AMAZING! Turtle Tower offers delicious Northern-style phở served quickly and reliably. The staff is efficient and gets your food to the table fast, even when it’s busy. The atmosphere is simple and no-frills, making it a great spot when you just want a warm, comforting bowl of soup.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Martin Chapman
I love this place but it can very noisy with work parties.. Service is generally good, but it has lapsed to non existent on two occasions.I find the broth too insipid for the beef pho. More deep flavor needed here. I tried adding vegetable to the beef pho and it helped but some were too raw and they added on $8 making a small bowl $31. Hardly a bargain.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Oleg Kondush
Turtle Tower is back in the Financial District and honestly it’s hitting harder than a sunrise set. Clean, rich Northern Vietnamese pho, stupid-fast service, and that pho ga? Straight-up comfort mode activated.
Lunch rush gets wild but bowls drop in minutes. Grab the stir-fried pho and those crispy imperial rolls if you wanna level up.
SF classic rebooted — still one of the hardest pho spots in the city! Let’s go San Francisco!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenny J Kim
I used to love the original Turtle Tower, so I was excited to try once it re-opened.
The food itself was okay, but what really took us by surprise was the service. As we visited with a bigger group, we were mindful and respectful. However, we were ignored by the host and once seated, waited over 20 minutes to get our order in. We were ignored multiple times by our server, and got rude glares when we asked patiently and politely for items like water or sriracha.
I really wanted to enjoy this place as much as I did before, but unfortunately we all left thinking we’d likely not go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Bach Nguyen
Most authentic bún chả I’ve had in the US — very close to Hà Nội flavors. We also tried the phở bò tái and phở đặc biệt. The broth was flavorful and clean, though it could have been a bit hotter, and the portions of meat felt light for the price. Service was friendly and the food came out quickly, but we did wait quite a while for our table to be cleaned and set up. Overall, a solid spot in SF for authentic Northern Vietnamese dishes, especially the bún chả.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Khang Vu
Went to get lunch here. Arrogantly thought I could finish off a large as I could at other pho establishmens. I was wrong. Easily one of if not the best pho I've had. Their large size accurately reflects too.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sarah Nguyen
So happy Turtle Tower is back in the Financial District! This legendary spot for Northern Vietnamese pho has returned with the same clean, rich broth and lightning-fast service that made it a cult favorite. The pho ga (chicken pho) is comforting perfection — simple, aromatic, and deeply satisfying.
The place gets busy fast, especially during lunch, but bowls come out in minutes and are always delicious. Don’t miss the stir-fried pho and crispy imperial rolls. Service is quick and efficient, and the space feels fresh yet familiar.
A beloved San Francisco classic reborn — still one of the best pho spots in the city.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ken Wong
October 2025: Came back and tried the oyster 🦪. Enjoyed the dish a lot.
May 2025: I used to go to the original Turtle Tower in the tenderloin before they expanded to the Richmond and Soma district. I remember when I read that they closed all of their restaurants, I was very sad 😢.
But now that they are back, I was eager to taste their chicken pho again 😀.
I was not disappointed. I read reviews that the broth tasted different... I don't agree with that criticism. I thought the chicken pho was excellent and tasted like I remembered. Noodles were the flat type... Just like I remembered. Lots of chicken and served with lemon and jalapenos 👍.
Will definitely be back again for more delicious pho.
I do wonder if they will bring back the option with chicken heart and gizzards. That was one of my favorites.
I saw the owner making spring rolls. Great to see him again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J T
If you're craving a comforting, no-frills bowl of pho in SF, Turtle Tower is the spot. I came here for their chicken pho and it hit the mark. I went with the large bowl and the portion was generous -- perfect if you're really hungry.
What I loved most was the broth. It's light, clean, and flavorful without being overly salty (a problem I've run into at a lot of other pho places in the city). You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients -- it feels balanced instead of heavy. The noodles were soft and easy to eat, and the fresh green onions and herbs gave it that extra lift.
Service was quick and efficient, and the food came out steaming hot. The vibe is casual and straightforward, which makes it great for a quick meal or a low-key dinner spot.
Overall, Turtle Tower serves up pho that feels both authentic and refreshing. If you're in the mood for quality chicken pho that won't leave you thirsty from salt overload, this place is worth checking out. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hien Le
Nem cua is authentic - too often, Viet restaurants in North America use the Chinese egg roll instead of rice paper, so I’m just happy to see actual bánh đa nem.
Phở áp chảo and bún thang were decent. Phở áp chảo took me aback at first because in Hà Nội, this is supposed to be a dry dish, but here it was served in broth. Instead of pan fried noodles and beef, I was served pan fried beef on top of noodle soup. The taste was good, so overall I still enjoyed it though. Happy to see true flat bánh phở instead of thin Chinese rice noodles.
Loved the new location, nice decorations, good quality as before, service a bit slower than I expected.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Walter Chan
Nice location but Pho is not as good as before. I am not impressed
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Jean Tsou
This is the best chicken pho and beef pho in town for a long time. Their soup base is umami without taste MSG and ita so pure and yummy not too salty. Rice noodles are so fresh and tender compare with others. Here is really different and they provide authentic pho without a doubt!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cloe Jacobs
Came here with two of my coworkers while on a business trip. Brianna and the rest of the staff were incredible and very kind. I got the #8 Com Sot Vang. It was so delicious and comforting. I’ll definitely miss the food and staff once I’m back home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessica Tassan
Wow is there any better feeling than sweating over a steaming bowl of pho at your desk??! If there is, I certainly don’t know it.
AMAZING! Turtle Tower offers delicious Northern-style phở served quickly and reliably. The staff is efficient and gets your food to the table fast, even when it’s busy. The atmosphere is simple and no-frills, making it a great spot when you just want a warm, comforting bowl of soup.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love this place but it can very noisy with work parties.. Service is generally good, but it has lapsed to non existent on two occasions.I find the broth too insipid for the beef pho. More deep flavor needed here. I tried adding vegetable to the beef pho and it helped but some were too raw and they added on $8 making a small bowl $31. Hardly a bargain.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Turtle Tower is back in the Financial District and honestly it’s hitting harder than a sunrise set. Clean, rich Northern Vietnamese pho, stupid-fast service, and that pho ga? Straight-up comfort mode activated.
Lunch rush gets wild but bowls drop in minutes. Grab the stir-fried pho and those crispy imperial rolls if you wanna level up.
SF classic rebooted — still one of the hardest pho spots in the city! Let’s go San Francisco!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I used to love the original Turtle Tower, so I was excited to try once it re-opened.
The food itself was okay, but what really took us by surprise was the service. As we visited with a bigger group, we were mindful and respectful. However, we were ignored by the host and once seated, waited over 20 minutes to get our order in. We were ignored multiple times by our server, and got rude glares when we asked patiently and politely for items like water or sriracha.
I really wanted to enjoy this place as much as I did before, but unfortunately we all left thinking we’d likely not go back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Most authentic bún chả I’ve had in the US — very close to Hà Nội flavors. We also tried the phở bò tái and phở đặc biệt. The broth was flavorful and clean, though it could have been a bit hotter, and the portions of meat felt light for the price.
Service was friendly and the food came out quickly, but we did wait quite a while for our table to be cleaned and set up.
Overall, a solid spot in SF for authentic Northern Vietnamese dishes, especially the bún chả.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Went to get lunch here. Arrogantly thought I could finish off a large as I could at other pho establishmens. I was wrong. Easily one of if not the best pho I've had. Their large size accurately reflects too.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
So happy Turtle Tower is back in the Financial District! This legendary spot for Northern Vietnamese pho has returned with the same clean, rich broth and lightning-fast service that made it a cult favorite. The pho ga (chicken pho) is comforting perfection — simple, aromatic, and deeply satisfying.
The place gets busy fast, especially during lunch, but bowls come out in minutes and are always delicious. Don’t miss the stir-fried pho and crispy imperial rolls. Service is quick and efficient, and the space feels fresh yet familiar.
A beloved San Francisco classic reborn — still one of the best pho spots in the city.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
October 2025:
Came back and tried the oyster 🦪. Enjoyed the dish a lot.
May 2025:
I used to go to the original Turtle Tower in the tenderloin before they expanded to the Richmond and Soma district. I remember when I read that they closed all of their restaurants, I was very sad 😢.
But now that they are back, I was eager to taste their chicken pho again 😀.
I was not disappointed. I read reviews that the broth tasted different... I don't agree with that criticism. I thought the chicken pho was excellent and tasted like I remembered. Noodles were the flat type... Just like I remembered. Lots of chicken and served with lemon and jalapenos 👍.
Will definitely be back again for more delicious pho.
I do wonder if they will bring back the option with chicken heart and gizzards. That was one of my favorites.
I saw the owner making spring rolls. Great to see him again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you're craving a comforting, no-frills bowl of pho in SF, Turtle Tower is the spot. I came here for their chicken pho and it hit the mark. I went with the large bowl and the portion was generous -- perfect if you're really hungry.
What I loved most was the broth. It's light, clean, and flavorful without being overly salty (a problem I've run into at a lot of other pho places in the city). You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients -- it feels balanced instead of heavy. The noodles were soft and easy to eat, and the fresh green onions and herbs gave it that extra lift.
Service was quick and efficient, and the food came out steaming hot. The vibe is casual and straightforward, which makes it great for a quick meal or a low-key dinner spot.
Overall, Turtle Tower serves up pho that feels both authentic and refreshing. If you're in the mood for quality chicken pho that won't leave you thirsty from salt overload, this place is worth checking out. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nem cua is authentic - too often, Viet restaurants in North America use the Chinese egg roll instead of rice paper, so I’m just happy to see actual bánh đa nem.
Phở áp chảo and bún thang were decent. Phở áp chảo took me aback at first because in Hà Nội, this is supposed to be a dry dish, but here it was served in broth. Instead of pan fried noodles and beef, I was served pan fried beef on top of noodle soup. The taste was good, so overall I still enjoyed it though. Happy to see true flat bánh phở instead of thin Chinese rice noodles.
Portion is huge.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Loved the new location, nice decorations, good quality as before, service a bit slower than I expected.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Nice location but Pho is not as good as before. I am not impressed
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
This is the best chicken pho and beef pho in town for a long time. Their soup base is umami without taste MSG and ita so pure and yummy not too salty. Rice noodles are so fresh and tender compare with others. Here is really different and they provide authentic pho without a doubt!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here with two of my coworkers while on a business trip. Brianna and the rest of the staff were incredible and very kind. I got the #8 Com Sot Vang. It was so delicious and comforting. I’ll definitely miss the food and staff once I’m back home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow is there any better feeling than sweating over a steaming bowl of pho at your desk??! If there is, I certainly don’t know it.
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