Sunflower Vietnamese Restaurant

September 2023; Ordered food to go. Tried the vegetarian spring rolls, the chicken pho, and the pork vermicelli noodles. Everything was very tasty. Chicken pho tasted clean and flavorful. The spring rolls had a lot of ingredients and was excellent 👍. The pork was sweet and seasoned very nicely. Would definitely get all of the dishes again! Bumping up to five ⭐. 2019: Ordered a tofu salad, imperial rolls and a beef pho for lunch. Overall, was good and would come back again.

Had the garlic noodles and added beef. The noodles themselves were good. It had some bits of egg that were actually very tasty. However, the beef lacked quite a bit of seasoning. It was definitely a generous portion of noodles compared to the beef added. They were not out of this world noodles but definitely something to try if you love garlic. The restaurant itself was quiet when we arrived as there weren’t many customers and they did not take very long to send out our orders.

I highly highly recommend this place. It’s SO good & inexpensive. If you come before 2:30 and get there lunch special it is such a good deal. Everything is delicious. The staff is so nice & the place is very clean and organized. You HAVE to try this place. I highly recommend the lemongrass chicken lunch special. Thank you for everything!!

We really enjoyed our dinner here! We got the garlic noodles, shaken beef and bun bowl (vermicelli rice noodles) with bbq pork. I thought it was going to be chunks of pork or pork chop but it was thin slices of pork. But was still tasty. The shaken beef was so tender and flavorful. And the garlic noodles were good I especially liked the scrambled egg in it. The best part is that all 3 dishes came within 5min of ordering (how? They tasted freshly made and came super hot) and we were hungry

Came in for a lunch special and was pleasantly surprised with some tasty chicken, rice and soup. Would definitely recommend!

I came here for lunch and had the Garlic Noodles with Beef. It was delicious and it was a healthy portion. I enjoyed every bite. Fast service, tasty lunch and a fair price.

Homey neighborhood joint serving a wide variety of Vietnamese staples. The lunch specials are a good deal. They are just starting to open up limited seating now.

I have been here twice. If you are craving some good pho soup in SF, this is the best place. Pretty straightforward beef noodle soup, and the broth was delicious too, but what this place makes so special for me are the people who work there. Definitely coming back if I'm craving for some good beef noodle soup.

the bowl was really good!! the pork was perfectly seasoned and my first time having the imperial rolls which were really good as well. my friend had their pho and she enjoyed the broth. it's also cheap compared to most of the restaurants on this street so definitely good for what it's worth!

Came twice for lunch and dinner. The lunch portion is great, and the price is good. Didn't like the clay pot that much for dinner. Also the lunch chicken was a bit dry (#1).

Decent Vietnamese food at reasonable prices. Not the best Vietnamese in the city, but pretty good with fast service and close by parking. For a Vietnamese Restaurant, they don't have much of a section of noodle soup types (just i of each type - chicken, beef, seafood and tofu), no combos, no meatball, tripe, tendon or any of that. I often get the pho, rare beef or seafood. I order the rare beef on the side and it is more tender than when they just put it directly in the soup. The bags of sprouts, peppers and basil are small - so make sure to ask for another if it's not enough.

Found this Vietnamese spot close by to work. Ordered their seafood pho and imperial rolls. Received my food right away. Decent spot and fairly priced.

Stopped with coworkers for lunch near the office. Nice little neighborhood of cafes and restaurants in the middle of Potrero Hill. Was 2nd in line at their noon opening but the place filled up quickly. We all ordered vermicelli bowls- I had 5 spice chicken and others had grilled pork or beef. Quick no frills service. Bowls came out quickly. The grilled meats were aromatic and flavorful. The fried rice paper spring rolls were very good. Dishes were reasonably priced and servings were better than average. Good lunch spot!

Good food. The dining room on Valencia is a nice respite from the cacophony of the mission. Great for a quick dinner before or after a movie at the Roxie. The garlic noodles are a must have!

Solid choice for Vietnamese food. I always go for the bun. Fresh and flavorful. Large menu with many Vietnamese classics. Casual setting. Relatively easy street parking nearby, which is a bonus.

Great no-frills spot in Potrero Hill! We came around 6:30pm on a Saturday night. There was no wait but the restaurant quickly filled up by 7pm. The staff were kind and efficient - we got our first dish within 10 minutes of ordering. We ordered: - shrimp spring rolls (came with a delicious peanut sauce) - beef noodle soup (great on this chilly fall evening) - chicken fried rice (classic dish, can't go wrong) The total bill was under $45. Definitely a solid neighborhood spot worth visiting - we will be back!

Always seen this place but never tried until Today! What a great place! Loved the Garlic Noodles with Prawns, the Fried rice was DELICIOUS & my Chicken Pho was warmly yummy! The Vietnamese Coffee is forever my favorite! Sorry forgot to take a pic!

Solid spot. The chicken has great flavor and it was pretty good value. I enjoyed my time here - I just wish there was more green vegetables. It felt a bit heavy. The service was great!

Ordered takeout. I wish they did delivery bc the food is good! Love the vermicelli bowls -- very fresh with some protein, veggies and rice noodles. If you get the five spice chicken entree -- the portion is very generous and the chicken is tasty! Also love the garlic eggplant. Very unique with lots of onion and green onion. Also very generous portions. If they did delivery, this would be a regular go to for me.

I picked up some take out on a weeknight during covid times, they weren't allowing in-door dining at that time but according to more recent reviews it looks like it's back. I ordered the lemongrass tofu, vegan without fish sauce. Wow, I was surprised. This was actually one of the best lemongrass dishes in the bay. There is significant amounts of lemongrass with every bite. I've been wanting to come visit this mom and pop restaurant again to try some of their other dishes.

It was my first time here and the food didn't disappoint. I got the bbq beef vermicelli with imperial roll. The beef was well marinated and has a smokey taste to it, which I enjoyed. The imperial rolls were very delicious and crunchy. Noodles and vegetables were fresh and the sauce that came with the bowl had a nice taste to it. The spot was cozy and located on a corner with a few other restaurants. The server was nice and attentive, came by to ask if I wanted more water. The price was ok for Vietnamese food in SF, I wish my bowl had a little more noodles which would've been great, but I'm a big eater. Opens at noon, so there may be a line for dine in. All in all, I would come back if I'm nearby.

Did indoor dining, though I think takeout would've been better. They have the menu posted at the window it looks like the only one they have as the hostess didn't let us come inside until we decided what to order. Though there were only a few parties doing the indoor dining, the hostess was extremely catering to the takeout and delivery orders and it was difficult to flag her down, with very curt service. It probably was a Spanish themed restaurant before sunflower took over and they didn't bother to renovate it, so you get a clash of the cuisine and decor. They have what looks to be a large menu but broken down to its core it's like three different proteins (chicken, pork, beef, or tofu) in the option of different bases (rice, vermicelli, pho, or salad). They don't call it pho either, they call it a noodle soup with the different protein options but don't have the meat variety that other pho places have (ie, tripe, flank steak, etc). I ordered the vermicelli bowl with beef and imperial rolls, and it was honestly underwhelming. The meat was heavily charred and you couldn't get much flavor besides the burnt, and the vermicelli noodles were slightly more al dente than I liked. The imperial rolls were ok but also past the golden brown stage that I would've expected.

Pho for the soul Fast, friendly and delicious! I was in the mood for some good pho and had visited their location by Valencia. This was exactly what I wanted and got. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the soup just hot and steamy.

I'm always craving pho and trying to find good spots in SF, but most are concentrated in the Tenderloin. Sunflower is a pretty great spot out in Potrero hill area; the food is a cheap price and tastes delicious. It's definitely a no frills spot so don't expect any crazy service or extras. The pho additions come in a plastic ziploc which was funny, but the pho was delicious and large portion for $13.95! Will come again when I get a craving :)

Delicious and they have a very kind staff! The place was spacious and filled on a Thursday evening but they were able to seat us immediately. I will be coming back for the prawns with the garlic noodles. So so delicious. We also got the combo appetizer to sample the barbecue with rice paper and it was tasted but the barbecue was a little too charred for my taste. Overall awesome experience.

Came here with a group and we did takeout - it took around 20 min or so to get all of the food. Good: - Huge fan of the imperial roll and beef BBQ - really great flavor and just felt like it was a good portion size for even 2 people - The pho soup was really good too and the noodles were nice and chewy Bad: - Felt like the shaken beef wasn't really that tasty and I didn't really find it really good enough to even keep eating Overall enjoyed the food, really no frills place and felt like it was probably good for the price.

Don't get pho beef noodle soup. It's only come with beef and noodle, no meatballs, or other meats. And that's the only beef pho they served. The customer service is good. This is a great place for lunch if you work nearby the restaurant. I just don't suggest beef pho.

Prices and portion of food were good. We loved the imperial rolls and shrimp salad. However, the curry chicken lacked in flavor (needed coconut cream), while the lemongrass chicken and string beans tasted a bit bland (could have used more fish sauce). But the parking was easy at the Potrero Hill restaurant, and although there was only one server on a Sunday night, she had the time to refill our water glasses. Also, the restaurant had a low noise level with tables far enough to have private conversations. I would probably go back again and try other dishes which may be more flavorful.

This was mediocre Vietnamese food. It is not bad. But it isn't the best. Service is typical Vietnamese. I only had pho. It was ok. I would come back if in the area.

Food: Imperial rolls: 2/5 Although crispy, the rolls were nothing special. It didn't taste that good. Shaken beef: 1/5 The shaken beef was over salted, the beef that was being used isn't the same type of beef traditionally used in shaken beef. I was just not a fan of this dish. It tasted cheap bc of the beef they used. There was also no bell peppers which usually come with this dish :( it was an overall disappointing experience for me and Vegetable pho: 2/5 my friend said it wasn't anything special but it wasn't terrible. However the soapy spoon did leave a weird taste for her. Service: The service was lacking. My friends' spoon had a soapy taste to it and despite getting a new one, it still had the same soapy taste. Ambiance: it was kind of noisy. It was poorly lit and it didn't seem like intentional like in a classy restaurant. The table we were at was sticky and was wobbly.

We used to come here often before we relocated to the Peninsula from the City. Due to random events in SF, this past weekend brought us back here twice! I had forgotten how much I missed this place and enjoyed their food - fresh, flavorful, generously (huge!) portioned, and reasonably priced. Ordered the lemongrass tofu lunch special (incl. salad, a large veggie spring roll, rice), shrimp rolls, and veggie curry, all for around $40-45 total. And, more than enough for lunch the next day. Value and quality like this are rare, if not nonexistent on the Peninsula. We may drive up just to dine or order take out.

Good food but rude service. The lady, which I believe is the owner, rolled her eyes when we asked for extra fish sauce. Save yourself from the anger and just order takeout from here.

Love this place! Their food is consistently good and fresh. Staff is efficient and ambience is nice for a quick lunch/dinner spot. I almost always get their shrimp spring rolls and for the entrée, the egg roll vermicelli or Five-Spiced lunch special.

Not my greatest photography, but 5 spice chicken with beef broth pho at Sunflower Garden Authentic Vietnamese! Food was decent, the broth did have a solid almost holiday spiced flavor, and the rice noodles were cooked to perfection! The chicken tasted great, though was a tiny bit dry for chicken thigh meat. Adding the bone from the chicken into the broth is highly recommended! Service was fine, if a bit slow and understaffed. Overall I'd rate it a 6.5/10. The food was great and I certainly wasn't disappointed, however the flavor didn't hit as hard as other Vietnamese restaurants nearby do.

Just okay. Better to eat in person on account the noodles get mushy when warming up enough to cook the raw meat

This is my to-go place for Vietnamese. The food here is always very tasty and their portions are on a larger side. The service is also very friendly. Highly recommend it.

The food, sunflower prawns, was excellent! This is my favorite, the prawns and garlic noodles are my comfort food!! Great service for take-out.

I can't believe I've lived in Dogpatch for 2.5 years and only just tried sunflower. I totally underestimated it since Potrero isn't known for Asian food, but the pho and vermicelli is on par with sunset/Richmond pho, and my Vietnamese friend that I ate with agreed! They only have rare beef for their beef option, but it's perfect for me since I usually get only rare beef anyway. The broth is rich and flavorful, and it comes with all the classic additions (bean sprouts, Thai basil, etc). The broth is super transparent when you get it, a sign of a good clean soup without too much fat. The portion of meat and egg rolls in the vermicelli was also wonderful, and the flavor was perfect. The restaurant is like a cleaner version of a typical casual pho shop, but I always get the food to go and it comes out super quickly without error. I've already eaten here twice in the past few weeks and will definitely be eating it again a ton to come!

We (4 party) came here on a Sunday evening and were seated immediately. We shared the vegetable spring rolls and the vegetable pot stickers. Both were excellent. The pot stickers come with a peanut sauce, and the spring rolls come with a vinegar soy sauce We shared the tofu and vegetable garlic noodles, spicy string beans, vermicelli and garlic eggplant. I would definitely return here. Prompt service, quick food

I love this place for lunch. It's one of the last no frills, bargain sitdown places in Potrero hill. I like their vermicelli for lunch and it's quite reasonable. For dinner last time we tried garlic noodle, Vietnamese crepe. Salad. Veggies stir fry. Prawns. All super good. And well balanced too. If you are in the neighborhooh, I would give it a try.

Ate the Bun Rieu, it was tasty and huge. The prices seem normal for sf. Wish they had outside seating so I could hang out with dog

They have a great lunch menu that includes soup, rice, salad, egg roll, and an entree item. I got the BBQ Lemongrass Beef lunch special and it was a large enough portion for for 2 meals for me! The egg roll was my favorite, and the Lemongrass beef was very flavorful too. Give it a try for lunch sometime! A good number of people order Togo for lunch at this restaurant FYI= You have to order in advance outside before they seat you , a new rule since Covid I think. The menu is just outside the door.

This is my go to lunch or dinner each time I visit the Gift Center for about 8 years now.. Love the food and service here. The combination plates are delicious and the garlic noodles are plentiful. Thank you Sunflower.

Sunflower in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco is an absolute gem of a Vietnamese restaurant that has left me completely impressed with its culinary delights! First and foremost, the Garlic Noodle with Chicken is an absolute must-try. The flavors were perfectly balanced, and the tender chicken complemented the savory garlic noodles in the most delightful way. Each bite was a burst of pure satisfaction. The House Fried Rice was another standout dish that had me hooked from the very first taste. The combination of ingredients created a symphony of flavors that made it truly unforgettable. It's a dish I'll undoubtedly be craving again and again. The Vegetable Spring Rolls with Shrimp were the perfect appetizer to kick off the meal. The freshness of the vegetables and the succulent shrimp inside the crispy roll made for a delectable start to the dining experience. The attentive and friendly staff at Sunflower added to the overall fantastic experience. They were always ready to provide suggestions and ensured that we had everything we needed throughout the meal. The ambiance of the restaurant was charming and inviting, making it a great place to relax and enjoy an authentic Vietnamese meal. In conclusion, Sunflower has won my heart with its exceptional dishes, warm hospitality, and cozy atmosphere. If you're in San Francisco and looking for an authentic Vietnamese dining experience, look no further than Sunflower. I can't wait to return and indulge in their culinary delights once more! PS my five -year-old loves the fish chips and does not let me steal a single bite that in itself is a review for how good they are. I can't wait to be back next weekend! Nomi.

Sunflower regular for 12+ years here. I love this restaurant. Its always delicious, with fast & friendly service, and a great value. Ive had so many things on the menu over the years: Vietnamese crepe, chicken pho, veggie pho (vegan with veggie broth), chicken salad, curry veg, garlic noodles, fresh rolls, all the bowls, veg imperial rolls, shaking beef, fish clay pot. Everything on the menu is delicious; Ive never had a bad meal or a bad time at Sunflower. I recently transitioned to 100% plant based and am so happy I can still eat here! So many vegan options. Got the veggie pho last night and it was bomb, I should have ordered it years ago! Vegan pho is hard to find and this one is awesome, packed with fresh veg and tofu! Thank you so much, Sunflower team! See you next time

I love this place. It's the perfect spot for simple Vietnamese food. They never compromise flavors. Options are limited but that's what we like! Simple menu for easy selection.

We were coming back from a Craft festival today and decided to grab a quick takeout meal in our area. We quickly searched "Asian food" as one does and saw that we had never visited Sunflower in our area! So we called and ordered a couple dishes and the person that took our order told us that it'd be a 10 minute wait. So quick! When we got there, we walked around with the pup for a bit and went back to the restaurant window to pick up our order and it was waiting for us already. The woman at the window that checked out for us was friendly and offered us hot sauce and soy sauce with our meal as well. I'll talk about the food below but overall, I would say that Sunflower is definitely worth visiting if you're looking for a quick bite to eat and looking for Asian food in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. It's definitely reliable Vietnamese food and veeeery generous portions for the prices as well! The food won't blow you away but the value is really good for what you get, I would absolutely stop by if you can! Five Spice Roasted Chicken and Imperial Rolls Vermicelli - 4/5 hit the spot! For $12.95, I HAVE to say that this dish is well worth it compared to some of the other Vietnamese places in SF. While the five-spice chicken and sauce with the vermicelli is less lime-forward than other plates I've had, the flavor is still there and I would definitely get it again. My only complaints with this dish is that the chicken was juuuust a bit dry, if it was more moist I would've raised the rating by about half a point. But I will say, the imperial rolls were BOMB! There was even extra crunch due to the amount of cook which I personally loved. Shrimp Spring Rolls - 4/5 definitely good but didn't blow me away! The peanut sauce was pre-mixed with chili sauce which made it delicious but the filling inside the shrimp rolls consisted of rice noodles, some lettuce, and shrimp. I was expecting a bit of mint leaves, peanuts, carrots, bean sprouts, etc for some crunch. The flavor though, was good, and the rolls certainly were not small. Solid rolls!

The portions are huge !!! The sunflower prawns have a house sauce drizzled over them 5/5 it is also served with veggies. The prawns are huge The garlic noodles are enough for multiple servings. I am assuming that it is served family style because it was so much. There are about 10 shrimp when added. I wish I knew it was served a la carte I would have added more to the order. But I definitely want to eat here again

We were out of town for a concert and looking for Vietnamese food. This place did not disappoint. GREAT service. GREAT food. GREAT environment. We're happy to have joined.

I knew this shop was gona be bad but my partner dragged me here. It was busy that night so they locked their doors and made customers wait outside. The waitress would call us one by one through the Togo window. The shop had one waitress, unfortunate for her but she was also rude. Told us to go elsewhere when asked if we could add additional toppings on the pho. Our appetizers were delicious the fried chicken and egg rolls, but our mains were disappointing. The chicken rice plate came luke warm and overcooked. My pho was the worst, idk what these reviewers mean by a rich broth but I got watery chicken stock with zero flavor, and over cooked meat on top. It was disgusting. It ended awfully as I asked the waitress if they had the sticky mango, she looked bitchy and said, "no dessert!" Its the customers they add photos from other restaurants. I'm never coming back.

Got an order from doordash and there was a whole roach in my food. Absolutely unacceptable. How did no one see it. Food inspector needs a visit ASAP!!!

Arrived as it was super close to where I was staying. Was ready to debunk the 3.5 review ratio & give it a chance.. but then I found out why.. The front door is completely locked with a paper sign that states it's for Togo only; despite seeing 2-3 full tables with seated guests and 2 tables ready to be bussed. I waited outside the window to speak with a staff member & be seated. Waited a while too. The moment I stepped away for 1 second to take a call, another guest walks up to the window & was greeted immediately. I asked the guest if the staff mentioned how long the wait was, and they responded "they're clearing out the tables" Shortly after the staff bussed 1 out of 2 empty tables, they let the guest in. I then approached the window and made contact with the staff to be told "sorry Togo only, is it only you? Yeah sorry Togo only" Lmao nice I wanted to take myself out for a date ‍ as a business standpoint I guess 1 individual wasn't much to break bread. But strangely enough the guest before me was a table for 1 as well... luckily I had a better back up plan!! Fracking' lame.

The food is delicious! I normally go there for the pho. They have good service and are Covid oriented, following all protocols. Good ambiance and just cozy place, good experience.

I've only gotten lunch takeout from this location as it is still not open for dine-in (as of Aug 2022). I've always called ahead to place my order, and start accepting order the moment they're open. They are prompt and to the point, which understandably, some may perceive as rude. From my experiences, they have always had the food ready for pick-up by the estimated time and the food is nice and warm. I usually get bbq pork or chicken & imperial rolls with vermicelli. The imperial rolls are hot and crunchy, very likely fresh since they're not burnt and hard as if they've been refried. The bbq pork is well seasoned but goes well with the vermicelli and shredded lettuce - make sure to give everything a nice toss for a homogeneous bite of everything! Overall, this is a great affordable option in this area, especially if you're looking for a quick, filling meal that isn't heavy.

The good is that portion sizes are large, but the tastes are not particularly memorable nor are the ingredients always fresh. When my friend and I visited for lunch, we were surprised to find customers dining inside while the front door was locked... the staff took our order from a window minutes later, only to let us in afterwards. The lemongrass beef lunch plate (~$15) did come with a heaping plate of beef/stir fried string beans, salad, spring roll, rice, and soup. Unfortunately, this felt more like a meal to appease hunger than to satisfy appetite. The soup was strangely sour, the beef was just decent, and disappointingly, some of the salad leaves had black/dark spots. I did not finish my dish, nor did I choose to box up the leftovers. I hope the other items on their menu are more redeeming, but I'm not in a rush to return soon.

the servers are nice but they need to be reminded to change their gloves. they wore the same gloves from cleaning the tables. clearing drinking glasses with their dirty gloves dunked in the remaining liquid. used the same dirty dish rag from table to table and yes you guessed it the same gloves ( you know it's so dirty that the blue gloves are now looking brown at the finger tips ). here is the one i just couldn't unsee, giving the customers their napkins and utensils/chopsticks/ plates wearing the same dirty gloves. i just don't get it! please, please make the necessary changes, proper training, proper food handling, food cross contamination etc...so that we can support this business without worrying about lack of sanitary practices.

I walked up to the window to try to place an order. There's a lady who was sitting on the counter with her back against the window. I said, "excuse me, can I place an order?" She turned her head to look at me with the most annoyed bitch face and said, "we're on lunch break" I thought I heard wrong because I'm confused how you're open but on lunch break when I'm trying to order lunch. So I said, "I'm sorry?" She looked at me with the death stare and repeated, "they're on lunch break. You wait til they come back" and she turned and continued eating her lunch and ignoring me, the costumer. I'm sorry... WHAT?! If you are on lunch break and not taking orders, close your damn restaurant. Attitudes like that is what is going to let people realize how shitty of a service you have and have no regards or respect for your customer. Sorry lady, you lost a new and potential repetitive costumer and trust I'll make sure my friends and family won't come support your business. Do better.