Dinosaurs Sandwiches

Great Banh Mi’s… let’s start with that! I ordered “The Special” before having to report for Jury duty to get a quick bite in. I have to say that this sandwich is SPECIAL and I honestly wish I had an extra 10 minutes to savor every bite! As for service, it was quick and friendly, as you’d expect from a hole-in-the- wall joint. If you find yourself at the Hall of Justice or nearby and have a hankering for a solid Banh Mi, look no further!

This is a great spot for those of us on jury duty at 850 Bryant. Super fresh spring rolls with good shrimp portions and a super fresh peanut sauce. It has enough protein to fill you up without tanking the rest of your day (no naps while you’re doing your civic duty capisce?)

I love this place ! I think one of the best banh mi in the city. We have a fixed menu and it became comfort food for us. Pork banh-mi & shrimp spring rolls. Vietnamese coffee + watermelon lychee slushy. Don’t forget the chunky peanut butter sauce

By far one of the best banh mi I’ve ever had. I’ve had banh mi in Vietnam, but Dinosaurs’ Special banh mi was out of this world. It was a perfect blend of flavor and texture in every bite. Highly recommend!

Small but efficient operation, Jenny took my order, a portobello sandwich. The sandwich was great. It was fresh, flavorful and came in an an awesome roll. Convenient to the Hall of Justice Court House.

Awesome place for vietnamese sandwiches and spring rolls. This place is small, you might walk right by it and not even notice unless you are looking for it. Takeout only, no tables or seating area. I would say this place is a must try if you want quick lunch or love vietnamese sandwiches. The grill pork sandwich came hot, had just enough vegetables, and just the right amount of their mayonnaise. The spring rolls had good balance too but the suprise was their warm peanut sauce. It was very different yet loved it.

Firstly, this is a great small business to support and you won’t be disappointed with your meal. The tofu vegetarian banh mi that I ordered was tasty, and I wish that I could tap that 5th star BUT… the $13.75 price decisively usurped 2 stars. My (fully transparent) basis for judging price? A few nearby-ish spots slang delicious, generously-sized $5-ish tofu banh mi. Name-dropping the discount banh mi dealers would be in bad taste (in terms of manners, not yummy-ness, of course), so I will refrain. If a $13.75 price tag is fine with you, then Dinosaurs Sandwiches is the banh mi destination for you! (For those who can’t, once more, tolerate the “bringing/having lunch at home is the financially-smart choice” guilt that a $13.75 lunch will dump on you, but you can: make peace spending ≈$5 “cash only”near Larkin@Eddy, and don’t mind maybe waiting in a usually-moves-quickly line….then there might be more suitable banh mi options for you!)

Hole in the wall Vietnamese diner that packs a Mohammed Ali sized punch. Dinosaurs Banh Mi sandwiches are one of my go tos in SF - consistent, gourmet sandwiches that are made quickly. The place is a hole in the wall itself on Boardman, very easy to miss. Recommend the shaking beef, special pork, and spring rolls! They also carry Korean BBQ flavored chips that are 🤌🏽🤌🏽

Hidden gem. Stubbled upon this place randomly as I was in the surrounding area. Cashier was friendly and Vietnamese sandwiches I must say were pretty tasty. The bread that they use has a nice crunch without all the bread crumbs. The meat was flavorful. I recommend put their hot sauce if you want little spice. Overall pretty good place if you are craving Vietnamese sandwich and you are in the area. They have spring rolls next time I am in the area will definitely give it a try.

SERVICE - located in an unassuming spot in the mission where the entrance does not have a distinguishing sign - limited outdoor tables - seems to be meant for takeout orders - restrooms available for customers - street parking only - sandwiches made fresh to order and served quickly - ambiance good for a casual lunch MENU - Vietnamese inspired sandwiches and drinks - vegan options available - well priced ($14 per sandwich) FOOD - crispy tofu (8/10): fried shredded tofu, rice noodles, carrots, jalapeño, and cilantro inside a roll smeared with vegan mayonnaise. This sandwich came quite close to my expectation of a banh mi. I liked how the carrots and jalapeño were left fresh to add crunch and sweetness. I would have preferred the tofu to be slabs rather than shreds as the shreds got lost in the rest of the sandwich. I also would have liked some sort of umami element like a mushroom spread to add more richness to the sandwich. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! It was a quick and tasty lunch option.

Okay, I ordered a special bun mi & it was $16.20 after tax! Are you joking?! I think the bun mi is decent and would have giving a 5 stars if the price wasn't so ridiculous to be nice.

I was so sad when I got my sandwich. I got the special with no patè. When I began to eat the sandwich, something tasted off. Looking at my sandwich, there was A LOT of mayo and what appeared to be deli meat with the roasted pork. The best part was the vegetables. I tried to taste the fancy pork loaf (deli meat) but it was all covered with mayo. Overall, not a good experience.

I came across this banh mi sandwich place near the Bryant courthouse. The place is pretty small, basically just a counter to order. The cashier was pretty nice. I had "The Special" which has slow roasted pork, fancy pork loaf, and pate. They also had pickled carrots and diakon, mayo, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeno. I skipped the jalapeno. I thought the taste was okay. The pickled carrots and diakon were a little too sour. But if you like the sour flavor, you may want to try. It's located through on of alleys near the Bryant Courthouse.

Crispy tofu Bahn Mi was bomb!! Super fresh bread, nice pickled veggies, all in great proportion to eachother. Yum

Delicious chicken BanhMi and fresh spring rolls. (Pork&shrimp) The peanut sauce is a bit too thick for me. Service was quicker than I expected.

Great Banh Mi's... let's start with that! I ordered "The Special" before having to report for Jury duty to get a quick bite in. I have to say that this sandwich is SPECIAL and I honestly wish I had an extra 10 minutes to savor every bite! As for service, it was quick and friendly, as you'd expect from a hole-in-the- wall joint. If you find yourself at the Hall of Justice or nearby and have a hankering for a solid Banh Mi, look no further!

Multiple vegetarian Bahn Mi option (plus they use a vegan mayo!)--some tasty spring roll options too! Ooh, and get a delicious watermelon leechee smoothie to complement your meal. You'll thank me later. You can easily tell how good their sandwiches are by the line that forms in front, so go early or call ahead, but I know you won't be disappointed with anything you order (note: I've only tried the vegetarian options, but I'd assume the rest of their menu is good as well.) enjoy!

Best damn banh mi sandwiches on the planet. The first time here I ordered the grilled pork banh mi. it was utterly Amazing! The pork was seasoned perfectly, and grilled just right. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. The sauce had a perfect zing. The bread was perfectly toasted. I spent the next few days sleepless, wondering what all the other flavors would taste like..... 3 days later, I went back. my curiosity got the best of me this time I ordered two grilled pork banh mi, one spicy tuna banh mi, and one shaking beef banh mi. Why so many sandwiches? Might you ask.....because I had to. There was no questioning about it..... I began by indulging into the first grilled pork, just to revisit my youth when I first tried it... and there I was, instantly feeling 3 days younger. It was like I found a fountain of youth! It was amazing! I gave myself a few minutes rest before I tried the next one. So you wonder which one I went with next huh? Of course the spicy tuna. The ice cold tuna salad, the demonic spice of the sauce and jalapeños, the perfectly toasted bread the perfect combination to create heaven and hell in my mouth all at one time. I truly had an out of body experience. Once again, I gave myself a few minutes before I tried the shaking beef banh mi. There are not enough adjectives in the dictionary to explain this sandwich. You will just have to experience for yourself. Don't get me wrong, I did finish off that last grilled pork banh mi for old times sake...... I am definitely going back to try some more.

I was never a huge fan of Vietnamese sandwiches until I tried this place. Their bread is so soft! Theres usually always a line when I come but it's definitely worth the wait. The building is small so you order and pickup at the same window. There's some chairs and tables off to the side of the business where you can enjoy your sandwiches.

14.95 for The Special ??? I don't know what is special about it. The pork had no taste and barely had any spread. Been here many times and it keeps on getting worst. No longer my go Bahn Mi spot.

Service was quick and professional, food was delicious! Everything is done with care here, will be back! Kinda hidden but definitely worth it!

I walked by this hole in the wall tucked in a small alley off Bryant. Glad I stopped by! Who doesn't live a good banh mi sandwich? Interior was funky nice with the pinball games for prepandemic patrons. I ordered The Special, slow roasted pork, sliced thin, pâté, pickled veggies and jalapeño. Sooo good! The bread was crusty, the meat was tasty, and the pâté was nice and rich. It is on the pricey side but they posted a letter on their window explaining their costs have increased. But $2.44 for a can of soda is a lot. I'll be back- two thumbs up

Visited the Ocean Ave location and did not have the best experience nor food however this location was really good. Hole in the wall location across from Hall of Justice. Really small inside and no place to sit but service was good, turnaround was fast and prices are reasonable. Tough to find parking unless you double park but well worth the visit. Bahnmi was really good and bread was crunchy yet soft inside.

Food came quick, but the sandwich itself (the portobello one) was a bit dry and didn't contain much flavour.

Delicious, cheap (compared to SF prices), and filling portions are how I would describe Dinosaurs. During the lunch hours it can get super busy, so I would highly recommend you call ahead to place your order so that you're not waiting too long on the sidewalk.

i had the shaky beef sandwich which was great and lots of depth of flavor, could've used more jalapeños. the bread also cut up the inside of my mouth.

Tiny little sandwich shop by the courthouse. Makes for a great lunch break for those on jury duty nearby. The sandwich and the spring rolls together are extremely filling! Pork & Shrimp Spring Roll w/ Peanut Sauce: This tasted fresh to order. Meaning the rice paper wrapper was soft and pliable, not rubbery. And all the veggies were crisp and dry, unlike soggy and slimy veggies of premade rolls. Speaking off, the addition of tart apple slices added such a nice flavor profile. The shrimp was good of course, but the heavily marinated pork was such an indulgent addition. And the peanut sauce was very good. Sometimes it's an afterthought, but here it was an equal partner in the dish. Shaking Beef Sandwich: Looks more like bulgogi or gyudon than shaking beef since it's thin slices rather than thick cubes. But the flavoring is definitely more Vietnamese than Korean or Japanese, so perhaps that's where the Shaking Beef name comes from. Was very pleased with this bánh mì. The bread was fresh, crunchy and chewy. There was a generous of amount of creamy mayo. Had a nice lightly pickled veggie taste which was just the right amount of vinegary. And the beef was extremely tasty! Watermelon Litchi Smoothie: Two of my favorite things in one drink: watermelon and lychee gel! Feels like a healthy version of what you might get at a boba shop since the base is juice rather than sugary tea. Very refreshing, even on a chilly San Francisco day.

Like it because it's conveniently close to work but staff aren't friendly. I like the spring rolls.. not traditional Vietnamese but it gets the job done. The apple slices in the middle are *chef's kiss* a nice touch. Drinks are pretty good-- avocado shake is my favorite.

I just got a sandwich from here today and first bite in...bit into a huge piece of bone. Second bite in got another smaller piece and tossed the whole sandwich.

I love their Vietnamese iced coffee. It's actual dark roasted coffee with chicory, plus sweetened condensed milk, unlike many other places that just put some condensed milk in normal coffee and call it Vietnamese iced coffee (which results in it being too sweet and milky). I would estimate Dinosaurs' Vietnamese iced coffee is more like 15-20g sugar than 30g sugar which is the average amount of sugar for a similar-sized (16oz) iced Starbucks espresso drink with flavor (e.g., iced hazelnut latte, iced mocha, iced caramel macchiato). It's also great that they open at 10am, earlier than most Vietnamese places, so that I can get my coffee fix before it's too late for me to have caffeine.

I'm sure it certainly helped that I missed breakfast, but the vegan crispy tofu banh mi was banging for my late lunch! They use a mix of shredded tofu, taro, rice noodles and jicama along with your usual ingredients. Savory, fatty and yet fresh and crisp, I did not miss the meat version one bit! Things are pricier here in SF and our new normal, so don't be shocked by the $12 price tag, just smile and hand over the money, you won't be sorry. This by the way, is a hop skip and jump from REI, in one of the alley streets across from the old 850 Bryant Jail, and only open til 5. Staff was fast friendly and competent! I am very excited to have finally tried Dinosaurs' sandwiches, and will definitely be back!

Go here because Dinosaurs makes a damn good banh mi! Don't Go here during lunch if you are unable to wait more than 15 minutes to pick up your order. This is a takeout only place. There are no tables or counters to sit and eat at. No problem for me since I took it to go and ate at the courthouse steps on a warm sunny day. Although I eat meat, I decided to go with the vegan portobello mushroom banh mi. It was warm, crunchy, and extremely flavorful! I had almost 90 minutes to blow during a jury duty lunch break, so I didn't mind the wait. And, oh, that sandwich was worth it!

If you're looking for atmosphere, keep going. If you're looking for great food quickly, this is the spot. The big, succulent shrimp in the spring rolls are excellent, really tasty. I was attracted by the banh mi, bragged about by several others and I'm glad I gave in. The problem with a lot of hole in the wall type joints is consistency, but that's never been a problem here. The sandwiches are always delicious and really satisfying. What I wasn't expecting was that the smoothies are actually really great. Plenty to enjoy, definitely worth stopping by.

I come here often and get the chicken banh mi. It never disappoints! The bread is fresh and chicken always tasty. The staff is friendly and not a long wait time.

Dinosaurs makes life easier. If there's one near, I'll go. I was in the area, and so I went. And since I can never decide which, I always order one of the crispy tofu banh mi and one of the roasted portobello. It is always the right decision. Also check out the other vegan options on their menu: the tofu & taro spring rolls with vegan fish sauce, the half-avocado add on, and Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai iced tea subbed with coconut condensed milk and creamer respectively.

Came here for lunch on a Thursday afternoon, around 1:30PM and they were pretty busy. Luckily I had called in to place my order for pickup and it was a 15 minute wait which was pretty accurate. I ordered the grilled pork banh mi which was okay overall. The meat had a pretty good flavor to it, but I feel like there could have been more inside. There was definitely more bread then there was meat. Knocking down 1 star because of this and because ultimately, this wasn't the "best" banh mi I've ever had. *Different Day/Order* A coworker of mine had mentioned that their spring rolls were super good so I called ahead to try them myself. I must say, I strongly agree with my coworker! Spring rolls were a really good size and super filling. The peanut sauce was just the cherry on top. A must try if stopping by!

A bit pricey, but great Vietnamese sandwiches. Amongst the best in the city! Don't be fooled by the hole in the wall location, these are great sandwiches.

The sandwiches here are not as good as they used to be. The bread is more dense and not as fresh as it once was. The spring rolls are good but also are not as filled as they once were. Ok to grab in a pinch.

This is a great hole in the wall restaurant that we stumbled upon walking back to our car from the Warriors parade. We saw three guys eating sandwiches and decided to go in and order! They have sandwiches different styles and spring rolls fresh. They don't have seating but we got ours to go. We enjoyed eating them and so appreciative that they were on our way to the car because we were starving. Definitely recommend to others

After seeing and hearing about Dinosaurs' banh mis in the Castro, I was delighted to find that there was another location near me here in SoMa! It's a bit of a sketchy walk around it since it's near the freeway overpass and in an alleyway shared with sleepy apartment buildings. The location itself is small but makes up for its size in terms of service. The cashier was super friendly, patient, went out of his way to check in on my order progress, and personally brought it outside when it was ready with plenty of napkins without me asking. I had the lemongrass grilled pork, but their meat erred more on the fatty side. I usually prefer lean, so I found myself enjoying just half the meat I paid for and sadly eating beside a substantial fatty discard pile. The bread was smaller than I thought too -- it wasn't a baguette, but a hoagie style. The least enjoyable part though was the amount of mayo... way too much! Every bite squeezed out a chunk that all oozed down onto my plate.

Ordered chicken sandwich and chicken and shrimp bring rolls with peanut sauce. All chicken is dark meat just fyi. Delicious and quick. Homemade bread. My only complaint was plastic packaging and the fake grass made of plastic that was used to separate my spring rolls. Why???!!! Especially in a progressive city like SF where we refuse single use plastic and promote compostable products.

Had jury duty today. Did not bring lunch. Found them on Yelp. Perpendicular to 850 Bryant - Hall of Justice, half a block away on your right hand side. Very small. No seating but good food. Good pricing. Good to my stomach

Located on a side street across from 850 Bryant St. (Hall of Justice). I was on jury duty back in Dec 2016 when a fellow juror took out a banh mi sandwich. She said she got it from Dinosaurs nearby. I didn't have a chance to get one while we were on jury duty until just yesterday when I was at the HOJ to protest a traffic violation. The menu board is a duplicate of the other Dinosaurs sandwich shops. This location is strictly a take away place. No sit down tables at all. For some reason they've got a pinball machine inside the tiny sandwich shop. I got the beef kare kare banh mi which was a special. As it was around 11:15 am, there was no wait. My sandwich was made to order within minutes. Got it home and it was still fairly warm. Including tax, it was $8.95. Check in on Yelp for 10% discount if you are so incline.

I ordered the tofu banh mi and honestly it was the nastiest and most dry banh mi I've had in my life. The bread was definitely old and hard and the fried shreds of tofu had no flavor. Also the mayo tasted funky like it was expired. The only fresh thing about this sandwich was the vegetables. I can't believe I paid $10.75 for this when I can get 2 banh mi's for that price at other banh mi spots in SF.

I usually try to let my meals digest (literally!) before I write a review, but I really have nothing else to do while I wait for my duty as a citizen to resume here at Hall of Justice. Walking up, this is another small operation Dinosaurs...seems like that's their theme despite the size of the creatures in their name. However, size is no judgment factor for Dinosaurs because the sandwiches and spring rolls are all churned out efficiently, are generous in portion, and look rather appetizing. And trust me when I say that this place felt like a literal godsend to me. I don't exactly have positive experiences in this area (woo car break-in!) so I definitely didn't want to wander far. So finding this place just half a block away? Hallelujah! But let's talk sandwich. The baguette is toasted perfectly - golden brown with a symphony of crackles. I opted for the special, of course, and found it very filling with its pate, fancy pork, special ham, and all the goods (cilantro, pickled carrots/radish, jalapenos, cucumbers). It hit all the notes of savory, creamy, crunchy, and slightly spicy. Really good. I do wish there were some tables to sit at though. I was relegated to eating on the steps of the Hall of Justice....not even going to wonder how grimy that was.

Dinosaurs is seemingly the classic Banh Mi spot in SF, and this location is off the beaten path in SOMA, conveniently located near my work. It's a little shop with more vegan options than one would expect, which is why they rate as a 4/5 in my book! I ordered the crispy tofu banh mi and if I hadn't already had my caffeine fix for the day, I would've sprung for a Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed coconut milk since it's not so easy to find a vegan version of that coveted drank 'round these parts! (Except for at Golden Era, go there if you haven't!). The banh mi was good, with fresh veggies and I added hot sauce, but I personally found it to be a little dry and lacking in filling. For ~$9, I wish it had more tofu, maybe in cutlets instead of shreds to keep it moist (lol)? Regardless, I still polished it off happily and wouldn't hesitate to return for a pre-work snack, and would love to try the vegan drinks and spring rolls next time! With so few options in SOMA in general and even fewer vegan ones, I'm stoked Dinosaurs is nearby and will definitely come by again!

Located in a somewhat of an alley way in a shady part of the city. I ordered the pork sandwhich and the mango mint smoothie. Both were absolutely delicious. The pork was soft and perfectly seasoned without being too salty. The veggies provided a great balance. There was just enough Mayo to add moisture and taste. The mango and mint complimented each other very well. The ice quality was great (round granular). Overall impressed with my meal and looking forward to my next visit already.

Best bahn mi's in SF. We order ahead of time and drive to pick up. Amazing every time. The shaking beef one is our fav.

Dinosaurs sandwich was SUPER BOMB! I got the special with a vietnamese coffee for a total of $12! The bread was warmed and incredibly crunchy. They loaded the pâté and the meat! The vegetables were crunchy and fresh. I'm not much of a spicy person so it was nice that there were 1 or 2 jalepenos that gave this sandwich the perfect kick. The sandwich was so big that I had to split it in 3! We came around 12pm on a Wednesday but the line wasn't too bad. They have super fast service and friendly staff. If you decide to order online, make sure to order around 30+ minutes beforehand!

AMAZING. One of my favorite go-to's. Big fan of the banh mi's. In particular The Special & Shaking Beef. The creaminess of the paté in The Special is wonderful, as is the sauce in the Shaking Beef. I ignored the spring rolls for the longest time but was shocked at how much I loved them after trying them. The apple + mint are especially a nice touch and make the spring rolls taste very 'fresh'. The Watermelon Litchi Smoothie is also wonderful. tldr; you can't go wrong with Dinosaurs!

Always great sandwiches here. The vegetarian crispy tofu sandwich is incredible. They have cool imported sodas and a Crazy Taxi arcade game (though it was turned off the last couple times I went).

Was craving a Vietnamese sandwich today, and came across this spot on yelp. I usually order the special / combo etc at bahn mi places, so did that here as well. There was 1 meat (the pork?) which was overly fatty and completely dry at the same time. I pulled most of it out of my sandwich after a few bites, and that made the sandwich a lot better. If not for this meat, maybe I'd bump this place up to 4 stars. Location is also a bit hidden, making parking very difficult. I saw a parking lot on the way out, but it seems there was only a daily rate, which does not make sense to do just for a grab and go lunch. For most customers having to park illegally and risk being towed while grabbing a sandwich, I wish Dinosaur could make sandwiches slightly faster.

Would give ten stars if I could. Great sandwich. Was a small gem I was lucky to discover thanks to jury duty. Will be back!

Ordered : Crispy Tofu Banh mi, Thai Ice tea and Vietnamese iced coffee (both with with coconut creamer). Tiny sandwich shop and friendly staff. They have taken adequate precautions - staff wore masks, gloves and they have screen at the counter. Once you order you wait outside for it to be delivered by the staff. Parking might be challenge during lunch. The sandwich was fresh, tasty and spicy. I found it a bit dry. Extra veganaise next time. The Thai iced tea was good. It was a bit sweet for my taste but I enjoyed it with the spicy sandwich. Vietnamese iced coffee was strong and good. Overall I enjoyed the sandwich and drinks. I recommend this place.

Fantastic small joint and quick service. More amazing is that the vegan options are very clearly marked and the "fish" sauce is also vegan (thank you for not treating fish like vegetables). Apart from bahn mi there's also spring rolls. My only real complaint about this place is that the bread and spring rolls are a bit dry. Not sure what the fix might be. Highly recommend nevertheless.

Only had there Vietnamese ice cofffee. Really strong but good taste. Bear with the wait time they are a little short staffed but it's fine I had jury duty.

We have been dying to try the Kare Kare Banh mi Sandwich and if you are familiar with the traditional Filipino dish, then yes you should definitely try this because it is definitely similar with peanut butter and bagoong flavors. Definitely a fan of this banh mi! Also had the mango mint smoothie and avocado smoothie which was delicious. Don't forget the shrimp spring rolls... yum