Turtle Tower

I've been coming here since I was a little girl. The soup is absolutely phenomenal. Order the chicken noodle soup, and it'll redefine your standards. I can't even call this place a "hidden gem" because all the locals already know about it. But to all the newcomers: you MUST go here! They offer sit in and take out. Sometimes we order via Uber Eats 🤍 Nothing but love for this spot! P.S. Turtle Towers is gluten free friendly <3

Turtle Tower serves Northern style pho. So don’t expect herbs, bean sprouts or hoisin sauce here. Because those additions are Southern style pho. We seated at 11:15am ish, ordered and got pho like 2 minutes after ordering! The bowls are huge and true authentic taste of Northern Vietnamese pho. The noodle is wide and not skinny, soft and not chewy, no herbs or hoisin sauce except chilies. Highly recommended that you order chicken pho, which is a Northern delicacy and not offered at many other pho restaurants. Parking can be a problem during peak traffic hours as it’s street parking only around the vicinity.

I ordered a large pho tai and left feeling full and satisfied! The noodles have the perfect amount of bite and the broth is flavorful without being overpowering. The beef they use is a sort of shaped patty almost and cooks fairly quickly in the broth. While the beef was very fresh, I actually didn’t enjoy the flavor it added as much as I enjoy the pho tai and other places nearby. Overall though, a great place for delicious and fresh pho! I eat a lot and the large was enough for me to feel satisfied.

Hands down the best Pho in San Francisco. Broth is rich and silky. The stir fried noodle with vegetable and chicken or beef is a unique take on a traditional favorite. Whenever it's raining, or I'm sick, or just back from a hot beach vacation and want a reminder of what I love about San Francisco, I come to Turtle Tower or get takeout. It's the best Pho in the West. Very busy at lunchtime so plan ahead or just get takeout.