal. I got the salted lemonade, pho app, and turmeric dill fish bowl and everything was fantastic! The drink was the perfect amount of salted plump. The pho app noodles were cooked with the right amount of bite, the beef was melt in your mouth. I wish it had a little less black pepper but soup was still good. The fish is the real star. It was tender and crispy. And the banh phong tom had a really deep shrimp flavor. Service was average for a Friday lunch time. I can't wait to try them again. Be sure to say hello their mascot Bo who makes the place more fun. read more

Lily - Cha ca la bong - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had a nice lunch at this place. No reservation, just walked in. Impressed by this restaurant's vibe, lunch special menu and service. Food quality is worth of the price! Will come back to try other items on the menu again! read more

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Sometimes circumstances change and it opens opportunities to try things out of the ordinary. In recent years, my family preferred cooking our Thanksgiving dinner and enjoy foods prepared by or under my mom's supervision. Things changed in the past two years so, when chef Rob told me that he'd be open from noon to 8 pm, I reserved a seat for an early meal at 4:30 pm. There were only two menus offered, meat or non- meat and reservations were through Tock. Scoring rock star parking in front, I expected a fairly empty dining room and it was very contrary to that as it was full with several people at the greeting podium waiting to be seated. I was led to the final counter seat at the far end by the expediting station. Here's what I enjoyed: Beverage Brokaw Farms orange passion fruit crush (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=WOPDeJdM1fEbSnenylzErQ) - cara cara orange juice, pomegranate, seltzer Sisters water Amuse (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=MOQAq_K01dfCdMZCRBnSog) A. Tuna tartar lettuce cup - salty duck egg, Chinese sausage, fried rice B. Imperial Wagyu beef carpaccio - sesame cracker, shallot aioli, pickled shallots C. Salmon and strawberry roll - Tsar Nikolai trout roe, nuom chem Soup and Salad A. Vietnamese curry pumpkin soup (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=gE4-Xbc6uDJh36wFnKPcpA) - shiitake mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, cilantro cream B. Persimmon and pear salad (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=5NpNpt32JdzdfiynoopAwQ) - warm Roquefort blue cheese muffin, Belgian endive, pomegranate Entree Salt baked Diestel turkey breast w/ confit turkey sweet potato hash (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=iXRjx6X0rp7p-eaCdL_NMg) - shrimp and lap chuong fried rice, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, baby bok choy, black Diamond mushrooms, lingonberry and strawberry Dessert A Slice of pumpkin pie (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=CRlhndxF5hBQrAKj-6QXiA) - vanilla chantilly Everything was perfect as chef Rob generously served me both the soup and salad. Each course was so different yet flavorful and interesting, not a traditional Thanksgiving one. The stars were the amuse, that tender juicy turkey, and that gravy that would taste good on a shoe (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=eW99uuhIXxB9baxn2H4-wg). Being given both salad and soup, I could not finish my entree and took half of it for a dinner a few days later. I enjoyed the kitchen teamwork with the servers as well as the in-kitchen crew for a festive and deliciously satisfying dinner. Thank you to chef Rob and May, who waited on me. Looking forward to seeing what he plans for Christmas or New Year's. read more

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Can't believe I've never heard of Lily!!!! They've been around 5 years and were pretty busy on a Monday night!!! The good: - I highly recommend their pho! Ahhhh I think I may like it as much as GAO's which is my current favorite. Authentic fatty Southern broth + fresh noodles. I also love that they have tender wagyu carpaccio on the side -- pretty good set price at $44!!! - I also enjoyed their Bo Ne which came with scallops, fried rice and 3 fillet mignon pieces!!! but thought their fried rice ccould be seasoned a bit more, or maybe just with salt - beautiful decor - super welcoming owner-chef who has competed on the food channel and is very experienced in the industry!!! The meh: - their jasmine tea cocktail could use work. It wasn't refreshing and was too spirit forward for th type of audience it's catering to.. also the owner took away my drink (still 60% full) before I could shoot it lol... - the pho spice cocktail could use more spice than just cinnamon, but otherwise a good old fashioned read more

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Really pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this meal! Came with a friend for weekend brunch and it was lively inside but no wait thankfully. We ordered the Com Tam (broken rice plate) with pork, and it was tasty and refreshing with a nice sweetness and char the pork, sunny side up egg, and refreshing pickled veggies. We also ordered the crispy tofu plate which was well-seasoned, and perfectly crispy on outside and light. The sauce was really good! I would definitely come back again for brunch and would be interested in trying the dinner too. Great food and nicer ambiance Viet place! read more

Lily - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had the most wonderful time at Lily with a friend from school days, ordering their Early Girl specials because we reserved our table at 5:30. With choices for an appetizer and main, the meal is $38. I ordered duck confit rolls, which was tasty but somewhat greasy, and the shaking beef salad, which was good but was chewier than I had hoped. Presentation and the large amount stayed consistent as before. This place got pretty packed later in the evening along with the noise level. Make sure you make reservations first! read more

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I can't believe I've not been eating here longer. The food is spectacular and the service exquisite. Must order appetizers are the duck confit eggrolls and the fried prawns with sweet potato both dishes represent an elevation which Lily is known for. The turmeric catfish with all the fixings make some amazing Vietnamese style tacos (that's what I call the rolls you assemble). It's not a huge menu so what comes out of the kitchen is focused and delicious. The wine list is fun and the cocktails have the same attention to detail that the food does. Shoutout to Chef Rob Lam who is so welcoming on top of his culinary skills. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

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Their non alcoholic drinks will blow you away!!! The yogurt tajin was perfect. My friend got an iced tea that was also super refreshing. Great if you don't like sweet drinks. I would come back to try their entire non alcoholic drink menu! The rest of the food was ok in my opinion, the garlic noodles were doing a bit much with the bean sprouts and I think I prefer cheaper restaurants that make it simple. I added meat for extra but it didn't come with too much. My friends got the bun cha and liked it though. The service was a little too attentive for my liking but personal preference if you like being chatty with your servers you would like this place. read more

We came on a Friday night and it was packed by 6pm. Luckily we were able to be seated right away. Definitely recommend to make reservations beforehand. We opted for the restaurant week menu with addition of duck egg rolls. Probably would have been smarter to come during lunch since it was included in that menu. Anyways our food! Duck egg rolls, 1 spring roll, pho, selection of entree. Each item came out one at the a time and we didn't have to wait more than 5 mins between. The honey jam dip with the duck egg rolls was the perfect sweet and savory contrast. Chicken pho was light and comforting. On the menu, it was listed as beef pho but we didn't realize until after the meal. Hanoi meatball with grilled meats were smokey, but I didn't like that it was bathing in the nuoc cham. If only the nuoc cham was in a separate bowl as pictured. The pickled veggies, lettuce, and woven noodles were great at balancing it out though. My friend who got the braised oxtail enjoyed the shrimp and tomato bolognese combination. We also got 2 cocktails - the Mango Sinh To and Saigon Iced Tea. Mango one was creamy from the yogurt (can't tell how viet yogurt tastes different though lol) and had mango chunks. We were content with the amount of food the pre fixed menu offered. Only downside is the price for a la carte dishes. Nonetheless we enjoyed each elevated Vietnamese dish and the attentive staffs. Glad to be able to check off this place with restaurant week! read more

Lily - Duck Confit Egg Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Tbh I was skeptical about Vietnamese food in the City because I've had some bad experiences but this restaurant proved me wrong!! We went here for brunch on a Sunday and given that it was Mother's Day, there was a prefix menu. All of the choices were excellent and we got to pick one item from each course. For starters I had this amazing French toast with a cafe sua consume and the main was bun cha Ha Noi. I loved how there was a farmers market right outside where the chef sources his ingredients from. I saw the chef on the cooking line, and serving and at the front greeting guests as well. He was so humble and down to earth. We talked about his inspirations and how he curated the dishes. I loved hearing about his upbringing and passion for Vietnamese cuisine. The flavors of the dishes and delicious beverages totally won me over. The staff was great too! This restaurant did a solid job staying authentic and highlighting Vietnamese flavors while enhancing it with a slight modern twist read more

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Great modern and upscale Vietnamese spot in Richmond. I've had a lot of Vietnamese cuisine in this city and this was definitely a unique, memorable experience. Went as a group of 4 and we probably over ordered. The menu may seem pricey, but the portions here are very large. We started with the beef salad (super delicious and the beef is served on the side for those that don't eat beef you can still share). After that we did the rice paper pork wraps, garlic noodles, and oxtail. the rice paper wraps were a fun interactive dish but may be a bit messy so keep that in mind. The oxtail which was a new item the time I went was the star of the show. Tender, flavorful, and with a bit of a kick, this is something I have never seen at a Vietnamese restaurant and a must order. Lastly, garlic noodles were very beautifully presented and also delicious. A little lighter/healthier tasting than what you might have a thanh long lol. The cocktails here also looked very good but that will have to be for next time! read more

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We came here for lunch. We ordered the lime spritzer -- really love balance of tangy, salty with a touch is sweetness and beautifully presented. We also had the heritage pork bowl and beef salad. Both were beautifully plated, savory, juicy and really highlighted by the fresh, tangy and punchy seasoning! Really fresh and beautiful and lovely vibe for date lunch. Loved how tender the beef was -- kinda reminiscent of Slanted door's shaking beef -- we wanna come back and get a big order for dinner! We'll be back! read more

Lily - Beef salad - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went for lunch yesterday. We had the duck confit egg rolls with an amazingly rich complex dipping sauce and the wagyu beef salad. The beef was perfectly cooked with sautéed onions and the various components of the salad were fresh, crisp and beautifully portioned for color, taste and variety. I can't wait to bring my husband here. read more

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I can't say enough about how good Lily was for Valentine's Day, prefix seven courses of beef. The service was excellent. The food was outstanding. The ambience was on point and not overdone in valentines decor. The owner/host/manager gentleman went above and beyond.. Our server, a young woman was delightful and busy which is difficult, I know. Thank you Lily SF for being the highlight of our Valentine's Day Date Night. See you soon! read more

Lily - Red Envelope for Lunar New Year, with a lucky 2 dollar bill. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

We went during sf restaurant week and got a 3 course meal for $35! The interior was decorated nicely and had an aesthetic bar seating area. What we ordered: 1. saigon iced tea: a refreshing drink, nothing too special 2. orange passion crush: a refreshing drink, has bits of passionfruit seeds in it. tasted more like passionfruit than orange 3. mango sinh to: my favorite out of the 3. tasted like a mango slushy. mango flavor was not too sweet 4. sonoma liberty duck confit egg rolls: best dish. had good amount of meat and the outside was so crispy. paired really well with the mustard sauce, added extra tangy flavor 5. mango and rice paper salad: unique dish that I didn't rlly enjoy. not a huge fan of cold dishes and the rice paper didn't melt into the broth entirely 6. garlic noodle with beef: portion was hugeee and presentation was so nice with the flower petals. beef was tender and dish had an assortment of yummy veggies read more

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If you're looking for an upscale Vietnamese restaurant with photogenic food presentation then this is the place. I like how lots of the dishes have multiple pieces that you put together, and sauce on the side, which made the flavor very well-rounded. The portions are pretty large. The beef is delicious and tender-- I'd recommend any dish that comes with beef. Service was great-- we had one person in our party with dietary restraints and they made sure to separate out the meat from the dishes since we were doing family style. There's nothing too fancy about out the ambience- in fact I was surprised how small the restaurant is. The dining area is pretty small and casual for the price point. Would I come back and pay this amount again for the food? Probably not. Favorite dishes: shaking filet beef salad, garlic noodles, pork chop, strawberry lychee daiquiri read more

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I visited Lily with a few friends for restaurant week. The hospitality and attention to detail is great! We felt very welcomed and they accommodated my friend who is vegetarian. For restaurant week dinner we got an amuse bouche, small pho bowl as the app and a main that we could chose. I chose the oxtail and it was very tender and tasty. I loved that I got to try all these dishes for restaurant week. I would love to come back to try more dishes. read more

Came here with a group of 7 people for a birthday dinner. We ordered quite a lot of dishes to share. As a Vietnamese person, I would describe Lily as a fusion restaurant that uses premium cuts of meats and proteins for their dishes. They mix traditional with modern for their take on the dishes. Food was good but overall didn't really stand out to me especially with the prices in mind. Their cocktails were a miss for me. They were too sweet and very slushy-like. One of our friends had to return theirs bc they couldn't drink it. The eggrolls tasted off and the flavor was a miss. The pizza app was okay but the fried calamari and the noodle dish were good. The beef carpaccio with the bone marrow was tasty with the acidity and the mix of the fattiness of the marrow. The sizzling plate was good but the value isn't there with keeping in mind of the cost. The vermicelli platter with the tumeric fish was flavorful. I'd wish for rice papers that we could dip in water instead as it was bit hard to bite down. We finished our dinner with 2 of their desserts. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

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Food Rating: 6/10 Price: 4/10 Ambiance/Service: 10/10 Overall Rating: 6.7/10 Cute upscale spot with great service. It would be a perfect date night spot for the looks. Vietnamese Chicken and Rice Paper Salad - $22 Rating (8/10) The salad was refreshing and enjoyable. At first, it seemed like a random mix of ingredients, but everything came together surprisingly well! Garlic Noodles + Beef - $36 Rating (4/10) Very unimpressed with this noodle dish. The noodles lacked the punch of garlic I was expecting and ended up tasting more like basic chow mein. Not worth the price. Whole Fried Fish - $55 Rating (8/10) This fish was pretty good! Very nice dish presentation as well. Pho Chicken Noodle Soup - $34 Rating (4/10) This was underwhelming. The broth was overly salty and didn't stand out in flavor. For the price, I expected more depth and care. read more

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I was pretty excited to come here, but unfortunately left a bit disappointed. The bun mee was fantastic, but the rest of the food is fairly experimental and there aren't too many vegetarian options, so definitely not a very flexible place in terms of the food that they can cater. Really nice ambience, cute place, but a bit overpriced for what you get. The servers were all really nice. read more

We celebrated my wife's birthday here with a group of 9 and did the set menu III. It was amazing! Originally I thought it wasn't going to be much food but boy was I wrong. The owner even stopped by and said we would be "crushed" by food haha. Each dish is served family style and was extremely flavorful. I usually take photos of dishes but everything looked so delicious I forgot to take photos until the last dessert course. The shaking beef salad and the fried whole fish were our favorites. Their drink selection was also really good. HIGHLY recommend the kiwi mint gin cocktail. Overall great experience and we left "crushed". We'll be back! read more

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The most photogenic Vietnamese food in the city so far. If you want the food displayed this nicely with fresh flowers then you are going to have to pay a premium for it. I remember the chicken wings being $21 ish and the whole fried fish being $55 at the time of our visit. I would bring a non-Vietnamese person here because the restaurant and food are very cute. A Vietnamese auntie? Absolutely not. I'd never hear the end of complaints about prices. I'm not sure it is the portions and/or their flavors but I haven't found myself wanting to return unlike some of the other Viet restaurants in town. The whole fried fish was indeed good. A little fussy if you aren't used to eating whole fish. It reminds me of summers in SoCal when my parents would get a whole fresh fish fried by the supermarkets in Little Saigon. Service was good and I enjoyed sitting at the bar area. The strawberry smoothie for dinner was a nice alternative to a cocktail. I don't know what it's like now but they had an automatic service charge of 20% for a table of two when I went. I usually tip 20% but I don't like it being automatic? But hey maybe it's better than the 4-5% sf healthy mandate fee on top of everything else? read more

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A really nice , slightly more upscale spot in the Richmond! The wok seared veggie chow fun with plant based steak was great. When you first see the dish you might think they forgot the noodles, but they are actually rolled up into small, chewy bite size rolls which is a cool presentation style, and felt like it absorbs the sauce well too. The chow fun comes with plant based steak and tofu so lots of protein. The plant based steak was savory and chewy, and while i wouldn't know, a few friends that eat meat felt it was getting closer to the real thing. In general they have great options for vegetarians. Really extensive and creative drink menu as well. 20% charge is included in the bill for all groups but tbf the service is excellent. Decor, plates and overall ambiance is classy and modern, and reflects the prices the of the dishes which are definitely on the higher side (25-40 for entress mostly). Overall a great spot! read more

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Turns out it was unnecessary to make a reservation for lunch on a Saturday, but it seemed to be filling up by the time we left. We enjoyed the prix fixe lunch which included a fancy beverage, an appetizer and a main. The chicken pho may have been a touch salty, but everything was delicious, and the service was very good. I'm glad because I hate when you have mediocre service and they automatically give themselves a tip. read more

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My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience at Lily! The catfish dish was probably one of my favorite dishes I've had; the fish was so tender and flavorful. The waiter we had was so friendly and thoughtful; my boyfriend noticed that he put two wonton cookies in his hot apple cider instead of the usual one so we could both have one. The ambiance was so cozy; we sat at the bar in our own corner. 10/10 experience! read more

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Came with two friends for a modern Vietnamese fusion dinner. Nice ambience with tables in a row against the walls. One side is of a beautiful village scene decor on the wall. We ordered the Early Girl Dinner, 5-6pm, 2 entrees each (6 dishes), $38/person. We ordered the fried soft tofu, brokaw avocado and rice paper salad, beef noodle soup, braised oxtail in Hue style, garlic noodles with tofu (would've liked more garlic taste. I wouldn't have known they were garlic noodles), and vegetarian Vietnamese curry to share among us. Great, friendly service, beautiful ambience. The restaurant was nice to try at least once. If I came back, I'd try the lunch special, $32/person, which includes drinks. Street parking. read more

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We came to Lily on Valentine's Day and had their special course dinner for the holiday. I know it can be challenging to make Vietnamese food feel upscale, but this restaurant did a pretty solid job! The bún chả was my favorite. The meat patty was so good. The phở was also tasty, and the appetizer was really flavorful. I didn't care much for the dessert, but overall, the experience was great. The staff was attentive and friendly, even with how busy it was that night. The restaurant is a bit small and narrow, but that's expected in the city. I'd love to come back another time to try their regular menu! read more

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We had the Vegetarian Chow Fun with tofu and the Garlic Noodles with plant-based meat alternative. It did a great job of adding a modern twist on authentic Vietnamese flavours. The noodles had the perfect bite and were dishes were very balances. The ambience and service were top-tier as well! read more

I'm a Vietnamese American from San Jose, and it is hard to bring myself to pay SF prices for Vietnamese food. SF Restaurant Week was therefore a good opportunity to try this place out! Their $35 per person lunch menu was worth it because you got a drink, appetizer, and entree. My husband especially liked that there were multiple vegetarian options. Service was friendly and attentive. The ambiance and decor is nice as well, but probably more suited for a nice dinner than a casual lunch. Both my husband and I enjoyed everything we had--it was not super authentic, but I'm not mad about it! Of course, I couldn't finish everything in one sitting, and so the leftovers made for an equally delicious dinner. read more

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10/10 service, environment, and plating of the food items. The servers were so attentive to the point where they will change your plates in between each dish and even wipe the table down if there's any food on the table. Our water cups were never empty and they even offer you a wet hand towel after you finish their dishes that requires yourself to wrap. As for the food: Drinks: Both drinks were very light and refreshing in flavor which was nice as it didn't steal the spotlight from the food items. Jackfruit pizza: 5/5 jackfruit and sauce on a banana chip. LOVE the texture and the flavor was such a unique combination of sweet, savory, and even a slight kick. Strongly recommend trying if you're a jackfruit or banana fan. Shaking filet beef salad: 2.5/5 the beef was cooked very nicely and was very tender and a good amount of flavorful. The salad was also a large portion so that you won't leave feeling hungry. However the salad portion of it was nothing special. It tasted like an average lettuce salad that wasn't amazing in flavor either. Would recommend skipping unless you're feeling salad for the night. Double pork rice plate: 4/5 Very large portion size and the pork was cooked very well. It came with a small plate of rice in pho broth and the pho broth was absolutely delicious. That's probably a good indication that their pho is delicious. Overall, the food itself is decent but not unique to the point where it's too much different than a standard Vietnamese restaurant. But if you want to eat Vietnamese food in a fancier setting with great service for dates or special nights out, then this would be the place to go and spend the extra money. read more

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Had an incredible experience here for a team dinner! They were super accommodating and I was able to make a reservation for 11 people online very easily, a couple weeks in advance. The interior is very cozy and was decorated festively for lunar new year. It feels clean and stylish and very modern. The service was also super friendly and professional -- refilled water without asking, switching out plates, wiping tables in between courses. We came for the early girl dinner (5-6pm) since it's 2 courses for $38 per person. I thought it was a really good deal since some of the entree options are $33+ on the normal menu by themselves! I opted for the fried soft tofu app (sauce wasn't my fav but I loved the tofu texture) and the garlic noodles with chicken. The garlic noodles were a huge portion so it was super worth the price. It was packed with veggies and suuuper flavorful. If you like garlic, don't skip this dish! Also tried my friend's pho dip sandwich which was incredible as well. The desserts (not included in the price) were also standout -- I loved the creme brûlée with the nutty topping and the banana bread pudding with taro, miso caramel, flambéed banana, and vanilla ice cream. Literally all my favorite things in one dessert. I was a huge fan. Would definitely recommend taking advantage of the early girl dinner seating here! read more

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lily is a small, tucked away place on clement. their vietnamese dishes were an interesting fusion that didn't disappoint. our waiter did not seem the most familiar with the menu, and was a bit flustered the whole time which was odd. it was also quite loud, which made it difficult to have a conversation without leaning in. on the other hand, the food was solid. we got the salt and pepper fried calamari (8.5/10), which had a perfect batter that wasn't too salty or too oily. it also had a slight kick to it and also had some pineapples and cucumber in it. the cucumber was a great palate cleanser given that the dish is heavier than others. the portion was also much larger than i expected. we also got the black truffle banh xeo (8.5/10), which to my surprise had no meat in it so my boyfriend wouldn't eat any lol. it had a very truffle-ey taste, which i loved. despite not having any meat, it still tasted like a typical banh xeo with truffle flavor. i'd get it again! my boyfriend loves the filet mignon and scallop bo ne (8.5/10). the filet mignon was perfectly cooked throughout and very tender. the scallops were a bit overcooked and chewy, but still had a nice flavor. the laughing cow cheese was an interesting addition but worked! the bread was phenomenal. we'd definitely get this again! read more

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The moment you walk in, you can smell that it is going to be a good dinner tonight. Staff greeting you were nice and welcoming. Ambience is warm, inviting and cozy. We started with cocktails : strawberry daiquiri and a piña colada- they were the "bomb!" Really tasted good and strong!! Appetizer: Fried prawn and sweet potato- creative way to present fried prawns which was perfectly fried and not oily at all. Sweet potato added to counteract the fishy taste. Entree Braised oxtail- this is just perfect. The meat literally melts in your mouth. The sauce that came with it and the noodles were just right. Savory with no overwhelming spice. Our server was Huynh and he was the best! Very knowledgeable with the menu and made great read more

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TLDR; Truly one of the hidden gems of SF and one of my favorites on Clement St. Shaking beef salad is amazing, and beef carpaccio is something you can't miss. Skip the chicken on the chow fun. Fried catfish was tasty. Came here on a Saturday evening for dinner by reservation around 7:30 and was blown away by the food quality. They started out strong with the beef carpaccio and shaking beef salad. The salad was a delightful umami, with plenty of flavor and tender beef. It was refreshing and just such a great start. Strong recommendation. We then got the carpaccio, which was a sweet, but still strongly flavored beef. I loved the rice cracker presentation; it covered it like a present. I got the fried catfish next which, to my surprise, which actually so good! I loved the flavor profile, and the stone pot kept the fried fish warm and toasty. It comes with a sauce, that I just could not wrap myself around. It was like a spring roll with fried catfish instead. The veggie chowfun was just okay. The chicken was very dry to be frank, but the noodle and tofu and bok choy made up with all the flavors and wetness from those. The service was phenomenal and they don't require tip. Love that. Amazing. Ambiance is crowded, bustling, and you need a reservation. I will be coming back here, 1000%. Loved it! read more

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Super cute restaurant, friendly staff and great food and drinks- what more could you ask for?? We started with the duck confit egg rolls, which were stuffed with duck and comes with a sauce with a kick (either wasabi or horseradish). We started the garlic noodles, which were full of garlic and veggies. The truffle mushroom crepe was interesting- it comes with a side of lettuce to cut through the salty mushroom/crepe combo. Finished with the bread pudding, which was actually less good than the main dishes, mostly because the bread pudding was quite dense and we prefer a softer airier bread pudding. Nonetheless, a great take on some great dishes- would definitely recommend! read more

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