Came here with a big group and we all get good food, super fast, and had a great spot to sit! The night was super warm so we sat outside and it was perfect. The menu has something for everyone. The biryani plates are huge! Definitely enough to take some home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Samosa, Roti
Zohaib Patoli
Last night, I stumbled into Pakwan for dinner, a casual Pakistani spot that somehow manages to feel both unpretentious and deeply nostalgic. There was no rush, no line, and plenty of open tables both inside and out. The kind of place where time slows down just enough for you to notice the little things: the soft hum of conversation, the sizzle of the open kitchen, and the aromatic swirl of cumin, garlic, and smoke that instantly reminded me of Lahore. The owner himself was behind the register, greeting guests with that quiet hospitality that makes you feel more like family than a customer. Watching the kitchen from my table, I could see the flames leap as the chefs worked, each flicker echoing the street food stalls of Bun’s Road. The air carried that unmistakable perfume of char, chili, and masala that every Pakistani knows by heart. The menu struck the perfect balance, authentic, diverse, and focused. I ordered lamb chops, chicken karahi, chicken tikka masala, chicken boti, and naan. The lamb was tender, smoky, and perfectly seasoned, each bite pulling apart like a slow confession. The chicken karahi was a soulful, tomato-forward masterpiece, brimming with ginger and green chili heat that built slowly, never overwhelming. The tikka masala had that rare honesty you rarely find outside a home kitchen, creamy, spiced just right, with depth instead of sweetness. The boti was grilled to perfection, juicy and kissed by fire, and the naan... golden, crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, the kind that makes you forget utensils exist. Everything together felt like a sensory homecoming. For a moment, I wasn’t in San Francisco. I was back in Lahore, sitting on my grandmother’s veranda, her hand running through my hair as the smell of karahi drifted from the kitchen. That’s what Pakwan does. It doesn’t just feed you, it transports you. If you’re looking for something real, something with heart, skip the white tablecloths. Come here, sit down, and let the food remind you what authenticity tastes like.
This is truly a good restaurant considering prices, portions and tastes. My favorite is biryani.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Luna The god
Good food and friendly service. A lot of good vegan options.
Food: 5
Rajkumar Khatri
very nice food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nij Chawla
Got Uber eats delivery. Very quick to deliver. Like 20 minutes! Stellar authentic Pakistani food flavor
A little extra greasy though
Loved - must do again
* Nihari * Palak Ghosht Mutton * Naan
Food: 5
Alex A.
Great Food. Good Service. Good luck finding parking.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Walter Ponce
This is my favorite spot for Pakistani Food, I have traveled throughout California and been to many Indian restaurants and food trucks, yet this is the best one out of all, it’s a must every time I come to San Francisco, definitely recommended, I honestly always get the same dish; chicken tikka masala, a side of rice and of course my favorite cheese naan!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melissa ramirez
Nothing worse than getting home, opening the bag and realizing half your order is missing. Sick one Pakwan.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Abdul
Chicken legs and roti was tasteful ! Strongly Recommended !
Came here with a big group and we all get good food, super fast, and had a great spot to sit! The night was super warm so we sat outside and it was perfect. The menu has something for everyone. The biryani plates are huge! Definitely enough to take some home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Samosa, Roti
Last night, I stumbled into Pakwan for dinner, a casual Pakistani spot that somehow manages to feel both unpretentious and deeply nostalgic. There was no rush, no line, and plenty of open tables both inside and out. The kind of place where time slows down just enough for you to notice the little things: the soft hum of conversation, the sizzle of the open kitchen, and the aromatic swirl of cumin, garlic, and smoke that instantly reminded me of Lahore.
The owner himself was behind the register, greeting guests with that quiet hospitality that makes you feel more like family than a customer. Watching the kitchen from my table, I could see the flames leap as the chefs worked, each flicker echoing the street food stalls of Bun’s Road. The air carried that unmistakable perfume of char, chili, and masala that every Pakistani knows by heart.
The menu struck the perfect balance, authentic, diverse, and focused. I ordered lamb chops, chicken karahi, chicken tikka masala, chicken boti, and naan. The lamb was tender, smoky, and perfectly seasoned, each bite pulling apart like a slow confession. The chicken karahi was a soulful, tomato-forward masterpiece, brimming with ginger and green chili heat that built slowly, never overwhelming. The tikka masala had that rare honesty you rarely find outside a home kitchen, creamy, spiced just right, with depth instead of sweetness. The boti was grilled to perfection, juicy and kissed by fire, and the naan... golden, crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, the kind that makes you forget utensils exist.
Everything together felt like a sensory homecoming. For a moment, I wasn’t in San Francisco. I was back in Lahore, sitting on my grandmother’s veranda, her hand running through my hair as the smell of karahi drifted from the kitchen. That’s what Pakwan does. It doesn’t just feed you, it transports you.
If you’re looking for something real, something with heart, skip the white tablecloths. Come here, sit down, and let the food remind you what authenticity tastes like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tikka Masala, Karahi Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Karahi
This is truly a good restaurant considering prices, portions and tastes. My favorite is biryani.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Good food and friendly service. A lot of good vegan options.
Food: 5
very nice food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got Uber eats delivery.
Very quick to deliver. Like 20 minutes!
Stellar authentic Pakistani food flavor
A little extra greasy though
Loved - must do again
* Nihari
* Palak Ghosht Mutton
* Naan
Food: 5
Great Food. Good Service. Good luck finding parking.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
This is my favorite spot for Pakistani Food, I have traveled throughout California and been to many Indian restaurants and food trucks, yet this is the best one out of all, it’s a must every time I come to San Francisco, definitely recommended, I honestly always get the same dish; chicken tikka masala, a side of rice and of course my favorite cheese naan!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nothing worse than getting home, opening the bag and realizing half your order is missing. Sick one Pakwan.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Chicken legs and roti was tasteful ! Strongly Recommended !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food here has the authentic flavor and taste.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 3
I’ve eaten a lot of Indian food in my life and this is some of the best I’ve ever had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The GOAT of Tikka Masala.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food, the curries are delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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