Irving Cafe & Deli
Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset2146 Irving St
(between 22nd Ave & 23rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 681-2326
Irving Cafe & Dessert on 1919 Irving Street between…
Announced 2 weeks ago
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
125 Reviews for Irving Cafe & Deli
One of Irving Cafe & Deli's Favorite Reviews
This is the place where I popped my viet sandwich cherry and I have no regrets til this day. After trying a handful of viet sandwich places here and there, I still believe this spot makes the best ones. I always go for either the combo or the bbq pork sandwiches. Cheap, tasty, but the ppl there mite be a little mean looking if you're not used to it. But afterall, it's the food you're there for. So i have to give it 5 stars.
This place used to be the bomb! Until they raised their prices! The people that make the sandwiches rarely smile! buts okay the food is decent and i'm only there for the food anyways. You have to try their egg rolls, even though its not fresh, it tastes sooo yummy! One of the best egg rolls in the city!
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I LOVE IRVING CAFE & DELI!!!
They have the best combination pork sandwiches! I haven't really tried much of the other sandwiches but it seems everyone likes them. I have tried also the Banh Cuon and other plates, and they're delicious.
The reason I give only 4 stars though is because the workers in there never smile and always look like they don't want to be there. But it's not bad enough for you to never go there.
Check out my review on their other location. The employees at their Mission location are actually waaaay nicer and I gave it five stars.
SF Food Inspection Score: 94
I was pleasantly surprised by that score!
I come here for my Vietnamese sandwich fix! I love the bbq chicken, that's always a safe choice and the combination pork is awesome!
i tried the rice plate and it was aite.
But I definitely come here constantly, maybe like once a week...I should tone it down a bit.
Considering that the restaurant is tiny (it's more of a take-out place) and that they don't really appear to have much of a kitchen, I'm super impressed that they have over 100 items on their menu.
All I wanted when I walked in was a cup of Vietnamese coffee, but when I got to their fridge, I was like a little kid in a candy store; I wanted to get EVERYTHING. They had all sorts of cool Vietnamese drinks and desserts. From Vietnamese soft drinks to homemade Vietnamese three-color bean drinks and yogurt. Mmmmmmm!!! :)
I ended up getting the Vietnamese coffee, which was very strong, but also very sweet; the girl had put way too much condensed milk in it, but that's alright, and I picked up some of their homemade Vietnamese yogurt, which was tangy and delicious. I also decided to order two banh mi for my parents.
While they were toasting the bread, I looked up at their menu, noticed that the banh mi cost $3.50 and thought, "Damn, most places only charge about $2.50", but then they started filling the bread with cha lua and I thought, "Holy... That's enough cha to fill three bahn mi!" Most Vietnamese sandwich shops that I've been to barely put any cha in their sandwiches. Usually, it's just one layer of paper-thin cha, but this place has layers upon layers of thickly-cut cha. I paid about $11 for everything. You totally get your money's worth here!
I took one of their colorful, picture-filled to-go menus and everything looks delicious and I can't wait to go back, especially since a Tutti Melon opened next door so that I can get my froyo on when I'm there, too. The yogurt and the banh mi got my mommy's stamp of approval, and she's lived in Vietnam for a number of years, so that's sayin' somethin'!
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I love the vietnamese crispy baguette sandwiches...I had the roast pork one at only $3.50. Try to beat that price!!! The pork was juicy and flavorful. I also have a weakness for the fresh light taste of fresh shrimp spring rolls and the sauce it came with was awesome. I had the vietnamese iced coffee and it must have been triple shot or something cos I couldnt sleep all night...I will pass on that next time round...
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If Saigon Sandwiches is a 5, I'd have to give this a 3. Mixed feelings about the banh mi here. I had the roast pork, which was good in that it wasn't too fatty and the bread was tasty. Didn't like what my husband ordered (chicken and bbq pork) -- too fatty and tasted very microwaved (because, well, it is). Missed the pickled vegetables. Liked whatever those little garlic-y chip things they throw on. Extra drive time to Saigon is probably worth it. Still.
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This is a hole in the wall place. Very small, but man, are they good. They make the best Vietnamese sandwiches, even better then the bigger Irving Cafe down the street. Let's just say, they're so good, I once bought 8 sandwiches so I could take it home in Hercules, CA to last me all week. I also think I was in my fattest period in my life, but they were worth it. I love the pate, bbq pork and combo sandwich. I've tried their other dishes and they're alright, but its all about the sandwiches man. That is all I care about, period.
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A place that serves sandwichs and the plates. Sure why not. I usually have to look at the pictures to know what I want and to order by number. Gosh I do love all the specials. Especially the rice noodles with the meat inside and with the fancy ham. They also have this rice cake thingy but I think you have to come early for that cause they are usually sold out when I get here. Too bad its Sunset....I hate going over to the other side of the park for food.
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Seriously the BEST BEST vietnamese sandwich place in the city! Perfectly toasty, meaty, salty, and delicious! Pair it with their egg rolls and you have the best lunch ever! (my only wish is that they're open later)
It's 1:30PM, empty, on a Friday afternoon. (And some schools already started.) I walk in...
lady: hello
me: one number 14
lady: what?
me: number 14
lady: what?
me: vegetable sandwich
lady: ok! (and smiles)
I walked 20 blocks from my house to here, missing the two N's that passed me. Call me crazy, but at least I got some kind of work out (all downhill and/or straight streets though). I'm not a huge fan of pork and wasn't sure if their chicken was white meat or not, so I just got #14 Banh Mi Rau (Vegetable Sandwich) for a grand total of $3. The sandwich was neatly made with shredded lettuce, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, cilantro, bean sprouts, their "yellow mayo" as everyone calls it, and possibly more ingredients I don't know the name of, all in a roll of crunchy toasty bread. I haven't eaten Vietnamese sandwiches in years, so of course it was delicious! I was satisfied right to my last bite, with the overall quality and amount I paid for it. I'll be sure to come back again, and take a chance of trying either their fancy pork or combination pork. Not a great place to dine-in at. There's one long table with about three short stools. Instead of sitting down at the table to wait for my order, I stare in the fridge at the various puddings, jellos, and other colorful desserts they have... and at the same time, making other customers pissed off 'cus I'm taking up too much room. Oh, and I like how you can see them making your sandwich. With two full menus (one sandwich, one desserts) with pictures of various orders on them, you can't walk out empty handed.
They scored a 92 on their inspection card (behind the menus). I wonder how they lost those 8 points. Maybe due to unsanitary hand work? The lady who made my sandwich was about to take my dirty $10 bill from me, with the same gloves... until the other lady took it instead.
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they make the BEST vietnamese sandwich. i always order the banh mi dac biet (combination) with extra pate. $4 is kind of expensive for a vietnamese sandwhich but when it tastes this good its worth it. i always order the banh cuon cha lua as well. my friends in fairfield love this place. they always ask me to bring them home some sandwiches when i go to sf.
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Usually I'm reluctant to get Vietnamese sandwiches from places besides Lee's because of the lack of an English menu, but this place has one WITH pictures (which helped me figure out what I wanted since the translation is kinda weird) = awesome.
I got the "fancy pork" (cha lua) with pate sandwich for $4. Or was it $3.something, close enough. Kinda expensive! But they do fill up the sandwich with meat, but definitely not $4's worth. This will be my go-to place if I'm craving Vietnamese sandwiches in the city since I'm never in the TL (I think that's the place to go!).
Two Stars: the vietnamese grilled chicken sandwiches are DELICIOUS.
The Three stars were minused due to the fact that the fat Chinese/Vietnamese worker gave so much attitude, claiming they never can make grilled chicken in the spring rolls although my friend ordered it last time from a much nicer woman.
The fat worker was rude and insisted that she worked there every single day, so she was basically calling my friend and I a liar when we said a nother worker made that chicken spring roll for us the last time we visited. SHe also didn't let me use their restroom although I was a paying customer..and last time the nicer worker let another customer use it.
I am big on service no matter how cheap the food is, so will never be coming back. There must be a better quality Vietnamese deli somewhere in the city..I know it! Now just gotta find it. =]
-yes, really good sanwiches, BUT
-the best fried shrimp cake ever. it comes w/ rice noodles.
-efficient service.
no place to sit, but that's ok.
grreeeaaat place for sandwiches! best in the sunset, probably. haha. i've passed by this place a good number of times, knew it existed, but never went inside until a year or so ago. and for those of you who know it's there, GO! sandwiches are excellent. i think it's kinda expensive for something kinda small, but it packs a lot of flavor inside.
So after reading all the reviews about this place, I decided to stop by and check it out. I spotted the yellow mayonnaise (and so did my bf) that some people mentioned in their reviews. The bf tried to make me feel better and suggested "maybe it's homemade..." and so I thought to myself "i damn sure HOPE its freakin' homemade..especially if it looks like THAT." Anyways, I was hesitant to try a viet sandwich from here after seeing that yellow stuff, but soon I got over it cause I was starving and wanted something cheap. So I went for the BBQ Pork sandwich.
....and can I just say that I made an awesome decision for the first time in my life!? I couldn't believe I was about to pass up the chance of having the most yummmylicious vietnamese sandwich ever! I'm proud of myself. =] so I'm gonna say that I love this place...at least so far.
once i went there for the fish cake and i asked if the fat lady whom works there could help me cut it and she reply rudely. which is NO and tell me cut it myself and that time was not busy too.
This is the place to go when it comes to Vietnamese sandwiches for me especially their combination sandwiches. Filled with tons of meat, homemade mayo and tons of pate, their sandwiches are to die for. The bread is toasted when you order so you don't get cold bread. Plus their egg rolls and noodles are pretty good too! The only problem I have with this place is that parking is really hard to find, the place is really tiny so its usually crowded with people standing around the counter waiting for their order and occasionally, the counters are kinda sticky.
Best place in the Sunset district and probably the entire San Fran for Vietnamese sandwiches. They toast them without request and each sandwich has a perfect combination of veggies, meat, and spread. #1 is the best. About $3 for a sandwich, totally not bad. Small cute place.
I finally got a Vietnamese sandwich from here (which is kind of amazing since I love Vietnamese sandwiches!!) I thought the sandwich was good good good given that my bbq pork was a little too salty for my taste. The bread was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I think it has to do with the fact that they heat it up before cutting it unlike other places that do that and the bread comes out all dry and crumbly. OK, there was something WRONG with the mayo that was put on it. Why was it so yellow, and why was it sitting out in the open unrefrigerated?!?!?! Otherwise, there was a ton of cilantro put on mine. Cilantro makes the sandwich THAT much better. The meat was slightly fatty, but so warm. It's too bad they there wasn't any pickled radish, and only one sliver of cucumber. Still a tasty sandwich.
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Aren't Vietnamese sandwiches suppose to be whole buns and not cut up buns from long French breads that you can get from Luckys? Well I wouldn't say this place tastes bad but it's not the best I've had. The place is clean but really really small. I think you can only fit about 10-15 customers at once to fill the whole place up.
The prices for the sandwiches are inexpensive. This place can be a cheap filling lunch if you get a sandwich with a Vitasoy box. This place is right next to Tuttimelon so you can't miss it. Parking can be hard at times but you can always double park to get a quick Vietnamese sandwich to go =).
CASH ONLY! BofA and Wamu is only 2 blocks away.
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I love the chicken sandwhich it is so moist and the bread is just right it is not to soft and not to hard. And I love the Rice noodle. The people who work there are so nice even when the line is outside they are very nice to you while other restraunts they are in a rush, the people who work at Irving Cafe and Deli people are always calm.
Up until today, I'd had only GREAT experiences with bahn mi (Little Paris, Latte Express 5, and Bahn Mi Ba Le). In my innocence, I thought that a bad Vietnamese sandwich could not possibly exist. Toasted baguette, savory meat juxtaposed with sweet/tart/crisp pickled veggies, topped off with a sprig of cilantro. How could you go wrong? My naivety was rudely dashed by Irving Cafe.
Sure, I'd read the mixed reviews on Yelp, but I figured it was attributable to a few picky-ass mofos who were particular about their bahn mi. Boy was I wrong. The BBQ chicken was super fatty and seemed more boiled than grilled. The BBQ pork was okay (gristly even by my standards, and I generally love marbling and other forms of animal fat), but not nearly as flavorful as at other places I've had it. My biggest gripe is that at $4.00/sandwich, they don't even include the pickled veggies. That ruined the whole sandwich for me. Without the pickled veggies, it doesn't even taste like bahn mi.
Maybe I'm just one of those picky-ass mofos.
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Okay, Okay... I dont want any smart ass replies once i write my review....
but damn here comes another cinco.....
so minutes ago, i had my first Banh Mi sandwich in my life... im really falling in love with vietnamese food... i love the fact how fresh it is and how simple and tasty and yummy it is....
but ya, yall probably how the F!@# can you be having your first vietnamese sandwich now? basically when i was a youngin, all the asians kids would eat in my block but it was always pork or beef or chicken... i dont mess with pork, at all... and beef and chicken i only eat if it is HALAL...(yea, im muslim)....
but luckily on my block, we have really good vietnamese food... and i finally got around to trying a banh mi, today... yes zur....
I had an Egg Banh Mi, Spicy of course.... they serve a fried egg on this excellent crunchy, crispy, fresh, and warm baguette... i love my warm sandwich's, so i was instantly happy.... they slater it with this mayo, then put egg inside the baguette, and then all the yummy stuff starts coming... green onions, shredded carrots, crushed peanuts, cucumber, cilantro.... i think they spray with some fish sauce and drop some salt and pepper.... and because i had it spicy, they topped it with serrano chilies... scrumptious...
but for me it wasnt enough, so when we sat down i started dropping that hot-chili-garlic paste and soy sauce in every bite.... man, the best thing ever... i have a bit of a salty-tooth (sweet tooth as well) but i love my salty-savory foods... and this hit the spot....
i highly recommend it to everyone... no joke....
and, o ya, im sure the beef and pork ones are amazing as well, but you must go to find out for yourselves....
and the best part, only $3+tax = the best deal in SF.... f!@$ paying for high gas, and go eat here instead....
I thought the sandwiches here are nasty! I got the combination pork sandwiches and it didn't taste like other Vietnamese sandwiches that I had before. The only thing that strikes me are the selections of rice plates and desserts. I'll probably try the other dishes before I finalize my review, but I'm avoiding the combo pork sandwiches for now!
It's one of the view places where I get Vietnamese sandwiches. The last time I had came here I ordered the combination. The meat tasted a bit funny though.
This place still doesn't beat Saigon Sandwich
Satisfies my banh mi cravings, but I would much rather drive to Taraval and get a Banhwich! And the banh mi's seem more expensive here compared to Banhwich.
The vietnamese sandwiches are the BEST here! The people that make them are REALLY nice. They put a lot of stuff in the sandwiches and it's cheap, about $2.50-$3.00. You can always call them and order it on the phone and then go pick it up so you don't waste time or anything. I also LOVE the "fun pay" LOL. I don't know how to say it in English. I think it's rice noodles? Or something. But it's oh-so-delicious :)
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We came by here on a Saturday to try out their Vietnamese sandwiches. Apparently you can call ahead so I think next time we will avoid the long wait and call to pick up.
The sandwiches here are pretty cheap averaging about $2.50-3.50 a sandwich depending on the type of meat you order. The bread is very fresh, crunchy on the outside and very soft on the inside. We ordered the #1 combo, the #9 bbq chicken, and the #8 bbq pork sandwiches. However, to our disappointment, the sandwiches were average and lacked flavor (esp the bbq chicken, it's tender but I couldn't taste anything) and and they do not serve any jalapenos or fried garlic with their sandwiches as with most vietnamese sandwiches I tried.
I also ordered the fried egg rolls too and aside from the grease, it was pretty good and I am still perplexed as to how they were able to fry the egg roll in such a small kitchen.
Canned drinks from their fridge is $2.25 though, so if you are pinching pennies I would suggest buy your drinks elsewhere.
I will be back when I crave cheap sandwiches though, but I will make sure to call ahead and just have someone drop me off.
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Mmm -- BBQ pork or chicken sandwiches with extra vegetables and/or peppers (fancy pork not bad either) -- And the people who make them are so nice too. Take them up to Stow Lake and fight with the seagulls and pigeons over them.
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This deli was a major disappointment for me. I love Vietnamese sandwiches, so after reading a majority of positive reviews on Yelp, I decided to try this place. The deli posts the list of positive Yelp reviews too, so waiting in line, I had high expectations. I got two different sandwiches, both breads were hard, the pate were excessive, and the meats had giblets in them. I couldn't finish either sandwich and had to buy another meal.
I'm going back to Saigon Sandwiches, even though I may get mugged in that part of town.
1 star off: hard bread
1 star off: lots of pate
1 star off: weird giblets in meat
1 star off: just not a good sandwich
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this place is awesome!! i was really craving for a subway sandwich but my dad and I ended up here. After signing some papers for the new place my dad got for his shop we went on irving to look for munchies. We finally came across this place, and my dad said he loved the sandwiches here. So i went to see what all the rave was about. The line seemed pretty long, but the workers there work pretty fast. It was worth the wait! its small thought and not much room to really eat when people are lined up. But its so worth it =) i can see why people love to line up for these sandwiches. Theres rice plates as well, but that is for another day. Theres so much more on the menu and desserts to try. There's this little dessert place next door i wanna try. People were also lined up there too. But yeah the sandwiches were really fulfilling!! mMmMmmm yummmy... i want one thinking about it now
Tasty, inexpensive Vietnamese hoagies - er, sandwiches!
We called in our order and stopped by to pick them up. The sandwiches are a little smaller than what I'm used to on the east coast, and seemed to be a little more expensive, but the bread was crispy and the ingredients wonnnnnnnderful. Tried the #8 (Banh Mi Thit Nuong - BBQ pork) and #1 (Banh Mi Dac Biet - combination pork) I believe. Recommended for a try.
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ust barely OK. I tried the combo pork sammie and the bbq pork sammie. The combo was fairly awful, i don't mind head cheese but this was hard & crazy gelatinous...could barely chew through it. The bbq was a tad better but 1/2 was unedible grizzle. If i was desperate for a vietnamese sammie and couldn't make it to saigon in the TL i MIGHT go back. Service was nice. They had a very amusing sign on the register saying other places were "highjacking" their menu....well if so I hope "they" are doing a better job of it.
I came here a long while back and the bahn mi were great, and there was this really sweet lady that my dad knew. They put just the right amount of everything. Today I came in for a bbq bahn mi and it was good, definitely above average but not amazing. The people here also don't smile.. Seemed kind of like they were in a bad mood. Maybe that was just today..
When you're coming back from a hike, too tired to cook, too dirty to go straight to a restaurant, and too hungry to go home and take a shower first, it's all about the take-out.
I haven't had Banh Mi since my adventures into the Asian wonderland of Alhambra, but it's just as cheap, exotic and delicious as I remember. A mere $3 will get you an (admittedly not too big) baguette of pork, daikon, carrots, cilantro, and whatever that weird yellow goo is. If you haven't ever tried this, you're missing out. And in case you're wondering, no, this is not an indigenous Vietnamese dish, but a hybrid created under French colonialism. It makes a great alternative to the ubiquitous italian salami sandwiches. Can't compare it to Saigon Sandwich, but the location is sure a heck of a lot more convenient for us west-siders.
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Okay. So the first time I came here I got the combination meat sandwich, but oh my god... The shit was horrible! The meat seriously looked like something my dog would eat. Seriously! The meat looked really deformed and seemed like someone ate it and threw it back out. GROSS... I decided to try this place again... This time I got the chicken, this time it actually tasted and looked like chicken, and my, was it good. The only flaw that I don't like about this place is that they make the chicken then put it in a container that does not look sanitary, and then just chop it up freely and then just MICROWAVE it. Yeah... not really a big fan of microwaving food right in front of the customers face... Maybe they should rethink about that. Anyways. The mayo that they leave out seriously does not look like mayo. It looks like....idk, but it doesnt look anything like mayo, its all dried up and formed a skin on the outside of it that looks really yellow... ugh...gross.
This place is really small, maybe can fit about 10 people in here at max. 15 if you're lucky. Anyways, the ladies that make your sandwich are somewhat nice whenever they don't have alot of customers, but my philosophy is where you have to be nice to everyone even though you are super busy, every customer counts to me! I know how it feels when there is a super long line waiting to order their food. Trust me, I work at Noah's Bagels... moving on. This place is overall "A-OK" I had better vietnamese sandwiches before and these aren't crackin'. I would prefer Lee's Sandwiches... just sayin'
A hole in the wall Vietnamese sandwich place. There's a couple of chairs for some counter seating but I wouldn't reccomend eating there. It gets crowded very quickly, with people waiting for their orders.
The banh mi here is worth having. It's so sad how the Vietnamese sandwich places all around the city are closing up. There used to be Little Paris 2 on Clement but that was ages ago. Now I go all the way out here to the sticks for my banh mi fix. I bounce back forth from the pate to the bbq chicken, extra carrots and no jalapeno please. One tip, these sandwiches are awesome for a picnic lunch. Grab a couple and go to the park, you'll see what I mean.
The chicken salad (a house special according to the menu) looks tasty but I haven't had the chance to try it yet. The imperial rolls are nice and greasy and fried to order. Yum!
**3.14.08 tried the chicken salad. It's good but it's really heavy on the cabbage, tons of it. You know what really stood out for me in this salad? The fried shallots. Super tasty! The chicken was really bland and seriously is in need of the dressing. I'd have to be in the mood for a lot of salad to order this again.
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Cash only. Parking is the typical Irving street/metered parking.
But they have the best vietnamese sandwiches ever! They make 'em right in front of you. I love their other little snacks and desserts too. It's basically a sandwich counter, with a small kitchen behind it, and the seating is basically a counter with chairs and standing room.
For us, they're a decent size for the prices. I've had $9.00 vietnamese sandwiches which were bigger, but not as good. I prefer quality over quantity. I figure if you want more (like my s.o.) order two sandwiches, m'kay?
So to each their own...go try one!
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