House of Pancakes — Restaurant in San Francisco

The owner of this restaurant has been friends with my roommates for many years, and because of this connection, I have frequented this restaurant at least once a week, sometimes as many as twice and thrice, for at least the past 5 years.

However, about a year ago, my roommates stopped paying visits here, claiming that they have gotten sick from the restaurant too many times.

However, I thought I would give them a few more tries, because prices have always been good, and I don't have the ample income my roommates have.

With that said, I have also stopped going to this restaurant last month, and this is due to a number of reasons.

I must said that most of my experiences are for the take-out so I can't speak for the dine-in experience.

(1) The amount they serve you is wholly inconsistent: sometimes it can vary from 1 serving to 3 servings, for the exact same dish, and this has caused a lot of difficulty when ordering.

(2) They sometime give you the wrong change, and even after I brought it to their attention, they refuse to refund the difference.

(3) Both the quality and the taste of the food have degraded significantly over this year, and, while it's still better than my own cooking, I find it less enticing to order takeout from them, because I also have gotten sick from their food enough times to notice how often my tummy hurts afterwards.

In fact, the last time I even found a piece of plastic thing in my food, that was about half an inch in size. But by then I was so disappointed in their service, I never brought it to their attention, and that was actually why I stopped going there completely (Although due to all fairness, I didn't get sick that time, at least not from the food).

I therefore can't recommend this restaurant to anyone, unfortunately.

Update 09/02/2023: Given that my roommates knew them, I wanted to give them a second chance, so I paid another visit just around Labor Day, 2023.

Both the service and the food quality had gone even further downhill, unfortunately. I was actually food poisoned this time, and it has been about 3 days, and I often can't leave the restroom.

I therefore have to stand by my previous remark, that I can't recommend this restaurant to anyone. And given the experience I had and how sick I have gotten, it is unlikely I can ever go there again to see if they...

Beef Roll - There were nice hearty slices of beef rolled up in the crispy green onion pancake which is never a bad thing, but I thought the meat could've been simmered with more anise. The roll also didn't have much cucumbers and cilantro. More would've given the roll a fresh contrast and zesty brightness. Still not bad.

Lamb Skewers - Grilled well to make them aromatic, juicy, tender, spicy. I really liked how they used enough cumin compliment the slight gamey flavor of the lamb. Didn't really care for the cole slaw stuff on the side, but it's way better than the lamb skewers from Shandong Deluxe down the street.

Pork and Chive Dumplings - Pretty good. The skin was chewy without being too thick, and the stuffing was seasoned well and juicy. There's no orange hot sauce to add some spicy sweetness to the tangy vinegar, but they had Sriracha. Not the most ideal condiment, but it worked as a last resort. Let's be real. Sriracha is good with anything.

Bean Paste Noodles - The firm bite and chewy texture of the hand pulled noodles were really enjoyable. I think the noodles here are better than other hand pulled noodles in the area (Shandong Deluxe, King of Noodles, etc.). The sauce could've been more flavorful though. It needed a more concentrated savoriness to mix better with the noodles. Still, it wasn't bad, and I liked how the cucumbers added some freshness to the thick sauce. I wish there was another bowl of Bean Paste Noodles from San Tung so I could've had a direct comparison. From the surrounding tables, their noodle soups looked a bit watery, so I'd recommend...

This was our first time trying House of Pancakes, and let's just say--the name is definitely misleading in the best way. While you might expect a traditional breakfast spot, this cozy, mom-and-pop-style restaurant serves up hearty Northern Chinese dishes packed with flavor.

We came with a large group of extended family and were impressed with how accommodating and friendly the staff were. They even made thoughtful dish recommendations based on our group size and preferences, which made the experience even better.

We ordered quite a bit to share:

Beef Pancakes (a house specialty) Lamb Skewers (spicy and non-spicy) Lamb Dumplings Pork Dumplings Lamb Stir-Fried Hand-Pulled Noodles Fresh Cucumber Salad

Overall, the food was delicious and flavorful. That said, if you're not a fan of lamb (like me), just be aware that the lamb skewers and dumplings can be a bit gamey. The spicy skewers helped mask it a bit, thanks to a generous sprinkle of paprika.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the lamb stir-fried noodles--the lamb in that dish was melt-in-your-mouth tender and tasted more like beef than lamb to me. Unfortunately, I couldn't try the beef pancakes due to dietary restrictions, but my cousins absolutely loved them and said they were a must-order.

The pork dumplings were a standout for me--juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. And the cucumber salad was refreshing and balanced everything out nicely.

The restaurant has a small, casual diner vibe that gives it local charm--nothing fancy, but welcoming and perfect for sharing a flavorful meal with...