Banana Island

Southeast Asian restaurant · Daly City

Banana Island

Southeast Asian restaurant · Daly City

1

273 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015

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Highlights

Eclectic Thai, Malaysian & Singaporean bites with fresh roti and satay  

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273 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015 Get directions

bananaislandrestaurant.us

$20–30 · Menu

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273 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015 Get directions

+1 650 756 6868
bananaislandrestaurant.us

$20–30 · Menu

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Aug 29, 2025

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@infatuation

Banana Island - Review - Daly City - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Head to this lively, plant-filled Thai-Malaysian-Singaporean spot in Daly City for fluffy, crisp-edged roti canai and chicken satay served with a peanut sauce you won’t be able to stop eating. The flavorful Hainanese chicken is a sleeper hit, but the tender beef rendang should also be on your table. The large, varied menu makes it a great place for groups, the portions are generous, and if you’re not ending your meal with an order of ice cream-stuffed roti kaya, you’re doing it wrong." - Gabi Moskowitz

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/banana-island
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James Xie

Google
The food was very good! My daughter keeps on asking when we'll go back, the atmosphere was nice and the service was pretty good. Their green curry is amazing and the restaurant is pretty big. I would 100% recommend it for your next family dinner!

Deanna Leung

Google
Been here a few times and I love the atmosphere, but the food quality seems to be going down. The roti canai is made fresh, yet it was cold when it comes to my table and the dip wasn't even warm. The pineapple fried rice was not very flavorful and the Thai tea tastes bland and creamy, with no tea flavor. I loved their food and Thai tea before so I'm not sure what happened. I came on a Thursday evening, it was busy and there was many bus boys, but I only saw like 2 servers for the entire restaurant. However, the chicken satay came out piping hot and it was super juicy!

Tommy Nguyen

Google
Nice and quiet atmosphere for enjoying an early dinner. Really like the Crispy Fried Sea Bass with belacan sauce (delicious), but didn’t realize I would be getting a chunk of fish instead of the whole fish as in the picture on the menu.

Alzila

Google
Been coming here since a early age. I used to think it was super far from where I lived, little did I know it was just in Daly City. They offer Malaysian style/Singaporean dishes, along with fresh seafood. The roti is a must where it’s made to order. They have a decent sized menu packed with many delicious options. The wait can sometimes take awhile, but I don’t mind that since I have high patience and worth it after all. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking to try new things or just in the area. Definitely will be back!

Mat Lit

Google
A good big restaurant to have family get together. Roti canai is definitely my favorite. Chicken satay is consistent while beef satay can be tough (though still tasty). Food is generally good. The shrimp puffs are extremely delicious—highly recommended.

Ken Wong

Google
July 2024: Enjoyed a very delicious dinner here. Favorites included the roti with curry sauce, the beef satay (thought it tasted better than the chicken), hainese chicken, chow fun noodles, and the crab 🦀. All of the food was very tasty 😋. Service was friendly. Would definitely come back again for more delicious food.

Fan Zhao

Google
The restaurant has many varieties of southeast Asian food. I tried the shrimp noodles, fried chicken wings, and fried bananas. All are sooo good! The fried bananas are along the best dessert that I ever had. The frying dough is so crispy but not oily. The chicken wings are also well marinated before frying. I didn’t order the sigma roti pancake, but saw the process to make it. It was impressive!

Caroline

Google
yum - haven’t had beef chow fun this good since coming from NY Chinatown preCOVID. was fun to see the roti being made in real time.
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Ivayana L.

Yelp
Banana Island in Daly City is always a favorite. The food is consistently flavorful, and it's one of those places where almost every dish hits. It can definitely get busy, especially on weekends, but it's worth it every time. I always enjoy watching the roti being freshly made! it's soft, flaky, and perfect with the curry sauce. I usually go for the pad Thai, Thai-style whole fish, fried rice, and more. And even though I don't eat them myself, I always order the volcano spare ribs to-go for my grandma. She loves them and looks forward to it every time I visit. It's a great spot for sharing dishes and enjoying a family-style meal. Always dependable and delicious.
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Mimi I.

Yelp
I was looking forward to eating here, but was disappointed by what I ordered. The atmosphere is fine (though the restaurant would be better without any windows). The service isn't great. The waiters just kind of stand by the walls. They take your order, but don't come back unless you call them, or until you're given the check. What disappointed me the most is I ordered a meal that didn't have meat (the cabbage mushroom soup). What I got was a cabbage mushroom soup that has shrimp and chicken. When I complained about it, they just said they don't know why it's not included in the menu description! They then said next time ask if it has meat. Those are two main ingredients!
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Juan V.

Yelp
When you are looking to explore different types of island foods and you are a stones away from the San Francisco County line there is a restaurant which has a variety of island dish platters . This place is located in its own hidden island on a one way street within the Westlake Shopping Center in Daly City. This restaurant is a food tour of the different cuisines of the islands of Asia. Here you will find some of the best Asian island dishes . The Hainan island dish I like here is their Hainan Chicken because it's delicious and tender. From the island of Hong Kong there is the wet seafood scramble egg chow fun noodles which are my new favorite type of noodles. The juicy gravy from seafood noodles are wet and delectable. I also like the Singapore Noodles from the island of Singapore which has a tangy savory taste. I often order their delicious Beef Rendang which originates from the Island of Indonesia but this version here is Malaysian and it's yummy. I also recommend the Malaysian Mango Prawns here because they are tangy and tasty. The appetizer I usually order here is the Malaysian Roti which is crispy and comes with mild curry dipping sauce. There are lots of different Asian island foods to discover at Banana Island. Come to Banana Island where the food are from the island that are Asian so enjoy delicious food for any occasion Come for the Mango Prawns and grab a crispy and fluffy appetizer inside at the Banana Island Roti preparation station along with the sauce that is Malaysian
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Eunice C.

Yelp
Busy. I did not know this place is vibin'. The last time I dined here was pre-pandemic and I've never seen it get full with hungry customers waiting in line to get seated until now. Anyway, we came here to get Roti Canai. It is the only place I know where you could actually watch them make it. It is as fresh as it gets. I loved the texture, paper thin crispy on the outside and soft with a little bit of chew on some parts. The flavor was lacking though, so the curry dipping sauce is a must. We also ordered - Poh Piah - a Singaporean style fresh rolls with egg and veggies filling. It was plated on a bed of lettuce which I enjoyed very much as a salad. Seafood TomYum rice noodles - sweet and sour soup with thin rice noodles and tons of seafood. It was really good and comforting especially when feeling under the weather. Overall, Banana Island was a nice surprise. Love seeing a local business booming with customers. I would keep coming back for sure.
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Ernesto T.

Yelp
As My Co Worker & I Decided To Have Lunch Yesterday Wednesday July 23,2025. Food was good specially the Roti As The Appetizer. The Service Was Fast & Efficient. The Ambiance Was Amazing.
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Jessica E.

Yelp
I like this restaurant because it has a very chill family friendly ambiance. I have come with friends and with my brother, and I would definitely come back with other friends/family. Both times I have been here we didn't have to wait too long even though the restaurant was pretty packed. So I would recommend coming a little before peak dinner times -- so before 6pm. The food is pretty good as well. I've really liked their regular fried rice, pineapple fried rice, satay chicken, Malaysian pork chop, and fried banana ice cream. Their Thai iced tea is really good too.
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Ratha C.

Yelp
We usually get seated pretty quickly. The service is good. I like the different selection of food. Some were delicious and some were a miss, overall good spot.
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Shaina G.

Yelp
The restaurant has a great range of southeast Asian dishes. You can't go wrong with Roti Canai and spicy Beef Rendang. Nasi Lemak is another great choice. The cost is a bit higher, but worth it.
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Lily S.

Yelp
This place is a family favorite, but it's a bit hard to find. The front entrance is located in an alley facing a huge parking structure. We recently came here to celebrate Mother's Day with a party of 20. To make things simple, we decided to order the set menu ($428 per table). There was so much food, and it was all very tasty. The Roti is a must-have. It's the thinnest, flakiest, roti ever. Here's what the set menu comes with: + Roti canal (3) - the lightest, flakiest roti with a curry dipping sauce. + Satay chicken - good, typical, comes with curry as well. I wish the curry was more peanut-buttery. + Shrimp puff - ground shrimp ball was delicious and wrapped in bacon. + Green papaya salad - crisp and refreshing + Sizzling beef - good, typical, comes with bell peppers and onions + Kang Kung Balecan (ong choy) - kinda reminds me of spinach and celery. Was just ok. + Coconut jumbo prawn - juicy large prawns with lots of coconut flakes. Yummy. + Curry crab (2) - the curry was to-die-for. The crab was good, but not as meaty as other places + Steamed fish with Nyonya sauce - this is a whole fish with head and all. Pretty good. Sauce was tomato-y. + Pineapple fried rice - this was pretty good with pineapple, shrimp, mushrooms, and some meat (chicken?) Could use more pineapple. + Steamed rice - they didn't bring this out till the end. Many dishes were saucy and could use some rice. + Fried banana & ice cream - bananas were nicely crispy outside, and goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream. Overall, a huge meal enjoyed by all.
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Sarah C.

Yelp
as a singaporean, I thought the food was very average. we got the 1. roti canai ($6.95): very thin and flaky, curry was a bit sweet 2. lobak ($13.95) 3. chicken satay ($14.95): probably my favorite one 4. beef rendang ($18.95): not spicy nor tender enough 5. hainanese chicken half ($19.95): kind of tough 6. string beans malaysian style ($16.95): probably my second favorite, shrimp paste was nicd 7. chow kueh teow ($15.95): suuuper bland, missing wok hei and just some salt 8. chicken broth rice ($3): pretty bland, did not really taste like chicken rice :") 9. fried banana with ice cream ($10.95)
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Samuel C.

Yelp
Welcome to the wonderful world of American Malaysian. Or if you will American Singaporean. (Singaporean is a branch of Malaysian cooking with the addition of a lot of Chinese dishes. Singapore was built in historical Malaya but had a super-heavy concentration of Chinese immigration.) American Malaysian/Singaporean is a thing. It is a good thing. And you can get it at Banana Island. * * * Assuming you can find Banana Island. Banana Island is one of the best hidden restaurants in the Bay Area. Banana Island is buried in an obscure outer building in the Westlake Shopping Mall in Daly City. Being in a shopping mall in Daly City puts it out of reach of Bay Area residents who use BART or MUNI to get places. It is nowhere near Caltrain. Either you own a car, you Uber, you bike, you walk or you learn the busses that serve Daly City. Getting to Westlake Shopping Center does not end your problems. Banana Island is BEHIND the building that houses Massage Envy and Tasty Pot. It is totally invisible from the street. You would never know it is there. It is also cut off from the rest of the mall by a gigantic parking structure that looms over Banana Island. Imagine a concrete whale trying to eat the whole restaurant. The only way you are going to get to Banana Island is to locate it in advance on Google maps and then follow the detailed instructions. And lots of people find their way Banana Island and eat there. People come there because the food is insanely good. * * * Now why do I call Banana Island American Malaysian (or American Singaporean) ? Much but not all of the food is adapted to American preferences. Those adaptations produce food that is pretty darn tasty. The two big adaptations. 1) Malaysian and Singaporean food - like Indian and Thai food - loves its spices and loves its curries. Sambal - spicy multi-flavored sauce - is the rule of the day. There are as many different sambals as there are Thai curries. Heat levels can range from no big deal to blowing your head off. There are many many mild and no-spice recipes in the Malaysian cookbook. Banana Island draws most of its recipes from the no-spice side of Malaysian cooking. Typical example - boiled seafood with noodles and vegetables. For comfort food, you can't beat the mild dishes. They are good for you. They make you feel good. Mommy is taking care of you. And real life Singaporeans eat a ton of these things. They also have a set of quite yummy mild sambal dishes. Look for any of the main dishes that feature shrimp paste in the sauce. Shrimp paste is to Malaysian/Singaporean cooking what butter and cream are to French cooking. Anything with shrimp paste in it is just good. If you want something from the fiery side of Malaysian cooking - check out the small number of dishes that are called ________ Malaysian. (Beef Malaysian, Fish Malaysian etc.) This will get you a medium heat sambal on your food. It will also get you something that is just wonderful. 2) Singaporean cuisine uses a ton of pig organs. Malaysian cuisine proper uses no pig organs but does use a lot of beef organs and chicken organs. (Remember, Muslims can't eat pork. Singapore is religiously diverse.) There are few pleasures greater than a Singaporean bowl of pig organ soup. Malaysian chicken liver or beef liver in sambal is food for the gods. Americans don't like organ meats. So organ meats don't show up on the Banana Island menu. * * * If you want all of the exotic taste delights of the Malay Peninsula. You will just have to buy a ticket to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. If you want to save plane fare, you can just go to Singapore and take a 20 minute bus ride across the bridge to Johor Bahru on the Malaysian side. Going to Banana Island is a hell of a lot easier. Sure you are going to be eating mostly mild dishes ... But those mild dishes are so darned good !!!! If you absolutely positively needed a flaming hot bowl of tripe in sambal, you could probably talk to Banana Island's management in advance. I have little doubt that they could fix that up for you. That final product would probably be fantastic.
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Gillian H.

Yelp
The restaurant can be difficult to find. It's near a parking structure by Fitness 19 in Westlake Center. Look for the green door. It's well worth the search for though. Once inside, the room is spacious with lots of seating. I like the gold decor against the Kelly green walls. I also like the large amount of plants, which add a nice vibe to the atmosphere. Staff was quick to help but gave us space to enjoy the meal. It was a pretty full restaurant at lunch hour but we rarely had to wait. Beware though, I think things are not that spicy but my dining companion felt the heat bad so use your own discretion. Roti Canai Roti is delicious and the sauce, while a tad spicy, is as well. The consistency is a bit crepe-like. Not as dense as the Trinidadian roti, but still very good in its own right. Totally worth the hype. Beef Rendang The beef has a fantastic texture. Gristly. A bit spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken I love this fried rice. The pineapple chunks are small and bite sized and the rice is seasoned very well. Mango Shrimp The mango strips highlight the firm yet juicy shrimp. The spice level is very manageable. Sizzling Tofu The vegetables are all well cooked as is the fried tofu. The sauce tastes excellent. Thai Iced Tea Solid Thai Iced Tea. Less sweet than others I've tried but still works. Mango Juice Refreshing fruit flavor.
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Sandra P.

Yelp
Thai & Malaysian food located in the Westlake Shopping Center next to Fitness 19 and Home Depot. Parking is plentiful in the parking structure. No wait on a Wednesday night but it was pretty packed inside. Our party of 6 was accommodated rather quickly. Food was decent but it was not as flavorful as other Thai establishments I have frequented. I figure it must have more of a Malaysian influence on flavors. Overall, the food was good but I probably would not return. Notable favorite would include the beef rendang. It was a soft, tender and flavorful. It was mildly flavorful & paired perfectly with white rice. The papaya salad lacked the fish sauce, sweet and tangy flavor I'm accustomed to but still hit the spot. It was on the drier side as it did not have much sauce. The beef pad thai noodles were good but not the best I've had. 6/10. The tofu veggie dish was yummy as the tofu was soft and the veggies were crunchy. The chicken satay lacked the coconut milk flavor. The peanut sauce was bland. Pretty disappointed. Overall, ambiance was nice and clean. Service was decent. Food lacked flavor.
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Benny W.

Yelp
There's a multi level parking lot conveniently located across from the restaurant. There were plenty of free parking spots. We came here on Christmas day for lunch and the restaurant was fully packed. Luckily, we made reservations. We were greeted and seated by a friendly waitress upon entering the restaurant. They have an extensive menu. We ordered the roti telur, pineapple fried rice, Malaysian Buddhist, half of Hainanese chicken, Singapore tofu, sarang chicken, and chow keuh teow. The roti telur was cold and it had no onion in there. It was a disappointing appetizer. The pineapple fried rice was too bland. The Malaysian Buddhist came with a mixed of fresh vegis. The Singapore tofu and chow keuh teow were ok. The Hainanese chicken was kind of on the salty side. The ginger and scallions sauce paired well with the chicken. The chicken sarang came in a fried taro nest and it was a pretty flavorful dish. Overall, the prices were fairly reasonable and they gave us generous portions. We'll be back to try their live seafood entrees and other fried noodles.
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Lilian N.

Yelp
What a wonderful "hole in the wall!" I quote because it's a huge place but in the back by the garage where all the other stores in this mall were on the other side. Had my family not told me about it, I would have never known! The food was really good and the service was too! We ordered so many dishes to share but some of my favorites were actually the vegetables! We got sautéed okra with garlic- cooked to perfection, not too soft. The string beans had so much flavor but in an oily overwhelming way. It was the Asian version of "Al dente." I loved it. I also enjoyed the pineapple fried rice. Normally I find this dish overrated but this one was just so fragrant. It wasn't dry, burnt, or oily. If I come back to this area I will definitely be back!
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Josephine B.

Yelp
Food was great tasting overall. Went with my mom on a slow and steady Wednesday afternoon at 1:30pm. If it's your first time coming here it'll be hard to find. We had a really hard time finding the place that we had to call them to ask for direction. It's well hidden. The food was very flavorful and the portion was good. Service was ok, just wish there would've been servers checking on us a bit more often. They didn't have chili oil but they did have cherry sauce which is very good and spicy . All the food tasted very authentic and flavorful . The ambiance is tiki bar vibe. CONS: The only thing I don't like is that the staff don't use gloves while preparing our food. There's a middle island that you see the cooks prep the food and they are NOT using gloves.
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Lynette K.

Yelp
Excellent food.. we were finishing up our meal about 30 mins before closing so my only problem is the waiter wanted us to pay while we were still eating and a manager immediately gave us boxes for all of our food. We weren't the only people there but they did the same for everyone.
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James C.

Yelp
Came here to dine with family on a Father's Day in San Francisco. Had a party of 6, and we were briefly put on a waitlist. After waiting for 20+ minutes, we were seated by the server, and we ordered 6 dishes including papaya salad, coconut rice, seaweed seafood soup, Indian roti, sizzling beef and deep fried Thai style whole fish with 5 orders of rice. Food were so good, we finished them all.
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Minjee C.

Yelp
Every time I've been here, I've always enjoyed the food. Must gets are the volcano spareribs, roti canai, and pineapple fried rice. It gets really busy, so you might have to wait for seating on weekends. It's a decently sized restaurant with lots of tables. Always a restaurant to come by whenever I'm in the area.

Jasmine C.

Yelp
My go to spot for a dinner with friends. We always order the roti, and satay chicken (don't get the beef).
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Jackson C.

Yelp
There aren't a lot of Malaysian and Singaporean food in the Bay Area so if you are in the mood, Banana Island is certainly a viable option. Roti Canal - this version of the Indian flatbread is much thinner than what I've eaten in the past. The mild coconut curry that accompanies it as dipping sauce is fairly bland. It's a very popular dish here but I would rate it 3/5. Satay Chicken - the Satay Chicken is a good portion size and tastes good. It's not as tender as the ones I've had in Singapore but not bad. The peanut dipping sauce has good texture and balance of flavor. 4/5 Volcano Spareribs - these are deep fried spareribs mixed with a sweet and savory sauce, a little similar to Peking spareribs. The portion size is huge and I would say this is a good value but nothing really pops. While it comes with a sizing plate and aluminum foil, the ribs were not really sizzling hot. You can find an elevated version of this dish at New Jumbo Restaurant by ordering the House Special Spareribs with BBQ Sauce. 3/5 Chow Kueh Teow - having recently come back from Malaysia, I've had the local version of this dish. The Chow Kueh Teow here does have "Wok Air" as Chinese call it but is not the same as what you can find in Malaysia which the Work is cooked over Charcoal. Here at Banana Island, it's a little more "wet". I would have preferred it to be dryer. I also think it needs a little more egg compared to the noodles. It also comes with a standard portion of shrimp and squid. The shrimp has a nice crunch to it. Finally, the portion is rather small for $15.95. 4/5 Lady Finger Belacan - there aren't a lot of stir fry okra dishes so this is a unique dish to try. The Malaysian shrimp paste is really mild and I don't think it's spicy at all. The okra as a slight crunch to it but not as much as "work air" as the Chow Kueh Teow dish above. 4/5 Overall, the restaurant is fairly large and clean and is nicely decorated. The service is average to above average. I do like the atmosphere and vibe of this restaurant and does give you a feel for being in Malaysia/Singapore. 4/5
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Sophia K.

Yelp
My family and I love coming here. They are consistently busy so we always call to make a rezzy. Ambiance is fine- lots of traditional decor. My daughters' favorite thing about Banana Island is watching them make the Roti Canai and eating them!! it's truly the BEST. We come here so often that I keep a list of our usual order on my phone so I can easily pull it up when it's time to order. I'll share it with ya! (This is for a party of 9 with leftovers at the end): *6 Roti Canai *3 satay chicken *Malaysian pork chop *String bean Malaysian style (OR ong choy) *Singapore tofu *Eggplant Malaysian style *2 white rice *1 coconut rice (so good with the curry that comes with the roti) *salted egg fried rice (#811)
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Me Iz S.

Yelp
When you walk in, the place looks really nice. The ambience is great good lighting, clean seats, clean decor. Service seems a tiny bit poor - they don't seem attentive to your request, but it also could be that they're short staffed or that it was a busy evening, so I would have to go again to verify if the service is good or not!! It was a mixed gathering, we were a few vegetarians and a few that eat meat. I can't speak to the meat orders, but for the vegetarian - the noodles and the vegetable curries felt the same -- same vegetables nothing different!! one was dry (noodles and same veggies), one was with sauce. The usual bok choy carrot mushroom bell pepper string beans, broccoli. And a side of rice! I felt they could at least do a half-and-half : use some vegetables and not repeat the same vegetables in the other dish! I just learned to creativity and gives it a feel that it is different. And like I said, the service was not up to par. We had to request for water several times. Perhaps they were busy that evening! Going here once is definitely worth it. It seems a bit pricy too!
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Miranda L.

Yelp
Went to dinner on a Thursday night at around 5 pm and our group of 4 was able to get a table immediately. Ordered our usuals and it came out one after another. The servers were very friendly whenever they came by and made small talk like seeing if we wanted to keep some sauces for other dishes. Roti Canai - The most iconic appetizer! They make it fresh in an open area and it's always fun to see how they do it. The roti is thinly made and soaks in the curry sauce on the side which has the perfect creaminess and spice. Green Curry - One of my dad's favorites to order whenever we eat out. It had the classic flavors and is a great balance of spiciness, sweetness and creaminess from the coconut milk. The chicken was soft and all the vegetables were cooked nicely. Lamb Rendang - My friend introduced us to this dish and ever since then we've been getting it. The lamb is aromatic, spicy and so tender paired with the sauce that is delicious over rice. Volcano Spareribs - There is so much that we always have leftovers. The sauce is sweet and tangy and reminds me of the chinese sweet and sour pork that I love. Their menu has a large variety of dishes and is somewhere that my family and friends have loved coming to for years. An amazing place for groups or if you're craving some great asian dishes.
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Eric B.

Yelp
Every once in a while you just develop a craving for Banana Island's famous roti! The soft and crispy texture paired with the curry sauce is a match made in heaven! We got take out this time and the food tastes just as good. You don't get the same vibe as dining in but you'll definitely satisfy your cravings!

Jesse F.

Yelp
Been a while since I had something so bad. Yeah I think 70% of the stuff is pretty good. The quality of the ingredients in general wasn't good. Some dishes it doesn't matter but it did this time I ordered a lamb rendang and the meat was really lean and chalky. The glasses for the drinks also don't hold much. They are clearly fleecing us a bit.
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Amity H.

Yelp
Called ahead for a table of 14 the day of and they were able to accommodate us! We got sat right away upon entering, no wait and table was already all set up. Food came out quickly and were so delicious! All the food tasted amazing but my favorites were the roti canai, coconut jumbo prawns, and pad thai! Most dishes were fairly big portions and our table was stuffed at the end. Even had many boxes of leftover. Took one star off because hospitality could have been better. It is quite uncomfortable for us when their staffs were hovering over our table trying to clear it out when nobody was waiting for a table and closing wasn't for another hour. Nonetheless, a solid place with great food. I would come back!
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Tommy W.

Yelp
We came for lunch with family on a weekday, however it was a holiday. There was a line, but the staff quickly worked us in with a table even though they were short staffed. Servers were friendly and helpful. The entrance is tricky to find but there is ample parking with a garage next to the restaurant We order Roti Canai for appetizer which my nephew said was his favorite dish. We shared: Pineapple Fried Rice Pad Thai String Beans Malaysian Style Mango Sticky rice for dessert All the dishes were tasty and met our standards.
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KC B.

Yelp
My favorite, and what I always come for, is the Roti Canai appetizer. The consistency never misses. I've tried plenty of their other dishes when I come here with my family too and they all tasted really good. We've tried the pineapple fried rice, eggplant Malaysian style, Signapore tofu, sizzling beef, and many others. It's mostly always busy, but we get seated fast if there are no tables available upon arrival. The service is good too. No complaints on my end.
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Helen L.

Yelp
Not as good as before. The roti is still the best with the curry sauce. This time the nest taro was just mashed taro and fried in the shape of nest. Must be new cook. Not very tasty. The pad thai was missing bean sprouts. Liked the bits of tofu. The okra dish with shrimp was disappointing. Didn't want spicy so very plain. Eating mate said there is msg. Got very thirsty afterward.
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Junsheng X.

Yelp
This will always be my go-to family style spot for SEA cuisine in the SF area. The only con? Too many good options and no one can ever finish all the food. From the Hainanese chicken to the shrimp puffs and the Roti - oh my god the Roti - this place is filled with amazing food. There's no one you can fully enjoy Banana Island with just one or two visits Service has always been great for me, despite how busy they usually are. It's also a really cozy looking place despite seeming packed from the outside!
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Auggie L.

Yelp
Went for Dinner Food - 4/5. Roti had a good chew with a distinct sweet flavor. It was a bit too sweet for me, especially since the curry dipping sauce also has sweetness to it. The sauce had the creaminess of coconut milk with an aromatic finish. Beef satay was on the tough side, being a chore to eat due to its chewiness. It was bland on its own, but the peanut sauce gave it good flavor. Still, it wasn't enough to compensate for its tough texture. The pork chops were the complete opposite, having a fantastic texture of tender meat with a crispy coating. The sauce was just sweet enough with a tangy finish. Beef rendang was fork tender with a strong kick. The spice helped liven up your palate, with the added bonus of not lingering on your tongue. Prawns had a bouncy bite with a crispy batter. The coconut flavor wasn't too strong, but the seasoning of the shrimps were good. Mango sticky rice had a cute presentation with perfectly ripe mangos. The rice had good texture and the sauce had a rich sweetness. While I appreciated the lava cake style presentation of the sauce, there wasn't enough of it for the amount of rice, leaving some of the rice to be plain. Service - 4/5. Quick and professional service. Food came out at a good pace so that the table was neither empty or overwhelmed with too many dishes. Value - 4/5. The prices are quiet reasonable with roti at $7, rice dishes in the mid $10s, entrees in the high $10s to mid $20s, and desserts in the $10s. Portions sizes were fitting for the price. I enjoyed many of their dishes with only a few falling short. The restaurant seems to have been around for a while, as showcased by their classic menu choices. It is worth visiting, especially as a larger group. Parking - Mall Lot/Garage (Free)
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Jonathan S.

Yelp
We came to Banana Island for dinner to celebrate my aunt's birthday. Our group of 8 had to wait about 10-15 minutes for a table to open up, but we were seated quickly. They have an extensive menu and can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with Thai, Malaysian and Singaporean dishes. For groups, they have a Set Menu and Family Reunion Menu with preset dishes so you don't have to decide which of the delicious dishes to order. We were all very hungry, so unfortunately I forgot to take pictures and remember all the dishes we ordered, but trust me everything. We ordered were delicious! Service was pretty decent as our server was attentive, empty plates were cleared quickly and water pitchers were regularly filled. There were many large groups of families here eating, so it's a great place for groups of 6-10 people. Will definitely come back and try more yummy dishes!
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Alexis M.

Yelp
I hadn't visited in over five years so I wasn't sure what to expect, but to my surprise, the quality was just as good as I remembered. We shared roti, satay chicken, tom yum soup, and pad thai--all of which were delicious. Dining here brought back a wave of nostalgia since I used to come here often when I was younger. While it's not as lively as it once was, we still enjoyed our meal. The service was efficient, and the ambiance remained familiar, making for a great dining experience.
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Becca H.

Yelp
Really good spot. I love that it is hidden and still so busy! Hidden gem. Great Thai food and great vibe of restaurant. You can see them cook from the center kitchen area. So many dishes to choose from and loved the chicken satay. That is my all time fav!! The beef chow-fun and green beans were really good too. I must go back to try the mango sticky rice!!
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John P.

Yelp
I've been coming to Banana Island ever since I was young and it always does not disappoint! Thai, Malay, and Indo food is truly underrated and needs more exposure esp cause it has a lot of flavor, spice, and once you get started eating, it's hard to stop. If you're going to eat here for dinner after 630, I recommend that you make a reservation. Even reserving a day before or in the early afternoon of the same day is fine. Service is always good. They continuously check on you and refill your water. Food doesn't take that long for it to come out as well. The restaurant has a lot of tables and has had the same design ever since it opened in the early 2000s. They probably should upgrade the decor but it still works I guess! All of the food is amazing! You must try: Lady finger belacan Sizzling tofu Special twins salted fish fried rice Live clam in black bean sauce Chow kueh teow Roti canai Beef rendang Deep Fried Fish w/ Thai Sauce Spice Chicken Wing Honestly you can't go wrong with any of the dishes. Would come back for sure!
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Long C.

Yelp
Been coming here for years. The absolute favorite is the roti. I can eat 3 of those myself. Also love the okra, and of course you can't go wrong with pineapple fried rice. I would skip anything with the shrimp as that can be hit and miss.
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Lorena T.

Yelp
Came for lunch with 3 friends and will be back! Nice ambiance, reasonable prices, great service, free parking and delicious food. We started with the light Roti canai with curry dip (a highlight is seeing the Roti canai made at a counter in the middle of the restaurant), followed by Monastery Buddhist mixed vegetables, Beef rendang, coconut rice, Hainanese chicken, Malaysian pork chops and a refreshing dessert of sweet mochi sticky rice with coconut milk, slices of mango and strawberry. The vast menu is mainly comprised of Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean dishes, but there are other Asian dishes too; eg, I spotted a Cantonese dish on the menu. Will be back to try other dishes!
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Eric T.

Yelp
Located hidden towards the back of the plaza, this is the place to go for South East Malaysian style food. Most of the dishes are spot on, but I would skip the noodles as that's not what this place is known for. Most of their dishes are on the savory side, so consider asking for reduce salt.
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Melanie C.

Yelp
OVERALL 3.5 STARS Banana Island restaurant, fusion of Asian, Thai, Singaporean, Malaysian cuisines, at the Westlake Shopping Center has been a fixture there for a long time. The South East Asian decor is warm, welcoming, festive and inviting but the food nor the service doesn't always rise to match the beguiling interior. They serve, appetizers, salads, beef, pork, seafood, curries, rice, noodles and soups. They do have a big menu. For starters, ROTI CANAI, a Malaysian crispy Indian style pancake with curry dipping sauce was really good. Would do a double order of this. SATAY TOFU was right up my wheelhouse, a crispy fried tofu stuffed w/cucumber & bean sprouts, with peanut dipping sauce. Would order again. THAI LETTUCE WRAPS, Thai basil, sliced chicken w/house sauce and fresh, crisp lettuce leaves was really tasty and would order again. HAINAN CHICKEN (HC) is usually a fav and while it looks great on the plate. The rice doesn't have that rich full flavor of having been cooked with the HC broth. And the chicken is tenderly poached but the skin doesn't have that beautiful snap to it when you bite into it. The dipping sauce helps a lot. EGGPLANT MALAYSIAN STYLE, sautéed eggplant w/spicy Malaysian shrimp paste sauce & shrimp. Love anything w/shrimp paste, enough said! I always try to make it to the end when MANGO STICKY RICE is offered!!! Sliced ripe mangoes served over the sweet sticky rice steamed w/coconut milk & sugar, w/more of the luscious coconut cream spooned over or on the side. So this is a BIG yes in ordering! Maybe doubles?!?! I loved the appetizers more than the entrees but I do need to come back to try the other dishes like SIZZLING MALAYSIAN TOFU PLATTER, HAI-STYLE WHOLE FISH, BEEF RENDANG, CHOW KUEH TEOW. See you there!
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Vince N.

Yelp
Our experience was stellar. We'd been looking for Singaporean food for a while, and got our fix here. We ordered the roti canai, asam laksa, papaya salad, chicken satay, mango roti dessert, and thai tea, most of which were excellent. Many of them were comforting foods, hitting the right notes of sour, sweet, savory for the various dishes, and the portions were healthy for the price point. Although I didn't particularly love the tea, it didn't take away from the entirety of the dinner. Service was fast, only because we arrived before the dinner rush on a Saturday night. We did have trouble finding the location, because it was in an alley between the backside of Burlington and a parking garage. Would highly recommend.
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Serena L.

Yelp
I remember coming here often when I was much younger and decided to give it a try. Of course, we got the roti canai and chicken skewers, two items that I definitely remembered were favorites. Other items were alright. Pretty big portions for decent prices. Roti canai - 4/5, paired with curry. Light and delicious, curry is super flavorful and is perfect with the roti. Chicken skewers - 4.5/5, six skewers paired with peanut dip. Each skewer has two or three big chunks of meat. Tender enough to bite into, but if you like to take the chicken chunks off the stick (like me), it can be a bit hard and you might fling it off the plate (lol). Volcano spareribs - 4.5/5, a big thing of spareribs coated in a sweet and sour sauce. Lots of meat! Although theres a puddle of sauce, the flavor isn't really overpowering and is just right. Beef rendang - 3.5/5, beef in rendang sauce. The beef is plentiful and tender. The flavor isn't that strong, but if you eat it the day after it tastes a lot better lol. The flavor is much stronger and comes with a bit of spice. Eggplant malaysian style - 3.5/5, I only had the eggplant and it was tender and juicy. My mom said it was lacking flavor and mixed more shrimp paste to the leftovers, which made it much tastier. Pad thai - 2.5/5, lacking in flavor and almost seems like it's missing something. Big plate tho.
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Lee D.

Yelp
Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for being open! 3.5 stars rounded up. This was one of our favorite restaurants in the past. Quality/Quantity - Roti Canai - 2 orders. This is the #1 reason we come here, but wow the price has really gone up. My daughter wanted her own but after looking at the price, we decided to share. We used to order 2 of these for each person in the past... Roti Telur - 2 orders; remind me not to order this again. My daughter says that I say that every time I order this. It is very hearty. Generous egg in roti; too heavy for me, especially as an appetizer. Sizzling Beef - This was a hit. The veggies were almost raw, how I prefer them. Too bad everyone else prefers them cooked much more. Volcano Spareribs - The sauce was a hit, we took that home. One person felt there was too much fat, I felt that it needed to be meatier. Singapore Beef Chow Fun - Good, but nothing special. Hainanese Chicken - The chicken rice was so good. Overall dish was okay. Appreciated the two sauces. Malaysian Iced Coffee - This was stronger than I expected, but then again, this was my second cup today and on an empty stomach. Mango Sticky Rice - Loved the sticky rice! The mango was okay. Fried Banana with Ice cream - There is always room for ice cream; I gave my daughter my share of the fried banana. Everyone around us got satays; I will make sure we get this on our next visit as I do not remember that being a MUST get??? Also live seafood, see picture. Also available are pre fix dinners for $368 or $428, see website. Atmosphere - Good size local restaurant in the Westlake Mall. Good for large parties, takes reservations. Plenty of parking across the street, just be careful of the excessive seagulls on top of the structure, see picture. Open 6 days a week from 11:30am to 9:30pm, closed Mondays. Service - Good, he got us everything we asked for. But not very proactive. We also canceled our last dish that never came. FYI - Hot tea is NOT complimentary any more. Price - $160, which includes the mandatory 18% tip due to our large party. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2002 where we have been regular customers since then.
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Valerie P.

Yelp
This has been a spot where my family has been going to for years. The service was great, and the place looks like it has not changed one bit (which is nice)! Today, the food we ordered was good but not like I remember. My sister-in-law did not like the Kangkung dish at all. I haven't been here in a while, so maybe something changed. I remember it being more flavorful than it was. It was nostalgic being back there but different than I remember. Don't know if I would choose to go back again. I say try it for yourself and decide.
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Magda G.

Yelp
Wanted to get a quick bite before a movie. They have limited vegan options but they have some. All tofu dishes have egg in them. We ordered garlic eggplant Malaysian style that was very oily and ok in flavor. The mixed vegetables were delicious and cooked really well, crunchy. Service was very fast as we had only 30 min to eat. The place is spacious. CC accepted.
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Shirley F.

Yelp
Soo we were trying to COMPROMISE with everyone's cravings and Banana Island came to mind. They have IT ALL, from Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian -- ANY Asian -- they have it. We fight for the Roti, so now we order a serving for EACH person. The chicken satay was THE BEST I've ever had. It was cooked PERFECTLY, the chicken was so TENDER, had to order an extra serving to go. Anyways, I defintely recommend y'all stop by when you're in the area.
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Melissa I.

Yelp
I called and made a reservation of 16 a few weeks ago! The food was hella good! We orders 2 of each item and it was plenty of food! I will definitely come back!!!!
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Natalie L.

Yelp
Banana Island's food is honestly so comforting. Their seafood tom yum soup is flavorful and perfect for a cold night, plus the seafood is cooked well and stay tender. Roti was crispy and buttery! Mango shrimp had a good mix of textures and balance of sour and sweet, panang beef curry had tender pieces of beef, and the star of the show for me was the Malaysian sizzling tofu platter. I love fried tofu braised in sauce, and this dish reminded me a lot of the stuff from my childhood. Service was good; they were able to be more attentive than usual because the restaurant wasn't as busy. Overall, Banana Island is probably a comfort restaurant for its regulars, and I'd love to come again just for that sizzling tofu.
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Eva O.

Yelp
A Daly City gem since forever! O R D E R D E D - Roti Canai [their BEST SELLER!] - Roti Kaya [bread + ice cream, who can say no] - Chicken Satay - Kang Kang - Singapore Tofu [love egg tofu] - Hokkien Mee [very saucey] - Special Twins Salted Fish and Fried Rice Noodle [it'd dry based and is the noodle version of salted fish fried rice] V E R D I C T This is like my type of comfort food. I have my go to dishes and they're never made wrong or taste different. It's also fun to watch the chefs do a live demo of making and flipping the roti bread. Their chicken satay is super tender and their sauce pairs perfectly with it. Everyone that I dine here with always gets an order of the appetizer roti for themselves because its so crunchy and addicting to eat, especially paired with their curry dipping sauce. While the price for food overall has gone up, i still come here because I know their dishes hit the spot and there's no other spot near by that can do it like Banana Island.