Golden Island Cafe

I mean, nothing stands out but everything is good and you really can't go wrong with HK dessert.

The menu really hasn't changed in the last 20 years or so and the quality had always been the same. Can't think of a better nostalgic place for a late night snack.

I have always been fond of their popcorn chicken and ham and egg sandwich. The curry for fish balls is reminiscent of Hong Kong and the HK milk tea never disappoints.

The coconut milk snow frog dessert has been a long time favorite and everything from the mango sago to the sesame paste is always perfect.

Great place for a casual meet-up or when you're just missing HK.

I can't believe I spent $30 on a bunch of instant products you'd find at a supermarket. This is so DISAPPOINTING!

The black sesame soup isn't homemade at all; it's just instant powder from the supermarket, and there are still some clumps that haven't dissolved.

I've never seen such watery Mango Pomelo Sago before, and the color is off.

The iced lemon tea isn't homemade either; it's just bottled iced tea from the store!

Seriously, it's so frustrating. They're just fooling people.

After dinner, our group was ready for some dessert and headed across the street to Golden Island at the corner. The café has about a dozen tables that sit two to four. Our group was able to secure two tables of fours and two tables of two next to each other.

Thinking that this was a dessert place, from the menu they offered hot, cold and special desserts, fruit juices, sago with fresh fruit, hot and cold drinks but they also had savory snacks, sandwiches, toasts and noodles and snack, tea and lunch sets before 7pm.

Not being a regular in ordering Asian desserts, I was looking at the menu and pictures of some of the menu items. I was looking for sweet cold drink and not a full dessert as I was still full from dinner. Having been on an ube kick, the picture of the glass of fresh taro milk shake topped with whipped cream caught my eye and I decided to order it.

When the shake arrived, I was disappointed as it was nothing close to the picture. It came in a plastic cup with a domed cap. Dining in, I was expecting a real glass. Also, where's the whipped cream on top? Taste wise, it was not overly sweet and thick.

Friends ordered the yummy mango, mango sago and watermelon sago and they looked good. Just wished my shake looked like what was on the menu picture. If I return, I'll try something else.

Having walked by this place a few times and seeing how crowded it was, I was excited to try the desserts, especially the mango sago. We came and got a few desserts, the sesame pudding with glutinous rice balls, mango deluxe, black rice in coconut milk and mango sago. The two mango items had really nice presentation, but I'm not sure if the mangoes were not in season the time I went as it wasn't very sweet. I preferred the deluxe as the other add ons compensated for the lack of sweetness. The hot desserts were very good though. The black rice had a good chewy texture and the sesame pudding was not too sweet, which made it easy to eat.

The place itself was clean, but the tables were pretty close together which made the seating kind of squished, and it was pretty loud inside when full. Overall, I would come back but probably for the hot dessert more than the mango sagos.

I have grown up coming to this spot for over 10 years now. An absolute neighborhood staple for Chinese desserts, drinks, and snack foods. Personally I love to get the mango deluxe just because of the glutinous rice balls, they are chewy little balls of mochi reminiscent to dango and taste really good with the mango sorbet mixture everything is sitting on top of. I love the variety of toppings and the addition of a scoop of ice cream on this dessert as well, and it is pretty big so you could definitely split it with a friend! I have also enjoyed their popcorn chicken and ramen noodle soups before, but I typically come for this specific mango dessert.
The small store can often be packed at nighttime, so you may have to wait for a little to get a seat but there is a waiting list and the staff does their best to get through the crowds. You can find families and people of all ages, from young to senior, enjoying desserts and each other's company :). If you haven't tried this gem in the sunset district, you definitely need to!

Golden island is super nostalgic for anyone who grew up in the sunset district. This is my go to spot with my friends after dinner for dessert. It does get pretty crowded at night, you'll see many locals here.

I love their mango sago but got their green tea delight and also the sesame paste and sweet tofu dessert this time. It looks small but it's pretty filling!

I think their desserts are good but not amazing but this is a great spot to hangout with friends after dinner or just whenever!

Ventured into the sunset for some authentic Chinese desserts. We got the sesame and walnut paste and the red bean and tofu bean curd dessert.

Both were average and a bit pricier than I expected but overall it was ok if you are seeking out these Asian flavors that you may not find at other dessert places.

This is a neighborhood staple, a line worthy spot when they first opened, before the Chinese desserts boomed with the boba and ice craze. We used to dine at a restaurant a few doors down frequently but stopped when they closed (RIP - Little Beijing Restaurant).

The other reason I didn't try it earlier is that I prefer cold desserts to the warm/hot variety. After finishing our get-together dinner across the street, our group of 12 walked in a little after 6:30 pm and secured three tables by the window. After getting the menus, we were given ample time to decide on what we wanted before the young lady came to each table with her I-pad to take our respective orders. Seeing what the guy was drinking on the next table to my left, I asked her whether the watermelon was sweet and she said yes. I copied him in ordering the sago with watermelon (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=iHYOnz0OliRgCokZ_ZDdDw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). I was surprised by how filling this was, yet how it felt so light in taking bites of the sweet watermelon chunks while alternating sips from the cup. I made the mistake of not constantly stirring so the final third of the cup was mostly sago. I could only finish half while there and brought the rest home, finishing it the next day. Do remember to refrigerate it if you bring it home.

My friends had a variety of hot and cold desserts, ranging from the taro milkshake to the sweet tofu or sesame paste dessert choices. As we waited for our order, the room filled with customers. Our timing was perfect as customers flowed in as we prepared to leave. They also had an extensive snack menu that I wouldn't mind trying next time. Guess another visit is eminent.

Golden Island Cafe in San Francisco seems like a popular spot, but my recent visit for dessert left me wanting more. The cafe itself is quite busy, and the indoor seating area is small, making it a bit cramped. This might not be the best place for a quiet and relaxing dessert experience.

One of the biggest disappointments was the sago with lychee. The photos on their menu looked promising, but the reality was quite different. The portion size was bigger than expected, but the amount of lychee was significantly less. It seemed like the photos were misleading.

Even more concerning was the lack of flavor in the sago. It tasted watered down and offered very little beyond the sweetness of the lychee itself. Unfortunately, the lychee pieces themselves didn't seem fresh either.
The avocado milkshake also fell flat. It lacked any real depth of flavor, leaving us wishing for a more vibrant and delicious experience.

While Golden Island Cafe might be a bustling spot, my visit for dessert was a bit of a letdown. The misleading photos, watered-down flavors, and lack of freshness left me feeling unsatisfied.

MANGO YUMMY (5/5)
- This was super good! It came with mango sorbet, sago with coconut milk, mango ice cream and mango! The sorbet was flavorful and the ice cream added more sweetness to the dessert. The fruit was also sweet and fresh.

SAGO WITH MIXED FRUIT AND HONEYDEW JUICE (3/5)
- I think if it was a hot summer day, I would enjoy this dessert more. It was just average to me. While the fruits were delicious, the honeydew juice was very underwhelming.
- It was refreshing but felt like we were eating slightly flavored ice. I also disliked the container it came in because the sago settled on the bottom and was hard to scoop out.

This was my first time here and I definitely recommend getting one of the mango desserts. They're popular for a reason and I think Golden Island is better than MeetFresh or Sweethoney. I also like how this place closes late and it seems to be a busy spot.