What a gem of a local sandwich shop. I have to mention the bread used for the sandwiches first, it was stunningly delicious,. I do not know where they get their bread but they would go back just have a sandwich made on their soft roll. I had a veggie sandwich and my daughter had hers on gluten free bread which she thought was excellent. We grab our sandwiches and then drive down to the beach. It was perfect. The service and we swapped a few items around from the standard offering was great and the food was made freshly and quickly for us. A neighborhood gem I would say. We had just flown in to SFO and were headed up North, I would stop here again in a heartbeat for sure. The selection of sandwiches is huge as well. Cannot say enough good things about the food and our experience. read more

Lou's Cafe - My veggie sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm kinda bummed that there aren't a lot of veggies in the sub. What I do enjoy is the heat from the jalapeño sauce and Lou's sauce. I guess this is what stands out the most and what would have me come back for more. The cost per sub is pretty standard at about $13 each. read more

First time visiting Lou's as I was craving a meatball sub. Served in a sweet roll which was soft. It was a good sandwich - just wished there were a few more meatballs. Also ordered the clam chowder - creamy and flavorful. Next time, I'd like to try the Crab Melt. read more

Lou's Cafe - Clam chowder - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We stumbled upon this place on the way to visit my aunt who lives in the Sunset. My partner got the corned beef hash with eggs sandwich. I got a customized turkey with avocado on Rye. Sandwiches were great and reasonably priced. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. I really liked their jalapeno sauce that I put on my sandwich. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Lou's Cafe - Spicy chicken sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent sandwich shop in the sunset delivers tasty sandwich at reasonable prices. When I'm hankering for a pastrami sandwich on a sweet roll, my first option is always Lou's Cafe. Quality is always consistent and the value is evident by the constant stream of people lining its door. Pro tip, ask for extra jalapeño sauce and call in your order if you are in a hurry. read more

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". read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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Hot pastrami! Super fresh and fast! I couldn't really taste the meat that well with the cheese. The jalapeño sauce was bomb! Crunchy Dutch crunch! Couldn't really taste the garlic in the Lou sauce, maybe the taste blended too well together. Next time I'll order the spreads on the side so I can taste the meat. Very friendly service and fast! read more

They have a plethora of sandwiches to choose from and toppings can be customized to your liking. (Personally, I default to all toppings.) My personal go to is the Ami-Cado and the Tuna one with Dutch crunch bread toasted. Service is excellent. read more

Great sandwiches! Both the club and roast beef sandwich I got were very tasty and generous! You can order for pick up in advance. Will definitely keep this spot in mind when in the area again! read more

Lou's Cafe is my go-to sandwich spot in the Sunset, and they never disappoint. I'm such a creature of habit and always order the Ami-cado sandwich. They never skimp on the toppings, it comes super-loaded with the pastrami, salami, avocado. Good amount of seating inside, I usually take my order to Ocean Beach or near the park if the weather is nice. read more

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. read more

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Very delicious an plentiful. So far Ive gone a couple of times and the sandwiches have been well made. Lou's has a couple of locations and there's always a line. Pre order if you can. I know there's one in sunset and the other in Richmond. I've had both and they're delicious at either location. I personally like the hot spicy chicken, pesto, and semi thanksgiving turkey sandwich. You do you and let me know how yours tasted. Enjoy! read more

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. read more

Lou's Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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. read more

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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. read more

Lou's Cafe - Chinese chicken salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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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 read more

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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 ~ read more

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Friendly staff and fast service. If you do call in for pick up they are pretty fast to answer the phone. The sandwiches are decently size for the price you pay. Slightly spacious for either to sit down and eat or on the go. read more

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. read more

Lou's Cafe - Hot Pastrami - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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). read more

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I've been wanting to try this popular sandwich store for quite a while after reading about their original location on Geary Blvd. It's ironic that this one is near my high school and a neighborhood favorite sandwich shop in those days (Herb's Deli - RIP). I've driven by a number of times and stopped once after running errands but there was a line and it was a work day. After hearing that they opened another location closer to home, I waited until now, making a point on a Sunday morning, to finally try them. I studied the menu the previous day and couldn't decide whether to get a hot or cold sandwich. My decision? Both... Arriving here a little before their open time, I found a parking space on the opposite east corner on 25th Avenue. Since it was Sunday, the meter didn't require me to pay. Though I was worried as the space was plush to the pedestrian crosswalk. Walking in, there was a seated lady waiting for her order and two guys at the counter placing their order as I scanned the store. There were sidewalk tables, but being a typical Sunset District overcast morning, it was more comfortable inside. As mentioned, I ordered two sandwiches, the Italian special (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=pvAos9z_BQjgrHm7QRWYXQ), ham, salami, mortadella, provolone cheese, Lou's special sauce, Dijon mustard on a soft & sweet roll with everything (lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, and jalapeno spread) and the RB mushroom (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=XszBTLhaRoK28dZ1zbSagg), roast beef, bacon, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, Lou's special sauce on a Dutch crunch roll. Seeing the soup special sign, I wasn't enamored with tomato basil soup today; I later saw another sign further back stating that New England clam chowder is available daily so I ordered a cup which came with a slice of garlic cheese bread (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=yV6WxNjqVHvamvwCibUc3Q). I brought everything home and started with the soup. It was still warm and on the thicker side but filed with mostly potatoes and chopped clams. I then ate the smaller half of each sandwich starting with the Italian. The roll was soft as described and the combination of the ingredients made this enjoyable with a slight kick from the jalapeno spread. Unlike the popular Italian or craft delis that I frequent near my workplace,the sandwiches are about the combination of ingredients, the garnishes, and the bread. Where some are about piling the meats and making their own bread and meats, these are more standard with a balance of meats, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions. The lady at the counter was very friendly and cheerful in greeting and helping customers as I watched a team of three people who put the sandwiches together. Most customers, like me, took their food to go except a father and son who dined a few tables behind where I waited for my order.There is a good selection of refrigerated drinks and potato chip bags as well as a freezer with ice cream bars. I will return and try other sandwiches on their menu. read more

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Where have I been all my life? In a shell clearly! I literally live around the corner and have never been to this sandwich shop. Was craving one today and thought I'd come by. Ordered 2 Sandwiches. The one I had for lunch was risky business. I am throughly impressed and I am very picky. Sandwiches were fast and made to order. I actually tried calling in numerous times before coming in, but assumed they were busy with the lunch rush. Def a fan and will be back ! read more

Lou's Cafe - Risky business - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Always enjoy a Lou's sandwich. Got the LLB special and a bbq chicken sandwich. Both were really yummy. Lou's sauce, check. Meats, check. Dutch crunch bread, check. read more

Well known in the Parkside. Large variety of sandwiches & soup, something for everyone. Too much to list! Take out. Walk in or call in order. Reasonable prices , reasonably fast service. Brightly lit restaurant , you can see what you're eating. inside & outside seating. friendly atmosphere, nice employees! read more

Delicious and reasonably priced sandwiches in SF! We picked up some sandwiches on the way into Golden Gate park. Super crowded already around 11am on a Saturday. They use real hot horseradish in the roast beef sandwich. We also go the ami-cado (which was a bit stingy on the avocado) and a cup of clam chowder. They can use some streamlining in their process since my order was held up because they needed to toast a small piece of bread to go with the clam chowder. Overall delicious sandwiches; ask for the bread centers to be cored out since the ratio of carbs to meat is better with less bread. Will return! read more

My go-to sandwich spot! Love coming here - I always order the ami-cado, it never disappoints! Highly recommend if you're looking for a good sandwich! read more

Lou's always delivers delicious subs consistently. Shop is simple. Parking is usually easy except it's annoying now with the taravel street reconstruction. Sandwich is good and sometimes i wish it's a little bit hotter (temperature wise). I also tried their clam chowder recently. Good texture, right level of creaminess and quite a bit of clams. Hope they will continue to refine and add a tad more buttery and salty. Service is fast. Ambiance is a basic, clean sandwich shop. So happy they are here as a local neighborhood staple. read more

Lou's Cafe - New England Clam Chowder - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Bussss. My go to is either the hot pastrami or the Ami cado on a Dutch crunch! Their sauce is what pulls everything together to make for a tasty sandwich read more

Lou's Cafe - Ami-Cado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Super tasty and filling sandwich! I got the Veggie and the ingredients were fresh and balanced well. Staff was friendly and would certainly visit for more sandwiches. Was only a few minutes to close and they accommodated my order and it was made within minutes. They asked to make sure the jalapeños that come with the sandwich were ok for me before preparing it! read more

Lou's Cafe - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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1st time at Lou's Cafe and sandwich was amazing. Staff was super friendly and atmosphere was friendly, it's really a nice pleasant place to eat a great sandwich and mingle. Mark Brodeth is an awesome dude. read more

The food is amazing! The sandwiches are the perfect size and are delicious. Everyone who works here is incredibly sweet and the food came out incredibly fast. I would recommend trying the chicken pesto sandwich, make sure to add their special sauce! It's so yummy. The only thing I'd say is the seats were very worn down but the food is great and I definitely still recommend trying this place if you ever get the chance read more

If you need a breakfast sammie to knock your socks off, Lou's is the spot. The service is quick, the coffee is hot, and the food is beyond fresh. That ciabatta bread is to die for. read more

Lou's Cafe - Corned beef hash sammie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was an amazing sandwich!! The Dutch crunch bread I think is one of the softests, melties lt dutch crunches I've ever had. Highly recommend coming to Lou's if you're craving a sandwich. They have a ton of options for everyone, including vegetarians! I got the veggielicious and subbed the bread for Dutch crunch. You order at the front, and they're super nice and fast! I didn't go when it was super busy but I can imagine it may take longer during those peak hours. Inside is very chill, nothing too fancy, but just enough to enjoy a sandwich inom or just take it to go! read more

Lou's Cafe - Veggielicious with dutch crunch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Whatever you do get your sandwich in Dutch crunch! My go to is the veggielicious, it has roasted peppers, eggplant avocado plus the usual fixings of lettuce red onions pickles and house jalapeño sauce. The bread is toasted to perfection and that delicious Dutch crunch crust wraps around the top of loaf and even over to the underside. Talk about serious coverage of theta yummy crust. Lou's is the perfect place for a quick lunch or a togo meal to picnic with. There is indoor and outdoor seating if you feeling like dining in! read more

Simply a great sandwich, would recommend! Ordered the Risky Bizness sandwich to pick up; staff was nice over the phone and food was ready in 10-15 mins. The sandwich is pretty large and filled with lots of ingredients, a great and filling meal in SF for less than $15. The sandwich itself has hot pastrami brisket, crab salad, bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese, pepperoncini's, Lou's special sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles, and jalapeno spread, all on dutch crunch (a ton of stuff!). The dutch crunch bread is amazing and feels fresh. Lou's special sauce is super tasty and you can get extra of this sauce and the jalapeno spread on the side. read more

Lou's Cafe - Risky Bizness - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Our go to place for the hot pastrami. We compare every other sandwich we have elsewhere to Lou's and it's always Lou's for the win! Even though their sandwiches are reasonably priced, I am sad that they no longer offer the loyalty points that I always look forward to racking up. I always call in my order ahead of time and there is never a wait when I pickup. It's fast and friendly. The place looks clean. read more