Legit. I mean, 2 legit 2 quit! In my never ending quest to find the perfect bowl of Pho, I might have found one of the best, if not the best in San Francisco. It's easily moved into the top two Pho Ga in town. Actually, you know what? I'm going to say it's #1! :) I frequently search out new Vietnamese restaurants on the Yelp app as I'm addicted to Pho and Mong Thu Cafe popped up as one I haven't visited before, so I gave it a shot. It's a small, tidy, clean spot in the Tenderloin run by two older women...perfect. I ordered the Pho Ga which showed up piping hot. The first thing I noticed was how clean the broth looked and how fresh every piece of chicken, noodle, etc were. It's important to taste the broth before you add any siracha, etc. and this one was heavenly. The bowl of soup arrived with the biggest plate of sprouts, fresh thai basil and lemon. So fresh, so clean! Mong Thu Cafe, you have a huge fan here and I'll be back soon! read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Pho is coming - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Food = Good. Small menu, but excellent options. (Sorry vegetarians/vegans.) #4 Hu Tieu Mi (Shrimp and pork soup served with both rice and egg noodles) = good. Great combination of noodles for those who can't decide. She loved it. $8.50 #5 Bun Mam (Fish based soup with boiled pork, shrimp and fish served with thin rice noodles) = great. Get ready for lemongrass and shrimp paste flavors. These are round noodles, not the flat ones. And it was hard to stop slurping. Tender fish, juicy shrimp, and boiled pork = pork belly slices! $8.50 Pho Ga = chicken noodle soup. Classic. Hit the spot. He enjoyed it. $9.00 Specials menu: Bun Rieu (Crab & tomato based soup with shrimp, pork & vermicelli) = delicious and surprisingly not over-the-top salty! Yes, heavy on the tomato! FYI: there are cubes of pig's blood with this dish. She loved it! $9.50 Specials menu: Banh Mi Thit Va Cha (combination of marinated and cured pork sandwich) = hit the spot for those of us with a 2nd stomach. Yes, there's a bit of pate in there. :D $4.00 All of the soups come with a plate of bean sprouts, chives, mint, basil and perilla. Tabletop hoisin sauce, sriracha, fish sauce, etc. Help yourself. Vietnamese coffee = strong, and sweet. $3.00 x3 Seating = limited. About eight 4-tops. Clean and bright spot. Service = friendly. Complimentary tea = win. Ask for ice or hot. Prices = reasonable. Late lunch for four came out to under $52.00. Bring CASH. Cash only. Parking = street. Friend made this suggestion...glad we tried this spot, even though it was out of the way, and in a crazy area. ;) Yes, this neighborhood leaves much to be desired, as there was someone panhandling, and another person came in mumbling to himself and picking his ass. Both were asked to leave. Guess it comes with the territory. read more

If you don't get into the habit of checking house numbers, you will probably miss this cozy little spot and walk right pass the liquor store on the corner of eddy. Once you walk into this smaller place hidden in the wall, everything on the menu just makes you want to order more and tell your diet to take a hike.. Restaraunt like Mong Thu and Hai Ky remind us of how things should be, not just how it looks like when some restaraunt become part of a franchise. Simple, Straight Forward, Satisfying at all levels. OH! and not overpriced. Hu Tieu Nam Vang is one of my favorites dishes that i grew up on as a kid. Translated as cambodian style noodles its a mix of South east asia but with a lighter broth than its vietnamese counterpart. But both of them are both a little taste of home for me. Even for a tight spot this little cafe sized restaraunts, they don't take too long and creating entrees as rewards for those who manage to find this place like gold from a treasure hunt. The price point is appropriate, parking cannot be helped, but the staff here are more than friendly to everyone. Places like this might not survive the major price hikes brought in by techies and tech companies... I hope this place doesn't disappear...Facebook can't make these foods, their cafeteria food is more on par with IHOP than anything else.. especially since their workers don't need to pay for their meals. Support Smaller Businesses! Support Family run Establishments! read more

Went back again, this time ordered Bun Mam, "Fish based soup with boiled pork, shrimp, and fish served with thin rice noodles." Guy got a little nervous and asked if I ever had it before (I am a white lady). I said no and he said I might want to order something else. He said it was smelly, and tastes like anchovy. I then got all excited and like, BRING IT ON! Because I am the only member of Team Tailypo who likes anchovies. I then got nervous and hoped I hadn't made a huge mistake. And, you guys. GUYS! BUN MAM IS ZOMG. It is some sort of fermented fish broth, so rich and flavorful, with juicy barbecued pork and heaps of shrimp and nice big hunks of whitefish. Plus noodles. The assortment of mixed fresh greens was great -- like 5 different herbs (maybe because it was Tenderloin Farmer's Market day?) and fresh jalapeno and lots of lime, which really contributed to the flavor. I am definitely going back for more. read more

I live my life one Banh Mi Xiu Mai at a time! I got a Banh Mi Xiu Mai at some joint in the Sunset and it tasted like dog food compared to Mong Thu's. And I don't know where these rolls come from, but they're perfect! Can't beat it for $3.50. And when your appetite is properly satiated, you can check out one of the sweet hobo flea markets on the corner! read more

Desperate for some cheap food to eat during Pride, me and my 8 friends came here for some Viet goodness. Service here is average for a Viet restaurant. However this place is small. I think there were only about 5 tables that could seat 4-5 people each. Anyways, looking at the menu I ordered Bun Rieu, which is vermicelli noodles in a tomato based broth. I found it to be too bland, the tomatoes need to be cooked for much longer to make the broth richer and the dish lacked the freshness needed in the crab. It's hard to complain with an $8 bowl of pretty authentic Viet food, but authenticity doesn't necessarily mean yummy. I did like that they had a lot of mints and bean sprouts as garnish though. To conclude, there are better places for Viet in SF, particularly in the Tenderloin. read more

Had a fun night of drinking with my friend Michelle, and needed food that would bring me back to life the next day. This is the place for that, (although the food here is amazing, hangover or not.) At a time where San Francisco is losing the cultural aspects that make it the city we love, it's great that places like Mong Thu Cafe are around to carry the torch and continue to shine a bright spot in the Bay. read more

Being in the TL, I was kind of expecting Mong Thu to be a little run down Vietnamese restaurant. However, upon entering, the cafe was quite cute and colorful. Everything was really clean and tidy. I ordered a bun bo hue, and the boyfriend ordered a pho ga. The pho ga was pretty light, but still savory. I thought the bun bo hue hit just the right spot. It wasn't really spicy up front, like many other bbh I have are like. The spicy kind of sneaks up on you, at the back of your throat, but not in an overpowering way. Keep in mind though, I'm a total wimp when it comes to spicy tolerance, so this bbh might be too mild for you. In addition, the bun bo hue had a decent amount of meant, and it was all very tender. And of course it's not bbh without the coagulated blood. Yum! The menu here at Mong Thu isn't the biggest, but it looks like the owners are going for quality of dishes, rather than quantity. Fine by me! There are noodle dishes on this menu you wouldn't usually see at your typical pho places, so this is a good place to come if you want a little variety. The prices here seemed pretty average for your typical Viet restaurant; the bill for my boyfriend and me was under $20. Service was prompt, but rather impersonal. However, all the workers seemed to be on a break (considering we got there at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon), so I wasn't too concerned. Overall, it was a decent and tasty experience. If I ever find myself in the TL again, I know I can come back :) read more

As good and authentic as it gets for Vietnamese food in SF. I've walked in the rain for takeout here to satisfy my craving for food from the motherland. The ladies speak mostly Vietnamese and are very nice. Feels like a neighborhood joint where the local Viets gather for a meal. The bun mam is nice and savory. Almost everything I've had is tasty with good portions. read more

I've been working in the Tenderloin for more then 8 years and have always walked by this place. The neighbor that this place is located in is not the best. Stepped in for the first time today and I was very impressed on how clean this place is. I tried their combination cured pork sandwich. The sandwich has the perfect balance of meat and pickled veggies. The seasoning and pate was very flavorful. Another Vietnamese restaurant to put into my list of go to eats around the area!! read more

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

I love supporting local mom n pop shops. especially when they serve good food! I have seen this place for years, but I thought they were your typical coffee ( and occasional sandwich) shops. One day when I couldnt sleep, I yelped a place to eat a 6am, and this is what popped up. I ended up here a little before 8; they were super quiet; just one woman manning the place. I tried the bun mam; basically a fish soup. and it was surprisingly delicious! I will definitely be back to try other things; as their menu has much more on it than Id expected (yes, including sandwiches). read more

If you believe that a good Vietnamese restaurant is a place where you see Vietnamese customers go to then this is your place. This is a GOOD DOWN HOME SMALL HIDDEN VIETNAMESE NOODLE CAFE. I believe I was the only customer here who was not Vietnamese. This place had about 6 tables, and I belive the Vietnamese lady working there was the chef, the cashier, and the server all in one. I ordered the Pho Ga (Chicken Vietnamese Noodle Soup). It was hot and fresh with the usual side condiments (bean sprouts, mint, green peppers, and lemon). Refreshing, very filling, but did not make me sleepy. I always like Pho because not only do I think it tastes good, but it clears my sinuses, and opens the pores in my skin. RESTAURANT RULES AT MONG THU CAFE: 1) Cash only. 2) The price you see is the exactly the price you pay (no tax or additional charges). For example my Pho Ga said $8.00 on the menu, and the total price was $8.00 3) The server DOES NOT give you a check or bill. She will just tell you the total price. 4) Seat yourself. No need to let her know how many in your group. MY SUGGESTIONS WHEN GOING TO MONG THU CAFE: 1) The moment you walk in sit any any available table you see. 2) Order one of the Vietamese Noodle dishes such as Pho Ga. You will not be dissapointed. 3) When you are ready to pay you can just pay her when she's behind the counter because she will not give you a bill at the end. MONG THU CAFE IS YOUR PLACE WHEN YOU WANT A GOOD DOWN HOME VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A FOREIGNER AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE. read more

The restaurant is a little gem in the TL. Id imagine a cafe shop in Vietnam would look exactly like this. There's only six tables inside and it's a very clean shop. The menu is has a handful of choices but they focus on what they do best. My favorite is the bun mam which is never on the menu unless you're in Orange County and there's a higher chance of finding this dish. Its pretty authentic in flavor since it's such a pungent dish. Good vietnamese food is pretty hard to find here in the city and this is definitely a top choice of mine. As always, cash only. read more

Mong Thu Cafe - Bun Mam. Mmmmmmm - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is one my favorite Vietnamese restaurants as they offer some of my favorite Vietnamese dishes. All of which have been done pretty well. The location kinda sucks as there's always the same three Mexican drug dealers hanging out front making transactions everytime I visit. Streets of TL out front smelling like piss, but once you enter its rather nicely decorated reminiscent of a bakery with the brightly striped painted walls with the classic looking Vietnamese restaurant tables. CLEAN. I get my Banh Cuon fix here. Bun rieu (crab tomatoes pork noodle soup) today was just okay but the Bo Kho (beef stew with french bread) made up for it. I want to come back for their Xiu Mai and french bread (meatballs and bread). They have Bun Vit too which is another home style noodle soup. read more

A Hidden Gem. If your in the TL area and want to try some authentic Vietnamese good, Mong Thu is the place. Thumbs up for the cleanliness. We had the: Bun mang vit - duck noodle soup with bamboo shoot Meatballs and bread Bun Rieu Bun Bo hue. read more

See all

Super authentic... made me feel like I was in Vietnam! Everyone was speaking Vietnamese and it made it even more fun!

Love their fresh banh mi. I usually get the combination. Can't go wrong with any choice actually.

Three because it is clean and hu tieu nam vang is good as home made but the bun Bo hue is no good, they use small rice noodles in stead of big ( authentic bun Bo hue is big rice noodles). And they loosing two star because the kitchen is right at the front not cover or it supposes to be in the back and when they cook , grill, DAME it smells really bad, the oil, the smoke all over my clothes, my hair which I hate the most. read more

See all

Mong Thu Cafe is incredible! If you are looking for authentic Vietnamese food look no further. The Banh Uot here is the best I have had!

Delicious banh mi's and banana pudding with tapioca pearls, peanuts, and coconut milk, and at a great value price

Although its venue is small, its quality exceeds that which I had expected before arrival. The menu is not very extensive, which for the indecisive makes life a bit easier, but contains all one could ask for between the pho, sandwiches, and select desserts. I had the pho with shrimp, pork, and egg/rice noodles. The egg noodles were especially delightful. Everything else superb. The service was adequate. Not your 5-star restaurant in this regard, but who needs that kinda treatment in a mellow tenderloin lunch? To conclude, the complimentary tea was great! read more

To sum it up: Homey Vietnamese style meals like Aunty (if I had a Vietnamese aunty) used to make Returnability: Every month Superstar Factor: On the superstar scale, Mong Thu Cafe is the restaurant equivalent of an actor with a small, but powerful role in a foreign film. You know you maybe not be able to understand nor appreciate fully how good he is, but you know it's good. Announcement: I no longer ever need to go to Vietnam. I've been to Mong Thu Cafe. I was greeted at the door with this great old broad with powerful make-up who called me "Honey" every third word. In my mind, three words proved to be my mantra. "Paris by Night, Paris by Night, Paris by Night" during our interaction. Don't know what it is? Look it up. And, no, it's not literally Paris at nighttime. I've never watched it, but I think I can understand it. She reminds me of the aging and fading sassy singer who may have had too much work done, but certainly picks the wrong shades of eyeshadow. But I LOVED her. Don't get me wrong. She was the nicest, kindest, warmest person. I wanted to give her hugs. I also felt like I walked into the house of any Asian auntie, powder pink lace curtains, lucky bamboo and all. We started off with the Banh Mi Xiu Mai. For all of you non-Vietnamese speaking people, like myself, if I hadn't seen the picture on the menu, I would have expected some form of dim sum dumplings on a baguette. Thankfully, they turned out to be extremely tender, oniony pork meatballs in this flavorful broth. The broth was perfect with the crusty baguette with the cloudlike center. Then we had a Banh Uot Cha Lua and Tom Chien. I have no idea what any of this means, but what I ate was a large sheets of rice noodle, with fresh basil and bean sprouts, sliced pork, and perfectly fried shrimp pancakes. Add in the fish sauce. My main memory is of the fried crunchy edges of the shrimp pancakes. We capped it off with a Banh Mi with sliced pork, which was pretty good. I still think Saigon Sandwiches is better, but I only got a very simple sandwich, whereas I get the fully loaded combo sando from Saigon. The sandwich was nothing to complain about, but it's the middle child of our order, probably neglected and not as appreciated as it should have been. Did I mention it's a great place to people watch, Tenderloin style? read more

Hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant. I have to admit that when you enter, it doesn't seem too appealing...that is until you try their food. Their soups are absolutely delicious and it's not even Pho! Also, their Vietnamese sandies [I think] may be better than Saigon Sandwich. I would recommend their Sardine Ban Mi or their Meatball Ban Mi. Both very unique from any other kinds of Ban Mis I've had. Heads up though. It is quite chaotic inside. Vietnamese men playing poker and kids singing and playing on their DS. But I guess it's all part of the experience. read more

Delicious home cooked Vietnamese food. They had Bun Mam, so I had to to try it. It was pretty good, the soup could have been thicker. My current favorite place for mam in SF. read more

Fantastic little hole in the wall. Great food reasonably priced and great owners. Just wish they would ditch the TV playing football, but that's just probably me. FYI. Cash only (there is an ATM nextdoor). read more

The surrounding area is not the best of SF, but the restaurant is cute! Has a cute logo and the interior decor is really bakery like, but I didn't see any baked goods. The menu was simple, but weren't the only options. Some menu items were also written on the mirror. I had the pork and shrimp, glass noodle pho. The sprouts were already added and the broth was really tasty! I do recommend this restaurant! The pho also included a shrimp pancake, but it still had the tail, the moment I bit into it, I bit the sharp part and stabbed me in the cheek, I recommend they remove the tail for the pancake. read more

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

Its a really cute diner set up, makes you feel comfortable and the menu is so easy to read. The prices are fair or even better for the serving youre getting. It is small but I always come ahead of the crowd when I eat here. Great staff too! read more

Cash only. Great, great food. Tasty beef stew. Delicious sandwiches. Service is always fast and reliable.

As might be testified by the number of updates to particular joints, Ima creature of habit. Another lunch @ Mong Thu, left me thinking this is my favorite Viet joint in EssF. Had the Siu Mai which as VN tradition holds, came w/ a fresh Banh Mi (mini French Bread loaf) and a bowl of savory broth w/ 3 siu mi (pork) meat balls, with cilantro on the side. Now, my favorite dish @ Mong Thu. For me it has raised my (not so critical last review), to 5 STARS, which they deserve. My Honey had Bun Mam (so predictable), and it was perfect. It warms my heart to read other reviews that report this joint as not being visually typical of a Vietnamese Restaurant in the Tenderloin in EssF, because it is true. Mong Thu is not focused on fulfilling visual stereo types of a Viet restaurant. Mong Thu is focused on planting tasty & relatively "authentic" Vietnamese home style dishes on your table for you to enjoy. They don't display Vietnam's inlaid lacquerware screens, or a Tam Thap Luc (Viet version of the Japanese Koto) or have stylized Vietnamese script on the walls. Nope, visually itsa plain joint, which could be transported to Indiana with nary a narrow mind objecting. read more

The banh mi here blew my mind. It reminded me of the days walking around Saigon looking for a good sammich. This is the most incredibly moist and flavorful sandwich, toasted warm, I have ever tasted outside of southern Vietnam. YUM. read more

As big fans of bun mam, we were so excited to try these guys as our staple place is now out of business. However, the food here seriously fell flat. The bun mam here was oddly sweet, muddy and seriously lacking in flavor. The portion of veggie add-ins for our soups was seriously skimpy too. So very disappointed. Bun Mam Soc Trang - please come back soon! Update - just hours later, both my lady and I have horrible stomach cramps after eating here. Ugh. Avoid. read more

Price: $7-10 per item. There's pho, soups, sandwiches, meatballs, etc. very diverse menu and good! No broken rice dishes or buns though. Ambience: Please come here with a friend. I don't want you to get shot after reading my review raving about their food. It's a mom and pop place where the owner's friends all hang out and play poker. Food: Mind you, you can taste the MSG. But portions are large and tasty considering the price! read more

Serves the Best Bun Mam in the whole Bay Area, believe me I've searched and Tried many places.

There is no secret that this restaurant has high reviews. It's a small mom and dad restaurant. Food was on point and service was excellent. Their fried shrimp cake was to kill for, the best I've ever had. read more

The food there is wonderful, very possibly one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the city. Don't be intimidated by the restaurant's friends and family who hang out there and often talk loudly, because more often than not when the waitress is too busy, one of them might volunteer to help out by taking your order and bringing you water (and they don't even work there). read more

ZERO STARS. Absolutely terrible, despicable, unprofessional, low-grade filthy service. They told me to sit at someone else's table because more people came in. She didn't even bother to ask me for my order first. Even after I said "No," the waitress still urged me to move. Can you believe it? So I looked at her the way you look at trash, got up and left. Suggestion: Change the layout of your fucking restaurant and do not move paying customers because you just lost one. In addition, you should also add more variety to your menu. I didn't see any chicken options. read more

Awesome home cooked Vietnamese food! This woman is amazing she's cranking fresh served authentic home cooked food out of her tiny make-shift kitchen. The place was packed out for lunch w/ all local vietnamese crowd, already knew I was in for a treat. Tried to order the special based on a friend's recommendation, but it was sold out. :( Backup was the chicken pho. Deep rich broth, not overly salty to hide flavor. Fresh noodles not too soft. Next time I'll make sure to try their desserts too which I saw her making. This is like a home-cooked meal so the service was not that professional. Just setting expectations for others. I love divey homey food so it works for me, but others looking for exceptional service level may want to adjust. read more

They are open at 630am in the morning. I love my soup noodles and having a place open this early for bun bo hue to go was great. Perfect before work. The portion size was very good and the huge bag of veggies they gave was so fresh. Nice hole in the wall find for bun bo hue. Fair warning... the neighborhood might not be the nicest for those not used to the area. read more

I almost don't want to write this review because I know the line ups will be out the door for this place, but they really deserve it! Adorable place with amazing homestyle comfort foods as advertised. Have tried a few of the specials, solid bun bo hue, and they even had the duck and bamboo shoot noodles that are impossible to find elsewhere. Must go. Don't hesitate. Order from the specials. read more

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

I've had almost everything on their menu and I have never been disappointed. Fresh, fast and authentic. Best chao long I have ever eaten! My mouth is watering thinking out it right now. This place is the bomb dot com! Don't mind the sketchy people standing on the corner. read more