Popular Vietnamese restaurant spared of losing its San Francisco home of nearly 4 decades

SAN FRANCISCO - A popular Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco's financial district was set to lose  their home of nearly four decades when their lease expires in weeks.

It got a last minute temporary reprieve Tuesday afternoon.

 Sai's Vietnamese Restaurant  is a longtime fixture  on Washington Street.

Owner Inmy Chi said it's been a roller coaster of emotions as she was trying to find a new home on short notice.

News that the restaurant will be forced to close when its lease expired at the end of the month was hard to digest for its longtime customers.

 "I'm angry. I'm upset," regular customer Idil Uralli said before she heard the good news. "It's an institution.  I've been coming here since the 90s.

 Sai's has been here since 1985 but Chi said the property manager told her one week ago that she would have to vacate the restaurant by Feb. 28. 

But she received good news while a KTVU crew was there to talk to her about the scramble to find a new location.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin came to the restaurant after speaking with the attorney for the property owner.

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"They will work with you on the future," Peskin told Chi and that he was able to work out a deal with the property owner's lawyer so Chi will be able to operate her restaurant here until she finds a new location and that management will help her re-locate.

 "I was shocked when he broke the news to me, that I can stay," Chi said. "Actually, I don't have to worry about where my staff is going to be." 

The restaurant was started 37 years ago by Chi's aunt and uncle, Chinese immigrants from Vietnam.

Chi took over in 2017. 

"Earlier, a moment of very heartbroken and now, tears of joy," said Chi.

Jim Reuben, the property owner's attorney, told KTVU Chi's unpaid rent will be forgiven and that she will not have to pay rent while she looks for a new location.

He also said the owner has plans to demolish the restaurant and build a  50,000 foot building to match an existing building next door which he also owns. 

Peskin suspects public pressure played a key role.

"They claim it was a misunderstanding between the property manager and the property owner," said Peskin.

Chi said she's cautiously optimistic, "Unless something is written in, at this point, I don't believe in it, unless it's in black and white."

Peskin told Chi to breathe a sigh of relief and he wished her a Happy Lunar New Year.

The supervisor said he'll convene a meeting this week with all parties involved to get the agreement in writing.

Chi said she will be looking for a new home in the same area but relieved that she now has more time to do so.