HoDaLa

5801 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121, United States
+1 415-702-9510
$$$
(350 Reviews)

If you're in San Francisco and craving authentic Taiwanese cuisine, make a pit stop at HoDaLa, a cozy gem located at 5801 Geary Blvd. Known for its delightful array of dishes, this small yet charming restaurant offers a fantastic journey through Taiwanese comfort food that will tantalize your taste buds.

Step inside, and you'll find a warm and inviting atmosphere, decorated with nostalgic retro touches and whimsical toy displays that give it a unique character. It’s the kind of place where you can feel at home, whether you’re enjoying a solo meal or sharing a meal with friends.

HoDaLa’s menu is a treasure trove of flavors, ideal for anyone looking to immerse themselves in Taiwanese culture. For starters, the Tomato Beef Noodle Soup is a must-try; its savory broth is rich and comforting, with tender, flavorful beef that melts in your mouth. Pair that with the exquisite Sizzling Surf & Turf, a showstopper featuring succulent beef and perfectly cooked squid, served on a sizzling platter that adds a touch of excitement to your dining experience. Each bite is a fusion of textures and tastes that will have you coming back for more.

Don't forget to explore the dessert section, where the Red Bean Steamed Bao and Make Your Own Shaved Ice stand out as sweet finales to your meal. The bao is soft and fluffy, cradling a delectable red bean filling, while the shaved ice delightfully refreshes your palate with your choice of toppings.

Customer reviews resonate with the same heartfelt sentiment—a true testament to HoDaLa's dedication to quality and flavors. Jyun-Syun Li raves about the authenticity, stating, "the taste is legit and delicious," while Jem Le highlights that HoDaLa serves, "the best braised beef noodle soup" in the city. With such praises, it's no wonder this restaurant is bustling with loyal patrons eager to share in the joy of Taiwanese culinary delights.

Service at HoDaLa is commendable as well. Patrons feel well taken care of, with attentive staff ensuring your glass is never empty and your dining experience is smooth and enjoyable. Whether you're a Taiwanese food aficionado or a newcomer seeking to explore different flavors, HoDaLa is a destination that delivers!

So why wait? Join the community of satisfied diners at HoDaLa and indulge in the unique flavors of Taiwan, right in the heart of San Francisco.

350 Reviews
Jyun-Syun Li

20 Sep 2025

They offer quite authentic Taiwanese food, from cuisine to street food. Though it’s a bit salty, the taste is legit and delicious. Will recommend this restaurant to my friends for sure. I got the tomato beef noodle, the broth is savory, the beef is tender and flavorful.

Emily Chen

11 Sep 2025

One of the best Taiwanese places in SF. Food is super tasty and flavorful. Service is efficient and friendly. The beef noodle soup is a must get. Any pork belly dish is also superb. Dumplings are delicious. The sizzling beef noodles and egg custard buns were good, but not amazing. Regardless, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!

Jennifer Tse

15 Jul 2025

My friend ordered the tofu teppanyaki and I ordered the whole squid teppanyaki with Taiwanese satay sauce. They both came with spaghetti, a fried egg, corn, and red bell pepper. It was really yummy. I found out later through Google that teppanyaki is actually a Japanese dish and not Taiwanese though, even though I wanted to try more Taiwanese food. I’m impressed with the whole squid, since it not only looks good but tastes really good! We also ordered the taro balls shaved ice to share. The taro balls are not sweet though, but it also came with red beans, grass jelly, mango, and boba. This was my third time here. In my previous visits, I also ordered other shaved ice, beef noodle soup, pork belly buns, pork belly rice, and ground pork rice with a soy boiled egg. I definitely recommend their shaved ice and any of the other food items I mentioned!

Marine

06 Jul 2025

A small cozy Taiwanese food place. Very cute and layback place. The Taiwan sausage starter is amazing. Highly recommend sizzling squid noodle.

A. Ko

27 Jun 2025

Love stopping off at HoDaLa when we can! When they aren’t busy, you can get a table, fill your belly and not break the bank. I guess if I had to describe it - it’s like Taiwanese comfort food. One pic I forgot to add is the surf and turf where you get chunks of beef with a whole squid on a sizzling platter. It’s a great dish to share so you don’t feel guilty eating it all! It’s a small restaurant and some times there is 2-3 (maybe one if someone is running and errand) people working there. They are cranking out lots of to go orders but it usually doesn’t interfere with dine in folks. Either way I’m just asking folks to give them a break and be patient. The servers are always pleasant and welcome us back!

William Lui

27 Jun 2025

Really good selection of dishes that can satisfy different types of people. The servers and hostess checks up on you once in a while and no need to ask for water refills, they are on top of it. If you want something that looks like my pictures where it doesn't just look pretty and taste amazing, you gotta come here to HoDaLa! Go now!

Jem Le

16 Jun 2025

If you are looking for a bowl of wholesome, flavorful and euthenic braised beef noodle soup come to Hodala. They truly have the best here in the city! This is a makeshift restaurant from a small grocery store. It retains a lot of the retro decors and displays a nice collection of retro toys as well. The other dishes we tried were very flavorful. The dessert portion was big and tasty. All dishes are priced well for their portion and service was very prompt and friendly!

Jeff Ho

08 Jun 2025

Open until 10pm, Hodala serves a good selection of Taiwanese beers and food. I had the popcorn chicken $8 and squid on teppan (metal plate) $18. Both tasted fine. The squid was so big, it didn't quite fit the teppan without cutting it in half. I enjoy the tentacles more than the rings because they were crispier. The body of the squid was chewy. They have scissors to cut the squid. It is better than a knife. The noodles were not great. It broke up when I tried to use chopsticks on them. Salty. The ordering system is through their app. Service was fine.

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