Pakwan Restaurant
Pakistani restaurant · Mission Dolores ·
Flavorful Pakistani & Indian dishes; generous portions; cheese naan
Flavorful Pakistani & Indian dishes; generous portions; cheese naan
"The chicken and beef seekh kabab here are must-haves. Their tender skewers come served on a bed of white onions that sop up the juice and flavors. The raw onions might be intimidating at first, but don’t be scared to take them head on; the seekh kebabs have enough spice to curb the bite of the raw onions into a pleasant and sweet pallet cleanser.This local powerhouse boasts five locations throughout the Bay Area, with three of them in San Francisco. Be sure to try out the tandoori fish if you make it to the O’Farrell Street location; somehow they make the fish extra flaky there." - Antony Fangary
"When you’re in need of a reliable meal that’ll have you in and out for under $20, keep Pakwan in your back pocket. The counter-service Indian and Pakistani spot serves things like chicken tikka masala and a thick, onion-heavy bengan bhartha you should definitely order. The food is solid across the board and always gets the job done. The best part: you won’t have to blow through your weekly grocery budget for a filling meal." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"The casual institution (with locations in the Tenderloin and Ingleside, plus a couple of East Bay outposts) has been around since before Bluetooth was invented—probably because the curries, biryanis, and other Pakistani Indian dishes are consistently excellent. Pakwan is always packed with people standing in line, waiting for their turn at a table and some tikka masala. Still, things run smoothly here, so you'll easily secure a table for that spontaneous Monday night dinner." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"Indian food is better when shared and Pakwan is the place to share it. A group of four can dine like royalty here and leave with leftovers for $30 or less. Everything at Pakwan is solid, the portions are generous, and the space feels broken in. Neighborhoods long for an Indian spot like Pakwan; 16th Street is lucky to have them." - Matt Tillquist
"We love Pakwan because it’s cheap and reliable for great Indian-Pakistani food. Order the tandoori chicken or lamb biryani, and revel in the fact that you’re getting a lot to eat and will have some change left over to put into your fund for whatever you’re saving up for, like a police scanner or a custom pug doormat." - taylor abrams, jess basser sanders, will kamensky