Reviews

Daughter enjoyed her steamed broccoli dish. Spring rolls and avocado rolls were pretty good. Service was terrible. Unfriendly staff. Dishes weren't brought out at the same time. Broccoli dish served first then 5 mins later, avocado smoothie (pretty tasty), few minutes later mango smoothie was served (good), 10 mins later avocado rolls and then 5 mins later springs rolls were served. So unattentive. At one point, 3 different tables were trying to wave down the waitress to either place their orders or get their check and it wasn't even that busy. Food was okay but would never return just because of the awful service.

I read reviews and we stopped here for what was supposed to be a little snack at 4pm. I ordered the potstickers and the Banh Xéo. My boyfriend ordered the Spicy Asian stew with brown rice, which came out piping hot (and delicious). He also got a mango smoothie. All of this was less than $37 and we've been dropping over $80 per meal on this much food. The restaurant decor was nicer than it looks in the photo. I'll definitely make this a "must-visit" on my next trip!

The food was great! We tried the lemongrass chicken, which wax the best item we ordered. It was so delicious! We are tried the ginger fish, again really good. I loved the tofu salad. The service is top notch. Great be beverages. Great restaurant!

I had a delicious dinner with my husband. Amazing - Spicy Sweet & Sour Soup, very good - Royal Fried Rice, the BEST - Lemongrass Deluxe 'Chicken' and of course desert! I will eat here whenever I can!!

My favorite is the lemon chicken but I've never been disappointed with anything I tried. Very convenient location in the downtown area. Highly recommended as one of the most easily accessible vegan restaurants for tourists.

Wow! My younger daughter is vegan and her older sister and I were eager to try out this restaurant with her. We ALL loved it! So much flavor at very reasonable prices! There were all sorts of Asian choices, including Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. Very generous portions, so we had tons of leftovers as well. The Thai bubble tea and desserts are fabulous, too! Whether you are a meat lover or a confirmed vegan, you should find something you will enjoy here!

Many menu choices. Rather sterile atmosphere but bright, clean, large, and comfortable. Somewhat expensive. Pleasant service.

We made three visits whilst in SF for five days and Golden Era is one of my best memories of the city. I had 'Chef's Tasty Treats' twice and I would have it again and again and again - absolutely delicious vegan chewy meat-style nuggets. The 'chicken' drumsticks were also great. Jealous of anyone who gets to eat here regularly!

Interior surrounding which is cleaned and relax. Clay pot food portion are below average and salty. Stir fry noodle was over sweet. The taste is below my expectation. Lunch buffet dishes are warm and rice is not hot. one of the waitress manner was mean. .

Great prices. Great variety. Extremely quick and friendly service. Would definitely return and recommend to others.

I was told this place had changed hands and that the food has gone done- I had not been previously so could not compare. I found it to be tasty. The neighborhood is pretty horrific but the staff was nice and menu choices pretty large. I had the crepe and clay pot tofu thing. Both were good.

After a week of travel food heavy on carbs and meat, the Golden Era was just what I needed. Lovely seaweed salad, asparagus and green beans, brown rice..all washed down with the heavily caffeinated and sweet Vietnamese coffee. clientele were mix of locals and some French tourists. Service was attentive, and the food came out quickly, and most importantly, tasted wonderful. The area just south on Leavenworth is pretty funky, in the sketch sense. Mostly drunks and addicts yelling at each other, but some may find it intimidating and be better to avoid that area entirely.

When the "old" Golden Era on O'Farrell closed, I went into mourning. Now that the new one is open near Hastings College of Law I am thrilled! The food is the same, but without the (for me) annoying missionary videos. The new location is clean and spacious. But the vegan, Chines/Vietnamese food is still wonderful. So glad you are back. As a big bonus, Amy from the O'Farrell Street location is back as one of the servers. How nice to see her again!

This is a vegan restaurant, with food that is Asian but not necessarily a single cuisine, is a close walk from the civic center (7 minutes from the civic center Muny stop). The food is excellent. My husband and I had the Crispy Cauliflower and the Curry King Mushroom, both of which were excellent. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because they do need to work on the service, which was very brief and abrupt. We had to wait a long time to get our check and the waitress never returned to ask how the food was or to refill our water. They weren't very busy, so there was no visible reason for the lack of service. However, the food was really good and vegan restaurants are hard to come by, so I would eat there again.

Golden Era is a delicious restaurant focusing on mainly Vietnamese fare. It just also happens to be totally vegan (and thereby, totally vegetarian). In many of the dishes, Golden Era utilizes vegetarian soy alternatives to traditional meat. If you didn't know it was vegetarian, in many instances, you'd be fooled. The soup is superb. My favorite is the vegetable combo soup (the Wonton Soup has the same broth, which is simply divine). The pot stickers are delish. The drumsticks are good. The Carmelized (Soy) Chicken dish -- called Queens on this menu -- is one of my favorites. I could go on, but order whatever you like, and it will be good. This is well-prepared food, not greasy, and full of flavor. It isn't a compromise. Even my non-vegetarian friends love this place. It's just a five minute walk from Union Square, and BART accessible. Golden Era has some sister restaurants around the Bay Area -- not just vegetarian Vietnamese, but restaurants that have similar recipes and very similar menus. Golden Lotus in Oakland's Chinatown and Merritt Vegetarian in Sunnyvale are part of this trio.

THE Best veggie food ever!

I looked online to find vegan restaurants close to where I was staying. This one was on the next road up so I thought I'd give it a go. Sat at my table, I kept looking at the menu again and again, indecisive as there was so much choice. I finally chose the Banh Xeo as I had never heard of it before. The waitress commended the dish and it achieved all expectations. I will be going there again during my stay to try other dishes.

This is not a "romantic" or "fancy" restaurant; the interior is actually very basic (but clean) but the quality of the food is really OUTSTANDING! They could charge 3 times what they do and I'd still be happy to eat there. Goes to show that if you put good quality fresh organic ingredients in the hands of a genial chef you can blow away all competition. This "low key" vegan restaurant is truly a hidden gem in San Francisco, highly recommended - even for non-vegans.

All the food was great. I had the Pad Thai, which was superb. Waitress was very busy, and hard to ask for anything. Also, this is near a tough area — we felt comfortable walking through it, but we’re two middle-aged men.

Asian cuisine with a fantastic rapport price/quality! All dishes are vegan! Fish and meat are vegtable. So good! For us was a paradise! The ambient is minimal, but the staff is hospitable and attentive. It was a wonderfull experience!

The food was very good (not excellent) and reasonably priced. Location can be a little sketchy based on what direction you are coming from as it is at the edge of the tenderloin district. Restaurant itself is bright and clean, service was efficient.

We went here to try vegan food and it was nice. I had a quinoa salad which was delicious. My girlfriend had the spring roles, which were a tiny bit taste less in our opinion, but still okay. Waitress was not so friendly, gave the impression she didn't really care. The place itself looks good.

When we first read reviews of this vegan restaurant, we laughed at the reviewer who wrote that they visited this restaurant twice during their trip - well, as it turned out, so did we! We initially chose the restaurant because of its proximity to our hotel, and it was vegan. We went there for lunch after I ran the Nike Women's Hal in SF. Actually, my partner went and got take out for us while I recovered from the race. By the time he got back to our hotel, I was ravenous and ready to eat. We had the Vietnamese Crepes which were amazing and the egg rolls, also amazing. We ordered the vegetable curry which was good - but I think it would have been better over rice or something- in the take out container, it was a bit soup. And then we ordered stir fried noodles which were also delicious. Lunch totally hit the spot. That evening, I wasn't feeling up to going too far from our hotel, so I suggested going back to Golden Era for dinner. We wanted to try different things, I am wondering if maybe we should have ordered the same things that we had ordered for lunch. I ordered the Pad Thai special. It was ok, but the fake shrimp looked gross and tasted pretty bad. We also ordered the Egg Foo Young as an appetizer, it was good, though I think our lunch time appetizers were better choices. Overall, this was a great place to go and I would definitely return!

Golden Era is a vitmamese vegan restaurant in downtown SanFrancisco, a city known for its high culinary standards. Golden Era exceeded all expectations. This was haute cuisine vegan food that anyone, carnivorians included, would enjoy. Beautifully presented flawless combinations of spices, using gluten for meatlike textures - but not by any means exclusively, for those with gluten sensitivity - each dish was a marvel. Vitmamese cuisine draws, as one might expect, from surrounding cuisines plus the French influence, so it can present quite a range, but everything seemed to be well executed. It is remarkably inexpensive, it has absolutely none of the earnest hippie attitude often attached to vegan dining, and is in a lovely, large room with friendly Vietnamese servers. If food was presented like this everywhere, the world would willingly be a healthier place.

Ordered spring rolls, house rice claypot and Golden Era tasty treats. All taste amazing. Rice claypot is the best rice dish I've ever had. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Pros: friendly and attentive wait staff; all vegan; large portions and good prices; pleasant environment Cons: no alcohol at all, fairly oily for our tastes, although we could have ordered differently; tepid water with no ice. We had pot stickers with exc dip sauce; refreshing cucumber salad was great; sweet potato curry was great but perhaps oily; I liked jalapeño tofu but hubby did not and way too much tofu! Not a fan of fake meats with soy protein, so next time will try more straight veggie dishes. Brown rice, yay!

Vegan/vegetarians should definitely visit this SF restaurant, they have a wide choice of rice/noodle dishes which taste excellent!

A friend and I had dinner at Golden Era, just a few blocks off Union Square. There was an extensive menu geared for vegetarians. Dishes had faux beef, chicken, pork, fish, and shrimp. My ginger chickn dish had a most tasty sauce for the chickn and fresh veggies. My friend had a brussel sprout laden vegetable dish, since that's his favorite. Most entrees, including ours, were under $10. This is a real bargain, as there were leftovers after stuffing ourselves. It's decorated in Asian charm, and the staff makes you feel very welcome. This was some of the best Thai food I've eaten, and I will definitely be eating there again.

My daughter found this restaurant online and was excited by all of the faux meat options as well as the totally vegan menu which means she can order anything off the menu she wants. The atmosphere was not great but clean and bright and the service was a bit odd in that we were well attended but our food all came out at different times and the servers did not seem happy to be serving us. The food was fantastic, which I think makes up for some deficiencies. The lean chicken was the hot of the night as was the eggplant and basil. Dessert was fantastic, especially the ice cream.

I was skeptical about the restaurant given the location (Tenderloin) and outside appearance of the building. The inside is very comfortable. There are many veg. choices here (almost too many) and I wish we had gone in a large group so we could have tried more dishes. What we had was delicious. This is as good as the Chinese vegetarian food I have had in Southeast Asia. Portions, however, are western sized (large).

Golden Era is located on Golden Gate Avenue & Polk St. We had some non fried spring rolls, Vietnamese Spicy Soup, Crispy Fried Cauliflower and a Birds Nest Noodle. The food was well prepared and tasty. The spring rolls were excellent - a must try with the peanut sauce.

I ordered a couple of vegan dishes as a take away. They were all fine but definitely nothing to write home about, as I had expected given the (largely) positive reviews on here. Restaurant decor was not particularly appealing either so not too sorry I didn't have time to stay and eat there.

Golden era has good food and was pretty busy on a Monday night, so they could have used another server, busboy or host as the two servers did all the cashier, table clearing, and takeout service. Steamed, stir fried, or in soup, the dishes were flavorful and the veggies cooked beautifully.

We love Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian food. However, I was not expecting much from this Vegan restaurant. Well, they won me over with some of the tastiest dishes I have ever had. We were staying at a hotel around the corner, and I could not help myself from picking up take out here just about every day. If they would just give cooking classes, I would be transformed into Vegan and never crave meat again.

It's so exciting to be able to go into a restaurant and choose anything on the menu! (My sister is vegetarian and I only occasionally eat chicken or fish, so we usually only have a couple options to choose from on a menu). Everything is delicious. Lots of choices, and portions are large enough to share family style. Service is friendly. Love this place!

I went there with my veggi wife and we had super good food and enjoyed a great Kale juice... The service was superb

Came for lunch, food was pretty good and service was good. During lunch the restaurant was pretty empty on a Monday.

We were in SF for four nights and this was definitely an excellent find. We were staying near Union Square with plenty of pricey options, this was nearby and great value. The menu was extensive, as two vegetarians we are not normally used to any choices, here we had so many that we took ages to decide. The food is a mix of South East Asian with some nice twists. Tasty, hot and perfectly cooked. The atmosphere is friendly, as is the service. The value for money was exceptional. Whether you are a meat eater, vegan or vegetarian this place would have something for anyone looking for good value, good food. Would return without any hesitation.

Went reluctantly... left happy. Had "chicken" fried rice, lemon grass "chicken", pot stickers and cucumber salad. If I went again I would have to have exactly the same because each dish was outstanding. I'm sure other dishes are as well. I am not vegan and this was not my choice of restaurants (I wanted to go to a steakhouse) but am so glad we ate here because I love "chinese food" and this was among the best I've ever had (including non-vegan). I loved everything we had and went away full after a very healthy meal. If I lived in San Francisco I would be eating there regularly. I consider myself a very good cook and am always surprised at some of the good reviews for restaurants I would never go to again (that includes Millenium vegan restaurant) but loved Golden Era. Please don't hesitate to eat there. You'll love it.

The place looks very clean and is not very congested. The staff were quick. The food we ordered was served very quick. Pot stickers and the sauce that came along with it tasted awesome. Wonton soup was very tasty as well. The food was very flavorful. Good place to eat for vegeratarians and vegans.

We ordered Pad Thai and it was really awful. My mother (not a vegetarian like the rest of us) ordered the sweet and sour chicken and never realized it was faux chicken so she was happy. They tried hard to make up for it by bringing several yummy desserts on the house and did not charge us for the Pad Thai so I give them credit for that. I just think they should warn you if it is a huge deviation from what their customers would be expecting. For example, this Pad Thai was apparently made with root vegetables. Oh, well!

All veggie all the time. Mock meat galore. I go for the buns and the "chicken" drumsticks.

The food is good and affordable. The place is clean (or as clean as possible considering the age of the building). The service is quick and courteous. The decor/ambiance is not top notch (but not dingy either) but that is expected. Their kale smoothie is decent but the orange juice taste overpowers the more subtle taste of kale.

We were in the area and we used TripAdvisor City Guides and found this restaurant that was very close to us. I didn't have high expectation because of the tacky decoration but the food was actually really tasty. The service was friendly as well. I would definitely come back again to try their other dishes. We tried the Yum Yum noodles and Spicy Noodle soup. Both were really good.

I was very pleased with the generous portions. Papaya salad was very well seasoned and we really enjoyed that. Also, the spring rolls were quite superb. I wasn't crazy about the fake chicken ... I thought it was somewhat rubbery. My nephew, who is not a vegetarian, enjoyed the taste and texture and was impressed. Also, I felt the broccoli, which came with that dish, was not sufficiently steamed and a little too hard. On the other hand, I didn't know broccoli came with that dish, so it was nice to have more vegetables.

This restaurant is everything that everyone else has promised: large portions of delicious vegan food at extremely reasonable prices. But do be careful if you're on foot and by yourself. I live in a big city, but walking the blocks along O'Farrell from Powell alone my I-shouldn't-be-here-ometer was going off by the time I got close. Would recommend going with friends.

This is truly one of the best restaurants I've ever been. Food is clean, fresh, and delicious!!! I try time at there any time I'm in the City. Order the lemongrass "chicken" and crispy cauliflower, you won't be sorry.

Not often in a restaurant that every dish you try is fresh, interesting and full of flavor. Great and quick service. Decoration not very fancy but very hard to beat for taste.

Pretty cool. Amazing what they can do with tofu to taste like fish and beef! It looks like the real thing. It's just a bit costly as with all veggie places. Good to try out.

The reviews here are right. I ate here in December and loved it. The food is really tasty and every course is delightful and full of taste. The only piece of advice I would give is re the soups. You might be used to small portions if you are from the UK. So, if this is so, bear in mind one soup is good for two people. Otherwise, you may end up wasting food. The deserts offer you a delicious Oreo cake and for Vegans, this is a real treat, as you may be used to skipping deserts. Ideal for people with dairy intolerance/allergies. The only flaw is that the staff rush off so quickly after you order that errors can occur. So double check what you have ordered. Otherwise, this is a real treat for lunch or dinner.

San Francisco has a ton of great vegetarian restaurants, but this one was phenomenal. They had a great selection of veggie options spanning the array of Asian styles. Very walk-able from my hotel. AND they have WiFi for customers!

So surprised at how many options there were, and the food was amazing. I high recommend the avocado smoothie.

After 2 years we went back to Golden Era and it is still good. Dishes are flavorfull and decently priced. Our kids (10 & 13) also still like the food. The service is good. We went for a late lunch (14:30) this time and the restaurant was about 15% full. This meant the food was quick at our table. We didn't feel rushed however. We enjoyed it very much and I can advise to go and give this Vegetarian Restaurant a try. This 'advise' is coming from someone who loves meat.

GREAT

Really, as far as food goes this pretty much is my favourite restaurant in the world. the place is nothinf fancy, and definitely not romantic, but they know their vegan cooking!

this place has a HUGE menu with so much to offer a vegeterian. most of the courses we tried were delishious and the prices were surprisingly low! highly recommended for veggies.

The food here was absolutely delicious - vegan or not, there's something for everyone. HOWEVER - the area where this restaurant is located is not safe! My friend and I walked from our hostel to the restaurant at 8 pm. A walk no longer than a mile. We were approached multiple times by people with visible knives in their hands. We both felt VERY unsafe in this area. The food is good, but not worth the risk.

Got to try this restaurant the other night after shopping in Union Square. Be aware the area is pretty sketchy because it's out of Union Square, and we encountered a lot of homeless people and other interesting characters along the way while working down O'Farrell Street. It got to a point where we were wondering if we were on the right street to begin with. But when we got into the restaurant, everything changed. The atmosphere of the restaurant is average, nothing spectacular, but for cost conscious people like myself I couldn't believe how cheap it was compared to where I'm from. Our party of 4 ate like Kings and Queens, but the best part was our bill came to 50 dollars!!!!!!, and that included drinks!!!!!! We had 6 dishes and all of them were amazingly good. The only reason we came here was because my girlfriend's co-worker is a Vegan, and I'm very glad we got to experience this restaurant. Less the sketchiness of the neighborhood, this restaurant was top notch!

My husband (vegan) and I (vegetarian) went here on our first night in SF. This restaurant was a few blocks walk from our hotel in the wrong direction. The neighborhood goes downhill just past Taylor. That doesn't usually bother me though and the food was worth it. We ordered the spring rolls to start which were very fresh and filled with greens. We also shared the potstickers and they were spot on! As an entree we shared the Happy Tamarind which was sweet vegan beef with crispy chips. It was all very good, very reasonable and hit the spot. I wouldn't make a special trip but if you are in the neighborhood (near Union Square) and want a good cheap vegan meal Golden Era is perfect. I'm not sure why some other reviewers were confused about the labels of beef or chicken on the menu. Everything clearly states that it is all vegan, those are just helpful descriptors for the different types of dishes.

We were in town and wanted to try this vegan asian restaurant. What drew us in was the Pho, which was great here. As a vegetarian, we have transitioned from eating a lot of mock meats and this place didn't offer lots of variety with mock meats. They did also have some dishes that were all plant-based. I was disappointed that the entrees didn't come with rice and that you had to order it separately. Other than that good place with nice decor.

veggie chinesse and its damn good!! don't have to worry about eating random animals either

Great choice and wonderfully cooked food. Enjoyed the Phad thai, fried rice, spicy noodles and lemongrass Tofu. The desserts were the highlight. Easy parking after 6 pm nice place to check out in downtown

Golden Era Vegan has reopened in a new location: 395 Golden Gate Avenue. Nicer decor, gluten free, organic and still good food.

If you're vegan or vegetarian (and even if you're not), Golden Era is a restaurant you won't want to miss. We started with the spring rolls that were as fresh as promised on the menu. I had the eggplant curry claypot, which arrived at the table sizzling hot and deliciously fragrant. Others at my table had the spicy "chicken" (a house specialty made with seitan) and spicy lemon grass tofu. Portion sizes were generous (we were too full to have dessert). The service was friendly and efficient; water glasses were never empty and additional rice arrived promptly. We all agreed we'd definitely go to Golden Era again; we've already recommended it to friends.

Did a take out order after discovering this place was vegan/vegetarian and organic to boot. Great food. My husband had a tofu curry, loved it. I had the tofu spring rolls and a side of steamed broccoli - huge amounts of food, perfectly cooked and fresh. Brought back to our hotel and enjoyed the meal. Great find!

My sweetheart was visiting the City and staying at the Nikko Hotel near Union Square. We passed this restaurant with its green awning several times. I checked online and saw good reviews from vegetarian sites. He wasn't really keen on going but I was craving Chinese food. We ordered the lemon chicken based on rave reviews and were wowed. He ordered a lemonade with matcha and basil that was posted on the specials board. He ended up ordering another because it was so tasty and refreshing. We also ordered the eggplant a mushroom and tofu dish and it was all so tasty. We looked at other tables and saw people enjoying noodle soups, lettuce wraps and a hot pot. The service was really good. I took home the leftovers and they were just as delicious a couple of days later. Great food for a great price. FYI, they don't sell any alcoholic drinks.

Excellent food at Golden Era. We went a little bit nuts and order too many dishes. Unfortunately for us they were all delicious and we end up eating way to much.. After we needed to walk for quite a while before we were able to digest :) Service was excellent and waitress really nice. I must if you are vegetarian visiting SF

Loved this place, tiny entrance with steps down on o farrell. Lovely large space downstairs, loads of choice, large portions, would def go again

Delicious but a strange experience. Why would a vegan want chicken tasting drum sticks?

My husband and I have enjoyed Golden Era's food since they were at the old location. Now they are in a larger space with more seating. The food is delicious and consistent. The staff is friendly, helpful, efficient. We love the followings: -Spring rolls -Pot stickers (you can ask for them steamed, or else they are fried). -Pho -Banh cuon Tay Ho -Saigon Rice Plate -House Rice Claypot The food quality is consistent. However, the portion is sometimes less than the usual when we do take-outs. We often do take-outs because of the seedy area. A lot of drug addicts and homeless people hang out on the street. The patrons are nice folks working in nearby office buildings. In general, we order and pick up food here twice monthly. We appreciate the food, pricing, and customer service. Keep up the good work.

The portions are huge - can have half for lunch and the rest for dinner. Very inexpensively priced for the freshness and quality of food. Service is on par. Super glad we arrived just before 12pm because the place was packed by the time we left. Will definitely go back!

We love coming to Golden Era, despite the dodgy downtown neighborhood. (Their other location on Clement, also with difficult parking, is another option, but not quite as good.) The food is so delicious and we have brought many people, veg and non-veg, all of whom have enjoyed it and asked to go back. With various soups, appetizers, tofu and gluten dishes, there’s more than enough for everyone to enjoy themselves. Set in a beautiful, old, large room, it is like an oasis once you are in. Unfortunately, though, it is down a few steps, so people with ambulatory disabilities cannot easily go there. Also note that they don’t serve or allow the consumption of alcohol in the restaurant.

Though I'm not a vegitarian i thought i wouldnt like it at first but it was great! There were a vast selection of items on the menu to choose from, the staff was promt, the resturant in general was clean, & the food was great! We even had leftovers for we couldn't finish it all. The only thing i would suggest is to come during the day for its not a very good area to be out in at night.

There were so many wonderful things on the menu it was hard to decide what to order. Our group ordered a wide variety and passed the different dishes around so we each got to try everything ordered, They have some unusual and delicious vegan meat substitutes - the vegan chicken was outstanding!!!! Sure do wish I could find it so I could use it in my own cooking. Lots and lots of fresh vegetables used. Oh MY!!! These people know how to flavor food - only wish I could eat here on a regular basis!!!!! And by the way…..the staff and waiters were very helpful and friendly!

I'm very happy that the new Golden Era Vegan location is open. Love the variety of Asian cuisine and dishes on the menu, the skillfully prepared food, and the smiling servers. It's everything I enjoyed from the old place at the beautiful new location. So glad to have one of my "go to" vegan restaurants back.

Went there for lunch and both entrees we ordered were great! Service was pretty personalized and great ;)

I went for a mid week meal early evening. I had starter & mains and both were really tasty and good value for money. The star of the show was the main. I'm a bit of a carnivore but this veggie option was really really good (sorry, can't remember the dish) - deep fried soya with rice & sauce. This is a laid back informal restaurant and not fine dining - however it does it all very well.

Great vegan choice in this restaurant. We had two excellent meals in here and thoroughly enjoyed them. We are vegetarians and were impressed with the international cuisine on offer. Well worth a visit.

Was in SF after a few days on the road eating lots of meat. Wanted some healthy food, and saw this place online. The food was absolutely fantastic. Decently priced and very tasty and creative vegetarian food. The kale smoothie was great, as was the vegan pho. This place deserves the great reviews it gets, and would definitely recommend to people looking for a healthy dinner in SF.

the potstickers are the bomb! its the sauce

We found this place by accident and from the looks of the outside of the restaurant, we weren't expecting much. Right on the edge of a "bad" neighborhood, dirty streets, homeless people all around, grimy looking buildings, suddenly you walk in and you're in this beautiful, clean, hospitable, large restaurant! The place looked like a hole in the wall from the outside, but inside it's like you fell down the rabbit hole and are now in Wonderland. I'm vegan, my boyfriend is vegetarian. We had very good food, and a very good time there. Service was excellent, presentation of food was gorgeous, taste was above average. Very surprised at to find this gem in this location and would highly recommend it to all vegans and vegetarians.

Don't let the location (downstairs in a cheap neighborhood) keep you from trying this restaurant. Definitely the best vegetarin restaurant in the City. PROS: price, quality, service While everything here is fantastic, some of my favorites are ginger fish (tofu with an eye), wonton soup (to die for), eggplant with sea bass (tofu), vegan blueberry cheesecake. All yummy. And yes....the water is served at room temperature

Went there for a late lunch, the menu is full of traditional asian dishes, all vegan. Mostly tofu and soy protain but still tasty. Each dish is big and the prices are really good, about 10$ for a main. The cheesecake dessert was amazing, truly. The only thing that is a bit strange is you have to ask for a key to the bathroom, but that's no big deal.

The vegan side of mostly Vietnamese food with a bit of Indian, Thai, and Chinese. I think their fresh rolls (and avocado rolls) could have more flavor, but everything else we had was excellent. The cabbage salad was outstanding (and reminded me of Cambodian) and their broccoli stir fry and vermicelli plates were great. We finished with flan and it was light, flavorful, and not too sweet.

Delicious food, adorable staff and nice place! The location is very good. The menu is extensive and offers a wide variety of vegan Thai dishes. Ingredients are fresh and mostly organic. Super recommended

Great if fake salmon doesn't freak you out!

Trip Advisor ranked this restaurant as #1 of 312 Chinese restaurants; #1 of 60 Vegetarian restaurants, and #27 of 4,312 restaurants in San Francisco. The location of Golden Era is in downtown San Francisco in a little less than ideal area of downtown. However, other than this minor issue, the place though unassuming in the outside is welcoming in the inside. The servers were all courteous, efficient and professional. There was surprising array of vegetarian dishes on the menu. We ordered a Steamed Veggie Bun as appetizer, Vegetable Combo Soup, and a pot of hot tea; for our main entrees we ordered Sautéed Tofu Jalapeno and Curry King with Organic Brown Rice (see photo). Our food was prepared fresh, temperature hot, generous in amount, and just scrumptious!! For dessert, we ordered Vegan Ice Cream and an Organic Blueberry Cheese Cake (photo, what’s left of our dessert). The price was most reasonable for our dinner. Overall, we had “A Glorious Vegetarian Dinner at the Golden Era”.

"We do not have alcohol - we are a vegan restaurant" - An argument I had not heard of before! The food was very good. The prices were low compared to the quality, so in terms of value for money this is absolutely the place to go to. Service was below average and the atmosphere is lousy, the chairs are unpleasant. It is more like a canteen than like a restaurant.

Great food! Amazing that it is all vegan. Three of us ate for $56. Atmosphere is modern, clean and bright. Staff is friendly. Surrounding neighbourhood is sketchy, highly recommend taking a cab.

Looking for a vegan or completely vegetarian food in the heart of San Franc? Golden Era is the solution for you! It serves variety of quality food options in a cool ambient with amazing service. We enjoyed with our two sons and have been to this place twice already. Their fresh fruit juices/smoothies are awesome. The location, food quality, ambiance cannot be any better. Highly recommend to those who are vegan/vegetarians looking for a nice place for eat and refresh.

This is an amazing gem located in the Tenderloin neighbourhood in downtown San Francisco. Absolutely the most flavourful vegetarian restaurant food I have ever eaten and I have been a vegetarian for 30 years! Golden Era is actually a Vegan restaurant with an Oriental style, and a flair for pungent, flavoursome alternatives to every dining treat, from Pot Stickers to Noodles. There were 4 of us, so we were able to sample 4 different entries as well as desserts and appetisers. All of these dishes were unusually spiced, combining many different vegetables and herbs and spices, most of which were a wonderful surprise to our tastebuds. Looking around the room, every diner seemed delighted to be there, just as we were.

Sad that it has closed. They had great selection of tasty asian dishes and desserts, all vegan. Service was fine but not great. I sure hope they find a place to reopen.

We were visiting SF and happened upon this restaurant. We were very pleased by the large number of vegan options. It was absolutely delicious. We will definitely eat here again if we are in the area.

Some of the best asian-style vegetarian/vegan fare to be had in this part of San Francisco. An unpretentious restaurant in an interesting old space (great moldings on the ceiling), the food is fresh, with generous portions, and -- above all -- tasty (even for the non-veggies in our group). Very good especially with mock meats and seafoods. If you have the chance, try the seaweed-crusted "fish" lettuce wraps. Yummy and fun. Friendly staff too! When you're around this part of town, looking for a good place to eat, give Golden Era a try.

We were staying on Market Street and couldn't find anywhere to eat that we liked. I used TA to find this place (closed on Tuesdays). At first glance it is a Vegetarian place which is great for my partner so we decided to give it a go. Its in a not so great part of the street and the decor inside looks cheap and tacky, however when we looked at the menu we realised that this place is actually a Vegan restaurant! Im a meat eater so wasnt looking forward to the meal but choose to have the Lemongrass Deluxe, it is amazing and couldn't believe that it wasn't chicken. Being a fan of Thai food, the food on the menu seemed to be more Thai style than chinese and it was also great to actually eat some fresh vegetables on the trip. The cost of a starter, two mains, two rices and two drinks came to less than £27! I really believe that this place has to be one of the best places ive eaten and the price you cant go wrong.

Listen to everyone else on trip advisor and went for lunch. By far the best restuarant in San Francisco and amazing value

Good vegetarian food, especially like their broken rice. Only real complaint would be the location, hard to find parking and not pleasant to walk around during night time.

Tried this vegan restaurant with 3 other friends and ordered food to share. We ordered the spring rolls as appetizer and the Garden Vermicelli as salad, and the House Rice Claypot and Eggplant Mamas Claypot as the main course. All were excellently prepared. The spring rolls were prepared with fresh veggies with a peanut sauce dip. The Garden Vermicelli had pieces of tofu prepared to look exactly like beef and if you were not aware you're in a vegan restaurant, you would think it was beef! The Rice Claypot and Eggplant Claypot was a perfect match as the eggplant and its sauce blended with the claypot rice almost perfectly. The place was crowded during lunch as a good restaurant should be. Will definitely go back and try the other dishes...

Excellent vegan Vietnamese food just as good as the fare in the previous O'Farrell Street location. Crowded at lunch time when the area is quite safe. The new location lacks the unique charm and ambience of the previous location but the service and quality of food remain good enough for this restaurant to be a favorite for vegans.

Veggies will be amazed- mock meat for days!

This place was a real find. Never would have gone here if it wasn't for Tripadvisor. We tried the potstickers and the tofu-spinach-mushroom soup for starters. Both were delicious. The entrees we tried were also good; nice generous portions. Finally, I had a piece of the blueberry cheesecake to finish it all off. The taste and texture were very nice, not nearly as dense and heavy as cheesecake often is. Service was good, locatio convenient; what's not to like?

If I lived in San Francisco, this would be a regular place for me. It was delicious. We ordered the seaweed salad (fantastic), the curry vermicelli soup (amazing), and the spring rolls (Vietnamese summer/fresh rolls and they were yummy). My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I only wish I could have returned to try everything else on their menu. The outside of the restaurant doesn't look like much, but the food is excellent, for vegans and non-vegans alike. Good value too!

We came to San Francisco for a convention. Among the great restaurants around, we wanted to try something different and we found " Golden Era vegan cuisine" as a perfect place to sit and dine. It is a vegetarian restaurant with great atmosphere, quite and efficient service for the delicious dishes. Dishes were the best we could think about. Promise to return.

We popped in for a quick dinner on our way to the opera. There were so many options it was difficult to choose. We ordered spring rolls (fresh and plentiful) Golden era wonton soup (savory deliciousness) and garden vermicelli (flavorful and filling). The atmosphere is pretty standard and the service was fast and friendly. We recommend if looking for something tasty and quick.

The neighbourhood gets a bit seedy as you walk to the restaurant and it doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food is excellent. Good potions sizes, bring some friends for sharing. They do have dishes that try to mimic the meat alternatives but these versions taste even better! Try the lemongrass specialty dish.

This is my favourite restaurant, I had tried almost everything in the menu and everything is super good. The must have: carrot cake, sweet-orange, papaya salad, mushu rolls, golden rolls, Indian fried rice.

This was the place that make people want to stop eating meat and fish. I had been there when i first made my decision to be vegan for the rest of my life

We had a party of eight. We had amazing food. Most vegan places are either clone for meat eater and have a lot of "Chicken" and "Beef" dishes made of soya. and or plenty of raw food. Certainly they have them, but not exclusive. They have vegetarian/vegan chinese, thai and other fusions on the menu. I enjoyed Spicy Sweet and Sour Soup, which was incredible. Also had tofu in lemon grass with brown rice. Enjoyed drinking young tender coconut. It was an amazing experience.

This is my absolute favourite place to eat on a budget in San Francisco. The food is all of excellent quality, and served in large family-sized portions. I recommend trying the Pho (noodle soup). The dining area is large, and so reservations are probably only necessary for large groups at peak times. One downside for some - not a problem for me - is that it's just inside a somewhat dicey neighbourhood (Tenderloin), and only has very limited street parking. If you eat here and at other vegetarian restaurants regularly, consider greenmenu.org for a very reasonable discount (10%).

Very tasty soups. Efficient service. Good prices. You might have to walk past some homeless to get to it depending on route. However we did go twice.

Golden Era has very good food and I can't wait to go back. Lunch during the week can get crowded so go early! I had spring rolls, brown rice, spicy lemongrass tofu, and spicy green beans. I like a lot of garlic, so I was happy. Good food, good service at a great price.

soooooo good and very cheap.

While looking for asian food close to our hotel we found Golden Era. It is vegetarian food but the different types of dishes they have are numerous. We had 'beef' teriyaki, 'chicken' sweet & sour (which my 11 year old son liked very much) and a curry with eggplant and tofu. The latter was cooked a little too long and the eggplant had become very 'weak'. The flavour however still was very good. My wife had a noodle soup. In total we spend $45 and left the restaurant with a satisfied and full stomach. The service was quick and the dishes were also fast. So we did not have to wait long which is a drag with kids. The atmosphere is better than the averge Asian restaurant but surely not fancy. It did not disturb us. We would go back here.

I just read that it has closed, really a pity. When I was there we ate very well and with a wide choice. Hopefully reopen!

delicious authentic vietnamese vegan food - great place - service friendly, we ate there twice in the 24 hours we were in town

A pure vegan restaurant and this was our first encounter with vegan food. And definitely, this restaurant nails it. Where it sucks is............. service!! And this is perhaps the first time I have used the word "sucks" in my review. Food: We ordered Spicy Sweet & Sour Soup, Avocado Rolls and Garden Vermicelli. The food was absolutely delicious. The soup was served over a small candle flame which kept it hot throughout. The balance of vegetables and flavors was amazing. Avocado Rolls were good as well. The wrapping was good and solid. Avocado and herbs gave it a very fresh feeling. Garden vermicelli was not so spicy but tasty enough. Overall, the food was a star. Ambiance: The place is quite spacious and adequately lightened. If you would like to have a peaceful dinner in a well lit environment, this is the place to be. Service: Now, this is where the tragic tale starts. There are pathetic service levels due to incompetence. Here, competence was not an issue. Once we were seated and handed over the menu, for about 20 minutes, there was nobody to take our order. There were 2-3 attendants roaming around, with one attending a large party but the rest just ignoring. Finally, I went to the cash counter to inform them that we are ready to give the order. After that, they perhaps forced one lady to take the order which she did in a rude manner. We chose to ignore it. However, there was another long wait of about 20-25mins for our food and when we almost thought to cancel the order, it arrived. Once we finished the food, I didn't bother to wait for a check and paid it all at the cash counter itself. So, in all, we wasted about an hour or so in just wait time which is pathetic for any restaurant. Overall, for me, this restaurant is a big NO-NO. You may have great food but if your employees misbehave (to put it in nice words) then any other restaurant with good food will beat you hands down.

Service was fast and friendly. Good Choice of dishes. Good size of the dishes and good quality. Especially the spring rolls and raw rolls we had for starters. Not suitable for a longer stay with Drinks or something. But good food for very reasonable Prices and a nicely kept Place. Not so easy to find, we think. A few bums on the way there, but harmless.

Everything I've ever eaten here has been incredible. I love the lemon grass vermicelli dish, and I recommend that for your first time here.

excellent chinese with lots of "fake meats" - we hit it up regularly before a show

We were a bit dubious about a vegan restaurant, but the food at Golden Era is really delicious. This is a vegan Asian fusion restaurant in the Civic Center area, near the opera house and city hall. I tasted there dishes, a quinoa salad, a kind of mixed noodle dish and the pad thai (my dish). The pad thai was more or less in the style of pad thai in Thailand, not sweet, the way it is served in the U.S. It was just a bit hot, made to pan Asian taste, rather than for Americans. Theater dishes were in the same style. I don't know if the restaurant is good enough to go to the city hall area just to eat there, but if you are nearby this is a great place to go.

Without doubt one of my all time favorite restaurants in San Francisco. It does not look like much from the outside, and isn't in the most tourist area of the city, but give it a try and I'm sure you will not regret it. Once down the steps from the not so special entrance it really opens up into a bright and friendly room. The service from the staff is always very friendly and quick, but not pushy. The food is vegan but there is a huge range to choose from and the helpings are large. Three of us ate there three or four times in June/July 2012 and tried a selection of different things each time and shared. They are quite happy for three of you to share one started if that is all you want. We did this then had 2/3 mains and shared it. No alcohol is available but water is free and constantly topped up, and there is a variety of soft drinks. Maybe eat here and go for cocktails elsewhere afterwards. We will be back next time in SF.

Awesome spot close to Civic Center BART with a wide array of vegan and some gluten free options. I had the gluten free sweet and spicy noodle soup. My boyfriend, in no way a vegan, had the Chef's Tasty Treats that he really enjoyed. I think this place would be great for anyone, even those that aren't vegan and especially those that are gluten free! Also, very affordable with a lovely bathroom.

Best Vegetarian/vegan restaurant in SF!

As my family and I are vegetarian we often seek out restaurants that are exclusively vegetarian when we travel. The reviews were very good for this place. The menu had many food choices. Ultimately I was disappointed by the serving sizes and the overall food. Perhaps I had something different in mind when we ate here. I love Chinese vegetarian food and have been to many Chinese vegetarian restaurants in this country. The restaurant had no A/C which is usually not an issue in SF except the night we went it was unusually warm outside and even warmer in the restaurant. The waitstaff could have have been a little friendlier. The restaurant was busy with almost every table occupied. One last note, I felt a little unsafe in the neighborhood the restaurant was in. Definitely a lower rent area.

We were skeptical because it was a vegan restaurant, but reading the reviews it was worth a try. We were not disappointed. We started with pot-stickers - very good! Ordered the Eggplant Curry and the Asian Stew - delicious flavors and textures. Finished the meal with their Banana Coconut Ice Cream which blew us away. A must try item. Service was prompt and courteous. Place is very clean. Would eat there again.

We just loved this place! Ordered 5 dishes to share and all were really tasty, especially the lemongrass deluxe. Cheap prices a well. You must give this place a visit.

Other reviewers have it right: delicious vegan & organic cuisine. The Asian decor of the main floor is half flight below entry. Our twosome started with 6 hearty and perfect Spring rolls. Portions are generous, and so we limited our selections to two spicy entrees and rice: eggplant mushroom and Mongolian Delight - yummy textures, mouth-watering and choices I would repeat. The pot of hot tea helped pace the pleasure of the bountiful meal. Our gracious waitress brought us a take-home box to enjoy the following day, and brought back the pleasure of the previous evening. Wed -Monday, 11 AM - 9 PM. Closed Tuesday.

This place had amazing food. Everything we had from the hot and sour soup to the different stir fry dishes was amazing, and I was there with two meat-eaters! The ambiance outside is a little dicey as you are in the Tenderloin district. Maybe that's why the prices are more than reasonable. I felt like we were getting authentic Asian food that was healthy and very tasty. I'd definitely return when I am in SF again!

The food was good- the vegetables were fresh and the spices were nice. The menu was informative. The waitress was friendly and attentive.

Golden Era moved a year or so ago to near City Hall and the State building. It definitely has excellent vegan food. Five stars.

My go-to restaurant! I'm vegetarian so it makes me happy that I can order anything on the menu. However, I eat here frequently with my meat eater friends who also love it. I've tried almost everything on the menu. The greatest hits: Crispy Cauliflower, Lemongrass Deluxe, Curry Wraps, Rainbow Salad, Pot Stickers, Banh Xeo (crepe), Won Ton Soup, Spicy Thai Fried Rice & Saigon Rice Plate. You really can't go wrong with anything here although I prefer the items on the menu rather than the lunch time steam tray items.

Such a great place where you can find vegan menu, so rich and accurate that it will be hard to choose what to eat. I enjoyed as well a great mango with sticky rice as a dessert, it was sooooo gooood! Service is fast and kind, and portions very huge: wait to order for a second course :)