Hem by LeQuy

If I had to describe this place with a simple statement that encompasses it all then I'd would say 'Somewhere in the middle' The food is not bad but also not great. Over the years I had plenty of outstanding Vietnamese food which I can compare with. Here at Hem, each of the three dishes had hints of what they could be but tasted like they were catering with an American taste bud in mind. The best of three dishes was the mango salad. I wish they made the dressing bolder and the spicier. The Bo Luc Lac could use a better quality of beef and certainly a higher heat to sear the meat quicker. Also don't forget the lemon pepper dip .... The place it self is inviting while modern with quick and friendly service. I see lots of potential and hope the chef and kitchen staff embrace their Vietnamese roots to their full potential and let them shine through their dishes.

Parking is hard but….This is definitely the place to go for authentic Vietnamese food or crave for snails! I was craving for snails and this place serves fresh snails and their ginger dipping sauce is exactly how i remember when i was in vietnam. The vermicelli rice with pork, fried tofu, herbs and fermented shrimp paste is out of the world! The shrimp paste has such a distinct flavor and everything balanced the saltiness. Pair it with iced Vietnamese coffee is so refreshing with the combination of bitterness and sweetness from condense milk. I will definitely come back again 💯

Delicious restaurant that transported us back to Hanoi, Vietnam. Large portion soup and items that are great to share. Welcoming hosts that want to ensure you have a great dining experience. No extra fees! Well priced, affordable menu. Amazing/Fresh Passion Fruit tea!

So good!! Loved the butter garlic snails and mango salad with squid was a must. Big portions so the price is actually really fair. Only thing is the pork patties in the bun cha was quite dry. Would come back to try the other stuff - grilled oysters look so goood

Authentic Vietnamese place. So happy this opened next to me! It’s been hard to find good Vietnamese food in SF. I’m used to the viet food in SoCal and this definitely compares. Ốc hương here is spot on and mì xào dòn hải sản was solid

I dunno, I suppose this restaurant is more on the overpriced street food vibes, then eat your food and go. Take this with a grain of salt because it was a Monday night, where other tables were filled, but most were already eating. The service didn't feel attentive, and we kept having to ask them for the little things. Sadly, there were no photos, but they ended up giving us someone else order that we didn't ask for (it was chicken wings?). - They had no escargot (okay, I suppose that's fine) - They didn't give the vegetables for the pho until our table asked for it. They then had no bean sprouts for the pho because they also ran out (????) - Grilled oysters with cheese tasted meh. The oysters are the same as you get during hot pot places, and the cheese was more of a cheese sauce without the taste of cheese. - Had to ask where the Combination Pho (Pho Dac Biet) after everything else arrived....Other restaurants bring the soup first then everything else. I guess the different vibes takes account of that. I can't seem to justify the price of going here, even while soft opening. Hence why it's a 3/5 for me.

Amazing Viet food. Had other decisions dishes other than pho. Service was impeccable. The bathroom is downstairs, but I noticed there's an elevator for those who have mobility deficits. Parking is either meter or there is residential 2 hr parking nearby Mon to Sat 8-9 pm.

The quality depends on the dish you choose The Bun cha medium size was really great! The Pho broth was great too. I was surprised that no Pho herbs came with it and when we asked the woman said that they “ran out” while it was 7pm on a Thursday. I ate >1000 pho in my life and that’s the first time I had to eat one without Pho herbs . I wish they gave me a heads up before I ordered it

New Viet spot in the mission! Loved the two times I've been to this spot. Their food comes out quickly and the food is delicious. We love their sizzling plate, snails, and vermicelli/meat platter. Their Viet dishes taste authentic and are super flavorful. I'll be back :)

Came in on Tuesday with a friend for lunch. Of course we have to order 13D, which is the Buttery Sea Snails. Amazing flavor! We also ordered shrimp vermicelli noodles, oysters with satay sauce, scallop with quail egg, chicken cartilage & 2 Viet ice coffee. Every thing tasted fresh, ingredients fresh, came out hot. Even though I drank the coffee at 11:30am, I couldn't sleep until 3am! Place looks spacious because they have high windows. Their lighting is great as well. I like how they have the lights pointing down so taking pictures is easier with no shadows. Their service was great as well, but that's due to knowing my friend. But they do seem really nice. They were quite accommodating to other guests that came in later. I think the price is okay. Their portions are large and quite fitting for their price. But still pricey for me. Parking is hard in this area. Meyer parking or 1 hour or 2 hour parking up the street.

What a cute new Vietnamese spot in the Mission! It's located on the corner where Alnico was previously. I stopped by tonight for the first time and was impressed by the wide variety of dishes available. It's rare to see snails offered on menus and Hem has a whole section dedicated to them! We ordered the lotus root salad with shrimp & pork (gỏi ngó sen tôm thịt), the large Hanoi vermicelli with grilled pork (bún chả hà nội), and spicy butter garlic sea snails (ốc hương canada sốt bơ tỏi / sốt sa tế) to share. The salad was great! Very refreshing and the tiny lotus root slices were super cute. The spicy butter garlic snails were also quite yummy! You had to work to get the snails out of their shells, but once we mastered the twisting technique, it was very satisfying. The vermicelli and grilled pork was simple but filling and I loved that they included perilla leaves with it. I was really sad when Alnico closed, but I'm glad the neighborhood has another tasty spot in its place!

Sad that it replaced Alnico but still a nice spot to meet with friends, and lot of menu options! The Wagyu pho comes out like hot pot, it was good but I dont think worth compared to the other "normal" beef pho options

I was very excited about this new Vietnamese spot opening up in my neighborhood. I have come in only one time for a quick lunch and we enjoyed our food, but I felt like service was a little slow. I would've liked both of our entrées to come out at the same time. I got my entrée maybe 10 minutes before my friend did. I had the Beef Sizzing Skillet, it's pretty much a deconstructed bahn mi. It was great and I would order it again. I also tried the peach iced tea, which was on the sweeter side, but still really good and I would order it again.

Amazing service and such sweet people! I think if you're looking to try Vietnamese food it's a good spot, but not necessarily the best for authenticity. It was still good, just not what I expected in terms of flavor. I might be biased because I am viet lol. We got the squid salad, skillet, pho, garlic noodles, and bun cha. Great serving sizes and presentation!

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but one of the most ridic 1 star review I've read for a Viet resto: "WTH, they don't serve phở here!" *FACE PALM* There's more to Viet food than just phở and bánh mì...and Hem by LeQuy is here to bring it! Soft opening this week, Hem took over Alnico that closed less than 3 months ago. What a quick turnaround! LeQuy, their sister resto started in Campbell (2011) and have expanded to Palo Alto and Noe Valley. I've only been to their PA and Noe locations. Open 11 am - 9 pm for takeout and indoor dining. Closed Tuesdays. M E N U While they have Phở, Hem's specialty is Viet Street Food and Nhậu (drinking food) with hard to find items in the city like Sụn Gà Chiên Nước Mắm (fried chicken cartilage w/ fish sauce), Ốc (snails), Bún Chả (vermicelli noodles w/ grilled pork), Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm (vermicelli noodles w/ tofu, pork, and fermented shrimp paste), and Bánh Mì Chảo/Bò Né (sizzling steak & eggs). Soft opening promo: 20% off bill. F O O D (Prices listed before discount) * Ốc Hương Sốt Bơ Tỏi: Garlic Butter Sea Snails ($17.50): https://tinyurl.com/2bn86jmn - Requested spicy since they don't have sa tế (spicy lemongrass chili) yet. Firm, chewy texture with a flavorful garlicky butter sauce. Mildly spicy. Served with two dipping sauces: muối ớt xanh, a punchy green sauce made with chili, lime, and sugar + nước mắm chấm ớc, a sweet and tangy fish sauce with lemongrass and ginger. * Sò Điệp Nướng Trứng Cút: Grilled Scallops w/ quail eggs ($18.50): https://tinyurl.com/4m9tnfvp First time seeing Viet grilled scallops with quail eggs in the bay. The jammy yolk and crispy shallots perfectly complement and elevate the the taste and texture of the tender scallops. * Cá Kho Tộ: Braised Catfish in Claypot ($18.50): https://tinyurl.com/yc8x3b8x - Add rice (+$3) - a must! A traditional Viet comfort dish, the marinated catfish is braised with fish sauce, sugar, and coconut soda creating a rich, savory, and sweet fish stew. This is by far my fav rendition I've tried. The catfish steaks were SO soft and fall off the bone. The sauce is a lot lighter and less salty, almost broth-like but doesn't sacrifice on flavor. I loved it so much, I ordered an one to go for a friend to try. * Bún Chả Hà Nội: Vermicelli Noodles w/ grilled pork patties, grilled pork, herbs, and pickled papaya (Medium - $24.95): https://tinyurl.com/4znz2zr3 - Medium serves 1-2 people A Northern Viet dish from hà nội, bún chả it's like a deconstructed cold vermicelli bowl served with a warm side of a less concentrated nước chấm (fish) sauce. They give you extra bowls to BYO. Savory, sweet umami and full of freshness from the lettuce and herbs (perilla, mint, cilantro). While tender, the pork patties and pork were on the bland side (I prefer stronger lemongrass flavor). S E R V I C E Warm, welcoming staff. Kevin (manager) was super kind and attentive. I didn't get her name but the other server who used to work at Ben Tre was very sweet. I appreciate that they asked for feedback which I provided for the bún chả proteins. Tho I forgot to mention that I would love to see bột chiên (fried rice flour cakes w/ eggs) on the menu. Arrived at opening time. It was quiet so prompt food service. A M B I A N C E Modern and casual, same vibe and furnishings as Alnico. There's about 16 tables. No more counter seats. P A R K I N G Very challenging metered parking because of the ongoing construction on Valencia. Nearest garage is down the block on 21st and Bartlett. Overall, Hem is such an unexpected opening in The Mission and a welcome addition to the city. I mean, serving mắm tôm (fermented shrimp sauce) outside of E Man Jose is a bold move and I love that. Bring on the funk!

Went here with my sister's during lunch for their soft opening, and were quickly seated. - Location: Ground floor, on the corner of Hill st and Valencia with metered parking in the area. Several convenient bus stops in the area if taking city transit, biking or rideshare. Interior was clean, bright and spacious seating, tall ceilings and large windows. - Service: Attentive and friendly. For a soft opening period, I felt they had enough wait staff for the volume of customers. Food: Overall very enjoyable and recommend sharing to try everything - Side of Garlic Noodle $6.95 - Beef Sizzing Skillet/ Banh Mi Chao $23.00 - Fish Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings $17.50 - 2x Buttery Garlic Butter with Vietnam Sea Snail $35.00 - Caramelized Catfish In Clay Pot $18.50 -- Extra Steam Rice $3.00 Peach Iced Tea $6.50 The top 3 items I enjoyed and recommend are: their Catfish, Snails and Chicken Wings. Perfect balance of sweet, salty and packs a punch of flavor. I read a review to order rice for the catfish (great suggestion since it soaked up all of the flavor). Wings were crispy, moist and finger-licking good. Honorable mention is the beef sizzling skillet... the pate with the juices from the steak dipped in baguette was chefs kiss. Gamey, savory and well balanced with the pickled carrots and radish.

Tried this place out and it's a solid 3.5. There is a large menu so it is definitely going to warrant another visit. I ordered the salmon vermicelli bowl and the traditional spring rolls. The spring rolls were $$ but fairly large in size. Very chewy rice paper wrapping. There was no appreciable mint or basil in the roll that I could tell and overall it was decent if a bit bland. The salmon vermicelli bowl was made with wild caught salmon and it is more lean. The way it was cooked it was pretty good and not too dry. However there was a subtle bitter aftertaste. The volume of noodle and veg was a bit small. Service was very attentive. This space has poor sound barriers and there were some very loud laughter echoing from some people just cracking up for 5 mins straight. Literally had to listen to them because they were so loud. Chairs scrape insanely loudly when you move them.

This Vietnamese spot offers a variety of shellfish such as oysters, clams and escargot! In addition they have some pho noodle soup bowls too. Everything was authentic and the pho was one of the most delicious broths I ever had. The staff are friendly and helpful too. The restaurant is clean and modern and offers a casual dining experience. And for perspective, I've eaten a lot of Vietnamese food. From Vietnamese home cooking to restaurants in San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco and more.

Had a wonderful meal at Hem By Lequy! What impressed me most was their menu variety - they offer dishes you don't typically see at other Vietnamese restaurants. We tried the Grilled Scallops with Scallion Oil, the Special Clay Pot Rice with BBQ Pork and BBQ Shrimps (they were out of the BBQ Beef Rolls, but this was a great substitute) and the Shrimp Spring Rolls. The clay pot rice was a standout - perfectly crispy and absolutely delicious. The Shrimp Spring Rolls were also very fresh. The Vietnamese Iced Coffee was another highlight - rich & flavorful, definitely worth ordering if you're a coffee lover. Service was attentive & friendly throughout our visit. The restaurant itself is quite spacious with a bright, casual atmosphere that feels more suited for lunch than an intimate dinner, but it's comfortable and welcoming. Overall, Hem by Lequy offers a refreshing take on Vietnamese cuisine with some unique menu items you won't find in most of the Vietnamese restaurants here. The quality and flavors were excellent, and I'd definitely return to try more of their specialties.

Not your typical Vietnamese fare. Very similar to gao in San Mateo. Big generous portions and delicious. Price is higher than your typical Vietnamese fare. They have a limited alcohol selection with wine and beer only. Parking is hard in this area and pricey.

We were searching for a spot to try out for dinner and we stumbled across this spot. We saw the picture of the scallops with quail eggs and we were sold. Wasn't too crowded for a Saturday evening when we got there, but it definitely got busier by the time we left. Standout items were the Beef Sizzling Skillet (aka make your own banh mi) and the scallops with quail eggs. The bun dau mam tom was also good! We'll be back to try out their claypot dishes and I'm also interested in their egg coffee since I can never find it in SF.

Delicious!! We ordered the pork egg rolls, pork vermicelli bowl, and shrimp and chicken hot pot. Everything was outstanding and super fresh with lots of veggies. Super friendly service and what a cute spot! Sad alnico is gone but glad they've been replaced by an equally yummy dinner service.

I came here because of Yelp but I don't think I can say that I will be back for more... I ordered 3 of the recommended dishes n the best one was their mango salad with clams... I think it's a wonderful restaurant for the neighborhood but I wouldn't venture here just to eat . With their prices I think you can find better options especially parking is difficult as well

Finally some authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the mission with favorites like clams and snails! There's a variety of good staples here like mì xào giòn and cá kho tộ but what really blew me away was the variety of ốc dishes. I've come back 4 times already and they never disappoint . The price is quite affordable too and portion sizes are large enough to share. Especially the vermicelli dishes

They soft opened yesterday but are prepared to serve their full menu off the bat which is a great sign. The space is open and clean, modern with lots of windows. I have eaten at their sister restaurant Le Quy on Castro street and the food quality is the same. Decent, well seasoned food. However this location differs in that it does have more street food and seafood options. I ordered the Thai steamed clams and the clay pot rice with bbq shrimp and beef rolls. Both were very good! The rice in the clay pot was delicious and the beef rolls were good. I would probably skip the shrimp topping and try the pork with the beef instead next time since the shrimp were rather small and not good enough to order again. The steamed clams came in a bowl still simmering in broth packed with herbs giving it a true Thai style Tom yum flavor that permeated the clam meat! In the broth you could see the fresh herbs and spices floating around and the flavor was very intense. The steamer clams were a great size although I don't think there is enough to share for 2 people unless you get a lot of other dishes to share at the same time. Portions were not generous, but the quality of ingredients, seasoning, and presentation were very good. I finished both the clay pot and the clams and felt satisfied but not stuffed. Service was friendly, efficient, and attentive. My server was able to answer my questions about various menu items and service went perfectly from beginning to end. I mentioned that I would really love to see even more Viet street food items, in particular Bun Rieu noodle soup. I hope they can perhaps have it as a special one day! It's impossible to find a good Bun Rieu outside of the tenderloin. I defintely will go back and try other items on the menu like the grilled oysters and chicken wings.

Sooooooooo tasty!!! Definitely will go again and try different dishes. Beef is so tender and juicy, oyster is fresh and papaya salad is fresh crunchy!

Not sure why it's not on their menu, but they have a variety of banh mi for $12, and the one I tried (5-spice pork) was one of the best I've had in the Mission!

It's hard to find good Viet food in SF. Saw they were opening up by our house and we had to try. The food was so comforting, highlight was the bun dao mam tom - sauce was strong and salty. The clay pot fish was also great, although portion was small. Spring roll was standard and the mango salad was unique. We were here during the soft opening but prices are okay. Inside it was nice and quiet, staff was so friendly and attentive. Would come back and bring friends to try more!

I have tried all the pho spots in the mission within a week before and I can say this by far the most flavorful favorite for me in the mission. Definitely recommend !

Food, service and ambiance are all good, but it's a bit pricey for the portion of food served. The portion of the clay pot rice is small, not even enough for 2 people. For $19.50, they could give a little bit more rice. Overall the food was good and the service was great. The staffs were attentive and polite.

Food was delicious and the staff were friendly. We got the sizzling beef skillet and grilled scallops with quail egg. Highly recommend!!!

The parking: Parking and traffic seems to be commonly a nightmare in the Mission. Set your expectations and allow for extra time so you don't get frustrated. Even the local parking garage is full but they still allowed us to go in so we circled for 10 minutes and then had to still hunt for street parking. The wait: We came on a Saturday night. We arrived around 6pm and there was no wait but by the time we left, the restaurant was full. The food: The food ranged from good to great. The clay pot rice was good but not that special. I think their specialty is the seafood dishes. The hubby liked the sea snails the best. My favorite was probably the mango salad with razor clams. The staff: Very attentive. Checked on us several times to see if we need anything. We're not familiar with a lot of the dishes on their menu. They were great with explaining the dishes and giving recommendations. The price: The prices are higher than the average Vietnamese restaurant and the portions are probably smaller but then again, I would definitely say Hem is fancier than your average Vietnamese restaurant so again, set your expectations. It's currently soft opening so you get 20% off! They're also offering their full menu which is quite nice. We look forward to coming back!

Quick service. Generous portions, but somewhat padded with noodles and veggies (ie. Not much meat). Reasonable price.

This place is the best Vietnamese restaurant I have ever tired. I tried beef sizzling skillet. It was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend to try it. I am definitely going to be back.

My frequent go-to place just added Banh Mi Saigon (Vietnamese Sandwiches). I got Grilled Pork Banh Mi and it's so so good. I bought one for my brother and he loved it too.

Both food and service were great. Recommend the scallion oysters, scallops and quail egg and mango salad. Staff was attentive and friendly.

Excellent food and service and the people were very helpful and attentive. Surrounded by culture and helpful staff. Nice time was had by my family.

Eating here made me feel so yippee yay yum!!!! Beef pho is stellar, staff is so kind and attending, space is large and welcoming. Will come again!

This place deserves 5 stars. This is not your typical Vietnamese restaurant. They have pad Thai, oysters and many other delicious menu options you don't tend to see in other restaurants here. Great customer service and very attentive. Will be back!

I got the Banh Mi Chao and my girlfriend got the wagyu pho, the food was phenomenal, some of the best Vietnamese I've had in the Bay! The place was relatively quiet on a random Wednesday, with a steady stream of customers coming in. The service was quick and friendly, they seemed very hopeful for people to try the place and give reviews. The place is amazing and worth a trip from anywhere in the Bay Area to this location.

My husband and I tried the House Special Fried Rice and the Bun Cha Hà Nội, which we both thought were delicious and flavorful. The service was attentive and friendly. I'd definitely come back!