The only way you would know about this place is through word of mouth or if you know someone local. Pretty hidden spot - or atleast you wouldn't notice it until you see a line outside. I came here on a Thursday night and there was a queue outside the place like around 8:30 PM. So the place is definitely popular. Given the wait times - I decided to go with a to go box. The ambience is pretty average - it's a small place. They pretty much cook in front of you seperated by a table. Talking about food - it's very simple and cheap. I tried Tofu Mushroom and I liked it. Not much going on - just simple homely food. Maybe that's what pull people here. read more

Yamo - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Waited about 30-40mins for dine in on a Saturday night. Fyi if you're just getting it to go, you can "skip" the line to order I see some reviews complaining about service but you have to understand this whole operation is run by two ladies who are doing all the cooking, management, and everything. They did a fine job to me! The food is incredibly affordable with main plates at just $9 Yamo house noodles (9/10) - smoky, savory and delicious! Tea salad (8/10) - acidic and crunchy, balanced with a slight bitterness Chicken Curry (6.5/10) - not bad but was lacking some richness/depth of flavor. Probably wouldn't order this one again Also love the picked jalapenos and cucumbers they have on their counters read more

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Love this place! It's one of those siimple places that makes you glad that you live in San Francisco. The service is fast and the ladies who runs the place are direct and take no nonsense from anyone. Hahaha they are bold and funny at times. As for the seatings. It's first come first serve at the counter bar. I think about 6-8 stools are available if you're planning on eating there shoulders to shoulders with strangers, other than that it's a good place to get your order in and take it home to eat it. As for the pricing. Most of the plates are $5 to $10 so you can't go wrong for some really good noodle or rice plates. This place is in the mission district so if you're thinking of driving here and think parking will be easy then think again. Mission district is known to be crowded and hard to find parking. Make sure to have a friend with you so you can jump out of the car and let your friend drive around the block a few times until you get your food. Other than the parking situation, this place is a must if you're looking to stretch your buck for some good fast hearty food. read more

Their house noodles are delicious and moreish at an remarkable price point. The main appeal is the affordability and the quality of food you are getting. We arrived on a Friday evening where a line has already been starting, but the wait was not too long. The atmosphere is fast-paced, so I would recommend having an idea of the menu and what you want since the lady taking orders was shuffling the diners in and out. It's definitely not a place to sit and enjoy the food in relaxation, but they do have takeout options. It's a small restaurant so you are sitting shoulder to shoulder with everyone lined up at the bar. You can see the lady cooking all the incoming orders and it's quite impressive the speed at which dishes are created. Also this is a cash only establishment. read more

Yamo - Samusa - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This little place was sent from heaven! BEST prices which they're famous for, incredible flavors, and large portions especially for the price! I assume it's a mom and daughter that fun this place and they are so nice and funny. Every bite I took of my YAMO HOUSE NOODLES and TEA SALAD I was trying to think of how I could recreate it at home and... I have no clue so I'll be back here soon. Yamo, watch out for me! Highly recommend. Expect a line, it's worth the wait. read more

Yamo - Tea Salad (perfect) - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Some of my friends had recommended this place as somewhere that was super affordable with good food so my friend and I decided to check it out on a Friday night at around 6:30 pm. There was a small line as they only had 8 seats inside and we got seated around 20 minutes later. The main person who was taking our orders was very direct and slightly rushing us, and came across a little rude at times. Samusas - Fresh and came straight off of them cooking it right in front of us. It was hot, crispy, lightly spiced and filled with a great curry flavor. A nice appetizer to start off with. Yamo House Noodles w/ Chicken - This was a pretty big portion size for only 9 dollars! The chicken was soft and the noodles had a good chewy texture. Mixed all together with the garlic and the sauce at the bottom, it reminded us a bit of the flavors in indomie. The crunchy garlic on top and the aroma of the overall dish made it very enticing. For the price and the portion sizes, it is for sure worth checking out but be prepared for the possibility of long lines and it is a cash only place. read more

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Finally got around to trying this spot after hearing so much hype about how much of a hidden gem it was. Definitely an experience watching the one chef cook everything in their super tiny kitchen. The seating is pretty cramped and the wait was quite long (about an hour on a friday night) but I'm glad I tried it. The yamo house noodles were so garlicky and chewy -- my favorite dish of the night. I thought the cold noodles were okay but a little too oily and sour for me. The black bean fish was super comforting -- not super flavorful but really good once you get the sauce. Overall for $9 per dish it was super filling and cooked fresh and piping hot, so worth the price! read more

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Yamo is described as a hole in the wall, but it's more home in the wall. Over the course of our dinner we heard other patrons say bye to Michelle by name and MAMA. There are so many regulars and it feels like a slice of comfort when coming in. We got the Samosa's chicken noodle soup house noodle special with beef and tea salad - all top notch. We already have our sight set on coming back soon, with dishes picked out already. Service is fast and it's wonderful just watching the chef work her magic. Make sure to try the pickled cucumbers! read more

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The prices here are actually wild! In the best way! $9 for a meal is insane in the city. For great food, too. We ordered the house noodles which were super garlicky and oily and yummmmyyyy. The chicken curry was super interesting- new flavors for me because I don't normally have Burmese food but still really good! I think the flavor is something I still need to get used to but it's definitely delicious! There were two people working / serving / cooking. Both of which were super fast and friendly. It's a small place- NY type small but luckily they had two seats open for us as soon as we got there- good luck I guess. I was very pleased. I will definitely be coming back! read more

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I LOVE this place! Great value, delicious food, and amazing store owners. The Yamo House Noodle is packed with flavors and I could eat many meals of the noodle! The fried rice is umami and the samosas are quite good too. Overall this place is a stable for me. It offers tasty food at a very affordable price. They're cash only. read more

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Got there to be first in line. Ok, line forms to the right. Saturday, Michelle let us in at 5 pm when yelp said open at 5:30 pm. We were told the tea leaf salad has a kick, so we passed on it. All the salad had a kick of spice. Samosa was this small freshly fried, crunchy potato inside. 5 in an order. Delicious. Curry chicken very light in flavor but I tasted the coconut. We got rice but next time get the noodle. That noodle is addicting. We got the house beef noodle. Yes really good. Lady next to me had tea leaf and noodles. Our last dish was an after thought, the mango chicken with noodle. I can just eat that again and again. Michelle was the daughter of the cook. Duo extraordinaire. She was the prep, cashier, the peacemaker, and crisis intervention specialist. Lady in line insisted on coming in when restaurant was full. read more

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Certainly affordable. Cute shop. The ladies running it are friendly and efficient. Tea leaf Salad was my favorite dish. Tried 4 other dishes/noodles and just didn't care for them. Fun to visit and try. Just not a place I would hit up again. Place is cash only. read more

Yea for YAmo!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FINALLY made it after years of hype in my head! This place is like the Mission's version of Cordon Bleu (and if you haven't been to Cordon Bleu on California & Polk, go fix your life immediately). There was a small line, but it's one of those places where patience is rewarded. We scored some counter seat and settled in. Of course, they were out of samosas (sad face), so we went with the spring rolls AND egg rolls, plus the Yamo noodles with beef and the tea leaf salad. That salad stole the show, it was a bit spicier than I've had before, but in the best way. The noodles were solid too, and everything came out quick because they are not about that linger and hold up future counter revenue. The best part? The whole deal was around $32 for 2. Fast, tasty, and a total bargain. My only beef is that they're not open for lunch anymore Note no Diet coke and you canNOT bring in alcohol. read more

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I came to Yamo for dinner and the food was incredible! The beef house noodles and tea salad were packed with flavor and is easy to see why they are fan favorites. The prices were very affordable especially considering the quality and quantity of food we received. The place is small seating less than 10 people and just two staff members, your typical hole in the wall. But it was quite cozy and the service was excellent. When we came there wasn't a wait but while we were eating the line quickly grew. Overall a great spot for tasty home cooked Burmese food. read more

Yamo - Yamo House Noodles - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friends and I stopped by for a meal and left happy. We really enjoyed the tea leaf salad and the samusas. The salad was refreshing, and the samusas were crispy with a strong curry flavor. The house noodles were okay, but a bit on the bland side compared to the other dishes. A nice spot with some standout items, and I'd come back to try more read more

It is endearing how Michelle (the waitress) remembers all of her customer's names. Yamo is a small eight seat counter style restaurant ran by a daughter and mother team. My Burmese tea salad $9 and chicken house noodles $9 were delicious. A lot of flavor. It is great for the price. There was a 30 minutes wait at 7:30pm on a Monday. Excellent dinner tonight. read more

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Always great food My favorite is spinach noodles and tofu You get the full experience of seeing your food get cooked read more

Yamo - Spinach Yamo House Noodles with tofu - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good cheap food, but overrated. The samusas are like mashed potatoes fried covered in a flaky crust. 3/5 The house noodles were delicious. The chili oil with the peanuts give the meat and noodles an even better flavor. 4/5 The mango chicken wasn't great. The only flavor was in the sauce which wasn't savory enough. The chicken, and vegetables were very bland and surprisingly the mangoes too. 2/5 The wait for sit in can get pretty long since there only like 10 spots to sit on the bar. But that is the vibe - interpersonal quick cheap eats. I went around 6:30pm and waited around 25 minutes on a Tuesday. I would come again for some cheap good noodle dishes, but not if it was out of the way or if there was a wait. read more

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Had to see what the hype was about this place! They always have lines outside the door right when they open. The place is super small with bar seating to fit less than 10 people and 2 workers cooking up some homemade inspired meals. Tried the sambusas, house noodles and mango chicken! Unfortunately, the two main dishes didnt hit the spot. The house noodles were plain and lacked flavor. Luckily, i grabbed some vinegar and chili sauce to add which made a huge difference. The rice that was served with the mango chicken was hard. The mango chicken looked saucy and delicious but also lacked flavor. It does give you the freedom to add more sauce and customize the salt level to your liking. The sambusas, however, were really good! Super crispy Overall, its a decent hole in the wall shop with very reasonable prices compared to everywhere else in SF! I would come back for the sambusas and possibly wait to dine in one day to see if the food quality is different! read more

Yamo - Yamo House Noodles - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good food. And a fun place to eat. A really small place- 8 stools and really close quarters. Had the: House noodles with beef, House fried rice and Tea Leaf Salad. The noodles were fresh, hot and tasty. The nuts were a great addition. The beef was tender, thin cut and seasoned well. Probably one of my favorite noodle dishes. The tea leaf salad was ok. Not the best and a bit too much vinegar, wish there were more peanuts. I tried a bite of the fried rice. The only option was shrimp. The rice was delicious. The ambiance was like a New York style dine and dash ( you pay of course). It was neat to see the 3 ladies behind the counter: cooking and taking orders. Come early. There is a line outside but things move quick. The lady took our order when we got to the front of the line so when we sat down our food was ready in minutes. All dishes $9 I will be back. read more

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My go-to Burmese place in SF. Not much seating inside, but it has great food and great service; takeout is always an option. Ordered the Tea Salad, Yamo Cold Noodles, and Yamo Chili Spinach Noodles. Each of the dishes was well-sauced and delicious. The tea salad was good as well. read more

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Went here on a Thursday night around 7pm and there was a line out the door as there's not a ton of seating inside. There was a group in front of us that only had 2 people and then 2 other people joined them right when they were about to walk in which was extremely frustrating as the seating is so limited and is just the bar (no tables). Obviously not the restaurant's fault and I'm not sure how they would control it, but I will say it was annoying. We ended up just getting to go so we didn't have to wait longer. The food was good for the price. It was heavy on the garlic and oil though and not a ton of other flavor. However, I will say the noodles were well cooked, it was a good amount of food, and to be fair it was only $9 (reminder that it's cash only), so I can't be too picky. The staff seemed nice and we got our food within 15 minutes. I would return especially for the price. read more

Yamo - Yamo House Noodles with Pork - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Definitely worth the price! The place is small - run by a mother daughter duo and it's a quick turnaround service if you're ordering out or dining in. Cash only and 8 counter seats. Not a place to lounge around and chit chat; come in, order, eat, and leave; with such small seating there is usually a wait outside but each turnaround is ~40 mins. We ordered house noodles (1 chicken 1 pork), tea salad, and samosas. All very flavorful, well spiced and well cooked - so good for $5-9 each. I'll be coming back. read more

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Honestly the food is just okay, but you can't beat the price. The must get is the house noodle. Noodles were nice and chewy. Flavorful soy/umami sauce - this was definitely our favorite dish we tried. Mango chicken and curry chicken were lacking. Curry was a bit watery and the flavor is very shallow. Across the board the veggies were a little tough for my taste. Would recommend the noodles as a cheap meal if you're in the area but wouldn't go out of my way for this. read more

Yamo - Chicken Curry Chicken Yamo House Noodles - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I always order the $8 house noodles with pork and it never disappoints!! I love the combination of the oil, garlic, and chili crisp (which you add yourself at the counter). Highly recommend ordering ahead for pickup and eating at Dolores Park since seating inside is very limited. Cash only! read more

My favourite Burmese food in SF. Cash only so make sure you have enough to tip well. Michelle and Mama are super friendly and make you feel so welcome. read more

Good food and good price, keep in mind it's a small place and just 1 cook. Patience is key here but it's a solid place. Happy to support this place. read more

Came here cuz of the reviews and was hyped up on Reddit as well. We came around 6 ish on a Sunday and there was already a line. Thankfully, we were only a few people deep. As others have stated, it's CRAMPED inside. A bar style seating with about 8-9 bar stools. It's a mom n daughter shop where the mom's running the kitchen with about 4 large woks and the daughter is dealing with the front end (taking orders, handling the phone and to go orders, adding garnishes to the dishes or playing rice/noodles, and payment. Can't beat the price, unless you eat at home. I got the Curry Tofu and my friend got the Curry Fish. She liked hers and finished it. I did enjoy mine as well, but felt it was under salted by a lot, almost felt like no salt. This is really just cozy, comfy, HOME food. Nothing restaurant about it, and not in a bad way. Just that if you put all of the same exact ingredients together at home, you can have the exact same tasting meal as here. read more

Yamo - Curry Tofu - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Garlic beef noodles.... Service was counter dining only, eat and go. No frills interior, great prices for yummy food. Get there early, lines forms and wait times can get to an hour or more, better yet, get it togo, but there is something about eating it fresh from the pan. read more

* date visited: 10.23.2024 * ordered: house special noodle, spring rolls, and black bean fish wow. cash only and the shop has limited seating; however i absolutely loved sitting at the counter right in front of the cooking. we lined up at around 5:10 before opening and within 10 mins, a line formed behind us. everything came out so fresh and tasty. savory, warm, and comforting the portions were generous for $8 and the flavors were so strong. really love finding hidden gems like this in the city and would gladly line up again for this! read more

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LOVE this little jewel in Mission.. The mother / daughter team offer gréât Burmese food at very reasonable prices .. The food is consistent , fresh, tasty and unique. My favourite's are the garlic noodles , green tea salad and coconut soup/ cilantro . Well worth FIVE stars! read more

Lucky enough to snag a seat on a Wednesday right around 5:30PM. Got the chicken noodle soup - love how flavorful the soup is! And also huge portions for only $8. Not a place to bring a large group - they only have 8-10 seats total. However you can call and order ahead which seems like the move! Cash only read more

I need 0 star option! Super not worth it. Definitely won't come again. I was really looking forward to try this place out and was trying to promote them by taking pictures and the mom ( the lady in green) had yelled at me and said STOP and gave me an attitude without any explanation?!??! She knows how to speak English, yet she didn't want to explain to me why I wasn't allowed to take pictures which is something that a normal person would ( btw there wasn't any sign of no photo allow here). And also, too bad for them i understand canto too. That lady seems to be the owner and she talked to the lady who was cooking with a whole lot attitudes. I understand that the food was ok quality for the cheap price but the good reviews up here definitely got into this lady head a little too much. After we left the restaurant, my boyfriend pointed out that there's a chance when I was taking pics of the cook they might have mistaken that I would reported them because I saw a cockroach near the kitchen earlier but in fact i just wanted to take pic of the kitchen setup as it reminded me of home. But bc this lady had to act so rude, unwelcoming and unapologetic, yea THEY HAVE COCKROACHES IN THEIR KITCHEN! Ps: sorry to whoever sat next to my right, i noticed she collected back the unused napkins ( or so she thought that was unused) and gave it to you when you asked for napkins. read more

Yamo - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've been to Yamo several times and must say that I don't think the reviews on here are very accurate! A lot of them are heavily skewed positive by people who support mom and pop (which is great) but they definitely are dishonest regarding wait times and quality of food. On the flip side the heavily negative reviews are a bit out of touch with the fact that this is a mom and pop shop run by a hardworking mom and daughter duo. So here is an accurate review, the ideal customer for this place is mainly college students or young professionals with a lot of time and very little money. The wait time is long, nearly 45-50 minutes every time I've been which is to be expected because only the mom is cooking each meal and they are very popular due to their extremely low prices (a gem in San Francisco). The line is not always really comfortable to wait in because you are outside in the cold and the organization is of course confusing with people waiting on the wrong sides and then getting upset when they realize they need to move or to go order customers blocking the door and jumping ahead. The daughter takes all the orders and she's quite kind and cool and does treat customers as friends which is nice. However, this can cause some issues with guests treating their restaurant more like a local bar. The last time I went one of the to go orders did not wait outside like the rest of the guests and had her FaceTime on speaker and stood right in my elbow space while trying to be friendly with the worker and take a friend call. It's great guests can feel close like this but I wouldn't say that's a good ambiance for everyone else especially after waiting up to an hour to be inside and have a meal. Lastly regarding the food, the tea salad is a knockout every time! However this is the only dish I think they do a great job at. The rest of the dishes, especially the curries, all taste exactly the same and not accurate to authentic Burmese cuisine. All in all it's a great place if you have a ton of time, not a lot of money and want to have an evening eating out for once (especially if you can't usually afford to go out). However, if you're going for a meal that you actually want to taste amazing and don't want to wait for an hour, you may leave feeling something to be desired here. read more

This place is one of the best sf gem and you can't beat it for the price. Most of their dishes are $8 and the food is incredibly flavorful. Really enjoyed all the meals that we got, in any other restaurant they'd be $15+. I've paid $20+ for worse foods. The service is very raw and standard for small family run places. If you're looking for a raw sf food experience, this is it! read more

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Yamo has become quite legendary within the San Francisco food scene. Ask any local about where to score quality food at dirt-cheap prices, and I would bet money that this place is at the top of the list. Run by just a single mother-daughter tandem, this tiny kitchen puts out Burmese and Cantonese-influenced dishes at incredible prices you need to see to believe. It's a neighborhood classic. First off, I will say that I love everything about the experience here. This is, in every sense, an absolute hole-in-the-wall operation; claustrophobes, avert your gaze. Once you reach the front of the line -- which can grow quite long during the early evening hours -- you're packed like sardines into a bar space that ~maybe~ has enough room for 10people elbow to elbow. Once you're nice and cozy, you'll have front-row seats to the show; you can see your entire meal come to life right in front of you. The atmosphere captures the City at its best -- gritty, grind-y, quintessential San Francisco. As far as the food itself goes, l will say I haven't been quite as blown away by it as most others have seemed to be. On my latest visit, I went with two staples: - House noodles w/ beef: found this to be kind of bland. The noodles were cooked perfectly and paired well with the accent of the fried garlic, and the beef was tender, but I simply found myself waiting for a stronger punch of flavor that just never really arrived. I had been really excited for these, but I felt like they fell a little flat here. You absolutely cannot beat the price of $8 (!!) though; I have no idea how they do it. - Chicken noodle soup (essentially Khao Soi): I did end up liking this a little better, although again I wasn't exactly floored. Just as before, I appreciated the execution of the noodles, as well as the way the sharpness of the shallots complemented the dish's subtle heat. That said, I do wish that the broth were richer, creamier, and bolder, with a more profound depth of flavor. I think a heavier dose of coconut milk would have worked perfectly here. Overall picture: As I said before, I really do enjoy the experience here. Despite maybe falling a touch short of expectations food-wise, this place remains a great value and a unique dining experience. These days, forking over less than $10 and expecting a filling, substantial meal would seem like an absolute fool's errand in this city -- yet that's exactly what you get here. And a lot of the folks you end up rubbing elbows with turn out to be really cool people, too; this is a great place to meet new people, especially if you're dining solo. Perhaps most importantly, it is always worth it to support local institutions, especially one run by such a hardworking pair of people. Do yourself a favor and stop by! Side note: hours can be a little wonky; sometimes the doors don't open exactly when they should. You might have to wait it out a bit if you run into the locked gate before dinner service. The line also starts growing very quickly in the evening; my advice to beat the crowds and give yourself the best chance of being seated would be to line up around 5pm or so, preferably on a weekday. You can also call ahead to verify they're open. read more

Yamo - Beef House Noodles. Well-cooked, but could have been more flavorful. Absolutely unbeatable value at $8 (!!!), though. - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Yamo dishes up yummy and flavorful Burmese/Chinese cuisine in the heart of the Mission. I went here recently for a bite with my uncle. Yamo is a hole in the wall yet don't expect five star dining ambiance yet the charm of the hole in the wall is where it's at like Beck. Me and my uncle met travelers dining here hailing from Germany and Sweden. I also met a local who lived in the Mission and moved out of state yet when he lived in SF would dine here daily and every time he visits he always comes here. Yamo has been here since 2005. Yamo is run by Michelle and her mom. Michelle is tough and runs a tight ship. Food is super affordable for San Francisco and friendly yet tough love service. Lines usually line up out into the block. Michelle and her mom hail from China. Many vegan options on the menu. We split the samosa aka Burmese style samosa. They were good. I have had better. I have had worse. We each got the Yamo Chili Spinach Noodle dish. It hit the spot. It was quite alright. Tasty, veggies, and tofu. Filling and affordable aka most affordable entree in SF by far. We would return for the vibe and to try more of the menu aka the Papaya Salad looks on point. Cash only. We'll be back! read more

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Tiny local spot, limited seating inside but great simple meals. I love getting this spot when I just want a quick meal. They have about 8-10 seats I think. The prices are fair for a good portion size. Service is usually fast and very kind. The place isn't the cleanest but it feels homey and the food is great. read more

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What a gem of a spot in the city. It's a true hole in the wall experience with prices you can't beat. Each item was $8 or less, delicious, and extremely flavorful. Michelle was really sweet not just to us but all the customers as orders kept coming in. I do want to note that the hours on yelp may not reflect when they actually open, we came by when it said "open" on yelp but the sign said closed. We got lucky and they were just about to start opening, seems like they determine their own hours. Call first to be sure. read more

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This place is a hidden little gem in the mission, ran by a mother/daughter duo. Tiny space with bar seating for 5-6 people, and usually a small line out the door for people waiting to be seated or for to go orders. First off, the biggest highlight of this spot is the unreal prices- $8 for a delicious filling meal in SF is almost unheard of at this point and I have no idea how they do it, but it is a huge draw. With that said, the food is also excellent and absolutely worth coming here for, great prices aside. I came with a group of 6 and we got 6 main courses and an app and it came out to 56 total! Everything we tried was excellent, but my favorites were the black bean fish and black bean tofu, and the beef curry, all 5/5. The noodle dishes (spicy chili and house noodles) were also great but not mind blowing, both 4/5. Parking can be hard in the area but not terrible on a weeknight. Overall highly recommend for delicious and crazy affordable meal. Expect a wait if you go though! read more

Yamo - Menu - Burmese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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