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    Mong Thu Cafe

    4.5 (213 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Mong Thu Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    MONG THU CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Mong Thu Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Andrew R.

    Came here for lunch with some friends and got a chicken banh mi. I do appreciate that this restaurant has seating, but unfortunately the food was not as good as some nearby banh mi spots (Saigon Sandwich). I found the banh mi to be a bit dry and lacking in flavor, and definitely on the smaller side. The restaurant itself is a bit run down, but has great natural light. The service was good overall. Really annoying they don't accept credit card, fortunately I had cash on me.

    Kevin C.

    I have been coming here for a while now and it is one of those spots I keep going back to. It is small, locally owned, super clean, and they do Vietnamese comfort food really well. I usually get the Pho Ga (Chicken) and it is always consistently great! The soup comes out boiling hot every time, which is exactly how pho should be and something I expect with all the herbs and bean sprouts on the side. Their sandwiches are also very very good, especially the meatball banh mi. The coffee is strong too and it will wake you up! :) There are only four tables that seat 4 people each inside, though some can split into two so it still works for solo eaters and pairs. The staff is super friendly and quick, and the food comes out fast. This is a CASH only spot, but the prices are very affordable and some of the best in the bay area. Street parking can be rough right nearby, so if you were to come here by car, I would recommend parking a bit farther out closer to Van Ness and walk over. Luckily I just live a couple blocks away. This place is a solid neighborhood spot with good food and good value. Opens early at 7am but closes at 4pm everyday and closes on Tuesday.

    Bun mam =
    David V.

    I've been on the hunt in finding more hidden gems and my palate is yearning for more soup spots. I read a few reviews for this place and since I was in the area, I stopped by to see if this bowl they call Bun Mum met my palates expectations. First slurp of the soup, WOW! It had so much flavor and depth, everything that I look for in a bowl of happiness!! Nice little hole in the wall in the TL. The ladies were very sweet and welcoming making me feel like family that was just getting up from a long night out in the city!!! *Extra kuddos for the ladies calmness even while there was a person just outside in need of mental assistance which is a sign they have compassion for the people in the area they serve

    Vietnamese vegetarian noodles
    David C.

    Authentic and great Vietnamese food. Try any of the soups. The #1 has pork spam and shrimp pancake. Delicious. Baum Uot chao lua The soup # was shrimp and pork was also delicious Hu Tieu Mi Love the shrimp pancakes. The Vietnamese coffee is good but very strong Family restaurant and very good service. Only has four tables. So call for take out. Cash only so bring money

    Menu
    Jared D.

    Nice cute tiny shop run by Vietnamese ladies. Great authentic food being served here. I tried the Bun Mam, fermented fish soup. It was amazing omg. Some pork belly, shrimp, and fish in a funky, pungeant broth. Comes with lots of fresh veggies like mint, rau rum, bean sprouts, lemon, and jalapeño. The neighborhood is a little rough, but that's the Tenderloin for you. Will come back for more.

    Menu June 2026
    Francina L.

    Cash only! Walked in on a Saturday around 1:30 PM and it was completely full. Fortunately, a table of two was leaving and we only had to wait about five minutes. The restaurant itself is pretty small. There's only about six tables and most of them are for either four people or two so if you're thinking of going in a big group, maybe try to go when it's not rush-hour. Re-ordered a #7 Hu Tiem Nam Vang and 6C Hu Tiem Bo Kha. #7 was my favorite as it came with minced pork, a cha siu like pork and shrimp, super clean broth with glass noodles and side of shrimp pancake... would definitely get that again. The slow braised beef in the Bo Kha was super tender, just had lots of noodles that soaked up the delicious broth. I wanna go back for some of their plated dishes and try their corn dessert.

    No. 1
    Maurine S.

    Came here for a quick bite since we were in the area. The place is tiny, but the waitstaff are super nice. Note it is CASH ONLY so we had to pull out our wallets to make sure we had enough to cover 4 people. Whew! Just made it with $10 bucks to spare! So I won't spell things wrong I'll just tell you the numbers we ordered hahahah. We had a No. 1, 2, 17, 18. My son had the No. 1 and it was surprisingly good! Never had the shrimp inside the rice flour like that so it was different. I was skeptical of the flat rice noodles as I thought they would be all hard but they were warm and pliable. It was a dish I've never experienced before so I'd come back just for that. I ordered the No. 2 and even though it was good, there were a couple of bites where the meat smelled a little funny and I wasn't sure if it was me or what. Cuz of that I didn't enjoy the meal as much. Hubs and friend had the other dishes which I didn't try but they did like it. Overall the portion sizes were decent and I liked that the cost listed included the tax! I'd stop in again if I was in the area. Just don't forget the CASH!

    menu
    Thaybeth M.

    Came by a Sunday around noon. It's a very small spot, and it was a bit busy, but they cleaned but a table very quick and we were able sit down within 5 minutes. The staff was kind and attentive. I ordered the bun thit zoo. It was good, but the stir fried pork has a lot more grease than actual meat, so I was a bit disappointed by that. However, the actual flavor was good. As expected the rice noodles had a neutral flavor, but the combination of the pork, veggies and noodles was good. Overall, I would be down to revisit; they have a decent selection of Vietnamese dishes worth trying. Also, keep in mind that it's a cash only spot before visiting!

    Bun Bo Hue
    Laura J.

    ** CASH ONLY ** This is a little hole in the wall spot in the Tenderloin, it's a little small inside with few seating so you may have to wait or share tables with someone. I ordered the Bun Bo Hue and the Che Bap. The Bun Bo Hue is a beef soup with pork slices and rice noodles. I'm a huge fan of rice noodles and really enjoyed this dish, it tasted great with a squeeze of lime to make things a little sour and savory at the same time. The soup was hearty and savory but I was not a huge fan of the pork slices, I found it a little tough. I also tried the Che Bap, which was their corn pudding dessert with coconut milk. I never had this before but I really loved it, it's definitely a very unique flavor and might not be for everyone. The dessert is sweet, a little salty and a little savory, and the corn itself is kinda chewy. It tastes like a salty and sweet corn dessert.

    Outside
    Allison W.

    Came here around 12:30 PM on a Sunday. There's not a lot of tables inside, but they were able to clear a recently vacated table for our party of 3 very fast. It's a bright, cleanly painted store with beautifully large windows for sunlight to stream in from, which made the small room feel bigger. They are cash only, so keep that in mind before coming. I got the 4. Hu Thieu Mi, and I loved it! Loved the mix of noodles, and the broth was clear and fresh yet robust. There were plenty of slices of pork and peeled shrimp, and it comes with lemon and jalapeño slices. Very satisfied after! The waitstaff were very kind, efficient and friendly with customers. I wish they were open later so I could come for dinner, but I'm willing to come in the middle of the day just for their food. Can't wait for my return!

    Banh uot, banh mi bo kho, banana tapioca che
    Alison H.

    Sooo delicious, excellent Vietnamese food. They open up pretty early, so if you're feeling breakfast noodle soup, this is the place to go. I've had their banh uot, bun rieu, and bo kho with banh mi. All delicious and generous portions. I recently tried my friends bun mam and the broth was so flavorful - may just need to get that next time. I love their che options - my favorite has been the che bap (sweet corn pudding with coconut cream). My husband likes their Vietnamese coffee. Their iced water is also great (lemony!). The neighborhood is definitely on the rougher side and it's quite a gauntlet to get through... but you'll be rewarded with some of the tastiest Vietnamese food in SF! (Coming from San Jose, this is high praise. Not many good Vietnamese food options in the city!)

    Bun bo hue and Vietnamese iced coffee, a great combo
    Ming S.

    A hidden gem in the TL! This restaurant is loved by locals, you'll see plenty of non-English speaking customers drop by. This place is super clean, the staff is helpful and friendly, food and drinks are delicious, and don't pass up on the desserts!

    From bottom and going clockwise: Bun Rieu 8/10, Bun Bo Hue 9.5/10, Banana Pudding Sago Dessert 7/10, Vietnamese Coffee 9/10
    Katrina W.

    Cute little restaurant with authentic dishes, kind workers, and good portions. The food was tasty and the Vietnamese Coffee was strong and a good sweetness level, not too sugary. We ordered the Bun Bo Hue and Bun Rieu and enjoyed the Bun Bo Hue more of the two, it comes with a lot of fresh veggies as well. I will be coming back here!

    Hu Tieu Nam Vang shrimp pancake

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    Sisterita

    Sisterita

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    1.0 miFinancial District
    $$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Casual dining

    Excellent service! My only advice is to come and see for yourself. When we called to ask about a…read morewait, they mentioned there was not wait... part of the reason they do that is because they don't keep a list. You either have reservations or you're a walk in and you stand in line until a table is available for you. At first this was strange, but I think it makes for a better experience. The team was incredible, they were so kind on a day that can be stressful for a small restaurant. We had incredible food. I was so happy to get my Eggs Royale and my husband said the French toast was the best he's ever had. (Even comparing it to French toast in Paris) No notes. This will be our Mother's Day place going forward next time with reservations.

    My partner and I decided to go to the city one weekend and decided we wanted brunch. After looking…read morethrough some place, we came across Sisterita and it looked very promising. It seems like this place is an asian fusion brunch place incorporating french dishes into thai/asian themed dishes which is up our alley. We made a reservation at 1:45 PM and we had to wait for about an extra 30 minutes before getting seated. Initially, I wanted to try their crab fried rice but unfortunately they were out of crab. We decided to get the Alcatraz Escape and the Brioche french toast which were recommended by the wait staff. The staff was generally friendly and accommodating but I can tell they were swamped and stressed out with all the people they were trying to serve. The food itself tasted decent, the Alcatraz Escape had a tasty flavor which incorporates tom yum paste (sweet, sour, tangy flavor) into their scramble with about 4 shrimps. The side of crispy chicken was good but nothing that stood out to us. The brioche was soft but there wasn't much flavoring besides the fruits and caramelized banana. It was served with evaporated milk which made the brioche soft but not adding much flavor to it. The price however was quite pricey. For two dishes as a side we paid around $78 with tax and tip.

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    Sisterita
    Sisterita
    Sisterita

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    Brenda's French Soul Food - 3 way beignets- plain, chocolate, apple

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    4.2(12.8k reviews)
    0.2 miTenderloin
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    I still love Brenda's!!!!!!!…read more I haven't been back in a few years, but I am happy to report: they are still just as great! It was my daughter's first time and she loved it just as much as I did. We came during restaurant week so we decided to get the Creole Sampler so she could try a bunch of different items. (Sampler included red beans and rice, collard greens, fried catfish, hush puppies, plain beignet and gumbo). We also ordered the beignet flight and shrimp and grits. Plenty of food for the 2 of us, plus we had left overs. I can't not order the shrimp and grits. It's just so damn good! It's so rich and flavorful! It came out SUPER hot. Grits and cheese still bubbling. My daughter and I were both surprised she liked the collard greens. She's usually not a fan. She also liked the red beans and rice and she doesn't usually like beans either. That just goes to show how amazing the food is here! We came in around 4something pm on a rainy Sunday. There weren't many people there, but by the time we left it was more than half full. Service was friendly, and there was a band playing, which was a nice touch.

    I am speechless! I saw the rave reviews for Brenda's French Soul Food and had to try them out for…read moremyself. And, my goodness, I was not disappointed. Let me start with the star of the show - the Shrimp & Grits. The flavors blended so well I did a little dance in my seat. Creamy, savory and delicious! I will be dreaming about the Shrimp and Grits from now on. The Bananas Foster French Toast melted in my mouth. So yummy. I wasn't a fan of the Crawfish Beignets. It was something about the flavor of the red powder/ seasoning that left me underwhelmed. All in all, one of my favorite stops while I was in town.

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    Brenda's French Soul Food - Dining area and entrance

    Dining area and entrance

    Brenda's French Soul Food - Shrimp & Grits

    Shrimp & Grits

    Brenda's French Soul Food - Their dark chicken and shrimp.

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    Their dark chicken and shrimp.

    Mong Thu Cafe - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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