Bac Lieu Restaurant

We stumbled upon this awesome spot in San Francisco. A Vietnamese joint that's all about that comfy, family-style vibe. Lot of unique dishes. great food, reasonable prices, and fast service. I order the crispy fried egg noodle with tofu. I was clean and tasty, just the way I like it. My friend got the grilled pork skewers with rice noodle. and it was full of flavor, our first time trying that dish. Definitely planning to go back and try more of their food!

We’re really glad we tried this hidden gem! What a lovely little spot serving some exquisite Vietnamese dishes I’ve never tried before. Highlights include b12 bac lieu noodle soup (bun mam), sugarcane juice, and the beef pho. The bac lieu soup was stellar! This is a seafood based fish-paste hearty soup noodle with generous helpings of shrimp, fish, and squid (I think). It’s very warming to the soul as it instantly heats up your sinuses and perfect for a cold and foggy San Francisco day. I’m usually not a seafood fan but had to give this a go given all the recommendations. No regrets at all; perfect for nursing hangover. Sugarcane juice is not too sweet and pairs well with the noodle soup. Last the beef pho tai was excellent and on par with the best the city has to offer. Beef quality is great and broth isn’t too salty/intense/MSG. Really like how the soup wasn’t oily at all. Would come back again!

Was craving noodle soup and so glad we tried this place! Quick and kind service. Our favorite was trying the banh khot, a southern Vietnamese dish that was so flavorful and aromatic!

A cozy Mekong Delta Vietnamese option in Bernal Heights serving up a nice mix of noodle soups, bun and rare-find appetizers (i.e. Banh Khot — little shrimp pancakes similar to takoyaki balls). Very friendly service. Stick to the chef’s recommendations, Bun Mam (Bac Lieu Noodle Soup) being one of them — round noodles served in unctuous seafood broth topped with shrimp, fish filet and pork slices. The Bun Bo Hue, however, could have had a broth a bit deeper in flavor. The noodles slightly over cooked. But overall tasty. The spring rolls were light and crispy, served with lettuce wraps.

I like Dry Hu Tieu Nam Vang (or Cambodian ho fun dry noodle), and not many Vietnamese restaurants have this dish. Have to say I have tried this dish in many other places and I can say that it tastes closest to the original in SF. Honestly, the price here is slightly higher than some, but they have lots of different dishes to try and most of them are tasty. The servers are super friendly. The place is cozy and welcoming. Sadly they close for lunch at 3pm to 5pm and I'm often hungry at that time so. Definitely comeback if I'm in the area (cuz I moved far from this area a while ago)

Not the best vegetarian options but there were a good number of them. The crispy egg noodles with veggies was very good. The vegetarian mini pancakes were a bit bland. The curry with rice was good but could've used more flavour. Tofu was extremely soft which I liked.

Quickly sat. Clean table. Fast service. Great food. Vermicelli bowl was good and the imperial roll was great. Garlic noodles are buttery. Crisp tofu was silky inside.

We've come here before as a big group and loved their food and service. The space is quite dark inside though. This time around, we ordered the shrimp wrapped in fried tofu, pho dat biet and bun bo hue. The shrimp appetizer was crispy and juicy. The pho dat biet came with a semi raw egg. You slurr that into the hot soup and semi raw beef, yum! The bun bo hue was the perfect spicy level for me which was very mild. I downed the whole bowl which had lots of ingredients. The noodles for the bbh were round so they were super slippery but they were delicious. We ended the meal with 3 beans drink which was the perfect thing to wash everything down. We came early around 5:30pm but the place got busy fast. Servers there were super friendly.

Don't let the minimal decor fool you--Bac Lieu is a hidden gem for lovers of Vietnamese cuisine. The show's star is their excellent pho, boasting rich, flavorful broth and generous portions--great value for money with affordable prices that don't compromise on quality. The friendly staff adds to the welcoming atmosphere, making up for the basic interior. If you're after authentic Vietnamese flavors without the frills, Bac Lieu delivers. Come for the fantastic food, not the decor! Tip: This is the perfect spot for a quick, satisfying meal that won't break the bank.

Service (2/5): Servers seem friendly however, don't even bother asking for any special requests here. They either completely ignore it or spitefully accomodate to your request. I gave them 2/5 for their service due to a terrible experience I had when dining in. We ordered 4 main dishes that day. To simplify I'll specify the dishes using letters. We ordered Pho A, Pho B with the noodles separated, Dish C, and Dish D. We received Pho A with the noodles separated and Dish D and assumed the other dishes would soon follow. As we were finishing up the first two dishes, we decided to ask about the other two dishes we had ordered. Our server went to check on the status and noticed that she was scrambling. She did not provide an update whatsoever or admit that they obviously somehow forgot about our other orders. Later on, we received Pho B with the noodles inside and a mysterious Dish E (that we had not ordered). Although the noodles from the two phos got mixed up, I decided to look past this. We told the server that we did not order Dish E, and instead ordered Dish D and she started to get VERY defensive saying that she repeated our order back to us and we confirmed it. The server was extremely unhelpful as she did not offer to correct the incorrect dish or apologize. This event defintely left a bad taste of how we view Bac Lieu. Food (4/5): Pho Tai (4/5): This has got to be the best beef pho around the neighborborhood. I'm very grateful to have an authentic Vietnamese restaurant so conveniently located. However, Bac Lieu does skimp out on every way possible. Their rare beef in particular is cut in thin slices, almost in thirds, and is not standard in comparison to all other pho restaurants. This was my first time placing a phone order, aside from dining-in a handful of times, and when I called I asked for extra cilantro. The server clarified saying that the onions and cilatro were already mixed together, and I said that it was fine but still requested for more. However, they completely decided to ignore my request and gave me what looks like less than a handful of garnishes. The fact that they skimp out on their meat and garnishes is very disappointing as their food is pretty decent. I would've easily given them 5 stars if not for this. Five Spice Chicken and Garlic Noodles (4/5): This dish is actually god tier. Something about their five-spice chicken and garlic noodles have my siblings and I on a choke hold, and we consistently order this every time we come here without a doubt. Our only complaint is again how Bac Lieu skimps out on their portions as this dish is served with a measly two pieces of broccoli. In comparison to the decent amount of chicken that comes with this dish, you would think you'd be getting a reasonable amount of veggies, however just seeing the two pieces of broccoli on top is quite funny, almost as if they're just there for garnish/color. In the past, my brother has requested for extra broccoli and was generously given one extra broccoli! How kind of them to add one more piece! I hope in the future Bac Lieu adjusts their ratios being served and has better service.

bac lieu is a homey vietnamese restaurant nestled at the edge of the mission. there's ample seating and you order at your table. we got the banh xeo and spring rolls. the banh xeo was so refreshing and came on a huge platter. i've never ordered banh xeo before, but this was really delicious!! i loved being able to wrap the lettuce with the crepe and add in veggies. it looks like a large amount, but ended up being easy to finish since it is an appetizer. the spring rolls were average, but the sauce was pretty good. overall, i had a great experience at bac lieu and would definitely return!

Uber eats: I was craving for some hot noodle soup & pho popped up when I searched noodle soups. I love bun no hue so I have to order it when I saw it on the menu but I also love pho noodles so I called in and asked if I order on Uber eats, can they help me change the noodles to pho noodles. They said she would do it for me and everything was tasty. The soup was spicy & not too salty just how I like my soup. The meat was super soft that melts in your mouth. Highly recommended

You can taste how above average this place is in the sauces! So good! Very unassuming place you could easily overlook. But bookmark this place! Service was quick and friendly.

Super shady. 6 pieces of thin pork over hella noodles. Almost $20. This just isn't right

The service was quick and the pho was hot! I am very happy with the noodle to broth ratio. They provided lots of bean sprouts, Thai basil, and jalapeños to add to your liking! Overall the pho was good, and there was lots of seating

Don't sleep on this place if you're craving grilled meat! The skewered beef was tender, cooked perfectly with a tasty glaze. It was paired with woven rice noodles, veg, and fish sauce for dipping. My wife ordered pho tai and it came piping hot with strips of thinly sliced beef. The Vietnamese crepe was crispy and delicious. Service was quick, and the place was clean. It may look like a simple restaurant on entry, but the food will blow you away!

The other night me and my partner shared the banh xeo (crepe) and the woven rice noodle sheet & grilled pork skewers. Both were an excellent combo! I would definitely do that again. Normaly me and my partner each get our own pho and share the banh xeo here, but those woven rice noodles are a must!!

3.5/5 Bun Rieu is my all time favorite noodle dish. If it's on the menu, I'll pick it over pho or any other soup dish. The bun rieu was just ok. The crab meatball had ZERO crab flavor and was mostly meat flavor. Sad. Not to mention there was only 1 meatball. Boyf ordered pho and it was pretty solid. If I were to come back, I'd stay away from the Bun Rieu and stick to their pho dishes.

Had lunch with some coworkers a while ago, but still wanted to review this place as it is very close to our office. Our Controller offered to take me out of lunch to celebrate me passing a very difficult exam. This was a great choice. When it comes to Vietnamese food, this guy is a seasoned veteran. I went with combo platter (D2 Special 5 combo rice platter). As I have mentioned in many reviews. I am a big eater. This platter satisfied my big appetite. Everything was fresh, hot and delicious. I cleared my plate. The rest of our party also enjoyed their dishes. Service was decent. I am so glad I learned about this place, because I will definitely eat there agai. And for your viewing pleasure...

As authentic as you can get!! Super friendly staff, who was very attentive and polite. My friend asked for recommendations since it was our first time there. Everything recommended turned out great. The Imperial rolls were super crispy and flavorful. The pho hit it home, right down the chest, with an amazing "ahhhh". The price is on the higher end, but the food was fresh and you can tell the beef was super high quality. The ambiance was pretty lively. There was another large group that were drinking and having tons of fun. Lots of great bars around to go after too. Such a hidden gem

This review is for delivery so it is just for the food which in my opinion was ok but nothing to rave about. feel bad giving it a 3, I would give it a 6 or 7/10 which is why I have it at 3 stars here - but not bad thoughhhh, maybe we just ordered the wrong things Chicken grilled skewers - the portion size was decent and it came with fresh vegetables to wrap your chicken and vermicelli in. Good flavor but not memorable 7/10 Stir fry garlic vegetables with tofu and rice - lacking flavor a little bit. It was a very light dish which was still fine but I would not order it again. Overall I don't think the price really justified the meal since we paid $60 for these two dishes (with delivery etc) and were not that impressed, maybe dine-in would be better *Edited to clarify price includes delivery after the restaurant responded to my post

It was not much meat but good enough. I asked about their fish broth and when she said it is made from fish sauce i had to go with my second choice. Dry noodles with slices of tendons and beef. Comes with soup and a plate of bean sprouts and basil leaves and slices of peppers. Noodles were marinated with subtle sauce. Reminds me of pad thai noodles. It was so hot outside, and when i got in there, it was cool and dark. All the pickup for Uber eats had to pick up from the outside by the sliding glass window. Clean restroom. They have cane sugar drink for $6. Interesting food from Bac Luc.

I was craving bun rieu and decided to try Bac Lieu's. It was a decent bowl although far from the best I've had. The bun rieu flavors were mild and was missing the spunk I love in bun rieu. Service was as expected. The restaurant did have a strong chemical cleaning smell which took away from the dining experience. I would come back to try their other dishes.

Food was okay. Im sickies so the warmth of the broth was great while my taste buds lasted. Service was attentive and answered questions I had about the menu easily. Ambiance was kinda dark for dinner, guess they're setting the mood to relax and enjoy! I'd come back to give it another try when my taste buds are working better!

This place had the largest fried Tofu Skin Shrimp I've ever had. And it was delicious! I'm giving 4stars for the appetizers. The BunBoHue was surprisingly bland to me.

Classic homey Vietnamese restaurant. I got seated instantly on a Sunday night, as the restaurant is quite spacious. The servers were really nice and quick with everything too. We got the bun bo hue and nem neuong spring rolls with the pork. The spring rolls were pretty good (mostly the sauce!), but I felt like it was almost all veggies with a super thin slice of meat. It was alright, but wish it had more of a balance. The bbh was ok too, just didn't think the flavors were potent enough for me to really like it. Was a bit watered down! Generous amount of meat, lots of soup, but didn't hit the mark for me. Maybe this place is known for other dishes, but I feel like we ordered well known items that should meet a certain baseline for me to wanna come back. 3/5

The food came within food came quick on time and hot! Soup was flavorful, hearty and not oily. I'm looking forward to visiting so I can get a sense of the ambiance.

My friend and I both got the oxtail pho and a side of imperial rolls to share. And we are both really satisfied with what we've gotten. The soup is very flavorful and thick, unlike normal pho soup which is always clear, which is what I was looking for when I placed the order. The oxtail pieces are simmered to a perfect texture, not too soft that the meats would fall off the bones, but also not to hard that it's chewy. It's just meaty and juicy. I like all the veggies it comes with too, the only one thing is I think they don't give you enough jalapeño slices. The imperial rolls are pretty good too and I like how they comes with lettuces and mint on the side, which I don't see that really often. So generally 5 stars would definitely consider ordering again.

We ordered combo rice plates a couple of times. Today I felt like some soup for this rainy season in the bay. Off we went but unfortunately, they wore closing in 30mins. We called to see if we could still be seated. The nice lady order the phone and said yes and we put our orders over the phone and sat down with our table ready. My Point is the excellent staff. Fast service. Food wise. My opinion and My taste buds say I'm not too crazy about the combination pho with egg. Yes egg? So i tried... i cant say if that played a role of me not being a fan of there pho. Im not sure if its the restaurant closing but the broth didn't make me say oooh. Something was missing maybe basil leaf? I say that because i think they dont serve it? So for that reason i might stick to combo plates for now. SYOY

Tried Takeout. Super delicious!!! Food is authentic. One of the best! Will surely come back.

This is our go to takeout pho spot. This time we got the pho with rare beef and tendon (P5) and the vermicelli noodles with yellow curry and shrimp (B13). The first had a delicious broth and came with hoisin on the side. It had a decent amount of tendon, but not as much beef unfortunately. The latter had a slightly creamy and spicy broth and an ample amount of shrimp. Great place overall for pho. Definitely worth checking out.

Came here because of the reviews. Not sure if my taste are changing but coming back to SF all the high rated places just haven't lived up to the hype. Pretty average place, quick service and decent food. But not great.

Hits the spot if you're craving Vietnamese food! Pho Bac Lieu Special - 8.5/10 (~$16) This pho had an egg in it! Really special because I've never had pho originating from Bac Lieu before. Their broth was so flavorful, the bowl was hot when it came. Speaks for itself really! Garlic Noodles w/ 5 Spiced Chicken - 8.5/10 (~$15ish) The garlic noodles were a bit mild of the garlic but it still packed a lot of flavor. Loved the chicken. Can't go wrong with this dish. The service was great too! We got the owner as our server and she even went out of the way to look for extra jalapeños for my pho (I'm obsessed with spicy food). This place also felt very comfy and homey.

Everything is so bland here except the seafood soup. Tried it half a dozen times - every single time it's under seasoned, and the broth are super weak like they haven't been boiled enough. (Bbh, pho) The seafood soup is their standout dish.

One of my fave Vietnamese restaurants in town. Don't be fooled by the price ($18/pho) as they do give you 2 servings worth of pho. Not only is it huge in quantity, the quality remains to be excellent. The pho broth is full of flavor. I also love coming here and get their ban xeo! Super delicious food, huge portions and decent price. Really can't complain :)

Been dying for a good Vietnamese restaurant in the city, haven't been able to find it for so long. So glad we found this one! Food was great and Service was great. Five stars!

Came here for the woven rice noodle with shrimp paste dish - flames. We were also lucky enough to to get the oxtail noodle soup (they can run out). The oxtail was my favorite dish. It tasted light but had a rich finish, this was extremely comforting. The ox tail itself was very tender and fall off the bone. The vermicelli with yellow curry was also good, but next time I'll prob substitute egg noodles. The dish itself was maybe 3/5 on the spiciness scale. It wasn't too busy on a Saturday around 7. Parking can be tricky. Would definitely be coming back.

Had catering from here! Delicious food! Great crowd favorites: Fried Rice: Solid dish, not salty. Nem Cuon: Wow I can taste the grill marks. yummy! Garlic Noodles: The catering dish was lined with broccoli and had grilled chicken! So pretty. Papaya Salad: YUM SO FRESH.

I usually don't post negative reviews however after having tried their pho twice I would say I was once again disappointed. The first time my wife, daughter and I tried their food I mentioned to the staff that my pho noodles were all broken. Their response,"You should have told us". I thought I just did. The second time we order a bowl of their Dac Biet. The picture is what we got. I ordered an extra side of tendon and they charged me $8. The order of side tendon came in the a box with a few slices. It was disappointing. Probably will never go here again as that bowl of pho was over $30. Mainly for the extra tendon. But the lack of rare beef was appalling

Was craving pho after work. Stop by this restaurant for my pho fix. They have good food here.

We were a disappointed with this pho. We got rare steak with meatballs and a rare steak with tendon and meatballs. But... There was only one piece of tendon and also very sparse on the rare steak, like 1 or two skinny pieces. Maybe it was an off day? But it feels like way too much money for such a small portion of meat. On the plus side, we got a TON of meatballs, which was unexpected. They were delicious meatballs, too. But it didn't make up for the lack of higher-quality meats we'd paid for. It's unlikely we will order from here again because of the small portion size of the meats.

Service was awful. The waitress didn't want to serve us for some reason. The place smelled like urine!!! I wanted to leave immediately, but my party was hungry. The place is dark and dingy and gross the smell of the place. The food not great. Shocked this place has such a high rating. You lied to me yelp.

This is a great place to get that Vietnamese food fix in San Francisco. Their food came in decent portion sizes and the flavors hit the spot. Grilled pork rice plate: I have simple hopes for a rice plate. As long as there's that strong bbq taste of the grilled pork, I'm satisfied because it's just that good. Mix all the ingredients together with the sauce and you have a refreshing, filling meal. Bún riêu (tomato crab paste and pork noodle soup): This is what I came here for. The broth is so rich in that savory flavor with a hint of tartness from the tomato. Even though it's called a tomato soup, it's not too sweet or tomatoey like a canned soup. The crab and pork makes the stew more thick and hearty.

I got their bun rieu and viet coffee, food/drinks were great but portions definitely on the smaller side.

Workers were nice and it was not too difficult to find parking and get seated on a Sunday for lunch. However, the food was really lacking. The bun bo hue tasted bland and watered down. It was missing that meaty broth flavor and the punch of spices. The ox tail pho was equally bad and the meat was inedible because it was extremely tough and stuck to the bones. If you are craving bun bo hue I would highly recommend Saigon BBQ and Yummy Yummy instead.

Ordered oxtail soup, it was subpar. The carrots were undercooked because they were still hard and crunchy. They used pho noodles instead of rice noodles which was also weird. The noodles were clumping together. Only 4 pieces of oxtail. I'd recommend getting a different soup maybe it's better than what I had.

My favorite Vietnamese restaurant in SF. The staff are friendly and the food was very good! I ordered their 5 spice chicken with garlic noodles. The flavor of the chicken was so tasty! The only thing I ask is if there could be more lighting because the place was a little too dim for my liking. Will definitely return with family and friends!

Didn't think I'd find really good Viet outside of the TL and SJ but happy to be wrong. I am super picky when ot comes to bo kho. Many places make the broth watery and soupy. That isn't stew, yuck. Bac Lieu makes the perfect bo kho AND with oxtail. Nice, thick broth and rich in flavor. Their Banh Khot is as good as Vung Tao in downtown SJ and almost as good as Brodard. Shrimp paste and threaded noodles are also good. Staff was super nice. I'll definitely be back to try more.

Happy New Year! I came on NY Day and called in to-go. I ordered the D1 - Combination rice plate and Banh Khot and it was delicious. The server who took my order was very kind and explained to me the differences in rice plates. I arrived 30 minutes later and the order was not yet ready. I understood that they were busy as they were one of the few restaurants open on this holiday. Food came out in another 15 minutes and they included their taro dessert as a apology for my waiting. The Banh Khot was amazing. Very few places have them in SF. My mom loved them. I will be back. The rice plate was off the chain. I will be back. Will desire my be back to try the other plates.

My gf and I were craving some Vietnamese food and wanted to try somewhere new so we came here. The inside is fairly standard for a casual week night dinner, walked in around 6:30 to one or two other groups finishing up their food, around 10 minutes after we sat down the whole place was filled. We got P3 beef pho and C4 banh hoi (woven rice noodle sheets) with grilled pork skewers. The pho was pretty solid but nothing stand out from any of the other pho places around the city. The banh hoi and pork skewers were so delicious and we will definitely be coming back here for that dish specifically. The noodle sheets were fresh and chewy while the pork skewers were juicy and grilled to perfection. For a drink we got the salted plum soda which was great if you love a salty sweet drink

YUMMM Bac Lieu is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in SF! This place really hits the spot whenever I'm craving a hot bowl of noodle soup. My favorite is their bun rieu .. they use the best ingredients and the flavors are always perfect. Other really good options are: springs rolls (pork meat ball is my fav!), banh knot, garlic noodles (the 5 spice chicken is super tasty), and of course their pho (best hangover cure) -- oh I almost forgot, their desserts are the perfect way to end the meal! Service is always friendly and efficient. The workers are very attentive and helpful. You can tell that good customer service is a priority to them. They implement many of the covid precautions: proof of vaccination cards, constant disinfecting of tables, contactless menu - which by the way is one of the easiest, well designed online menus I've seen for a Vietnamese restaurant. Can't wait for my next noodle soup fix!

THISSSSSS PLACEEE!!! It saved me after a super late night out for Halloween and brought me back to life with their Bun Rieu (tomato crab paste and pork noodle soup - ITEM B10!). It was solid. So solid that I didn't even intend on eating all of it....but I did. The flavor in the soup is delicious - the tomato and crab isn't always easy to get right, but they really nail it. If you can't tell, I am a huge fan of bun rieu so perhaps I'm a little biased. We also ordered the chicken pho and the fried egg rolls. Both pretty solid, but if you are a fan of bun rieu, look no further than this place! Also huge plus for delivering! Lol thank youuu!

Dragged my bf to this spot because so many people had recommended it on Bay Area Eats (FB group). It was on my list and instead of revisiting a sandwich spot, I decided it would be worthwhile to try something new. My bf is Viet and is very picky because his mom made amazing food from scratch, but he was willing to give this place a chance. He looked at the menu, picked a few things, and we sat down. The Papaya salad came out first. The bf ate it all (and shared a little). Next up was the shrimp cake. It was so crispy and hot. It was fresh and the bf was pleased. He even stole one of my pieces. Then our Pho and Bun dishes came out. My bun was tasty and even though I took it home (I'm little), I ended up finishing it later that day. The bf looked at his pho, dipped his spoon in and was pleased that he could see the bottom of the spoon through the broth. They don't have Soda chanh, but they have a limeade. I think this place passes in his book. He gave the same rating as his relatives give when they like a place, so I am going to count this as a win! The service was great. The owner even spoke with other guests for a while. Some walked in and the owner or employees knew the backstory to some of the patrons. This place is well worth a visit.

Bac Lieu has no atmosphere so I prefer take out. The pho is consistently very good, especially pho tai. Staff super-friendly. A neighborhood gem.

A cozy relaxing atmosphere with the most comforting delicious food! Loved the spring rolls and banh khot!! The garlic noodles were really flavourful and the Thai iced tea was not diluted, unlike most places!! You can really taste the tea. Love it. The only thing I would note is the lights are a little dim. Would come back again.

I usually prefer to either dine in or get takeout myself, but it was a busy day so I ordered via DoorDash and it came within ~20-25 mins. Soup was still pretty hot. Surprisingly pretty solid BBH (I'm pretty picky with this dish because I have it a lot as a comfort meal) BUN BO HUE -Noodle texture was still really good and not too mushy -Soup was good; didn't taste like it was loaded with MSG and had depth to it -Meat was a bit dry (but probably would taste better in person!) I will be back to try the BBH and other items in person! :)

The number of places you can get a late night hot meal in SF are dwindling. The ladies at the restaurant are always hospitable and deliver a great tasting noodle soup. Recommend the ban khot as appetizer. Bac Lieu is my viet comfort food go to! Parking can be challenging, but the food is worth it.