The Chairman

XXXcellent food.
Whether you’re young, broke, and hungry or a wealthy business person ready to grab some grub this is the place!
Okay. First of all I would like to call out all the snobby people who keep talking about this being a bad neighborhood. Please keep in mind that this business is in a neighborhood full of working families who just so happen to love by some drug dealers. If you can’t handle the freak’n ten minute walk from the bus station into the wonderful TL DONT COME HERE. YOURE SNOBBY ASS CAN’T HANDLE THIS DELICIOUSNESS IN YOU MOTHERF-​ING mouth anyway. So if I read one more remark about your scrawny self being scared, I’m gonna send your sad self to prison. You’ll be real scared then!
Alright, after that tangent here comes my review on the food.
I don’t eat meat so I love their tempeh bao or their fried tofu bok chop bao. I get the baked bun because I can eat but if you’re looking for a snack this is a good idea too. The noodle bowl is yummy. Comes with a sesame dressing that might have some miso in it.
My boyfriend likes to get the coca-​cola bun which he loves. It’s packed with flavor and the meat just melts in your mouth.
I love the siracha they put on the sides.
ALSO, get an order of their won-​ton chips. They’re on fleek. Like the waitresses brows.
Shoutout to cashiers all the time. You make my day playing that J-​Lo. Throwback slaps.

*Waka Flocka voice* BAO, BAO, BAO, BAO, BAO, BAO, BAO!
Delicious flavors packed in soft buns (hehe)! Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either one. Looks may be deceiving so, yes they look small, but just two and a side got me more than satisfied. Not feeling for a bun? It’s all good because they have rice bowls. Same ingredients, but just more packed with rice. My friend got the Pork Belly bowl– she loved it, I loved it, the end.
Also, you HAVE to get the Wonton Chips as a side! It’s so good, that I just had to leave with two more bags. Yeah, they may look like just regular ‘ol wonton chips, but damn are they addicting. The nori and the citrus salt they use is so good together. They also use the same for their fries.
One more thing to add, the space is small. Be prepared to find a place to go eat your food if it gets too crowded.
Easily one of the many best foodventures I had in SF!

The Chairman delivers through Caviar! Which means you don’t have to trek all the way to the Tenderloin (or hunt down their truck!)! Instead you can eat your food in the office cafeteria and make all your colleagues jealous over your delicious Asian fusion.
Our shared spread: six piece chicken wings, rice bowl with spicy chicken, seasonal greens bowl with shortrib, and 4 different steamed buns for us to split. For the rice bowl, definitely upgrade to Chairman rice, which includes lentils, bulgar and adzuki beans. Also, add extra pickled vegetables. Always add extra pickled vegetables, that’s my life advice to you.
The baos were the best thing we ordered. If you’re coming here or ordering from here– GET THE STEAMED BAOS. The buns are so soft and fresh, the meat is super tender, and there’s the perfect amount of sauce, cilantro and pickled veggies to make things interesting. Wings were awkward to eat and weren’t very tender — I wasn’t a fan.
Those steamed baos though…

Definitely one of my favorite new finds through a friend. The giant panda head logo with the red Chinese patriotic style stripes is impactful. The atmosphere inside is cozy, but expect nothing fancy as far as décor. It’s set up for you to eat and that’s what really makes this place shine.
I ordered the braised pork on a steam bun and a braised beef on a baked bun to sample both. I believe they were the same price.
The braised pork was perfect, fatty, dripping with umami, slightly sweet and savory. The pickled radish on top adds another layer of mouth watering goodness, it compliments the pork well. And the steamed bun which is more like a mini fluffy white pancake folded around the meat and pickles, open top like a taco.
The bun was just enough, plus soft, with a very slight sweetness, like white rice.
The braised beef was also delicious, definitely a heartier, thicker cut than the pork and the baked bun was a cross between a brioche and Hawaiian sweet bread, it’s probably one or the other. The bun may have been too much filler, the steamed bun is a better choice if you don’t want to get full after one. I just got lost in takin this bad boy down. The beef was also super tender, like it was slow cooked. They also have Sriracha as the one condiment, and in this case it was the only option necessary, just to give it that spicy kick!

Oh the BAO… steamed is the way to go. The baked ones look like a hamburger. My friend took the top bun off of hers because there was too much bread interfering with the yummy goodness inside. Or she was just cutting down on carbs — regardless, go with the steamed bun.
The service when we went was pretty bad. The person at the register didn’t seem like she knew what she was doing. It probably took about a minute for a customer to tell her what they wanted but she took about 10 minutes to complete the order. Most of the time was spent staring at the register.
Anyway, I ordered the pork belly (a must!) and the coca-​cola braised pork. The pork belly was so juicy and fatty and delicious! The coca-​cola braised pork was okay. I regretted not ordering the short rib bao. At ~$ 4 per bao, it can get a bit pricey if you intend to try one of each in one sitting but they’re so delicious…

More like a 4.5 but deserves to be rounded up to a 5.
My friend tried all four meat selections steamed while I could only handle 2. We didn’t want to try baked because it was pricier and from the Unilocal pictures it looks like a hamburger. The bao is a different experience and probably not as filling so we could stomach more baos.
My friend says the pork belly is tender and juicy, the best of the four. Second place is the flavorful short ribs. Then according to him, braised pork is better than the spicy chicken. I had to set him straight, it’s the other way around. The chicken is soft to bite into and matches well with the sauce and bread. Braised pork was too salty that it was overwhelming. But overall they were all quite good.
Service is nice. The cashier was sociable and even walked by to ask us if we liked the food.
But keep in mind it’s not easy to find parking here and there’s not a lot of seating. Should probably take it to go.

I’ve always loved their food truck, so why not try it out at their restaurant location?
I’m glad I did because it was delicious! I decided to try the rice bowl which comes with a generous amount of pickled daikon, mushrooms, cucumbers, & tempura flakes to give it a nice crunch. I also added the coco cola braided pork ($ 2.5) and a fried egg ($ 2). The pork was soft and moist and I loved the sauce that was on it.
I also tried out their lychee jelly garlic lemonade and it was pretty legit.
5 stars!

Gosh, I love me a mantou. Pillows of soft chewy bread. A great vehicle for food. Well, after doing some research in the area as we were about to see a show at the Orpheum, we decided to come in a little earlier to get lunch. We decided to try out the brick and mortar spot for the Chairman as I’ve heard so much about the food truck that I had to try it out. The pricing is a little crazy though, a bit steep but I can’t judge yet as I hadn’t eaten one of their buns. So we decided on four for a sampler, one short rib, one pork belly, one braised pork, and one spicy chicken. Out of the four, I would say the braised pork was the winner but each had a pretty good balance of flavors and toppings that made sense with the meat they went with.
I forgot to mention seating, there are a few seats lined along the walls so grab one! A huge group might be a bit difficult to eat here though. There’s also a bathroom which is nice.
In the end, yes it was worth it but walking to the spot was a bit shady. Lots of homeless folks and cat calls galore… scared.

This stuff is good. Love the bao. Is similar to the Vancouver BC Bao Down. Came here after searching onling for a bao place. This is it. Awesome delicious. It’s so fresh good. Got the pork belly daikon bao steam and the black current soda. The black current soda tasted like black current virgin mojito. So refreshing .
Only problem here no free wifi and no free parking. As well the place is super small. Not a lot of seating. There are some seats by the window and against the wall. So most people stand and eat. But it’s quick food. Eat and go.
Will come back. Love this place. Décor clean and nice and trendy. The just opened six months ago.

I wandered here for lunch one day because one can only have salad and potato chips so many days out of the week. Beware that it’s located in the not so good part of town and you will face many obstacles as you pass through the Tenderloin. However, I got two baos; the pork belly and coca-​cola braised pork. I just really like pig.
Pork belly bao was what I expected. It was braised well and the fat melted with every bite. The turmeric infused daikon really helped cut out the richness and made everything balanced. Coca-​cola braised pork bao had really good flavor to it. A little bit of sweet from all the sugar in the coke and some salty from the pork. My biggest gripe is that they run a bit on the smaller size and you’d have to eat a few of these to fill you up right. I guess that’s how they get you to keep coming back for more.

Wait I can have pork belly baos every day at one location and dont have to chase the truck around??? I am in!
Before I would have to check the truck schedule and drive up to the next food truck throwdown, but not anymore. We are free to come here as often as we want to indulge on the sweetness of marinated pork belly complimented with the sourness of the radishes.
I dream of Pork Belly Baos :)

I stopped by The Chairman for the first time on a Saturday for lunch while visiting San Francisco. I was able to find metered street parking relatively close by for $ 3/​hour. The Chairman is also located right in the Tenderloin, so it’s a rough area that can be scary/​intimidating to walk through even during the day. I try to be extra careful of my surroundings when I am walking around here.
It’s definitely still worth a visit though despite the rough neighborhood! I was pleased that they had several vegetarian options available and ordered both of the vegetarian baos and a rice bowl. All of my food was delicious and unlike food I’ve had anywhere else. If you like Asian Fusion food, then you will love this place!
I definitely plan on coming back!

I just ordered dinner from here
So fab!
I ordered the miso cured tofu bao steamed and the pink guava soda.
My food came to me so fast.
The tofu looks like a fried fish cutlet.
It is such a fresh tasting dim sum snack.
Very modern, hip, and new .
The pink guava soda on the other hand I didn’t care for too much.
I gotta go back here and try the baked tofu version and try the lemonade … So I definitely will be back !

Don’t let me into your house; I’ll eat everything that isn’t nailed down. Don’t let me into your baos; I’ll order everything that isn’t vegetarian. #hideyaappshideyaentrees
Taste: 4 stars
Price vs Portion: ehhhhh…
Overall: 3 ½
(^_​^) Tender Pork Belly $ 3.75
(^_​^) Braised Beef Short Rib $ 5.75
(^_​^) Spicy Chicken $ 3.25
(^_​^) Coca-​Cola Braised Pork $ 3.75
(^_​^) Ginger Lemonade $ 4
Glad I got everything that didn’t have the words tofu or tempeh in it; any fewer and dinnertime would’ve abbreviated to snacktime.

I have been wanting to try The Chairman for quite a while now, and when my friend told me they finally opened up their own stationary spot, I was thrilled! I absolutely love their baos! I highly recommend their Tender Pork Belly Bao and Coca-​Cola Braised Pork Bao! The meat was tender and savory and melted in my mouth. The flavors of the pickled daikon on the pork belly and the cabbage on the Coca-​Cola braised pork worked so well together. Every bite was just as amazing as the last. I also tried their Kennebec Potato Fries, which were a bit on the saltier side, but still pretty delicious. This place is tiny, clearly not great for large groups. It’s definitely hard to find available tables so plan accordingly.
Can’t wait to come back and try their other baos!

Despite the sketchy area, I was pretty excited to try this place out. I haven’t had the chance to try their truck, do coming here was a treat!)
My-​coworker and I both got their rice bowls. I ordered the spicy chicken rice bowl, but when I arrived back to the office, I found out that they gave me the pork belly instead! Oh well! I wasn’t complaining.
Everything about the bowl was just delicious!!! There was tons of flavor coming from pickled daikon. The cucumbers provided great crunch to the dish. (which was not spicy at all.) I really wished they included more pork, because I had so much rice left over! and I even broke up my pieces of pork to last longer. haha. The rice I noticed was a «fatter» grain and definitely filling.
I will definitely want to come back and try their baos!

To be honest, I really came here for their Bao Coco-​Cola braised pork because it sounded cool. But they have other good stuff here as well.
What’s ordered:
Crispy Tempeh– Its roasted carrot purée, chili pickled burdock and hijiki seaweed. I chose this in baked. Good portion, everything was housed between the golden bread bun. This one has no meat and it’s not as tasty, but you do taste a hint of carrots. Also after a bite you taste the fluffy insides, not bad at all.
Rice Bowl with choice of Beef Short Ribs– Its picked daikon, spicy cucumbers, marinated mushrooms, furikake, daikon sprouts and tempura flakes. Without the meat, the bowl would be pure vegetarian but you gotta have the beef short ribs with this, they were awesome! The rice was kinda like bibimbap and was really good. The words for this one is Tasty and healthy, delicious!
Baos (steam buns):
Spicy Chicken– Sesame purée, cilantro, pickled carrots and cucumber. The chicken of course would be dry. I liked the pickled carrots in them but this one was okay.
Coco-​Cola Braised Pork– Cabbage, garlic mayo and mustard seeds. The braised pork in them was worthy. This was really good and tasty with a hint of flavor. Also its everyone’s favorite and it also became mines as well.
When getting the Baos in steamed buns ($ 3.25) the portions are small and can be quick bites, but what’s inside them is what counts and that’s good enough for me. You also have the option in getting these sandwiched in a baked bun (up to $ 6.75), if you want to add filling to your belly.
I’ve tried a few cross-​over food truck to restaurant eats, and by far this one is one of my top of the list destinations.

One of my culinary loves in San Francisco is the steamed tofu bun from The Chairman truck. When I heard that they opened a brick & mortar location near my office, I knew I had to visit.
I ordered the noodle bowl with tofu to go, and when I picked it up, my first thought was how heavy it was! That thought was literal at first. But at first bite, I realized that the dish was heavy in the figurative sense. It was delicious, by all means. The flavors went well together, and the tofu was fried to perfection. But the sesame purée was mayonnaise-​esque in texture, so I started to feel the weight after eating a fourth of it. I did finish it though because I like to follow through.
I definitely want to come back to try a rice bowl, and get a steamed tofu bun on the side.

I am normally not a fan of delivery fees of more than a dollar or two but the $ 4.95 fee that The Chairman charges is probably a good thing– otherwise I would probably order from here constantly. It’s actually also a walking distance from my apartment so I’m sure I will make a stop there in person soon also.
I love any sort of bao or the soft, slightly sweet buns and the ones from here were some of the best. I ordered one each of the pork belly and the coca-​cola pork. Both were so well put together– perfectly cooked and seasoned meat, wonderful flavor combinations, presented really nicely even though it was delivery. Also got the short rib rice bowl, and couldn’t resist adding an egg on top. Again, really amazing stuff. Even though it was delivered, the food was still pretty warm and I loved every bite.
Get over to The Chairman asap for some ridiculously good food. Word is they are adding beer soon too. That should make it even better.

Saw this across the street after already eating lunch at Phở 2000 and even though we were stuffed, just had to stop by for a bun (or two)…
Just like fried chicken, if there’s pork belly on the menu, I’m gonna order it. So we went with the pork belly and the braised pork and dang, the flavors were amazing. Amazing. The juicy meat to the sauces to the pickles and top seasonings, all wrapped in a steamed bun. This is definitely on par with the original Baohaus in NYC which is one of my all time favorite places. And total was only around $ 8! Good snack or meal for one if you’re not too hungry :)

Este sitio me encanto! es un sitio para visitar la comida es muy rica y fresca.