Brandy Ho's Hunan Food Reviews

This restaurant is what we think diners would be like in China. The cooks are steps away from the diners, clanging pots and pans and whipping up the food. We liked that atmosphere. But besides the atmosphere, everything else was pretty average. Our waitress was very brusk and never smiled or checked on us until it was time to pay, and then she was very friendly. We shared a sweet and sour pork, which was okay, and another pork dish that we wrapped in rice pancakes, that was actually quite good. I'm giving the average rating because it wasn't a standout. In all fairness, we are still searching for an excellent Chinese restaurant, but we're sure this wasn't it. We will skip this one next time and search again.

Growing up in the midwest meant my concept of Chinese food was egg foo yung and chop suey. Neither of which is "real" Chinese food. I discovered the joys of szechuan and hunan-style Chinese food in San Francisco. Although originally starting our at Henry Chung's Hunan, I tired of the "warehouse" atmosphere and discovered Brandy Ho's in 1981. And this has been a regular stop for me when in San Francisco for over 30 years now. It is remarkably consistent with some of the staff the same for decades - unusual for any restaurant. The holy grail of Hunan food is the smoked meat. It's very, very smoky tasting as the staff will point out if you order one of these dishes. I'm partial to the smoked duck, but all of the food at this place is superior. Try to grab a larger table and splurge on the ordering. The tastes are all very different.

This was the most less than mediocre, bland, overrated food I've had in ages. I cannot stress enough how blah and disappointing their food tastes. Their service is completely below par (and we had delivery! It's not rocket science). I am not sure where this flavorful and delicious food is coming from in all of the other reviews but we clearly didn't get the same thing. My husband and I are from out of town and didn't feel like ordering room service at the hotel and the concierge said they are one of the few places that will deliver near us. I got a bad feeling on how this experience would go when my husband said the guy that answered the phone rushed him so quickly he could barely hear him and Mr. Ho hung up almost mid phone number and he had to call back. That was a call back we will forever regret. My husband somehow managed to eke our hotel name, our last name, and room number to the staff. The other sign from the stars we should've heeded was that the delivery driver's car broke down and since the man who spoke on the phone with my hubby wrote down our number wrong, we had to call and find out where our order had disappeared. Mind you, this was over two HOURS after ordering. I think it is safe to say that is pretty patient considering according to Google, our hotel is nine MINUTES away. We 100% don't blame the car because we completely understand that cars break. We aren't unrealistic. However, as mentioned, he knew our hotel, name AND ROOM NUMBER. where in that equation did it not occur to anyone that perhaps contacting the hotel to give us a heads up that our order wasn't coming did not add up? It seems like common sense to me to contact the hotel if you didn't even bother writing the cell number correctly. To our delivery man's credit, that poor kid sounded like he had ran a marathon to bring our order after we called. Granted, this is after 120 minutes of waiting and the man on the phone asking if we wanted to cancel our order..... no, we want our food. One upside is that I ordered cold noodles with peanut sauce and cucumbers. No, I'm not forgetting a protein part of the meal. That is literally it. Obviously I'm aware that I chose the order knowing there was no meat. However, I thought that even though there was no meat, there would be flavor. Sadly, my dish clearly came without that either. Or peanuts. Or sauce. What I did get was a medium portion of noodles (which were not bad at least) with the runniest liquid I've ever seen. It was literally light brown tinted water. Feel free to use your imagination on what that looks like.... I had to dig quite deep to even find a teeny tiny semblance of a slice of peanut. Maybe they swam away in the peanut "sauce"river. My generous husband donated a couple of his beef slices to try and alleviate the flavorless let down. At least the cucumbers weren't soft I guess. My husband ordered the beef with onion and wine sauce. He wasn't as disappointed as I was, but that isn't saying much. Never in our years of travel have we ever ordered Chinese food of any kind that doesn't come with a side of rice. Never. Maybe this is a San Francisco thing to charge extra for what provides a little flavor and texture to a meal but for the love of God, if you are going to up charge for flimsy paper plates, the least you can do is include some rice. Speaking of plates, as mentioned we are staying at a hotel so clearly we didn't have access to plates or silverware. My husband asked if we could have both. Of course! At 75 center a plate! We are not cheapskates. Money isn't the issue. The issue is charging people 75 cents PER PLATE. It's the principle. I could've walked down to the Walgreens and bought a sleeve of those cheap things for the same price. Way to nickel and dime people who don't have other options. Speaking of generosity, loving that you gave us a whopping three soy sauce packets, try to contain your giving nature this Christmas season. It would've been hard to clean up a small amount, had we spilled, with the two postage sized wafer thin napkins. As a special tribute to the two hour delivery, our dumplings were also a lukewarm, mushy "hot" mess. The flavor was about as good as my noodle dish. The sauce had the weirdest aftertaste that I can't even describe and clearly I'm not short on adjectives. Can garlic even be rotten? Is that possible? It's a good thing we were able to wash out the flavorless dinner with essential fortune cookies every Chinese meal comes with. Just kidding, we didn't get those either. The lack of fortune cookie was indicative of the lack of flavor, service, and other necessities desired to enjoy a dinner. Needless to say The Four Seasons' concierge was made aware in no way could this place ever be satisfying enough for anyone who has even the tiniest knowledge of food and never recommend this place to any guests again. If you're skeptical, I uploaded pics. You can't please everyone, but I don't know how they please anyone.

Was spending a few days in San Francisco and advised by a friend to go and have some of the best Chinese food in the world. This was absolutely true and the food was exceptional, my taste buds will remember this visit forever

Staying at the nearby Omni Hotel, right on the edge of Chinatown, we asked staff to recommend a Chinese place that would deliver to our room. Brandy Ho's was first on their list and they didn't steer us wrong! Simple standards, Chicken fried rice and Chicken with String Beans were delivered quickly, hot and fresh. Super tasty but not overly salty. I found the hot and sour soup a bit too spicy for my taste, but no biggie. They forgot the steamed rice to go with the chicken with string beans, but I just had some of the fried. There was more than enough food for the two of us and we were glad to have a tasty picnic in our room.

We ate dinner here after having made a reservation. The place is small and gets busy. The kitchen is open which is good but gets noisy. Food was served promptly - the veggie dumplings in ginger sauce starter was delicious. Sadly the main course veggie chow mein was a little bland tastewise. Shame as I liked the place.

Definitely worth a trip. Spicy tasty food in a simple no fuss restaurant. It was very busy when we visited. Great service from a friendly waitress. The veggie food menu had plenty of choice. Just to note, the menu stresses that most dishes are quite spicy, unless specified. We didn't think they were overly hot: just right really. But if spicy isn't for you, there are plenty of dishes that can cooked with less spice. You just need to say when ordering.

On the edge of Chinatown, this place was filled with non-Chinese patrons. This is usually a tourist trap red flag for me, however, the meal was delicious and the property spotless, unlike many "authentic" establishments deeper in Chinatown. Highly recommended.

Enjoy a meal at Brandy Ho's Hunan Food. The foods are expertly prepared and very tasty. Portions are generous. A new favorite is the Prawns with Honey walnuts.

We wanted to go to Chinatown for dinner one night in San Fran, but didn't manage to get there until about 9pm. So we ended up going to Brandy Ho's because it was one of the only places still open - if I'm honest, I wish we hadn't bothered. The food was really bland and couldn't finish it, plus the atmosphere was pretty bizarre! Lesson learned - go out a little earlier!

Took my teens here for lunch at 2pm on a weekday. The restaurant was not very busy because of our timing, but the service was great and the full menu available. Kids went for the lunch specials so they could try a variety of flavors, requesting "medium" spice after careful guidance by our server. They loved it! The level of heat was exactly what they wanted. While they don't have a separate gluten free menu, it is noted that many dishes can be made to accommodate the preference. I ordered the house smoked ham, mild spice, gluten free with a side of rice. Smoky, spicy, super tasty. The diners next to our table loved their food, too. Said the fried rice dishes were excellent. We'll be back! Service was fast and friendly, and this was the first time I've enjoyed authentic GF options in the decade since I stopped eating wheat.

Tried this place because of the NO MSG slogan. Food is average...a little sour maybe because they use wine. Service was fast and friendly

Still THE BEST Chinese I've had anywhere. Sadly, I only got to eat lunch there once this past visit. And lucky us, we went on New Years Eve for lunch -- the place was empty. We were able to watch the "Maestro" cook our food and he rocked as always. Get the fried potstickers with garlic/ginger sauce. The sauce is awesome!

We spent a night in China Town and came across this restaurant when we were wandering the streets. A quick check on TA at the reviews and we thought yes let's give it a try. We were warmly greeted and chose 3 main courses to share between the two of us (we regularly do this in the UK). The portions were huge!!! Could easily have fed 5 people! The fried dumplings were delicious! Good value for money and would highly recommend.

My family of four visited here during our recent trip to SF. We LOVE the fresh and spicy food that is the foundation of Hunan cuisine. But sadly it was not to be. Oddly enough it was the Chinese food you can get anywhere that was best. The steamed dumplings, won-ton soup, and general's chicken were all reasonably tasty. But the Hunan dishes we ordered - shredded pork w/veggies, smoked duck, and lamb w/noodles - ranged from mediocre to bad. And it didn't seem to matter how many 'peppers' a dish was rated - it all came out mild. In short, there are so many good restaurants a block or three away I can't imaging ever dining here again. But if for some reason you happen to find yourself eating here don't fear - just stick to the normal Chinese/American dishes.

Returned here after many years away and found it to be just as good as I remembered. My wife had the best General's Chicken that either one of us had ever had. Fried dumplings were also terrific with a sauce that had just the right amount of heat. My son had Brandy's Dinner (beef, scallops, shrimp, veggies) and it was cooked perfectly and had a delicious, medium-spicy sauce. I had smoked duck that was a bit bony, but tasted great. Friendly wait staff and owner were engaging but not bothersome. Will definitely not wait long to return.

Been going there since they opened in the early 80's. Never a disappointment. If you like a little heat order your food spicy. You will not be disappointed. My wife was a bit flushed but I couldn't get enough of the hot and spicy flavors. If you like Kung Pao Chicken ask them for more bamboo sprouts and go easy on the white onions. you'll love it. Deep fried dumplings are the best I've ever had. their Ginger Garlic sauce is amazing. Wonderful service and the owner, well he spent 10 minutes just visiting with us. Are we regulars? yep every time we come to the city for the past 30 years, we've made a special effort to visit Brandy Ho's. Reasonable prices and friendly people make it a must.

Clean restaurant with a nice menu and great service. We enjoyed our SingTao beers, spring rolls, General Taos chicken and Brandy’s special beef , scallops and shrimp with Brown rice. Our meal was cooked to order, served piping hot and very tasty.. We were taking the fact that we would charge four dollars for two bottles of Kirkland water there wasn’t water or tea. Surprised we didn’t have anything left over. Dinner for two with 2 beers with tax and tip was $75 .

If you love genuine spicy chinese cooking, then try Brandy Ho´s Hunan Food on Columbus. This is a nice clean place, with a friendly and helpful staff. The food is excellent and large portions, and there is a large variety of items on the menu. Note: This restaurant never uses monosodium glutamate. We enjoyed our meal and would love to come back...!

There are many Chinese restaurants in San Francisco’s China Town district but this is one of the best. The food is delicious and the service excellent. Great choice on the menu and very reasonable prices. Be aware however, Hunan food is generally spicier than normal Chinese food and staff will ask how spicy you’d like your dish.

Here on holiday and found this place here on Trip Advisor. The staff are lovely and helpful and the food is delicious! Would highly recommend!

Great Chinese food in China Town, San Fran. Right near a lot of great attractions, this place is good for a quick lunch or dinner!

One of the better Chinese-style restaurants in the city. Long-time, never changing, consistent place. Personally, we like Henry's Hunan & Nanking better, but all 3 are S.F institutions where you get authentic, truly excellent chow at reasonable cost ... Where ambiance is zero/nadda/nyet/nein - & food is king. Period.

We called in here after reading the trip advisor reviews and we weren't disappointed. The service was really good, the food was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. One word of caution - Hunan food is similar to Szechwan food and is pretty spicy so might be worth going for mild as oppose to medium spice. But the food was very tasty and I would recommend this place.

We ate here many years ago. Looks and sounds exactly the same. Great CHOW MEIN. Reasonable price for lunch and speedy service. Not fancy—just good. Good hot tea, as well. Can’t go wrong.

This place is a gem. Hunan Homestyle cooking. I had Hunan Smoked Duck and it was really different from the roasted duck I have enjoyed in Austin's "1st Chinese BBQ" (a favorite of mine). Intense smokey flavor and they will vary the spiciness of all their dishes. One of our party had the Brandy's Dinner and it was a deliciously varied dish of shrimp, scallops and beef plus lovely crisp vegetables. we ordered Hunan styele fried rice instead of steamed rice and that rice alone would have made a great meal. You must also try both the fried and steamed dumplings! The sauce was delicious. Even very common dishes to Americans, like General and Sesame Chicken were done with some flair. So many selections to choose from and the service was excellent. Good food at a good price to be sure!

Been coming here over 20 years. Consistently great. Beef chow mein, Sweet and Sour Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, and Dumplings awesome. Low in grease, no MSG. Service is excellent. I come here everytime I'm in SF

Trying to be organized, we made a reservation for a family of 6 at the #2 Trip restaurant. Lack of smiles and Chinese should have been the early warning. No dish and nothing about this place was above average. Let alone, the plate scrapping 12 feet from our table. When the best thing about your meal is the lemon Pellegrino or Anchor Steam, you leave hungry, disappointed and underwhelmed. We left.

30+ years of eating here and it never changes...still the best hot and sour authentic Hunan food I have ever had. My foodie friends have validated my love for this place with the same accolades. If you want sweet and sour pork, chow mein, and broccoli beef go somewhere else. At Brandy Ho's you eat Smoked Ham, hot and sour chicken, deep friend dumplings, cold noodles, and many other Hunan specialties!

Really authentic and good tasting with a very nice owner. Good recommendations from him too. We had different dishes to split and they were all fantastic. Just as our friends recommendation said it would.

Fantastic food in basic surroundings. It's all about the food here. Fast efficient service all the food is cooked out in the open. Really delicious meals.

It doesn't immediately grab your attention from the street, but I'm glad I didn't miss it. From the moment I walked in I was greeted, and treated well. I sat at the counter and was given the chance to look over the menu with a beer while Monday Night Football was on. The staff was so nice, very attentive. I ordered a spicy beef with peppers in a fermented black bean sauce, and it was absolutely the best thing I ate during my trip. It had great balance on the heat/flavor of the dish. The salt and pepper calamari was a treat, good egg rolls too. I don't know what else to say. I was in town for 4 days for training and ended up here on back to back nights and wish I had gone more. I'm planning a return trip in a few weeks and will certainly be back.

we had five people in our party...the service was fast and she was ready to take our orders.. we order a lot of different plates of food and all of it was wonderful!! the veggies still crunch. The fried foods were rocking it.. They must of used fresh oil because everything we ordered was really GREAT! the foods were not dripping in oil and sauces wonderful. we had pot stickers, egg rolls, chow mein, spinach salad with bean sprouts, rice and more I can't remember every thing all was yummie...I will go back.

Restaurant is super clean and service is efficient and friendly. The food was advertised as spicy hunan, but tasted bland and generic. If you are looking for real hunan food avoid this restaurant. If you’re looking for a decent clean meal at a fair price this will do.

Fast, friendly and tasty food. The dumplings is a must, together with Brandy's supper special. So excited that I found this gem.

I looked for a place for lunch in Chinatown on TA while we were a few blocks away. This was easy to find and we were not disappointed. We had the fried dumplings which were in a ginger/soy sauce, the shredded pork & celery, and the bean curd & meat sauce- their version of Mapo Tofu. It was all delicious

Old school Chinese. Dumplings and egg rolls both good; fried calamari ok but the signature smoked duck more bone than flesh while the vegetables unevenly cooked. Dish looked and tasted rushed and careless. There's a reason this style of restaurant less evident.....Chinese food is just much better than this.

I've been coming here for 25 years - back when it was located on Broadway just around the corner. I still love the food - esp the dumplings and the spicy Hunan dishes. They warn you that the food is spicy, but I find it not necessarily hot spicy as much as it is flavorful spicy. Food sometimes comes to table in a different order than you expect - just go with it and enjoy that they are bringing you something hot and fresh from the kitchen.

We have lived in the Bay Area our whole lives, and traveled to SF for dinner numerous times, but had never tried Asian cuisine until now. Wow were we missing out, and now we can't wait to go back there. From the moment we walked in the door we were greeted immediately and treated like you how you expect if you are a VIP. The owner is very hands on and the staff was attentive but not overbearing. We had the pleasure of having Winnie as our wait staff person. She knows her menu inside and out and helped us with the selection process and explaining what Hunan style is. Hands down one of the favorites was the Chow Mein. We had chicken but I'm sure they are all great. Kung Pao chicken another table favorite as well as the combo fried rice.

If you like true Chinese food without MSG, Brandy Ho's is the place to go. Reasonably priced, excellent service. Plenty of pancakes with your Moo Shu Pork. (they call it something else) Enjoy!

Great food! Great service! Very accommodating to exactly what we were looking for. My kids are the picky American "Panda Express" type. We were trying to find something in China Town that wasn't "too authentic" but still part of the culture. This was a great choice. My husband and I were able to order more authentic Chinese with custom spiciness and we were able to find simple stuff for the kids too. We were able to order all white meat chicken as well and that was a huge plus! Very good. The prices were right in the middle. Approx $12 entrees. I would definitely recommend.

We ordered takeout from here to our hotel - food was very good and reasonably priced. The delivery guy was unbelievably rude to me despite giving him the standard tip he then counted the money twice in front of me and then walked away with an extremely rude remark (which I can't write on here). Completely astounded by this rude attitude towards paying and tipping customers. I would not suggest ordering takeout from here as it ruined our experience of the meal.

The vegetarian egg rolls were perfectly prepared and crispy. The hot and sour soup was excellent and we had a chicken entree with bell peppers and Brandy's dinner (beef, shrimp, and scallops). I recommend ordering "mild" because the medium is extremely hot. I drank two glasses of water and could have used a pitcher of water.

Stopped in with my wife for dinner based on TripAdviser ratings and was not disappointed. It doesn’t look particularly amazing but the food is fresh and delicious and plentiful. I recommend the chicken gon-pou.

We've been going to Brandy Ho's Hunan Restaurant for nearly 30 years. One of the [many] things we like about it is their bold "NEVER ANY MSG" sign. The food was really tasty (as always), and we had an enjoyable chat with the manager last night. It's on the "Good side" of Columbus Street, and you will love the food -- as we do!

Seriously the best Chinese ever. We had the egg rolls, general chicken (medium) and special chow mien and it was all amazing. The portion sizes are huge!

i love pork fried rice and i am always looking for the best in the city. I ordered Shrimp chow mein. Sweet and Sour chicken and Pork fried rice. The rice here was not that good. A little to salty and to sticky. The place is right down street from china town so u would think that they can cook rice. But not really

Whenever I am on my way back to the UK from San Francisco I always stop in here for a quick fill before my flight. This is real Chinese food with a really good kick. The dumplings are to die for!

I have been coming here for many years, lunch and dinner. I know there are probably fancier and higher end Chinese restaurants in SF, but you can't beat this place for good food and good value. Best hot and sour soup I've had. My companion had excellent cucumber salad and we both had beef with scallions. Everything was very good. Very noisy but not deafening. I'll be back. Happy Trails.

There were four of us: two adults and two teenagers. We ordered many dishes, most of which were quite good; a few were only fair. the service was good and the prices were very reasonable. The total was less than $90 and we could not finish all of the food.

My family and I ate at Brandy Ho’s last week and we were not disappointed. Unlike traditional Chinese, the food was not greasy or overly salty. The decor is simple and you could quite easily walk past this little gem but the food speaks for itself with flavours rivalling that of the famous Buddakan in NYC. Serving sizes are generous and the dishes are best shared. Wait staff were friendly, efficient and knowledgeable of the menu and prices were more than reasonable (including a bottle of wine and tip; we walked away only paying $30pp). Definitely worth a visit!

Excellent service. Excellent food. Spice was just right! Good wine list as well. I will definitely share with my Houston friends when visiting San Francisco area. Worth the visit.

Brandy Ho's is a real-deal, SF Chinatown classic, which has been in business for over 40 years serving very good Hunan style food. The setting is informal and comfortable with very friendly wait staff. The tables are set far enough apart so that diners can feel a sense of privacy. The food is fresh and of good quality with the Hunan dishes spiced to taste. We started with excellent hot and sour soup that way rich in flavor and well spiced on the hot side. I ordered Gon-Pau with all white meat chicken that was delicious. "Mild" spicing still was plenty hot. The prices were outstanding for SF.

We came here for a mid afternoon meal. I got the brandy's dinner, based on reviews. It was pretty good. The scallops melted in my mouth, and the beef was tender. There were only 2 shrimp. My boyfriend got brandy's fried rice. He really liked that. We had great service and our waitress spoke good English, which was nice. We'd go back again .

Brandy's was recommended to us while we stayed in San Fran for vacation. The local police recommended it! Dumplings were delicious and we shared the hunan chicken. Authentic hunan food! Best part for me was their homemade hot bean sauce which I purchased a jar to take with!

The portion sizes here are very reasonable, attentive service and the food was good quality. The chow mein was well received as well as egg rolls, wonton and steamed dumplings

An authentic Chinese restaurant on the edge of Chinatown that was quite helpful accommodating a gf diet....something we rarely experience. Be sure to try the house smoked duck and sautéed vegetablea.

A regular at this classic eatery. I like it spicy and you should too - service will be fast, food fast, and eats fast. Great for lunch or dinner. Enjoy your Chinese food!

No thrills interior or decor.. but awesome food all very simple but very fresh ,cooked in front of you .. Not a vast choice on the menu but you won’t be disappointed with the tasty food serviced with simply . No MSG

fast service, delicious food well prepared. Friendly staff. Came for SF excellent Chinese food and received it. Nice size portions.

We had the shredded beef with scallions, the egg rolls, and the steamed vegetable dumplings. All good and nice size portions. We enjoyed watching the end of the women’s rugby quarterfinal on the tv over the bar.

We booked this after looking at the TA reviews. The service was friendly and efficient and the food came pretty quickly but at the end they did not rush to get us out. The food was very good and try the house specials. Plenty of flavour and the quantities were also quite generous. The only downside was the lack of ambience. It was really good food served quite quickly and the experience they were trying to give seemed to be just that. So in summary fine if you want a good quick chinese meal but maybe not if you want a leisurely meal with some atmosphere

We have dined here for many years, our last visit however will be our last. The service was not so great, and the chicken dish we ordered, had so little chicken on it, we actually left hungry. It was mostly white rice, and not so good. We used to really like their dumplings, however last visit they were very doughy and not so good. It is really a shame to have really liked a restaurant and then to see it really go downhill, we will not return.

The food was tasty and affordable. We especially liked the fried onion cakes. Would love to have a restaurant this good near where we live. We went there for lunch. The place was crowded. We were still on Eastern time so we were there at 11:30 and it was a good thing. By the time 12noon rolled around there was a line waiting to get in.

We have been eating here a few times a year since they opened decades ago. Very friendly people. Adequate servings. Be careful with spicy. You could be in for a surprise. Very hot even when you say medium. Great fish dishes along with traditional Hunan fare.

The food was not bad, but everything - service, taste, atmosphere - was +- average, not a restaurant I would like to revisit, frankly (though nothing to blame for)

This place is so cool and big enough so that even when it is crowded you feel relaxed. Headline - No MSG, this is huge for me plus the food is awesome and you can ask for it to be as spicy as you want. I tend to go alone so I like sitting at the counter and watching the cooks. I am an amateur cook myself and watching these guys is so much fun. I only eat seafood and veggies but there is tons to choose from and they have lunch specials all day long. This place is on the edge of Chinatown but there is no comparison to most of the other so called Chinese places in the area this is as real as it gets and as fresh as it gets. I spend a lot of time in Asia and this trip I was in 5 different cities in China and the first place I stopped after arriving back in SF was this place. No need to even have to ask for No MSG there are huge signs all over saying they never use it.

The food was excellent! Excellent service in a quaint restaurant. We would definitely return! Decent portions and reasonable!

Went after seeing reviews on Trip Advisor. Welcomed and seated as we walked in, offered water and left to look at the menu. Our waitress was really friendly and helpful. Lovely steamed dumplings to start (shared as a huge portion). I had the chicken and broccoli and my husband had the sweet and sour chicken.... 'The best he's ever tasted'! One last night in SF so might be calling in again tomorrow.

We found this place just wandering around the neighborhood and we were rewarded with a great meal at a reasonable price. Staff was good and had some great suggestions. Restaurant is visually appealing as well. A pretty extensive menu should have something for everyone.

The food is delicious. The best thing is that they cook the food just in front of you, and immediately brought to your table. They are quick, and no crowded at all.

We had a very good meal here in Chinatown. My husband travels to China frequently for work and wanted something that might be more authentic Chinese. His sweet and sour pork was not like something you would find in a typical Chinese place in the U.S. It was really really good, not deep fried with a crust. I had hot and sour beef which was excellent and cleared up my sinuses!! We shared steamed and fried dumplings and they were all very good. The service was great and the folks working there were very friendly. Would definitely visit this restaurant again!

Staying in San Francisco, this place was recommended. It was a great recommendation. The dumplings were fresh and tasty. The shrimp dish was also extremely fresh and if you like spicy you can get it there. Medium would be very very spicy and we ordered halfway between mild and medium (we live on the south Texas border and are used to spicy Mexican food so this really kicks it up a notch).

local friends suggested this on our trip to SF. It's best described as a local dive with average Hunan style food.

I really enjoy Chinese cuisine and have had it in many different cities. I've never experienced the overall quality anywhere else that I've experienced in Brandy Ho's. I have been visiting this location of the restaurant for over 30 years and the quality has always been consistent. The must have items are, Hot and Sour Beef, Kung Pao Chicken and Deep Fried Dumplings with Garlic Ginger Sauce. There are other good items on the menu, but these are by far the best and tastiest items on the menu. The only "problem" with the restaurant is parking. It is very difficult to find a place to park close enough for convenient walking. Luckily the meters in the area now allow you to park for two hours at a time instead of one hour like they used to. This gives you enough time to walk the distance to the restaurant and eat in a comfortable amount of time.

Absolutely great food, tasted authentic, was fresh and finger-licking good. Service was friendly and quick. The best chinese food I ever had!

Four of us ate here on 6/10/16. The service was very good, as well as the food. We left stuffed and happy!

I can't say that the food is terrible, it is normal, regular Asian food. My option included shrimp that was a little bit overcooked. Tea was a dirty water, tasteless. And the place is noisy, not because anything in special but because the owner, he shout to every single waiter, the cook makes a lot of noise when preparing food, everything is a Babel tower. The restroom is tiny, you need to be brave to enter there. In summary, I won't return. But, again, the food is not terrible. It is just the combination of everything else that made me think about not going back to here.

Excellent Chinese food, very reasonably priced and good quality. Would particularly recommend the fried seafood platter starter and the Walnut Shrimp. We were advised to go for medium hot on our menu choices as was hot by western standards, but if you like spice I would definitely go for hot ! Nice clean dining room and rest rooms with efficient, friendly service from the staff, who were more than happy to advise on the menu. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for good, reasonably priced Chinese food in China Town

Got take out. The fried rice was fine... The dumplings were also good. The rest of the order was mediocre at best... Delivered warm, but overloaded with onion and peppers.

As reported by others this is on the edge of Chinatown but in no way detracts from the quality or service. Service is prompt & friendly. Whilst busy the food was delivered promptly. The food was delicious & well-priced. Drinks were reasonably priced (the lowest priced Pinot Noir is very nice!)

By sharone of our favorites. went labor day late afternoon. No wait .Service is always fast and of course they prepare your meal when you are ordering. Anything you choose will be the best you have ever had. A must ever time we visit the City.

This place is not much to look at, but the food is excellent. We thought the service was a bit rushed, but enjoyed the food.

This has been our 'go-to' place whenever in SF for the last 20 years and we were so disappointed. They have clearly toned down their spicing significantly and even when we stressed that we like things spicy, it was not. In previous years we would have tears running down our faces which is what we were looking for.The hot and spicy soup just wasn't you know - 'spicy'. We even sent back some of the sauces to have them made more spicy and it was still not even scratching the surface.The staff were great and friendly and it was nice to be sitting near the kitchen and watch the food being cooked from scratch but this place has lost its edge. In such a competitive Chinese market-place this restaurant always stood out for its Hunan and its spice. Now it is just like any of the others.

Family friendly and with nicer food than many restaurants back home in the UK. Spicy food with lots of flavour and lovely wine, a really nice birthday meal, even my fussy 4yr old ate the pork fried rice.

got there after a long walk across Chinatown. the atmosphere was cool, not too many people so we were able to understand what we order. Hunan food, nice seafood dishes, excellent dumplings. be ware of spicy dishes, i asked for mild and it was hot for my Mediterranean taste.

We were in San Francisco for 5 days and wanted to eat in Chinatown. We made reservations here because it was rated highly on Trip Advisor and our Frommer's San Francisco guide. The one thing we were surprised about was this restaurant really isn't in Chinatown. Its on the edge. Which is fine. But we wanted to walk around Chinatown before eating and it wasn't really optimal given the location of the restaurant. Having said that, the food was great and the service was wonderful too. We went on Monday evening and it wasn't busy. We had a relaxing dinner and did not feel rushed. We all ordered different items and loved everything.

Enjoyed a nice 20 minute stroll from the Union Square area to Brandy Ho’s. The taste of the food wasn’t necessarily unique but it was toward the best of any Chinese restaurants we have experienced and the variety of options from appetizers, soups and salads, and main courses was very good. We enjoyed how well managed the restaurant is and the lively ambience.

I ate at Brandy Ho's frequently in the early 90s, both because the food was amazing (and I could get it "native" spicy after I had proven I could handle it to the owner) and because I could sit at the counter and watch the amazing choreography of the chefs wok technique as they made food for all the patrons. Really one of my favorite places in San Francisco. 27 years after the last time I ate there we returned with some trepidation - most restaurants do not age well and in my experience become very disappointing. Not Brandy Ho's - not only had its appearance not changed (I felt like I was coming home) but it was also run by the same family. And the food is better than I remember it! In deference to my husband's more delicate palate the spice level was toned down, but the richness and depth of the sauces, the perfectly cooked food and the friendly, easy going service brought back many wonderful memories (while creating new ones). If you're eating in Chinatown, go there!

My wife and I just returned from a California vacation that included several days in San Francisco. We asked the hotel concierge for a good Chinese restaurant in Chinatown and he immediately recommended Brandy Hoi's. And he was right. The service was quick and orderly. We order deep-fried sweet and sour dumplings and moo-shoo pork. The dumplings were different that anything we've had in NYC and GREAT. The pork came with six fresh crepes. I would definitely go back.

Brandy Ho’s hit the spot for sure. No problem for gluten free soy sauce and everything was cooked to order. Quick and friendly service and a pretty interesting menu. I’d definetly go back.

Came here as a last minute thing, was served very efficiently and the staff are very polite and accommodating for my gluten and dairy allergies. Food was delicious and was served very quickly. Would definitely recommend!!!!

If you are looking for a place to have a quick meal rather than a more formal, drawn out affair, this might be your place. I think we were in and out in 45 minutes, yet never felt rushed. The service was prompt. We ordered the fried dumplings as an appetizer, which is advertised as their most popular dish. They were very good and still spicy even though we ordered mild. The spicy chicken dish I ordered definitely far exceeded the quality of typical Chinese takeout - it was made with all-white meat and had the perfect amount of heat. All in all, a nice, reasonably priced dinner.

We'd read some good reviews, and the menu looked good, so we were looking forward to this as our one meal in SF's Chinatown. We ordered Brandy's Dinner and the Cold Chicken Noodles in peanut sauce, and though I adore noodles, the latter was so salty I could only eat about half my portion. The Brandy's Dinner wasn't as salty, but still saltier than I'd like and far more full of onion and bamboo shoots than seafood and meat. The egg rolls we started with were greasy, too. A disappointment.

There are so many fantastic restaurants in San Francisco so much so at times it can be overwhelming. During my 5day visit, I was constantly reading reviews and asking my tour guides and locals I met on the best places to eat. Thats the great thing about asking locals, they know what's good, what's great and what's over inflated and what's not worth your trouble. Brandy Ho's defiantly borders what's good and what's great the fine line of difference here is based on your own personal preferences. The menu items are simple, authentic and bursting with flavour. You can get them 'Brandy Ho' style which comes with lots to spice and kick, or you can get them 'standard' which is what you would expect from a Chinese Restaurant, i would highly recommend you go for the Brandy Ho version. The service is fast and efficient, the decor simple yet suitable for the environment. It's located near the heart of China Town, just back from the main street of China Town. You'll notice that the majority of patrons inside the restaurant are either San Fran locals or returning visitors, this is when you realise you've hit a foodies jackpot. The portions are large so great to large crowds with friends, family or colleagues. If you're on a business trip you can ask for half portions of any dish to allow you to try our more of Brandy Ho's delicious offerings.

We chose Brandy Ho’s for nostalgia purposes. My partner had visited in the mid-80s and a time that he was living in San Francisco. He remembered it as an excellent food, creative, and fun atmosphere place. When we arrived it felt used in tired at best. Although the restaurant was virtually empty without her in and rest from the time we entered. The food was average in the drinks were poor. This is one that I would not recommend him try to find the next one down the street.

Fabulous Chinese food - bit of theatre with the chefs preparing everything in the open kitchen in front of diners.

We were referred to Brandy Ho by our hotel, and they were absolutely right. The delicious meal was freshly prepared with no msg and served by friendly waiters, at a reasonable cost compared to other restaurants we've been to. The location was perfect if you are in the North Beach area.

The restaurant is quite large with a maximum capacity of 199. The kitchen runs one side of the restaurant and you can see, hear and smell your food being cooked. The restaurant in itself is a larger version of your neighbourhood Chinese. The food we had high expectations for with a 4 star Tripadvisor rating. The food was good but not great. We started with dumplings and wonton soup. Both were really good. The mains we had were sweet and sour pork with veg fried rice and Triple Delicacy (prawns, scallops and beef) and steamed rice. The rice was quite bland and was enough for 2 or 3 British portions. The sweet and sour pork was good but nothing more special than our local Chinese at home. The boiled rice in contrast was a small singe serving. The Triple Delicacy was flavoursome and the husband enjoyed it. Only saw one couple with a baby in a carry seat. There wasn't a baby change in the ladies so I wouldn't recommend it for very small children. Overall, we wouldn't have gone out of our way for it had we know it was good but not great. I'd give the food a 4 star and the restaurant a 3 star so overall a 3.5 if I was allowed

I visit this restaurant every time I visit San Francisco. The food is usually great but this time the taste and texture of my favorite dishes were different. It was edible but not very tasty this time.

We had our sight set on House of nanking first but they, like many other restaurants in Chinatown, where about to close by the time we got there so we spontaniously went to brandy ho's. First impression is "school cafeteria". Surroundings are very bland. But nothing wrong with the food or the service.

I was a little overwhelmed and leery of the plethora of restaurants in Chinatown. After looking at trip advisor reviews, I felt comfortable going here. We felt safe. It was clean. Bathrooms clean. Staff attentive. Food was great. Price was good as well for lunch. No fortune cookies when your done, but no biggie.

So we went there for lunch and ordered off the lunch combo which allows you to select the meat choice. Don't try to do a lot of substitution because they don't allow it. Also if you don't eat meats or chick the soup is made with chicken broth. I ordered the Kung pow shrimp with a mild spice. It was not spicy so if you like it spicy order the med or hotter. The portions for lunch or adequate. The price for lunch was $13.

Brandy Ho’s is one my two favorite restaurants in San Francisco (I’ll write about the other — Tomasso’s — when I have time to do it justice.). I’ve been going to Brandy Ho's for nearly 30 years and it never, ever disappoints. It has spoiled me for other Chinese restaurants. The crew is friendly, highly efficient and family oriented. Jack Ho will be seen scrambling around making sure everyone is happy and that the orders or flowing. His brother Cedrick Ho is the master of the wok crew. Other family members make up the capable service staff. The cuisine is Hunan which is typically spicy. But don’t panic — you can order everything “mild” if you want. in fact, if they don’t recognize you as a regular, and you order “medium" or “hot” they will gently ask if you have dined at Brandy Ho’s before. Their “hot” is really hot. (I order medium). In my favorite dishes, I think the key ingredients are fresh garlic and ginger. I’m referring to the Kung Pao and Si Foo Chicken dishes, but these flavors are core to many of their dishes. They have four home-made sauces which are used in many dishes — a sweet and sour sauce, a ginger garlic sauce, a spicy peanut sauce, and a spicy black bean sauce. There is a jar of the black bean sauce at every table. You can actually buy the sauces and take them home. I always have all four in my refrigerator a home. Brandy Ho’s is the home of my favorite dish in the world — deep fried dumplings in the home-made ginger-garlic sauce. The dumplings are made by hand right on site — you’ll often see the staff making them at one of the tables. You can get them wok’ed but I prefer the deep fried version. The result is a crispy crust with a delicious interior. Be sure to dip the dumpling in the ginger-garlic sauce! Another wonderful appetizer is the cucumber salad with bean sprouts and bits of carrot topped with their peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is laced with fresh ginger and you can order it at whatever spice level you’d like. We always order this dish without the bean sprouts (a fact that will give away this writer's identify to the Brandy Ho crew <g>). You rarely see an “onion cake” on a Chinese menu but Brandy Ho’s has one. Order one — you won’t be disappointed. It’s basically two flour tortillas with a thin spread of egg yolk, sesame oil and green onion which is pan fried for a minute or so in a pan of hot oil. They come out crispy and are served with the peanut sauce. My wife loves the combination of the cucumber salad and the onion cake. There are many main entries to order. Key here is that all dishes are wok’ed to order. There are NO steam tables anywhere near Brando-Ho’s. You’ll notice that difference with any dish you order. Jack and Cedrick really train all their wok staff carefully - so the consistency at Brandy Ho’s is without equal. There are a few seats at the counter where you can watch these wizards in action — everything is cooked right in front of you. (I swear that some of the woks must be fired by F14 jet engines - so much heat!!) For the chicken dishes (e.g. Kung Pao) they cook the chicken separately for about 60 seconds with a bit of oil in the wok. Then they remove the chicken pieces and let them drain. Then they wok the vegetables (e.g onions, bamboo shoots, bell peppers) while adding some white wine, soy sauce, fresh ginger and fresh garlic. Pepper flakes are added with a touch of thickener and then the chicken is reintroduced at the last minute. Finally, pre-roasted peanuts are added. The result is tender chicken chunks which are NOT overcooked surrounded by wonderful veggies in a flavorful sauce. This level of care goes into every dish they make. They have an interesting trick with the peanuts they use in Kung Pao — they pre-wok them separately so they are slightly caramelized/roasted. It really adds to their impact when added at the last few seconds of the Kung Pao dish. This place is classified as “legendary” by San Francisco locals. I’ve taken numerous guests there and they have consistently raved about the food. One evening several years ago I was dining with my family and noticed two men — around 30 years of age — ordering one Brandy Ho dish after another. One at a time, they must have gone through 8 or more of the main dishes. I was really impressed so as I was leaving I visited their table and shared my enthusiasm for the food. They were delighted to meet another Brandy Ho fan and said they lived about an hour outside of San Francisco. They always would come to Brandy Ho’s when in town. But what really impressed me is that they had eaten there the night before and polished off an equal number of dishes!! I've brought large groups to Brandy Ho's (over 30 people at a time) and they can handle that kind of crowd without any problem. Brandy Ho’s is open 7 days a week and they are even open on most Holidays. Service is quick and efficient. Open for lunch and dinner.

This places lured us in with the large signs boasting no MSG. The staff was friendly and attentive. The physical looks is not anything fancy. Food was okay. When they ask you if you want peppers you should like spicy food if you order your food with them. You can add your own if you choose with the jar on the table. The general chicken was awesome!!! Best I've ever had. Pork fried rice was perfection as well. They also truly did not use MSG as noted so if that is something important to you then you would probably really enjoy this place.

Has the feel of an American diner which I found odd. But everything else was great. Food was made fresh to order in the wok behind the counter. You can watch them prepare the food. Was not a huge fan of the hot and sour soup, but everything else was extremely tasty. Service was good for us.

Finally returned after Covid and happy that the Brandy Ho still has amazing and fresh Hunan style Chinese food. The best in the city. This is by far my favorite place to eat, even when I’m solo. The staff is attentive and friendly. Don’t miss this San Francisco staple!

First rate - great value. We had the Cold Noodles with Peanut Sauce . They were perfectly spiced, and we ate every drop. Then we had Hot & Sour Shrimp. Hunan perfection!

Two of us got the #1 lunch special. This included hot and sour soup (good), onion bread(okay), pickled vegetables(soggy and too sweet), and an entree (thumbs down from both of us). Others got fried veg dumplings (good), chicken chow mein (good), seafood and beef (good). The restaurant is clean and service was fast. Street parking is often difficult in this area. There are pay garages. I just feel like there are so many great restaurants here, that it doesn’t make sense to suffer one that is inconsistent, so we won’t return.

Went here for the first time New Year's Eve 2019 with my sons. I lived I SF many years ago and used to frequent the long lost Henry Chung's "Hunan's" Restaurant, so this was the closest I could find. Excellent fried dumplings, cold noodles with peanut vinaigrette and spicy house-smoked ham with bamboo shoots, carrots & green peppers. A real treat at a reasonable price!

Enjoyed the wonton soup followed by onion cake and for the main the steamed fish and rice . The fish was steamed with ginger and shallots . Very tasty food at a very reasonable price . Service was good . Open kitchen was interesting. If you like it spicy as I do , some nice chilli on the table to spice it up.

Basic decor bur very tasty food. We had egg drop soup, white meat chicken curry (not spicy) and hot and sour beef (medium spicy) with steamed rice -- ample for 2 people. All very good, and "medium spicy" not too hot for anyone with experience of Indian food. We booked, but there seemed to be plenty of walk-ins. It's a small place though.

I have been going to Brandy Ho's for almost thirty years. Whenever I am traveling in SF I make it a point to stop by for lunch or dinner. The biggest change during those decades is that the "NO MSG" sign is now in plastic letters rather than painted on the walls. Everything that I have had is good, but the potstickers, green onion pancakes, and hot and sour beef are outstanding. Many of the Hunan dishes are impossible to find outside SF, making a visit to BH a rare treat. The place is usually not too crowded and it is enjoyable to be able to watch the dishes being prepared from a seat at the counter. Service is fast and efficient. Warning, this is not bland food. Unless you specify otherwise, the dishes will be spicy. Nothing fancy, just a great and unintimidating place to eat in Chinatown.

We enjoyed the food at Brandy Ho's, but the service was less than desirable. The staff did not understand the menu as incorrect info was given to us. A bit expensive as everything is alacarte.

This restaurant is not fancy but has the best Hunan food in San Francisco. The food can be incredibly spicy so you might ask them to ease up on the spiceness

Dining in China Town is a must when in San Francisco. Whilst this place isn’t much to look at from the outside go and try the food. It’s well cooked, fresh and won’t break the bank. The service is no nonsense but isn’t pushy either. I would recommend the Fried Seafood Combo. Bon appetite!

I was there on a Sunday mid-day. The place was empty, which should have a first clue, but I was in a pinch and wanted food from a nearby Chinese place, being a tourist and not knowing the area very well. The food was subpar and not exactly what I expected from a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. It was also very salty. I was disappointed.

Felt a little like reverse prejudice ... But that could be just me ... I will say the head waitress or perhaps the owner was very unpleasant ... The dumplings were great! I got the fried rice and it was horrible ... The rest got a mixed bag with mixed reviews as well ... Oh well only 600 more to try ..,

A old time place which had a lively lunch time crowd. The reasonably priced specials came with sweet and sour soup and cold noddles. The service was prompt. The entree could be prepared mild, medium or hot. We skipped the latter but the food was tasty. The chef is prepping the entrees right in the middle of the restaurant so there’s plenty of banging of pots and pans. I would highly recommend the fish or the beef broccoli.

Food was good, staff was great. There is plenty of room to eat in here. They do not use MSG and if you are a Vegan or a Vegetarian they have things for you as well. If you like it spicy or not they are also the place for you. Order several dishes and share them around the table.

I had heard that China town was a MUST DO when visiting San Francisco and that the food was supposed to be top notch. Brandy Ho's did not disappoint! I went off piste and went for a very different looking Sweet and Sour Pork. Not what i usually go for as i don't like the hi-viz sauce its served in, in the UK. Brandy Ho's was the best i had tasted, wasn't hi-viz and wasn't overly sweet or sticky. We also tried the beef in black bean and Honey and garlic chicken with rice. All came out piping hot, looked delicious and contained no MSG. No slow, sluggish and tired feeling after, just full bellies and satisfaction all round. The price was reasonable and service was great. 100% would recommend this place to anybody! 👍🏻

The service was good, even when there was a mix up on the order. The food was a bit tastier than standard Chinese. I would eat here again.

We asked for medium and it was still a tad spicy. Our table of 4 got the steamed (2 orders) and the fried dumplings (2 orders) and shared 2 entrees. Service was friendly and the food was tasty.

Attentive service, large menu, tasty dishes. The manager was very helpful with suggestions for food that would accommodate my garlic allergy. Good hot and sour soup and steamed dumplings.

After wandering through Chinatown in the baking, late-afternoon, San Francisco heat, Jackie and I were ready for an early supper. We checked out a few local restaurants, which were mostly of the boiled chickens' feet and grilled tripe variety (to be fair, this was to be expected in the city's Chinese quarter), but then we found a place that was more acceptable to a European palate ~ Brandy Ho's Hunnan Food Restaurant on Columbus Street. From the outside this somewhat ordinary-looking restaurant is nevertheless more inviting than so many other restaurants in Chinatown, although on first glance it could be mistaken for a tavern. However, it most certainly is not, so do go inside. The layout, chairs, and tables are fairly standard, and it has an air of a 'family-run small enterprise' which, in fact, is in its favour, and it is neat and clean (as are the lavatories!). Then you see that the kitchen area is, in fact, just behind the main counter, so all the food is prepared and cooked in full view of the customers: a real point in its favour. The menu is long enough but not too long, so choosing is relatively easy, and the food is genuinely excellent. Hunnan food is not too spicy (although it could be if you ask) and the meats are fat, gristle, and bone-free so suits non-Chinese patrons, and it is tasty without being overpowering. Portions are generous and excellent value for money. A smile, and a friendly demeanour towards the typically reserved staff, will elicit the same in return and your dining experience will be enhanced as a result. Jackie and I seriously recommend the Brandy Ho's Restaurant.

We had a very great lunch. The restaurant was very clean and the service was great. The scallion pancakes were delish.

Surprisingly empty on a Friday evening, though a few more customers later. At one point only two tables occupied. Open plan utilitarian seating and layout, with the chefs in full view. Pleasant staff, and efficient delivery of our order. Great steamed dumplings as an appetizer. Wide array of mains, and the fish and beef ones chosen were excellent. Modestly priced wine list. Very good, and well worth a visit.

3 Delicacies dish (spicy) is superb. We order this every time we come here. Nice to sit at the bar to watch food prep.

We were walking past and stumbled across it. highly recommended. Good food and service. And reasonably priced

Went to Brand Ho's in SF last night with out-of-town friends. Brandy Ho has been around for a long time and is very popular with the In-crowd. Really didn't care for anything that was ordered by 5 people except the fried dumpling. Found the food to be salty and my weekend guest felt sick during the middle of the night. Maybe it's just me, but I find other restaurants more to my liking.

We sat down at 2 Chinese restaurants, looked at their menus, the cleanliness etc…before settling for this third one and we did not regret our choice. The price was right, meals very flavorful and you can watch the cooks in action behind the bar. They also do not add MSG to their food. I would definitely go back. Good but unpretentious meal…although chic when compared to the previous restaurant we had stopped at.

Our children had dumplings and my wife and I had Bradys Shou Mein. It was great. Large portions and fantastic service. Very good prices also. Highly recomended.

I love Hunan food but this isn’t it. My duck had zero smoke to it and the spice lacked any depth of flavour. Service was good, but we should have been put off by the glossy menu and being asked on a scale of 1-10 how spicy we wanted the food. Should have picked one of the many busy dives in Chinatown.

I have never eaten at Brandy Ho's during supper because their lunch menu is such a good value. It's a favorite place among the locals, which are always the best places to dine in my book. Being Hunan, it can be a little "hot," but the flavors are wonderful and literally linger in your mind a year later. This is one of the most interesting streets in SF with some of the best street side views (including the Transamerica Pyramid). Now you know one of the best places to dine.

I often visit this place when I’m in San Fran for spicy food. Today I had very good mapo tofu- too much to finish. The fried dumplings were a bit so so

It's no wonder it's still in SF since 1980. Our son just found this restaurant and made it a must that we go there. I haven't been in many, many years. We had the fried dumplings, (not like most people have had), hot & sour soup, won-ton soup, Gon-Poi and steamed rice. ** DO note, they have (3) levels of hot, so the medium is pretty hot depending on your palate.

Great service and great food. Fried dumplings were awesome. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal would highly recommend to anyone.

We ended up coming to this Hunan restaurant instead of another place that was incredibly crowded up the street. We were seated right away on a Friday evening and service was really fast and we received our food very quickly which was awesome. I loved the mixed vegetables and my husband got a pork and noodle dish which he also enjoyed - would definitely recommend if you are looking for a great and quick spot in Chinatown.

I used to come to SF very frequently and always stopped in here at the recommendation of a local friend. Fast forward 20+ years and it's still here and just as good and authentic as I remember. If you are looking for reasonable and authentic Hunan, this one is the best!

Not the same old Chinese lunch combination. Appetizer course consists of soup, something like an onion roll, and noodle or vegetable salad in a ramekin. Main dish is quite ample and tasty..Not "low salt" but can be vegetarian.

The food quality was average but not excellent. Ice cream had a strange smell/taste of chemicals. The pricing was rather high for the quality, IMO. When we entered at 6 PM on a Friday evening, this place was almost empty.... I am afraid the reviews on this place may have been overrated.

The food was absolutely amazing! I had the housemade smoked Duck and a soup and my girlfriend ate a vegetarian dish. Both was excellent. The stuff was friendly, even if they were a bit stressed. I would totally come here again!

Had lunch there today. We've been going there for almost 30 years. Our kids go there now with their kids. Be careful with the spices. For most medium hot is like eating fire. The staff is always amazed when we order medium-hot. "Are you sure" is what they ask every time we go. The owner is fantastic. If they are not too busy he will visit with you and explain the recipes and their unique technique of cooking potstickers. The original Brandy Ho on Columbus and Pacific is icon status if you ask me.

Visited this restaurant following drinks at a nearby bar , I have been here before so knew what to expect I had the combination rice ( special fried rice ) It was served quickly and the portion/ serving was generous The staff are friendly and the restaurant is clean plus the food tastes good Value for money

We chose this restaurant based on the reviews on TripAdvisor. We found the food really tasty and plentiful (as usual in the usa). The restaurant itself was clean but dated but added to the authenticity of this Chinese restaurant. The staff were very polite but we found them very quick to want to take away our empty plates and glasses. This can be looked at as very good service but we found it a little rushed. I would still recommend this restaurant if you are in Chinatown.

Ok, so I have officially become a creature of habit when it comes to Hunan food in San Fran. The Brandy Ho is by far the best. Shrimp and broccoli spicy, so simple and yet so good! Service is always friendly and good. If alone, just sit at the counter!

We re-visited Brandy Ho's again, one year after our first visit, and I am convinced that the Fried Dumplings, with garlic sauce, are the best I've ever had...enough so that I had two orders for lunch. My companion had Beef with green bell peppers and wine sauce. He requested it to be prepared with a "mild" spiciness level, but says that he found it a bit bland. I'm basing my overall review primarily on the service and the superior quality of the Fried Dumplings. A fabulous choice for lunch. If you don't know what you want to eat, ask what THEY like. That's how I found the dumplings and the correct sauce. I hope that you will enjoy a meal at Brandy Ho's!

We changed upon this place walking around China Town, the staff were friendly and we were quickly served drinks and main meals. The food was amazing, everything was perfect. This place is well worth a visit!

Ate here with a business partner and really enjoyed the meal. Very good food with excellent service. Come in, sit down and enjoy!

Had a good lunch with the family today. Service was friendly, food was really good, just not great. The steamed dumplings were the highlight for me although everything was good.

Drove to San Francisco today from Sacramento for a first visit. Explored the seafront but the food places didn’t appeal to me. So I walked thru the Italian district to China town and found Brandy Ho’s. Read some reviews and decided this would be my first taste of Hunan food. I opted for the fried dumplings and asked the owner I believe what he would recommend. I went with his suggestion of Brandy’s fish fillet (hot) and took a potion of rice too. Both dishes were absolutely delicious honestly! I was delighted with his recommendation and I’d say to anyone who is visiting the area to drop in! Even for the dumplings alone! Thank you 🙏🏻

Went to this place because many of the restaurants were closed already due to Covid . It was 9pm and they closed at 930 by the sign. They did ask for our vaccine cards which was reassuring. Ordered dumpling soup because it was cold and traditional vegetable mix with tofu. I expected hunan spicy but was not what I expected. Way too much salt! Some of the vegetables were over cooked. Soup was delicious. Had to walk up to the cook to ask for water. She brought us some bottled Costco water but I wasn’t charged as the other recent reviewer was. Hot Saki was good. $45 plus tip. Meh…

My family was staying in Fisherman's Wharf so we obviously were in no shortage of seafood -- but we were looking to experience Chinatown Chinese food and Brandy Ho's did not disappoint. They are available to be booked on OpenTable which is great for vacationers on the go. Upon arrival we were led into a moderate sized dining area with the kitchen team in full view. The staff was friendly, answered questions, and made recommendations. The food was quite good and unlike the traditional Chinese take away you get most anywhere. One word for those who are not into spicy food -- they ask for each dish whether you want mild, medium, or hot -- the mild was quite spicy and the medium was at my limits. Give this place a try.

Kind of a hole in the wall in Chinatown. Crispy egg roll, real good food (General Tso's chicken). The issue I had is for water they gave us a bottle each of water from Costco and charged $2 per bottle. Found it to be tacky and I would have given them a 5 rating if not for that.

I usually visit when I'm tired and don't want to venture far from the hotel. The food is always consistent and good and the staff polite. It's quick, fast and easy. I recommend for cheap and non fussy food.

The best place in China Town in San Francisco! Every time I’m here, i can’t miss this visit! Fantastic food and super good service!

Popped in here based on others reviews and we really enjoyed it. We ordered the shrimp and prawn fried wontons and veg rolls, followed by chicken and prawn chow mein and general shrimp with rice and it was all delicious! Also very large portions do we ordered too much but it was excellent. I would recommend

Went here on our last night in San Francisco. It is located just on the edge of China Town in Columbus Avenue. The decor is basic but clean and suits the place well. The food is excellent we had two different soups and two main dishes with steamed rice, all were cooked excellently and spiced as we requested, not just a standard churned out recipe. For the chicken dish we were also asked if we wanted the white or brown meat. Service was friendly and efficient. There were clearly a number of people eating there who were regular customers. Definitely worth a try and we would go back.

Really amazing fried dumpling - one of the nicest things I have ever eaten, so tasty, excellent fast service, nice atmosphere

Brandy Ho's markets itself as authentic food, with no MSG. I can't vouch for authenticity, but this was tasty, hearty food, that I can imagine has been served for generations. The restaurant was busy and noisy, but this added to the atmosphere. Our waitress was great, attentive without being over bearing. The best dumplings I've had.

Starving and on a budget, struggling to find a place to eat we wandered the streets of Chinatown, when we stumbled upon this little gem. It was busy but we were seated immediately to a table, and the food arrived after just the right amount of time. Never tried Huanese food before, but my dish was very nice. The price was also very good, compared to the rest of Chinatown, but the quality was as good as anywhere in Chinatown. A lovely restaurant and the staff were very friendly.

HOT!!! Everything we ordered here, we ordered "middle of the road Hot". It was scorching! Our mouths burned for what seemed like forever. Two out of four of us couldn't even eat our meals. Great taste, but go very low on their heat scale.

Great lunch special that comes with tasty hot & sour soup, wonderful onion cake and cold noodles with a peanut sauce. Even after the trio of appetizers, the entrees are well sized and quite good. But be careful: I love spicy and this is one of the few restaurants that I order medium! Spicy is authentic! Usually order the Gon-Pou or Garlic chicken but shrimp and other entrees are quite good as well. Service quick, efficient and unobtrusive although all of the waitresses are wonderful and friendly is you take time to chat. Atmosphere is also very simple. Nothing fancy. But 3 appetizers, entree and rice for $8-9 is an amazing deal in SF!

We don't usually go to Chinese restaurants because of my wife's allergies, but SF is noted for Chinese cuisine. I had been here decades ago and was pleased it still is well regarded. It was a real plus that they state they will work with allergies, and they did! Our party of 7 ordered 3 appetizers, fried dumplings, steamed dumplings and onion cake. All were delicious. We ordered 7 entrees and shared family style. I think they toned down the spice heat a bit, but everything was delicious. The smoked ham with garlic and general chicken were especially well received by our group. We had reservations, but they were not too busy when we were there. Surprisingly, good Chinese is difficult to find in Seattle. This was excellent.

After choosing this place on the basis of the trip advisor reviews, we were disappointed. Upon arrival; I wondered whether this place was thriving on reputation rather than quality , my suspicions turned out to be correct. Steamed dumpling were a little under seasoned, and a couple were undercooked. The Chicken Gon-pou, flavours were uninspiring, and the chicken tough and at times inedible. The smoked duck was better, but even still the smokiness tasted synthetic and the duck was unevenly cooked; a couple of pieces melted in the mouth, but other were tough and overcooked. We had good, polite attentive service but the meal was ultimately disappointing and possibly not that authentic. I'm sure there must be better establishments in SF Chinatown