Dancing Yak Restaurant & Bar

"Yes, the momos at this Nepali restaurant on Valencia Street are the stuff of legend, but there’s more to Dancing Yak than well-spiced proteins wrapped in beautiful crimson-colored wrappers. They serve amazing small plates, curries, skewers, and other house specials that are as beautiful as the casual, jewel-toned place. Plus, the space is big enough to usually have room for you and a group of friends on any given day of the week (they take walk-ups), and everyone you encounter will be friendly and welcoming." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"Dancing Yak is a colorful Nepali restaurant in the Mission that serves excellent vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free dishes. Go for any of the curries, like the chicken cashew curry or spicy baigun tarkari, and get a side of buckwheat roti to sop everything up. Dancing Yak is also a great option when your group of four spontaneously doubles—the dining room is big enough to host a middle school dance, and it’s easy to get a last-minute table. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"This Mission spot serves up meaty, vegetarian, and vegan options, all while under the gaze of a painting of a big red yak. Start with the momos, filled with a combination of mixed vegetables with chives and homemade masala, before digging into the baigun tarkari, a hearty minced eggplant cooked with onion, garlic, and spices like cumin and turmeric. Keep in mind: you can request all house specialties and curries as vegetarian or vegan, so this is a great spot to try as many dishes as possible." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"It’s been scientifically proven that eating Dancing Yak’s momos will raise your serotonin levels—at least for the next hour, or however long you spend at this colorful Nepali restaurant in the Mission. The momos are juicy and packed with flavor, but they’re even better dipped in their spicy tomato and roasted soybean sauce. Order some immediately if you need a guaranteed pick-me-up in edible form." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong

"You can come here for a large plate of chicken tikka masala during lunch hours, but our choice while the sun is still out is to get an order of momos and call it a day. Both the chicken and vegetable versions are great, and the portions are large enough to hold you over until dinner." - taylor abrams, jess basser sanders, will kamensky