Dash Cafe

I saw they were closed, another biz moved in, I knew it from the time I went there that they wouldn’t make it…

Dash used to be a great café with excellent coffee and some nice treats from the kitchen like waffle sandwiches. In the last several months, however, it’s slowly spiraled into an Asian restaurant which happens to serve terrible coffee.
It appears they are undergoing a series of changes right now (ownership?) so it’s unclear what kind of restaurant will come out the other end. A few months back there was an SF Health Department sign on the door stating that the kitchen was shut down… I don’t think I want to know what that was all about.
Hopefully something good will come out of the changes, the inner sunset could really use a great coffee shop.

I hadn’t been back to Dash since my last review in 2011. Since then, Dash has become an HK style café. My cousin and I dined here after we had our toes done up the block (at Sensi – my favorite place for pedis!). We walked in around dinner time and noticed that the place was practically empty. We decided to give it a try anyway. The hostess/​waitress/​server (yes, she played all these roles) was very friendly, but a little overeager. Since there were very few people there, she was very attentive, perhaps a little too attentive. We ordered the baked Portuguese chicken over rice and the baked sole over spaghetti. Both came with some kind of soup, which consisted of a clear broth with some chopped celery and carrot floating around in it. The baked dishes were pretty good and were just as good if not better than baked dishes found at other HK style cafes.

Get the food, and stop thinking this is a one stop coffee sip place! People’s snobbish reaction to this café’s lack of Blue Bottle, and decision to recycle the old café’s sign, the new Dash has other items worth trying, so having an open mind is worthwhile, otherwise continue to be an obnoxious hipster. Admittedly, we too were closed-​minded snobs and continued passing by Dash Café without much thought. This is a great neighborhood Asian style café (think Panera Bread but with Chinese food) that doesn’t just serve coffee, but decent food. The atmosphere is primarily quiet and it was great to just sit and get work done without worrying about having to fight for a table, or having a scone as my only food option. The woman who took my order was extremely nice, and it was nice to patronize a locally owned business versus a chain (i.e. Peet’s, Arizmendi, Starbucks).
Reviewers giving this place a low rating because the coffee wasn’t up to their standards, please. A $ 2 coffee purchase doesn’t justify hogging up the wifi for 8 hours straight, nor does it help these local businesses stay open.

I’m pleased this restaurant has veered away from serving elitist, annoying college students who dominate tables and hog high-​speed Internet. You guys, I feel for you. But when you order a $ 2 scone and then sit for five hours, it’s hard to take your Unilocal review seriously.
So now Dash is a Chinese restaurant. Don’t come in here expecting the highlight to be waffle sandwiches, smoothies, and overpriced coffee drinks — I think they still have these things, but it’s no longer the business model. It’s now a sit-​down establishment with lots of standard Chinese fare; fried noodles and rice, and meat and vegetable plates.
Instead of ordering at the register, I was instead told to sit down, and a girl brought me warm jasmine tea. The fried noodles I ordered were really fabulous — just the right amount of soy sauce and vegetables. Jasmine milk tea, which I’ve never tried before, was large and delicious.
The atmosphere is the same warmed up death I felt before this place reopened. It’s too quiet now. And the new ownership still feels like it’s finding its footing. But I’ll probably return.

I’ll be honest and say this may be an unfair review.
I came to this café with a sole purpose: I need to cram for an exam. I needed only a viable internet connection and a beverage to satisfy me. The internet connection was spotty, which was frustrating when you’re trying to take practice tests online and play music to drown out the other patrons [on that note: everyone’s talking seems much louder because the noise just bounces off the walls without much to absorb the sound].
I ordered an iced mojito milk tea, which was tasty… but only because I was thirsty. It was more milk than anything; not much tea and the tiniest detection of lime. I think some of the other drinks might be better, and the food might actually be worth another visit.
On the positive, the people working the café were super super nice, and I think if I had come just to hang out or grab a quick bite, I would feel more positive about my experience. But since I only have this experience to go on, I’m rewarding 2.5 stars.

decent study spot if you don’t mind the N coming around every 10 minutes. I LOVE brie cheese, prosciutto, and apple waffle sandwich. Maybe I’ll stop and get one now.

I’ve been wanting to try this place since they reopened. They still have coffee, tea, and waffles, but they also have a full menu. Breakfast, lunch specials, entrees, congee, vegetables, daily specials, etc. I tried the Baked Chicken Portuguese Style over Rice and Singapore Style Rice Noodle. Both are outstanding in flavor, price, and portion! Please give the «new» Dash Café a try! The food is amazing. I think they could work on logistical issues a bit. It’s hard to tell whether it’s full service or order at the counter and seat yourself. I can’t wait to go back and try the congee though!

Kinda impressed. It was closed for a bit, so when it opened, I wanted to check it out. Fairly standard Chinese fair, but I’m gonna have to try the waffle sandwiches. They just sound too good to pass up.
The place has a nice, open feel with plenty of light (a nice breeze with the doors open). Service was good, prices reasonable. They made a slight error on my order and were awesome about correcting it. The best customer service I’ve had in a long while. Worth checking out. Even if you’re just grabbing some coffee/​tea to go.

EDIT 3÷29÷14 — They cleaned up whatever violations they had and are now reopened.
So I returned to Dash shortly after they posted additional menus, and the food blew me out of the water.
First, they provided full table service (so at least that’s clear).
Next, the scallop congee, vegetable curry dish and ox tail dish we ordered were tasty tasty tasty. One of my biggest gripes about congee not made by my mom is it is not salted enough. This one was perfect. My guy really enjoyed his vegetable curry — it had just the smallest amount of heat, and the veggies were not overcooked (which is one of his biggest gripes about veggies in general). For the ox tail, since my mom hasn’t made it in over 10 years, I wanted a taste of home. They delivered — wonderfully flavored and tender meat. This dish is very much comfort food as it was made with a stew-​like sauce.
They also treated us to a complementary dessert as a promotion — sliced apples sandwiched between waffles. It tasted good, but it was difficult to eat with a utensil since the parts were stiff. Perhaps if the apples were cooked?
I’m an official fan now, which says a lot. I tend to be more critical than positive!
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Recommended:
— Won ton soup
— Scallop congee
— Ox tail over rice
— Beef brisket over rice
— Curry beef brisket over rice
— Curry chicken over rice
— Curry vegetables over rice
— Mojito milk tea
— Ricotta pancakes
— Fish with black bean sauce over rice
Not a big fan of the baked prawns over rice. Wasn’t bad, just boring.

But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn’t have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don’t need that though
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know!
Gotye got my relationship with Dash Café just right. A few weeks ago I saw that Dash had closed (for good? forever?) and to my joy, its doors were open this morning. But the Dash Café that I used to know no longer exists — Dash is now a strange hybrid between a café and a HK diner.
The internet still works and the ladies are lovely. The waffle sandwiches are still on the menu, but now there are more typical dishes like congee and baked pasta. The young, student clientele has now been replaced by families with shrieking babies. We’ve lost a gem to the increasingly homogenized HK diner scene in Inner Sunset. It’s the same but everything is different.
I guess it’s time to move on.

DASH CAFE HAS RE-​OPENED.
Unfortunately. The new, bastardized version has no blue bottle, no working internet (at least when we went in), zero atmosphere (they removed the water fountain, bar tables, art work), and they were already out a few menu items despite being open for a couple weeks. The waffles from the previous Dash Café menu are gone and a few measly omelettes are now on the food menu. Granted, overall, it’s cheaper and has a few outdoor tables but this place has zero else going for it.
This café is under new management, but I can’t foresee this place staying in business for long. Too bad due to the lack of good cafes in the area…

We used to go here literally every day (cappuccino habit, what?), and while the high turnover of baristas meant the quality of my coffee wasn’t always consistent, it was still decent (blue bottle) beans. Not sure what happened, but the coffee they switched to is pathetic burnt crap. Gave it several chances but haven’t been in for over a month now. I get it, Blue bottle is expensive, but there are several mid-​price options that are still palatable.
The waffles were great but I can get good coffee and plenty of sweet and savory doughy goodness at arizmendi. Pity.

SUPER CUTE CAFE.
You can have cute little waffle sandwiches that look amazing. They may look small, but they are so filling. You would expect the waffle to not to be sweet, but its kinda sweet. Perfect combo.
They have games that you can play with friends, but its kind of awkward if you guys are loud. It’s a perfect place to study at and not be loud at. A calming atmosphere.

The natural lighting in this café is amazing. Lighting is extremely crucial when studying. There are seating in the front, which can get loud sometimes since it is by the bus tracks. But there are also seating in the back for a more cozy setting. The back doesn’t have any lighting other than small lights. There are outlets everywhere, so if you need to charge your electronics, it will not be an issue.
The food selections are crepes, waffles, and espresso drinks. The waffles are really good, but not so much of the drinks. These girls need a little more training as a barista! Dash can be a little of a far stretch since it is in the sunset district. Parking is also ridiculous in residential area. What is up with Sunset District and little spots by driveways where you can only fit at most a scooter?! — Opens until 7/7:30P

Came here on a Thursday at 3:15. Tried the provolone, avocado, pesto waffle sandwich for $ 5.99and MY LORDIE it was great. The waffle is slightly sweet with a crunchy shell but the depth of those little waffle hole/​dips add another texture and dimension to the sandwich. I HIGHLY reccomend the pesto. It is so freaking flavorful.
I also got the blueberry Vegan smoothie for $ 4. Cold, pretty, but a weak flavor. After the super flavorful pesto, the smoothie was very lacking in a flavor punch.
Front has lots of bright seats thanks to the windows. In the back down the stairs is a nice study spot with a lovely lit up fountain.
Wifi password: strawberry
Bathrooms in the back

I have a /​relationship/​with waffles. I take them very seriously and don’t settle for amateurs. That being said, Dash Café serves up some amazing waffle creations. My current favorite is their mushroom provolone waffle sandwich. The cheese is nice and melty, and the savory flavors go really well with the sweetness of the waffle.
Because they have such a huge menu now, some of the options can be hit or miss. I once got a watermelon iced tea, which turned out to just be black tea with some cut-​up watermelon pieces floating around in it. But they can make great coffee drinks (Blue Bottle, duh). I usually get an iced caramel latte.
I love how big this place is – if you’re lucky enough to go at an off hour, you can snag the big comfy chairs near the fountain or in the corners. It’s a great place to get work done – the lighting is pretty minimal, but I’m not too sensitive to that.
This is easily the best café of its kind out in these parts. It’s big and airy, and you could easily spend hours here with enough food and drink variety to satisfy you throughout the day. Hollow is also great, but this place is open later, which is hard to find in the Sunset.

Laptop camper here. Dash Café has so many liege waffle creations… including chicken & waffles, waffle sandwiches, waffle bites, ice cream waffles, etc. Enjoy your waffles with Blue Bottle Coffee. The menu also includes vegan smoothies, pastries, soup, salad, fried appetizers, etc.
It’s a charming spot for laptop camping, with two fairly large rooms. One is bright and loud (the N Judah goes right by) and the other, in the back, is quiet, dark and peaceful. The wi-​fi is free but they don’t have many power outlets.
* Liege waffle bites with whipped cream and fresh fruit
— waffles weren’t as good as Bloem n’ Sugar’s (R.I.P) or the Golden Waffle. The whipped cream made them soggy. The melon and the whipped cream didn’t complement each other.
UC staff and students get a 10% discount. Happy hour is from 4 — 8 PM on weekdays. Earn a free coffee or a free sandwich with their frequent buyer programs.
You know you love me. X0 X0, laptop camper.

I’ve been a regular at Dash ever since it opened. I love the large windows that let in sunlight in the front room, and the dimmer but cozier back room. I am also a very big fan of the waffle sandwiches here. Smoked Salmon and cream cheese is my favorite ($ 7.49) but brie and apple proscuitto ($ 6.99) is a close second.
When i first started studying here, they only had blue bottle coffee (drip coffee $ 2.50) and waffle sandwiches. Now, they seem be to going through an identity crisis and have began serving some strange café foods.
Since the last time I’ve been here, they have added chicken wings available in «9 Party Animal Flavors» and hot dogs (polish, beef and cajun) to their menu. Also, they now serve pita pockets ($ 3.99) in tuna, turkey pesto, egg/​cheese with veggies. Recently, it also seems as though they are kick-​starting a variety of happy hour specials. Happy hour is 3pm-​6pm daily, and for $ 5 you can get an appetizer item and a beer or soda… Monday’s special is a crispy banan, tuesday is 5 pieces of chicken wings, Wednesday is waffle with ice cream etc. How about a happy hour special for coffee? Most people here come to study and read, and not sure if beer is the most conducive beverage for studying.
Don’t get me wrong. I LOOOVEEEE chicken wings. I also love coffee. And occasionally I like hot dogs. Pita pockets, i’m not sure. But throwing in all of those menu items, plus a new breakfast item just makes it seem all wrong and out of place.
Café for studying? Diner for eating? Restaurant for drinking? Wait, what? What kind of clientele are you looking to attract?
To give dash some credit though, I have seen people order many of their new items so I guess it must be bringing in more revenue. It must be hard to make money off of UCSF students who come here, order 1 drink and sit for 8 hours. As much as I really do love coming to Dash Café, I think they need to pick one niche and stick with it. This oddball mix of advertising is confusing me and distracting me from my studying.

After lunch, my buddy and I wanted to check out Dash and grab a drink while getting work done. It was really nearby so we dropped in for a snack.
I ordered the strawberry smoothie, which I actually found extremely unsatisfying. It was decently priced at $ 3.75 but was made from a couple frozen strawberries and I’m not sure what else. It did not look or taste like a smoothie and I wouldn’t order it again. It also seemed to take forever to make.
Service was really unenthusiastic to say the last and the most absurd thing is that they close at 4pm on Tuesdays, which is downright ridiculous and makes for a terrible customer experience. In fact, there was a line of people trying to order that were simply turned away. For a business in such close proximity to UCSF, this is one joint that should be open later hours. Unfortunately for Tuesdays, that’s not the case.
Food: ²⁄₁₀
Service: ¹⁄₁₀
Price: $
Atmosphere: ⁵⁄₁₀