Just realized I didn't write my review of Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant after dining there with a couple of friends, so here it is! This was my second time eating here, but the first time for dinner. I had lunch here a couple of years ago and remember I enjoyed the noodles we had then. Anyway, this time, for dinner, we had a lamb dish that had a lot of onions, a pancake that I thought needed some kind of dip or sauce, some dumplings, and sauteed spinach with garlic. Everything was very tasty and cooked well, but, as I said, the pancake needed a sauce or dip of some kind; I *did* like the fact that the pancake wasn't oily in the least. Service was good; they were attentive without being intrusive. It wasn't crowded when we got there for our early dinner, but it filled up completely as the evening wore on. I'd go back again even though I *did* think they were a bit pricier than other Asian/Chinese restaurants. read more

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Wow! An old friend from HS suggested we meet for dinner. Over the years I have sent my Szechuan roasted hot peppers to him and spicy food is one of our commonalities Tonight he taught me a new phrase in Mandarin, "La Si Ni". La Si Ni is an extremely spicy signature chicken and egg stir-fry dish from the Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant in San Francisco The phrase literally translates to "spicy enough to kill you" or "spicy you to death". It's made with five peppers: cayenne, Chinese long peppers, Thai bird's eye chile flakes, fresh green serranos and fresh jalapeños. It was an amazing meal, rounded out by glass noodles with chicken, Lamb with Cumin, Cracked Fish with Numbing Sauce, lamb dumplings, and lamb pancakes. Extraordinary food. read more

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Food was amazing, we tried 5 different dishes; diced chicken, cumin beef, beef w/ green onion, kungpao shrimp, and sweet and sour chicken - all amazing and full of flavor. Service was super helpful in helping us decide on dishes and the waiter was really nice. Ambiance was really cozy and homey, really nice warm vibe. Would eat at this place 10/10 times!! read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Was going to SF zoo. Old Mandarin came up in a search as a nearby restaurant . Being a native San Franciscan I recall going to itS original location many years ago and it being good. Sadly, today I had one of my worst Chinese meals ever considering its underwhelming taste, price, small portions, decor, and service. Dishes were over soy sauced and meat quality poor. Given its name is "Mandarin Islamic", it was shocking that the standard northern Chinese staple - steamed bread known as mantou 饅頭 or the iconic big round baked sesame bread, 芝麻大餅 which is a well-known northern Chinese Islamic specialty not on its menu. They also don't even provide basic tapwater and want customers to buy an ordinary small bottled water for $2 or tea for $3.50, which is usually free for this caliber of restaurant and at even higher end Chinese restaurants. And the tea was made with a low-grade teabag to make things worse. This experience confirms my golden dining rule - don't go in if restaurant is empty at prime dining hours. We were only one of two tables at 12:30pm and now we know the reason. Sigh! read more

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Honestly don't know what these low star reviews are about. This place is legit. Service is very friendly, every single dish hit the spot, the prices are more than fair, and the portions are substantial. If you're on the fence about coming, I'd say you take the plunge. I did and I'm definitely coming back! read more

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I walked in just to get a quick bite for lunch. Wow, was I surprised! The food was awesome. I ordered the Mongolian beef, and it was incredibly tasty and fresh. I will for sure be back!" read more

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I thought everything that we ordered tasted fresh. My main issues were that there is no free water. You have to buy a plastic bottle of water. Also, rice is not included with dishes. Lastly, I wish there was more meat included in the cumin lamb. Positives: cumin lamb was well seasoned and the lamb tasted really fresh. Maybe that's the beauty of halal meat, which I tried for the first time. We also got the spicy beef noodle soup. The broth could have had more flavor and spice. My favorite was probably the cabbage in spicy vinegar. It was the perfect balance of being healthy, sweet, and salty. I'd come back here! read more

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Small portions, no tap water, tea for 2 adults and 2 kids $7.50, mandatory 16% tip on top of food and tax. Never coming back. This establishment is pure greed. Did I say we're never coming back? We're never coming back. read more

The food was delicious, especially the cumin lamb stir fry. I also recommend the green onion pancakes. The service was impeccable! My friend and I were able to enjoy our meal in a relaxing space. I couldn't be more happy! Thank you!! read more

I've been going to this spot since 1999. I'm a Bay Area native. Food was good. Arrogant waiter grabbed his butt in the dining area. That place is not for him. He faked being nice after it was reported. He was stirring food too. read more

Great food and friend my staff. Love the cumin lamb; best I've had. Worth a bike ride to the avenues.

Based on the reviews, it's hard to determine if Old Mandarin is among the best or the worst restaurants in SF. So I decided to check it out for myself. From the outside, it has a simple vibe and is very up-front about being a Halal restaurant (which I appreciate as a Muslim). Stepping inside, I can admire the variety of decorations and artwork that cover the walls. My party is quickly guided to a table and provided with menus. The waiter wasn't particularly chatty, but he was friendly, professional, & prompt, which is all I look for. He collected our orders and within a few minutes, the food was ready. For entrees, I shared the Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry and the Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce, both of which were recommended in . The lamb was flavorful and satisfying, while the subtle sweetness of the eggplant was beautifully complemented by the sauce. A simple side of white rice was all else that was needed to complete my meal. I will now touch on price, which seems to be a contentious point in many reviews. Firstly, a few have called out the "hidden" fees that materialized on the receipt, like the gratuity. However, the menu was pretty upfront about what they included.. (Now you may have an opinion on the existence of those fees, but that's probably outside the scope of a review..) Secondly, I am stumped as to why the prices are considered higher than expected. I have never considered SF a "cheap" place to eat, and there are far worse offenders that should be called out before Old Mandarin. My guess is that this is more expensive than other Chinese "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants, but I cannot classify this as "merely" hole-in-the-wall due to the quality and the exclusive usage of Halal ingredients. I was pretty satisfied with the portions, and the per-person cost was ~$30, hardly the worst for an occasional dine-in meal. One point I will agree with is that they should offer free water in a glass, instead of assuming "water" == $2 bottled water. I suppose Europeans would be used to this.. Overall, I was happy with my meal at Old Mandarin and look forward to future visits. Maybe I will have to revise my review but I hope not. read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I saw this place was on some articles and decided to check it out - but I am slightly skeptical of the articles now. The food is mediocre at best. The lamb was decently average. The fried rice and fried buns were almost on the same par. I don't feel the food is anything special than any typical restaurant in SF. But their price asks for more than a typical restaurant. There is definitely a dissonance between the quality of the food and price of the food. The service was decent, we didn't expect much more than taking our orders and serving food. read more

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If this was solely based on the rather average food it might be a higher rating, but this is the scammiest restaurant I've been to in a long time. They may have received a few Michelin nods over a decade ago, but the hot and sour soup and glass noodles I shared with my little girl were on par with many, many other restaurants in the city--except $5 to $10 more expensive. Service was slow. If you want water, they refuse to give you tap water--you have to buy a plastic bottle. Finally, I was shocked when an 18% gratuity was automatically added when my credit card was run (for a table of two). You don't have to try every venerable San Francisco culinary institution. I recommend skipping this one. read more

I agree with the other 1- star reviews. It was my first and last time going there. I wanted to like it, I thought the halal concept was cool but my wife and I went and the bill came out to $94 (we had a clay pot lamb, some tofu and string beans and spring rolls)and when I looked closely at the receipt, they charged for water and then tipped themselves 16% on top of the total with tax. It was annoying that they do that, even though I usually tip 20%. The food was just mediocre. The lamb was rubbery and disappointing, the egg rolls were soggy inside. The tofu and green bean dish was the best of the three but still just ok. Their service was fast, which made it obvious that they didn't cook the food in the clay pot. They just took it out of some huge pot and put them in clay pots for show. Don't recommend. So many other great priced Chinese restaurants in the sunset. read more

Pretty alright lamb chow mein. Oily and a little bland. Not ok tofu salad though. The tofu salads are mushed tofu and cilantro, cucumber or shallot. No sauce or oil. Plate of cold, wet, crumbled mush. I don't believe the manager who said it's a real style of tofu salad. Zero star tofu salad. $17 for the chow mein is.. almost fair, but at $13 I feel ripped off on that mush plate. read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Lamb Chow Mein - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I want to share my most recent experience here. I've been to this restaurant at least five times since moving from China a couple of years ago, and unfortunately, the quality has noticeably declined while the prices have gone up. Our recent meal for two came out to almost $200, with a mandatory 16% tip already added to the bill, leaving no option to reduce or adjust it. Food: * The lamb was not fresh -- a big disappointment, especially for a halal restaurant where freshness should be a priority. * The hotpot broth was very bland, and since I don't use dipping sauces, the lack of flavor in the meat was obvious. * The mushu beef had far too many vegetables and very little meat. * The seafood bun was just okay, but at $20+ each, I expected more filling compared to the thick bun. Service: There was essentially no service. No water was provided (only bottled water for purchase), and when we asked for extra bowls, staff were too busy -- we ended up using teacups as dipping bowls. Overall, the value just isn't there anymore. With declining food quality, high prices, and poor service, I don't think I'll be returning. read more

In a neighborhood in the Sunset so quiet you could call it funereal, you find Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant (OMIR). The only Islamic Chinese dive in the whole of Frisco, so said the madame d'. "Everything halal," she proudly informed. "Oh, halal. Very nice" I responded deferentially. "We get a lot of..." she gestured at tables of Arab and Pakistani patrons. I appreciated the remark's quaintness and how it would send the leftoids into hysterics. At these tables everyone used a fork to eat. I would have been offended when the waitress dropped off forks at our table if not for the ubiquity of this Western utensil. I suppose Muslims, despite being Chinese, opt for the fork over the pair of chopsticks. They feature an oversized menu, something common to the era from which the restaurant was founded. You cannot call it a specialty shop. You don't go to OMIR for the best of anything; although everyone can find something on the menu to suite their wishes. It may be superfluous to state, but not every item is good. Again, this speaks to the era of founding. The most recent accolade on the wall is dated 2006 and comes from some website that networks Chinese Restaurants. In those days, a menu of 70-120 dishes was the norm. You can't expand energy and resources that far and expect to find an even spectrum of potency. A hot and sour shrimp and garlic dish that I begged a member of my party not to order ended up predictably stinking up the table. It was putrid. The Mongolian Beef is nice, but you'll forget about it as soon you start your car. The same wallpaper/ muzak quality sums up the cumin lamb. While the food lingers at the level of mediocrity, there is something pleasant about dining at OMIR. Maybe it has something to do with the global village coffee house aura and its 1990s references. The dated dishes and dining room evoke the warmth of shopping malls during Christmas time or after school piano lessons with the neighborhood mom who wears overalls. read more

In general, the food isn't bad. But price and portion doesn't really align. What stands out are the cumin dishes, as I'm often thinking about their Cumin chicken stir-fry. The Diced chicken sauteed with jalapeno chef's special is also very flavorful. Other items haven't really stood out as much. read more

Absolutely agree with Jon H. "No good" Chinese meal experience. Fish dish was almost tasteless with a slightly weird flavour and some hard transparent crystals time to time (MSG?), mongolian beef also not much of the taste. More expensive than any other Chinese food restaurant. On the other hand, serving speed and service quality- no issues. Sad to say, but that was my first and last time visiting this place. read more

It is way too expensive. It doesn't offer lunch special even on regular weekdays. The worst is that the marinated meats are very salty and the service is very bad. read more

Tasty food! They have a small space but produce some really tasty food. Wok dishes came out hot and flavorful - and after what seemed like only a minute after we ordered Service was friendly After tax and tip, six dishes came out to $140 without drinks, which is pretty high. We had leftovers to take home though. read more

This is one of the top 5 Chinese restaurants in the city. The cuisine is Northern style Chinese dishes, but incorporates the Islamic tradition where Lamb replaces the Pork that would often be found in Chinese dishes. Recommend the Lamb with Cumin, the Beef Chinese pancakes, and the Noodle dishes. Ask the wait staff for recommendations - they are very friendly and will point you in the right direction. read more

Why did it take me thirty years to return here? Quite honestly, I'm not really sure. My last memory of coming here was with my parents and brother for a weekend dinner. With my brother and dad being spice sensitive, we passed on most if not all spicy dishes. I do remember, on one visit before, we did try the hot pot and, despite it being spicy, my dad was still able to enjoy the meal. Back to today, I studied the menu photos on Yelp and crafted a menu of several of my go-to's and a couple of their staple items. The first item that I tried was the spring rolls (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=eLJ2D1s2nwE5xDuu96udtQ), which were comped; being fried and still warmer than warm, I shared this with the family when I got home and we enjoyed them, nothing like fresh food. Shortly after, we tried the Beijing beef pancake (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=X6ZvuY7ggTWXbpKp2vE_1w), again almost immediately after I got home since it was warm. Similar to a green onion pancake, the two layered pastry is filled with tender and seasoned ground beef. For my dinner that night, I had the lamb brisket noodle soup (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=kM0p3BUgQFft1zFvXeh4Zw) which was packed very well; I reheated the broth and added the noodles in making this bowl (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=xk3cZn-M-W9BOhc-L-urVw), making about 2/3rds of the portion as I knew that I'd be unable to finish it. This was especially impressive because the lamb had no hint of the usual gameiness and the broth was a five-spice broth that paired well with it. The noodles were the thick kind which made for a hearty meal. The next day, I decided to reheat some of the hot & sour soup (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=emfeEDFGX8cZn0fBYkGzew) to pair with some leftovers for lunch. I poured 2/3rd of the container into a bowl and steamed it. There is no meat in it so definitely a plus if you are vegetarian though there is egg in it. My favorite part of this soup were the ingredients used, the standard wood ears, shredded tofu, and bamboo shoots. The kicker was the gum choi in Cantonese which is golden needle vegetable in English. This fibrous and crunchy vegetable adds an element that I remember in old time versions of this, seldom found in most restaurants these day. A few days later, I steamed a portion of the mapo tofu (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=y_qt_-bHrOhx5KP7zl2bQQ). Heating up some leftover rice, I steamed half of the container for my dinner. Ordered medium spicy when asked, I enjoyed the variety of non-traditional ingredients which includes water chestnuts, straw mushrooms, and baby corn to pair with peas and carrots. I will order this again. The final item that I tried was the cucumber and tofu (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=h0uYkpZYYPMgmnd0BO1Wug), which I gifted to my friend. She was not impressed by the visuals of this so she returned it to me and I ate this as a salad. It has a light sesame oil dressing and clear rice noodles. Big thanks to Shuai, who packed my food thoroughly to prevent leakage, double and even triple bagging when needed. Coming at 4:30 pm, the restaurant was empty. I'm looking forward to exploring the menu for other different items. I'm sure the soup and tofu will likely be on my order next visit. read more

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We were early fans of this unique, off the beaten path, restaurant. Made a stop there last night. Food quality has gone down considerably but the part that really left me scratching my head is the fact they do not provide tap water on request. Only plastic bottle water ($1.75). The owner claims it is due to the pandemic (or at least a rule they implemented back then) ... No thanks. read more

We are a group of six. We were seated immediately. The restaurant was pretty busy as all tables were occupied after we arrived. The service was quick and efficient. We ordered two soups and 3 entries. They were tasty and rich in flavor. read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - House Special Stir-Fry Lamb Liver and Kidney Chef's Special - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place has been here for 20+ years and has won a number of awards back in its day. Always wanted to go for 10 years, but was never in the mood until now. It also seems like the owners children now own the restaurant and have added their own influences (ie: increasing prices, nicer presentation, and catered towards an American audience). Coming into the restaurant, I noticed we were the only asian diners there. Not a great sign for the restaurant being in a predominantly Asian neighborhood. Nevertheless, we ordered these dishes: - cracked fish soup ($30) - about 15 small fresh catfish filets pieces swimming in a spicy mouth numbing soup. There's also some bean sprouts and onions that were a nice addition. But other than the spice and boiled fish fillet, it's not much. - beef pancake ($16) - crispy layered pancake with thin layers of beef. Think a multi layer green onion pancake and instead of onions, it's beef. Good, but you only get 3 small pieces. I wish they gave more. - green beans and fried tofu ($18) - a solid dish with lots of flavor and a tad bit spicy. The fried tofu had a good crunch and the green beans were still a bit crisp. They also charged for bottled water ($2), rice ($3). So the total with tax + tip came out to ~$90. It makes sense why the locals aren't coming here as often. read more

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I've had this spot on my list for quite a while and finally got to try it. Food did not disappoint, the lamb and buns were definitely the stars of the show. I am used to pan fried pork buns so I wasn't sure what to expect out of seafood - they ruled. Service was quick and efficient, not winning any awards - don't come expecting to be waited on hand and foot. Additionally, it's a small space, maybe 6 tables - the epitome of no frills! read more

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This place is always a hit. It's also right by the beach so you can take a nice stroll after your meal. The staff is super friendly and always open to conversation. read more

After getting take-out before and having really enjoyed the food, I decided to bring my parents and try dine-in. We went on a Friday afternoon and the place was empty although when we left there were a few tables that were filled. We ordered the egg fried rice ($18), cold noodles in bean paste ($19.50), beef pancake ($18.95), and the pan fried seafood buns ($22.95). All in all, the food was okay. My favorite was the beef pancakes, but the portion size and the quality of food compared to other Chinese food restaurants in the area was not enough to justify the prices. Also, they charge for tea ($2k/pp) and there was an automatic 20% service charge for the 4 of us (3 adults and a toddler). I know restaurants are struggling right now, but it would have been nice for them to state this ahead of time. It just makes it a bad experience when you find out by trying to decipher the bill at the end of the meal. Especially since it's not like a fancy restaurant like Din Tai Fung where you would expect these types of charges. Unfortunately, as okay as the food might have been, it was too overshadowed by the cost. 4 dishes for $106 at a hole in a wall neighborhood spot is too much for lunch. There are MANY cheaper options in the Sunset. I *might* be back and only for take-out. read more

One of the worst service ever received from this restaurant. The server was nothing but rude and no energy to be polite! As well as the other workers cleaning and dipping their fingers in the spice bowl to clean it right in your face while you eat. Was just absolutely horrifying. And then when it came to tip they added it themselves without our knowledge and when we spoke about it they said "just sign it". Very upsetting. Be careful before dinning here. read more

It's an old school Chinese restaurant, with very strong north Chinese flavors. They have cumin lamb, jiajiang mein and chive pocket, all very good I'd recommend coming in a group of 6+ to try more dishes read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Pretty small restaurant though it was clear that this was a neighborhood staple and was no thrills no frills. I ordered the Beijing Style noodles and thought it was alright. The sauce was very salty and the noodles texture was not my favorite though it was a pretty big portion. Not sure if I would return especially with the commute from downtown SF, I feel like there are better options in the city for this type of food. read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Beijing Style Noodles in Fried Dark Bean Paste - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

This little nondescript restaurant is a hidden gem. I've been here several times and the place is always bumping with customers chatting and food sizzling as it's being cooked in this quaint space. The dry-spiced lamb is one of my personal favorites and same with the giant bowl of soup for the table. Every time I come we order way too much food but everything is always super delicious. The service is reminiscent of being welcomed into someone's family home, even with a language barrier the smiles show everyone is leaving satiated and looking forward to their next visit. read more

Food: 3 Decor: 2 Service: 2 1 Piece Beijing Beef Pancake ~2/5. Too oily and fried for me, and I wished there would be more filling. Would have preferred more of a crispy chive pancake texture, but this was more fried. Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry ~4/5. Lamb was stir fried nicely and quite tasty with a generous amount of spices. Sauteed String Bean and Dry Fried Tofu ~3/5. String beans were okay, and I would have preferred the tofu be more moist on the inside. Service was okay. We had to flag our server down twice to order and to get the bill. read more

What a great experience overall. I came here with my best friend and her family and we had a great experience. - the interior is quite small but it is such a nice ambiance. Very homey feel. - the food beats it all. I am a Vegas local and only wish that we had a restaurant that served halal Chinese food close to this. My favorite was the crack fish soup as well as the sweet and sour chicken. ‍ - the service was great! The waiter knew my friend's dad from previous visits and remembers the family which is very genuine. Will definitely go back next time we are in town. read more

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant - Interior - Chinese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The table placement is very interesting. We were seated in a corner which was extremely cramped and could not move easily. The service was not very excellent. Our food arrived to the table cold except for the dumplings which were microwaved, surprisingly! I refrained from taking pictures because I was not really comfortable nor the food was impressive. Most importantly: if you are truly looking for excellent Asia food experiences, please find a second option. The quality and quantity does not justify the overly priced itemization of the food. The tip percentage is set automatically between 18% to 20%. Whether you like the food or not it's not changeable. We were semi disappointed, yet not really as we should have trusted the previous reviews. (There were flies in the restaurant) I would highly suggest finding a better option. read more

Old Islamic is definitely a neighborhood staple - been there forever and a place for a simple meal with no fuss. Going in with low expectations helps so I've never felt compelled to write a review but today it feels like they slipped off the cliff :( Preface to say the place was 100% empty. Not a soul. Food: Simple order of an appetizer followed by two mains. Not sure what was going on in the kitchen but the appetizer came out well last. Food was okay...$60+ for three dishes tho' Service: Lacking. Nice person seating you. Server assumed much and gave us forks. Took a spell to get chopsticks :/ Saw the server twice : take the order and deliver the check...for which the bill included an automatic tip. Not that I wouldn't have tipped but I guess the service reflects that they get the tip anyway. Ambiance: Not bad. Place definitely needs a good scrub though. It's got the old oil smell that lingers. Tables are sticky. So net - net, low expectations and low performance. read more

Thanks for the memorable experience. We ordered their tofu with string beans, cumin beef, tripe and sour vegetable fish soup. Food was so tasty and service was great! The owner came out and greeted us. Talked to us about their restaurant history. I will be back soon. Thank you! read more

Take-out review! The Shrimp Fried Rice was fluffy, seasoned well and fresh. There were bits of carrots and zucchini throughout and were not overcooked. My 3yr old loved it. The Beef String Bean had a black bean flavor which was delicious. Beef was very tender. The Lemon Chicken was okay. A bit over sauced. I'm excited to go back and try other items. Customers beware the portions are small. read more

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