Hoi An 1608 Vietnamese Restaurant

HoiAn 1608 is an absolute gem! O R D E R E D- Shaking Beef [Bo Luc Lac]- Caramelized Fish- Lemongrass Pork Sausage Skewers- HoiAn Scallops- Vietnamese Braised Spare Ribs with PineappleV E R D I C TThe location is perfect--right on a prime corner with beautiful sunlight streaming in from all angles, thanks to the surrounding windows. Whether you're dining inside or enjoying a meal outside on a nice day, the atmosphere is warm, inviting, and filled with thoughtful details that transport you straight to HoiAn. They also have an elegant bar area, adding to the cozy yet refined vibe.Now, let's talk about the food--because wow, it's incredible. First of all, we did not come here to get pho, so don't think this is your typical Vietnamese pho spot, HoiAn 1608 is NOT that. I tried several dishes, and every single one was a hit. The shaking beef (Bò Lúc Lắc) was a standout. The beef was tender and flavorful, but the star of the dish? Those fried glazed potatoes. My dad and I literally fought over them because they were THAT good!The HoiAn scallops were another favorite. They had just the right spicy kick and were so irresistible that I'm glad I ordered the full portion--I pretty much devoured it solo. The caramelized fish (we chose catfish) was perfectly cooked with no trace of the "dirt flavor" you sometimes get elsewhere. It was a game-changer for me.The lemongrass pork sausage skewers were a fun DIY spring roll experience, complete with a platter of toppings and pandan and beef-flavored vermicelli noodles--so unique and delicious. Finally, the Vietnamese braised spare rib with pineapple was hearty and packed with flavor, rounding out a meal that left me wanting more.Each dish was beautifully presented, colorful, and aromatic--you could smell the deliciousness from a mile away.If you're craving Vietnamese cuisine beyond just pho, HoiAn 1608 is the place to be. They offer hearty, flavorful dishes that will take your taste buds on an unforgettable journey. Bonus: I found street parking right around the corner, which was super convenient!Do yourself a favor and make a reservation here--you won't regret it!

When here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and to our surprise there were so many available tables at noon, but as time went on, the restaurant was fully packed! I haven't been to many Vietnamese places in the city, but was pleasantly surprised by their entrees. I think I would pass on ordering the appetizers. The crispy mini pancakes (banh khot) and scallops were just ok. The mini pancake dough was too thick and not crispy enough and the scallops were super small. The star of the meal was the entrees. The grilled pork skewers (nem nuong) was so great to share. We rolled our own skewers and it was delicious! The canh chua with cat fish was also super tasty. I would say the best dish we had was the filet mignon with garlic noodles. The filet was so soft and tender and the fried potatoes were amazing. It's a must try. The restaurant is pretty spacious, I think good for parties of 2-6. I would come back if I'm ever in the city!

This restaurant is quite pricey for a Vietnamese restaurant, probably one of the priciest amongst its kind in SF. However, the food is definitely top tier - probably also one of the best Vietnamese food I've tasted in California. If budget is not a concern or you wanna treat yourself for a special occasion, I would highly recommend trying this restaurant out. They feature some of the classic Vietnamese dishes but also some rare ones that you won't find easily from just any Vietnamese restaurants! Below is a dish by dish review:1. Shaking Beef 10/10The best version of shaking beef I've had so far out of any Thai, Vietnamese, or pan-SEA restaurant I've been to. You have to try it, the potatoe is "chef's kiss"!2. Pork sausage 9.5/10The dish is a bit tricky to assemble for people not familiar with Vietnamese food but I promise the result is truly rewarding!3. Bun Bo Hue 9/10Unlike traditional beef pho, I find the soup of this dish more flavorful, and it got some kick to it for sure because it's spiced up!4. Passionfruit Limenade 10/10A must try for refreshing sweet drink lovers, much better than a traditional lemonade! Overall food: 9/10Service: 9/10Environment: 10/10

Got the yellow curry Cari with chicken! Loved how thick and rich the curry was. And the pot they served it in was super hot and kept the food warm the whole meal which is a great plus. The ambiance inside is super nice. Very well decorated and contemporary designs. The service was decent too, sometimes you need to grab their attention. Over all I had a good experience. It is on the pricier side but makes sense given the ambiance.

Went for dinner here tonight with friends, got the referral from an IG post...lol... on a Sunday night, the restaurant was relaxed and we were able to get a table right away. The servers were very helpful explaining the dishes, and provided recommendations and talked about the dishes we pointed out on other Yelp reviews (visuals really help). We ordered for appetizers the mini pancakes, and oysters; for family style entree we ordered the caramelized salmon, the shaking beef and the stir fry lemon grass chicken and white rice...Group favorite were the mini pancakes and the shaking beef especially the potatoes!! The shaking beef sauce is spicy and a little sweet and the potatoes had crispy outside skin and covered with the sauce it was so good! The beef was tender and juicy. The 2 appetizers and 3 main entrees were a good portion for 4 people and we still had a small take away box afterwards. Good food at good portions for family style sharing, good ambiance with lots of colorful lanterns decorating the outside and inside of the restaurant and helpful staff. I recommend for group dinners/lunch and for families!

One of the best Vietnamese food in San Francisco right now for me after I tried it. The restaurant located on Polk st. The restaurant is nice and spacious. I went there for lunch and they were not that busy. Which I think is great because the service and food were really fast.Let's me talk about food. First I got the fried wings gotta say that flavor is good and the fried really crispy. A bit too oily but if you dip with the sauce it will be perfect. Spicy beef noodle really tender beef. Light broth and a hint of spiciness. Favorite for me would be this order of bun ha hoi an. The combination of grilled pork and refreshing vegetables with a rice noodles and light sweet sour sauce, ngoc nam. It was a lot of food and it was delicious, it might cost you a bit more than your usual Vietnamese food but I think it worth it. If you're looking for a good Vietnamese food in SF , I definitely recommend this one.

Great pho and amazing chicken wings. Nothing to complain about from the service. Highly recommend!!

Heard a lot about this restaurant and was excited to try it when I saw it on Polk. Went in around 1 pm for lunch and it was spacious inside so we were seated quickly. Our dishes came out one by one after we ordered, everything was hot and fresh.Imperial Crispy Rolls (Cha Gio Tom Thit) - The rolls were lightly crisp outside, warm and meaty inside. It tasted nice all together with the vermicelli, vegetables and sweet and sour sauce. We could really taste the different textures from the shrimp to wood ear mushroom to carrots inside.Vietnamese Mini Pancakes (Banh Knot) - My first time trying this dish and I enjoyed it. It was soft, a little sweet and had an eggy flavor. I liked that there was a variety of meat topping them with shrimp, chicken, scallop and crab meat.Hai Noi Rice Vermicelli - The dish was rich with flavor and the ingredients were very fresh. I liked the grilled patties in the sauce and all the meat was tender. Everything was a balance of sweet, sour and light spice. All the dishes were plated beautifully and with freshness and taste that matched it. Highly recommend checking them out for delicious Vietnamese food.

This place has amazing authentic Vietnamese food! It's Vietnamese person approved. The restaurant has a really nice ambience and cute interior. The staff was so friendly and even charged my phone for me because it died. The scallops and papaya salad was a great way to start the course. Then we got grilled prawns with banh hoi, the bun cha had so many veggies and herbs, the bo luc lac was my favorite!! It even had potatoes in it. Everything here was so good and I will def be coming back on the weekend for the banh khot.

After a long day at Stern Grove we were on our way to Bob's Donuts and stopped to chat with a local walking his dog to ask for his recommendation for a nearby restaurant. It turns out he owns a bar in North Beach and told us he really loved Hoi An and we should check it out. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We went straight to this little gem and were immediately impressed upon entry with the design, decor and lighting. The lanterns, sculpted ceiling, wood slice wall and comfy chairs that you can hang your purse on were all appreciated. There were 4 of us and we ordered the Wok Fried Cubed Filet Mignon With Garlic Noodle, Grilled Lemongrass Beef and Ha Noi Rice Vermicelli.Everybody loved their dishes and I had to share the Wok Fried potatoes on my plate because I thought they were so good. I mean how exciting can a potato be, right? One person described it as "orgasmic". No guarantees there but it was good. The preparation and flavors were fantastic!