Pakwan
| Address: | 3182 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA |
| Phone: | +1 415-255-2440 |
| Site: | pakwanrestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
AS
Ash Sethi
The Punjabi dhabawala with build of a warlord puts his hands to work at lightning speed, sliding a dozen lamb kababs onto piping hot iron skewers that rest over a coal-fired cave which make their juices rush out like the summer monsoons. Friends, strangers, lovers—they bring their plates to the benches and share exotic teas together. There is no pretense, no bouncers whose palms must be greased merely for admission, no shouting over repetitive and obvious rap music while trying to order overpriced liquor for unimpressive women. There is only the sound of others meeting, laughing, enjoying good food—which without question, enjoying what Indians call dhaba style food, such as what they have here, is one of life’s great pleasures that is also the most unappreciated. True, the ambiance is close to zero. The air is perfumed with the smoke from the tandoor. No one comes here for that. Just the North Indian/Pakistani style kebabs. A fine meal lingers on the mind and lips like the perfect kiss. I find this place to be very San Francisco. Is it the healthiest food? Perhaps not. But no lifestyle is more toxic than a diet of indifferently prepared food and evenings idled in colorless houses of noise. I assure you, a Saturday night is better spent in an anonymous dhaba than in the clubs of playboys, for no one is lonely or sad where good food is found. Microwave dinners, canned meals, frozen dishes—gluten free or otherwise—all products of a malevolent conspiracy by lawyers and admen. While this is not ideal for a date, its an experience not to be missed.
JO
Johnny Wang
After getting my car towed (youd think Ive have learned to read street signs after 3 years in the city), and then abandoning the cluster that was Yelp Literati, my friends and I settled on meeting up for food at Pakwan instead, so at least I didnt get towed for nothing at all. I ordered the achar gosht (a supposedly spicy lamb curry) along with an alloo nan. And, I say supposedly because, while the curry certainly had a little kick to it, it was not nearly as spicy as the cashier seemed to be implying. Both the nan and curry had good flavor, but I found the latter a bit lacking in meat and, again, spice. Cash only, and you order your food up front at the cashier. Grab your number, and get your food when they call it! ***Accessibility Info*** Venue - Open and spacious, so no real accessibility issues here. Bathroom - Didnt check them out.
WI
William Le
As of now, Pakwan is the best Indian food Ive had in the city. I came here with my housemates and we all loved the food. The chicken tiki masala was pretty much perfect... spicy but not too spicy and very very flavorful. The lamb biryani was very rich and the rice was perfectly cooked. We also had the creamed spinach with cheese (no idea what its called) and that was surprisingly tasty. The naan (both garlic and chili) was perfectly cooked - crispy on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside. It was pretty much destiny coming here because we had no idea it was cash only so when the cashier told us, we all scrambled through our pockets and ended up having exactly enough cash to pay for the meal. If they accepted pocket lint, I wouldve made it rain in naan. MUST HAVES: Chicken Tiki Masala Garlic Naan Lamb Biryani
AY
Ayele Ajavon
I cant tell you how long Ive been searching for Indian food that is pretty authentic in the bay -- okay, its been as long as Ive lived in the bay (two years!). My friend took me here on Saturday night and it was divine! Its not a traditional restaurant where you sit down and order your food. You order at the counter, grab your number and go sit down until they call your number. The food was good and actually flavorful with spice and heft. You also get tons of food for the price. I got the chicken saag = whoa! So so good! I loved this place so much I went back again on Sunday night for more. Again, I got the chicken saag. I feel like Ive been missing spice from food when I eat out in SF but this place delivered. Im not a Dosa fan because I think its pretty bland food but this place hit the proverbial spot!
VE
Veasna Hang
Ive been here a few times, and I although I believe the food is good, it never stood out among its similar competitors. However, I when I ordered a Lamb Vindaloo to go the other night, I have to say it is a notch higher than some of the other places. Your typical Indian/Pakistani restaurant set up - order at the register, grab some silverware, water/chai, and get a table. All the usual favorites are on their menu. What made the Lamb Vindaloo stand out for me was the Lamb itself. Good portions of good cuts of lamb. Where as other places I have been too usually have tougher cuts, the lamb here was cooked until it was perfectly tender. And it wasnt that Gamey. The Vindaloo itself could have been spicier (i did ask for it spicy).
SI
Sisi Chen
We ordered chicken biryani, lamb chops, lamb with spinach curry, dal, aloo gobi, and a couple of naans. We definitely ordered too much for the two of us but it was so delicious that the only thing we doggy bagged was the biryani (which we ravished for dinner). The lamb chops were the priciest but it was very tender and had a good amount of spice. The aloo gobi was on special and it was tasty and not too memorable. The dal was just fantastic; dont mind the unexciting presentation because it was the best dish out of all that we ordered. The naan was fresh and fluffy; it tasted great with the lamb/spinach and dal. We got our sodas from across the restaurant as they are cheaper. Totally satisfying lunch!
LA
Laura Watson
Solid in every respect - quick, cheap, and tasty. Very very popular place and constantly busy. Always a good sign. Not the most delicious of Indian food as it is quite productionized, but its worthy of the 4 stars. Was disappointing that the same chicken (huge chunks of white meat) are lobbed into the biryani as a good biryani is really best with some darker meat, even better with meat on the bone. Those same chunks are used for the chicken achar, tikka masala etc - so you can see the beginnings of their productionization. Will keep coming back here as it is just as described above - quick, cheap, and tasty!
JE
Jen Johnson
Its not the best Indian food in SF, but its a pretty decent option. You can bring your own alcohol which is nice, and the service is quick. You order at the counter and pick up when your numbers called. I get the saag paneer and its decent. Portion sizes are pretty huge and its hard to stop shoving it into my face, so that cant be a bad thing! All in all, I would say I like it about the same as I like some of the "higher end" Indian food in the neighborhood. The ambiance is pretty lacking but tis great for take-out and its a bit cheaper than other options in the area.
DE
Denise Dang
The Indian food here is decent, though I would disagree with the 4 and 5 star ratings. Perhaps it is one if the few cheap Indian options in the Mission, but the food seemed quality-wise on the level of Naan-N-Curry. As with many Indian establishments, you order at the counter, grab your number, grab plates/utensils and complementary chai tea, and pick a seat. Our food came out fast and hot, which was nice. My chicken tikka masala, however, was semi bland. Naan was perfect, but still, my curry was just mediocre. Perhaps I had too high expectations from reviews...
