San Francisco Salad

Stopped by at 11am to try them out, only to see a post it note on the door saying be back at 1045. I guess they forgot about the lunch crowd.

Working close by, I came here to try it out. Once I got the soul and salad combo (with tortilla soup since it was recommended by Unilocalers). The combo salad was good, but I did not care for the tortilla soup. It was kind of spicy and needed more sour cream or something.
Today, I got a tall cup of the salad with apples on it (I forget what it’s called) with sesame house dressing… This salad tasted fresh and was pretty filling :) I also tried the tomato basil soup (which I liked way better than the tortilla). While they do give you a piece of bread (I opted for sourdough), I wish they gave a bigger piece lol.
Overall, the ⁴⁄₅ star review is for the salads mainly. I really wish they rotated soups or had creamier soups on the menu (like chowders. After all, chowders are common in «San Francisco» right??)

This place is very convenient for those who work downtown and need to grab a quick bite to eat. The salads are SF themed (by name) and most include some type of meat which gives it some heft… enough for a lunch on a day you’re not starving. I usually go for the Grant Ave. because I love mandarin oranges. I’d recommend getting the house sesame dressing to go with it.
Service is friendly and the lines are usually not too long around noon.

One of my new year’s resolutions is to lose weight… while still eating good-​tasting food that won’t hurt my wallet. San Francisco Salad definitely meets all three criteria.
They have a variety of salads and soups to choose from. If you get a regular/​full-​sized salad, it will be less than $ 8. And we’re not talking about tiny, salads that will barely keep your hunger at bay, but a legit salad that is considered a meal. Their soup and salad combo includes a half salad and either a cup (12 oz) or bowl (16 oz) of soup. This combo is less than $ 8.
I’ve tried the Union Square, which is a Caesar salad (includes grilled chicken, croutons, and cheese). It’s classic and tastes good with the Hawaiian balsamic vinaigrette (the difference between a regular balsamic vinaigrette and the Hawaiian balsamic vinaigrette is the spices they include with the Hawaiian balsamic vinaigrette). My favorite is the Grant Avenue, which is an oriental chicken salad, with the house dressing, which is a sesame, slightly sweet dressing. The Grant Avenue comes with grilled chicken, fried won ton chips, mandarin oranges, and walnuts. I absolutely loved the crunch of the fried won tons and walnuts with the taste of the sesame dressing.
I also tried their soups, which are delicious. While their tomato basil soup is good, my favorite soup is the Italian sausage and potato. The soup is a chicken stock with pieces of Italian sausages, which flavors the stock and the potatoes with a kick of spice. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and always tender. The potatoes and sausage make this soup a filling meal. In addition, the soup comes with bread and butter. One of my favorite soups to order when I’m cold or coming down with a cold.
The prices are very reasonable for the amount of food that is provided and it’s good, healthy food too! If you’re ever in town during lunch on a weekday, definitely check this place out.

The salads are sooooooo fresh and delicious. I get the sesame dressing with chicken breast salad. I have been going for 6 years now. It never gets boring. Theirs soups are good but Im a huge fan of the salads.

If you are downtown and looking for a great salad, or bowl of soup, or both!, San Francisco Salad Company will not disappoint.
The only down side is that the salads are pre-​made so there are absolutely no additions or substitutions. The salads are generously portioned — so much so that I usually eat half of my salad for lunch and the other half for dinner. Having said that, my husband eats one salad in one sitting (remember to get an extra dressing if you like salad with your dressing like my hubby. I think its $ 0.25 for an extra dressing). The salads are made daily which means they are fresh, but once they sell out, that’s it! So pretty much what you see in the display window is all they have for the day. If you see a line out the door, don’t let that intimidate you — the line moves fast.
All of the salads are named after places/​neighborhoods in San Francisco which makes it especially fun if you know San Fran. My favorite salad is the Grant Avenue ($ 6.95) which is a Chinese chicken salad. It has romaine/​red leaf/​spinach, mandarin oranges, chicken, walnuts and crispy won ton strips. I highly recommend the house dressing which is the sesame based one. Not only is the house dressing good with the Grant Avenue, it pairs really well with the Ashbury salad ($ 6.15) which has romaine/​red leaf/​spinach with tofu, red grape tomatoes, Japanese cucumbers. The other salads I like are the Union Square (Chicken Caesar Salad), the Marina (salad topped with salmon and capers, black olives, and lemon wedges), and the South of Market which is basically a Waldorf salad (chunks of fuji apples, cubes of chicken — the house dressing goes really well with this salad too). All of the salads average $ 6.50 -$ 8.00, except for the Marina with is just under $ 10.00
The choices for salad dressings (from memory, there might be more) are as follows: Sesame deluxe (house dressing), Ranch, French, Blue Cheese, Thousand Island, Hawaiian balsamic and Creamy Caesar
Besides yummy salads, SFSC does really good soups. My all time favorite is the Tortilla Soup. It is made with tomatoes, shredded chicken, onions, garlic, roasted peppers, with a dollop of sour cream, Monterrey jack cheese, fresh cilantro (I ask for extra cilantro), and tortilla strips (my friends asks for them on the side because she doesn’t like them soggy). You can tell this soup is made from scratch because while it is consistently delicious, it is just a little different each time — sometimes its a little spicier than others. Sometimes there are more chunks of chicken, and other times its more shredded. This is a spicy soup and sometimes it has an extra kick. I have tried to ask for the recipe but the employees assure me that the recipe is not shared with them either! The other soup I tried and enjoyed was the Chicken and Rice with Fennel. I haven’t tried the tomato-​basil yet, but I intend to. There are two sizes for soup — a cup (@$ 4.00) or a bowl (@$ 5.00). Either way, you get to choose a free bread roll — choices are french, sourdough, ciabatta and whole wheat, — all come with a pat of butter. Try dipping a buttered piece of sour dough in your tortilla soup… yummerz!
Can’t choose between a soup or salad? — get the combo! You choose cup or bowl, which soup you want and dressing. It comes with a side salad which is lettuce, tomato, and Japanese cucumber.
There is no inside seating, but there is some seating outside which is shared with the surrounding eating establishments.
They take a credit card, and the employees are super friendly! If you have been curious about San Fransicso Salad Company or ever wondered why there is a line out the door, I encourage you to try it.

Good salads. The winner is their soup & salad combo. It’s a simple side salad, choice of dressing, and then either a cup or bowl of one of their four savory soups.

Besides the name of the restaurant and names of the salads, there is nothing San Franciscan about this place. I sound like a snob. Oh well, I blame SF for making me a salad snob.
I got the «South of Market Salad» (No one says «South of Market»), which had romaine lettuce, spinach, fuji apples, and grilled chicken breast. The lettuce wasn’t that fresh — I had to pick out a lot of bruised/​yellow greens from the box. I also am a fuji apple snob. The apple slices did not taste like fuji to me — maybe it’s the special Hawaiian kick. A typical SF salad place would offer other green types, i.e. kale (my favorite!), but this place only really had regular lettuce.
I also ordered a lasag — wait, I ordered a chicken tortilla soup, but it tasted like a lasagna soup. Don’t get me wrong. It was quite delicious, but it wasn’t chicken tortilla. I got a piece of sourdough bread with the soup — it wasn’t sour at all.
Why still 3 stars? If you look past the SF element and see it as a regular salad place — it offers a good selection, huge portions, reasonable price.

Ever go to a place and it sucks so you stop going and then after a long time you forgot it sucked so you try it again and turns out it still sucks?
That was me today… I though hmmm I haven’t eaten San Fran Salad in a long time… I’m going to try it. I ate the soup and salad combo which is a no doubt a great deal if you like food with no taste. .There is absolutely nothing unique about the salads and the tomato basil soup taste like water. I’d honestly rather pay 2 times as much for a super delicious salad and soup across the street. The highlight of that lunch was the taro roll that I could have bought at longs.
This time I’m putting it in a review so I remember that i don’t like it here at all.

You can spend your entire life looking for the perfect soup for your sandwich. You can visit countless restaurants and delis, ask your friends to set you up, or even search online. There may be dreary moments when you settle for a lukewarm bowl of Campbell’s or even swear off soup forever! Don’t give up! Don’t lose hope! Sometimes, the love of your lunch is right in front of you.
With a lonely sandwich for lunch, I found my way to Bishop Square’s San Francisco Salad and ordered a Small Tortilla Soup. At $ 3.95, I was skeptical. What a cheap date! But then, as I inhaled the tangy smell of spices, lime, and cilantro, I thought… Could this be?! It was love at first slurp.
With strips of chicken, gooey cheese, vibrant lime flavors, fresh cilantro, and tortilla strips that meld into the soup, the Tortilla Soup at San Francisco Salad is truly my sandwich soul mate! Paired with a hunk of fresh bread, it is a great partner to your existing lunch or a filling lunch on its own. Stop by and meet your soulmate! It’s waiting for you…

The owners, Eric and Phil, have been running this small but extremely popular downtown shop for quite sometime. They always use the freshest product and hand craft every salad in the early morning. Their soup hits the spot and their salad leaves you satisfied but not feeling bloated. Their best deal is probably the «Soup and Salad» combo. You get a bowl of soup (tortilla soup!) and a small side salad with your choice of dressing (Sesame!) for about $ 8.
They have various types of salads named off of the streets of San Francisco. South of the Market, Union Square, and Grant Avenue are just a few to be named. Each one has their own specialized ingredients that could include apples, tangerines, or pieces of chicken.
The soup here is a no brainer as their tortilla soup is the most gratifying. They do have other options such as tomato basil and potato soup, but make no mistake that the tortilla soup is the best.
Overall a solid spot for the workers of downtown. They aren’t open on the weekends but they see so much business during the week that I don’t think they need it.

Their salad and soup combo is one of the best deals you can get on lunch in downtown. For under $ 7 you get a small salad, soup, and bread with butter.
The salad consists of your standard greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber. There are 4 different soups to choose from: tomato basil, chicken & rice, tortilla, and spicy Italian sausage. The spicy Italian is not listed on their menu above the cash register but they do have it! You can also choose from a variety of salad dressings (sesame, Italian, balsamic, blue cheese, etc.) and bread choices (French, sourdough, potato roll, etc).
It’s a nice healthy lunch :)!

Like everyone else, I’m a fan of the chicken tortilla soup. I prefer it without the lump of sour cream.
The salads are pretty tasty though. I would, however, agree with other assessments that claim it is more leaf than anything else. This does not deter people though. The line is out the door at lunch.
At the end of the workday, they put their salads on sale. I haven’t bought any, but sometimes I am tempted to.
Still, every time I come back, I always opt for the soup.

This is not a review on the quality of the food but the quality of the owners character. I had an interview on the 27^th of this month. During my interview with Phil, we discussed a few things but there was a moment when I felt very uncomfortable. He seemed to have an issue with me dressing appropriately for my interview. To give you a visual; I wore a black dress to my knees– absolutely no cleavage showing, black peep toe pumps, and a black thin waist belt with a gold buckle. My hair was down but not in my face. No accessories except a ring similar to an engagement ring on my left hand. No heavy makeup. Just eyelashes, eyeliner and light lipgloss.
I understand Hawaii is a very laid back place but regardless of anything you should dress appropriately. What was I supposed to wear? Tshirt and jeans? Anyway he told me that I looked too classy. he asked me if I was offered the position would I be able to «tone down». He asked me if I could basically not wear lashes. He also made it a point to state that the position didn’t require heels which was very obvious. The situation was very disconcerting.
First of all, I applied for a cashier position at a salad shop so of course I know that heels wouldn’t be worn, and that I wouldn’t need to «dress up». I appear to be too classy? I applied to work at a restaurant. I have bills like everyone else. Now, I already have a position and I was looking for a second position. I wear nice Nike sneakers, black slacks, and a polo at my other job. I’m not fancy there either but during my interview there I dressed appropriately. I have experience, great communication skills, and I’m a smart young lady. I work hard because I don’t know how to survive any other way.
Maybe I’m confused which I highly doubt but I will not apologize for maintaining myself and dressing appropriately. I’m a lady before I’m anything and I do take care of myself. This is the first time I ever went through this and I’m honestly just irritated by the whole thing. I felt judged. That is not okay with me.
Despite my interview experience, I will give 2 stars for the food because its good.

This is one of the best places go get a great well-​balanced lunch downtown.
My favorite go-​to lunch is the soup and salad combo, which comes with a garden salad and a choice of one of several soups ranging from Tortilla, Basil Tomato, Chicken Fennel or Italian Sausage. For this combo, they also throw in a slice of bread from ciabatta, french, whole wheat or sour dough. My favorite is the latter, which has been in very limited if not out of supply the last few months due to a sourcing issue. Last time i visited they started serving sour dough again. It’s probably the best place to get sour dough downtown. I wish they sold it by the loaf.
Center stage here is the variety of salads they serve. All are fresh and delicious. Some of my favorites are the Chinese Chicken Salad with mandarin oranges, grilled chicken and sesame topping with their House (Oriental Dressing), the he South of Market with Romaine, cucumber, crisp apples and grilled chicken.
This is a great choice downtown especially when you feel like «clean eating.»

San Francisco Salad is my go-​to lunch stop downtown during the week. For under $ 10 I can get a big bowl of soup, a salad, a piece of bread with butter, and a canned drink. Soooo much yumminess!
There are two locations, one in Pioneer Plaza and one on Bishop. This review is for both, as I’ve tried both and had similar awesome service and food at each.
I *always* get the lunch combo: side salad with your choice of dressing, your choice of bread with butter, and a soup (either cup or bowl, depending on how much you want to spend). I used to always get a bowl because it is THAT good, but I’ve gotten a cup the last few times to save a buck and it’s more than enough food. The tomato soup is super creamy and rich, it is the best!!! They always ask if I want cilantro in it, so you crazy cilantro haters can bypass that. I always get it and they load in the deliciousness. The side salad is basic but consistently good. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and a dressing of your choice. They also give you a roll or piece of bread of your choice, some choices include ciabatta, potato roll, sourdough, etc.
This is a nice healthy and filling combo, not to mention super affordable downtown lunch. Service is always fast and friendly, and they take cards. I’ve been hooked!

This place is great if you want a reasonably priced, light, and low-​caloried lunch. It’s not great if you are hungry and need more substance.
They have a selection of deeeelicious soups that come with a nice big chunk of bread. I usually get the chicken fennel soup with sourdough bread, but I’ve tried a couple of the other soups and bread and they were good too. Especially the toritilla soup!
Honestly not a fan of their salads… the salads are very fresh and they have a wide variety of dressings, but the salads are packed full of romaine and not much else. The chicken is nicely seasoned, but there just isn’t very much of it, and you WILL be left hungry if you only eat this salad.
They have a soup and salad combo, but it’s too bad they don’t have sandwiches or something else with a little more substance.
They are usually open pretty late; I still see them open around 5 – 6. I think to get rid of their soup and salads (there is a sign advertising 50% salads).

I ordered their chinese chicken salad and tortilla soup.
The cashier, an elderly gentleman, was extremely polite and pleasant to deal with. It helps with the overall experience when the first person you encounter in a business greets and treats you well.
I found the chinese chicken salad lacking in flavor. I probably will not order this salad here again. Just so you have a frame of reference, Royal Kitchen & CPK’s are my par for chinese chicken salad… Something is missing with the salad – perhaps the dressing is not quite right because the ingredients are fresh.
I did enjoy the tortilla soup. It is as good as other Unilocalers have raved about. I could eat this soup every week. It is so good that I will probably come back here for lunch tomorrow and order a large bowl of the tortilla soup (only got a small cup so that I could sample it…) or even try a different soup…
Update:
I came back here the next day to try a different soup. I thought the Tomato Basil soup was OK. When comparing to the Tortilla soup, the Tomato Basil one needs more substance & texture. The flavor was good though – just paled in comparison to the Tortilla soup.

I like the…
— Tortilla soup
— Tomato and basil soup
— Italian sausage and potato soup
…choose any soup for their soup and salad combo… add their amazing Hawaiian Balsamic dressing, choose a bread:
— French
— Sourdough
— Ciabatta
— Wheat
and your total is $ 7.70 (including tax)!
Umm… yummm!
Tip: come early! Salads are ready made, soups run out fast!

Let’s be honest, downtown is somewhat lacking when it comes to quick, «healthier,» and affordable food options. San Francisco Salads offers just that a quick grab and go soup and salad at fairly reasonable prices that don’t make you cringe.
Their salads aren’t that wowing or all that special, besides the playful San Francisco names that they place on them. However I have yet to be truly disappointed by them either. I’m sure 10% of the price is to call it «South of Market» or «The Grant «salads. In either case, the lettuce was well cut and fresh, while the dressings and toppings are a great complement to make what could be a boring and mundane meal somewhat interesting.
The soups are sips (is sip the right word here?) of goodness on a cold day. While I certainly found the tomato basil to be vibrant and fresh, the chicken with rice was simply so-​so and just missed the cut. The tortilla soup is certainly what I come here for with the bites of crunch tortilla chips complemented by a dollop of sour cream and fresh vegetables that just overall work together in a beautiful harmony. It is a nice blend of flavors and textures that all together work to make a very nice soup.
Service is efficient. Note, I said efficient. You will certainly be in and out of the shop in quick fashion if you know what you want. Please do know what you want or figure it out by the time you get to the head of the line or your fellow patrons may become upset with you. You place your order and in less than 2 minutes, you will have your meal and be done with the whole affair and on you way. For us downtown’ers it is definitely appreciated.
So for that quick grab and go lunch to be on your way… San Francisco Salad Company is certainly a good option.