Welcome to Lou’s Cafe
Lou’s Cafe, located in San Francisco, is a casual yet gourmet sandwich haven offering a variety of delectable options. From the signature LLB Special Roast Beef sandwich to the flavorful Original Breakfast Sandwich, each dish is crafted with quality ingredients and Lou's Special Sauce. Customers rave about the perfect size of the sandwiches, the quick service, and the friendly staff. With options for vegans and limited vegetarians, Lou's Cafe caters to a diverse range of tastes. If you crave a satisfying meal in a cozy atmosphere, Lou’s Cafe is a must-visit destination.
- 1508 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116, United States1508 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116, United States Hotline: +1 415-682-4083
Welcome to Lou's Cafe, a hidden gem located in San Francisco, CA, specializing in gourmet sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, espresso beverages, and more.
As a food reviewer of Restaurant World, I had the pleasure of visiting Lou's Cafe to experience their famous gourmet sandwiches firsthand. One standout dish is the LLB Special Roast Beef, Turkey, Ham, Swiss Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Lou's Special Sauce, served on a Dutch Crunch roll. The blend of flavors and quality ingredients make this sandwich a must-try for any sandwich lover.
In addition to their gourmet sandwiches, Lou's Cafe also offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, and espresso beverages. The Caesar Salad with Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and croutons is a refreshing option for those looking for a lighter meal.
What sets Lou's Cafe apart is their commitment to providing a diverse menu that caters to different dietary preferences. With options like Vegan and Vegetarian sandwiches, customers with specific dietary needs can enjoy a delicious meal without compromising on taste.
Customer reviews rave about the quick service, fresh ingredients, and warm atmosphere at Lou's Cafe. Whether you're a longtime customer or a first-time visitor, you can expect top-notch service and mouthwatering dishes that will keep you coming back for more.
So, if you're in the mood for a hearty sandwich or a satisfying breakfast option, look no further than Lou's Cafe. With a wide range of menu options, friendly staff, and a cozy ambiance, this cafe is sure to become your new favorite spot in San Francisco.

The food is amazing! The sandwiches are the perfect size and are delicious. Everyone who works here is incredibly sweet and the food came out incredibly fast. I would recommend trying the chicken pesto sandwich, make sure to add their special sauce! It's so yummy. The only thing I'd say is the seats were very worn down but the food is great and I definitely still recommend trying this place if you ever get the chance

Fresh, big sandwiches, chips, drinks and a simple salad? Yup- that's all here at Lou's. This is a good spot to order and pick up lunch. Sitting inside is ok but feeding us is really their focus (had to ask for napkins, counter not wiped). Their sandwich-making game down! I recommend ordering one of the named sandwiches since you can modify it to your liking. I called to order the second time and the guy taking my order asked to review one sandwich to be sure I really wanted everything it came with, listing each item (appreciated that since he was right that I didn't).

If you need a breakfast sammie to knock your socks off, Lou's is the spot. The service is quick, the coffee is hot, and the food is beyond fresh. That ciabatta bread is to die for.

YES YES YES. PLEASE, if you are going here, you HAVE to get the LLB Signature sandwich! My fellow dutch crunch lovers, it's so affordable and so yummy, too! The mixed deli meat with their signature sauce, wrapped in a warm, toasty dutch crunch (that isn't too thick, which is AMAZING), is something I'm going to be craving forever. SERVICE: The sweetest staff. They're fast and efficient, and my order (around 11AM) took at max 10 minutes, including the time it took to order. They also have a points system, so you can collect stamps over time to get a reward. SEATING: Lots of seating inside! Long wooden bench with chairs and lots of tables. I think there was also about one or two tables with chairs outside, which is perfect if the Outer Sunset weather doesn't get too foggy / cold. It was empty when I went there in the early afternoon, so if you're looking for a midday date, I think this is a tasty place to visit! You can't go wrong with all the choices and plenty of seating (so no stress)!

Whatever you do get your sandwich in Dutch crunch! My go to is the veggielicious, it has roasted peppers, eggplant avocado plus the usual fixings of lettuce red onions pickles and house jalapeño sauce. The bread is toasted to perfection and that delicious Dutch crunch crust wraps around the top of loaf and even over to the underside. Talk about serious coverage of theta yummy crust. Lou's is the perfect place for a quick lunch or a togo meal to picnic with. There is indoor and outdoor seating if you feeling like dining in!

Service was quick and simple! Sandwich came out within like 5-10min! I really enjoyed the Ami cado but I wish the Dutch crunch bread was toastier. The ingredients were great but I'm a bit picky on the bread.

Lou's always delivers delicious subs consistently. Shop is simple. Parking is usually easy except it's annoying now with the taravel street reconstruction. Sandwich is good and sometimes i wish it's a little bit hotter (temperature wise). I also tried their clam chowder recently. Good texture, right level of creaminess and quite a bit of clams. Hope they will continue to refine and add a tad more buttery and salty. Service is fast. Ambiance is a basic, clean sandwich shop. So happy they are here as a local neighborhood staple.

Literally my favorite sandwich spot in the city! I've been coming here since I was in high school and the quality and price has remained consistent. I usually go to the Richmond location, but am glad they opened one in the Sunset too! They do have indoor seating, but there's limited street parking. We came on a Sunday 5 minutes before closing and were worried they would turn us away, but they didn't. I usually order the LLB special with everything (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, jalapeño spread). The Dutch crunch bread, the fillings (roast beef, turkey, ham), and the special Lou's sauce is delicious. The service is quick and the sandwiches are ready within 5-10 minutes. I always stop by here to grab a sandwich before work if I'm in a rush. They offer a number of crafted sandwiches for whatever you might be craving that day. Be sure to join their loyalty program as the more you visit, it adds towards a free sandwich after x amounts of visits (I believe 10 or 12 gets you a free sandwich).

Super tasty and filling sandwich! I got the Veggie and the ingredients were fresh and balanced well. Staff was friendly and would certainly visit for more sandwiches. Was only a few minutes to close and they accommodated my order and it was made within minutes. They asked to make sure the jalapeños that come with the sandwich were ok for me before preparing it!

Simply a great sandwich, would recommend! Ordered the Risky Bizness sandwich to pick up; staff was nice over the phone and food was ready in 10-15 mins. The sandwich is pretty large and filled with lots of ingredients, a great and filling meal in SF for less than $15. The sandwich itself has hot pastrami brisket, crab salad, bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese, pepperoncini's, Lou's special sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onions, pickles, and jalapeno spread, all on dutch crunch (a ton of stuff!). The dutch crunch bread is amazing and feels fresh. Lou's special sauce is super tasty and you can get extra of this sauce and the jalapeno spread on the side.