Lime Tree

450 Irving St A, San Francisco, CA 94122, United States
+1 415-665-1415
$$$ Southeast Asian restaurant , Asian restaurant , Malaysian restaurant , Singaporean restaurant
(352 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

Lime Tree is a modest Southeast Asian restaurant tucked into the Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. With a straightforward setup and a relatively small menu, it’s best suited for diners seeking authentic Malaysian and Singaporean flavors without fuss. The atmosphere feels low-key and homey rather than polished or trendy, making it a comfortable spot to enjoy familiar dishes in a no-frills environment.

The kitchen specializes in staples like Martabak—crispy roti stuffed with spiced minced meat and eggs— and Roti Pratha, which comes flaky and buttery with a curry dipping sauce. These dishes, along with their curry noodles and chicken satay, represent straightforward takes on well-loved regional comfort foods. Portions are generally generous, and the food arrives promptly, although there isn’t much by way of elaborate plating or bells and whistles.

Lime Tree’s setting is unpretentious and quiet, often calm enough that a solo diner can feel right at home. While the interior isn’t packed or lively, the owner’s down-to-earth manner and occasional small touches like a complimentary fruit plate create a sense of neighborhood warmth. Given its niche menu and casual vibe, Lime Tree works well for anyone craving authentic Southeast Asian eats, especially locals familiar with the cuisine who appreciate a laid-back meal rather than a bustling restaurant outing.

Prices have crept up a little in recent years, but the value remains reasonable considering portion sizes. A visit during quieter weekday lunches or early dinners offers a chance to enjoy the swift, unhurried service in a relaxing atmosphere. Diners who enjoy exploring regional specialties and have patience for humble surroundings will find this place rewarding.

Those who appreciate subtle details—like the house-made peanut sauce on the satay or the spicy chili sauce that can brighten many dishes—will likely return for repeat visits. Lime Tree stands out less for spectacle and more for maintaining a small but consistent presence of Southeast Asian home cooking within San Francisco’s diverse culinary landscape.

Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Quick bite
Serves vegetarian dishes
Best for
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Paid street parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 02:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Wednesday

11:00 AM - 02:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Thursday

11:00 AM - 02:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 02:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Saturday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Sunday

11:00 AM - 03:00 PM

,

05:00 PM - 08:00 PM

352 Reviews
Kallen Tu

03 Dec 2025

Affordable, good portion food. Their beef rendang combo was delicious and came with a drink and fruits. We also got a roti pratha and it was super buttery and delicious. The food came fairly quickly, but we had a hard time figuring out what ingredients were in the food. I think there was a little confusion because the roti was not made in house.

Jeff Ho

13 Nov 2025

Indoor dining 4/1/2021. 10 years ago, this place used to be packed with wait times up to an hour. Tonight it was completely empty. I was the only customer eating inside. I had the Martabak (meat stuff pancakes) $10 and the Singaporean curry noodles $10. The pancakes were a little dry. It came with a curry dipping sauce so it made it less dry. The Singaporean curry noodles were delicious. I'm accustomed to the traditional dry stir-fried version. This is good saucy version. I had them replaced the clear noodles to egg noodles. The curry had a good texture with hints of coconut juice. There were generous portions of curry, chicken, mushrooms and noodles. Great job everyone at Lime Tree!

Apple I

27 Oct 2025

This place has become one of my most favorite authentic south eastern Asian restaurant in SF. It's not just the food that you can enjoy but my experience sitting here with comfortable feeling like I'm in my own home. The atmosphere is not overwhelming. Ming the owner is a super cool guy he even offer free fruit plate to us after meal . What more to say. This is a paradise on earth. Edited 11/10/19 We came back and the food and service are still good.

AJ F

24 Oct 2025

My absolute go-to spot for authentic Southeast Asian comfort food. This is a true neighborhood hole-in-the-wall gem—it might be sparse (one cook, one server), but they make it work! Must-Haves: The Roti Pratha and the Singapore Noodles

MOncat

17 Oct 2025

One of my favorite places in the city. Everything but the roasted chicken/fried rice is outstanding (they don’t have a big menu). The roasted chicken and fried rice are average. Their price has increased by 20-30 percent compared to about two years ago. So sad that inflation got to this little neighborhood restaurant too. Highly recommend their spicy chili sauce, it makes everything better. For this particular location, there’s probably not a good ventilation system so you might walk out smell like the smoke from cooking. Their other location on clement st has better air. Will still come back in the future.

Ileanet Vidal

15 Sep 2025

It’s a simple place with very friendly service and really good food that is hot and made fresh to order. Both times I’ve been here I haven’t had anything that wasn’t absolutely delicious. Everything is just so good. I love their hot sauce (Sambal) and their roti with curry is the best I’ve had.

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