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Urban Picnic
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Vegetarian Sandwiches, Asian Fusion, Vegetarian [Edit]
125 Kearny St(between Post St & Vermehr Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighbourhood: Financial District
(415) 433-1233
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 3 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
188 reviews for Urban Picnic
Review Highlights
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"The kale and quinoa salad was refreshing and tasty." In 16 reviews -
"i had the lemon grass chicken banh mi." In 10 reviews -
"the Pho was fresh, light tasting and savory." In 52 reviews
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188 reviews in English
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Review from Joanna T.
San Francisco, CA
4/28/2012
Eating healthy can be a challenge near Union Square. That's why I'm so happy to have found Urban Picnic. They offer small veggie side salads, freshly prepared bahn mi sandwiches or noodle soups with a choice of regular or small portions.
Yesterday's lunch was a delicious 5-spice chicken noodle soup. The broth was clear, flavorful and very fresh-tasting. You can load up your bowl with bean sprouts and doses of lime juice from the condiment bar. This dish a perfect melange of noodles, vegetables and meat for a cold day. What's cool when I first spotted this on the menu is that you have a choice of a dry bowl or a "wet" (with broth) bowl. Very thoughtful.
Feeling a need for a small bite, today I opted for a 2-item small side salad to takeaway. Out of the five-or so choices, I got the butternut squash salad and spicy tofu. The tofu, I believe, is from Hodo Soy, and it had a nice spice bite to it on top of something like seaweed strands. The butternut squash was composed of big chunks of seasoned vegetable (so very hearty).
If Asian fusion food is something you get a yen for, as I do, pick up some yummy food at Urban Picnic. Your tummy will say "Thanks!". -
Review from Lana C.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had the kale quinoa salad to go... meh. I walked back to my office, and then realized they forgot my dressing :(. I tried it without the dressing, and it did not taste too good.. so walked the two blocks back to get it... and it was a lot better w/ the dressing...
It was an ok salad, but I wouldn't go back.... the seaweed and kale mixture with the seasame dressing was creative, but nothing crazy exciting.
I might go back to try the Pho... there were a lot of people getting that.... -
Review from Jessica T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/21/2012
Urban Picnic is MY place to go downtown.
Barely a wait.
Kale quinoa salad with avocado and hemp dressing (oh so appropriate on this date) FTW.
And the staff are seriously the sweetest people around.
I feel like I'm walking into Cheers when I dance in here.
Trust.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/23/2012
Urban Picnic has quickly become my downtown equivalent to Good Earth.
Their staff are adorable and… Read more »
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Review from lyn m.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
Great place to grab lunch I've had the hobbs Cobb salad and the lemongrass chicken sandwich fresh and tasty !
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Review from svetlana m.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
convenient, healthy, great tasting, all around great, especially for lunch!
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Review from Rachel F.
4/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fresh, light, flavorful, and surprisingly filling. I wasn't sure if it was my type of place upon walking in (read: looked very healthy and potentially vegetarian/vegan). I was quickly proven wrong. The options sounded incredible, and instead of searching for things with meat, I was amazed by the menu options with anything and everything. Sure there was vegan, plenty of salads, quinoa, etc. And most everything was 5-10 bucks. After lots and lots of debating, I landed on the Chipotle Chicken Chimichurri wrap. Not much time later we got all the food, no mistakes and whoa. It was plenty of food with just the wrap but light enough to not feel at all bloated or down for the count. The wrap was incredibly tasty, with fresh ingredients. I loved the avocado salsa and the spices on the chicken.
The perfect filling, healthy lunch. Quick and tasty! -
Review from Lena S.
5/5/2012
Meh. On my way to a Thai place on Kerney, a coworker and I stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a try based on some good reviews they put on their door. Well, I don't know who wrote the reviews, but they were wrong because this place was no good compared to the plethora of sandwich/salad places in fidi. I got the slaw w veggie chikn and my coworker got a cup of pho. Both dishes fell pretty flat. The slaw was... weird and unsatisfying. It had cantaloupe which just did not belong in the dish and the flavors did not blend well. It came w 2 mushy slices of french bread which seemed like a token afterthought. Coworker didn't really complain about the pho, but since there are much better places for it nearby, Id give this place a pass. I wish we weren't distracted and had gone to the Thai instead.
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Review from Amy E.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
Kale has been a best friend of mine for nearly 10 years. If I'm not eating it, I'm buying it, washing it, cooking it, blanching it, chopping it, shredding it, tossing it, hand-smushing it up w/avocado, blending it with banana for a smoothie, talking about it, sharing it, reading about it, researching it - pretty much everything but growing it (well, I tried, but the gopher would get to it before me).
So, to find Urban Picnic has a raw kale salad has made my world. I can now get a boost of health during my work day. I don't think I'll ever get anything else here at UP - but who knows, I may venture out a bit.
Next time I will ask for avocado too as that seemed to be a missing key ingredient. Other than that - perfection.
I'm so full of iron now I can do summersaults down market street. -
Review from Emma-Louise H.
4/4/2012
If you need a food detox, and often us Yelp ambassadors do when we descend en masse to San Francisco, this is a great place to come. Bursting at the seams with soups, salads and juices, it offers a respite from anything fried or greasy.
I couldn't resist the kale and quinoa salad which was packed with goodies - I added some spicy chicken and grabbed a Vietnamese iced coffee too, as, well, I can't quit caffeine and this promised to be too delicious. Plus the caffeine/condensed milk high is one I usually only get in Fuerteventura, and I had a party to be heading to later.
There are all kinds of sauces you can add to your mound of healthy deliciousness at the condiment station including hoi sin, hot sauce and soy as well as fresh raw beansprouts. I took advantage of all of these. When a salad is a treat, you know that a) you've been at the junk food too long and b) it's a definite winner for something nutritious and crunchy! -
Review from Nique F.
3/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
When Jessica T dubs something SWU (Soooo What's Up), you know it's worth a visit. She's been singing Urban Picnic's praises for months now, so I finally decided to tag along and see what all the kale & jalepeno fuss was about.
So, without using acronyms, Urban Picnic is basically a little deli that serves a curious variety of healthy grub, including MSG-free Pho. They have 5 big pre-designed salads to choose from, or you an go with the "Deli Combo" and pick 4 sides to make up a custom lunch. I went with the spicy squash, marinated beets, kale and white beans, and quinoa salad. A generous helping of each made for a super hearty meal for around $9. The same loot at Whole Foods would put me in double-digit territory, for sure.
Guaranteed goodness, friendly service, a few seats and of course...kombucha and coconut water to wash all that noble roughage down with more healthfulness. Now I understand the SWU-ness. -
Review from Michael E.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2012
I am told that this is the healthiest lunch in San Francisco. At least that's what I'm told by a big fan of Urban Picnic. I have to admit, it's hard to disagree.
As the years trudge on and my waistline gets a bit wider, I've been trying to seek out these healthy lunch spots. I'm on a regimen of salad only lunches for the most part these days, and they certainly deliver. As a creature of habit I tend to lean on the Apple-a-Day salad with blue cheese and apple slices. The quinoa salad was pretty tasty the last I checked, as is their bahn mi, which I believe their version is made with the health conscious in mind. Their service is super fast, especially if you get in under the lunch rush like I did today. My only complaint is you sort of get bottle necked at the fun scrawled, but hard to read menus in line. So you dance with other customers in a game of 'oh, go ahead, I'm still deciding.'
Small price to pay if it will help me look less rotund, right? -
Review from Kelly S.
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bahn mi is something that I've only recently been introduced to. The soft bread, the spicy tangy meaty filling. The fresh herbs and aioli. All things I'm so down with. Different people do them differently and Urban Picnic is no exception.
The sammy we picked up there for lunch was crustier than what I've had but not rip-the-roof-of-your-mouth hard. Inside, instead of the thin sliced pork I've had before, the meat was more like a brisket consistency. I liked the thicker pieces of meat and they had a good tender flavor.
I did have to slather it in soy sauce and sriracha but I do that anyway. I want that stuff spicy, damnit! Quick, inexpensive and perfect for a later lunch on a busy Monday. -
Review from Jason B.
Updated - 3/18/2012
Quinomeal.
Excuse the poor attempt at creating a new word. Figured it was worth a try. Had never seen quinoa oatmeal before.
Wish I had sooner. It's awesome. And packed with nutrients. Urban Picnic also packs in dried cranberries, walnuts and flax seed with honey on top. Blueberries for an extra buck.
Execution earns four stars. Seven dollars (with the blueberries) keeps things at three.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/11/2009
I'll never forget the former incarnation Chill. It was there that after almost a decade I… Read more »
Comment from Trang N. of Urban Picnic 11/13/2009
Hi Jason. Thanks for coming in. Please be aware that we… More » -
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Review from Jen S.
Updated - 4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
i LOVE this place for two reasons 1. kale and quinoa salad and 2. pho!!!!
the kale and quinoa salad will make non-salad lovers fall in love with salad. it is absolutely amazing. whoever though of that combination is the best!! unfortunately, there are not any good viet pho places around here and this is seriously the best. my friend told me about it and i really doubted the tastiness of the pho b/c it was being made by a 'white man' haha but its amazing and on a windy sf day, totally hits the spot! plus they have unlimited bean sprouts in the back!!
i always come during lunch and you can most likely find a seat. also even if it looks like the line is long, it goes by pretty fast and your food comes out fast!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/12/2011
i'm in LOVE with quinoa ever since i tried the quinoa salad at Fleur De Sel, so i searched that for… Read more »
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Review from Abby S.
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars is more like it for Urban Picnic. Food is alright, but nothing worth raving about. Maybe it's because I'm not vegan/vegetarian and this restaurant definitely caters to grass grazers in the city. Totally fine, just not my cup o' tea, as most food of this nature tends to sacrifice flavor in favor of completely natural/healthy ingredients.
I had a dry noodle bowl to-go - it had beef, noodles, a little peanut, green salad and a lime/chili sauce to put on top. Pretty good, but didn't make it to the bottom of the bowl and I'm certainly not craving more. It was a little bland, but a little Sriracha took care of that problem. But it was definitely a healthy option for lunch and it's much more affordable than Mixt Greens down the way.
Because the people behind the counter are so darn nice, I'd probably come back, but maybe try something else? The prices aren't too bad, it's just not my favorite lunch spot in the FiDi.Listed in: Un, Deux, Trois, It's Just Lunch!
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Review from Shawn S.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012
The salads here are interesting and I enjoy eating them. Most places seem to offer the same 6 salads everyone has seen everywhere, everyday of their life. Here, I feel I get some wordly variety - at least in regards to something I can find close to the FiDi district for lunch.
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Review from Preetesh B.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2012
The default description on what two stars is ("Meh, I've experienced better") fits perfectly for UP. I had their lemongrass chicken banh mi and was pretty disappointed. I saw a somewhat long line so thought this could be something good, but alas it was not .
The chicken looks similar to chicken salad and the carrots and daikon leave a lot to be desired, especially for $9.
The only saving grace was the fixings bar where you can gather up as much jalapeno, lemongrass and sriracha as you'd like. I loaded up on all three and will prolly use them later to make a sandie at home.
If you're looking for a bomb banh mi, I still suggest Hong Kee & Kim at Drumm and Sacramento. Its $5.37 and will blow your socks off! -
Review from Kristine J.
Redwood City, CA
2/26/2012
We walked by and smelled some great pho aroma. I went in here with my fiance since it was on the way to Union Square. We took a look at the menu with all of the choices and descriptions. All sounded great, and we were recommended the Korean BBQ wrap. We ordered that and pulled pork wet noodles.
Eh, it was ok. The Korean BBQ meat inside the wrap was super dry. The wet noodles didn't taste like anything. We kept adding jalapenos and lemons to get some flavor. After absorbing it all, I then noticed the pics and signs that this place stresses on healthy/organic vegan food. My past experience with that has been on the pricey and bland tastes, which still holds true to Urban Picnic.
Overall, it was kind of pricey for what we ordered, considering the size and tasteless-ness. It's recommended for the super healthy eaters and vegans, but not for me who enjoys the occasional burger and real beef pho broth. The good was that the ingredients were fresh, restroom was kept clean, free water, modern & artistic setting, and healthy menu. -
Review from Negien M.
San Francisco, CA
3/14/2012
I've tried the five spice "chick-in" bahn mi and the korean short rib. I preferred the korean shortrib and was pretty satisfied with the meat! My biggest complaint is that the bread for the bahn mi isn't airy and crisp like bahn mi should be and the filling to bread ratio is not wonderful. Not a complaint, but the flavors are not traditionally asian tasting - the aoili is quite unique!
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Review from Evita M.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
First things first, I try not to buy lunch often and Urban Picnic is on the pricey side - but since I only treat myself every now and then I give them a pass.
I walk 7 blocks out of my way to get the kale salad (yum) from Urban that has a heaping amount of fixings for $8 bucks - putting into consideration that I work next door to one of those salad places that charges $11 dollars for mostly lettuce.
The staff has always been helpful in answering questions about ingredients even though I have only tried their salads, but since some of the fixings change out according to the season I like to think I'm still being slightly adventurous. -
Review from Yuliya K.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2011
I love this place! The food is super awesome and the choices are amazing. Everything is very good- except the price, quite expensive! But, that is what you get for a wholesome organic meal! =) They don't feed you crappy gm!
Try their soups on a cold windy/rainy day.. ahhh, so good! -
Review from Dominic T.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have been dying to try Urban Picnic for months. I bought the Bloomspot deal for $10 with a $20 value. Today, I finally had the time to grab lunch in the financial district. I felt bad for stalling the people that walked in behind me as I was glancing at the menu boards over and over again. I finally decided on the lemongrass chicken banh mi, grilled pork banh mi, and lemongrass chicken pho. There was no tart froyo so I was disheartened and had to choose the pho. But the Bloomspot deal made it all worth it.
I only had time to eat the pho while there. The soup base is alright, but not quite like authentic pho soup base. The noodles are not the typical four-edged noodles but are thin and rounded, sort of like vermicelli. Without sriracha hot sauce, I think it is a very healthy option but I have a high tolerance for spicy foods. Like everyone else says, the portions are small but I guess it is for the better (combat obesity!). Save room for the froyo.
The free wi-fi is absolutely slow. I couldn't even connect my iPhone to the wi-fi. -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Francisco, CA
I enjoy coming here when I am craving a salad for lunch. I always get their slaw salad. It comes with green cabbage, watermelon, daikon radish, carrots, shaved red onions, Thai basil-mint-scallion-cilantro medley, topped with crispy shallots & peanuts. Served with their housemade garlic lime vinaigrette.
This salad is light and refreshing and fairly inexpensive, under $7. This place gets pretty busy at lunch so be prepared to wait for you food.Listed in: Lunch Spots
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Review from Angela S.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011
I honestly wanted to dislike this place more because it's one of those trendy places that wants to "revolutionize the way America eats" or some shit yet serves $10 sandwiches and the only people who are willing to pay that much are probably eating steak for dinner anyways.
But, that's beside the point. The vegetarian banh mi I had was pretty good. Not super amazing or anything, but it was good. It was $9, though. I could go to Latte Express and get two for that price. I know what I'm paying for though, organic ingredients and all that shit. It's cool, but not amazing. The place was really clean, and the service was good, but it was pretty late in the day, so I guess that's a given. -
Review from Tony W.
Minneapolis, MN
2/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love that Urban Picnic has organic food and vegan options. I tried the Tempeh Banh Mi, which was just okay. Not quite worth the $8, but I will definitely come back and try something else. The vegan cookies on the counter are crazy-delicious.
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Review from Gina S.
This is actually my second time being here. I first came when they just opened and it wasn't too busy. Looking at the menu I thought it was a bit on the pricey side. I guess they were trying to compete with Boxed Foods Co.? Because I'm asian, I would not pay $9 for a banh mi (vietnamese style sandwich) when you can get an authentic one for about $3! I guess to cover fees? But I ordered the kale and quinoa salad because it was the most interesting thing on the menu. I really like the sweet soy dressing and the textures of the quinoa and kale are perfect together! First time was a little too heavy on the dressing which made it super salty and the second time was perfect, but they put blueberries in it? I don't like fruits in my salads.
One reason why I wouldn't go too often is not because of price, but because of the wait. First time, it was early and since it was newly opened there was no line but I had to wait for 10 minutes just for them to toss a salad. Second time, it was busy and a short moving quick line but I had to wait 15 minutes. People who ordered after me had already gotten their sandwiches while I still waited. Maybe they need more people to make the salads, cuz people need quick in this area!
I would only go here if I was craving this salad. If they take that off the menu, most likely I will not go back. -
Review from Rielle L.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2011
Best pho I have ever tasted. Before I became vegan, I had the chicken pho, and b/c Urban Picnic uses organic, free range meat, the broth was the most flavorful I had ever tasted. And I am Asian and have lived in Vietnam for 2 months. Literally, you can savor each spoonful.
Now that I'm vegan, I happily enjoy the vegetarian pho, and the kale and quinoa salad. Delicious. The "chikin" meat banhmi is always good too, but be warned they put some peppers in there, which I take out. -
Review from Joon L.
CA
3/14/2012
I get the whole healthier Asian food with fresh quality ingredients thing. It is a concept that I try to live by. But the Asian flavors just aren't there. I always end up so unsatisfied. The chicken pho has great ingredients, but the broth is just passable. It's bland and lacks depth. Kinda like if you tried to make broth at home in one hour.
It's easy to tell they didn't spend hours boiling flavor away from bones and meat. And they should be ashamed to charge 10 bucks for it. Go to Golden Star and see what real broth should taste like. Their Ban mi is OK, but they don't use the right bread that uses rice flour to get it airier and crunchier and their meats need more seasoning. Of course, the ingredients are top notch. However, I still prefer the pork ban mi at either Happy Donuts or Latte Express at half the price. -
Review from Kim L.
Berkeley, CA
10/19/2011
AWESOME! AWESOME FOR VEGETARIANS!
Now that I have your attention, I will explain further.
The "5 Chikn" or whatever they call it Bahn Mi sandwhich is really tasty. My friends live for the pho and the slaw salad, and I just had the marinated tofu and it was flavorful enough and with such a great texture that I felt immediately compelled to write a review!
They also serve frozen custard, with shmancy topping such as chocolate covered sunflower seeds. And sometimes they have exotic chips such as "spinach and artichoke" which are delish.
The downsides? They close at 3 as they are truly a breakfast/lunch spot, and sometimes it is a challenge to get a table, but the line is never unbearable. -
Review from Flip F.
Lafayette, CA
1/31/2012
Love their soups and banh mi!
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Review from Naomi T.
Berkeley, CA
1/27/2012
I love this place. The quinoa salad is great and so is the pho. Who buys a cup of that? Order the bowl and you'll be full, really. Sure this place costs more for lunch, but it's pretty comparable to other places for lunch in the area. I would spend a little more for a healthy lunch, than save two dollars and get some greasy pizza or hot dog.
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Review from Julio A.
8/19/2011 6 Check-ins Here
There are lunch options on every corner in the Financial District. Sometimes two or three per block. Still, when you're looking for something that won't clog an artery, the pickings are pretty slim.
In the contest of quick, healthy, Financial District salad options, it's basically a three-way race between Mixt Greens, Boxed Foods Company, and Urban Picnic. Mixt Greens would probably win hands down, but it can hardly be called "quick." No matter the location, the lunch time crunch usually means about a twenty minute wait in line, which is often more than I can stomach.
Boxed Foods Company is good, but in my opinion they don't have anything that can compete with Urban Picnic's Kale and Quinoa Salad. It's flavorful, healthy, and satisfying. Throw some tempeh on there for a nice taste bump.
The layout is weird and it is a bit of a mosh pit in the waiting area. Still, a solid lunch option. -
Review from Jeanne C.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
Pho $6 for a cup. That is a lot for pho. It's a lot for anything in a container that small. Outrageous! It wasn't bad but wasn't great and left me starving. The cup is tiny but still there is barely any noodle or meat.
I also order the BBQ pork salad and it was disgusting. It's not a difficult dish but the worst I've ever had. -
Review from Joi B.
7/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Straight-up deliciousness.
Finally broke my banh mi cherry! Why? They are often made with meat. Actually, I only know of one place in NY that's a vegan Vietnamese restaurant that serves these sans carne. Never got to try them there, but after Urban Picnic, they have me cravin' em. SO UNFAIR.
Right, so it's probably not what you'd call authentic. Again, I don't give a fig (a fig is actually important to me). I can't get an authentic banh mi w/o the meat (at least in KC), so I'm fine with getting Americanized version at Urban Picnic when I'm in San Fran and looking for my lunch fix. When it's this delicious, I do not care.
Tip: add on some bean curd skin, too! Nice mix of textures with the tempeh, pickles, veggies and sauces. Crunch... chew... savor...Listed in: Lunch in San Francisco
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Review from Kathy S.
8/11/2011
I had their veggie pho bowl. No complaints here!!
Will definitely be back. The venue is very clean and there is indoor seating. Bonus points for cucumber water.
***Warning..not a good place to go for a conversation as it gets REALLY loud during lunch hours! Seating also runs out. Their rush seems to start around 12:30 and last until 1:30. Then it completely clears out. -
Review from S R.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2012
i appreciate the concept - healthy for the body, environment, etc. but asian food made by mexican people and served by white people makes me hesitate. banh mi wasnt terrible. pork and carrots were dry and underflavored. too expensive for what you get.
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Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
A great, quick lunch option that's way healthier than the rest of the lunches I've been eating this week. After some rave reviews from coworkers, I took a group here yesterday to try for ourselves. The variety in the menu impressed me - they had everything from your traditional Cobb salad to banh mis to pho. I wouldn't really call it a Vietnamese place, more like some sort of healthy, organic Vietnamese fusion concept. And it works!
I got the organic chicken pho and the first thing everyone will want to know is whether or not it tastes as authentic as the hole in the wall Vietnamese places around town. The answer is no. But it's still totally tasty and probably a lot healthier than the 'real' version. The banh mi's sounded really yummy too, though I thought it was a little expensive to come out with absolutely no side options, not even a bag of chips.
We came at the height of lunch hour and were lucky enough to get a seat right away, but it can get a little messy and crowded, especially around the condiment/utensil counter. I thought they could have had people coming around and cleaning a bit more often but perhaps they were just swamped at that very moment.
I'd definitely recommend it to those who are looking for a fresh, clean, healthy option for lunch but want something more than their normal generic salads.Listed in: San Francisco Lunch Spots, Downtown San Francisco…
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Review from Jelena Z.
7/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Two visits, two days in a city not my own? Why yes, I'm quite smitten.
Cheap, it is not - you can definitely find more inexpensive (and more authentic) bahn mi all over San Francisco. But Urban Picnic is near my office, they're sprucing up classic sandwiches, and the space is utterly modern. The pristine part? That didn't hurt, either.
Lunch, day #1: Lemongrass chicken urban bahn mi. Though it's smaller than a typical bahn mi sandwich and will set you back an almost whopping $9, it's crammed with top shelf shredded chicken, housemade Sriracha aioli, pickled veggies, cilantro, jalapenos and crispy shallots. And unlike typical Vietnamese bahn mi, the ingredients are almost creamed together... sounds strange, but it works!
Lunch, day #2: A quick costume shopping excursion to the Tenderloin put Urban Picnic directly in the return path to Yelp HQ. Hooray! This time I decided to mix it up so I ordered the Turkey Honey Avocado BLT. The goods: Diestel Ranch all-natural free range roasted turkey, Hobbs bacon, light aioli, wildflower honey, avocado salsa, arugula, tomatoes, red onions and a $1 add for Gruyere cheese.
Was it good? Damn straight, good sir... all the elements of a fantastic sandwich including my favorite kind of bread (crusty yet chewy on the inside). Including a beverage, you can expect to pay about $12 but no one said healthy on-the-go eating in the concrete jungle was inexpensive. -
Review from Brittany B.
Malibu, CA
7/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yum! A coworker recommended this and I am so glad she did! What a great, easy, healthy lunch spot in San Francisco! I ordered the pho as a warm soup sounded comforting and boy did it hit the spot! I also tried my coworkers bhan mi, which was excellent as well.
It's a super tiny space and definitely gets a little crowded during lunch time, but don't all places worth trying get busy?!
Even better is that this place uses seasonally, fresh, local sustainable ingredients! And you sure can taste it!
There is a little condiment station with sriracha, hoisin sauce and bean sprouts, all perfect accompaniments to the pho!
Next time I'd want to try the kale and quinoa salad, which looks amazing!Listed in: San Francisco!, Lunch in San Francisco
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Review from Gary L.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2011
Me, noticing the clientele: "It's mostly women in here."
Lunch Buddy (a woman): "Have you SEEN the menu? It's all like, salads and healthy shit. Of course it's all women."
This morning - prior to writing this - I looked at the reviews here. The majority: written by women.
If you want a stick-to-your-ribs meal, look elsewhere. The food, as previously mentioned is very light and "healthy." And when possible, they claim that their ingredients are organic and free range and sustainable and locally sourced and every other foodie buzzword. Maybe all the San Franciscan health nuts will crucify me for saying this, but I'm not going to go out of my way - or pay a ridiculous premium - to eat a meal with an "organic" or "quality ingredients" label slapped onto it. I want food that is filling and satisfying and makes me feel better about not bringing lunch to work that day.
Value? Non-existent. A Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi is what the cool kids are calling it) should not cost upwards of $9. On top of that, the portions are *tiny*... even the website says as much: "Our portion sizes are intentionally designed to satisfy without excess, minimizing food waste, while maximizing your experience." Maximizing my experience? You're damned right I'm going to "maximize my experience" if my $9 bought me a sad, tiny little sandwich! I'm going to eat that little fucker as slowly as possible to savor every expensive bite!
That said, the food is quite good. Yeah it's healthy and yeah it's relatively expensive, but the sandwiches taste much better than the ones you'll get at most other Vietnamese sandwich places. And I guess for most of the clientele - young professional yoga mat surfing high heel wearing (note: those are not bad things; also, I apologize if I sound like a misogynist) Financial District women who top out at 145lbs (and those are the ones who are 5'8" or taller) - these tiny portions will do them just fine... the rest of us might want to eat something a little more substantial.
