Hai Ky Mi Gia
Categories: Chinese, Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin707 Ellis St
(between Larkin St & Polk St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 771-2577
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
28 reviews
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
"Why 5 you ask? The answer is because they deserve it! I'd compare this place to the Vietnamese restaurants on Clement Street or the places…" read more »
106 Reviews for Hai Ky Mi Gia
I love the number 8 rice noodles. the jalapenos, chinese donut, theee best ever. I have been to this place since i was 10 years old.
Wow! This place always reminds me of my childhood..my family would come here on Saturday mornings and eat their yummy noodles! You can have your noodles with soup or soup on the side, you can have egg noodles, rice noodles, fat/thin/flat noodles..but my fav part - the chinese donut! They are the only place that I know of that serves up chinese donuts with their noodles. Dip the donut into the hot broth and you'll understand what I'm getting at...
This place gets pretty packed - prepare to share your table.
Ahh, summers in San Francisco are a perfect time for a piping hot bowl of noodle soup and Hai Ky Mi Gia is a true noodle house - other than drinks and Chinese donuts, all they serve are noodle soups. You can order the noodles "dry" with soup on the side. Choose from egg or rice noodles with satay beef, beef balls, beef stew, free range chicken, seafood, duck leg, or won tons.
I love how they have a tray of condiments including pickled jalapenos, hot sauce (several kinds), plum sauce, etc. The complimentary hot tea is nice too.
I had #28, the free range chicken ho fun (flat rice noodles) noodle soup ($6.45). The broth was nice and light and the chicken was tender and flavorful. I wasn't too thrilled with the chicken wing because I don't like dealing with bones while I'm enjoying my noodle soup. There wasn't much chicken but I liked the generous topping of scallions. There was a tiny bit of cilantro (I could have used more of it). I was happy with my noodle soup but my father's egg noodles were hard and undercooked. I also could use a bigger bowl of noodles but they only have one size.
The place is bustling - you might have to wait for a table in one of their two rooms. The tables are sticky, they play Chinese music, and they have a shrine.
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I love noodles. Thin noodles, fat noodles, soup noodles, but particularly chinese/vietnamese style noodles. My friends Linda and Mike have been raving about this place for the past few months and we finally went with them for breakfast. Yes, noodles for breakfast. And it's awesome.
I ordered the braised duck leg with wonton and thick egg noodles, dry with soup on the side. The duck tasted more like chicken but was tasty. The yo tiao (fried chinese donut) and soy milk were delicious as well.
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I don't understand or speak Cantonese so everytime I come in here I have at least 5 question marks on top of my head. But don't worry, come here with someone who does know how to speak canto and all will be well.
What I have my Canto-speaking friend help me order: Seafood w/ dry noodles which are accompanied with a bowl of sea water on the side. Kidding, it's soup on the side. I like my noodles dry but occasionally a sip of soup hits the spot. Toss in some oily hot sauce and DAMNNN...orgasmic. I love it.
I do have to comment on the crowd though. Trashy Asians left and right with the occasional person who has his/her head screwed on right, aka me. hahaha :)
San Francisco's best Vietnamese restaurant? I agree. This place is in a very ghetto part of the city, the tenderloin, but they serve absolutely the best bowls of noodles. The broth is clear and clean. The noodles are cooked perfectly. The service is fast.
I insure this building so I inspected this property and trust me.............they run a very clean and efficient kitchen. I usually come here or to Pho hoa tan. My two favorites in the tenderloin. I really don't like turtle tower but my friends are crazy about that place. I guess it's just preference.
A great comfort food after a nite of partying.
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Good signs:
1) I arrived at 11:45am for lunch and the place was already packed.
2) No business people at lunch.
3) As soon as we're seated, another couple is seated next to us. At the same table. Because there's not enough room.
This is the best noodle place I've been to in my short exploration of Civic Center Vietnamese restaurants. The first time I had to try the braised duck leg. Had it with thick rice noodles, soup on the side. This dish was good, but the duck itself was a little too rich, too braised-in-soy-sauce.
The second time? Perfection. I got the combination soup with the thick egg noodles (must get the egg noodles!) and like other people have said, the broth was not too salty and not too bland, and they put in just the right amount of pork, seafood, and meatballs to satisfy.
And I've only done the noodles. Next time, on to more adventurous dishes.
I miss this place already.
Their BBQ pork is great, as is the fried rice, and the egg rolls. Its cheap, easy, and awesome.
My girlfriend and I would usually both eat till busting and only spend about $15
MMM mein, this place is probably one of the many reasons why Asians and the Atkins diet just do not work out. I order either the banh loc, the "needle noodles" which are just rice drop noodles, or hai ky chou mein dry- style. The banh loc is my go to when I feel sick. You don't even need chopsticks just scoop the little noodles, they are chewy and have a density that the other rice noodles do not have. The broth is light and it settles my stomach or whisks away my headache. It comes with ground pork, cha siu, fish cake slices, meat balls, chicken, shrimp, and kidney. I personally don't like the kidney, but the meat is never over done from chicken to shrimp so I don't feel like one piece of meat is over done and another is kinda chewy. The dry-style chou mein is awesome here. It comes with the same broth but in a small bowl on the side, more to cleanse your palate then to actually add to your noodles. They cook the mein perfectly here, it has a chew and bite to them that only really good noodles places have. The seasoning they put is heavy on the oil, but with fried bits of garlic. Add lots of chili and jalepenos and this is dish is awesome on a hot day. I have been coming here since I was a baby and the people here are great because they don't even ask me what I want sometimes because they already know. When I walk in the door, they get a milk tea ready for me. I love this place, and when I am old I will still make the trek to the city just for these noodles.
Stopped by for lunch here the other day. I had the house special. I didn't find the broth to be very flavorful, I added a couple spoons of soysauce to it. Other than that, the noodles were cooked just right (I had the thick noodles) and the pork and shrimp were yummy. I much prefer hu tieu mi down south at Trieu Chau in Santa Ana.
Amy the owner of this place is nice, she actually smiles and remembers what I had last time. However, I hate the lousy waitress here, since as I was slurping down my noodles she came by and took the jar of Jalapeno peppers away. She then came back and gave me a dirty look. I wish I could put a hex on that bitch.
I didn't get the MSG symptoms and headache I usually get with some noodle place so I think in that regards they are ok. I also went to another noodle place in Oakland and this place is way better than that place so I guess this place is pretty good after all.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/24/2008
Not bad noodles. I thought the Duck leg was kind of dry. Overall not the best noodle I ever had… Read more »
I've come here once but I don't like their food, it's not that great. Their kitchen seems pretty dirty, and I don't like the owners much. I'm glad they let you see into the kitchen because otherwise I wouldn't know the junk they were feeding me.
Yes, the food here is great and the service was top-notch. It's my second time here and the broth is clear and delicious. Noodles are cooked perfectly. I did not get any MSG sickness though. It's tough to get a seat during lunchtime, but the owner takes your order when you are waiting in line outside, and by the time the table is ready, the food is delivered promptly. My staff loves this place, and don't let the ghetto scare you off. I will be back!
3.5 stars.
We came for lunch today and I tried the braised duck leg with wonton egg noodle soup. I opted for the thick egg noodle and found them ok, nice and al dente, but I'd try the thinner next time. I tried my SO's hofun noodle and those were better, but not as silky as I've had.
The broth tasted like a mix of pork and chicken broth, it was a tad salty and a dark brown color with a bit of fat floating on top.
The wontons were average, nothing special, but I did get about 5 or so. The braised duck leg tasted of your typical 5-spice and soy seasoning, but it was nice and tender. It came with the skin on, so you can indulge if you're in the mood.
The condiment tray featured soy sauce, vinegar, fresh pickled jalapenos, a sweet hot sauce, hoisin sauce, and chili oil. I mixed the chili oil with the hot sauce for dipping and used some jalapenos in the broth for extra acidity and heat.
They give each table a plate of sweet pickled cucumber and carrots. They were pretty cool and refreshing in between bites of noodles and hot broth.
Overall, it was satisfying, but I'd give some other places in the TL a shot before returning.
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This is like finding a treasure amist all the shitty asian restaurants around the greater bay area. Seriously! this is the place to go for great chinese/vietnamese dishes - Authentic, tasty, no msg, real good son! Must try - I'll make you a believer.
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This has been my all time favorite place when I was a kid growing up in TL until i got older and started trying new things. This place makes the best "Chow Fun" or whatever you call it in chinese. Every time I'm here, I have me a bowl of Pho or that Vietnamese Chow Fun haha. It's not GREAT but its better then most places.
I hate the drive there, hate the parking, the ghetto-ness, the dirty blocks. But once I start slurping my noodles, I forget why I hate the location so much.
I have yet to eat there after a hangover...( maybe because I can't drive that far with a killer headache).But when I'm not intoxicated, I am here at least once a week. Their seafood fat noodle soup is good as well as the dried thin noodle.
I'm sure EVERYTHING on the menu is YUMMMAY.. but those two are my fave. Need proof? I've been growing up with Hai Ky for the past 26 years (...and going)
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Excellent noodle dishes at a bargain price! It's a quick walk from my office so I've been able to have lunch here several times and I've always enjoyed it. Came back this past Monday to have lunch with my sis and parents.
We arrived around 12:20 and the place was full - we managed to grab the last table for four. A few minutes later, the line was out the door! Our waitress brought tea and menus pretty quickly and came back a few minutes later to take our order. My sister and I shared the warm soy milk, which was delicious! Highly recommended! The fish cakes are ok. I didn't order them this time but had it previously. Nothing really special about them.
My parents went with #7, Mi Hai Ky, with thick egg noodle, soup on the side. This came with some pieces of fried garlic, shrimp, fish balls, and fish cake, with cilantro and green onions sprinkled on top. Minus the last two ingredients this dish was yummy - It is very similar to a Burmese dish that is served with fried garlic, garlic infused oil, and shredded pork.
My sister had #22, Hu Tieu Sa Te (Satay Beef Soup), with thin egg noodle soup. This dish was very unique in that it was rather quite thick, with a peanut based sauce. It also had sliced beef that was very tender. It's served with lime and pickled carrots/daikons, and soup on the side. Also recommended.
I had #4, braised duck leg with wonton egg noodle soup. The duck was a combo leg thigh piece and was full of flavor, as was the soup - I think there was star anise in the broth base. It was a tiny bit too salty for me this time. The dish came with about 5 wontons, which were ok. I also recommend this dish if you wanna try something different.
I like eating here because the food is consistent, cheap, and good! The walk through the neighborhood to get here is sketchy, BUT it's worth it.
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To me a good bowl of pho evokes images of a beaten down shack on the side of a street in Saigon. We are talking about large carcasses of pork and beef with the pungent smell of broth wafting through the air. A place where locals gather to slurp large bowls of hearty soup. Where OSHA would have a heart attack if they ever peeked inside the kitchen.
Hai Ky noodle house comes close. I think being in the tenderloin adds to the pho's character. Why the heck do people not like the tenderloin? The broth had a meaty punch though a bit saltier than I wanted. The beef was tender, the noodles firm. Service was quick, akin to a vietnamese short order cook barking out orders during the busiest hours in Saigon.
Pho must have character. It must bring you in, deliver you euphoria, and leave you craving even more. Yes, pho is the new crack and this place delivers.
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I wanted to take my friend to Them Ky next door, but apparently they're closed on Mondays.
First thing I noticed as I walked in, was people eating thick noodles. Yuuum. I love thick noodles. And I can't remember the last time I had those. I ended up getting the Satay Beef with Thick Noodles. It was not bad. It was a bit greasy, but that's satay for you. It comes with a small bowl of broth, which I was very grateful of.
The food was satisfying. But a bit pricey and portions are smaller compared to next door.
I like Vietnamese food.
It's not hard to please me (with food people...) but the ingredients have to be fresh and the broth not too oily. Hai Ky Mi Gia is cheap, delicious and MY GOD have you tasted the warm soy milk? As a card carrying insomniac I think it is good enought to put me asleep like a little baby.
And there is something to be said about the interesting walk through the 'loin that a visit to this restaurant requires. Just a block away I spotted the ubiquitous sign in this neighborhood that said "Don't buy drugs here." And I advise everyone to heed this advice...
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A nice change if you want something soupy and you're sick of all the variations of pho you've eaten.
I've only had the Duck leg with egg noodle soup (Mi Vit Tim), which is super yummy. Very flavorful. Portions are okay; I had room in my tummy for a little more though.
I will be back.
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Growing up in Southern California, I've had my share of Chinese/Vietnamese noodle shops. This place is ALL RIGHT, but nothing special. I ordered the combination glass noodle (#9A) and my bf ordered the beef stew with thick egg noodles (#19?). Both had very fresh and delicious noodles, but the broth for both of these bowls weren't great. My clear broth was as bland as water. While the beef stew tasted all right, it only had 2 pieces of meat and several tendon pieces. If you don't like tendons, then you're in trouble. The prices are on average around $7, which is great. Another thing to note when coming to a place like this, don't come expecting customer service. It's not what they're there for! They are there to feed you, take your money and get you out of there for the next set of customers.
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A favorite place for my family since I was a kid. The hiu tieu here is HEAVEN... I REFUSE to get anywhere else because it won't match up. SO GOOD! The other noodles are really good too. The portions have downsized over the years but haven't many other restaurants. Overall, a must try for people tinkering for Vietnamese food!
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There is something comforting about simplicity.
For example, Take a bowl of noodles from Hai Ky Mi Gia. You got egg noodles, broth and a duck leg. Easy. Light. No fuss... no hassle. It hits the spot just right.
Great broth. The kind where you can slurp the whole bowl without having to dunk your head into a bucket of water for the rest of the day.
This place gets busy during lunchtime but people get in and out quick.
Good noodle house!
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This hole in the wall is a gem. The ingredients are fresh and the place is clean compared to other asian eateries. I find myself there once a week.
wow!! enough said... WOW!!!
I totalllllly love this small restaurant. The noodle is absolutely GREAT and delicious. I can't find another place in town that's comparable to this restaurant when it comes to noodle. I love their fat noodle with duck drumstick and cha ca or fishcake patty. The broth is just right; clear like water but with a heavy taste of chicken still remain. It's not too salty or oily. Everything comes out fast, hot, and fresh. Even their hot soy milk is good unlike other places that I had tried where they totally diluted with water to plain tasteless. The servers here are super nice and very accommodating to your specific need with the item/s you order; again, unlike other places where the first thing out of their mouth is there'll be an extra charge for this and that. I can confidently say that this place is the BEST and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone because I have eaten here at least more than 40+ times since I moved here. It's that GOOD and I am not the type who gives 5 stars that easily without truly eating and appreciating the food. I am also extra picky when it comes to Vietnamese food as I am from there. Prices here are beyond reasonable so no worry if you're on a tight budget too like me. Basically, nothing beats excellent, cheap, fresh, and delicious food.
Lately I have been coming to Hai Ky becuase I am craving their noodle soup. Personally I like the beef ball egg noodle soup, its so yumm! I love how you can eat the soups with their pickled jalepenos to make it a bit spicer. My new goal is to come here for lunch at least once a week for some good cheap soup!
Hai Ky is closed on Weds (I learned that the hard way) and they take cash only.
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Where else can you get lunch for two people for under $20? And GOOD lunch at that??
We used to have a Sunday ritual which included two Hai Ky special noodles, one order of their fried donut and two hot soy milks (it tastes like they make it there, but i'm not positive).
The only down side to Hai Ky is that it gets really packed during prime time lunch time. So try going before or after 12.
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A robust bowl of Vietnamese yum, served at the unassuming Hai Ky Mi Gia in the Tenderloin, this dish ($6.45) is basically an Asian mulligatawny, containing shredded chicken and pork, fish balls, delectable wontons, and strips of Spamlike pressed meat served over a bed of thick or thin egg noodles and doused with one of the most delicious chicken-based broths I've ever had the pleasure of slurping down. (Yes, I tipped the bowl.) Also available in an equally slurpable vit tm version ($6.95), with a whole braised duck leg tossed into the bowl. Difficult to navigate with chopsticks but, I'm proud to tell you, entirely possible.
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I know I rave about this place too much to anyone who will listen. And to my chagrin, each time I finally get to bring someone to try it, they're closed.
My most recent trip was no different:
So I tell Sam T. about this place all week and we're both looking forward to devouring some noodles. When we finally get there, not only is the place all gated up, but there's also this sickly looking guy hurling on the side.
Oh well, at least Them Ky is open.
It's really too bad since everyone should taste how good the noodles are here. I would recommend getting the one with duck leg or the seafood combo, thick egg noodles, and with the soup on the side.
I've often said if this place is only going to serve noodles, it better be some out of this world noodle. And it is.
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This place has some of the best noodles in the city. Everyone talks about how cheap it is, but I would still pay if the prices were higher. I always order the noodles dry, with a bowl of soup and you can wet them however you please. Did that sound wrong? Throw in some hot sauce and it's the best meal of the day. If I'm feeling dangerous, Vietnamese coffee does the trick. Otherwise soy bean milk will do it, if they haven't already run out. Only open for lunch, so be sure to get there before the rush.
after a grueling hike up mount diablo today to the top of one of the peaks, as soon as i stepped off the escalator at BART, i knew what i wanted:
free-range chicken soup with thin egg noodles. in the bowl, there is a combo of white and dark meat with a couple of lime wedges served on the side. the broth is clear, and the only herbs are the few pieces of cilantro leaves gently floating at the top. nothing else. seriously.
the ONLY ingredients!?
-egg noodles
-white and dark chicken meat (with a wing thrown in there for good measure)
-cilantro
-broth
virtually no oil and the chicken broth is one of the most flavorful i have ever tasted outside of my grandmother's kitchen.
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As Jim A. mentioned below. The prices have definitely gone up and a bowl of noodles now start at $5.99 (yes, $6!!!) - hey, that's expensive compared to to good 'o days... Anyhow, I digress...
Good: Name your own noodles, you can make your own combo. My friend's fav is "fish ball, fish slices & pork kidney with [choice] noodles in clear broth with beef stew sauce". Or just order number 1 (hai ky special).
Service: Efficient and fast.
It's a great lunch place and very authentic. I can eat here every day (okay, maybe every other day).
Quick, dirty and delicious.
Closer to Chinese food than Vietnamese.
Oh hai.
Feeld trips from Finanshul Distrik to oh Hai r supr fun.
Noodlez gud.
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Man, I love it when lunch is GOOD and CHEAP. Well, more my honey than me...hehe. Been there twice and he always gets the thick noodles/duck leg/with broth. I always order my noodles dry with the soup on the side. As a side, we have the bo vien (meatballs) in broth--extra delish.
The star of the lunch is my hot soy bean milk.
First time we went there was a short line, but second time, no line. Guess it's hit or miss. Definitely worth the wait.
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UPDATE
Ate there again this past weekend and it was still just as good. Between us, we had the thick egg noodles (dry, with soup on the side) with the duck leg and the free range chicken. Fried fish cakes for appetizers. Food is always consistently good and served hot/fresh.
If you're looking for a good egg noodle soup, look no further, Hai Ky Mi Gia is the place to go! The staff is very friendly and accommodating and they serve an excellent beef and meatball soup. Next time I'm definitely trying the braised duck leg soup. Also on my short list to try are the seafood egg noodle and silver rice noodle soups. If you work anywhere near the tenderloin then definitely have lunch here and if not, well that's what Muni is for!
The "People love us on Yelp" sticker on the door says it all. Everyone does love this place. There is every kind of noodle soup known in the Vietnamese world here. Very authentic and tasty. They give you an ample amount and the soup isn't too salty or sweet. Just the perfect taste. I often just pick up my food from here since its always busy there. Parking is tough, but the food is worth it!
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