A great experience when we visited Chinatown, and this restaurant lent itself to what we had hoped to find...except for the food. Loved that they are committed to no-MSG, that’s commendable and appreciated. Service was really great, decor/ambience was great too. We had the steamed vegetarian dumplings, which were the best part of the meal. The hot and sour soup was pretty good, not too spicy, just needed a smidge of salt, but that’s fine, since my palate may be different from someone else’s. We ordered the lemon chicken to share, which came with steamed rice. The rice was fine, the sauce with the chicken was really delicious, but the chicken itself was almost inedible. The preparation is lightly fried then tossed in sauce, which was fine, but the chicken was very rubbery and gristly, more so than I’ve had at other places that serve chicken without it being all white meat. I don’t mind if it’s not all white meat, but not being able to cut a piece or chew it if you do get lucky enough to get it to a manageable size is very frustrating. Neither my guest or I finished our chicken, we just added all of the rice to the sauce and ate that. So, the Open Table part was great, we’re glad we went for sure, just wish the food had been better for the price.
Food was fantastic! We loved everything we ordered. Our kids loved it too.
We wanted to try authentic Chinese food in a local environment and this was the place. Not the place to come if you want romance, the place is busy with locals and tourists alike, eat in, take home etc. The food was served very quickly and was high quality. We loved everything we had. The onion cake was something we hadn’t tried before. Great with a quick bite with friends.
Consistently excellent food.
The food was absolutely hideous
Service was fast and easy. Owner was so attentive and chatted with us for a bit. Kitchen was very busy but we were served quickly. A great night with delicious food!
We went on a Saturday night what seemed like Chinese NYE. They were SLAMMED. Food was awesome, tasty and plentiful.
hello, the hunan food o the restaurant is delicious. the velocity of service very fast.
I know how difficult it is to rub a restaurant in a busy Christmas, but this was still a huge disappointment. We had a reservation, arrived a few minutes early to check in and it was packed. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait. We were seated 5 minutes later right outside the open kitchen. Granted, many tables are there, but this was right in the middle of the room- we watched wait staff seed past, were startled by dish dropping on the floor, overheard all of the yelling and the expediting of the orders. When our food came, it was very, very spicy. We had to ask for rice and water refills. I don’t recommend this restaurant.
Christmas dinner. The place is full of Jews and other non-Christians. We appreciated their quick pace in seating and serving everyone. The limited menu had enough to choose from. Everyone was happy. Fresh, delicious food with a smile. It was great!
We have never seen service as poor and slow. Waited about 20 minutes for someone to take
our order. Sake didn’t come until after the apps. Water refills took diligence on our part. Waitress
asked if we wanted white rice, and we said yes. Then she promptly forgot. Do. Not. Recommend.
Service was very uneven in terms or politeness and attention. We had to repeatedly ask for our check. It’s great that the restaurant doesn’t use MSG and offers gluten free options. However, the food was incredibly salty, especially shrimp and green beans, general chicken and general shrimp.
Delicious food! Enjoyed this cuisine as much as I did years ago. Like seeing an old friend
Cafeteria like interior. Excellent service. Seemed healthier than regular Chinese restaurants as there wasn't much sauce on our food. We live in SOMA and haven't found a good Chinese restaurant. Brandy Ho's was recommended in North Beach area so we went over there. We enjoyed it. Wasn't crowded. Enjoyed getting a cup of Hot and Sour soup unlike other places which require you to buy a huge bowl to share. We had the honey walnut prawns and the General Chicken. Both just a bit pricey at $15.95 and $12.95. We enjoyed both dishes and finished all of it - also unlike most Chinese restaurants where there is too much in each dish. Good beer and sake selection at reasonable prices. We'll come here again.
Excellent Hunan and attentive prompt service. Ambiance ordinary but exactly as expected.
The service was excellent - very attentive to our needs, and explained the different spice levels available. Would highly recommend this restaurant
The food was wonderful. Very well seasoned. The medium spice level was pretty spicy, but not too spicy. The portions were large. The service was great.
The service was great and the food was better than average. We appreciated the fast and hot food that was freshly made for our group. Would recommend to anyone looking for economical Chinese food in SF.
Good Chinese food without msg. Great no fuss service.
Excellent restaurant. I've been coming here for years and the quality and taste are superb. Great service too! Be sure to order your food prepared as "Mild" because even the "mild" food is quite spicy!
Food was excellent! We had a really big party and shared entrees and appetizers that worked great. They do warn you but the food is really spicy; the mild is even spicy! I would say it's probably the best Chinese food I've had.
Arrived with 7pm reservations on a Friday night. Didn't look too busy but time slot was honored. Also had flowers sent for table by a third party - they were delivered promptly by the maitre'd after we were seated. Food was spicy for our taste even though we selected "Mild" and we're from Louisiana! Service was excellent and the other staff members were very attentive to our needs regardlesss whether it was their table or not. All in all a good meal and reasonably priced restaurant on the edge of Chinatown.
The food at Brandy Ho's was delicious! No MSG was used so no sodium bloat. Very tasty and a variety of claasic dishes. The wine list was excellent and a very well stocked bar. I would recommend it for anyone looking for excellent Chinese food in San Francisco.
Loved the flavors. The steamed fish was phenomenal
Used to be one of the best in the 80's. Unfortunately that was a long time ago.
We had hot and sour soup and hot peppered calamari as appetizers. Both was good, seasoned nicely and promptly served. For our entrées we ordered the shrimp kung pao and brandy's special dinner- medium hot. They were both very hot, although very good, with plenty of shrimp and veggies, and not oily. Next time I may get regular spicy level. The ambience was very strange, sort of 1980's caffeteria with matching pop music on a radio, and just a few customers on a Thursday evening among a sea of empty tables.
Wonderful food and service. Never felt rushed, and server was very helpful with ordering. Looked super clean. Highly recommend.
We needed a table for 8 last minute and they accommodated. The spice level was exactly as ordered and the service was great. The had an extensive menu and all the food was fresh and well prepared.
Try the smoked ham with garlic! Great value, wonderful taste.
I took my family there during a Christmas trip to SF. The food is really good and the owners/staff make it a fun overall experience.
Stopped in for lunch. The lunch specials are great. Soups, steamed dumplings, egg rolls and entrees were fresh and delicious.
Christmas night, very busy. We arrived early, sat and had a drink in the bar before we were seated. Limited menu for the holiday, the food was well prepared and the servers were attentive. We ordered the food medium spicy, which was perfectly hot.
We loved the food here. Great value and delicious. Service with a smile!
I requested the soup be served first, then the 2 appetizers, then the main course. Initially they brought the first appetizer, then the second appetizer, then the soup. After the first appetizer, I requested the soup, but the second appetizer arrived.
The food was decent but not outstanding, and I do not plan to go back.
Food was exceptional.
The food and service was outstanding. This was one of our better meals while visiting San Francisco.
I was very disappointed with Brandy Ho's. The reviews were so great I may have had high expectations but the food was honestly below average. It is however a great value place for those dining on a budget and the portions are rather generous.
We went because our hotel recommended it. Do not waste your time or money. Very bland Hunan. IN a foodie town like San Fran, you can find so much better, probably right next door.
The food was mediocre at best. I'm not sure if I ate at same restaurant, which received some positive reviews from others. There was little evidence that the food was even seasoned. One step above dog food.
This was a great find recommended by our hotel and a reasonable walking distance from where we were staying. My husband and I ended up ordering 4 dishes (the potstickers were great). Everything came in a timely manner, was piping hot, and was very enjoyable. Our waitress was attentive without being annoying.