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✔️Breakfast ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery
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Hours
| Friday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 3132 Vicente St, San Francisco, CA 94116
Phone: (415) 564-3481
Website: http://www.oldmandarinislamic.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Order Authentic Chinese Online | Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant …
Experience the best authentic and delicious Chinese at Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant. View our hours, explore our menu, and order online for convenient …
After Two Decades, Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant … – Eater SF
Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant has been serving a fully halal menu of Northern Chinese food since 2001.
Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant Delivery Menu – Grubhub
Chef’s Specials; Dim Sum; Noodle and Flour Specials; Appetizers; Soups; Clay Pot; Chow Mein and Fried Rice; Beef; Poultry; Lamb; Seafood; Vegetables; Tofu …
Reviews
E Lee
Friendly staff. A bit crowded in terms of spacing. There was a back room that opened up for overflow next door. The food came out quickly. The green onion pancake was good and not too greasy. The highlight for me was the cumin lamb stir fry. The hot and sour soup was not too salty but could use a bit more vinegar which was available at the table.
… moreSaniya R
07/30/25
Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant was recommended to us by a friend, so we decided to give it a try!
Parking: For a quiet day in San Francisco, parking was okay, however it was a bit of trouble for a bigger vehicle. Thankfully, the parking spot we got was on the opposite side of the street and relatively close to the restaurant.
Seating: Once arriving to the restaurant, there were only two pairs of people who were seated, so there was no wait time to get a table for our big group.
Service: The staff were incredibly kind and were offering us suggestions on places to go during our visit (we were tourists)! We did not have to wait very long before our food came, which was surprising since we ordered six dishes.
Food: The food was fresh, served piping hot, and every dish had a different flavour. The shrimp was juicy, the beef was soft, the tofu’s sauce was exquisite, and so much more! To top it all off, we were offered a complimentary dessert which was DELICIOUS!
Dishes we ordered:
* Tofu with Double Mushrooms
* Sweet and Sour Shrimp
* Cold Beijing Noodle with sesame paste (vegan)
* Chicken jalapeños
* Combo chow mein and combo fried rice
* Cumin lamb
… moreOld Mandarin Islamic Restaurant was recommended to us by a friend, so we decided to give it a try!
Parking: For a quiet day in San Francisco, parking was okay, however it was a bit of trouble for a bigger vehicle. Thankfully, the parking spot we got was on the opposite side of the street and relatively close to the restaurant.
Seating: Once arriving to the restaurant, there were only two pairs of people who were seated, so there was no wait time to get a table for our big group.
Service: The staff were incredibly kind and were offering us suggestions on places to go during our visit (we were tourists)! We did not have to wait very long before our food came, which was surprising since we ordered six dishes.
Food: The food was fresh, served piping hot, and every dish had a different flavour. The shrimp was juicy, the beef was soft, the tofu’s sauce was exquisite, and so much more! To top it all off, we were offered a complimentary dessert which was DELICIOUS!
Dishes we ordered:
* Tofu with Double Mushrooms
* Sweet and Sour Shrimp
* Cold Beijing Noodle with sesame paste (vegan)
* Chicken jalapeños
* Combo chow mein and combo fried rice
* Cumin lamb
S. Raziq Mohideen
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.
… moreFrom 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.
OK Boomer Channel
The food here was good and the service is A-OK, but at 3:30 PM with NO other tables occupied, it was not a surprise that there was little wait time for our light late lunch. Ordered three dishes (and a small pot of tea at $3.50) in this small, pleasant venue; (although carpet runner is a bit gritty, and both my guest and an employee did miss a step and nearly tripped with rug runner having a permanent bend in it). Would have enjoyed recommending this place to others until I got the check to find that disclosure of 16% mandatory tip indicated on the menu is misleading. The amount of tip includes the sales tax, and maybe more? (There were two figures for taxes on the bill- forgot to take a screenshot). Therefore the tip for the total on the food alone was just a tad over 26%. I’m always in favor of tipping 20% and/or more on the food IF I’m in a place with excellent service and food, and in an especially nice venue that makes for a great dining experience. This place is NOT that. It’s a mid-range looking restaurant that is certainly NOT a fine dining venue, even though the food IS good. Here’s the math: $56.90 for 2 apps, one main dish and tea before tax. Mandatory tip brought total to $71.71. I did ask server about this policy & showed him the math. The nice young man said his manager has heard this feedback before and basically claims it’s “industry standard.” Sorry, it’s not! Nor should “tipping” be mandatory at 26% of total food costs, especially in a venue like this! Can NOT recommend this place for this reason only. Without this mandatory tipping policy, we’d be regulars. But can’t support an obligatory 26% (plus) tip of $14.81 on a food bill of $56.90 when there’s no choice! Leaves a bad taste…Pun intended
… moreEmily HI (SUNSHINE)
You will never know how amazing this restaurant if you not go inside. It’s a restaurant, the food here is so great, fresh and delicious. but it really more likes a Chinese traditional culture museum. The owner has so many old furnitures, everything has their own stories. I’m so attracted by the owner when he talked about the history and culture. And also, the owner took so many pics with very famous people.
If you like Chinese history and traditional Chinese tastes, try here. You will not disappoint.
… moreIf you like Chinese history and traditional Chinese tastes, try here. You will not disappoint.
Phillip N
Some of the best Chinese food I’ve had in San Francisco – a multiple Michelin guide listed restaurant over the course of its existence, this is a must-visit family run restaurant that is a staple in SF.
They have lots of options – but what makes this place famous is it’s “Extremely Hot Pepper” (chicken / tofu) dish. It’s one of the spiciest dishes I’ve had in my life, and somehow also one of the best Chinese dishes I’ve ever had. A fun challenge that is legendary among our friend group. Be sure to order fried rice or scallion pancakes to save yourself.
As a small note – they only serve bottled water. People in the comments here need to stop overreacting to it, if you’re coming here to eat it’s a small price to pay for amazing food. It’s not expensive at all, and you can take it home with you 🙂
… moreThey have lots of options – but what makes this place famous is it’s “Extremely Hot Pepper” (chicken / tofu) dish. It’s one of the spiciest dishes I’ve had in my life, and somehow also one of the best Chinese dishes I’ve ever had. A fun challenge that is legendary among our friend group. Be sure to order fried rice or scallion pancakes to save yourself.
As a small note – they only serve bottled water. People in the comments here need to stop overreacting to it, if you’re coming here to eat it’s a small price to pay for amazing food. It’s not expensive at all, and you can take it home with you 🙂
beyza simsekoglu
Truly the most delicious meat I’ve ever tasted! I highly recommend it. Especially the lemon chicken, onion pancake, spicy beef stew, and lamb shank. The lamb shank was cooked to perfection, the meat was incredibly tender. The same goes for the lemon chicken, which falls apart the moment you touch it. I will DEFINITELY COMING BACK, I LOVED IT!
… moreLyra Ladshaw
A place that I don’t get out to often, but one of our favorites. My husband and I love the Cumin Lamb. We get it each time we go/order. A little on the pricey side, but the food is well worth it. Whether you are dining in or taking out, I highly recommend giving this place a try.
… mores k
This is a proper no nonsense place for halal Chinese food. Service is super swift and staff friendly. Prices are a bit on the higher side. So is the level of spice in the food so be careful and they even warn you accordingly. So when they mention too spicy , then believe it! Portions are large as well.
… moreSubhan C
Low quality food. Very small portions, like very small and expensive. Dishes don’t even come with white rice. Forced 16% gratuity for 2 people or less, basically forced for no service. This isn’t fine dining just a normal local spot. Only good that it was halal.
… more