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    Lou's Cafe

    4.4 (235 reviews)
    InexpensiveSalad, Soup, Sandwiches
    Open 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Order Lou's Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Lou's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    LOU'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Lou's Cafe

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    Roma's Club Sandwich
    Valerie Z.

    Love these sandwiches--appropriately priced at under $14. The people taking the order at the counter have never messed up my sandwich but I do get a little upset at how long it can take to get your food. There are a lot of online orders which seem to be prioritized and sandwiches can take as long as 15 minutes to get if you're ordering at the counter during the lunch rush. I love that there is a comfortable outdoor eating area with comfy chairs and set off from the street.

    Carmen G.

    A small cafe serving up salads and sandwiches in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Hopped in here to grab some lunch with some teammates and they had a cute patio seating just outside of their storefront. The patio itself was all the vibes, with heaters and clean tables. The cafe was small but had a lot of people waiting around for their food. Food did take a while to come out, understandable though, since it was prime lunch rush during a weekday. I opted for their Asian salad that came with iceberg lettuce, clementines, wonton chips, and almonds. The salad was tasty and fresh, portions were huge! I wanted something light for lunch but felt like I should have ordered a sandwich instead since everyone else's sandwich looked so much better than mine! Overall, a solid spot if you're looking for a light bite during your workday!

    Exterior
    Sarah C.

    I'm not sure you could call Lou's Cafe a hidden gem, given the number of nearby office workers that get lunch here. However, it is tucked back off the street so you might not see it, and is certainly a gem. The shop itself is quite small, with grab and go fridges and a bustling staff behind the long counter. Place your order to the right and wait for it to be prepped. I wouldn't say they're particularly fast, but given the volume they're dealing with they're not slow either. There is standing room inside, or you can enjoy their awesome exterior patio, which includes tables as well as outdoor couches AND heaters (!). I got the tuna melt on dutch crunch bread and it was absolutely perfect, nailing my craving. I think it was $12.50, which seems like a heck of a deal for SF. My lunch group got various other sandwiches and salads and also seemed to be pleased. I'd definitely come back!

    RB Mushroom sandwich and Enchilada soup of the day.
    Rachel W.

    1st time visit to Lou's Cafe. Picked it for a quick lunch of a sandwich and soup. Picked the RB Mushroom and the Soup of the Day was Enchilada. The soup was excellent and came with two slices of a cheese bread which was also very good. Total came to about $24 before tipping, which feels fair for SF prices. The location is nice too as it has light foot traffic and good indoor seating. The service was great and the team members who helped me out were very kind and helpful with my questions. Their turnaround time in getting orders out is quick and easy!

    Tuna Melt Sandwich
    Alex Z.

    The definition of a 'hidden gem', Lou's is tucked away in a small alcove that's easy to miss. In the middle of the Financial District, it's the perfect place to grab a lunch - just make sure you come before noon to avoid the rush. Due to the small staff, it can take a bit of time to get your food. The sandwiches themselves are fantastic, with a wide range of options from classics like the Roma Club and Tuna Melt to the more adventurous Hot Link and Loquito sandwiches, you can't go wrong. Make sure to get everything on it, including the Lou's special sauce, which is what elevates the sandwiches above your standard fare by adding a savory/sweet/spicy kick to every bite. With each sandwich being around $13, it's also a great deal for the size you get, especially in SF. If you're looking for the next lunch spot to impress your friends and coworkers, this is it.

    Suraj P.

    Really delicious sandwich and super fast service. I ordered ahead on DoorDash and it was done well before the estimated time. Make sure to go up and ask someone as they keep the online orders in a different area. I loved how much toppings they put inside, will definitely be going back!

    Turkey and avocado on Dutch crunch
    Steven W.

    I had a turkey and avocado with everything on Dutch crunch. The flavors were great. I liked the little kick of heat from the jalapeno spread, and everything worked well together. But the Dutch crunch bread was more chewy than crunchy. The top of the bread was soft, not crisp. And bread is an important part of a sandwich. (Dutch crunch should have a crunch.) Lou's makes a good sandwich. But not a great sandwich. If I worked in the area, I could see eating here regularly. But while I had a perfectly good lunch, this wasn't a destination sandwich. Service was friendly. There is some seating outside, which looked nice, but I took my sandwich to go.

    Arthur L.

    Lou's is of my office's favorite sandwich spots near and comes highly recommended. Lou's is on the ground floor of an office building with easy access from the street. The server was super nice and helpful. Most recommended the Risky Bizness sandwich, and with my favorite crust of all time, Dutch Crunch, it was an easy decision to make. The sandwich itself was packed with everything and super delicious. It was so good, that the next time I went, I just automatically choose the same!

    Kelly H.

    This is a solid sandwich place for sure. We got the veggie sandwich and it was really tasty and satisfying. It was packed with a lot without having to widen your mouth a bunch for a bite LOL

    Roma's Club Sandwich
    Angel L.

    Affordable delicious lunch spot for people who work in downtown sf or want to grab a quick bite! You can also call ahead to order if you're in a hurry. It's nestled in a spot that might be hard to find. There's plenty of outdoor seating. I had the Roma's club sandwich and their house sauces are so delicious! Adds a creamy and spicy kick to the sandwich. Love their Dutch crunch bread too. Will be back everytime I need a lunch spot :-)

    Chicken Pesto Sandwich

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    2 months ago

    Love getting lunch from here when I can. I order pick up to avoid the lunch rush though. Everyone is so kind and efficient.

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    11 months ago

    Good food, fast service and reasonably priced. They are busy so call ahead. They are in a kind of strange location but worth hunting down.

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    9 months ago

    Delicious, consistent and reasonable! Great seating area outdoor and your sandwich is ready fast.

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    1 year ago

    Had the hot pastrami. Prices are fair and portions are good. Food was very enjoyable; would go back

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Lou's Cafe

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    They Re-open for business On June 7, 2021

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    Yuji

    Yuji

    4.7
    (88 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Came here to celebrate my husband's birthday and thoroughly enjoyed our Bar Kappo experience! This…read morehas definitely made my top 3 omakases I've tried in the Bay Area so far. The restaurant can be a little hidden, but it's pretty easy to find with the instructions they send before your reservation. It's located above Fermentation Lab. Just head up the stairs and you'll find it inside the old Ichi Pub space. The restaurant is small and intimate, with only 9 seats at the counter. When you arrive, walk through the Yuji curtain and check in directly with the chef since there is no host. My biggest concern with set menus is always whether I'll feel satisfied and full afterward, but that was definitely not an issue here. My husband and I were both very satisfied after the meal. Every dish was delicious, and you could really taste the quality of each ingredient. Highlights for me were the bluefin sashimi, which was so buttery and soft that it literally melted in your mouth. The skillfish was rich and decadent, and the citrus and ginger balanced the flavors. The fried fish was another favorite as it reminded me of the savory Japanese rice crackers I loved growing up. Since it's located in Japantown, parking can be challenging. We had to loop around several times looking for street parking and even had two cars take spots we were waiting for, so definitely give yourself extra time before your reservation. I would highly recommend this place! The chef changes the menu periodically based on what's in season, so it's a great excuse to come back and try something new in the future. Total spent for 2: $462

    Yuji is hidden in plain sight - it's right along the main street of Japantown, upstairs of popular…read morespots like Fermentation Lab with little to no signage in front or around the store. The shop itself is clean and simple, accepting reservations only for its 9 seats. It's pretty cramped as the seats are wide and you may end up elbowing the party next to you, and it's almost like that Unblock-Me app when you need to reconfigure people when you get up to go to their tint restroom. There's several courses to keep you satisfied throughout the night, and they update their menu each season. Every was good but nothing really wow'd me as the flavors were balanced, but sort of one-note.

    Photos
    Bar seating
    Bar seating
    Chilean sea bass with piece of truffle and pickled ginger on top
    Chilean sea bass with piece of truffle and pickled ginger on top
    Matcha crème brulee

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    Matcha crème brulee
    HINODEYA Ramen Japantown

    HINODEYA Ramen Japantown

    4.2
    (2.3k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    We are writing to express our strong appreciation for the exceptional Umami Creamy Tan-Tan-Men soup…read moreand to respectfully request its permanent return to the menu. This dish stands out as one of the most memorable and flavorful offerings we have experienced. The rich, creamy broth delivers a perfectly balanced umami depth, harmoniously combined with subtle heat and aromatic spices that create an indulgent yet refined dining experience. Both my partner and I were thoroughly impressed by its complexity and comforting warmth, and we have continued to crave it long after the winter season. The Umami Creamy Tan-Tan-Men soup represents a true highlight of your culinary repertoire. We believe it deserves a lasting place on the regular menu, where it can be enjoyed year-round by loyal patrons and new guests alike. Its removal has left a noticeable gap, and we are confident that reinstating it as a signature item would be met with great enthusiasm. Thank you for creating such an outstanding dish. We eagerly await its return and look forward to ordering it on our next visit.

    How did SF go from having basically no good ramen options 10 years ago to having all of them,…read moreeverywhere, in multiple styles? While it is somehow still not as concentrated as San Mateo (in terms of ramen shops within walking distance), I do appreciate that there is an abundance of them such that you don't have to desperately line up for 1 hour just for a bowl of soup. Hinodeya is a mainstay at this point. It's likely not even exciting to the locals, and nobody makes a special trip for them. There are multiple locations all over the city, and the Japantown one is one of the nicer locations with outside seating that isn't super crammed. They have a lot of different broth options here, but the shop is mainly known for their dashi (light seafood based) broth, and it is actually quite good with a lot of umami and freshness. Whenever I'm hungry but have no patience, I tend to wander into Hinodeya knowing that the ramen would hit the spot. Is it the best ramen? That's up to you, but it is definitely one of the most available in the city, and much better than the average in this nation.

    Photos
    Inside restaurant
    Inside restaurant
    Spicy Miso Ramen
    Spicy Miso Ramen
    Chicken Karaage and Green Gyoza

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    Chicken Karaage and Green Gyoza
    Hed 11

    Hed 11

    4.4
    (127 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$$$

    I really enjoyed the food, ambience, and service. The 11-course tasting menu was beautifully…read morepresented, tasty, and very creative. I could still taste authentic Thai flavors, but elevated with a different level of inventive preparation and cooking techniques. Overall, it was an excellent dining experience. I will definitely return, and I'm looking forward to trying their lunch menu next time.

    My friend and I came here for a girl's lunch to enjoy their $45 special. I was pleased to see there…read morewas a vegan option here and was excited to try it. My friend ordered the duck. I ordered the Lion's Mane Mushroom. *A lovely note for the vegans and lactose-intolerant: there is a dairy-free option for the Thai iced tea (made with coconut milk). Given that this was a Michelin guide restaurant, we had certain expectations of the place and sadly we were disappointed. While the service was friendly and the server knowledgeable on the menu, the service itself was severely lacking in detail you'd expect from a $$$$ type of place. Our drinks came out first, followed by the appetizer, then came EVERYTHING ELSE all at once. Papaya Salad Daikon Soup Trio of rice (purple, brown, white) Curry + protein (duck for my friend, lion's mane mushroom for me) We tried to tackle the soup first. It came in an artsy looking bowl with undulated/rouged edges that was awkward to drink from but equally awkward to spoon the soup from. The daikon was VERY WOODY. Both my friend and I awkwardly spit out splintery fibers and left them on our plate. Some of my daikon chunks were fine but my poor friend had double the amount of woody mass collecting on her plate which was really unsightly, especially when you're supposed to be at a nice place. I can't say I've ever encountered this with daikon before at a restaurant. It's pretty easy to see which parts of the daikon are too mature to use. Next we tried to get on to our entree as that was cooling quickly. Unfortunately the curries were already somewhat congealed by the time we made our way to it. The vegan one was pretty good, but again, I had some woody bits in my food. I don't know if that's from the mushroom or if it was from another ingredient but the splintery clumps amassing on the side of our plates was not what we had imagined we'd be doing at a Michelin guide restaurant.... My friend's duck wasn't much better. She complained about the awkward texture and wound up spitting out half of that one her plate. -not to mention, her meal was served to her without a steak knife. After waiting for much too long, she got up to go request a knife and walked the knife back to the table like a psycho. I'm not trying to sound entitled here, but when a restaurant is supposed to be "nice" and has "$$$$", you sort of expect a certain caliber of service. Having to go ask for a knife when you ordered a chunk of meat does seem like a miss. For what it's worth, the curries for both of us had a unique blend of flavors. My friend had a penang currty sweetened with lychee. I don't remember what kind of curry mine was, but it was tasty with a kick in the end. Curry to rice ratio was perhaps 1:3. We had to ask for extra curry to accompany the protein and rice to balance everything out. It would have just been so pasty and dry otherwise (you know, since everything was already congealed...) By the time we got around to our papaya salad, it had gone from chilled to room temp. While it was tasty, it wasn't as refreshing as the salad could be. We're not sure why all courses were served at once, or if that's how this specific lunch service goes? The best course of the day was 100% the dessert. Order the vegan dessert! "Mango-sticky rice ice cream". It was a homemade mango ice cream with coconut milk base. It sounds basic but these ingredients were masterfully put together to create something truly unique. Not sure where the rice was in this whole situation, but who cares! This dessert was incredible! Lightly sweet, creamy and freshing. It arrived like a piece of art, like a glossy, glimmering mango sculture. The way that chilled mango puree spilled over, coating the ice cream underneath... It clung on to the ice cream layer just barely coating it for most perfect combination of sweet and creamy. It was unfortunate I got the last one for the day. My friend had the cheesecake which she said was tasty but not mindblowing like my mango ice cream. It also was... not so glorious. In fact, it looked small and flat, like a half used stack of mini post-it notes. All in all, it was a fun experience. The dishes were familiar favorites with a creative twist. For $45, it wasn't bad but I don't know about coming back for the $$$$ dinner experience based on this visit. Maybe we'll be back for the $40-$45 prefixe again in the future.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Thai coconut pancake with caviar | @wha.eva.eats
    Thai coconut pancake with caviar | @wha.eva.eats
    Yuzu sake and lemongrass pandan

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    Yuzu sake and lemongrass pandan
    Bangkok Street Thai Street Food

    Bangkok Street Thai Street Food

    4.2
    (847 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegan friendly

    My husband and I visited the Cherry Blossom festival in Japantown, but finding a place to eat was…read morechallenging due to the crowd. We decided to explore the nearby area and found this Thai restaurant with outdoor seating, which was perfect for us and our dog. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the menu was intriguing. We ordered the Thai spicy egg noodle soup, green papaya salad, and Thai drunken noodles with seafood. Each dish was delicious, but the spicy noodle soup stood out as our favorite--one of the best noodle soups we've had in a while. To conclude our meal, we ordered the Thai coconut milk dessert, Ka-nom-tuay, served in a little porcelain cup. It was equally delightful. My husband and I were so impressed with the food that we're already planning our next visit. Highly recommended!

    Order: Pad Kee Mao tofu level 3, do not take the spicy level lightly because it lingers. overall…read moreflavor was soy sauce based with extra wide noodles for the base that could have been softer, carrots and broccoli for the veggies. Toasttab for online ordering was straightforward. There was not a choice for level 2 spicy level though. There is a wait for the food during lunch hour. Lots of tables available for dining. Lively interior with neon signs and a TV.

    Photos
    Bangkok Street Thai Street Food
    Papaya Salad and Waterfall Pork Salad
    Papaya Salad and Waterfall Pork Salad
    STREET Dish : Crispy Corn Whole Fish, Thai Crispy Seafood Pancake, Traditional Thai Basil, Sweet & Sour fish crisp

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    STREET Dish : Crispy Corn Whole Fish, Thai Crispy Seafood Pancake, Traditional Thai Basil, Sweet & Sour fish crisp

    Lou's Cafe - salad - Updated August 2026

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