Looking for a lunch recommendation open on Mondays. Staying near the UN Plaza, so we are close to public transportation. Not interested in sushi, dim sum, or Sichuan. Possibly good ramen or very good Vietnamese. Spectacular sandwiches like a great club may also apply 
Also open to good classic brunch options (eggs benny et al), tacos, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Greek.
Nothing too heavy 
Thank you so much! 
Burmese food is something which isn’t easily available elsewhere (tea leaf salad etc) and so it might be worth going for it for lunch - Burmese Superstar (a few locations) started much of it (but there are also a number of other good Burmese restaurants) and an Uber or public transportation might be worth taking it.
Lers Ros – excellent and authentic Thai – at 730 Larkin, a six minute walk from UN plaza. (Warning:
Some of the walk will be socially challenging.) Another location is at 307 Hayes, also a short walk. But I prefer the original Larkin location. PS: Golden Lotus – Vietnamese, great pho – is even closer on Larkin.
Around Civic Center:
For ramen, the downtown location of HINODEYA is open for lunch. Note that they serve a lighter dashi based broth with their ramen rather than a rich tonkotsu etc.
For Vietnamese and also good sandwich, there is Saigon Sandwich on Larkin in the Tenderloin for some good banh mi. Note that the Tenderloin is not the nicest neighborhood to walk in. Also note that while there is a small counter, it’s more of a take out place.
For brunch type stuff like eggs Benedicts, with a Creole twist, there is Brenda’s French Soul Food from chef Brenda Buenviaje originally from New Orleans.
Re: Burmese food, the closest near your stay is Burma Love in the Mint Plaza on 5th, from the Burma Superstar people. They have a pretty good mohinga from what I remember, and also a full bar if you are partaking.
+1 to Lers Ros, very good Thai food. Also in that area (Tenderloin) is Zen Yai, which has some good boat noodles, and Hai Ky Mi Gia which has Teochew style noodles.
As you mentioned there is a lot of public transportation near where you are staying which opens up a lot of other options e.g. in the Mission, Hayes Valley, Castro, Embarcadero (including the Ferry Building) etc. via Muni Metro, BART, Muni streetcars if you don’t mind taking it.
For brunch you’re close to Brenda’s French soul food, their brunch is pretty popular, crawfish beignets, po-boys etc.
I still love the O.G. roast pork banh mi at Saigon Sandwich on Larkin (as @Deuxchevaux notes, it’s the Tenderloin, so expect lots of strung out folks, drug dealing etc. - but I’ve been there million times without incident).
Lers Ros is great, further up on Larkin, the only issue I have is the menu is giant so for one person I’m always paralyzed on what to order.
You’re really close to Arsicault Bakery that have renowned croissants and would be ashamed not to try them being so close.
For Ramen Mensho Tokyo is nearish, but they don’t open until 5:00 so no lunch.
Love Lers Ros. Might be time to go back.
Unfortunately in that area quite common in the moment
I consider it interesting.
Just wear thick rubberized boots and you’re fine
I agree with Saigon Sandwich, and Brenda’s — both excellent. And yes, as others have said more explicitly, there’s lots of meth, etc., in this neighborhood. Walking up Larkin, I would take the right side, avoiding the left — especially right after / above the federal building. That section of street has been awful for years — and recently it’s often even worse.
Yeah, that area’s been depressing since the first time I visited in '97.
I don’t know when you were here the last time but it has gotten much worse the last 2-3 years
+1 for Brenda’s
Definitely check hours-- lots of SF places are closed on Mondays, e.g., Mong Thu, which I’d otherwise recommend.
A La Turca used to be very good, but it’s been ages since I’ve eaten there. Huh, De Afghanan Kabob House moved to FiDi.
Downtown SF has changed much in those eight years - and not for the better
Sad and truly shameful. But we got safely into our hotel.
Tomorrow, the tough task of choosing from everyone’s great recommendations 
Brenda’s is looking pretty good, but of course I wish I were in town for longer than just 24 hours…
My favorite lunch when we used to stay in Noe Valley was getting sandwiches from Bi-rite market and walking over to Dolores park and enjoying the (usually) nice weather and people watching.
That sounds wonderful for a sunny day, but it’s raining & I’m sandwiched out for the foreseeable future - had them for lunch & “dinner” while traveling).
Amazed it’s raining up there. 75 and sunny in Santa Barbara! Also love the Burma Superstar on Valencia and of course La Taqueria on Mission.
Where did you end up ?
