Vegan
Chinese
Delivery
Take-out
Asian
Vietnamese
Long-time established pure veg Asian cuisine restaurant. Its menu features a varied range of choices from rice and noodle dishes to soy meats, hot pots, refreshing beverages and vegan desserts. Moved here 2014 from its former location on O'Farrell St. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-7:30pm.
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395 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, California, USA, 94102
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Last update on 07 Feb 2024 by Forman
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229 Reviews
First Review by baruchadam
Skailuvspigs
Points +20
above & beyond - Edit
this place sure hit the spot, authentic pho taste, huge varity of flavor profiles, wonderful staff, all around perfect. the tempura shrimp was to die for
Read moreps: best coffee of my life here too!
Updated from previous review on 2024-08-12
Pros: authentic taste, flavorful, wonderful service
Guest
Angelo23
Points +282
Oldie but a Goldie - Edit
Golden Era is an OG spot in the city. I'd bet nearly every vegan in San Francisco has tried it by now. It's rock solid with an extensive menu that seems to cover most of SE Asian cuisine. The service is fast and attentive so you can get in and out quickly if you are in a hurry. Great spot for date night or theater/symphony night since it's nearby. Parking might be a bit of challenge but you should be able to find a spot with a few blocks. I usually have lunch here when I'm in the area and always enjoy it.
Read moreGuest
Pilot.lj
Points +1181
Lemongrass deluxe 🤤 - Edit
Great all vegan Asian restaurant. The lemongrass “chicken” is incredible.
Read moreGuest
Tofulicious
Points +1335
Pretty Awesome - Edit
Dined here a couple of times and it was pretty spec. Warning though, it’s right on the outskirts of Tenderloin, drug-fuelled district.
Read morePros: Decent fare, The flan - inexpensive and delish
Cons: Location - dangerous at night if on foot
Guest
CA89SS
Points +2114
Lovely sticky rice - Edit
We ordered a Vietnamese iced coffee which was so nice. The garden vermicelli noodle was very fresh and delicious. The pancake was lacking in flavour compared to what we are used to. We offered a sticky rice for dessert and it was fantastic.
Read moreThis area of town was terrifying. We didn’t realise how unsafe it would feel and nearly turned around and left before arriving. Please take care.
Guest
Dconstructivist
Points +95
What a nice surprise! - Edit
First time here. Ordered lemongrass chicken with a side of white rice. So gooood. Would come back everyday if I lived here to try out the rest of the menu!
Read morePros: Food, Cleanliness, Fast
Guest
MaPa
Points +96
Delicious food and great service - Edit
What can I say. The food was delicious, the menu was extensive and the staff were so friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed it and wish we had more time in SF so we could go back for a visit. So good. The location maybe not great, but even so it was quite busy even at lunchtime
Read morePros: taste, extensive menu, price
Cons: location
Guest
lisamariaschreiber
Points +2674
Great Food - Edit
I could not have imagined better Food. Highly recommend it! I’ve been here twice and I love it. Make sure if you walk to not walk through tenderloin to come here as it’s not super safe. Best would be to take an Uber!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-12-24
Guest
McMallory
Points +2172
Really great - Edit
Everything we got was really great. We tried one of the specialties, a veggie side, and a wonton soup. The soup was HUGE and could have been a meal on its own. The curried king trumpet mushrooms were excellent (if a little over-sauces) and the clay pot tofu and rice dish was phenomenal. The dishes all came out at different times but we were eating family style so we didn’t really care (keep that in mind if you’re not sharing). We ate until we were stuffed and didn’t have room for dessert, but the dessert options looked good.
Read moreThe service isn’t the most attentive in the world and is maybe a little brusque. But I’m used to that in this style of no-frills, good-food place and it didn’t bother me. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if not for other reviews that complained about service. The food didn’t come out super fast but it wasn’t that slow either. Everyone was friendly, just not effusive. If this sort of service bothers you this might not be the place for you, but you’ll be missing out because the food is really good.
Guest
gabs1205
Points +210
Go to spot for takeout - Edit
Genuinely love the options they have here and it’s always been a solid doordash option for me when I lived in the city. Highly recommend their lemon grass soy chicken.
Read moreGuest
madmadgrrl
Points +262
Go to for take away - Edit
Been enjoying them since they were on O'Farrell & love them for an in- person visit but it's a favorite of ours for a take away. Love the pot stickers to start or the rainbow or seaweed salad. Saigon rice plate is nicely balanced & the claypots & noodles are delicious. Yea!
Read moreGuest
tampopo
Points +521
Lots of choice - Edit
I’ve been here a few times over the years and it is always quite tasty, decent portions and I know what to expect.
Read moreGuest
clamchow
Points +1240
Yummy - Edit
I thought the queens special had a good texture and taste.
Read moreGuest
hrn126
Points +573
Amazing spring rolls - Edit
I ordered spring rolls on ubereats and they are truly the best spring rolls I have ever had in my life. Highly recommend.
Read moreGuest
Gopala108
Points +3082
Horrible service - Edit
Had a horrible experience at Golden Era recently. Yes, it is a vegan restaurant , and it was busy yet service was extremely poor. I dined here with my beloved and our date night was ruined.
Read moreWe ordered an appetizer, a pho, entree, and brown rice. The pho was brought out and no appetizer. We waited 30 min having the pho. We checked on the order and server was rude. Still nothing.
My beloved worked 22 years as a waitress raising a child as a single mother and earning her PhD. We went up again and decided to call it. We said we could either get the pho comped and returned or pay the $15 or so for it and never return losing our business. They said they wanted the $15. We paid and split.
I would give zero stars for horrendous service. We won't return.
Updated from previous review on 2023-05-05
Pros: All Vegan Vietnamese and Thai Cuisine, Affordable
Cons: Horrible service
Guest
Lol638
Points +373
Miam - Edit
Very good
Read moreI really enjoyed it.
But I am tired to have the check before I even touch my dessert...
Pros: Very good food
Guest
MoLu
Points +220
Lovely, comfort food - Edit
I went here a number years ago with my friend and coincidentally just went last night for dinner with the same friend! We were happy to see that Golden era was still here😄
Read moreAll the food sounded amazing, so it was really hard to choose. I tried the Bahn Xeo, bc it seemed the most unique to find a vegan version and it was pretty satisfying. It might have been too authentic for me, as I've never liked the taste of eggs and it definitely had a bit of that sulfury taste...it wasn't too strong, though and it was cool to try something new.
My favorite thing to order however, are the curry wraps. So delicious and pure comfort food for me!
Pros: Delicious flavors, Unique dishes, Fast and friendly service
Guest
andyjng
Points +5166
Fantastic Dine In & Take Out - Edit
The golden era of food should be going plant based and this spot really shows how delicious Asian food can be no matter the palette.
Read moreI came here with a friend before a concert. Restaurant is located in the Tenderloin but don't let that prevent you from coming. They have wide open seating indoors and food that gets prepped quickly that you'll be eating in no time.
We started with their Cucumber Kelp Salad ($12) and the Banh Xeo ($14), and both options really hit the spot. The salad was absolutely refreshing with a sweet, tangy dressing over kelp noodles and veggies. The banh xeo was prepared well with mushrooms and tofu, and came with a large batch of lettuce wraps, basil, and mint to enjoy.
For our mains, we tried their House Rice Claypot ($14) and the Curry Okra ($15). The claypot was fine as a fried rice fish but the curry okra was really the winner of the two. The fragrant coconut milk based curry was full of flavor with a nice kick to it. We forgot to order rice to accompany it but it was still great with the claypot.
Our meal ended with their Mango Sticky Rice ($8) which was a nice sweet dessert to finish off a great meal.
Service was great and they kept checking in to make sure we were doing okay. I gotta say - this is now one of my favorite vegan Asian restaurants in SF and would be happy to come back and try more soon.
Pros: Great Asian vegan options, Takeout was also solid
Lol638
For 2024 all the price mentioned went up of 1$
Read moreGuest
taiwanesetexan
Points +9372
Improved - Edit
It's time to update my review from late 2021. Staff is super sweet, and the produce seems much fresher. I'm grateful that this spot is only a ten-minute walk away. I've been three times in the past month, and I keep finding great dishes to try. The banh xeo is on my list of items to give a second chance to. And I really just want to dedicate at least one visit to enjoying their dessert!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-10-03
Pros: all vegan
Guest
LisaSpykers
Points +7620
An affordable option in SF - Edit
One of the more affordable options in San Fran. Good flavors and service. The steamed bun is yummy and filled with tofu and veg instead of red 'pork' (I prefer the fake pork version) and the king mushroom and veg curry had a nice flavor although a bit oily. They also have cakes by the slice and sell vegan chocolate bars for $3 (try the English brittle one).
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-10-12
Guest
Trotech
Points +32
GOOD DINING - Edit
Ordered three items (spring rolls, chickn drumettes and chow mien).
Read morePros: spring rolls and drummettes were awesome.
Cons: Chow mein was average and could be improved, No utensils in takeout
Guest
TaylorGoVegan
Points +848
Great food! - Edit
I LOVED the orange chick’n & sticky white rice I got from here.
Read moreGuest
AprilJoyce
Points +282
Nice dinner! - Edit
We had great service. I asked for some oil free options. Our servers went back, talked to the kitchen, came back to our table and offered several oil free options. We were even given the soy protein on the side because it contained a small amount of oil. I’m thankful for the staff going out of the way to accommodate our request. The food was delicious.
Read morePros: Prices reasonable, Food delicious, clean restaurant, Walking distance from hotels, shopping, tourism
Cons: Not many oil free dishes, Sketchy location
Guest
Zombiecynthia
Points +5435
OG Vegan Spot in the TL - Edit
I love their new location! It’s so airy and allows plenty of light, I remember when it used to be one of the only vegan spots in The City - and now it’s a well known gem!
Read moreSuper glad I stopped in after placing a takeaway order. Plenty of indoor seating and personnel were super friendly!
I was even complimented while walking back to my fur pal - friendly folks everywhere!
Ordered the Spring Rolls and Chowmein w/Faux Chicken and broccoli. Since I was with my fur pal, I decided to enjoy it picnic style along the shoreline.
Pros: Fully Vegan/Plant-Based • Delicious and Savory, Great Portion of Noodles • Easy Ordering Online, Friendly Personnel • Streamline Layout
Cons: It’s in the Heart of SF • Parking May Be Limited, Parking Garage Nearby (Pro)
JulienneSlice
An OG spot, nice to hear they are still around!
Read moreZombiecynthia
Right?! 🥹💕
Read moreGuest
RandySage
Points +51
Yum! - Edit
Large menu, delicious food. Stopped in after visiting the Asian Art Museum, very nearby.
Read morePros: Large menu, including desserts, Delicious, Close to Civic Center transit station
Cons: Need to use shared key to get into restroom, American style desserts (I prefer Asian desserts)
Guest
shnuges
Points +108
so glad I veg’ed with them - Edit
First time visit, and it was wonderful! Overheard someone in the next booth say it was his favorite place to eat in SF
Read morePros: So many options, Labeled GF items, Friendly and helpful staff
Guest
33dst
Points +38
Excellent! - Edit
Tons of options, everything was great!
Read moreGuest
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