I can't stress enough how this place is so friendly, and food is amazing. I've had their Chao ga, bun mang vit, hu tieu, bun rieu and I ate with satisfactory, food was flavorful. Def recommend this place, FYI they take cash only. read more

Wow, this place is just like eating in Vietnam. Immediately took me back to when I was living in Vietnam. Very authentic and delicious food. Will definitely be back to try more. Recommend their bun Bo hue read more

Cozy/small restaurant with three tables for four and two tables for two. Cash only! The ladies do not speak English, but are sweet. Visited on multiple occasions and enjoyed the following soup noodles: Bun Mam Bun Rieu Ha Tieu Mi Ha Tieu Nam Vang Be aware that the area around the restaurant is atrocious; be careful of stepping in human waste! read more

A cute & quaint shop with friendly owners & staffs. The location (very high homeless community surrounding the area) may deter people from giving this cafe a try, but the food is amazing! Non-locals here & we are planning to revisit each time we come back. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - a bowl of soup with shrimp and noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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found this little vietnamese spot in the tenderloin today. when i walked in, it smelled like my family's kitchen. i couldn't wait to sit down and eat. i had hủ tiếu nam vàng. if you're in sf in search of viet food, come here! love the hospitality and i will be back a few times. cash only so hit up the atm. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Hu tieu nam vang - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a small restaurant and run by family in SF. Me and my Fiance' was suprised by the way they set everything up, its vey clean and cozy.... we ordered "Hu tieu" and "Banh Uot" and woww...it's very tasteful and delicious and the owner is very friendly as well...We will definitely visit back this place if we have chance come back to SF. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Hu tieu Nam vang - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The only place in the city that serve this powerful pungent seafood noodle soup (bun mam) filled with eggplant, white fish, squid, pork belly and shrimp in a brown fishy broth. It's not for the faint of heart, only a true seafood lover can truly enjoy this eclectic bowl of trenchant goodness. Sit down and let the gentle sweet old ladies serve you a bowl with a side of refreshing herbs like garlic chives, hot mint and perilla, the perfect accompany to penetrate a rather overwhelming broth. The place is cash only so make sure you got plenty to make the ladies smile! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Bun mam! - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mong Thu is absolutely charming. The name means Autumn Dream. I mean, how dreamy is that?? They have excellent banh uot, the kind we used to only be able to get with a long drive to San Jose or the nice family friend who made it for us on holidays. Also good bun mam, which is great because when my mom makes it at home, the whole house smells pungent for days afterwards. The housemade che is always great, the coffee strong and chicoried, the service friendly, the interior quaint. All in all, this Vietnamese-American household is a fan of this charming little Tenderloin hole-in-the-wall. read more

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Was feeling a little green around the gills post celebrating the warriors unveiling of their newest championship banner so I came in for a hu tieu nam vang breakfast and it probably saved my life (or at least my workday). It's not the best hu tieu I've ever had but it does come with these two excellent fried shrimp in batter cake things that are superior to any other that I've had. I'll come back to try the bun bo hue. read more

I hate to fall back on the cliche about revealing a secret favorite with the world, but Mong Thu Cafe needs to be advertised as one of the best pho spots in SF. My buddy Ben and I stopped in on a whim. We fully expected it to reflect it's location in the heart of the 'loin, but it was actually a really nice, well-kept restaurant. Tiny, homey, and seductive with the smells of various fresh broths cooking up in the back kitchen. I went with the Pho Ga (chicken soup). It came with a ton of fresh ingredients to add, perfectly cooked noodles and a ton of tender, tasty chicken. However, the best part was the broth. This stuff was the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Every succulent sip was packed full of flavor. No soy sauce or hot sauce needs to be added, although I did anyway because I like some spice. Now that the secret is out (not really), I encourage you to try this out. If you've never experienced pho before, this is the perfect initiation. If you have, prepare to up your game. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a strange but interesting restaurant, not filled with gamblers like some of the other Vietnamese hole in the walls in the area, but more feminine in feel. One woman, who calls everyone honey, takes orders and the other does the cooking. The printed, laminated menu has pictures of the dishes. One side has 7 kinds of banh mi ($3 and up). The other has dishes like pho ga, beef stew, duck bamboo noodle soup (bun mang vit), etc. The interior is filled with small tables and flies. They seem to cook the food on portable burners in the back storage room/closet. * Banh mi with egg, pate and cured pork ($4): I thought I was ordering a sandwich but that's not what I got. It looked like a build your own banh mi plate, with homemade mayo, pate, sliced cucumber, salty sauce, thick slices of firm cured pork loaf, and two fried eggs. The baguette was soft and chewy. The baguette was slashed diagonally into four pieces so I couldn't build a sandwich. The ingredients were fine but I missed the pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro and jalapenos. Also, I like my pork loaf to be sliced thinner. They put it in a plastic container and the fried eggs were so hot that they burned a big hole into the container. Cash only. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Stumbled across this place while on a business trip. I was in the mood for a Vietnamese soup, and went based on the yelp reviews alone. It is a VERY small family owned little hole in the wall, but don't let that take away of how great their food is. After scanning through their menu i settled down for the bun bo hue, which by the way is posted on their wall menu. AMAZING! very clean broth and the flavor itself was just incredible. I have had many bun bo hue before and this place is definitely in my top 5. The staff were friendly and pleasantly attentive. It is a cash only place so make sure to bring your green. I will definitely be back when I am in the city again to try their different options. Happy eating! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

From the lady (Wendy N.) who introduced me to Ha Nam Ninh, the infamous 25 dry, She has found another treasure in the Tenderloin. I can see how people can view this as being authentic, mom's home cooking Vietnamese food.. Unfortunately, my mother is not Vietnamese and the 6 guys sitting next to us playing Vietnamese deuces and yelling out "duh mah" every 2 minutes didn't help. So...........getting to the food itself. The fancy pork and shrimp over rice noodles was delicious. I can even say it is better that any other Vietnamese restaurant that is out there. If the guy next to me playing cards didn't have his foot on the chair, while clearing his toe jam with his chopstick, I would have actually enjoyed this dish more. This place is a deli. I am not going to bust them out on their makeshift kitchen they have above their ice machine but it is what it is. The food is good.........but it is not a 5 star establishment. I am trying to rate the food itself and to not look at the other elements. If I overlook the gamblers, the bums looking inside my friends car, the preparation of food and if I was blindfolded, this would be a 4 star restaurant. I can't see them getting too high of a score on the health card but then again does it really matter if it was good?!? Weren't we all brought up somehow in a less than desirable situation? read more

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I don't know you and you don't know me. But I do know that the pho at Mông Thu is the truth. Authentic? I don't know and IDGAF. But I was the only cracker ass cracker there today at lunch. Crappy neighborhood? Yeah, but the inspection card says 92 so it's cool. Friendly smiling service? Totes! And the pho ga is THE REAL. Come here, eat pho, be happy. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Pho ga $8 - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fantastic food and pretty quick service if it isn't packed. Cash only but well worth swinging by the ATM. If you're trying to keep it cheap and cheerful, a Banh Mi + drink for two people under $20 read more

Excellent food served by lovely aunties in a super cute space. One of a handful of restaurants in the city that I recommend to folks who ask for Vietnamese food. They serve dishes southern style, mostly comforting classics. I tend toward the duck soup, banh cuon (rice sheets), and meatballs with bread, but I recommend pretty much everything on their menu. It can get pretty busy during lunch, and it's a tiny place with just a few tables. So I usually aim for early or late lunches. Expect a tiny bit of good-natured teasing from your server if your VN is as truly atrocious as mine, but personally I love this, as it reminds me so much of my own family. read more

Just ok for me. The shrimp was cold and the broth in the noodle soup was just lukewarm. It's missing the attention to details. Very small operation; and if she's not feeling it, no one's there to qc her work product. read more

Sometimes there's such a thing as too authentic. People couldn't have been nicer here, but between its location (smack-dab in the middle of the Tenderloin) and the little hairs still on my pork (kind of like what you see on chitlins), I would recommend really committing before going. read more

Best Vietnamese food and nicest staff in the TL. Best rice porridge. I love this place for breakfast & they have great Bun Bo Hue, Pho, & Bun Rieu read more

Found this gem in the Tenderloin and it has very authentic Vietnamese dishes. I had the bun rieu and was pleasantly surprised that it tastes like my Mom's soup. Small menu, but offers all the signature dishes and soups. The table next to me had the banh cuon which looked really good with lots of herbs. Will be back next SF trip to try that! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Little restaurant that I've definitely cruised by many times without thinking that it served anything beyond banh mi. Smaller menu than the other Tenderloin Vietnamese joints, but this meant that they had dishes I haven't seen elsewhere, like the bun mam I got. Fermented fishy broth that went nicely with the rice noodles and side herbs/bean sprouts. Portion size is on the smaller side, but it was mighty tasty. Our group of six came in the middle of the day and chatted for about two hours here with no hassle, so they win some points for bearing with us! read more

This place was FANTASTIC!!! I am usually very picky with my vietnamese sandwiches, but mong thu's sandwiches were soo good. they use their own sauce for their sandiwches so it made it very different from other places. there is a place nearby called SAIGON sandwiches, although that place is more popular, but I think its because people have not tried mong thu. This place has a special food menu @ the cafe. authentic vietnamese food. VERY GOOD. I go here almost everyday, either for coffee, sandwiches, or when Im craving for some home style viet food. I highly recommend this place. a great mom&pops place. definitely try it out. and VERY FRIENDLY owner I must say. read more

Simple and tasty! Mong Thu is a mom and pop shop that has a very homey feel. Banh Mi Xiu Mai - Vietnamese meatballs w/ a toasty baguette. Dip your baguette in the sweet broth and put some meatballs on top. Delicious! Bun Rieu - Crab and tomato based noodle soup. Perfect for a cold weather if youre not in the mood for pho. I split everything with a friend and we were both surprising full by the end. I'll be back for more fast and comforting Viet food! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Meatball & Baguette - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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All is good, except the neighborhood. I find the food most authentic in all Viet restaurants of SF. One should try every dish; it is best to take out. read more

Great food, delicious and very nice staff! Love to see these small businesses continue to be resilient and serve great food to the community. read more

Fantastic! Very authentic and delicious food. The best restaurant so far. Highly recommended!

Fantastic variety of Vietnamese cuisine, clean and served with love. It's worth the effort to get there!

This small diner, located on Hyde and Eddy, serves up some authentic dishes. We have lived in SF for almost 7 yrs and this is our first visit to this place, thanks to a friend's post on FB. This diner is family owned and has been around for over 20 yrs, according to the Vietnamese man behind the counter. Their menu is limited, but the dishes are flavorful. We ordered Hu Tieu Mi (noodle soup), banh cuon (steamed noodles with toppings), and chao long(congee/ rice porridge with inner). I also ordered che chuoi(Vietnamese banana pudding and coconut milk). The main dishes are $10 each and desserts $2. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Casual family owned diner. - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I came here because of their high reputation for the Fish Based Soup (#5, Bun Mam). It was very good (4.5 out of 5) but not as good as the one from Nha Trang (when they do have it, which is less and less often these days, as of 5/2018) in San Jose. The broth was robust and flavorful. They gave us a lot of shrimp and pork slices but only 1 sliver of fish (about 1"x1"x2"). They gave us a lot of herbs with the dish which helped elevate the dining experience. The Vietnamese coffee was very good and worth ordering. Had the waiter and owners been nicer and did a few table touches, this place would have earned a 5 star rating from me. Come for the food but not for the atmosphere or dining experience. read more

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The bun bo hue was on point, very good! And, they gave me the extra chili oil and lots of herb toppings without having to ask for it. My sis ordered their chicken pho, and enjoyed it as well! The place is tiny, but the flavors are big! I'll definitely be back. read more

This place is almost literally a hole in the wall hahaha. It's in the Tenderloin, and yes can look dangerous and scary. Living just on the border of Nob Hill and the TL, I know that looks can be deceiving. I actually love the TL! Especially when it comes to good food.. such as this little discovery. The restaurant is tiny, with 4 tables that can seat 4 each. They have a large screen TV that had US ice skating on while we were there. It was mostly Vietnamese people in there eating, oh and one homeless guy who was really nice. The menu is just as tiny, prob 8 items on the front of assorted soups/phos. In the back maybe also 8 different sandwiches/ banh mi. Cash only! We started off with #8 Banh Mi Xiu Mai ($4.50) .. 3 meatballs in delicious broth served with baguette . Great to share but I really should have ordered one for myself! OMG so so sooo good!! I am NOT sharing next time LOL. For main dish I ordered #4 Mu Tieu Mi, rice and egg noddles with pork and shrimp. Awesome!! Really good taste, fresh ingredients (I saw them chopping on the next table haha). My partner ordered #5 Bun Mam rice noodles with shrimp and pork. Also delicious!. And for 7$ each a great deal. These are huge bowls! $20 total with hot tea included. Winner! So glad we found this place thanks to Yelp. I stopped judging Tenderloin a long time ago because it has amazing food to be had at places such as this. Can't wait to go back and try the sandwiches!!! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Banh Mi Xiu Mai.. meatballs in really yummy broth.. my favorite! - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is special. Bun Rieu that had a beautifully unified funk, acidity, umami, and richness. I am not a Vietnamese food expert - I've only been to Vietnam once. But it's clear how much the owners and cooks care. The dessert too was (very sweet) perfection - filled with apple bananas. I inhaled it. I'd normally try to keep a place like this to myself. But 1) the staff is lovely and kind and 2) it's already clearly popular. I wish there were five more Mong Thu's in the city. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Bun Rieu (soup noodles with crab, pork, and tomato base) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been coming to Mong Thu Cafe for the longest time.. since 1996. You can call me an "Veteran MTC Custoner!" It's hard to believe I never wrote a yelp review for them. They're known for many popular Vietnamese dishes, they're all very authentic tasting. Pick a dish or two - you won't be disappointed. The owners are friendly and you can tell by they genuinely care about their customers satisfaction! It's a little gem in TL. read more

Simple selection. I came in and ordered Bún bò Hu. Hard to find a place that serves an authentic bone with plenty of meat. Is not in the menu. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Looks really cheap. Something that you can do at home with some consommé tablets and some random vegetables. Was suggested by a friend but my lamen or noodles soup did not surprise me. read more

CASH ONLY! First time here. Cute clean looking place but during lunch a good size ROACH was on the wall next to me, which the waiter quickly killed when my friend pointed it out to him. Yikes! Surprising given the restaurant is newly renovated. My friend, who lives in a lovely building and place nearby, said roaches are common in the area given the close proximity of everything. Not good. My friend's house does not have roaches, so not common everywhere in the area! I ordered Bun Thit Xoa, big bowl of noodles with pork, veggies and a sweet sauce you pour over it. Tasty but at $11, over priced in my opinion. I think my friend had #16. Banh Mi Op La. Cha, Va Pate, $5. Deconstructed sandwich includes 2 fried eggs, cured pork, pate, cucumber, tomato, green leafy veggies. Primarily due to the roach sighting, I'm undecided whether I'll go back. I'd like to try other menu items and the prices of most items are really inexpensive. And Mong Thu is such a fresh clean looking place, too. If in the area (rarely), maybe...then again, maybe not. Stay tuned. read more

Decent Vietnamese noodle spot in Tenderloin. I had the bun bo hue and the hieu thieu mi. The BBH flavor was there but it it's wasn't spicy enough. The HT was good but it's lacking the toppings, it's more noodles than there are toppings. Other than that the broth for both isn't bad, but I'll be off to explore the other great Viet restaurants in Tenderloin! read more

Love this Little mom and pop, home style feel, super clean. Food is above expectations. Small menu which in my opinion lets them focus on the 14 things they have and make them all so amazing. read more

Very good BBH at this small restaurant! Definitely come back here again. Just have to avoid the crack heads and outside.

I wanted to find a better pho, and I think I have now a perfect place to take care of my cravings. In the heart of tenderloin Hyde and Eddy, this place looks unpretentious from the outside and very clean and neat inside. As you walk in you are soothed from the outside grime with the pastel colored walls. The menu is small only 10 items. I wanted chicken noodle pho, and they got it perfectly done! Another thing that I noticed clean condiments on each table. Doesn't have the grease from years of service. It's not disgusting to hold a bottle of fish sauce in your hands. $9 per bowl. Cash only. One thing I find uncomfortable is when patrons and the owner yell to each other as a manner of talking. Made me feel like an unwelcome guest. read more