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    Lou's Cafe

    4.6 (591 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    LOU'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Lou's Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Shirley N.

    It's time to update my review. Since my last review years back Lou's has opened several more locations in the Bay Area. This is our go to sando place as it's in our 'hood. Recently I noticed the amount of meat slightly less in my hot pastrami sandwich which I've been ordering for awhile now. Daughter's chicken pesto was the same way. Maybe they're trying to balance the cost of making sandwiches with other expenses. The sando bread is very fresh. Many different choices. If you select a gourmet sandwich the bread is predetermined. Not to say you can't change it. You can also design your own sandwich- meat, cheese, sauces, type of bread, etc. Join the frequent buyer's club and you can earn points for a free sandwich. Its predecessor was a punch card. 10th one free.

    Spicy chicken sandwich
    Christopher A.

    Decided to stop at this place and I was not disappointed! I walked in and sat in a line but it moved very fast! When I finally got to the register, the staff was very friendly and greeted me and recommend some picks. Decided to get the spicy chicken sandwich (forget the name) and it was really good. Loved the soup too! Over all this is a very solid sandwich and soup spot! Would recommend.

    Crab Louie Salad
    Connie L.

    The crab sandwich is quite heavenly. I got the fix that I needed. Great size for portion, very filling and delicious for content, fresh bread and ingredients. Latte accommodated my milk allergy as well. I will take out the pickle next time for sandwich and try their breakfast options, but so far very good for a non-chain cafe.

    I seen skull on my Sunset Strip stroll in SF. What happened to Harry Styles and John Mayer?
    Juan V.

    Revisited Edition: On a San Francisco Summer but it's Autumn Stroll in 2025 on Taraval street there are plenty of standout places to grab lunch. One place which always been consistent for sandwiches is Lou's Cafe on 25th avenue and Taraval street. Lou's Cafe Sandwiches has for years have one of my favorite tasting sandwiches in the Sunset Strip of San Francisco. Lou's Cafe menu for sandwiches has lots to choices. One of my favorite sandwiches to grab is the Risky Bizness sandwich which has hot pastrami brisket, crab salad, bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese, and Lou's special sauce. Each bite was savory and tasty and the Lou's sauce had a kick to it with Lou's special sauce. The sandwich wasn't too cheesy and there was plenty of meat and the bread was so fresh .I also got the Turkey Cranberry Sandwich Turkey, Swiss cheese, cranberry and Lou's special sauce. Every bite tasted like Thanksgiving fresh leftovers with savory turkey and not too sweet cranberry and it was delicious. On a cold day you can always have soup of the day or an espresso. After 7 years of my last Yelp review it's still one of the best places to grab a sandwich in San Francisco. Take a San Francisco Sunset to Lou's "Cafe " where the salads and sandwiches are " gourmet" you can see the different types of sandwiches on the wall chalk menu " display" where you can get can get a Turkey Cranberry sandwich and it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving"Day" For Halloween inside you will see a pumpkin"head" they have Dutch crunch and sourdough so choose your own "bread " they also have pesto aioli and the ranch "spread" one of the best sandwiches in San Francisco the city I was born and "bred".

    Michelle S.

    I went with my boyfriend We're going to do an SF trip and stopped by because we heard so many good things about this place. My boyfriend said that this is the best sandwich he has ever had -- and I agree! The Risky Bizness is hands-down--chef's kiss--WORTH IT! It's Filipino owned and the staff is the friendliest ever! Very professional and welcoming! The place is surprisingly quite big with great seating options. Parking is street parking so try finding a spot before they are all taken. We now look forward to coming back to this shop every time we visit the city!

    Corned Beef Hash Sammie
    Katie R.

    Came here for a breakfast sandwich but was blown away by how many regular sandwiches were on their menu. Even the breakfast sandwich selection had a few more options than I was expecting. My boyfriend and I ended up getting the Corned Beef Hash Sammie and Original Breakfast Sandwich with both bacon and ham to share. The sandwiches came out piping hot and were a pretty good size. I'm a pretty big eater and was struggling to finish my two halves. We liked both sandwiches, but the original was our decisive favorite. Although I don't usually like ham that much, the ham was perfect on this sandwich. It's slight sweetness with the savory aioli/sauce was the perfect flavor combo. The eggs were a nice texture too, not dry, but not runny or watery at all.

    Janice J.

    One of my favorite sandwich spot! I'm close to one of their spots and my bf is close to this one. * Original Breakfast Sandwich - Choice of Bacon, Ham or both, with Egg, American Cheese, Hash Browns, Lou's Special Sauce, on a Ciabatta for $8.99 I have been getting this for years and it's so good! Personal preference I like it with the Dutch crunch bread but sometimes forget to change the bread selection. I usually order this for pickup since it's walking distance.

    Lou's Cafe sandwich artwork collage
    Joy G.

    Would absolutely recommend Lou's cafe! I make it a point whenever I'm passing through the area to pickup our favorite sandwiches on a soft roll: kicked rb, turkey cranberry, and a crab melt. My go to drink is Vibes. It's the only place I know that sells them. Definitely worth a visit.

    Chinese chicken salad
    Caitlyn M.

    Came to pick up lunch on a weekday. I ordered online which was good because there was a short line when I got there. You can go straight to the counter for pickup orders. Got my favorite sandwich the Risky Business and a Chinese Chicken salad. The Risky Business was amazing as always! The pastrami and crab salad sounds like a weird combo but it's so good together. It also has bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese and pepperonis. The Dutch crunch was fresh and had a crispy top. The Chinese chicken salad was okay, nothing special but it was a huge portion which was nice. I enjoyed the dressing it came with.

    jalepeno spread
    Nikki T.

    BEST SANDWICHES EVER!! i recommend lou's to anyone & everyone i could eat this everyday for the rest of my life!! & this is by far the best location!! the workers here are always the sweetest it's the same people everytime & i love it here there's a few seats by the window, a few tables out front & three booth tables, but people tend to come pick up togo the jalepeno spread and their sauce is just so special & tasty i always get extra on the side i come from socal & whenever i go home i leave with at least 10 sandwiches for my family (at least 3 is for myself) i LOVE their buffalo chicken sandwich

    Anna N.

    yummy clam chowder and Ami-Cado sandwich !! The clam chowder was very thiccckk which I liked, very flavorful and full of clams! The sandwich had the right portion of meat/veggies to bread ratio, some place has their breads 3x the size of the toppings which I don't like ~

    Hot Pastrami
    Tiffany C.

    Every time I am craving for a sandwich, Lou's Cafe is always the first one to come to mind! I always get the Hot Pastrami. The sandwiches are consistently good and always hits the spot! I usually call my order in because they're usually busy and I don't want to wait 20 minutes for a sandwich.

    Roma's Club
    paula c.

    Fresh, big sandwiches, chips, drinks and a simple salad? Yup- that's all here at Lou's. This is a good spot to order and pick up lunch. Sitting inside is ok but feeding us is really their focus (had to ask for napkins, counter not wiped). Their sandwich-making game down! I recommend ordering one of the named sandwiches since you can modify it to your liking. I called to order the second time and the guy taking my order asked to review one sandwich to be sure I really wanted everything it came with, listing each item (appreciated that since he was right that I didn't).

    1/19/25

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    7 months ago

    Always a pleasure to visit, large verity of sandwich options , generous portions. Fast & friendly service

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    Ask the Community - Lou's Cafe

    Do they offer gluten free bread?

    Yes we have the gluten free bread but for $2 extra.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Woah, what a cute new place! I mourn the loss of Tabita's, but am happy Marcel moved in and kept a…read moreneighborhood coffee place going! The vibe here is very airy and cute - lots of flowers decorating the space, creating a very warm and welcoming area. I came in to get a quick coffee and was enthralled at their drip coffee set up. Evidently for the caffeine die-hards, you can get a flight of coffee using the cool equipment they have. And, it's stronger than your usual coffee! Staff were very friendly.

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