D & A - Reviews

My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! The food here is incredibly fresh and leans heavily on vegetables, especially if you choose the right dishes, making it a very healthy option. I highly recommend trying the spicy szechuan green beans with pork and the eggplants with pork. For a good mix, the beef with bitter melon is a great choice, and the Kung Pao chicken is also excellent. The prices are unbeatable, and the service is super friendly. I highly recommend this place!

I've been coming to D and A Cafe every day for over 10 years now, and it’s my go-to spot for authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea. It truly makes me feel like I’m back in Asia. After picking up my kids from school every weekday, I stop by, and the staff already know my order, especially the owner. She always brews it just right: strong tea with a smooth, silky texture. I love the sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk they add to the drink. Their iced lemon tea (dong ling cha) is excellent too; it’s my wife’s favorite. The way the owner crushes the lemon before making it gives the drink a fresh, balanced flavor, not too sweet, just perfect. The staff is friendly, and I highly recommend D and A Cafe to anyone looking for quality milk tea and great service.

Reflecting on my experience at D & A Cafe, I recall visiting back in 2003 when the food was delicious and cheap, and the place was always crowded. My favorite, the vegetable-mushroom over rice, was a delight with a generous portion for my to-go order. However, my recent visit on 08/31/2025 was a stark contrast. The restaurant was empty, except for a familiar group of 'elderly neighbors-friends' who seemed to be there for discounted or leftover food. We decided to dine in and ordered several dishes, but the regret was immediate. The portions were small, the food had a bad taste, and it was expensive. We paid around $90 for four dishes, and I felt no tip was deserved. The place was dirty, the food was bad, and the prices were high. We didn't eat much of it there, taking it home only to discover the chicken smelled bad the next day, leading to it being thrown away. I strongly advise staying away from D & A Cafe in San Francisco.

I've been eating at this place for over 20 years and I love it! They've recently renovated the inside, making it more clean and friendly. The plates are still good and big, offering the best deal in town. The quality of the Chinese food is excellent, with big dishes served family-style. Menus come with rice and soup. It's a really friendly, daily, all-type family place that I would recommend to anyone. However, you'll need to bring a few people with big appetites to try a lot of plates. It’s a Clement St classic!

My experience at this establishment was disheartening. I live next door and unfortunately locked myself out of my apartment. I approached the restaurant hoping to charge my phone for a moment to call my landlord, as my phone had just died. They flatly refused, stating it was 'not our problem. ' This lack of basic neighborly spirit was truly disappointing.

I had an absolute gem of an experience at this restaurant. It was a random walk-in, but it turned out to be some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly breaded, crispy, and saucy. The beef was tender and high quality. The walnut shrimp was INSANE! It's a 10/10 spot. Honestly, it deserves a higher rating; some people need to learn what sales tax is, SMH.

I randomly walked into this restaurant and ordered the beef chow fun. The dish was very satisfying.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with a warm cup of tea, which was especially welcome as it had just finished raining. It was a very pleasant experience.

I deliberately waited over 24 hours to write this review to ensure impartiality. Normally, we dine in, but in a hurry, we opted for takeout. I usually don't check receipts, but this time I did and found an inaccuracy: I was charged $53. 80 for a $45 meal before taxes, which is an almost 20% tax rate, unrealistic for San Francisco. When I brought this to the owner and staff, I was yelled at in Cantonese, a language I don't speak. The only English-speaking waiter did not help. They insisted they don't calculate the receipt and were told to charge me $53. 80. The owner repeatedly insisted the math was correct for San Francisco tax, despite not calculating it himself and claiming he was told by someone else. He wavered on refunding the overcharge, offering less each time. Believing the overcharge was only about $5 and not wanting to tip for such poor service, I decided to let it slide and take my order. Upon arriving home, we discovered the last dish, the topmost box, was incorrect: the fish with bitter melon had no fish. This has never happened during dine-in. While I dismiss the idea of retaliation, it's a possibility given the timing after the overcharge dispute. I advise against ordering takeout from this place. For dine-in, the food is usually fresh, though there have been occasional issues with freshness that were dismissed when complained about. This experience suggests the establishment doesn't treat customers with due respect. In summary, the service is unacceptable, the food can be good on a good day, and the atmosphere is reasonably quiet. I am unsure if I can recommend this place after this experience.

Overall, everything was good. However, we always come back for their lobster noodle dish, which I believe is seasonal, so it's best to call ahead. You can also order the lobster with ginger and onion, without noodles! Highly recommend.