05/04/09

Spicy Chinese Food

by ed94105

Henry's Hunan is one of the best Chinese restraunts in the city. You will love it if you like your food spicy. They are always packed at lunch. They offer speedy delivery.

11/12/08

Hunan On Autopilot

by invidia

For two years I've lived in Shanghai, China, the city that gathers the best chefs from the China's provinces at its highly competitive dining scene. I had low expectations for this restaurant. Hunanese do not emigrate; predictably, staff at Henry's spoke Cantonese and the whole venue seemed well past its prime and on autopilot.

Food was plentiful and dull. No other spice touched Henry's Special Shredded Pork except for soy sauce it was sauteed in. Spicy & Hot Cod Filet was larger than you ever get in China (but that's how you try many dishes in one meal) and devoid of any complexity. In Shanghai this would be called 'home-style' and served in street canteens at 4-5 dollars a plate. Unless San Francisco has a secret gem of authentic cooking modestly glowing somewhere in Chinatown, I'll save my appetite for Chinese food till next visit to China.

• Pros: Price, Quantity
• Cons: Cooking

04/05/08

Best Hunan Food in SF - Period!!

by bam924

I am a native San Franciscan, so I don't say this lightly: Henry's is THE BEST Chinese food in the City, Hunan or otherwise. My favorite meal, that I might request on my way to the gas chamber, is Garlic Chicken over white rice. I have taken dozens of friends and colleagues to Henry's on Natoma over the years and have never heard anything other than rave reviews for every dish on the menu. The dumplings are also out of this world. Just try Henry's once and you will be hooked.

By the way, the service must have improved since these other reviews because the restaurant is family owned and run and the service has always been good for me. They have a busy lunch crowd because they have earned it with incredible food. To avoid the crowds, go for lunch or dinner on Saturday or Sunday, or order take out.

• Pros: Tasty food and large portions at reasonable prices
• Cons: none

Spicy and sour, the traditional Hunan dishes at this Chinese mini-chain have a faithful following in each of five SF locations.

by Contributor

Being closer to the hustle and bustle of downtown, this location is a busier lunchtime spot than, say, the Noe Valley venue. But the menu that's made Henry's an SF classic stays on par: giant plates of noodles, smoked meats (made on premises in the traditional regional style), stir-fried veggies and braised fish all doused generously in garlic, salt and spice--the little flecks of chili seeds dotting almost every plate. Spice-sissies need not worry though, as even the hottest dishes are not unbearable, and almost everything can be ordered mild or medium on request.

11/10/06

The Michael Jordan of Hunan Cuisine.

by dan_rather

I don't even know how to begin. Henry's Hunan is by far, the best chinese (hunan style) food in SF....and probably the U.S. How am I so confident? Every single visitor, friend, acquaintance, boss, wife, mistress have all confirmed my belief. The food is spicy and tasty. Healthy, I don't know about all that. Service? Ask for Eddie. Dish? Kung Pao Chicken & Henry's Special. Should Henry pay me for these fabulous reviews? Yes, but I would decline the monetary reward and simply request buckets of the Kung Pao to dump over my head.....ahhhhh.....the good life. On a serious note, visit this place and find out for yourself. Again, ask for Eddie. Lunch crowd is wayyyyy crowded (hence the negative reviews). Go for dinner and go for the food....it's not Asia de Cuba.

• Pros: Some chefs/cooks just get it - Hunan Style
• Cons: Not open 24hrs

10/26/06

Call ahead at lunch

by resren

The single only complaint at lunch time is that it's too popular. Call ahead if you're in a hurry and order. They'll fax you a menu. I can't think of a single other negative thing to say. The hot/sour soup is simply the best, the tastes are alive and fresh and Jeff, the owner, will do anything for you that you ask. IF you're bothered by bare bones ambience then order and do take out. We bring in their food regularly for our clients and they rave, rave, rave about it.

• Pros: Wonderful, fresh and tasty. If you like spicy ask for it and you'll love it.
• Cons: Basic fluorescent light, formica place but it's a nice change from all the pomp nearby.

05/05/05

Greatest Hunan Cuisine in USA

by ronaldreaganruinedusa

Phenomenal Food. Great service. Staff treats regular customers like family. The first restaurant my out of town relative seek out when visiting SF is Henry's. You have to like spicy food to appreciate Henry's. If you do-there is nowhere better. Simple things like potstickers-"dumplings" on Henry's menu-are made to perfection. Smoked Ham dishes are great as is everything on the menu.

12/02/04

Wasted my lunch hour, starving

by ishen

I like the food at the place, but the service was pretty terrible. I wasted my lunch hour waiting there with a friend and then left an hour later hungry.

07/05/03

tasty

by robertsandler

excellent, tasty, and spicy hunan food. go later - you'll wait a long time for a lunch table.

also, go with a group because portions are huge and you'll want to share.

• Pros: tasty, big portions, good value
• Cons: long wait at lunch

04/07/03

Mmmmmmmmmm

by lisabagg

Henry's is simply one of the best, cheapest, most tasty restaurants around. It gets super busy at lunchtime, and your service will probably be lousy, but you will get a great Chinese meal that will have you finding yourself waiting in line again the next week.