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    The Roost

    4.5 (33 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order The Roost Takeout or Delivery

    Services - The Roost

    Allergy-friendly catering

    Catering

    Gluten-free catering

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    Vegetarian catering

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    Recommended Reviews - The Roost

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    Jenny P.

    Ordered lunch through my workplace via Forkable. What I ordered: - Baked Chicken Leg Quarter: The Roost's famous ancho-mustard rubbed 38 North chicken, served with a crunchy salsa verde, adobo buttermilk slaw and jasmine rice - Cucumber Salad - Mixed Greens Salad - Green Tea Sesame Cookie - Red Velvet Cookie Chicken: surprisingly good however it was a bit on the drier side. I wasn't a huge fan of the adobo buttermilk slaw and ended up eating only the chicken. I also wasn't a fan of the additional salads I added on but that may be my preference for the taste. My favorite part of the meal were the cookies. 1. They were HUGE, the size of my whole hand. 2. Both of them were so good! It was definitely indulgent but perfectly done. I would give them another chance to try a different item but I wouldn't recommend the two salads.

    Current menu
    Vira P.

    The Tenderloin District does not disappoint with the food options! It's currently Restaurant Week, and I've been wanting to try The Roost for awhile. So this was the perfect opportunity to try their menu. As you can tell from the name, they do chicken. And they do it well! The baked chicken leg was moist and had so much flavor from the ancho-chili mustard rub. And I loved the slaw! Normally I don't eat coleslaw because it's usually drenched in dressing, but not this one. It was perfectly dressed and had a good crunch. The rice was good too! It had some earthy flavors to it. My meal also came with sweet potato croquettes with a sriracha aioli, and a brown butter chocolate chip cookie. The croquettes were perfectly fried, and I loved the sweetness of the potato with the slightly spicy sriracha. And the chocolate chip cookie had chocolate at every bite! I came back the next day to get their vegan chickpea corn cakes. Delicious!! I did travel an hour with them, so they lost a little of the crunch. But nonetheless still good. It's not on their main menu (yet?) so if you're vegan, hurry up and get some now before their Restaurant Week menu ends on April 10. The cakes also came with garlic cauliflower roasted perfectly and kale. And the people who work there are super nice and friendly! I noticed they've been getting a lot of online orders, so that's a testament to how good their food is. They do have indoor dining with a few tables just inside. The place is super clean and lots of vertical space. They do have signs asking for vaccination status if you're dining in, fyi, so get that prepared. The Roost is definitely on my go-to list for lunch options in the area. I should've come here sooner!

    Montage of images from The Roost
    Ed U.

    ** The following review reflects my delivery experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** Who rules The Roost? And isn't a roost where chickens sleep rather than where they rotate on a spit like the episode of "Gilligan's Island" where the native chief was barbecuing Gilligan for refusing to marry his daughter. OK, maybe I watched too much TV as a child, but a satisfying chicken leg was also a fond memory from my childhood. The Roost makes a very good one, the $10.95 Leg Quarter Chicken. It was a big, flavorful leg rubbed in an ancho-mustard sauce. The poultry was accompanied by a crunchy adobo buttermilk slaw and mixed greens (since I was forsaking the jasmine rice) (photo: https://bit.ly/2TiQRVq). They offer healthy vegetarian sides, so I ordered two. The first was the $5 Roasted Cauliflower, charred florets tossed in a yogurt-based tahini with garlic and parsley (photo: https://bit.ly/31y3twy). The other was the $5 Shishito Peppers, also charred but coated in preserved lemons that were a tad too buttery for my taste (photo: https://bit.ly/3jqnFq2). Guess I know who rules the roost now. FOOD - 4 stars...a chicken leg with my name on it AMBIANCE - n/a...someday I'll make it over there SERVICE - 4 stars...4 stars...came pretty fast from the roost TOTAL - 4 stars...in the perpetual choice between Ginger and Mary Ann, I choose chicken RELATED - Lost in the Mission? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2NHtst6

    Green tea sesame cookie
    Elaine D.

    This review is for their cookies. A friend highly recommended the cookies from The Roost because of the handcrafted cultured brown butter in them, so this was a must-try dessert when in San Francisco. They exceeded expectations and ruined the other cookies in this pastry crawl because of how good they were. Ordered pickup on DoorDash and swung by to get the cookies. Really easy process and got to see the cute and aesthetic interior-- was a huge fan of the chicken mural on the walls! As for the cookies, all of them were incredible. The flavors were very complex and rich in each of the large, soft cookies, and the quality shone through. The green tea cookie had sweet chunks of white chocolate scattered throughout to complement the less-sweet matcha and sesame seeds, the dark chocolate cookie had a deep cocoa flavor with a sweetened peanut butter on top, the chocolate chip cookie had a huge puddle of perfectly gooey chocolate on top with flakey salt, the red velvet cookie's cream cheese complemented the cocoa of the red velvet, and the candied ginger in the snickerdoodle added extra sweet spice to the flavors of a regular snickerdoodle. Of these, our favorites were probably the green tea and chocolate chip cookies. Hopefully can try their chicken and other foods here and at Merchant Roots in the future, solely based on how amazing these cookies were :)

    Rachel L.

    I tried the red velvet cookie from the roost today and it was great! the cookie had good structure (not to doughy or soft but not too hard). it had a good amount of sweetness and had a little bit of saltiness that would cut the sweetness which I loved! it doesn't hurt that the cookie looks beautiful as well. will have to try their entrees another day!

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    6 months ago

    Food is dry, flavorless, and disgusting. Thank goodness my work doesn't order from this place anymore.

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    6 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The sweet potato croquettes. Order them. Incredibly unique and so dang good. That is all.

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    1 year ago

    Super healthy and delicious! I definitely will go again when I'm in the neighborhood plus everyone is so nice there!

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    Ashley K.

    Thank you, Rebecca! We’ll see you next time :)

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Randomly stumbled upon this place through my job (catered lunch) and wow - the baked chicken leg with rice...SO good!!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Incredible food, affordable prices, quick service. This is by far my favorite place in SF to grab lunch while at work.

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    4 years ago

    Food was so flavorful! Not normally a big slaw fan, but there's was excellent, as was the chicken. Great value for the money, too!

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    Ask the Community - The Roost

    Are the sweet potato croquettes deep-fried in Canola oil? Can you give me a better idea of size of them? It's hard to order online.Thank you

    Yes. They are about the size of a golf ball, 4 per order.

    Thanks for the reply.Would appreciate ingredients listed. same products exactly on Doordash? Or other delivery...throughout The Bay area? How is that done? Please consider something other than canola oil. Thank you!?

    We do have dietaries listed for items, but if you have more specific concerns, please feel free to email me at ashley@theroostsf.com.… Read more

    What kind of oils used In various dishes? Any organic? Which items? PFAS-free takeout containers?Thank you?

    We use extra virgin olive and canola oils. Our chicken is organic, local, free range. Many of our… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.2(2.5k reviews)
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    So, I lied. I been back. Sometimes you just crave chicken. This time, I ordered the 10pc wings with…read morebuffalo/ranch on the side. I really liked this option, as the wings didn't have any seasoning and the buffalo and ranch sauce was given on the side. I did order the loaded tator tots, but somehow received loaded curly fries. My fault for not checking my order prior to leaving. I've had the loaded tator tots multiple times. That is my "Go To" when I'm craving! It's cheap too! I am not a fan of the loaded curly fries, but I did notice it seems like you get more bang for your buck. 10pc wings and loaded fries rang about $23 dollars. I was super full and was able to satisfy my craving. I do appreciate the self order stations. It makes for easier ordering and quicker pick up, especially for someone like me who only has a 30 minute lunch.

    Photos
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    Dining area

    The Bird - Spicy chicken sandwich

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    The Bird - FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH (12/2023)

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    FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH (12/2023)

    Brasa Bros - Whole Pollo a la Brasa w/ arroz chaufa + yuca fries ($34.95), Chicken Tender ($5.95 each), Brasa Bliss Sauce ($2.50)

    Brasa Bros

    3.9(55 reviews)
    2.0 miMission
    $$

    I was impressed. The cashier was friendly and the food was GOOD and portions worth the price. I…read moreneeded a place to relax with a hearty meal and I loved it! I will be back to try it again! Era mi primera ves probando Basa Bros Y me encanto, todo con sabor y el cajero era bien amable. Claro voy a regresar y probar mas de el menu!

    Let me cut to the chase. I was kinda disappointed with this casual rotisserie chicken shop even…read morethough it comes from the team that owns Limon. In fact, I was quite forlorn having presumed this location of Limon was permanently closed. I liked the way they prepared their pollo à la brasa because the Peruvian-style chicken was consistently succulent. I'm guessing maintaining the quality and profitability of a sit-down restaurant has been economically challenging since this was not the only Limon that has closed. I was encouraged that they kept the space and reinvented it into more of a fast food/takeout operation replete with a cartoon chicken mascot and an animated mural along the northern side of the building. I came by in the middle of a weekday afternoon, so I wasn't ready to eat on the spot. I decided on a takeout order of the $21.95 Half Chicken Pollo à la Brasa with two sides. I think I overdid the starches and went with the Plantains and Yuca Fries. I only noticed afterward that I could've gotten salad or cole slaw instead. When I got home and started to eat, I was immediately disappointed that the chicken tasted overcooked with the breast piece particularly dry. That was too bad because the skin from the rotisserie had the familiar flavorful seasonings. The plantains were tasty albeit a bit oily, while I had to nuke the lukewarm yuca fries to bring them back to life (Photo 9). Next time, I'll time my arrival closer to lunch or dinner, so I can dine in-house. My hope is that the chicken will be closer to the quality level I recall from Limon. FOOD - 3 stars...sadly overcooked when I ate it at home AMBIANCE - 4 stars...the space itself is fine, much more casual SEEVICE - 3.5 stars...the staff was nice enough TOTAL - 3 stars...fast food version of Limon not quite there yet RELATED - Exploring the Mission? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:https://yelp.to/_aRSz1GhNp

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    Brasa Bros - Photo 6: Interior

    Photo 6: Interior

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    Hot Sauce and Panko - Lime (left), Chris's (right)

    Hot Sauce and Panko

    4.4(1.5k reviews)
    0.6 miNob Hill
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    so first off before I get into it, there's no seating (see picture for reference), and it's on the…read morecorner. there is a lil bodega across the way which is where we got some lemonades to wash everything down, and you order either online, by phone, or to the cashier (what we did). It took maybe 20 mins, which was perfect. now, it's show time. holy hell. my boyfriend RAVES about this place all the time, and we finally went as a pre-AYCE snack. it took all my strength to not change my mind to eat here instead. when I think of chicken wings, I think of 3 flavors on the spot: buffalo, lemon pepper, and garlic parm. never, in my big back days, did I think to combine buffalo with garlic-parm (in this case, garlic bacon parm). I couldn't even wrap my head around it before I ate it and while I was eating it. I have to confess that I don't even like buffalo, the tang and that feeling in the back of your mouth that makes you want to drink a full glass of water after? I always hated it. don't get me started on the color/the way it stains EVERYTHING. BUT THIS RIGHT HERE? screw my white shirt, I'll use it as a napkin for these wings. Serg idk who you are but you're my new hero. Plus the spice level? not crazy hot, maybe like hot cheetos level (the regular hot cheetos, but also the flavor is too good to care about the spice) Their ranch is also hella good, and I don't like ranch like that. This place is making me redact all my statements about foods I DON'T like. If that doesn't tell you enough, idk what will. we will 100000% be back for more than just a 5 piece. I might even wear a white shirt next time.

    Ordered to-go, wings were delicious!…read more I tried the Mango Habanero, Buffalo, and Lemon Pepper. Mango Hab was my ABSOLUTE favorite -- loved the sweet & spicy combo. The wings were so juicy and delicious. They have so many flavors, so definitely want to try some of the other options soon :)

    Photos
    Hot Sauce and Panko - Front

    Front

    Hot Sauce and Panko - Chase's Wings Leedroooo's Lemon Pepper Wings

    Chase's Wings Leedroooo's Lemon Pepper Wings

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    Chilli wings and crema pastor

    Rooster & Rice

    Rooster & Rice

    4.3(540 reviews)
    1.2 miMarina/Cow Hollow
    $$

    Rooster & Rice is a chain with multiple locations serving up Khao Mun Gai (or Thai style chicken…read morerice), but my most recent order with them really fell flat. I ordered "The Original" with jasmine chicken rice, extra cilantro, cucumber, chicken skin (love that those are free add-ons), and an egg, and while the bowl was fine, all of the flavors felt like they could've been amped up several notches as everything leaned pretty bland and one note. I even swapped in the ginger scallion sauce, usually my favorite with Hainanese chicken, but it still fell flat and didn't bring the dish together the way I'd hoped. The dark meat was okay, if under-seasoned, but the breast meat was honestly pretty rough as it was extremely dry to the point where I was chasing each bite with water just to get it down. I added the chicken spring rolls as well, which were poorly wrapped and fell apart after a single bite, and they used the same overcooked white meat, making them basically inedible. If this is the standard for their white meat, I really think they should either stick to dark meat or make it clear that dark meat is an option without an upcharge. That said, my order was ready right when I expected it to be, pickup was smooth, and the staff were very nice and friendly, which keeps this from dropping lower in rating as I'm likewise hoping this was just an off night.

    Wasn't too busy on a Friday for lunch. Order came out Quick. Chicken was moist, the ginger sauce…read morepairs well with the rice and chicken.

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    Rooster & Rice
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    Love Burn

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    4.3(393 reviews)
    1.4 miSouth Beach
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    We needed to find a new lunch spot and one of my coworkers found this place. It's a small hole in…read morethe wall takeout only place. It's really two takeout places... Love Burn is chicken based, and the other is a burger spot. Order at the small counter and you wait outside. I ordered the chicken tenders and fries. After about 7 min, you get your order. It's a good sized portion... three large breast pieces and crispy fries. I got the Level 1 spice, which was just right, and the House Sauce for dipping. The sauce is like Raising Canes-style. The chicken is nice and moist, with lots of flavor. I'd definitely pickup again. The sidewalk where you wait isn't very nice... smells like a sewer and weed. But the food is worth the wait.

    I got their chicken sandwich level 2 and their wings at level 3. The chicken sandwich didn't taste…read morespicy at all to me so I kind of wished I got level 3 for my sandwich also. The wings were spicy and a bit painful to eat, but it wasn't too bad where it was inedible. I don't think I would ever get level 4 though unless it's just for bragging rights saying that I tried it because I know it'll probably taste horrible and the spice will be intolerable! I thought their chicken sandwich was very crunchy and it was huge! I shared it with my husband, but it didn't really wow me nor do I have cravings to go back. We got there in the morning and it was basically dead. No one else was there and the bowling alley was closed, which added more to the emptiness. No parking lot, only street parking, but we found a spot right away at the nearby residential homes.

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    Love Burn - Inside Hometown Bowl

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    The Roost - catering - Updated June 2026

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