Eric was a fantastic! He offered a comp app due to the miscommunication on our reservation. Would definitely return for the food and service! read more

Turtle Tower - Special #9 Pho Ga and 12. Bún Chả Hà Nội - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here on a Saturday night around 6pm and this place was already pretty busy. They have a little iPad that you can use to put yourself on the wait list. I was the third person and while they had tables available, it felt like they didn't have enough staff to seat everyone and take orders. I eventually was seated after about a 10 minute wait. Service was super friendly but not attentive since they seemed spread thin between the number of diners and takeout orders they were dealing with. From getting here, to getting my food, and leaving, this whole meal took a little over an hour. So, it's not your typical pho restaurant that you can pop in and pop out pretty quickly. The pho was still good as I remembered from their previous location. When I first dined with them years ago, I did not appreciate fresh noodles like I do now. The broth is rich and loaded with tons of meat and noodles. I would totally come back again when I am craving Northern style pho. read more

Turtle Tower - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

JUST LIKE BEFORE! I've been a turtle tower fan since the Geary days and I'm so glad this location kept up with the Geary standard. Their Pho Ga is phenomenal, of course. We got spring rolls and the pandan waffle as apps/dessert to pair with our own individual bowl of Pho Ga. The space is definitely revamped to be trendy and modern. The price has definitely increased but what's new. Our server can be nicer and not so aggressive when taking our orders and shoving us with the bill. read more

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I leave this review advisedly-I last went to turtle tower around 2019 ish and the broth in the pho was delicious. [I'd like to add, I'd definitely come back again and try more of the menu but this is just based on what I had on a solo lunch during the week] This time around, trying their new financial district location, I'll be honest -- the pho wasn't quite as flavorful as I remembered, but maybe it was just this dish. Maybe I have to try other dishes? This pho I got was kinda watered down lacked taste. The nem cua was flavorful, I'd get it again. Fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork, the pork gave it some flavor but overall dry except for the peanut sauce. The service was great Should I come back and try something else? Here's what I ordered: The 1/2 & 1/2 appetizer:  * Nem Cua - fried imperial rolls with crab, shrimp, pork, and egg ($11)  * Goi Cuon Tom Thit - fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork ($8) Pho Áp Chảo - pan-fried beef pho ($19) And a Thai tea, of course ($7) What should I try next time? read more

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I was finally able to visit the reopened, new location of my all time favorite for Northern Style Vietnamese Pho Ga, Turtle Tower! I've been a fan of brother Phan's dishes their entire existence. I started off frequenting their original location 23 yrs ago, the one on the corner in the middle of Larkin St and the sometimes sketch alleyway. At that time their dining room only had the front portion but they quickly grew expanding with a back dining area. During this time my coworkers from SF HONDA and I would have lunch here at least 3 times a week! Our signature dish ordered was their beef combo add chicken (I know the Phan family will remember me by this statement). Later in the years I visited their other Larkin location, Geary Blvd location, and finally their location close to my heart on 6th St!! In closing, I just wanted to pay respects to the Phan fam and their beloved Turtle Tower. Almost my life long memories of comfort food always their warm welcome, beautiful smiles, and friendship. *if your wondering what I thought of the new location and food, check my pics (kuddos for bringing your original team in the kitchen back ) read more

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Minimal street parking, but it's SF, so you can't expect much. The interior is nicely decorated. More modern than the original spot. The Pho Ga is not as flavorful as I remembered. It's bland and lacking in flavor. The add on giblet was plentiful, but too pricey as an add on (not worth it). The tom boc chien gion was probably the best thing we got. It was crispy and made to order. Loved the side of noodles with the greens to wrap, but too pricey for the amount (4 pcs). The Hau Nuong (grilled oysters) was the second best thing. Lots of flavors and toppings. The Com Ga hoac Bo Xao Ca Chua (number 13) was edible, but that's about it (don't get it, I would not recommend). This was our first time here and will be our last. read more

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So so food. High markup for any addons such as veggies or tofu. Decent service and ambience.

I really enjoy the ambiance here, it's unique from other pho places I've been to in the city. The food was good, however, I wouldn't put it above other spots. We got the large pho which was a hefty portion, enough for dinner and the next days lunch. We also got the rice plate with pork. I enjoyed it, but it was lacking sauces. I asked for hoisin to pair with it but they didn't have any which was surprising. Anyways, the service was great and I enjoyed my time but not jumping to go back. read more

Turtle Tower - Large pho - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've heard good things of this place and finally decided to try it out. The restaurant is very vibe-y inside, and spacious for a SF restaurant. To start, I had some of the papaya salad. It was super fresh and healthy tasting, with a nice crunch from the peanuts. I then had the vegan pho. Overall it was alright, but severely lacking in flavor to me. The noodles were great, and the broth had a subtle flavor, but the vegetables and tofu had no flavor whatsoever. I would definitely come back to try the banh mi or a different pho with meat, but definitely would not recommend the vegan pho. I also thought the prices were on the high side for the quality of the food. read more

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Heard that this place was popular so wanted to give it a try! Came here at 8:30 PM on a Tuesday night , and while it was pretty empty, it took us a few minutes to get seated. It also took a while for them to take our order- we had to flag a waitress down, so did not appreciate the slow service at a slow time. We ordered the imperial rolls, the Pho Tai, and a Thai iced tea. The imperial rolls were really good, hot and crispy. Loved they came with vermicelli and lettuce wraps to eat them with. We got the pho with rare beef and the broth was not hot. After putting the noodles over the rare beef for a few minutes, it still wasn't fully cooked, which was disappointing. The Thai tea was not too sweet, which some people might like, but I usually like it sweeter. They also don't have hoisin sauce and have lemons instead of limes- which is a pet peeve of mine. The ambiance of the place is nice and vibes, an has a full bar. The noodles just won't satisfy my pho cravings. read more

Turtle Tower - Imperial Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fast and friendly service by team members especially Sarai who made our dining experience memorable. Delicious and crave-able cocktails, appetizers, Northern-style Pho and Banh Mi in a nicely decorated and clean restaurant with awesome lounge music in the background. read more

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FRIED ITEMS IN SOUP I'm not a fan of pho as I tend to find the broth bland. That may be because of the raw meat and cold condiments dilute the broth. I came here for lunch to celebrate my co-worker's one year anniversary at work. When I looked at the menu one item that caught my attention was pho ap chao. It was a pho that included pan-fried beef and noodles. I thought that was unique to have fried items in a soup. When I got my pho ap chao what I noticed was the oil in the broth. How was the pho ap chao? Having fried items in a soup change the texture of the broth. From appearance the broth isn't clear. When I tasted the broth it was hearty. The fat and oil from the pan-fried beef and noodles make the broth robust. Most of the time when I order pho I don't like to finish the broth because it tends to lose flavor. However the pho ap chao I ate at Turtle Tower was one of the most savory and flavorful broth I ever had in pho due to the fried items. read more

Turtle Tower - Phở áp chảo - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came in as a party of four and were seated right away. Every staff member we encountered was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant has a bar inside and is open super late, until 3AM on Fridays and Saturdays! They had lots of seating options along the wall of one side of the restaurant. We ordered a few different types of their large bowls of pho such as the pho ga, pho bo dac biet, and pho tai lan. The best of the three was the pho ga, with its clean golden chicken broth and the juicy chicken chunks. Our least favorite was the pho bo dac biet because the broth was lukewarm and the meat stayed red and raw the whole time. The pho tai lan had a nice smoky taste, but the soup felt a little too oily since the ingredients were stir-fried beforehand. The appetizers was good as well, and I really liked their chicken wings. They were juicy, big, and plump, just the way I like my wings. The fresh rolls were decent too, though nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, this place is a great option when you're in the area and wanted pho. read more

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It's back! I remember Turtle Tower closing a few years ago, but it's back in FiDi. The new location rocks a warm, casual hip interior with lots of warm colors. Fine for a date night, or more likely, chatting with coworkers over a meal. Mix of bar seating, table seating and minimal diners in the restaurant just before 6pm on a Monday and we were seated right away. Service was friendly, with a few servers checking in on the party during the meal. The menu is pricier than I recall, but it's FiDi so it fits right in and prices have gone up overall in the last few years at all restaurants so it was expected. My friends and I ordered a few pho and the house made shrimp chips. The chips were great: hot, flavorful and great dipping sauce which comes with them. I tried the pho ga, and it was lighter than I recall it being, but still hot and delicious. The downside was the meat was not as tender even after sitting in the hot broth for a while. My friends loved their orders of pho, with a few also disappointed in how not-tender the meat is and it was inconsistent depending on which pho someone got. The regular size is plenty for one person. We didn't get a large, but everyone was glad they went with a regular, size-wise. read more

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Service was friendly but unfortunately the pho was a big miss for me. It's a shame since I'd been really looking forward to coming here since they reopened in the new location. I'd had pho at their old location. I had the beef combination pho and the noodles were mushy and overall just meh. If I want pho I'll go to a more traditional pho place and will pass on this place. read more

Every experience at Turtle Tower is a great one! The servers are always kind to us; they have great knowledge of the menu and they make great recommendations! Their pho is AMAZING! I always order a large so that I can have leftovers, because the leftovers sit well too! I also tried an oyster this time as well. I was a bit hesitant because the oyster was $5, but it was large and did not disappoint! This is a cozy spot that's open late on weekends, the perfect place for an easy date night or for when you need a pick-me-up comfort food night! read more

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Turtle tower was good! I came here with 2 friends for dinner on a weekday night and we were seated right away. We ordered 2 bowls of the #9 (pho ga), 1 bowl of #6 (pho ap chao), and shared an appetizer of chicken wings. The chicken broth for #9 is on the saltier side but hearty and the noodles were good. I tried my friend's #6 and was pleasantly surprised at the smoky taste from the pan fried noodles! It definitely had a stronger pack of flavor and the broth was heavier + thicker than the pho ga. read more

Turtle Tower - chicken wings (appetizer) - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wanted a "lighter lunch" since we have dinner plans, so came here. This is the style of pho where there is no hoisin sauce available, no bean sprout or basil that accompanies your pho. I got the pho chay (veggie pho) and flavor was perfect, didn't need any accruements. Tried the grilled oysters, very well seasoned. The sauce was tasty. Service was friendly and helpful. Would come back. read more

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Solid work lunch with generous portions and friendly service! We tried the imperial rolls which were nice and crispy, and the bowl of pho were comforting on a rainy SF day. The broth was fine, and the noodles were well-cooked. The regular size was pretty large. I wish there was hoisin sauce. Total for two for two bowls of pho plus an appetizer were $60. Service was pleasant and we were able to talk our time at chat. read more

My 7,500th Yelp review is not as momentous a milestone as I like to think it is, but it gives me a good excuse to review a business that I had patronized since 2000, well before Yelp was born. Even though we've had a rollercoaster relationship over the years, I would return to their Little Saigon and later SoMa locations with some frequency until they both sadly closed toward the end of 2023. Imagine my surprise when I saw they had reopened next door to my dentist's office on California Street as an upgraded FiDi restaurant instead of the working class pho house it used to be. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing as changing economics required a revised targeting of their customer base. Prices needed to increase, and in a nutshell, that's the state of the restaurant industry. Back on Larkin Street, Pho Ga used to cost $6.75 for a small bowl, and they offered Pho Ga Long for a dollar more. That's when they added chicken giblets which was my favorite version. Now Pho Ga costs $19.50, and Pho Ga Long is no longer on the menu. I asked if they still offer chicken giblets to which he replied affirmatively that they do but only served on a separate plate. It also cost an additional $7. So how was the sum of all these parts? Good (Photo 8). The lighter Hanoi-style chicken broth survived the cross-town move as did the noodles which still had the familiar chew. The shards of chicken breast were somewhat overshadowed by all the gizzards and livers I piled into my bowl. Their menu also includes rice plates and banh mis, so there are other reasons to return because after all the turmoil they've been through, Turtle Tower deserves a second chance. FOOD - 4 stars...solid but not an everyday bowl anymore... get used to the FiDi prices AMBIANCE - 4 stars...gussied up for the 'hood SERVICE - 3.5 stars...nice enough TOTAL - 4 stars...I hardly knew ya, Turtle Tower RELATED - Exploring the FiDi? Here's my collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2FO2OZN read more

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Somewhat solid for what you get in the heart of Fidi, and good spot for meeting up with coworkers/friends after work We ordered the Pho Ga--super light broth and I was surprised to see the flatter rice noodles. A decent amount of chicken, but I was a bit surprised to not see bean sprouts or the typical toppings (but now that I'm re-reading the menu, I see that they explicitly say "our soups are served without bean sprouts, basil, and hoisin sauce, as is the Ha Noi tradition" lol). Noodles tasted super fresh and were nice and soft We also got the Pho Bo Xao which I liked better. It was super colorful with the slices of carrots, celery, leeks, onions, and beef. The "no broth" was interesting and I liked the viscosity of the liquid, which the noodles nicely soaked up the flavor. Beef was a bit tough, but there were lots of pieces so I was content Staff were super attentive--we were waiting for our friends to park their car, and I think we were checked in on by at least 3-4 waiters/waitresses to see if we needed anything All in all, each dish was ~$20 which is what you can expect in Fidi...definitely not cheap by any means, but reasonable. I don't think I'd realistically crave this food over a more authentic Vietnamese restaurant elsewhere in the city, but then again: (1) I don't know if I'd go to this restaurant for the food (don't get me wrong, it was good!), but rather the location/ambiance would be more of a reason to visit, and (2) I don't normally have Northern Viet food, nor do I think I have the palette to discriminate between Northern vs Southern Viet food read more

Turtle Tower - Pho Ga - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Turtle Tower is famous for their chicken pho so I had to order the #9 when I came to try their new location in Fidi. The chicken broth is a bit on the salty side but still light and filling with a rich flavor. Noodles are fresh and I appreciate that the chicken is a mix of dark and white meat. Definitely add the jalapenos that are provided on the side for a spicy kick. Prices have definitely gone up with this new location but I'd say it's still worth visiting for a casual meal. Note: that they don't offer any basil, bean sprouts or other herbs on the side as it's not traditional. Next time I come back I'll need to try the appetizers and the beef pho as well. They recently extended the hours until 4am on Fridays/Saturdays. I could definitely see this as a great spot for late night food! read more

Turtle Tower - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I personally didn't love anything that we ordered. I ordered the rare beef pho and the meat didn't taste like good quality. The beef was also not cut up properly so it was a little bit difficult to eat. I had to rip it apart myself. The Bahn Mi sandwich wasn't anything special, the bread didn't seem fresh and was dry. The service was good and the space is nice. I don't know if I would come back. read more

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Honestly, everything we got was really good. It's actually kind of hard to find solid viet coffee in SF, but the coffee here was strong in a good way. I ordered the cafe muoi and the salted cream on top was so good, it really brought out the flavor of the coffee instead of overpowering it. We ordered two pho dishes, but the Pho Ap Chao really stood out to me. It was my first time having pan fried noodles in soup form, and it reminded me of beef chow fun (gon chow ngau hor) but with broth. Super unique. We also tried the imperial roll, which had a really nice texture. Honestly liked it more than a typical egg roll. The spring rolls were also really good. The veggies tasted fresh, which made them really refreshing. read more

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I MISSED YOU! Turtle tower is back and is better than ever. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to like Turtle Tower on 6th street because the pho ga was delish but ALWAYS made my stomach hurt afterwards. This time around, we ordered from this location and the pho ga was perfect. It must have been opposite day because I had a tummy ache to begin with and wanted some soup. Turtle tower hit the spot. The texture of the noodles was absolutely perfect- nice chew on the fat noodles. The broth was not too salty. The chicken was nice and not dried out. What's most impressive is that pho usually does not travel well, but we ordered via doordash and it made it in one piece! I LOVE YOU TURTLE TOWER. DON'T EVER LEAVE ME AGAIN. read more

Decided to try this new spot with my coworker at lunch time! We decided to go a bit early at 11:30am to beat the lunch rush and boy was that the right decision. During out meal we slowly saw a large crowd waiting outside to be seated. You have been warned - GO EARLY! We bother ordered pho tais and an imperial roll to share. Before we started eating i asked the waitress for some hoisin sauce and they said they dont have any. I guess i didnt read the menu well enough because it said that is the Ha Noi tradition! My badddd. It was really interesting to try a different style of pho, the rare beef was also more minced then thinly sliced... i didnt not like it - but i didnt love it either! The soup was VERY tasy and i couldve drank it all if i wanted to! No notes on the broth! Imperial rolls were pretty standard, nothing new or amazing but solid tastiness. Overall i would come again, but maybe once the hype dies down! read more

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Dinner review. Vietnamese/pho. D. Nem Cua Fried Imperial Rolls with crab, shrimp, pork egg, wood ear mushroom, jicama 8. Phở Sốt Vang Beef-stewed in red-wine rice noodle soup (Good but a little sweet. Probably stick with the other beef options on future visits.) 9. Phở Gà Free-range chicken rice noodle soup 18 Kings coconut fat washed Japanese whisky, thai tea, cardamom Overall, "I'm a fan." read more

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Drinks were really good Food is good but not exceptional The tables are way too close which made the dining experience not a pleasant read more

I met a friend for lunch. We were seated very quickly and was able to start with our papaya salad which okay, it had very little flavor so I asked for chilies to give it a bite. I had the chicken pho and my friend had the chicken with egg rice dish. Granted this was my first time here and I was expecting it to be great. I have been to many different restaurants that serve this dish and it was better. Service was excellent! Ambiance is very modern and clean. read more

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Dropped by for dinner after a really near by. We were promptly seated and out order was taken, I haven't had Turtle Tower since they returned and I'm glad they're back. The food was good and I loved the cocktail. Great way to end the night. The dining area has these wicker basket ceiling lamps that remind me of my home overseas, so it felt very homey. read more

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we went here on a tuesday lunch and it is crowded! i would recommend making a reservation beforehand so you won't need to sit at the bar. the portion sizes are huge, but i don't think it's amazing. personally, i think it lacks flavor read more

Good food, good service. Not too quiet or too loud, so was able to catch up with a friend over lunch.

Finally tried this legendary spot in person (rather than takeout). Fantastic pho (I got the beef pho), and a surprisingly good cocktail (18 kings). Great service as well. Lives up to the hype! read more

Turtle Tower - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Pretty fantastic pho please that specializes in northern Vietnamese cuisine so don't expect your standard pho! I got the chicken pho, which is what they're known for and it's was hearty and warm for a cold SF day! It is a bit pricey for pho but would def come back again. read more

I've heard great things about turtle tower and how great the pho is. so a group of us came here for lunch since it reopened in downtown. Unfortunately, the wait was around 20+ minutes because we had a party of five and most of the tables were small so we decided to wait for it. The soup broth was very delicious and tasty but for $20 for pho is just too steep. The portion size was small and there weren't that much meat. Normally I can barely finish a bowl but I still feel a bit hungry afterwards. My partner got the sautéed meat and veggies in the broth and he did not like it at all. It was way too oily. Not sure what kind of oil they use for sauté. I think there's definitely a need to adjust pricing and portion size. With so many other great places, I don't think I will be back. read more

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The folks at Turtle Tower were so accommodating for our large group. They really went out of their way to make us feel special & attended to. I ordered the bún chả Hà Nội for lunch, & the server double checked that it was in fact gluten-free. The meal came out with all of the elements separated, which was a fun surprise for me. It took me a moment to realize that I just had to throw it all together. It was a deceivingly large & filling meal! I was so full by the end of it, but powered through because it was just so delicious. I lived vicariously through my co-worker who ordered Vietnamese coffee. She said it was out-of-this-world good. As for ambience, it was very crowded & very loud, but in a way that makes you feel like you're a part of something really special. I could hear the people sitting next to me, & that's really important. Overall a great lunch & I won't hesitate to come back if I'm in the area again. read more

Turtle Tower - Bún Chả Hà Nội - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We had to come try the new turtle tower and it was absolutely satisfying! The broth was deep and aromatic -- you can tell it's been simmered for hours. I ordered the pho tai and the meat was tender and flavorful. The noodles were soft and silky, with lime and jalapeños was a perfect touch. Everything tasted fresh, and the portion size was more than enough. Whether you're feeling under the weather or just craving comfort food, this pho hits the mark. Beautiful modern decor with long counter bar. Definitely coming back but not driving. Parking is scarce in financial district. read more

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Super conveniently located in Fi-Di for a workday lunch! They have an aesthetic, modern dining space and a bar on the side that seemed surprisingly busy on a weekday afternoon. We ordered both the fresh spring rolls and the pho ga as recommended by our waitress. The fresh spring rolls were umami-filled with anchovy-marinated beef, and the pho ga felt like the perfect comfort food for a windy San Francisco afternoon. The pho was a little pricey ($21) for the portion of chicken as were the rolls ($15) for 4 rolls, but I enjoyed the dishes I ordered. I've never tried chicken pho before, so next time I'll definitely try one of the many other Pho choices on the menu. read more

Turtle Tower - Pho Ga - Vietnamese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love that turtle tower came back to SF! I came in at lunchtime on a Tuesday and was lucky they had 1 more long table left for my work group to get lunch. Our noodles came out relatively fast after we placed our orders. I ordered their Pho Ga and while I was satisfied, the soup was not as strong and rich as I remembered at their old locations. Still nonetheless, a solid tasting bowl and the chicken is juicy. Gotta love their handmade rice noodles as well. Price point-wise, after their remodel I can understand why it's pricier than their old locations. But the new store on Montgomery is very spacious inside and definitely more accessible. I would come back to try their rice places and drinks. read more

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