Dinosaurs Vietnamese Sandwiches

And here I thought the Pacifica location was small. Guess I was wrong. I didn’t even realize we were there when we arrived because the ordering area was so easy to miss.
The food here is just as delicious as the other location, but the service here is much faster. I suppose they had to compensate for their small size somehow. At ~$ 8 it’s more expensive than your standard banh mi, however it is still filling nonetheless and easily shareable between two people. There’s a few tables outdoors to eat, but I can imagine it being very cold majority of the time so your best bet would probably be just to take it to go.
Tip: Make sure you check in! There’s a 10% off discount that I didn’t see until after I had already ordered u_​_​u

Not bad sandwiches and very quick to serve. Will come back.

You’ll miss this place if you don’t keep an eye out. It’s a little shack right next to the optometry next door. You literally order through this tiny window. There’s a couple chairs right outside to enjoy your meal. Meter parking everywhere.
There aren’t that many selections on the menu. They are a little more unique in terms of banh mi — they’ve got flavors like shaking beef and a Filipino kare kare. I decided to go with the shaking beef.
At first I was excited because my sandwich had a lot of pickles carrots/​radish. I love that stuff. The sandwich itself, however, was pretty small and was quite expensive compared to other Vietnamese places. $ 7 – 9 for a tiny sandwich? Meh. The flavor wasn’t amazing either, so that didn’t really justify the price. It just reminded me a lot of like a philly cheesesteak.
I think I’ll stick with the more authentic Vietnamese sandwich shops.

So I came here based on many positive Unilocal reviews. Just like most of the reviews say the portion size is a little on the small side.
We were grabbing Sandos for a day at the beach and decided on the special pork, shaking beef and the grilled chicken. The special pork and the shaking beef were both pretty good. Both had pretty good flavor and were good different then a standard bahn mi. I would say that the pickled carrot/​turnip ratio had way too much carrot and they also gave way too much to fill out the bun.
The grilled chicken was pretty standard so nothing really that outstanding for that. So food wise probably a 4 star place but I dropped it down a star for portion size and price. At $ 7 a sandwhich I expected a little more but not totally out of wack for SF. Just a little more than your standard bahn mi places.
This place is like a little food cart so don’t expect to sit and eat inside. They have a couple of tables outside for you to dine if the weather cooperates.

As whole the special sandwich tasted good. Bread was crunchy and not too doughy. The fancy pork looked whitish and tasted bland. Pâté and pull pork was good.
Nice spot for quick lunch/​snack.

So popular, just had to see what the fuss is about! It’s a tiny shack on Ocean, plenty of street parking on a Saturday evening.
I’ve been craving a good banh mi thit nguoi for a while so hubs and I got The Special — roasted pork, steamed pork and pâté — close enough. $ 7.45 a pop — geez, pricey. Other options include lemongrass chicken or beef, tofu, portobellos, as well as goi cuon (spring rolls).
Expect a bit of a wait after you order, they’re not as fast as the banh mi shops in SJ. Call-​in orders seem to be a regular thing; there were 2 people who came buy for pick-​up for multiple sandos during my time there (20 min).
The banh mi was stuffed to the brim. Toasted bread, meat, pâté, mayo, cilantro, jalapeño, carrots, and Maggi (not in the description but I totally tasted it). Decent amount of meat. The pickled carrots are grated instead of julienned, but contributed the expected crunch and acid. Mayo was lacking the characteristic unctuousness Vietnamese mayos have (one of my favorite banh mi ingredients). As a whole, it didn’t satisfy my craving. It was close but just didn’t taste quite right.
It seems chicken might be the way to go, practically everyone in front and behind me got that or the portobello option!

Expensive by Vietnamese sandwich standards, but my boyfriend and I love the shaking beef banh mi. I also recommend getting a Thai iced tea to go with your Sammies. They also make tasty fresh spring rolls. Happy to have a good banh mi place close by in the area. Call in your order ahead of time to avoid wait times during busy lunch hours especially on the weekends!

Location: Hole in a wall — little shack at the corner of Ocean/​Junipero Serra. Plenty of street parking on an early Saturday afternoon.
Food: Average size sandwiches; but The Special is loaded with meat though.
Price: Most expensive vietnamese sandwich I’ve ever had at $ 7+ each.

A hole in the wall. The only reason we even found this place was GPS. No sign up front. There is a smaller metered parking lot adjacent to this place and a few tables outside. I had the special pork sandwich, it was pretty good.

A good banh mi sand which but way OVERPRICED. Especially considering that the price of the sand which increased by over twenty percent in the last year. I know San Francisco is an expensive/​white privileged city but 7 dollars for a banh mi is ridiculous.
If you go to any other banh mi shop you will pay 4 or 5 at the most. I recommend you do that. I will not support this overpriced business any more.

The fact that some tasty banh mi comes out of a random little shack/​doorway? Perfectly logical (and safe!). Said banh mi costing about twice as much as other places? Not entirely unreasonable, unfortunately, given how expensive The City is becoming. However, said banh mi coming from said doorway/​shop that bears the name «Dinosaurs»? I don’t get it. I mean, is there dino meat in these things? Which would be pretty cool, actually…
Okay, seriously. Regardless of how they got their relatively random name, Dinosaurs puts out some legit sandwiches. Like the shop, which is essentially a shed attached to the adjacent building, the menu here isn’t especially large — eight types of banh mi, a handful of spring rolls, and drinks. Overall, their offerings nicely tread the line between traditional and modern.
Wanting to try their «signature» sandwich, I opted for THE SPECIAL, also happened to have the exact filling I would have wanted anyways — Roast Pork, Fancy Pork Loaf, and Pork Pâté with Pickled Carrots and Daikons, Cucumber, Cilantro (which I left out), Jalapenos, and Mayo on a Baguette. The best part? All of the ingredients made for one hefty sandwich!
As far as taste went, I thought the sandwich was fantastic. I was initially bummed to see that the «roast pork» was just Chinese char shu, but, admittedly, it worked better than regular roast pork would have. All three types of pork, combined with the mayo, made for a savory, meaty flavor that was balanced nicely by the heat of the jalapeño and the acidity of the daikons and carrots (though I wish there was more of the former and less of the latter). Also, I really liked how the baguette was neither overly toasted nor overly crusty.
Now, as undeniably tasty as the sandwich may have been, it’s also undeniably expensive (hence the three stars). Honestly, $ 7.39 for a banh mi is a bit steep, especially considering how my long time go-​to (the former Irving Café & Deli, now called Que Huong Vietnamese deli) was roughly half the price and just as good. However, for the convenience (there’s so much parking around here!) and to eventually try the Spring Rolls that so many others have mentioned? Yeah, Dinosaurs is good enough for the occasional splurge.
Even if their name still confuses me.

Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) are meat to be quick and cheap. You can typically find these delicious sandwiches for less than 3 dollars a pop. Dinosaurs is neither quick nor cheap, but that isn’t a bad thing in this case. Not bad at all!
I came after a ten miles run at Lake Merced (half marathon training…) so I was hungry AF. I was confused because as soon as you walk through their door you’re in their kitchen. I totally ignored the table/​cash register at the door. After doing a double take for an alternative entrance I placed my order of a shaking beef sandwich. The worker at the register was super friendly and we had a pleasant conversation about the stormy weather. I put in my order and put out 8 bucks and waited for my order.
5 minutes later my sandwich came out hot and toasty. The next 15 minutes if my drive home I was praying to the bread gods to keep my sandwich crispy and they heard my calls. I scarfed down my sandwich while watching the Warriors getting beat by the Lakers (a very sad day). The bread soaked up my tears with its fluffy interior. Its crust had a nice bite to it without being too dense, and full of flavor. Definitely not one of those cardboardy rolls at cheaper places. The meat and the other ingredients were meaty and delicious.
I used to criticise expensive banh mi, but dinosaurs have crafted one that I am willing to pay a pretty penny for.

I’d give this place 3.5, but I’ll round up for them.
The ingredients are good, just wish my pickled veggies were chopped a little smaller (nit picking, but what can you do? haha).
Honorable mention for their avocado shake, that was bomb.
Sidenote, this place is definitely a hole-​in-​the-​wall, but that adds to their charm.
If you can’t go to Saigon Sandwich, I wouldn’t be pissed having to settle for Dinosaurs.

I love hole-​in-​the-​wall places like this. Good service and good food. I got the shaken beef and man was it good! The bread was nicely toasted and held up to the packed sandwich. There was plenty of beef and pickled veggies in every bite.
The beef was flavorful and tender enough. The veggies were also pickled and sliced nicely. All in all, it was a great sandwich! I also used the 10% Unilocal discount, which is a bonus. I’m coming back for more!

Disclaimer: Check-​in and use the 10% discount.
I knew this going into the shop, but I got too excited looking at the menu and ordering. After I ordered and paid, I then checked-​in, and had to slap myself in the forehead. Damn it! Could have saved 10%.
Quick, friendly service. Two tables outside, more of a grab-​and-​go type deal.
The Special: This pork is legit. Nice thick slices that fill up the sandwich. Lots of liver pâté (if you like that sort of thing). Great crunchy veggies. Excellent french baguette.
Crispy Tofu: Impressive. A very tasty vegetarian sandwich. Surprisingly filling.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee: Deep, cold, chicory flavor. Awesome, must have.
The sandwiches here are made with quality ingredients, and they are quite fillings. Typically, I don’t feel satisfied with other Vietnamese sandwiches, but with these, I did. Perhaps, it could be because they are $ 7, which is much more money than other places. I’ll still be looking for other shops to try (I am a Unilocaler of course), but I know I’ll be getting a good meal here.

Dinosaurs is good for a quick bite if you’re in the area or to take to go and enjoy at home. I’ve tried the shop on Market, but this location is much smaller. You place your order at the door and there are a few small tables on the sidewalk to at while you wait or if you want to eat your sandwich there.
We ordered the grilled pork and shaking beef sandwiches. The avocado shake sounded tempting and were contemplating getting it. We were told by the cashier though that it was good, but really sweet — so we opted not to try it this time. The sandwiches were good and since the shop is closer to us than the Vietnamese spots on Irving, I can see us coming back the next time we’re in the mood for some banh mi.

I’m pretty skeptical of any place that sells a $ 7 banh mi however, I assume the price comes with better quality ingredients and that is definitely the case here!
Their banh mis are not only packed with ingredients but with flavor as well! I got meatball with pâté and my boyfriend got their special with extra pâté.
This was the first meatball banh mi I’ve had where they actually served the meatball whole. and it was huge! They kept falling out of my sandwich it was so big. I did like that they were more generous with the meat because I could actually taste it, very flavorful and perfectly cooked.
My boyfriend also loved his special and we both agree’d that they make very good pâté… honestly, probably one of the best pâté’s that I’ve ever had. I’d have to get extra next time before making that verdict though =p
The bread could have been a little softer on the inside, it did feel a bit hallow compared to other baguettes but wasn’t bad, just okay for me.
Even though I didn’t do it, I did like that you could add avocado to your sandwhich. All they need to do is give you the option of adding a fried egg and this might be my boyfriend and I’s new favorite spot in the bay for banh mi! Still up there though and highly recommended!

Stopped here for a carb break during a long bike ride. The special combination sandwich is delicious. I would get extra pâté but that brings the total to $ 9 bucks for a Banh mi. City prices.
The watermelon lichi smoothie is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. So refreshing! Must try! My gluttonous BF sometimes gets 2 all for himself.

I moved out of the City about a year ago and really, really missed Dinosaur’s Banh Mi. My sister and I were headed home from SFO and I made her stop.
On my last visit it felt like they might have changed owners from when I used to go there? I am not sure but it is a little different and the prices are a little higher.
Always good, always fresh and the staff is genuine and friendly. It is a great little neighborhood to sit and enjoy your sandwich and do some great people watching. It’s especially quite on a Sunday afternoon!

A year ago, I would have given Dinosaurs 4 stars but today, even 2 stars is being VERY generous.
Fair warning, I’m going to sound like that cheap AZN complaining about how expensifey this place is but I think it’s justified, and let me tell you why:
(1) This place is like an outhouse with a counter. The only seating is three janky tables outside that shackled to a fence that’s showered with crumbs (dog friendly though). Ghetto. Just to note, there was more than one employee and it was completely dead yet no one bothered to wipe down the tables.
(2) The staff is aloof and not friendly. When I say, «hi», don’t just blankly stare at me. RUDE.
(3) I could care less about (1) and (2) IF Dinosaur’s banh mi is bomb. The best ethnic food comes dingy ones with IDGAF service right? Well, quality has gone way down here and they totally skimp on the meat. The pork in my Special (Dac Biet) Banh Mi was so dry and where’s the pâté, yo:
? They gave me one thin slice of cha lua folded in half. WTF.
(4) What aggravates me the most are the price increases. Yes, I know everything is expensive in SF now but Dinosaurs got some balls charging $ 8+ (including tax) for a subpar banh mi… from a shack! Banh mi is meant to be cheap street food and their prices are 50−80% more than their competitors, making them the most expensive banh mi in the city!!! (Side note: Bun Mee charges the same prices BUT their prices are justified: Pac Heights and FiDi locations and they use high quality ingredients like kurobuta pork, pâté de campagne, free range egg. etc.)
Dinosaurs: Dingy, crappy service, and waaaay overpriced skimpy, subpar banh mis.
*Shakes fists*
RAWR!