Pagan

visiting San Francisco for the first time with my husband, and we stumbled across this gem. The food was so good we forgot to take pictures. We got the chicken Pad Thai and a the Burmese dish, chicken kebat, which was absolutely delicious and packed with flavor. Great and quick service! Highly recommend and we will be back.

Pagan is a weekly dinner for us. The food is outstanding, the service warm and friendly and the quality is always excellent.

best Burmese food in San Francisco. recommend all the soups and the flatbread curry appetizer - yummy! friendly service and quiet atmosphere.

Great food I was very impressed with it, they have a cool vibe going on too.

I absolutely love the food and the staff. They make and serve with love.

I'd heartily give this place 6 stars if I could. They are more known for their Burmese cuisine and this is easily the best Burmese food I've had outside of Asia. Food is gorgeous, tasty, fresh and vegetarian friendly (vegetarian curry is a must, I also adore their beef kabat). It's a simple place so don't expect much in terms of decor. But we left with happy tummies and loved the attentive service. Will definitely be back

We got all Burmese dishes. So much great depth of flavor. Their palatha was crispy, flaky, and not soggy at all unlike other places even when doing takeout. The lamb curry was deeply flavorful and rich. Tea leaf salad was done well. Mango salad was light and tangy. Very nice people as well.

LOVE THIS PLACE. It's a wonder that this place isn't more well-known, but I'm not complaining if it means less crowded. Burmese food is as good if not better than the fare at Burma Love or elsewhere, and the Thai dishes are also solid. I ordered a Tea Leaf Salad and some Tom Yum, and while I have had better luck here with the Burmese dishes, the Thai dishes are at the very least on par with the rest of the city.

Great good, went with family members. Enjoyed the food.

Amazing authentic Burmese and Thai food. The catfish curry is a must have. The chicken satay was delicious as well. And then cashew chicken was off the chart. Great atmosphere as well. The service was awesome as well. I asked for a table for 8 and it was quickly set up. My server was He and he was very kind and helpful. He made the experience there all the better. Will definitely go back for that cashew chicken.

Yummy food. Nice family-run establishment. I'll be back for sure. Great place to eat after seeing the art at the Legion of Honor.

The more famous Burmese restaurant in the Inner Richmond is great, but if you want to grab dinner with the local Burmese people go, this is the place :) Our group of eight arrived at the restaurant about 10 minutes before the restaurant was supposed to close. The server was extremely considerate and allowed us to take our time with reviewing the menu and ordering. My friend and I split the tea leaf salad and the salmon curry. Both dishes were exquisite and exploded with flavor. Actually, everything that the entire table ordered was incredible. I will most definitely be going back - thanks, Pagan!

Nice and small restaurant with good vegan options. Not familiar with Burmese cuisine but I had the tofu kebat and it was delicious. Would definitely comeback here to try the other dishes.

This is a true neighborhood gem of a restaurant. They have two menus: Burmese and Thai. I really enjoyed the pumpkin stew with shrimp from the Burmese menu, just the right amount of spice nicely balanced out the flavor. The side of biryani rice was revelatory, one of the best rice dishes I’ve ever had. The service was very kind and efficient, and I loved the atmosphere of this homey restaurant. I look forward to going back!

Never tried Burmese food before and this plate was a hit, a perfect large meal after a long hike. Food was delicious: ordered beef kebab (more like stir fry), pumpkin pork stew, garlic noodles, and coconut rice. The garlic rice was good but the meat was dry, but the beef dish had a subtle mint flavour but mildly spicy and the beef was very flavourful. The pumpkin dish was also delicious. Service was attentive and kind but forgot to fill up water many times. But understandable since there were so many people and he was the only waiter. Also the only dessert dish is mango sticky rice he told us. Overall very delicious food and worth the price. Glad this place is so popular and very grateful we found this place.

Highest recommendation for this restaurant. Deserves more than 5 stars, truly. This was the best Burmese food I've ever had. The moh hinga had an incredible depth to it, and the sauces of the egg curry and pan fried okra prawn were distinct and indescribably delicious. The okra prawn dish was the most surprisingly good dish, but they all were perfect, and the coconut rice was also perfect as a base. I'll definitely return!

The food here is absolutely insane! I had no idea how unique the flavor profile would be, so I was completely blown away. I got the chicken satay — it comes with a side sauce, peanuts, and cucumbers, which really tie everything together. Then came the entrée: Chicken Kebat. Oh god, I’m out of vocabulary to describe how incredibly satisfying it was. Just try it for yourself — if you don’t like it, I’ll personally Venmo you the price back. Yes, it’s that good! I got the coconut rice, and somehow it made the dish come alive. One of the best dinners I’ve ever had in SF.

I'm living near by this restaurant and always came here before COVID-19. I think the taste is much better than before！ Duck fried rice was good，the duck is fresh，tastey and juicy！ I always like green curry，but I tried pumpkin curry with chicken this time（red curry）So yummy！Taste sweet，the flavor that combine with curry and coconut milk was amazing！Made the pumpkin much more flavorful！

We've been coming here regularly for over 8 years and we love it. It's our favorite Burmese restaurant in SF. Favorite Appetizer: Roti Palata Favorite Soups: Samusa Soup and the Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup Favorite Salad: Tea Leaf Salad Favorite Curry: Pumpkin Curry with Scallops or Shrimp Favorite Drink: Burmese Tea

Delicious Burmese food! We had the stuffed tofu, Pagan Vegetarian Curry (which is a delicious soup thickened with cooked red lentils, with okra, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and mint), and the Chicken Kebat (sautéed chicken in a spicy sauce), all from the Burmese side of the menu. Also hot Burmese tea, which is a sweetened black tea. The staff was super friendly dot. Recommended!

Pagan Restaurant was absolutely amazing. While down at the beach in northwest San Fransisco we were searching for a place to grub and came across this Burmese/Thai eatery. From the outside it's not much more then a hole-in-the-wall, but the experience could not have been better. Pagan offers 2 menus and a blend of Burmese and Thai food. After looking at some reviews we ordered the Palata bread (Burmese menu), that turned out to be a flat bread made of a croissant like consistency that was heavy and amazing. If you ever see it somewhere, order it. For food we went to the Thai menu. The dishes are share size so order accordingly. We started with a soup called Tum Yum with Prawns. This is a spicey lemon grass soup that was absolutely amazing. Again this is share size, and with a couple bowls each, we did not finish it. For main course, we ordered Thai Spicey Pan Fried noodles (flat noodles, a dish similar to drunken noodles), and Cashew Chicken. Everything was super flavorful and extremely satisfying. One unique thing about this place aside from high food quality was food presentation. Each dish is worried over in the back before being served. The sides of the plates are wiped perfectly clean and arranged before being brought out, giving it the feel of a high end, high price restaurant (see pictures). A beautiful and delicious meal that I would recommend to anyone who finds themselves in this area. Portions are huge, prices reasonable and experience perfect. There is a ton of business coming in and out as clearly this is a popular choice despite it's small size. For desert we had the Fried Banana and Icecream which was also delicious, but made differently then my wife was used to so she wasn't thrilled. I don't think it was made poorly, just different then expected. I can't say enough about this place nor do it the justice it deserves. You need to experience it.

We loved everything we ordered: Coconut Chicken Curry Noodle Soup, Rainbow Salad and Pineapple Rice. Everything was very tasty and they gave us a free new appetizer that was very good as well. If we are near the area, we will go back for sure.

Stuffed tofu and roti are great

The Thai side of the menu is the hook because that’s the food you feel safe with - Pad Thai right? Everyone likes Pad Thai. But then you scan the Burmese side of the menu and Biriyani rice catches your eye. “Have I had that before?” you ask yourself. Oh yeah, the frozen meal you get at Trader Joe’s! “Is that a Burmese dish? I wonder what it’s supposed to taste like?” And that’s where they get you because Trader Joe’s can’t achieve the soft flakiness of the rice nor the intensity of cinnamon and raisin flavor nor the tenderness of the protein ( chicken, beef, lamb, or shrimp). Wow. And if you’re willing to try Burmese rice you might as well enjoy some super savory rice noodles. Nan Gyi Thok allows you to sprinkle the chili flakes, cilantro leaves and red onions to your preference. Yum Very polite service as well.

Home style Burmese in a low key space. They have the best tea leaf salad in SF and source unique Burmese vegetables for some of their dishes 💫

Stopped by after a long day at work. Food was delicious, customer service was fast and efficient. I will definitely be returning to this small family restaurant. The restaurant was clean. They were playing pleasing music as well. The atmosphere was great, very well designed restaurant.

Great proximity to the Legion of Honor museum, easy walk to it. Fast, great service, especially considering there was only one person waiting tables but I never had to wait for a water refill and the food came out quick. Delicious tea leaf salad and that crab pad Thai was divine! I wish this restaurant existed where I live; I’d def be a regular!

Everything was very tasty especially Lamb Biryani which was very aromatic and made in ghee. We ordered Pumpkin curry, happy scallops and Lamb Biryani. Quantity was just right for a person but we ordered 3 entrees for 2 people because we were so hungry.

Alex T

This is a true neighborhood gem of a restaurant. They have two menus: Burmese and Thai. I really enjoyed the pumpkin stew with shrimp from the Burmese menu, just the right amount of spice nicely balanced out the flavor. The side of biryani rice was revelatory, one of the best rice dishes I’ve ever had. The service was very kind and efficient, and I loved the atmosphere of this homey restaurant. I look forward to going back!

Jane Ahmon

Never tried Burmese food before and this plate was a hit, a perfect large meal after a long hike. Food was delicious: ordered beef kebab (more like stir fry), pumpkin pork stew, garlic noodles, and coconut rice. The garlic rice was good but the meat was dry, but the beef dish had a subtle mint flavour but mildly spicy and the beef was very flavourful. The pumpkin dish was also delicious. Service was attentive and kind but forgot to fill up water many times. But understandable since there were so many people and he was the only waiter. Also the only dessert dish is mango sticky rice he told us. Overall very delicious food and worth the price. Glad this place is so popular and very grateful we found this place.

Anthony Cesnik

Highest recommendation for this restaurant. Deserves more than 5 stars, truly. This was the best Burmese food I've ever had. The moh hinga had an incredible depth to it, and the sauces of the egg curry and pan fried okra prawn were distinct and indescribably delicious. The okra prawn dish was the most surprisingly good dish, but they all were perfect, and the coconut rice was also perfect as a base. I'll definitely return!

Arnav Wadhwa

The food here is absolutely insane! I had no idea how unique the flavor profile would be, so I was completely blown away. I got the chicken satay — it comes with a side sauce, peanuts, and cucumbers, which really tie everything together. Then came the entrée: Chicken Kebat. Oh god, I’m out of vocabulary to describe how incredibly satisfying it was. Just try it for yourself — if you don’t like it, I’ll personally Venmo you the price back. Yes, it’s that good! I got the coconut rice, and somehow it made the dish come alive. One of the best dinners I’ve ever had in SF.

Aimee Wei

I'm living near by this restaurant and always came here before COVID-19. I think the taste is much better than before！ Duck fried rice was good，the duck is fresh，tastey and juicy！ I always like green curry，but I tried pumpkin curry with chicken this time（red curry）So yummy！Taste sweet，the flavor that combine with curry and coconut milk was amazing！Made the pumpkin much more flavorful！

Sara Hidano-Cardinelli

We've been coming here regularly for over 8 years and we love it. It's our favorite Burmese restaurant in SF. Favorite Appetizer: Roti Palata Favorite Soups: Samusa Soup and the Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup Favorite Salad: Tea Leaf Salad Favorite Curry: Pumpkin Curry with Scallops or Shrimp Favorite Drink: Burmese Tea

Barbara Heninger

Delicious Burmese food! We had the stuffed tofu, Pagan Vegetarian Curry (which is a delicious soup thickened with cooked red lentils, with okra, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and mint), and the Chicken Kebat (sautéed chicken in a spicy sauce), all from the Burmese side of the menu. Also hot Burmese tea, which is a sweetened black tea. The staff was super friendly dot. Recommended!

Steele Snider

Pagan Restaurant was absolutely amazing. While down at the beach in northwest San Fransisco we were searching for a place to grub and came across this Burmese/Thai eatery. From the outside it's not much more then a hole-in-the-wall, but the experience could not have been better. Pagan offers 2 menus and a blend of Burmese and Thai food. After looking at some reviews we ordered the Palata bread (Burmese menu), that turned out to be a flat bread made of a croissant like consistency that was heavy and amazing. If you ever see it somewhere, order it. For food we went to the Thai menu. The dishes are share size so order accordingly. We started with a soup called Tum Yum with Prawns. This is a spicey lemon grass soup that was absolutely amazing. Again this is share size, and with a couple bowls each, we did not finish it. For main course, we ordered Thai Spicey Pan Fried noodles (flat noodles, a dish similar to drunken noodles), and Cashew Chicken. Everything was super flavorful and extremely satisfying. One unique thing about this place aside from high food quality was food presentation. Each dish is worried over in the back before being served. The sides of the plates are wiped perfectly clean and arranged before being brought out, giving it the feel of a high end, high price restaurant (see pictures). A beautiful and delicious meal that I would recommend to anyone who finds themselves in this area. Portions are huge, prices reasonable and experience perfect. There is a ton of business coming in and out as clearly this is a popular choice despite it's small size. For desert we had the Fried Banana and Icecream which was also delicious, but made differently then my wife was used to so she wasn't thrilled. I don't think it was made poorly, just different then expected. I can't say enough about this place nor do it the justice it deserves. You need to experience it.

Jocelyn Behrens

We loved everything we ordered: Coconut Chicken Curry Noodle Soup, Rainbow Salad and Pineapple Rice. Everything was very tasty and they gave us a free new appetizer that was very good as well. If we are near the area, we will go back for sure.

Paul Gallarate

The Thai side of the menu is the hook because that’s the food you feel safe with - Pad Thai right? Everyone likes Pad Thai. But then you scan the Burmese side of the menu and Biriyani rice catches your eye. “Have I had that before?” you ask yourself. Oh yeah, the frozen meal you get at Trader Joe’s! “Is that a Burmese dish? I wonder what it’s supposed to taste like?” And that’s where they get you because Trader Joe’s can’t achieve the soft flakiness of the rice nor the intensity of cinnamon and raisin flavor nor the tenderness of the protein ( chicken, beef, lamb, or shrimp). Wow. And if you’re willing to try Burmese rice you might as well enjoy some super savory rice noodles. Nan Gyi Thok allows you to sprinkle the chili flakes, cilantro leaves and red onions to your preference. Yum Very polite service as well.

Haley Read

Home style Burmese in a low key space. They have the best tea leaf salad in SF and source unique Burmese vegetables for some of their dishes 💫

Juan Pablo Vazquez-Enriquez

Stopped by after a long day at work. Food was delicious, customer service was fast and efficient. I will definitely be returning to this small family restaurant. The restaurant was clean. They were playing pleasing music as well. The atmosphere was great, very well designed restaurant.

Catherina Mueller

Great proximity to the Legion of Honor museum, easy walk to it. Fast, great service, especially considering there was only one person waiting tables but I never had to wait for a water refill and the food came out quick. Delicious tea leaf salad and that crab pad Thai was divine! I wish this restaurant existed where I live; I’d def be a regular!

Diksha Katre

Everything was very tasty especially Lamb Biryani which was very aromatic and made in ghee. We ordered Pumpkin curry, happy scallops and Lamb Biryani. Quantity was just right for a person but we ordered 3 entrees for 2 people because we were so hungry.

Anna Wang

Everything was delicious, especially the fried eggplant dish and the pumpkin stew. The garlic noodles were not as good as those at Perilla and other Asian spots. But still even with that less than stellar dish, it was less than stellar in comparison to other items ordered that were mind blowing. The mango sticky dessert is also super tasty. Overall a solid find for good food after visiting the Legion of Honor nearby. They accept public access trained service dogs for dine in, to be seated under the table quietly.

Fast service, delicious food, loved the Burmese menu, the curries are to die for! The stuffed tofu was a great experience and the hot tea was delicious

Jennifer Paden

Pagan is a weekly dinner for us. The food is outstanding, the service warm and friendly and the quality is always excellent.

Shadelle Gregory

visiting San Francisco for the first time with my husband, and we stumbled across this gem. The food was so good we forgot to take pictures. We got the chicken Pad Thai and a the Burmese dish, chicken kebat, which was absolutely delicious and packed with flavor. Great and quick service! Highly recommend and we will be back.

We went here randomly and I am not great at describing flavor combinations - but i will say they were surprising and delicious. We got a vegetarian pagan curry and another vegetarian garlic dish. Both were great. Only had one waiter but he was working super hard. The atmosphere is what you would expect for a neighborhood spot. Smell was a little strong walking in. We will go back. Worth a visit and right next to Land’s End park.

l've been coming to Pagan for years and it's time for a review. The food there is delicious and tastes authentic from what I can tell. Also the prices are totally reasonable for the quality food they serve. Plus, the service is great. The young guy server was attentive and made sure everything was just right. The vibe is right with nice Burmese decor. It's one of those places where you feel like you're supporting a local family business, and that just makes the whole experience better. Everyone there works so hard, and it definitely shows. So if you're looking for delicious Burmese food, great service, and a place where you'll actually want to leave a tip because you know it's going straight to the hardworking folks behind the scenes, I recommend Pagan.

We enjoyed most of the food, though I thought their Thai food was much prettier and much tastier than their Burmese food. Of course we ordered the tea leaf salad (without shrimp) and it was good, but too salty and not great. A Burmese tofu dish was fine, but way too oily. The Thai tofu eggplant dish was beautiful and excellent! Thai iced tea and Burmese hot tea both really good. But you what was best? The super friendly, easy going, very competent, quick, 5-star service!

this used to be one of my favorite places to get thai food in the city! their pineapple fried rice was heaven, and pad thai was incredible. however, not sure if there's a new chef or rotating cooks or if the recipes have been reworked but lately it has been hit or miss for me. the recipes are inconsistent and sometimes not as tasty as they used to be. for example, the pineapple fried rice used to have more of a distinct golden color and in the past few months or so, sometimes it has had the color, sometimes it hasn't. it also lacks the sweetness it used to have (which, mind you, was never overly sweet just the right amount). last night, my eggplant tofu was undercooked, with the eggplant though to chew rather than soft and slightly mushy as expected. hopefully they can get back on track soon...

The tea leaf salad here is OK compared to the amazing one at Mandalay Bay. The smell of cleaning solution was a little strong when I walked in. Fair prices.

Food was good, except for the Spicy Basil with Crispy Pork...that was a bit *too* crispy. The pumpkin curry...awesome.

Joan Falleiro

The tea leaf salad here is OK compared to the amazing one at Mandalay Bay. The smell of cleaning solution was a little strong when I walked in. Fair prices.

andikmh

Food was good, except for the Spicy Basil with Crispy Pork...that was a bit *too* crispy. The pumpkin curry...awesome.

OK Burmese Thai restaurant with quick and friendly service.

Liked tea leaf salad, samusa salad. Kebat was ok. Vegetable curry was below average.

Place was not very good. Chicken tasted very old and was grey like it had been frozen for a very long time. Noodles were good, but beef also tasted old and tough. Chai was watery and had the flavor of those instant mix packets. Good service, but very pricey for the low-quality food.

Joss

Place was not very good. Chicken tasted very old and was grey like it had been frozen for a very long time. Noodles were good, but beef also tasted old and tough. Chai was watery and had the flavor of those instant mix packets. Good service, but very pricey for the low-quality food.

Long waits and questionable service. Soups and Burmese entrees were good when we went pre-pandemic; cut to 3 months ago we walk in five minutes after they open and we’re asked to sit in a specific cramped booth. Ok… we went with it. A few seconds later we realize the entire dining room absolutely reeked of Pine Sol; not a faint smell either this was pungent to toxic! We walked out… 🤷‍♂️

They gave themselves a 20% tip on my to go order on top of the cash tip I gave them. Very disgusting and dishonest behavior. The restaurant is dirty and smelly. All the surfaces are sticky and dusty. Really a shame when small businesses do this and you have to dispute the charge with your bank.