Tha Sweet Lou
One of the few restaurants where the service complemented the food in San Francisco. Sat at the bar and Gabriel took care of us really well. The rolls were very tasty and the coconut salad was interesting but good as well. Finished with Mama’s Claypot and the shrimp noodles, both tasty dishes. The specialty cocktails were incredible! Loved the Vietnamese inspired ingredients in their drinks. The Pho’d Up tasted so similar to actual Pho it was really impressive. Overall loved my experience, will come again if I’m back at San Francisco.
… moreRush N.
Probably one of the best meal I’ve had in my life. You think it’ll be gimmicky because given the price but it’s worth it.
Bring the whole family here. I haven’t had a dish where I was disappointed. Portions are huge, so prepare to take them home or share. Highly recommend Bún bò Huê.
… moreRob C
While Gao has such a massive selection of pho varieties, I ended up wishing their broth was more flavorful. But their appetizers and chicken were otherwise so good.
With 3 guests we tried an appetizer and several entrees. Like several have said, the bánh cuon is delicious: the stretchy, chewy texture of the rice flour was excellent!
The five spice chicken was crispy, juicy, and smelled great. Same for the garlic noodles that came with it.
As for the pho, we ordered the brisket variant. It’s possible that because Gao’s menu says their pho is northern style, that this is how the broth is supposed to be. It’s served without basil or soy bean sprouts. While it’s rich and fatty, especially with the addition of the marrow, I didn’t find it had the umami and aromatic flavors of other broths that I personally prefer. They do include a decent amount of meat and it’s tender.
What’s nice is that the restaurant does have both chili oil and crushed red chilis available upon request. I found these both helped the tastiness of the overall pho.
I’ve been to restaurants where sometimes the pho broth is more flavorful than others so I wonder if it’s possible that this is what happened, especially because this is Thanksgiving week and we saw signs that Gao is closed then.
Regardless, we liked the food enough that’d we’d come back again to try more of their menu. They have so many different things on offer that it’s still worth the try.
… moreAlzila
This spot used to be the Kentucky fried chicken for the longest I could remember. I have been to their other location many times, I wanted to try out this location ever since they have opened and finally I got the chance to. I came here to celebrate my sister’s early birthday location where she had made a reservation since they tend to be busy. Upon arrival, we were seated almost immediately even though it was during the dinner rush but not too busy yet. The restaurant is semi split with one side being their dining area with two floors that includes a open kitchen and the other is for their bar with tvs for sports. This place has been fully renovated, they have many traditional Vietnamese decorations that makes this place legit. Their menu is digital and you scan the QR code for quick access. It consists of appetizers, authentic Vietnamese dishes, noodles soups, vegetarian items , party trays, catering is available, kids menu, non-alcoholic beverages and much more to choose from. Everything was made to order which is always a plus for me since it is quality over quantity because I am a very patient person and I never mind the wait. All of our orders came out quick and hot, pretty amazing for a high volume spot that attracts a lot of customers. As time went by, many people came by to pick up orders and the place quickly filled up from people coming here to dine in. You can choose to dine in, order for pick up or have it delivered to you via a delivery app. The service was great thanks to their welcoming, well trained and understanding staffs that made my visit a satisfying and issue free one. I highly recommend this place to all Vietnamese food enthusiasts, if you are looking to try something new, to anyone looking for a laid back spot to dine at or if you just so happen to be in the area. I will be back to tryout the other delicious options they have to offer.
… moreThuy Tran
Gao Viet Kitchen is a great spot for Vietnamese food in San Francisco. The beef noodle soup was amazing—the broth was rich and flavorful, and the beef was incredibly tender. I especially loved the pork ribs added to the noodles; they made the dish even more satisfying. Everything tasted fresh and well prepared. We will definitely come back again soon!
… moreElizabeth Becker
Dining at Gao Viet Kitchen was a delightful experience from start to finish. The food was exceptional!!
From the moment we entered, the welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff made us feel right at home.
… moreCaitlin
One of my favorite restaurants in the bay!! Authentic, delicious, and quality dishes. My boyfriend and I have been here twice and each time was just as great as the last. I already know what we’re ordering next time. Not pictured are the Big Gao Pho and the Brisket Fillet Pho. Everything was incredible but my absolute favorites were the Crispy Gao Chicken and the Big Gao Pho. Service was also very friendly, attentive and quick.
… moreYi babush
Foods are amazing! The dishes are on the fancy side, the entrees and vietnamese street foods offeres here could be hard to find at other pho places. Took me multiple visits to try them.
But it’s a pricy. And the reaterant charges “Gao Viet’s Fee” on top of tips and tax.
Favorite:
The coconut coffee slushie is bomb!
Marrow craker: the sticky rice cake below -rich coconut flavor. balanced so well with the fatty topping
Love the Banh Xeo and Ban Beo
My friend ordered Banh Canh Gio Heo (a special noodle soup) and he likes it too
Cocktail: Da Nand Delight, the one with jasmine tea in it
… moreDavid Ly
Excellent food. We ordered the FILET MIGNON PHO : Filet Mignon, Onion, Green Onion, Cilantro, Rice Noodle.
And CHUBBY PHO : Filet Mignon, Tendon, Marrow, Onion, Green Onion, Cilantro, Rice Noodle.
Both are good excellent in taste and flavors, portions were generous.
Definitely back for more.
… moreCarey
Delicious foods, but the beefs were overcooked. Better decoration than the San Mateo one. But, with over $100+ entree, we expected to get better service. The servers should pay more attention to the customers. We waved our hands a few times but no one noticed us. The tables are too small for large bowl/plates. Our utensils were dropped on the floor because of not enough spaces. We saw our next table also dropped their utensils. The environment is spacious but the tables are too small.
… more