Burma Love - Downtown Reviews

As a Burmese person, I honestly found it insulting that this is called Burmese food. We got coconut noodle soup and rainbow salad. I would rate authenticity to be 1.5/5 and taste to be 1/5. The salad was extremely bland and it left me with huge dissatisfaction in many areas possible. The service was at least fine but didn’t make up for the lack of flavor and quality of food. It makes me think that Desmond Tan (the owner of this place) is either dishonest about being Burmese or he has been away so long that he doesn’t know what Burmese food is anymore. I would recommend everyone who wants to try Burmese food to go to many other better ones around SF (such as Ar Ha Ya) because I am personally embarrassed to know that this place is called a Burmese restaurant.

We had a great dinner here after a long conference - Delicious, authentic Burmese dishes in a historic SF fire house - great vibes, friendly staff, and convenient location too! We made reservations for dinner with some clients to celebrate the end of a long conference nearby and this was a great choice - unique, lively vibes - fun decor - great service - and family style dining made for a fun experience. We ordered their Skillet Shrimp, Laphet, Chicken Curry, & Chicken Fried Rice to share amongst our group. The Skillet Shrimp is covered with garlic, ginger, tumeric, lime, and chilies and comes out sizzling hot - it was lovely and had a perfect kick. The Laphet is their traditional Tea Leaf Salad - it’s their award-winning signature dish that has been featured in magazines and was definitely the star of the show! The staff prepare it table side by mixing and stirring and adding all sorts of spices and things. It’s various salad fixings with nuts, beans, and garlic topped with a fermented tea leaf concoction. It was interesting and complex and we all loved it - highly recommend! Their curry was lovely as well - the chicken fried rice was just ok - our least favorite. For drinks we tried their mint lemonade - very refreshing - and a hot ginger honey tea which was spicy and comforting. Prices are pretty standard considering its location. Reservations are recommended as it gets pretty busy. They have regular seating as well as bar and patio options. We walked over from the conference so can’t speak to parking but I imagine it’s scarce, expensive, and a hassle being in the DTSF area. The surrounding neighborhood was nice to explore a little with other restaurants and shops.

We found the place upbeat colorful and contemporary . I would definitely recommend it as dinner was good with friendly service.

Burma Love in downtown San Francisco is one of my go to spots for delicious Burmese food in a great atmosphere. The Tea Leaf Salad is a standout-packed with unique textures and bright, tangy flavors. I also loved the the coconut curry noodle soup. The staff is friendly and efficient, happy to make recommendations, and the menu offers great vegetarian and vegan options like the rainbow salad and platha and dip. Portions are just the right size and the cocktails are creative and worth trying. It can get loud and crowded during peak times, so I recommend making a reservation. But whether you're going on a date or dining with friends, the energy and flavor make it a must visit.

This was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life. We had a long day of hiking, so ordered takeout from this location. We did not eat here, but when we went to pick up the food the restaurant looked very nice! We got a variety of dishes and every single one was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The Vegetarian Samusa Soup was probably my favorite dish.

I was planning to try this place for some time and finally did it today. I should have tried something else because the Beef Burmese Curry was the most tasteless curry I’ve ever tasted. It was basically a beef stew that tasted like it came from Costco. No flavor, no spices, no nothing.

Waitress today was incompetent. She needs to be fired. Were also rushed to leave when they were cleaning up. Horrible!!

While we were in SanFran so many places just served beer and wine near our hotel. We stumbled into this hidden gem that used to be SanFrans first Fire Station. So thrilled that we could actually get a mixed drink -- try some of their specialty drinks they are delicious. We had never tried Burmeese food but like Thai, Chineese, Japaneese, and others so we went for it. Burmeese food (at least the dishes we tried) is spicey and delicious. The Manager/Owner? was there that night and made a special drink for me and the bar staff (we ate at bar) were friendly and attentive.

The food was unreal! Never tried Burmese cuisine before and I can gladly say I will be having Burmese cuisine again especially at this place! Great options for vegans! The tea leaf rice dish was full of flavours and textures, just like a good dish should be! I never got bored of the dish! The vegetable rice dish was delicious as well! Full of toasted pine nuts and deliciously cooked vegetables. Would highly recommend for vegans and non vegans. Great if you want to try something new, I can gladly say you will not be disappointed. Great ambience and staff as well

Every single visit to SF means I get to have Burmese food. My love for the city also encompasses my love for Burmese since I tried it for the first time years ago in San Francisco while accompanying my cousin on a trip. This time, I wanted to introduce my husband my favorite Rainbow salad. My friend Mari H. also joined us which was a nice treat at this downtown location. We met up on a Thursday afternoon for lunch. We didn't have a reservation and were seated right away. I'd previously been to the location in the Mission but this downtown location was closer to Union Square. We ordered the rainbow salad, skillet shrimp, chicken garlic noodles and vegetable samusa soup. Everything was flavorful and fabulous. I really enjoyed it. The rainbow salad was just as I had remembered. I really wish we had more Burmese options in OC but for now, I'll get my fix when I can in SF. Service was great. We didn't have any issues. The restaurant and restrooms were clean. Great visit!

Service was a bit slow and they were a bit disorganized, but the atmosphere was warm/nice and the food was outstanding. We'll definitely return.

Great food, drinks and ambiance! Our table had the spicy and crispy chicken (Table favorite), spicy noodles, sesame chicken and the garlic noodles. Wonderful flavor! Cocktails were on point!

Nothing special taste wise. Ive had amazing Burmese food in the Bay, Flavors were either lacking or non existent in all the dishes. The tofu noodles was the only dish with a distinct flavor, and that was barbecue sauce and vinegar.Yuck Plus we came with a party of 7 on a week night and were told no tables available after 8pm. We turned to walk away and they said that we could sit outside. Okay. Why not elliminate the negetive and tell us that only outside seating is available.

Absolutely delicious!! We sat at the bar and had the bartender recommend what to get. There was just the two of us, so we just had an appetizer and two dishes. We had the Burmese Samusas (YUM!), Tea Leaf Salad which was amazing. ou can buy a kit to make it at home! I have been obsessing over it! And, the yellow curry with chicken and noodles. The staff was great! The ambience was really nice. I would go back in a heartbeat!

We made reservations at this restaurant as we were in town to see a production at the Orpheum Theater, which is within walking distance. This was one of the few restaurants that was open before 5pm, which was important, given the start time of the production. The restaurant was very nicely decorated. They have inside and outside dining. The hostess and waiter were both very nice. The food was great, everyone in our party was happy with the selection they received. The portion size was large. We couldn't eat it all and we couldn't take it in the theater. Unfortunately, there were plenty of homeless folks between the restaurant and the theater who seemed happy to have the leftovers.

So bad. Bland food, over priced +++. Tofu dish was like someone cut up a block of tofu and poured sauce over it. Restaurant looked nice in photos but was not even a nice place to sit.

This is a great restaurant - food, staff, drinks - everything was fantastic. Was a little skeptical of Burmese food, but I’m so glad I tried it. Just the right combination of spices and heat. Definitely going back the next time I’m in San Francisco.

This is my second time dining here. We were going to a show at the Chase Center and we were able to jump on muni (about a two, long block walk). The food here is so good and flavorful, we had to visit a second time. I will say it is a bit pricy. There were four of us and we ordered Mango Chicken, salt and pepper Calamari, Nan Pia Dock, Dried Fried String Beans and coconut rice. Everything had just the right amount of heat. Really fast, top notch service and delicious food - couldn’t ask for more.

Super yummy food in a lovely atmosphere. The food was served quickly and the staff was attentive. Nearby downtown and tourist spots.

We had no idea where or what to eat, but Burma Club was close to our hotel (and the Moscone Center) and we had an awesome dinner and delightful staff. The Tea Leaf Salad to die for and their signature dish. The Coco Chicken Noodle Soup, which is basically a meal unto itself is also worth having. We can't say enough about the staff - well versed and patient in explaning our food selections and knowledable as well. For the quality you get it is very well priced.

This was our first time trying Burmese food, and we were wowed by every single dish we ordered. Their signature dish is the tea leaf salad, And it was worth the awards it has received. Full of crunchy nuts and seeds and romaine lettuce in a tea leaf dressing. We also had three different entrees--pork belly, lamb, and beef in different kinds of sauces which all were amazing. We would definitely come back here again, over and over.

We were seated quickly and our food arrived quickly as well. We had the beef curry and garlic noodles, both were delicious and the house sauce is amazing!

Ok fermented tea leaves did not sound good to me at all. It was fantastic!!! They sell the fermented tea leaf kits and I’m going back today to buy some to bring home. I’m hooked on Burmese food now! Everything was great!!

It was 8pm and we had just checked into our hotel just steps away from Mint Plaza. We didn't want to walk anywhere far late at night so we opted for Burma Love. The place was pretty full both inside the restaurant and out on the patio but we were lucky to get a table. We didn't want to order anything too heavy so we shared a spicy crispy chicken and a garlic noodles with shrimp added. Together with a beer and hot tea, our bill came to $74 before tip. We found it on the pricey side but the taste and uniqueness of the food was worth it. Plus we had to keep telling ourselves that it was 'downtown prices'. There's something called an Employee Wellness Benefit tax of 5% that was added to the bill which we'd never seen before. All in all, a lovely experience. Service was excellent too!

The flavor profile in the dishes was in incredible. The tea leaves salad was okay, possibly a bit over-hyped. The pork belly dish and fiery vegetables dish were amazing. Beware of the red peppers and jalapeños, as some are ridiculously hot. Place is very expensive, but worth the experience. I would also recommend a reservation at an early time slot, as the place gets packed by 7pm.

We had really high hopes for this place after reading reviews but sadly the food was horrible. No spice and not really any taste other than salt. Curry was particularly bad.

Great food, good size portions and speedy service. We had the samusas, spicy noodles, spicy crispy chicken and red curry with beef. I would skip the beef curry next time but the rest were good. Cocktails were decent but expensive.

Great atmosphere and vibe with delicious food and cocktails for lunch. The entrance has an amazing beautiful vine wrapped patio too.

Yummy, authentic food with good service. Would recommend to those wanting something a bit different. Service was quick and food tasty.

Burma Club had only been open two weeks when we dined there. Generally, restaurants take some time to get their footing. However Burma Club is related to Burma Superstar which is a great restaurant and that showed through in our experience at the club. The restaurant is set in Mint Plaza which is steps from the Powell Street BART station, making is very convenient and a little quieter than the restaurants on Market. They didn't take reservations but we showed before 6:00 and were immediately taken to a table. The appetizers were great. The fish chowder was very good and not very fishy. The calamari was very tender. It could have used a bit more punch to my taste but that's a personal choice. For dinner, we ordered family style and shared the fresh mint chopped chicken, beef curry and noodles. The fresh mint was the star. It was great though a little spicy. The service overall was very good but our waitress probably needs a bit more training.

If you're in SF make sure you visit this restaurant for 1st class food at a reasonable price (especially for SF!!). Their tea leaf salad starter is amazing (have it,even if you don't like tea!). There's a wide range of dishes and each of our choices didn't disappoint. Definitely a place to visit again!