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Sapphire Asian Cuisine
Categories: Restaurants Burmese Restaurants Asian Fusion Burmese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
475 Sacramento St(between Battery St & Sansome St)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Neighbourhood: Financial District
(415) 834-9292
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 3 pm
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 7:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Danny C. said: "Wow, I don't know how it's possible, but every time I come here, the food gets better. The fried tofu came out piping hot, and then there was glory to be had in the grapeleaf salad. A perfect blend of salty, sweet, soft, crispy, and…" read more »
124 reviews for Sapphire Asian Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"And their happy hour deals are awesome." In 44 reviews -
"...picky when it comes to Chinese food and this place is very..." In 23 reviews -
"Good tea leaf salad and everything else." In 4 reviews
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124 reviews in English
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Review from Nii M.
Blaine, MN
5/13/2012
This place is one of the best kept secrets in the financial district. Both for lunch and happy hour, this place never disappoints. The Burmese food is served in a hot case and you can choose between 1, 2 or 3 items in addition to your rice or noodle selection. You never have to worry about the food sitting there too long either because you watch it turn over every few minutes. They always give you huge portions too. And that's just lunch!
After work, this place transforms into the quite possibly the best happy hour venue in the FiDi. They have a number of specialty drinks like lychee martinis which are fabulous and cheap. And their beer selection is by far cheaper than anywhere else with $2.50 domestics and $3.00 just about everything else. And then there are the $5 Tapas. The spicy chicken wings are incredible and everything on the menu, from pot stickers to samosas, are $5!! On Thur and Fri nights they even start playing some jams around 7 or 8pm after the corporate crowd get's a bit tipsy. In case they want to get their groove on and cut a rug!
The staff here is awesome! They take care of you!!! -
Review from Monica M.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is my Favourite Restaurant in FIDi...!!
-Love their lunch menus.. the Spicy Basil Chicken is the best.
-Tea Leaf SAlad is another new favourite.
-They make the Best "Khauk Swe Thoke "[Noodle Salad]
Jooey & Yvette are the best...!The Happy hour menu has a variety of good drinks. The keema paratha is a must have!Spicy chiken wings are good too.
The service is fantastic & everyones damn sweet..! Love going to Sapphire! :) -
Review from Amanda C.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
Great happy hour menu. I am not sure what we order since we asked for recommendations. We got two appetizers for the price of 10 dollars. The appetizers were really delicious.
Pros:
5 dollar appetizers
2.75 dollars for draft beer
5 dollars for martinis ( I did not like one of my drink, and when we asked for the check our waiters noticed and she brought me a new one. Not sure what her name was, but she was so sweet. Thank You =)
Cons:
It gets really rowdy
Happy hour is until 8:30 pm -
Review from Kris O.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
5 Stars.
Service - nothing short of awesome
Dinks - great specials
Food - for bar food, it's far beyond the, "norm."
When you walk into a place and the owner comes out to greet you, you're in a good place. I am by no means a regular, yet I always feel at home. -
Review from Cecilia S.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've only been here for their happy hour, and I'm definitely a fan of $10 pitchers of Sapporo. It's a small space, and it definitely gets packed during the after work hours. There's generally an older crowd, so keep the trashy youngins out! The bartenders seem to get pretty overwhelmed.. there were only 2 people getting drinks for everyone. That's a lot of work for so many people...so it may take a while to get their attention. I can't say I've tried their food, but it does look pretty promising. They have a great selection on their lunch menu, so I'll be back for more soon.
Oh yeah, and happy hour is Monday-Friday from 4-8:30pm. Yay!Listed in: Places to drink in SF, Happy Hour in the City
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Review from Patti G.
Reston, VA
1/26/2012
Cheap flavorful food and drinks!
Kinda clubish feel in the middle of the wall. All meals $5. From appetizers to entrees. We tried the pot stickers, chicken wings and the pan fried noodles. I enjoyed the noodles, it was the only thing I got a taste of before my bf ate the rest.
The happy hour drink specials are awesome. $2.75 for certain beers and 10.50 for a pitcher. They also had a few mixed drinks for $5. I cant remember the one i had. But it was the bottom one on the middle list. It was really refreshing.
The hostess that got and kept our glasses filled was great. They kept checking on us and made sure we were fine. I'd def go again just to try the different dishes and drinks! :) -
Review from M P.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I passed Sapphire hundreds of times before a coworker invited the crew out for happy hour drinks there. It's been one of my faves ever since. They have great happy hour prices and good food options. The place does get busy and sometimes its hard to get a bartender but what bar doesn't have that dilemma (a dead one maybe ).
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Review from Tina L.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2011
I recently made the insane decision to re-enter school. I suppose I knew for a long time that this was coming, however, after working for a few years, you learn to appreciate some perks about working:
1) Competition in law school is fierce. I, however, am more fierce.
2) You under-eat and over-drink to compensate for the stress
3) At 6p or 7p, my work-life ends. However, school life never ends. I find myself dreaming about rules of civil procedure and all the different grades for homicide either in the common law or under the model penal code.... but I digress.
Am I extremely excited to finally squeeze in one evening of happy hour with drinks and food and people NOT worrying about finals? Undoubtedly.
It was lovely eating and drinking here. Happy Hour ends at 8 (or 8:30p). I repeat, Happy Hour ends at 8! While all the other lame places in the FiDi close up HH shop by 6 or 7 - Sapphire is still here serving drinks on the cheaps!
+I was just happy to be out of the library. -
Review from Lynn C.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2011
Yes, five stars.
I've never been here for anything other than for the happy hour menu. But it's definitely one of the best ones here in the FiDi.
With $2.75 beers on tap, $5 kamikaze and cocktail specials, and $5 on all the food items, how could you not like this place? They have TVs everywhere too, so you can pretty much see the TV anywhere you sit. Surprisingly, the food exceeded my expectations (probably because I heard that the lunch here isn't that impressive), and the portions are decent for $5. My fav include: fried noodles, keema wrap, and chicken wings.
Go here, grab a blue moon and stuff your face while watching a game on TV. I can't think of a better way to relax after a long day of work. -
Review from Stephen W.
San Francisco, CA
12/24/2011
This is a great place! $2.75 beers on tap is what makes this place great to come after work. Their happy hour starts at 4pm and goes for a long time. They have free wifi, bar, and a place to sit down.
Their tapas are great too, only $5 during happy hour. Get the chicken pastry dish, paeta korma or something, very delicious. -
Review from daphne w.
San Francisco, CA
9/8/2011
Sapphire had been on my radar for a number of months, and yesterday I was so excited to finally check it out for happy hour. Sapphire did not disappoint!
The vibe was low-key but not divey; not FiDi trendy or pretentious in the least.... Chad L. described it like sitting on a couch after a day's work, and after experiencing it for myself, I understand exactly what he means and wholeheartedly agree. Easy and comfortable: just my sort of place.
Our pitcher of white sangria was delicious, as were the small plates we got -- fried golden tofu, fish tempura, rainbow salad, tea leaf salad, and a rice dish with ground catfish. On top of that, after chatting with Robert (one of the owners) about how much we were enjoying the food, he brought over a sampler of assorted items -- garbanzo fritters, samusas, and some type of special squash tempura -- so we could have a taste of even more. YUM.
I honestly can't wait to go back. Besides the fact that I'm always up for Burmese food, I've got my eye on a few of the cocktails to try next time. Parking was a breeze after six. Ample tables and seating, including booths. Genuinely friendly service. All in all, I do believe I've found a new favorite happy hour! -
Review from Doug F.
San Diego, CA
2/16/2012
Great place for happy especially when your broke and unemployed like myself.
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Review from Raina S.
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've heard this place can be wildly inconsistent, but I had a great meal here.
Sapphire looks like a sports bar from the outside. It's not too easy to find, especially if you're driving. Apparently, they have a Chinese buffet during the day. I recommend you come in the evening for great Burmese food and creative cocktails, all at happy hour prices. Three of us feasted (okay, pigged out) on small plates, had five drinks between us, and the bill was less than $60.
My favorite item was their house-made tofu, prepared with yellow lentils instead of soybeans. The color is beautiful and the taste is even better. Everything else I tried was very good.
They close at 8:30 pm, so come early if you're having dinner. -
Review from Eric A.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a great place for happy hour, $5 entrees, and $1-$2 beers, you can't go wrong with that!
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Review from Katie H.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012
I love drinking...and samosas.
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Review from Erin S.
I love Burmese food, but there just aren't enough Burmese restaurants around here. Luckily I heard about Sapphire, which you would never know specializes in Burmese food. It's like they're trying to keep it a secret or something.
When you dine here for lunch, skip right over the cafeteria-style buffet full of basic Chinese food & order off the menu. They will cook your food to order, ensuring it is fresh & delicious. We ordered the fish chowder, tea leaf salad, & tofu salad. The fish chowder was not fishy at all, in fact it tasted more like lemongrass ramen. The tea leaf salad (one of my faves) was tangy, crunchy, & spicy. I love all those crunchy nuts & seeds! The best was the tofu salad. Now this tofu isn't the usual soy-based, it is made from yellow split peas. It is sliced & tossed with cabbage & carrots in a spicy dressing. Trust me, it's amazing, and damned colorful too.
Obviously this is a great place for happy hour. From 4-8:30 you can get all of these dishes, plus any other Burmese plates on the menu, for $5. Draft beer is $2.50 (yes, the good stuff...not Coors) & they even have a full bar with specialty cocktails for $8. Deal!Listed in: Happy Hour
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Review from Lenneal G.
Emeryville, CA
5/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Sapphire is a solid 3 star restaurant. You are NOT going to get blown away by the quality of food here. There are definitely better places to eat Asian cuisine in the FiDi for a few extra bucks.
What Sapphire does do well is having a kick ass Happy Hour. Paying a lot for so-so food is a no-no. But paying under $3 for beers not called Coors Light, Bud Light, Toilet Water Light, etc, is a yes-yes! And cheap food is a plus as well. Toss in the numerous flat screens for watching the games and friendly bartender and waitress and you have a place that can get a $20 spot from me anytime.
So why not 4 stars? Well simply put for a few extra bucks you can eat a whole lot better in the area, and if just being inexpensive got you 4 stars, fast food restaurants would be cleaning up out here. -
Review from Michael K.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2011
Say what you want you pompous over spenders - but if you are in the market for a good deal, awesome service and excellent location...locally and responsibly managed and owned...Sapphire is your place for a quick bite at lunch or bottomless happy hour after a grueling day at your 8-5 wish-you-had-a-different-job daily routine.
I cannot send enough kudos to the staff and to the owner for keeping true to their roots and not trying to market to the sheeshy or overly hipster last weeks which run rampant in the SF Financial District.
No...if you want a good crowd that is dynamic and authentic and you do not want to break the bank to indulge in your Karen Walker propensities....Sapphire is the place to come and be yourself.
I am a big fan of their $8 mojito and their Pineapple situation on the HH menu. Their wings ain't half bad (although it does make me feel guilty for heading to the bar instead of the gym). Oh well....we only live life once....everything in excess some of the time. ;)p
QUICK TIP: Don't get sloppy. I can personally attest, a large soda water with lime on the rocks in between each stiff one will do wonders for your skin, your health...and maybe your career. Drink Responsibly. :) -
Review from Isa L.
Vallejo, CA
3/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
first time here, portions are pretty big. nice area inside and they have beer or if you like alcohol they have a selection of drinks too. win win situation.
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Review from Linda C.
Management changed and now they offer an excellent happy hour weekdays 4pm-8:30pm! $2-3 pints of beer, $9.50 pitchers of beer, $5 appetizers? YES, please! And this is not just the funky water cheap stuff like Budweiser, I'm talking about some of my favorites like Blue Moon, Stella, and Peroni! The MOD was super nice and friendly and went around the restaurant to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves.
During the day, this place is a Chinese to-go place with pre-cooked food pretty much like Panda Express. I haven't been here for years so can't really comment on the food. All I remember is it tasted like your average place selling 2 item combos with chowmein, orange chicken, and beef & broccoli (you know you love that combo!)
Appetizers:
- Spicy Chicken Wings: not that spicy at all, but if you are craving crispy, fried wings, this will hit the spot.
- Keema Paratha: slightly spicy, flavorful meat wrapped in a thin flatbread, pretty goodListed in: Happy Hour =)
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Review from Kiristen R.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not much to say here except:
-Great beer happy hour prices
-Service is fine
-Food is ok.
I'd return. -
Review from kevin m.
San Francisco, CA
8/2/2011
This place is improving all the time. Their lunch service is streamlined and delicious, offering Chinese and Burmese fare at very reasonable prices. They also have a great Happy Hour where Burmese dishes are offered at the low price of $5 each. What a great deal! The food is solid and the management cares about improving the experience and works on the details all the time. Good tea leaf salad and everything else! I've been back a dozen times already and still have a hard time choosing from all the yummy choices.
GO! -
Review from Patricia H.
CA
Updated - 4/1/2011
I was excited to come back to Sapphire after so many years. I had heard good things about their Burmese cuisine and was looking forward to trying some. However, when I checked out their offerings, it pretty much looked like the same old same old. I had the Burmese garlic chicken with noodles. The chicken started off very spicy and garlicky and I was SO EXCITED!
And when I kept eating it I realized that the first couple of bites were the best, and the rest was the usual soggy steam table stuff with greasy noodles.
Sigh.Listed in: Eating in the fidi/north…, Why why why Delilah?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/10/2006
I was so excited the first time I went to Sapphire. What looked like some very tasty dishes were… Read more »
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Review from Jared L.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2011
Sapphire happy hour contrasts nicely with the dudeBro/CorporateMiniskirt (tm) feel of the other FD watering holes at that time of day. The vibe is quiet and relaxed without being dull. The food's cheap and tasty and not burgers. The cocktails are made with a great deal of care and creativity by a bartendress who defies her pneumatic good looks by actually kicking ass. You can probably order Jager bombs, lemon drops, and Red-bull vodkas here, but what a waste when you could have a grownup drink.
In all, a unique establishment, and I'm glad we went and will go again.
The draft beer selection is somewhat limited, and I'm hoping they get more strong local brews in there to pair with the bar fare. -
Review from Geri K.
Phoenix, AZ
8/18/2011
Happy hour here is one of the best deals downtown. All "Burmese tapas" are $5; we tried 5 dishes and loved every one. The rainbow noodle salad was my favorite. The white sangria and lychee martini were on the sweet side, but not bad for $5. Everyone was super friendly and genuinely interested in making sure we liked everything and were having a good time.
Even though it has kind of a sports bar look to it, the crowd was upscale and well-behaved (mostly FiDi suit types in their 20s to 40s, I'd guess) and the music was at a perfect volume. Don't let the dark facade and neon beer signs scare you off, as they did me for a while. I'm glad I finally got up the nerve to go in. I'll definitely put it on my regular rotation. -
Review from Lil L.
San Bruno, CA
11/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My 2nd go-to lunch spot. Combos are http://bomb.com! (I just wanted to say that.) But in all seriousness, orange chicken and fried rice is tasty deliciousness. If I come here earlier than the 12 noon madness, the manager hooks it up with GINORMOUS portions that takes me 2 days to finish.... ALWAYS! Green veggies are also fresh and not covered in some greasy sauce. Came here once for HH and they have $5 tapas and $1 to $2 beers. Maybe it was a special event, but they even had a live band... on a Monday night?! Great casual vibe and fun. Keep up the good work, Sapphire!
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Review from Maximillian M.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2011
WHAAAT? A hearty bowl of Burmese chicken noodles and a glass of Fat Tire for less than $9? Eating at the bar, flirty bartender chick, and the NBA playoffs on TV? A couple blocks from work? Happy hour 'til 8:30pm?
WIN! -
Review from Doug ..
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2011
happy hour beer. Non wellsdrinks are club prices but $2 PBRs ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLNIGHT!
the service is great too. owner usually comes out and hang outs with the patrons. -
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Summary based on 1 lunch:
--Burmese food in the FiDi
--masquerades as a Chinese buffet at lunch, at least, but will cook Burmese food to order. You may have to ask to see the menu. No sweat.
--decent Burmese food. Perhaps not as good as Burmese Kitchen on
Larkin, but good for the area. I'd certainly come back here again.
--friendly, helpful service. Order from the cashier and they'll bring to your table.
--cheap
--no parking of course -
Review from Heather P.
San Francisco, CA
I forgot my lunch today and was craving for something good, hot with rice. They covered the hot with rice part...the good? Not so much.
The line wasnt too bad considering it was lunchtime in the Financial District, but I did have time to look at the menu and think of what I wanted. Vegetable fried rice and mushroom chicken...sounds good to me. I got to the front of the line and apparently the "vegetable" fried rice means cabbage. Just cabbage. The chicken was alright but only had about three mushrooms in there.
The price is reasonable for the amount of food you get. Especially considering this is the Financial District and they charge you a grip for a meal. -
Review from Jenny W.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2011
I feel earlier reviews aren't accurate 'cause the place is under new management...
This hidden gem in the FiDi is my go to happy hour spot. In fact, I'm one step away from being renamed Norm as my bar stool there has an indentation perfectly matching my derriere.
It is indeed the happiest (4:00-8:30) happy hour I have had the privilege of stumbling upon with $2.00 domestic bottles, $2.50 drafts (Blue Moon, Sapporo, and Fat Tire to name a few), $5 wine and specialty cocktails (Lychee Martini, yes please!), and Burmese tapas for $5.
As if the prices aren't enough to entice, the lady serving up the cocktails, Evette, is a ridiculously amazing little bartendress... She and her "gimmicks" bring all the men (and women) to the bar and as soon as the regulars arrive she is already mid-pour of their favorite poison. With a smile and a cheers she bounces on to the next patron, but when you have about 2 sips left, there is magically another right in front of you.
Your fav game is guaranteed to be shown on one of the many TVs. If it's not, just ask. The owners are super friendly and accommodating, setting up additional tables, bringing over extra bar stools and even letting us taste a sample of a cocktail or a bite of a new dish. It doesn't hurt that it's on my way to my bus stop after work either. It also doesn't hurt my bank account. It might be hurting my waistline a tad bit, but all and all I'd say it's worth it. -
Review from Rachel E.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2011
I've been twice for lunch now and I have to say this is my favorite "fast food" Asian place. I've gotten different things both times and everything has been very good. Not only that, the people don't roll their eyes at you when you ask what something is (is it just me this happens to at New Asia in the Crocker Galleria?).
Gourmet? No. Tasty? Yes. -
Review from Beth D.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2011
I just stopped in here for a drink after work one night, so I'm reviewing Sapphire as I would any bar, and not a restaurant.
There were plenty of places to sit, even though it was Friday. They had a live DJ (he was wearing an Ed Hardy shirt, but hey at least they were trying...) The tvs were set to the Giants game. The people who worked there were friendly, the drinks were reasonable and the bathrooms were clean.
Other than the fact that the decor reminds me of a late 90s Midwest bar, I can't really complain. I'll definitely come back for a beer, and I want to check out the food sometime. -
Review from Wendy T.
So, it seems like all the employees are all Burmese because they can speak the language (so can I) so this place is pretty authentic in my book.
The rainbow noodle salad w/ chicken tapa (you have to specially request this) is pretty good here. Otherwise, you might get a pretty vegetarian-like dish. The beef masala is pretty good also but you have to remember to place rice as a separate order.
You'll definitely get the bang for your buck here during the happy hour ($5 on ALL TAPA DISHES!!! SO AWESOME!!!). It's best to
get here after 6pm to be able to park on the street due to rush hour traffic restrictions.
They are closed on weekends unless you want to have a private party. They say that they can even throw Karaoke parties here for you apparently.Listed in: Asian Cultural Food Spots
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Review from Marc S.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2011
I had sworn off the steam tray Chinese for a while, but this place looks classy and the food looked higher quality than most. Was very pleased with my orange chicken and noodles. The amount of chicken in the chicken was good (not just breading), as was the quality (seemed all white meat). Cost was reasonable for good quality at $6.50 with tax, no drink. I actually probably could have gone two items here for the extra dollar and I might next time since portions are not insane. It's not your standard really cheap-for-ton-of-grease place. Nice seating environment and not crowded at prime time for quick service.
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Review from J N.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011
Best Happy Hour Bar!!
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Review from Roger H.
El Cerrito, CA
7/13/2011
I poked my head in the door of this place one afternoon a few months ago and was turned off by the greasy smell.
But I returned and ate there for first time today, enticed by the LivingSocial deal, and was pleasantly surprised. Got black bean chicken and a grilled shrimp dish. The chicken was nice and tender and the shrimp were larger than I expected, crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. Both dishes were flavored well, with subtle flavors as opposed to a boatload of salt or MSG. Prices are good, just a little higher than Panda Express, and the greasy smell was gone. I'll be back. -
Review from Johnny A.
Oakland, CA
6/16/2011
First off, it took me about a month of walking past the store front to realize that this place was not a bar, it completely looks like a bar from the outside but is actually a Chinese restaurant set up like panda express, with fewer options.
I was very disappointed to find out that it does not even compare to panda express, the meat was a little dry and just generally lacked the flavor that I expect out of that type of Asian food. I generally compare this type of Asian food places to panda express and this did not even come close.
Sorry Sapphire, but maybe just work on being a bar... -
Review from Lucia A.
Oakland, CA
11/9/2011
I am very picky when it comes to Chinese food and this place is very yummy. I come to this place a lot for lunch. Great prices!
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Review from Clarissa P.
San Francisco, CA
9/7/2011
This is my go-to chinese "panda express style" joint in Fidi. For what it is (and what you pay) it's 4 stars. The portions are generous, the food is not oily (for chinese food), and the service is friendly and fast. I hear the happy hour here is pretty great, but I have yet to come for HH.
