Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Yu's Cafe

    3.9 (103 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Yu's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Yu's Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Jeanette S.

    Really nice shop with a variety of delicious hong kong desserts! The shop is quite small but there are a few tables available. I enjoyed the mango sago dessert.

    Dolores L.

    Definitely a local hang out. The young lady that took & made our order referred to all the local elderly men hanging out having coffee as "the uncles". It was busy and yummy. We ordered an iced espresso with condensed milk & super strawberry tea w mango pops.

    Aileen L.

    Stopped by Yu's Cafe after the Chinatown Night Market as it was one of the only boba/desert shops still open at 9pm. Unfortunately they were out of boba for the night at this time. It's a cute little cafe with a few tables and chairs inside and on the sidewalk - definitely a little tight on space but enough for a quick stop and chat over desserts. Service is efficient, and I got the mango pomelo sago, which came with quite a generous amount of pomelo (definitely more than what I'm used to getting at other places). It's not too sweet, and the mango wasn't the most flavorful, but it was what I was looking for. My friend got the Mango Sky (?) drink, which was also tasty and pretty to look at as well. Overall, a solid boba shop with a good variety of desserts and snacks.

    Outside
    Sang Yoon K.

    Very authentic old school boba spot. Osmanthus oolong was solid and the barista knew her stuff because she gave the perfect sugar level suggestion for us. Space is tight so might not be able to find seating!

    Menu
    Jennifer C.

    Yu's cafe is a small boba shop located in Chinatown. There's not much seating inside, so this place is lots of a to-go spot. We came on a weeknight, so service was fairly quick. I got the sesame rice balls in ginger soup. It was a light dessert that had a good black sesame flavor to it. The ginger soup was a little watered down, but I didn't mind it too much. I tried my friend's HK milk tea and it had a strong tea flavor. Overall, if you're looking for a quick boba place while in Chinatown, this place isn't too bad.

    Durian coconut sago with added grass jelly
    Eileen C.

    Nice place for a dessert past 9pm since everywhere else is closed so early! Their sago is solid and they use fresh fruit like fresh durian! There're a few tables for dining in, but the only thing is there is no bathroom for customers.

    Yelp About It!
    Steve D.

    57 Walter U Lum Pl San Francisco, CA 94108 Yu's Cafe is a small drink and dessert shop located across from Portsmouth Square ( and Garage). If you're in the parking garage, and take the elevators up to the park, you're in Portsmouth Square. On a warm August afternoon, I decided to visit this familiar part of San Francisco Chinatown. After walking around the park, I noticed Yu's Cafe. It's a small place, with 4-5 small tables. Large menu boards show their offerings. Service is not very attentive. I'm sure it depends on who is working. But I walk in and nobody is at the counter. I called out "ARE YOU OPEN?" There was no answer. Then I see a QR Menu code taped on the glass. I figured I am to order via phone, and then my drink will magically appear. Then suddenly a young lady pops up and says "Hi, may I take your order?" Okay, I ordered: - Passion Fruit Tea, with Grass Jelly $7.25 50% Sweet, Reg Ice The drink was okay. It was cold and slightly sweet, and satisfied my thirst on a warm day. The grass jelly was clumped on the bottom of the cup. Grass Jelly reminds me of my late Aunt Daisy, who often told me to never pass up the simple pleasure of life.....dessert. Would I return? Yes, if I'm in the area.

    Olive R.

    Great small tea place in the heart of Chinatown. Pretty big selection of teas, flavors and "add-ons". Quality was great and it definitely seems to be a local. 3 tables inside and the park is right outside the door. It does smell like cigarettes in there though.

    Jason L.

    Refreshing! Yu's Café gives off that classic old-school boba shop vibe from before the big chains took over. The boba is steeped in a noticeably sweet syrup, so it's worth adjusting your drink's sugar level if you prefer something more balanced. It's a cozy, nostalgic spot with late-night hours, making it an easy go-to for a quick sweet fix or casual hangout.

    Crystal L.

    A yummy local spot for a dessert I always see grandpas hanging out around here. The drinks are unique and refreshing, and they have so many options. They also have a mango slushy dessert with mochi balls, which is my favorite, but it is a larger portion so I would recommend sharing that with someone. The reason for four star is that it is still quite expensive and the service isn't great but it isn't bad. It seems like there are just one to two people working and they're always busy making drinks.

    Taro coconut sago
    Mary V.

    Cute small dessert shop in Chinatown. I was looking for a bubble tea spot when I saw this on my exploration of Chinatown. When I realized they have sago desserts, I decided against the tea and went with the taro coconut sago (served warm or cold) -- I recommend warm. I'm so glad I went with this dessert. It reminds me of home when my mom used to make sago based desserts. It's not overly sweet which is what I love about it! Although, I wish they'd give a little more taro. :) Service is very fast. The place is small. I didn't ask, but there doesn't seem to be a restroom available?

    Taro sago
    Anny O.

    Taro sago 4/5 - this was pretty good but I wish the taro was cooked longer so it was softer. Also think it would be better if the taro was more of a paste instead of chunks. There wasnt a lot of taro chunks so for $6 it was overpriced. Also had to pay .25 extra for a togo container..

    Peach oolong tea
    Annie L.

    The moment I stepped in I was hit in the face by groups of flies. It was disgusting. Didn't look like a clean cafe. I ordered the peach oolong tea. OK taste but not cold enough (no ice) for this hot 90 degrees day. It was literally just room temperature tea with some foam on top. I had my hopes up but didn't turn out good.

    Hong Kong Milk Tea

    See all

    Photo of Jen L.
    199
    697
    2399

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 2
    Love this 12
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jason L.
    47
    62
    104

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Annie L.
    323
    1130
    4822

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Daniel P.
    14
    31
    12

    8 months ago

    The lychee is bomb for com. The service great and the drinks are perfectly sweetened. Highly recommend this establishment

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Service was quick and I got an amazing Boba perfect for just walk-ins and overall great experience but if you're not a Boba person don't go

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Neal S.
    48
    277
    82

    1 year ago

    Very very very slow. Ordered two drinks and only two people ahead of me and 20 mins.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mattie F.
    426
    40
    78

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Got the mango sago to go and it did not disappoint. It was really delicious with fresh mango pieces.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adam B.
    1329
    2465
    7076

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Yu's Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Yu's Cafe

    What are the caffeine free boba tea options here?

    There is a Japanese Oolong tea called good night and it has no caffeine.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    The Nature Stop - Probiotic shots

    The Nature Stop

    3.9(120 reviews)
    0.3 miNorth Beach/Telegraph Hill
    $$$

    I love this little grocery store tucked away in North Beach. It has a great variety of foods,…read morebrands, and even a good assortment of personal care products (if you're needing something in a pinch). The guy working on the weekends (employee? owner? not sure) is nice and polite and always has a smile when we're there. We enjoy picking up unique beer and ciders from the wide assortment in the fridges in the second half, as well as finding interesting cheeses. It's also great for the one or two things you might need that evening or snacks for later. My only complaint is I wish I lived closer so I could go a bit more often!

    This convenient little shop has an excellent wine selection and lots of upscale consumable options…read more Their wine pricing is also often less than the average prices listed on Vivino. It's a grocery store, but has a bit of a boutique and rich vibe. It's one of the few places to get Mary's Chicken in the area and I have to get chocolate every time I go in there. The ambiance seems very hygienic to me, so I feel drawn into the place when I walk by. The Nature Stop has nice stuff, but my review has to be in earnest... maybe 2 or 3 stars? It's annoying that through several iterations of ridiculousness, you have to expect encountering some unnecessary and incompetent problem during each transaction. Two different cashiers didn't seem to understand the concept of tare weight. They weighed the meat with the packaging and attempted to charge me for it, despite the fact that the weight of the meat was printed directly on the packaging. I've worked in a meat department before and I have never seen that kind of inept behavior. It's insulting to the customer. So at the present time, the 2021 Domaine Bousquet Malbec is $11.99 here. The cashier scanned it and it came up as zero. He joked that it was free, but then had the audacity to offer me the obviously more expensive reserve price of $16.99, like the reserve one right next to it, and laughed in my face. I passed as I knew that Trader Joe's has the exact same thing for $9.99. Tonight, the Elysian 'tiger beer', listed at $13.99, rang up at $17.99, the same as their space dust. I passed, but they should at least have offered to have honored the price they had printed out for customers to read. The Space Dust IPA at S&S Market, one block away, was $15.99, so I bought it there and got to pet their cat too. It's a bit of a first world problem, but I didn't notice until being at home that my $6.25 chocolate bar, which is more than I made hourly when younger, was comprised of the wrong variety. I grabbed the chocolate bar behind the front one, to avoid the most touched one. It is a berry chocolate bar instead of the ginger one, and it's great, but still, the employees should be better at recovery. I was one of about two people in the store and it was not busy. I recommend going to this place to get ideas. Double check all the prices and shop around, but they have great merchandise. My suggestion to the owner is to install a self-checkout. The guy stocking merchandise was very helpful tonight with my bags.

    Photos
    The Nature Stop - Hop Wtr 
New non-alcoholic beer

    Hop Wtr New non-alcoholic beer

    The Nature Stop - Protein bars

    Protein bars

    The Nature Stop - Protein bars

    See all

    Protein bars

    Bowl'D Acai - Green Goliath

    Bowl'D Acai

    4.4(734 reviews)
    0.8 miNob Hill
    $$

    I love açaí bowls, so when I saw that they had a happy hour sign (10am-2:30pm daily) for $12.99, I…read moredecided to stop by to grab one for lunch! This location is really close to my work, which was great. I stopped by on a Tuesday at 1:30pm and there were only a few customers inside. I like the simple decor and the big menu on the wall, it reminded me of Hawaii. I ordered the original gangster and waited less than 5 minutes before it was ready. The açaí was not too sweet (just how I like it), and I loved all the toppings that came with it such as the granola, banana, blueberry, coconut shavings, and honey. The strawberry was a bit too tart but other than that, everything was great. I think I've found my favorite açai spot in the city. I can't wait to try other flavors next time I stop by.

    I love Bowl'd Acai! I remember going to their food truck pre-pandemic by Salesforce Tower…read more Their acai bowls are fresh, high quality, and large portions. I find the Green Goliath to be pretty unique, as well as the Original Gangster. I love the light, airy, and plant-filled interior. They also have some good "happy hours" for cheaper poke bowls, acai bowls, smoothies, and bone broths. Service is kind, friendly, and efficient. I love this location in Nob Hill? Polk Gulch? Very bikeable, walkable, and bus-able.

    Photos
    Bowl'D Acai
    Bowl'D Acai - Original Gangster Acai Bowl

    Original Gangster Acai Bowl

    Bowl'D Acai - Green Goliath (front) and Original Gangster Acai Bowl (back)

    See all

    Green Goliath (front) and Original Gangster Acai Bowl (back)

    Cafe de Casa - Peanut Butter Açaí Bowl (16oz)

    Cafe de Casa

    4.5(714 reviews)
    1.1 miRussian Hill, Fisherman's Wharf
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Speaks Spanish

    One of the best acai bowls I've ever had 5/5…read more Coffee 5/5 Very chill hipsterish ambiance A great rest stop or meet up spot Ample seating

    I came here because of the reviews, but now I'm questioning if we all went to the same place. After…read morelanding from my flight and walking down along the Fisherman's Wharf to see the piers, we stopped at Cafe de Casa for our first bite and a place to cool down. The interior is honestly gorgeous. There's a lot of seating and fun decor all around, and it feels like a place you'd want to sit and hang out for a while. The menu is displayed on the wall and offers Brazilian style cafe items like cheese breads, sandwiches, pastries, and specialty drinks like matcha, coffee, and seasonal beverages. Right away though, the service felt off. The workers came across pretty uninviting and seemed more focused on chatting with each other than interacting with customers, which is always a red flag. The prices are also pretty steep, which might be because of the location. I ordered the pistachio matcha and the Brazilian cream cheese sandwich. I don't like my matcha too sweet because I want to actually taste the matcha, so I asked for less sugar. Instead, I was told they'd just add less pistachio cream. The drink ended up being really disappointing. It tasted super flavorless and almost watery. The pistachio cream itself was nice and had real pistachio pieces on top, but it didn't save the drink. For almost $10, it just didn't make sense, especially when their regular matcha is around $7.60. Also, there were no prices listed for seasonal drinks, so you don't really know what you're paying until checkout. The cheese sandwich was good and warm, filled with that Brazilian cream cheese. It was enjoyable, but not something I'd go out of my way for again. It's about the size of a McChicken and priced at $7.60, which feels a little high considering there's no protein, just cream cheese. Overall, I'm not sure if this is just a tourist spot because of its location near the piers, but I left more confused than satisfied.

    Photos
    Cafe de Casa - Love the window logo decal.

    Love the window logo decal.

    Cafe de Casa
    Cafe de Casa - Entrance

    See all

    Entrance

    Yu's Cafe - desserts - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...