Serves meat, vegan options available. Yemenese Arabic fusion cuisine with numerous labeled vegetarian and vegan items. Some dishes include a stuffed avocado salad, North African couscous, wild mushroom zahara, and tofu dishes. OCT 2016 REPORTED SHUT.
Categories: Beer/Wine, Middle Eastern, Arabic, Yemenese, African, Non-veg
8 Reviews
First Review by sandykaren
Contributions +75
Many veggie options! - Edit
We like Saha. The dining room is pretty dimly lit and the tables are just far enough apart to make this a perfect date spot. It's situated within a quaint hotel in the Tenderloin. The dining room is a good size but not massive, so it's good to make a reservation. Service has been friendly and knowledgeable on the menu each time we've gone.
We've gone a bunch of times for dinner and once for brunch. The menu is very similar for both meals, with a few more breakfast-centric dishes for brunch. The food is very good, especially for vegetarians (the menu is clearly marked as to which dishes are vegetarian)! The menu has something for everyone though (meat eaters and vegetarians alike), without being long and unwieldy, like a diner menu might be.
We've shared the yemeni fouel (thick pureed beans with spices - delicious and creamy without the cream and filling), za'atar cauliflower (full head of cauliflower lightly tossed in za'atar, garlic and olive oil and some type of light cream - having a bit of the sauce in every bite is key here), stuffed artichoke hearts with veggies & tofu (another hearty dish without being too large, as to not overfill you - I'm not a tofu person, but it blends well with the vegetables here) and yemeni okra (sautéed very well in a tomato broth). We've opted to stick with these small plates each time to sample more foods. And once you know what you like, why change something good! Surprisingly, we've never tried dessert here, but it is noteworthy that they do have a vegan option.
The only odd thing about this place is when you go to the bathroom, it's a full bathroom with a shower across from the restaurant, due to the fact that you're in a hotel. Still, you can't really fault them for that!
Overall, a great Arabic cuisine option in SF.
Contributions +18
lots of vegan options - Edit
Waitstaff is very knowledgable in what is vegan. Lots of options for appetizers, entrees, and desserts
Pros: lots of vegan options , tasty
Cons: pricey
Contributions +52
delicious and VERY vegan friendly!! - Edit
You will feel welcome and at home here as a vegan. There was a crazy number of vegan choices on the menu and most of the vegetarian dishes could be made vegan. The vegan knaffe was so unique and outstanding!! We also loved the vegan fava bean "sausage". The falafels were unique and creamy. There were 3 vegan options on the dessert menu including a dessert knaffe with vegan cream cheese. I was so impressed with the food and the variety of options. The server was friendly and knowledgable and very accommodating. Come eat here!
Contributions +113
Awesome, Unique - Edit
I don't review that often, but when I do, it's because I was really impressed. We ordered the fixed priced vegetarian (bread, salad, small plate, and entree) and dessert. Everything was unique and scrumptious. All of the staff we interacted with understand and pointed out what was vegan, and were really friendly. If I lived in San Francisco, this would be in my top ten...
Pros: great tastes, knowledgeable staff, fun atmosphere
Contributions +714
Lovely Place! - Edit
The staff at Saha knows and uses the word "vegan"! That's already very cool for an authentic specialty food place.
The atmosphere is very nice, sort of dim with orange-y colors. Definitely an adult vibe, probably not the best for kids. It's a great date spot, but they also frequently accommodate large groups.
They have a pretty comprehensive drink menu and I find that the vibe usually leads me to order a glass of wine with dinner (although I usually don't do that)!
Dishes are clearly labeled vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free and there are lots of vegan choices. I've found a few to be okay, but several to be really outstanding in the flavor combinations. The prices and portions are "fancy restaurant" style, which is fair because of the detail in each one. So I'm happiest when I come here as a splurge or when I'm not super hungry.
My favorite part of Saha is the appetizer bread and spread they bring out at the beginning -- it's so good I eat it through the whole meal :D. I recommend ordering a few small plates to share to start, and ordering more as you go along. It's a spot to savor and enjoy a long (but not heavy) meal.
To get to the restaurant, enter the hotel's main front doors and cross through the lobby. There's a door on the right of the hallway straight in front of the doors (no need to stop at the reception desk). The bathroom is a bit strange, you have to leave the restaurant and cross this hallway.
I like to dress up a little when I go to Saha!
Pros: Exciting flavors, Warm and classy atmosphere, Knowledgeable and nice staff
Cons: Expensive, Not ideal for kids
Contributions +130
Best food of my trip - Edit
Thanks to the other reviews (and Happy cow) I gave this restaurant a try. Catering to meat eaters and veg*ns, it seemed a good option for me and my friends. If you have any trouble finding it, it's in the Hotel Carlton. There were 6 of us and it did take about 20 minutes to get seated, but it was worth the wait. The vegan food was clearly marked on the menu, there were extra vegan specials and the waitress was extremely helpful. I had a 4 courses (all vegan) butter nut squash and coconut soup, ravioli,red veg curry and banana baklava for desert. My vegan partner also had the soup, then braised mushroom and tofu, veg tagine, and slap yo mamma (figs, choc and marzipan wrapped in pastry). All our food tasted exceptional, not overly spicy, but warm and fragrant, with wonderful rich tastes. Our non-veg friends also commented on the quality of their food. The waitress kept the water and drinks flowing and the food was quick to be served. I'd highly recommend this place. The only downside was that it was a little pricey around $90 for the 2 of us (inc a few beers) but for a nice meal out you can't fault the food.
Pros: varied menu, clearly marked, great quality food
Cons: a little expensive
Contributions +59
Super yummy and charming. - Edit
Saha goes out of its way to cater to both vegans and non-vegans. The vegan options at this lovely restaurant are so varied and exciting, it is beyond my comprehension why anyone would want to order anything else. They also really pay thoughtful attention to gluten-free diets.
We ordered way too much food and enjoyed every bit of it, practically rolling out of there! Their "sampler" of different mezze was so amazing that the two of us could have just eaten that and been satisfied! The restaurant "veganized" it for us and it had two fabulous types of baba ganoush; one smoked and one regular. The vegan "knaffe" was a really interesting, delicious dish; I had never had anything like it in my nearly 50-year history of eating!!! We almost cried when we tried the fava bean cakes they were so yummy!
If you like Middle Eastern food (and probably even if you don't!) then Saha is your place, it raises the food to a much higher level than plain old falafel and hummus. Saha really knows how to create a warm, relaxing environment to showcase extraordinary food.
Pros: many vegan options, lovely atmosphere, beautiful preparation
Contributions +71
A gem! - Edit
Saha is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. I've been there many times and have always ordered vegan, even before I went vegan. I've never been disappointed and my pals who ordered non-vegan entrees, all agreed that the vegan dishes are the most tasty. I've had the Saha Red Curry and the Maklouba and both were fantastic. The bread and dip that comes with the food is amazing -- it takes will power not to fill up on just that. I've been there many times and have never been disappointed.
Pros: Inventive cuisine, delicous food, lots of options
Cons: neighborhood is iffy
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