Snowflake beef? We definitely needed that in our hot pot mix for Christmas! And while we're at it, gotta try the pork belly and lamb too! All of it was high quality, *melt-in-your-mouth* meat. After waiting in line for an hour, my cousin snagged 5 lbs of fatty cow, 3 lbs of lamb and 2 lbs of pork belly and the 14 of us could barely finish half. She said it's a one man show: meat cut to order and the dude's handling the cashier portion too. Totally worth it....except this is coming from someone who didn't wait in line. Thanks, cuzzo! read more

Gold Coin Trading - Snowflake beef (front), lamb (middle), pork belly (back) - Meat Shops Near Me - San Francisco, California

Totally unassuming shop from the outside. I've walked by a million times without noticing what was inside. A foodie friend recommended this place to buy "snowflake beef" also known in Cantonese as "fat cow", for hotpot at home. Amazingly fresh, tender beef at good price! $16.50 per pound. They also sell at the hotpot must haves like soup bases, fish balls, soy bean curd rolls etc - for a lot less than 99 Ranch. read more

Always such a pleasure getting out hotpot necessities from them! Pro tip: call in! We usually get our meat, soup base and other hotpot necessities from them read more

Prices have gone up. I paid $29 and some change for 1.5lbs of snowflake beef today (something like $20/lb). Still, it's one of the best (maybe the best) place for cut-to-order hot pot beef. I think they have other meats too. I saw a patron before me order two "yellow hair chicken" and overheard that they were $14 each. I think they come head and feet still attached and they will cut it up how you like as well (I saw the lady ordering it ask for the feed to be cut off, toes trimmed, skin removed, etc.) I can get snowflake beef closer to me on Irving but I like supporting this shop since they cut the pieces large. read more

Gold Coin Trading - Snowflake beef. About $20/lb - Meat Shops Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hidden gem for hot pot fanatics! It's a hole in the wall, but don't be turned off by the looks--the sliced meat is phenomenal. Be sure to pick up some of the beef. Bring cash. Call ahead if you can. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES! read more

Chinatown's BEST Kept Secret! SHHHHH... As an avid coin collector, my dad would be sorely disappointed if he walked into Gold Coin Trading to find they don't sell coins but instead sell my ultimate fav...MEAT! Yes, I'm quite the Carniwhore. What better way to warm up in this cold SF than with shabu/hotpot at home which is exactly what my friends and I decided to do for our monthly get-together dinner on Thursday. As a disclaimer, though I've passed by numerous times, I never set foot into Gold Coin Trading, a living room sized market that sells meat and dry foods. My friend did all the shopping. Thanks, Linda! Among the various meats Gold Coin Trading sells, their crown jewel is the Snowflake Beef aka the "Kobe Beef of China" which has very similar marbling to the real deal. It was the first time that I've ever heard of Snowflake Beef so hungry for more information I tried to do some research on it. Unfortunately, I only found one article online: http://www.china-haoyue.com/english/jszl.php?ce=128. The "snowflake" marbling in the beef is created with fat deposition in the muscle making the beef more flavorful, juicy, and tender. At just $12/lb, you will get beautifully marbled slice-to-order Snowflake Beef for shabu/hotpot (American Kobe is currently about $100/lb). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G-NgB1MxeFQOeo9oAmFzLA?select=2HgBFTMEYhPVpmsPDUn38Q A quick 6-8 second dip in the pool of broth will give you mouth-watering melt-in-your-mouth like buttah beef. The Snowflake Kobe-like Beef is so deliciously rich in flavor from the lovely white flecks of fat that it rivals the Kobe from Shabu House. LIKE BALLS? I DO. If you do too, another delicacy you will find at Gold Coin Training are Chicken Testicles which is good for *ahemcoughahem*. Yup, you've read right! Like humans, the balls came in various sizes; hmmm, I learn something new every day. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G-NgB1MxeFQOeo9oAmFzLA?select=l-h0HBtbU52GiDOh9Y8Prg Simmer the balls until its firm with a slight bounce to it when you poke/squeeze it. Upon biting into it, the testicle has a pop to it (like sausage casing) with a mild flavor and texture similar to a soft tofu. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/G-NgB1MxeFQOeo9oAmFzLA?select=bPjK7Mc6pGPF4B0BCazTyQ Being a sharing person, I kindly tossed some cooked balls into my guy friends' bowls. Though I got some glares and the evil eye, their sake-induced appetites couldn't seem to resist it. MmMm, protein! Yup, that's what SHE (I) SAID. OTHER NOTE(S): *Cash Only read more

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This shop is a hidden gem. It was recommended by family friends and everyone I've recommended this place loves it as well! This is our go-to place in the city for snow flower beef. It was about $15/lb when I recently went a few weeks ago. We love using the beef slices for hot pot at home. Note that it's cash only and parking in Chinatown can be a little tricky! read more

This market will be my go-to place for hot pot meats from now on. The quality of the meat is high, and they also have a wide assortment of other frozen proteins (fish/beef balls, fish skin dumplings, tofu, etc). They sell the sacha/satay sauce that's used to make dipping sauce as well- Gold Coin truly has it all! Service is super friendly- praise I can't give for most establishments in Chinatown- and the owner speaks English well. Wait time for the meat was about 5-10 minutes, and if you want to make your shopping experience even easier, you can call ahead to place your meat order and pick it up later in the day. read more

Super legit hot pot meat. I know of a great place in LA for hot pot meat and was slightly worried that SF doesn't have one. But behold - gold coin trading!! I highly suggest the snowflake beef ($15 per pound) and lamb ($9 per pound). For hot pot, budget 1.5 lb for 2 people. Call ahead of time and pick to up. Don't freeze the meat!!! read more

This is a specialty store for all your hot pot needs. For those unfamiliar with hot pot, it's a family style dining where you take a boiling hot soup base and dip an assortment of meats and vegetables in. Gold coin trading outfits you with all the assortments of meats you can imagine--snow flower beef (fattier more marble cut perfect for hot pot), fresh lamb, tripe, fish balls, etc--it's a one stop shop for all the meat items. If you're interested in learning about Chinese style hot pot - check out this link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot#Common_ingredients It's operated by a wonderful elderly couple. You can call ahead to have the meats shaved for you ahead of time so you skip the line. You can skip the line for pick ups if you do call ahead! read more

They're so nice! The best quality ingredients you would ever need for hot pot, or even non hot pot meals!

This tiny market in Chinatown is packed full of shabu foods and condiments. This place really is a one-stop shop for all your shabu needs. The only thing they do not sell is ponzu sauce, but the owner is already looking into stocking it just because I asked for it. That is great attention to customer feedback in my opinion! The owners are very nice and appreciative of their customers. The quality of the thinly sliced shabu beef can't be beat. I used to buy my shabu beef from Nikiya Supermarket in Japantown. Not until I tried the beef here at Gold Coin Trading did I come to realize that the more expensive version in J-town does not even come close! Parking can be pretty tough here. But put their number on speed-dial because they will prep your order in advance AND even carry it out to your vehicle if you call in advance. WOW. read more

Gold Coin Trading - a variety of food items on a table - Meat Shops Near Me - San Francisco, California

Place - It might be hard to find. It is blue sign board and small place. It is on edge of chian market place. Smell is bad, too bad. Flies are flying in the store. However score of food safty is '81'!! It means you can believe the safty of meat! It sells meat, especially hot pot meat is great!! It also sells extra ingredents like noddle,fish cakes, snacks and source Taste - Really good quality of meat. I always buy hotpot meat at here. One pack of slice beef is $9.50. It is good for two adult. They also sell better quality of slice beef($14 for one pack) and lamb. Service and Price - owners are really nice. They can speck english little. So you can oder in english. Price is great and great. Nowhere is better than here. read more

Gold Coin Trading - Cash only - Meat Shops Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Winter is here and that means Hot Pot Season is here! I almost don't want to write this review since I don't want the world the know about my spot to get hot pot meats... I must give these awesome Chinese gramps a little shout on Yelp! This place has been open ever since I can remember but I have never dropped in until a year ago. A friend's recommendation from for hot pot meats. And now, I would make the drive from Visitacion Valley just for the hotpot meats. I usually call in about 30 minutes ahead and double park right outside. Ain't nobody got time for that Chinatown parking! I always go for the $15/pound "snowflake" wagyu. It's freshly sliced to perfection. It's still good in the refrigerator after 1-2 days. They do have other meats such as a lower grade of beef ($10/pound), lamb ($9/pound). I usually get 1 pound per 2 people. read more

Very nice couple owner and fast service. I usually call to pre-order as they can get busy. They have almost everything you need besides greens for hotpot! read more

THE BEST PLACE to get shabu/Chinese hotpot quality meat!! I usually order the snowflake beef (15.99/lb) and the lamb at $8.99/lb. They have everything you need for your personalized hotpot- sauces, broth base, frozen fish balls, taro, sugary drinks, & more. They speak fluent Cantonese and some English. Call to order because they're usually fairly busy. I recommend asking for the total before you pick your order up because it's CASH ONLY. Friendly mom & pops shop... I will be back very soon :) read more

This Gold Coin Trading Co is one of the best markets around especially in Chinatown. This store maybe a bit small with only 2 or 3 workers here, but some of their items are very moderately priced. The Vitasoy drinks were 50 cents each carton and the chip ranges from 30 cents to $1. Most of the rice sacks I see at this market are on the pricey side. I've noticed that they have only 50 pound sacks of rice available. Overall, the staff here are knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous. read more

Great quality meats. Great prices. Owners are a middle aged Chinese couple - very sweet. Been coming here for several years and will drive here from sunset because it's tried and true. read more

Thank you yelpers! Once again, yelp helped me find something I would never know existed. I came across this place before when I was yelping for shabu shabu places. I never thought of yelping for actual shabu meat, bc I always bought shabu meat from Japanese grocery stores. We got invited to a hotpot dinner and we had to bring the meat. I took the 30 bus got off at Stockton & pacific and walked up a 1/2 block. It doesn't look like much, but the old Chinese guy helped me and he even spoke English (which is surprising in Chinatown). I told him I wanted 2 lbs of snowflake beef for hotpot. He showed me the beef and weighed it in front of me before slicing it in the back. He was super nice and the beef was great! Everyone said it was better than ranch99 beef, but the quality is probably inline with the Japanese grocery stores. It's hard for me to judge without having both in front of me. My guess is it's cheaper than nijya or suruki, but I'll have to check next time. Overall, the beef and service were quality! read more

Asian moms know what's good, which is how I found out about this little store. If you were to just peek in, you'd think it was a dusty corner store, but as the Yelp reviews all state, the sauces and beverages up front are just extras. The real deal is the meat! The price of pork chops here beats every other store I've seen. The person working there will grab your pork chops straight from their industrial-size freezer and cut it for you if you request it. The people working here are nice and accommodating. For those complaining about the smell, have you ever been into a butcher's shop that smells lovely? I doubt it, but the service is fast enough that you'll be in and out and enjoying your goods. read more

Although their store's name may lead you to believe that they sell gold coins, they have the BEST fatty beef for shabu/hot pot EVER!! Just go in and say that you want X pounds of fatty beef (snowflake beef/marbled beef) for hot pot and they'll show you the meat. The guys always asks me if I want the leaner or fattier option. I tend to get leaner for more meat since the meat is already really fatty and beautifully marbled. Then they'll cut off a chunk of the frozen beef, weigh it, charge you and bring it to the back to slice it super thin for your hot pot/shabu pleasures. BEWARE!!! The meat is expensive. I think it's about $12.00 a pound. But it's ooooh so worth it!!!!!!!!!! If you don't want to wait for them to slice it, you can always call ahead with your order. Although it's a little shady that they bring it to the back to have it thinly sliced, I am confident that they give you all the meat that you paid for. read more

It doesn't exist. It's not real. Go away. This is obviously *NOT* the best place to buy beef for HotPot in SF. Do not go here. Stay away. If you come here looking for gold coins, you will be disappointed. read more

My go-to place for meat when I make hotpot at home. Gold Coin is a mom and pop shop run by a couple but they have the most BOMB @$$ sliced beef, they call it "snowflake beef" in Chinese. It's so good that it melts in your mouth instantly. I was introduced to this hole in a wall by a coworker; this is truly a hidden gem. You can easily walk by this store thinking it's another shop that sells Asian snacks, but nope they sell mainly hotpot ingredients: fishball, tofu, soup flavor, sliced pork, sliced lamb. A tip is to order ahead of time (Chinese), they usually don't slice it till you order it, so if you order on the phone and ask for pick up, that'll save you 5-10 minutes standing in a small space (another tip for you closterfobic peeps out there). I don't know how good their English is but you can try ordering in English? Oh and don't expect excellent service, I walked in once without ordering ahead of time and I totally got ignored for 5 minutes before I gave up and walked out. Cash Only! read more

Amazing brisket! They have the best hot pot beef I've ever bought. They also sell a lot of things you would need for hot pot - soup bases, fish balls, sauces, etc. They have 2 types of beef, one at $14.99 and another around $10. While they're both really good, the $15/lb beef is still worth it. read more

Smells suck but clean?! I was surprised with this place is clean than it looks and smells. It got 81 points! Soooo cheap and people here are kind. read more

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There are only a handful of places on Yelp that I've ever been really selective about reviewing because I don't want other people to know about it. This is one of them. Why am I sharing this secret? It's because ultimately I do care about this company and I want them so succeed. Succeed so they stay in business through the rent turmoil we are suffering from in the city. Succeed so I can have my hot pot sliced beef - all the time. It looks like a hole in the wall. You'll walk up to the cashier and there'll be an Asian lady chopping up raw chicken beside you. You might question where you are, if you're even in the right place. Don't worry. You are in the right place, my friend. Every time I've come here the cashier has spoken pretty good English. And every time I come here, just about every other person who walks in is also looking for hot pot beef. Just say you want hot pot beef, and state how many pounds. I would suggest about 0.5-1.0lbs per person. Might I add that my friends and I are also fatties? Regardless, leftovers are always welcome. The current going price as of June 2015 is $8.99/lb for the lean beef, and I think $13.99/lb (can't remember) for the snowflake/fatty beef. The lean beef is enough and it's good, however if you want a party in your mouth I would say definitely hit up that snowflake beef. It's a really great deal. Trust. Also, they fresh-slice their own beef. I went there and ordered 6 lbs from them and then sat around for the next half hour waiting for them to slice it for me. Tip: call ahead to order if you're ordering a lot. Also, they only take cash. Got the beef? Good. Now shabu shabu away! read more

This place serves one of the best meat you can find in Chinatown. The family comes here often to grab the meat before a big hot pot day. They actually had everything we needed. We went into the shop at first for the meat, then ended up buying the meat balls, soup base, the gas canister. Heck they've got everything for your hot pot needs! Overall you definitely need to know Chinese when arriving, have cash ready, and also be prepared for a line of people all asking for meat. Small shop but hey it's Chinatown so can't expect luxury. We've eaten the meat from here couple of times and no we haven't had any runs to the bathroom. That's a plus for us! read more

BEST HOT POT BEEF HERE! I ordered 2lbs yesterday for hot pot and the beef literally melted in my mouth! I got the "SNOW FLOWER FAT COW" It's Chinese translate into english! :) read more

Not sure if Yelp is filtering out the bad reviews due to the owners(?) buying this page, but I bought meat here thinking that with 5 stars, I would have little to no issues. I was incredibly disappointed. Yes, it was expensive compared to most places, but I would happily pay if the quality, weight and freshness matched the price. I bought some beef short ribs for BBQ and WOW I have never seen short ribs cut so thin. My guess was that my "batch" was a return order from a previous buyer that the owner(s) tried to cover their losses with me. Upon inspection of the meat shortly after purchase, the meat had the aroma of sour and spoiled milk. Compliments to the plastic bag for sealing that musky nonsense. The meat was cut thin. Very thin. Almost hot pot thin. I exaggerate, but whomever cut these short ribs, had to go out of his/her way to make them this thin. I tried to reasoning with the owners (the wife? and then husband?). And the result...... is why I have the unfortunate reason to write this review. I'll try and be the better man and not comment on the harsh and rude things the owners have said and done when I went back for an explanation. I just hope this review will stay relevant and warn others of my experience. Maybe I might save a life....exaggerating again, but if I can save a poor sap's wallet, then success! ***Edit*** 74/100 Health score....maybe I should have paid more attention to that number than the number of stars. 1) Improper thawing methods 2) High risk vermin infestation 3) Foods not protected from contamination read more

This place is 2 Legit 2 Quit!! Fresh shabu meat, red with lots of fatty white marbles...ordered 5 lbs yesterday, killed it allllllllllllll

I usually tried to avoid the crowd and craziness of Chinatown. However, I will come to Chinatown for Gold Coin Trading. If you like to do hot pot/shabu at home, this is the go to place to buy meat. Their fatty snowflake beef comes at $14.99/pound which is usually my go to meat. They also sell chicken, lamb, and an assortment of fish balls and hot pot sauces. I find that their fish balls are cheaper than what you can get at 99 Ranch. You can call in ahead of time to place an order of meat. FYI cash only. read more

This store is like any typical store in Chinatown ... they sell the basics . However , what sets this store apart from the other stores is that they have the BEST shabu beef in SF . It's very thin , very fresh , marbled and cut just perfectly . Just for the beef itself , it gets 5 stars . read more

The snowflake beef is amazing! It tastes excellent. One more recommendation is the fishball. It is really made by real fish! Taste great! read more

From my personal experience as a consumer/shopper at this store, this place is disgusting and it ALWAYS stinks! Do not buy meat or poultry from here, because their standards for handling food is poor . . . . Beware! And there most be a plumbing issue with their toilet because they all ways use fans to disguise the odor, but it NEVER helps with the bad smell. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO REVISIT THIS STORE! read more

Best hotpot/shabu shabu beef! Fresh and sliced to order. There are two choices of beef, get the less lean choice. They call it the snowflake beef. I called ahead and told them what time I'll be there to pickup. Parking can be a challenge. I parked at the bus stop, ran in, paid for and grabbed my meat, then ran back out. In and out in less than 30 seconds. read more

The store owner there is nice and it's the only place I know of in downtown SF to get meats for Hot Pot. A pack of sliced beef is about $20. They also have rice and sauces for sale, if you forgot to buy them. However, it's quite popular among the Chinese community, and I had to wait 20 minutes in line to receive and pay for my order. read more