Gai

This place is very simple as the name says chicken rice but it is delicious. the combos are excellent option to be healthy and the amount of chickens is just what a fit/body builder is looking for. I ordered the combo with breast and thighs and it comes with soup and brocolli. The soup is just a basic chicken soup with green onions and was ok. But the main dish was a good portion of rice and chicken and the sauce I ordered (thai) added a lot of flavor to the food. I mixed my dish with the hot sauce they gave us and I got addicted to that till the point that I couldn't stop eating even if my nose was running. For the ones that doesn't like spicy food, don't be scared the hot sauce is extra. you have the option of not using it. =P The employees are very kind and helpful. They are always there answering your question and suggesting based on your likes. This is a place that you can order and sit there with a friend or you can order to go. You can enjoy your food in the Mission Dolores park or you can go home.

Probably my favorite chicken bowl spot in the city. Always well-packaged, tasty, and easy to heat up.

some of the best fried chicken and rice in sf. sauce is amazing too. fast and delicious

Great Value! Simple and clean tasting dishes. Reminds me of Asian Street Food. It will fill and satisfy. Close-ish to a Park and Castro.

Food was absolutely delicious! The soup pairs so well with the chicken rice and meat, I've ordered from this place over 7 times now and it doesn't miss!

Great delivery experience! I ordered original gai over rice and salad gai, both very delicious. They even have chicken soup coming with the rice!

Absolutely recommend this fried chicken sandwich — it’s a flavor bomb in the best way. The fried chicken is insanely juicy with a perfectly crispy coating, and the spicy mayo brings a bold, fiery kick. Paired with golden, crunchy waffle fries and a fresh, crisp coleslaw on the side, it’s the kind of meal you’ll be dreaming about long after the last bite😋

The perfect sick food! Got hit with strep throat and was thinking where might have something tasty but not over the top. What better than chicken and rice that comes with a side of broth! Plus the mango jello for dessert is also great if you have a sore throat. Just what I needed! Also delicious when you're not sick haha but want to shout out specifically for this occasion.

We ordered the chicken breast meal and to our surprise the meat was very moist and didn't taste tough at all. We were very impressed by the quality of the chicken. I also love the option of ordering chicken rice and brown rice.

One of my go-to delivery places. The food is delicious, I always get the original Gai with ginger sauce. The portion sizes are big enough for 1.5 meals. The Chicken rice is deliciously flavorful, and you can tell that the chicken they use is fresh.

I travel to SF a lot for work. This is my new go to delivery spot for my hotel. Healthy meal, delicious food, great quality, all time favorite. You can order on Uber Eats.

Not busy. Quick service. Simple menu. Chicken was good tasty and crispy. Sauces are flavorful. Rice was cooked well too. Their food certainly lived up to this restaurants name! (Would've been crazy if not). They have more than just simple chicken and rice on their menu actually so I kinda wanna come back more and try out everything. Yay seemed decently fairly priced too I think.

Some of the most tasty and crispy chicken you can get. How do they get it so crispy? Have had a lot of the options. Mango Jelly is also really good as is the Thai Ice Tea with mango puree.

Delicious and simple combinations served in an aesthetic interior. This restaurant just serves chicken plus rice, and does it really well. I ordered the Crispy Gai, which was like chicken katsu over chicken-y rice, with some julienned cucumbers. There was a choice of sauces, but they weren't really necessary in my opinion. The chicken was tender and juicy and the rice was perfectly cooked. It came in a cardboard food container and with a little cup of chicken broth to drink. I also had some Thai iced tea, which tasted as expected. My total was a bit over $20. There's a restroom and plenty of seating, with options for people dining solo and groups. The interior is also nicely decorated if you'd like to post some photos on social media.

Gai by far is the best chicken rice in town. Not only they have authentic singaporean hainan sauce but also they offer thai sauce which is so good! The chicken rice is highly customizable with the choices of dark meat or whit meat. One thing should be mentioned here is also the soup, which tastes superb. Last but not least, we also try the salad gai, that comes with two sauces, and tastes like authentic thai salad.

Gai has been my go to for the busy + long days of work these past few months. I always order the lean gai since their breast meat is never dry and somehow stays juicy. It also feels like a pretty well balance and healthy meal compared to all the other take out/delivery options. How can you go wrong with chicken, rice, cucumber and soup? Well other places make it too salty or their chicken is dry but Gai has stayed consistent everytime I order. I’ve also eaten there in person after a workout too and still the same consistency. In case you didn’t notice, consistency is key for me and with that 5/5 stars.

Actually, it's more appetizing than it looks in the photo. A good choice for chicken lovers. Their soup smells fresh and sweet. It's awesome.

Delicious and healthy meal. Great for kids or adults. Fresh chicken over rice made with chicken stock. You get your choice of sauce on the side. It comes with a small cup of chicken broth to drink. I recommend adding broccoli. Great for take out or to eat in. Check out their full menu online and their tasty drinks!

Got the lean chicken breast on chicken rice with Thai sauce. They gave me tea while I waited. I like the habanero hot sauce. This meal was really light and perfect for weekday lunch but next time I’d add more veggies.

Loved the salad I had tonight at Gai. This is a big upgrade from your usual fast casual salad! the chicken is tender and the pickled cucumbers are delicious. The soup just warms your soul right up. This is a new staple for me in the Castro

The chicken rice here always impress me. The chicken breast is not dry, and the whole combination is just lovely.

After reviewing lots of review on yelp, I ordered chicken rice, thigh with thai source, as a Thai I don’t think this is not authentic Thai food, but the taste is good, thigh is juicy and dry, it would be a good choice for fast and easy. Grab and go and also have lots of space for dining in.

Austin Reece

I travel to SF a lot for work. This is my new go to delivery spot for my hotel. Healthy meal, delicious food, great quality, all time favorite. You can order on Uber Eats.

Erin Handy

Some of the most tasty and crispy chicken you can get. How do they get it so crispy? Have had a lot of the options. Mango Jelly is also really good as is the Thai Ice Tea with mango puree.

Joshua Yuan

Not busy. Quick service. Simple menu. Chicken was good tasty and crispy. Sauces are flavorful. Rice was cooked well too. Their food certainly lived up to this restaurants name! (Would've been crazy if not). They have more than just simple chicken and rice on their menu actually so I kinda wanna come back more and try out everything. Yay seemed decently fairly priced too I think.

Neal

Delicious and simple combinations served in an aesthetic interior. This restaurant just serves chicken plus rice, and does it really well. I ordered the Crispy Gai, which was like chicken katsu over chicken-y rice, with some julienned cucumbers. There was a choice of sauces, but they weren't really necessary in my opinion. The chicken was tender and juicy and the rice was perfectly cooked. It came in a cardboard food container and with a little cup of chicken broth to drink. I also had some Thai iced tea, which tasted as expected. My total was a bit over $20. There's a restroom and plenty of seating, with options for people dining solo and groups. The interior is also nicely decorated if you'd like to post some photos on social media.

liam pramono

Gai by far is the best chicken rice in town. Not only they have authentic singaporean hainan sauce but also they offer thai sauce which is so good! The chicken rice is highly customizable with the choices of dark meat or whit meat. One thing should be mentioned here is also the soup, which tastes superb. Last but not least, we also try the salad gai, that comes with two sauces, and tastes like authentic thai salad.

Kenny Liao

Gai has been my go to for the busy + long days of work these past few months. I always order the lean gai since their breast meat is never dry and somehow stays juicy. It also feels like a pretty well balance and healthy meal compared to all the other take out/delivery options. How can you go wrong with chicken, rice, cucumber and soup? Well other places make it too salty or their chicken is dry but Gai has stayed consistent everytime I order. I’ve also eaten there in person after a workout too and still the same consistency. In case you didn’t notice, consistency is key for me and with that 5/5 stars.

Danny Danisk

The chicken rice here always impress me. The chicken breast is not dry, and the whole combination is just lovely.

Honey Fuji

Actually, it's more appetizing than it looks in the photo. A good choice for chicken lovers. Their soup smells fresh and sweet. It's awesome.

Alan H

Delicious and healthy meal. Great for kids or adults. Fresh chicken over rice made with chicken stock. You get your choice of sauce on the side. It comes with a small cup of chicken broth to drink. I recommend adding broccoli. Great for take out or to eat in. Check out their full menu online and their tasty drinks!

Visha Bhargava

Got the lean chicken breast on chicken rice with Thai sauce. They gave me tea while I waited. I like the habanero hot sauce. This meal was really light and perfect for weekday lunch but next time I’d add more veggies.

Gai Chicken & Rice is delicious! My favorite is the Thai Basil Gai with chicken rice and salad. It comes with a tasty side of broth. The side of steamed broccoli is really good too.

Great spot for chicken rice! Tasty, comforting, and feels like a healthier option compared to most takeout. The sauces are great and the chicken as well, especially the crispy chicken.

Logan Stefano

Gai Chicken & Rice is delicious! My favorite is the Thai Basil Gai with chicken rice and salad. It comes with a tasty side of broth. The side of steamed broccoli is really good too.

Ansi Taing

Great spot for chicken rice! Tasty, comforting, and feels like a healthier option compared to most takeout. The sauces are great and the chicken as well, especially the crispy chicken.

Janice Wong

We ordered the chicken breast meal and to our surprise the meat was very moist and didn't taste tough at all. We were very impressed by the quality of the chicken. I also love the option of ordering chicken rice and brown rice.

bailey rodden

Absolutely recommend this fried chicken sandwich — it’s a flavor bomb in the best way. The fried chicken is insanely juicy with a perfectly crispy coating, and the spicy mayo brings a bold, fiery kick. Paired with golden, crunchy waffle fries and a fresh, crisp coleslaw on the side, it’s the kind of meal you’ll be dreaming about long after the last bite😋

Keenan Yu

One of my go-to delivery places. The food is delicious, I always get the original Gai with ginger sauce. The portion sizes are big enough for 1.5 meals. The Chicken rice is deliciously flavorful, and you can tell that the chicken they use is fresh.

Hainanese chicken rice!! So yummy. The soup that came with it was a tad on the salty side but the chicken thigh meat was super tender and the hainanese sauce was delicious!! Small little eatery serving quality food. Give it a try!

Not cheap but you do get a lot of food! Huge fan of the soup that accompanies the meal. I've traveled south East Asia and had some of the best chicken and rice in Singapore's hawker shops. You won't find that price here but it's tasty! The staff is kind too.

The food here is actually pretty good. The chicken is nice and tender. I love hainan chicken and rice. Although it's amazing, not the best I've had in my life.

Built a bowl of Hainan chicken thighs with brown rice. It came with pickled cucumbers which was a nice touch except that it was too sweet and sour. The chicken was boneless and quite tender. The Hainan sauce came in a separate plastic container and was on the oilier side. The brown rice was infused with herbs (mayhaps) and was tasty. There was also a cup of hot chicken soup with chopped scallion flakes and that washed down everything well. Mm..mm.mmmmm

Good fast casual eating. The chicken breast texture was rough , the onion sauce was flavourful, brown rice option was great.

1st time dining here. Not bad. The staff are very friendly. Very welcoming. I had the Original (thigh) with Hainan ginger sauce. And Thai Ice tea.

Really flavorful rice and moist chicken. Upgrading to the combo plate, adding extra meat, and/or a soft poached egg is definitely the way to go. The price is definitely SF pricing ($11 - $15 per bowl) but this is one of the better chicken rice places in SF.

Came by Gai Chicken Rice for a quick small bite before the Emotional Oranges concert at the Warfield. I ended up ordering the original gai. This included chicken rice, hainan ginger/onion, and chicken soup. In Mar'23, cost $12.95, which was pretty reasonable. Good, quick meal. Friendly staff. Street parking only. A bit of seating inside.

Was looking for a quick bite to eat near my new apartment ..ran into the sign … decided to try them out…. I stood at the counter for a few before being acknowledged (but there wasn’t any other customers in line). The greeting wasn’t the friendliest, I attempted to give smiles & convo asking if they sold Cafè Du Monde Beignets… since the coffee had such a massive display. She was clueless even after I pointed out the coffee. I went on to state it’s my 1st time visiting and I’m new to SF to help her improve to no avail. I informed her that I thought the Basil chicken or The Gai Sansho sandwich looked interesting; which did she recommend? She stated I should try the chicken sandwich. I looked at the picture confirmed what came with it (seasoned waffle fries, a can drink, & a choice of sauce). I didn’t see the sauce choice listed only pictured. I asked the cashier what are the choices as if I didn’t just tell her it’s my FIRST TIME VISITING… she mentioned two as if she didn’t know herself what the choices of sauce are. I went with Spicy Mayo & Sweet Chili! Cashier gave me my receipt & informed me of my order number. I waited on my food and observed the atmosphere & took pictures … location is in the thick of the city (construction near by, neighborhood Fentanyl friendly, and shoppers, but once inside it’s quiet, relaxing, & a little opportunity to shut off the city. Cashier calls my number & I take my food to go ((she’s still dry & not engaging…no thank you come again, welcome to the neighborhood…nothing) I paid cash of $15 . Got back to my apartment, opened my food: Great portions, nice presentation, & fresh ingredients!! I picked up this massive sandwich & applied the spicy Mayo to a bite and it was delicious but the perfect partner for the slaw, pickles, bun, and seasoning on the chicken is the sweet Thai chili …. Ohhhhhh myyyyy word….. do yourself a favor & go try this sandwich combo … the marriage with the seasoned waffle fries leaves nothing but joy in your mouth!! You will not be disappointed… I’m going again today to get another sandwich! 😍🙃🤤 the sandwich is 5 star for sure!! The service needs improvement.

Karen Tran

Really flavorful rice and moist chicken. Upgrading to the combo plate, adding extra meat, and/or a soft poached egg is definitely the way to go. The price is definitely SF pricing ($11 - $15 per bowl) but this is one of the better chicken rice places in SF.

Arthur T

Came by Gai Chicken Rice for a quick small bite before the Emotional Oranges concert at the Warfield. I ended up ordering the original gai. This included chicken rice, hainan ginger/onion, and chicken soup. In Mar'23, cost $12.95, which was pretty reasonable. Good, quick meal. Friendly staff. Street parking only. A bit of seating inside.

Ms. Bean Counter

Was looking for a quick bite to eat near my new apartment ..ran into the sign … decided to try them out…. I stood at the counter for a few before being acknowledged (but there wasn’t any other customers in line). The greeting wasn’t the friendliest, I attempted to give smiles & convo asking if they sold Cafè Du Monde Beignets… since the coffee had such a massive display. She was clueless even after I pointed out the coffee. I went on to state it’s my 1st time visiting and I’m new to SF to help her improve to no avail. I informed her that I thought the Basil chicken or The Gai Sansho sandwich looked interesting; which did she recommend? She stated I should try the chicken sandwich. I looked at the picture confirmed what came with it (seasoned waffle fries, a can drink, & a choice of sauce). I didn’t see the sauce choice listed only pictured. I asked the cashier what are the choices as if I didn’t just tell her it’s my FIRST TIME VISITING… she mentioned two as if she didn’t know herself what the choices of sauce are. I went with Spicy Mayo & Sweet Chili! Cashier gave me my receipt & informed me of my order number. I waited on my food and observed the atmosphere & took pictures … location is in the thick of the city (construction near by, neighborhood Fentanyl friendly, and shoppers, but once inside it’s quiet, relaxing, & a little opportunity to shut off the city. Cashier calls my number & I take my food to go ((she’s still dry & not engaging…no thank you come again, welcome to the neighborhood…nothing) I paid cash of $15 . Got back to my apartment, opened my food: Great portions, nice presentation, & fresh ingredients!! I picked up this massive sandwich & applied the spicy Mayo to a bite and it was delicious but the perfect partner for the slaw, pickles, bun, and seasoning on the chicken is the sweet Thai chili …. Ohhhhhh myyyyy word….. do yourself a favor & go try this sandwich combo … the marriage with the seasoned waffle fries leaves nothing but joy in your mouth!! You will not be disappointed… I’m going again today to get another sandwich! 😍🙃🤤 the sandwich is 5 star for sure!! The service needs improvement.

The lunch specials were not expensive and the food was good, but not excellent. Dan Dan Mala Noodles were barely spicy, and the noodles themselves were very al dente, oddly firm. The Hainan chicken and rice was also good, although the chicken was not very tender. Both of these dishes are available at other local restaurants where their quality is better. Still, the price was good, and it wasn't a bad meal.

Great concept, but unfortunately a mediocre execution on flavor and preparation. Crispy Gai had an oily, slightly crunchy crust; the accompanying chicken schmaltz rice however was fragrant and flavorful. Mala Dan Dan sauce was far from what is advertised. Virtually no numbing sensation, just hoisin sauce mixed with trace amounts of a nut paste and a little chilli spice.

Christopher Chung

Great concept, but unfortunately a mediocre execution on flavor and preparation. Crispy Gai had an oily, slightly crunchy crust; the accompanying chicken schmaltz rice however was fragrant and flavorful. Mala Dan Dan sauce was far from what is advertised. Virtually no numbing sensation, just hoisin sauce mixed with trace amounts of a nut paste and a little chilli spice.

Good chicken and rice dish, the noodles are nothing special. I felt like it was missing a bit of seasoning and the noodles were a bit undercooked. The restaurant is a no fuss (order on a screen) and no frills restaurant (plastic cutlery) and has serious cloud kitchen vibes. I would not go to dine in again.

Zafarali Ahmed (Zaf)

Good chicken and rice dish, the noodles are nothing special. I felt like it was missing a bit of seasoning and the noodles were a bit undercooked. The restaurant is a no fuss (order on a screen) and no frills restaurant (plastic cutlery) and has serious cloud kitchen vibes. I would not go to dine in again.

Reviewing the vegan option. It's rice, soft tofu, and a tiny amount of sauce for $12. The tofu is warm but hasn't really been cooked: the texture is the same as it would be out of the box. Didn't have much flavor. Preparing this at home would take five minutes and cost $3.

served in plastic containers even when you choose to dine in, images on google maps misled me. chicken was rather soggy than juicy, too much garlic

Rice was well seasoned but undercooked. Not enough hainam taste in the chicken. Soup was subpar. It tasted like green onion boiled in salt water. Thai iced tea was delicious.

Canceled my order without calling to let me know. I was already on the way to pick the food up when I was there. It showed my order was canceled! I paid for uber just to pick it! Why can’t they just call and let u know? Why did they let u order when they can’t make it anyway?