The 49 best spots for jook in San Francisco

Went there yesterday for their last day 🥲 I will miss the vibe forever. Their bbq port noodle roll were so good that I had to order 1 more for take out. The duck fried rice was plain and little duck in it… House chow fun was okay 👍🏻 They were busy but the server was attentive. They worked like a family. It is a place full of history records and I hope there is a way we can preserve the history down. It is a bittersweet farewell to chef Ho and I wish him all the best for his retirement!

A Chinatown institution reopened which makes folks like me happy. The food is solid hole in the wall Cantonese food. Won’t win any awards but guaranteed to satisfy. Well, with the exception of their Guern fun or filled rice noodle rolls, those deserve a gold medal! #IYKYK #legacy #cantoneseeats #chinatownsf #samwo #sfeater

Sam Wo has been a cherished San Francisco institution for a century, and its legacy as a go-to spot for comforting Chinese cuisine will be deeply missed when it closes its doors in late January 2025. The food here is consistently good, with standout dishes like the chow mein and chow fun. Both are packed with flavor and served in generous portions that make them perfect for sharing—or enjoying all to yourself. The flavors are well-balanced, and the dishes have that classic, nostalgic taste that reminds you why this place has endured for so long. That said, don’t come expecting lightning-fast service. The pace here is relaxed, giving you time to soak in the ambiance of a restaurant steeped in history. As Sam Wo approaches its bittersweet farewell, it’s worth a visit to savor its comforting dishes and pay tribute to 100 years of culinary tradition in San Francisco.

Very happy they’re *back*! Changes in price, portion are understandable—even appreciated for Sam Wo’s evolution and long term prospect, but changes in taste is what disappointed me. Really hoping it’s temporary while the new team ramps up—will try again in a couple of months and update review. For example, duck dry mixed noodle should be in a bowl with an appropriate ratio of lettuce, duck fat, duck meat, sweet soy, and noodles used should be slightly less thick.

Welcome back to a legend! So happy we haven’t seen the last of Sam Wo. Of course the bbq pork rice rolls are still soft, handmade and as good as ever. Hope we see it around for another century.

Honestly the worst bbq pork (char siu) noodle soup I've ever had. Pork was too lean to be real char siu and very dry which is why they cut it into shreds otherwise barely edible. I also think since it was so dry, it's older food that wasn't sold. There wasn't even an ornamental green leafy vegetable on top. Only scallions. Definitely not authentic Cantonese food. Plus tabletops were so sticky the menus stuck to them.

A first time visit with four friends. I had the Beef Chow Fun dish. Very delicious and a nice size portion. We had an issue with food delivery timing and missing a drink and food order even after a several reminders. It was a busy night and servers were busy cleaning tables and seating and servering other guests. Even though busy the staff was friendly. In the end it was made right. Thank you! I would love to make another future visit to Sam Wo.

Anyone who wants to have one of the best meals of all time must come to China Live! My foodie family does not usually prefer Asian cuisine, however we rank this meal in our top 3 favorites of our lifetime! Let me tell China Live does not skimp on portions or quality! The only other place you can find dumplings this good is in China itself! The pork belly appetizer was perfectly cooked + crispy leaving my stomach pinning for more. The Mongolian beef absolutely melted in our mouths. We also enjoyed firecracker chicken, their award winning thin noodles and fried rice, but if you order one thing you must order the black sesame ice cream with mango shave ice. You are going to have to take my word for it. It should be illegal to go to China Live without ordering this heavenly dessert. China Live does not miss on the aesthetic either. They kept it simple and modern with touches of Chinese culture and vibrant floral features! Not only did they have helpful and friendly servers, but they had fantastic service that came out quick, family style, and nicely portioned. Out of many experiences we’ve had at top tier restaurants, I can tell you that this one may be my favorites of all time. I’m sure Chinatown has many other fantastic restaurant options but I promise you they will not get any better than this! I can’t think of a single piece of criticism for this restaurant. If I could I would give it a 6/5 stars! Take my advice and go to China live, you will thank me for the rest of your life!

China Live is absolutely outstanding! The food is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared — even my toddler loved it. The drinks are exceptional and the service is friendly and professional. Everything feels high-quality yet welcoming. One of the best dining experiences in San Francisco. Highly recommend!

This place is a busy institution with a very interesting origin story.Good food and an expensive market right on the edge of chinatown.It's definitely geared to the western palette. Traditional offerings, that were well plated, but a touch off. All of it was good, but a bit bland. The space is massive and a visual feast. That said the acoustics in their main dining room are horrible for conversation. Don't come here to talk. Their duck was very well balanced and perfectly cooked.I would have liked to have had the skin a little crispier, but i'm not mad. Their water dumplings were noteworthy.I really enjoyed those, the carmelization on the bottom was just barely over the line, but i loved them. i'm pretty sure that's their most popular dish. Their soup dumplings were pretty, but the soup ratios were off almost nonexistent.I would have loved to have had chili crisp.Although I know that's not traditional they're dumpling wrappers were a little thin on the bottom, and thick on the top. Even if this dish wasn't relatively expensive, which it assuredly was the execution was a complete disappointment. Their tea selection is above average. their service was super kind, very attentive, but I didn't like being rushed out of there by the manager with five minutes notice due to their next table arriving (-1 star on service). Our server Michael was very attentive, but very busy. I am kind of torn on whether or not to return. The duck was very good, but everything else just kind of fell out of memory.And it was just so loud.I could barely hear myself think. My favorite part about it was definitely all the visual cues coming in. If you go make a reservation

TLDR: decent food but for the price, it feels a bit too expensive for what we got. The roast pork was my favorite part, having nice and crunchy skin without being too crispy. The pork wasn’t too fatty as well. The pecking duck was a miss for me, the thick breading overpowered the duck. The fried bao I wish there was more soup inside. The short rib was good though it was a bit too charred. All in all, most of the food was decent but with the price being higher than other spots, I expected more

Upscale Chinese with amazing Peking duck (I mean AMAZING) with special delicate sesame pockets. The crispy pork was insanely crispy without being too fatty. Seriously the best crispy pork we've ever had. We didn't love the automatic 20% service charge, but we understand. We did LOVE the super friendly and exceptional service. The chef even stopped by to check on us. We had such a great dining experience and will be back! Did I mention that the sesame mango shaved ice is a must?! It tasted as beautiful as it looked. Yum! Definitely worth making the reservation and spending a little more.

Came here for supper the other night . We always get the Peking duck , roast pork, and ginger onion crab. Food is always consistent and tasty. Lots of flavors going on . Service is always friendly and on point !

Everything is a give and take right? Great settings and service but Food is geared toward Westerner, hence expect 90% authenticity. For example, the Siu Yuk is crispy but not the authentic type of crispy that u expect. Flavor of the meat is well done though!

From out of town and tried a wide assortment of things! Not pictured, roasted squab, so delicious! Everything was delicious and if you want to experience sf in one sitting, Dragon Beaux is the place to go! I recommend making a reservation since this is a popular spot to eat, once seated the service is very attentive! Great atmosphere for a celebration or even a casual meal!

aside from the prompt service, the variety of teas to choose from, and the perfectly sized menu (imo i get sooo overwhelmed by most dim sum menus), the decor and vibes of the place are unique and different. my favorite was definitely the crispy pork belly (you HAVE to try it), green beans, chicken wings, soya tofu, and specialty har gow. the XLB were not the best i've had, but i do enjoy the creativity. street parking is ass as always in richmond, but on a sunday at 2pm, there wasn't a wait and the service was better than expected of a dim sum establishment. bill came out to be around $120 for 3, which is really really worth it for the quality of the food. probably my favorite dim sum in the bay!! definitely coming back for more

We came to Dragon Beaux after seeing fellow Vinkin's beautiful food photos. That guy is pretty awesome. The main attraction was the sand storm crab $49. At my age, it is hard to find something new. I've never heard of sand storm crab before. It was a deep fried crab with cilantro, minced garlic, scallions, peppers and fermented black beans. Fermented black beans is typically used in dishes like stir-fried clams. The sand storm crab was not bad. It was really oily. Still, tasty nevertheless. The other two dishes we had were the seafood crispy noodles $24 and honey pepper wings $13. Both were OK. The bonus was the free unexpected ice cream at the end of the meal. The restaurant is clean, no wait on a Tuesday night with excellent service and a speedy kitchen. Great meal.

I am a particularly big fan of Chinese food and my family decided to eat here for my sister’s birthday and I love the food here so much. The service was very nice and the overall ambiance of the place was excellent for a Chinese restaurant. I give them five stars ⭐️. I highly recommend them for dinner.

My review may be a little unfair as maybe my ideal Chinese place is probably more "American" then I realize and I don't understand all the different types of Chinese restaurants. But the food was fine but not what I had envisioned. Couldn't ask for a better staff and so friendly but the options were overwhelming and left a little unsatisfied but no fault on them

I made a reservation for lunch on a weekday. It's really not necessary if you get there at opening time. There were several already waiting and standing in a distributed queue but once the doors were unlocked everyone seemed to know who got there first. There appear to be some dim sum favorites that are ready at 11am. One of them is the har gow which was promptly placed at our table right after we submitted our order sheet. The 5 star dishes were the shrimp dumpling (har gow), char siu crepe and the stir-fried green beans. The taro puff, tofu roulette, beef bao and 5-guys xiaolongbao were 4-stars. The condiments like Zhenjiang vinegar for xiaolongbao and red rice vinegar came served in shallow dishes upon request. There's nothing placed on the table to start. The service was quick with many people attending to food delivery, dish removal, hot water addition to our tea pot. The vibe of the place is lively and energetic because of the clientele that are meeting up with friends and family and work colleagues.

We had a Sunday dim sum brunch here. They take reservations online for a party of up to 6 people and over the phone as well. When we showed up, we were seated immediately. The interior decor was tasteful and soon the restaurant was full. There were no dim sum carts being pushed around. Everything needs to be ordered on the menu with a pencil. The dim sum items were generally all very good. The BBQ buns, soup dumplings, spinach dumplings, rice crepes stuffed with shrimp or beef, spring rolls, eggplants stuffed with shrimp paste, etc were all delicious, even better with their mildly spicy chili sauce. The Peking duck took a while to serve and the waiter explained it was made to order. The duck was very juicy but the only caveat is that the duck meat still had bones, which was not how authentic Peking duck is served. The price is on the higher end for dim sum foods, but the restaurant website said they use higher quality ingredients.

One of the best meals we had in San Francisco! We went for an earlier dinner around 5:30 and did not have to wait for a table. The owner asked us if we were hungry and if we had any dietary restrictions, then brought out recommended plates for us. Everything was delicious and came very promptly. We were in and out quickly but expected this and still very much enjoyed the experience.

Very good American Chinese food. We waited about 20min for a table for 5 at 1pm on a Sunday. We had the sesame chicken, honey apple beef, and spicy pork belly, with a few bowls of white rice. All the dishes were well-made; definitely a level above most American Chinese food I've had. The dishes were flavourful, with a distinct sweetness that you find in this kind of food. I quite liked the honey apple beef as the beef was tender, apples were slightly crisp and soft, and the honey flavour complemented it well. Only complaints were the portion of meat was small and the service was a bit slow. Could be worth a try if you have time to wait

I have lived in San Francisco my whole life but never experienced House of Nanking! I was invited to dinner by two of my friends and it did not disappoint. A few things that surprised me— 1) lines forms pretty quick but there are plenty of seats indoors and out in a park-let. 2) The prices are an absolute steal especially with inflation so high! I was shocked. 3) The food is pretty damn good, and quite authentic. 4) The service is straight forward with the right balance of welcoming. We ordered the duck and roast pork baos which tasted so good. The Sizzling Rice soup had nice and tender pieces of chicken while feeling comforting in the cool evening San Francisco Autumn weather. The sesame noodles were ok in my opinion. The steak cubes with bok choy definitely stood out… flavorful and balanced with the veggies. The Sesame Chicken also stood out to me— 37 year tradition was one of my favorites! Crispy, sweet, with a touch of spice. I really enjoyed my experience at House of Nanking. As a life-long resident, I cannot believe it took me this long to discover it. Affordable and authentic— I definitely recommend it!

TLDR: 3 cubes a beef in an unrecognizable fusion dish with awful service with small bowl of rice for $30. I wouldn’t classify this as Chinese, nor Americanized Chinese. It was more like Chinese inspired fusion. I am shocked it has such high ratings. It was recommended to me and I had my concerns when arriving but decided to give it a try. The first waitress was nice but the old lady was awful. Within five minutes of getting the menu I was asked three times to order and despite multiple empty tables I felt rushed. I asked for recommendations and she was instant on Mogu Beef. What is Mogu beef? Still trying to figure out what Mogu sauce is, an overly sweet mustardy/mayo sauce. There were 3 cubes of beef, shiitake and cauliflower. This and a small bowl of rice for $30. It wasn’t the worst I have eaten in my life, the veggies and mushrooms were fresh. But this was a big miss.

This place was amazing. Don't order off the menu. Just let them serve you. Everything was so delicious from beginning to end. A little on the spicy side and definitely some creative combinations with mustards and curries. A must visit.

We ate good at Nanking! We were seated immediately around noon on a Saturday which pleasantly surprised me. The inside is a bit crammed with boxes of beer everywhere and the chairs are uncomfortable. We would have preferred to sit outside but we were sort of rushed in. We ordered the sesame chicken, chicken fried rice, and chili oil wontons. Everything was delicious and came out within 15 minutes. Don’t expect super friendly personable interactions, but do expect good food. I’d come back!

We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday. It was very busy, but we got a table inside. Chef Fang was onsite helping out with taking food orders and talking to guest. We ordered the house noodles, pork dumpling, steamed buns and egg dumplings (as seen on TV). We enjoyed our meal and even got a photo with Chef Fang.

I recommend coming here if you are in a large group like 10-11 people. But I would also not recommend the banquet menu. You get 9 items plus dessert for $708 under menu B. However our group of 11 ordered 13 dishes plus dessert plus alcohol and our sub total was only $583 and that included not just 1 but 2 crabs and a whole Peking duck. This ended up being a better deal doing a la cart and we had just enough food for everyone to share family style. We ordered: 2 x salted egg yolk crab Whole Peking duck 2 x Steamed clam and egg 1 yang chow fried rice 1 special fried rice Combination seafood garlic noodle Honey spare ribs Salted egg yolk pumpkin Garlic stir fry pea shoots Scallops w/beef steak Prawn with honey walnuts Service was good despite they were very busy. It took 30 minutes for the first dish to come out. While we waited we asked for peanuts. I saw on the menu they charge $5, but didn’t see it on the bill. Other restaurants give peanuts without having to ask. The peanuts were plain, unroasted and unsalted. Most of the dishes were great. However, the special fried rice fell short. There was nothing special about it. It tasted like plain egg fried rice. Some of the clams were chewy while others were tender. Prawn with honey walnuts needed a touch of acidity in the coating.

We walked into the restaurant on a Saturday night and only waited about 30 minutes — not bad at all! We had no idea this place was such a hidden gem in SF. We ordered the fried rice, crab, and sticky ribs. The food was absolutely amazing! I opted for the ginger and scallion preparation for the crab instead of their usual salt and pepper style — and I’m so glad I did. It was incredibly flavorful and just packed with goodness. The sticky ribs were also a highlight — so tender! They were a bit on the sweet side for my personal taste, but still delicious. And the fried rice? I would recommend it to anyone. It’s seriously addicting! Now, the only downside to our experience was the service — specifically, our assigned server. Unfortunately, he seemed completely uninterested in helping us. He took our order and never came back to check in. We were missing our rice, and all the food had already been served. Turns out it wasn’t even ordered in the first place. Thankfully, another server — an older gentleman — noticed and stepped in. He was amazing. He took care of everything: brought us the rice, refilled our water, gave us a clean plate for the crab, and made sure we had what we needed, all while managing three large tables nearby. Honestly, he did everything our original server should have been doing. What frustrated me most was when the check came (which we had to ask the other server for), and suddenly our original server reappeared — just in time for the tip. It was disappointing because he did nothing to contribute to our dining experience. I didn’t want to make a scene since it was a busy night, so we just paid and left, but management should really take a closer look at how tables are being assigned. The other server absolutely deserved the tip — and the recognition. Overall, the food was fantastic, and I’d definitely come back — but I hope we get the right server next time.

What a fabulous meal! Incredibly delicious food, really efficient and caring service, and great vibe! We loved the salt and pepper crab, the eggplant, the honey spare ribs, the cumin lamb and the Peking duck! Everything we ate was great!! Not cheap, but really good food!! We pounced on the food before we remembered to take pictures, but here are a few.

Has not been back here for over 10 years. Did not know that they only open the basement for lunch. I think they open second floor for dinner and main floor for bar in the late night. Had lunch with a client. Ordered honey spareribs, beef brisket and turnip, dried scallops with melon, and salted fish fried rice. All the dishes were very good and full flavor. However, one dish came short on value was the dried scallops with melon. The portions are smaller compared to other restaurants but have full flavor. I recommend and must try is the honey spareribs. Arrived at 11a on a Wednesday, only two tables were occupied. Most people started to come around 12n and was a full house by 12:30.

We had a 9-hour layover and decided to explore San Francisco with my family. What a great decision! We found this amazing restaurant, and everything we tried was delicious. The duck and bao buns were a true delight: flavorful and cooked to perfection. It was the perfect way to pass the time and turn a long wait into an unforgettable memory. I highly recommend this place for a fantastic family meal!

This is my fourth visit to this restaurant, which I consider one of the best Cantonese restaurants in the U.S. The flavors and atmosphere always bring back memories of home. At this point, I come here not only for the food itself, but also for the sense of nostalgia it gives me. I truly appreciate that they’ve maintained such quality, making it possible to enjoy an authentic taste even far from home.

R&G Lounge has been a Chinatown staple for years, and there’s a reason it’s Michelin recommended time and again. While the menu offers plenty of variety, my advice is to stick with the seafood. It is their true specialty. I grew up on the East Coast and am used to seeing seafood restaurants with live tanks up front. At R&G, the tanks are tucked away in back, but you’ll catch glimpses of them as servers move between rooms. The restaurant itself spans three levels: street level, upstairs, and a basement where we were seated. The staff runs things like clockwork. The hostess had an earpiece and radio, keeping everything flowing smoothly. Service is brisk but attentive. You’re never left waiting, yet you don’t feel rushed. We ordered the Peking duck and the seafood wraps. The wraps were completely new to me and turned out to be excellent. Sitting next to a local couple celebrating their 13th anniversary made the experience even more memorable. The wife told me she loves R&G because it reminds her of her mother’s home cooking, while her husband said the seafood wraps tasted like something his grandmother would make. I cannot think of higher praise than that. Their lobster dish looked phenomenal, and I could not resist snapping a photo. This was my third visit to R&G, and every time the service has been consistently solid, but the seafood always steals the show. When I am in San Francisco, this is my favorite spot in Chinatown.

It’s a clean and tasty restaurant for dim sum, though not everything was deeply impressive. The portions felt a bit small for the price, and a few of the female staff members came across a little brusque. Considering how expensive it is compared to other dim sum places, I rated it by fine-dining standards. It’s definitely an upscale restaurant, but it doesn’t quite reach the level of the very top establishments. As far as I know, it was only once mentioned by Michelin back in 2016.

OMG, absolutely loved this place! The staff is incredibly friendly, and the service was super quick. We tried the savory vegetarian dumplings, snowpea dumplings, mushroom dumplings, and spinach dumplings, everything was delicious, especially the savory vegetarian ones were our favorite, so full of flavor! We also had the egg fried rice, which was great, and for dessert, we tried the Lychee Torte, loved it! It had a unique mix of popsicle or ice cream cake vibes with a cheesecake-like base. A 10/10 must-try spot for all vegans and vegetarians!

Very tasty and authentic dim-sum place. Bright and cleaning dining room. Good service. Perfect for entertaining guests. Reservations are recommended.

When in San Francisco, my spouse and I will jump at any chance to eat Chinese cuisine as there is a depressing lack of it back home on Maui. We texted a friend who remembered the place he enjoyed so much, so here we were. ATMOSPHERE: Located in an alleyway-like side street in the Embarcadero, it's not a huge place, but sports a good number of indoor tables along with a covered outdoor patio. MENU: Dim sum and traditional Chinese (ask for additional menus). FOOD: Peking Duck with Bun I thought I was getting a plate of duck but instead received a single bao bun which I don't care for. It was very mainstream and came with the traditional sauce and veggies. Mushroom Dumpling The server said they were shrimp and mushrooms but neither could be detected. It had the taste and consistency of fish cake and needed shoyu for flavor. Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce AKA choy sum. They were served chilled, a first for me. Good portion, fresh and steamed perfectly but could've used more oyster sauce drizzled on top. Potstickers (6 pcs.) Pricey but they are of the larger variety and stuffed full with a savory pork mixture. No sauce was available sans for shoyu, vinegar and chili oil. Honey Baked Seabass Holy pricey for the portion size!? The small, boneless filet was insanely tender like butterfish and finished with a slightly sweet-savory honey sauce. Very tasty but not worth the price. Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cup That's right, just one leaf of an iceberg lettuce will set you back that much. The chicken mixture was generous in portion size, tasty and included pine nuts, shiitake mushrooms and bacon. Shanghai Kurobuta Pork Dumplings (6 pcs.) Sold as their house specialty, be careful when consuming them as they squirt out juice. It's best to pop the whole dumpling in your mouth. Inside is a small helping of pork mixture surrounded by its steamed juices which were light in flavor. Chicken Feet I got about four feet, chopped in halves and finished in a non-spicy chili oil sauce. Tender and tasty but I've had better at Legend Restaurant in Honolulu. Pork & Shrimp Siu Mye (4 pcs.) We couldn't detect the pork, but the shrimp was visible. Moist but bland. Pass the shoyu, please. Egg Custard Tart (4 pcs.) My favorite Chinese dessert! The crust was light, flaky and buttery. The custard was filling was very good. Orange Jello (4 pcs.) I have no idea how they make these, but orange-flavored Jello was cleverly molded onto actual orange skins. The Jello consistency was thicker and more gritty than traditional Jello. The flavor was refreshing, almost like actual orange juice. SERVICE: Everyone was so professional and patient, unlike your typical Chinese joints. No pushiness or short-talk, but very welcoming and friendly. OVERALL: Quality cuisine but very light on flavors. Severely overpriced. Great service.

To tell the truth,the food was on the average. I thought that it was a little too expensive for the quality. The store front was uncomfortable while we were waiting for a table. They need to clean up the area.

Was able to be seated for 4 people for lunch on a Tuesday without reservations but we were one of the last parties to be seated with minimal wait. Enjoyed all the dim sum options and was made with high quality ingredients and food came out pretty quick if you need a fast business lunch.

Stating a journey with dim sum does not disappoint. The restaurant gave 80s/90s dining hall decor that enveloped me with a reassurance that the meal would have a fun time. I am unsure when peak hours, but I went after 1 pm and had less than a 10 minute wait. As soon as I sat at the table, one of the aunties rolled by with the cart in no time. The photos did not load in order.. but the first dishes I started with is the oboe with 3 bamboo steamers: shrimp dumpling, scallop nosy NYE and my favorite the chicken mushroom dumpling. On the table there is soy sauce, house made chilli oil and mustard sauce that you can mix on your plate. I needed a vegetable and I ordered the chilled snap peas which they topped with a light soy sauce or something similar. I ordered the crab claw from the hot cart and there is two per order. They are not easy to grab with chop sticks and come with their on sweet and sour slice and even though it’s a fried ball it is stuffed with crab and the surprise is the crab claw middle. I was full, but heard one of the servers mention that the last of the soup dumplings were coming out.. those are the Shanghai kurobuta pork dumplings and are their number one seller, that came with a vinegary sauce and I’m thinking thinly sliced radish. It was amazing, my biggest problem was I didn’t have a friend to share with so I could order order more. I would have like to try the crispy tofu or other items on the menu, but I enjoyed the cart options. What isn’t featured well so that they serve alcoholic drinks, but I ordered a hot jasmine tea.

This is an absolute must try when in Chinatown SF. The food is very authentic and flavorful. We tried the clam specialty dish which was steamed clams in a preserved vegetable soup base with garlic. Super interesting flavor combinations. The chili dumplings were delicious with thinner skin than their traditional Chinese counterparts. The mapo tofu was a wonderful blend of spice and numbing while still having the underlying flavors. The star dish was the tea smoked duck which was absolutely to die for. You wrap it in a thin wrap with chives and sauce. I will come back.

Tasty typical delicious chinese flavour. Services is prompt but not attentive. Dishes came out fast. The food portion is a bit on a small side of a scale if compared to value. Will be back to try more dishes when visit SF again.

Please take some time (in your itinerary if you’re traveling to SF or make a point as a Bay Area local) to visit Z & Y Restaurant!! This place has some of the best Sichuan food in the entire Bay Area! The fry on the chicken and shrimp were amazing and the meat inside was still tender and juicy! The sauce on the shrimp was sweet and tangy. The beef had the best spice and heat to it, and the dumplings were delectably sour! There’s a reason why presidents have been to this restaurant! Please come and visit!

We dined here on our first evening in San Francisco. Terrific place! The atmosphere reminds me of Chinatown restaurants back home in NYC. Friendly, helpful servers, and boy, did our dishes come up fast! The lamb hot pot was very spicy but enjoyable. The Eggplant, General Tso's Chicken Beef Chow Mein, were all excellent. We weren't crazy about the tea smoked duck or the pork dumplings, but all in all, it was a great place for dinner. I'd certainly come back to sample some of the other dishes.

Right away, they lost a star because there was a hair on one of our plates. So cleanliness needs attention to detail. We got the spicy clams and the ox tails in red wine. Both were good, however small portions. Half the clams didn’t have anything in them! So for the price and what we actually received it was disappointing.

Our wanderings led us into the vibrant labyrinth of San Francisco’s Chinatown, where lanterns sway like drunken philosophers and every alley hums with the promise of either enlightenment or indigestion. There, tucked between apothecaries and shops selling mysterious trinkets that defy both science and warranty, we were seeking Z & Y Restaurant. The place possesses all the charm of a tax office, no pretense of grandeur, no flattering lights, no velvet draped corners for the idle rich to whisper inanities. The proprietors perhaps appear blissfully unaware that aesthetics might play any role in the dining arts. And yet, what they lack in polish, they more than redeem in palate. We ordered a modest few dishes, by which I mean the table soon resembled a battlefield of abundance. At first sight, I felt the sort of despair a man feels upon seeing his week’s correspondence pile up on Monday morn. “This,” I whispered gravely, “will not end well.” But lo! The tragedy never came. Against all reason and integrity, we made it to finish line. And then, ah, cruel twist of fate, a dessert appeared. Sweet, subtle, and unexpectedly divine. One might call it the sally after the storm, a confection so delightful it could almost make one forgive the chairs, which appear to have been designed by an enemy of comfort. This place may never seduce you with chandeliers or fine linen, but it woos the stomach as a poet woos a muse: with sincerity, passion, and a touch of beautiful chaos. It is not fine dining but it is honest dining, and that, is far rarer.

I know everyone thinks this is the best place, but I’ve had better in and outside of Chinatown. The spicy chicken was fair to decent. The duck was really good but for true Peking crispy duck you need to go down the street.

The restaurant is nestled at the bay with a good view if you sit outside at the terrace. The decor inside is exceptional along with pretty clean fish tanks. They offer a wide variety of dim sum and dishes and are pretty good. Our favorite is the roast pork belly (crispy skin and moist meat).

If you’re planning a group dinner or special event in SF, Harborview is the spot. Super spacious indoor and outdoor seating with an amazing view. Came here for an Autumn Moon Festival creator dinner and we had an amazing experience! The space is beautiful (perfect for content), the staff were super accommodating, and the food was so good! We ordered everything from Singapore-style Chili Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Peking Duck, baked black cod, and a huge variety of dim sum. Don’t skip the BBQ pork buns with the sugar crust, they’re a must! And we also ordered a couple deserts, salted egg yolk lava bun, egg tart, and the black sesame mochi in almond soup. Bonus: they’ve got lots of cocktail options which makes it perfect for a fun celebration or night out with friends.

Harborview Restaurant was an amazing experience for first time. The food was delicious everything we ordered was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The roast duck with buns, fried rice, and noodles were all so tasty. You can really tell they use fresh ingredients and put care into every dish. It was pretty crowded when we went, but the staff stayed friendly and patient the whole time. I had my 15 month-old baby with me, and he was very active and made a bit of a mess, but everyone was so kind and understanding. That really made the meal even better for us. Overall, I'm giving Harborview Restaurant 5 stars great food, great service and a very family friendly atmosphere!!

While the food was quite good, the terrible service completely ruined the experience. The staff was impatient, and we were met with stares for a simple request like asking for soy sauce. A restaurant's service should match the quality of its food, and this one fails completely in that regard. I wouldn’t recommend it.

We had the crispy pork belly, stir fry beef, fried chicken and fried rice. We went around lunch time and were able to get a seat immediately. The service was pretty fast and the food was also great! I definitely recommend getting the fried rice. We werent in the mood for dimsum that day but it was the closest to us so we gave it a tey and we are pretty happy coming here! We will definitely order dimsum next time.

My husband and I went to Harborview restaurant on a Thursday afternoon for lunch. We were sat down right away however we had to flag the server down several times to place our order. I ordered a spicy chicken and it tasted horrible. The Peking duck was not bad. I had to ask three times to different servers for hot sauce. The service was really bad. Won’t return.

Delicious Cantonese food. Classy, high quality, menorable. The cookies looked plain but tasted great. Peking duck was crispy. The beef was juicy

I thought the food was pretty good for the most part but a little pricey for dim sum. My favorite thing though was the garlic green beans, omg so addictive and perfectly crisp and flavorful. The scallop shumai and stuffed eggplant and tofu were very good. Taro puffs were just ok imo. Restaurant was clean and the service was great.

Great food! We were in San Francisco for less than a day and this was our only main meal. What a great choice! Delicious dim sum, the chicken wings were fantastic too. Would definitely recommend.

City View is a clean and inviting spot in the heart of Chinatown with a lovely interior that feels calm and welcoming. The staff are friendly and the service is impressively fast, which makes for a smooth and enjoyable dining experience. The standout dish for me was the stuffed eggplant and tofu is cooked in an absolutely delicious sauce that’s easily one of the best I’ve ever had. Rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. The beef rice noodle roll was average in comparison, but still a decent bite. They also serve complimentary tea, which is thoughtfully brewed and hits the spot it is warm, fragrant, and well-balanced. Another highlight was the Shanghai Siu Lung Bao. Each dumpling comes in a tiny foil tray, and when you bite into it, the soup bursts in your mouth. Incredibly flavorful and top-notch quality, definitely 5 stars for that alone. Prices are reasonable, and it’s a great place to sit back, chat with friends, and enjoy a variety of small bites. Highly recommended if you’re exploring Chinatown!

This restaurant was amazing!!! Delicious authentic Chinese cuisine!!! Their assortment of dim sum was soooo good! The roasted duck was the juiciest perfect duck I have eaten in my life! I know it seems exaggerated but, its the truth! The staff were very friendly and the service was excellent. I met a lady who might have been the manager name Lily and she was the sweetest and friendly lady. I definitely recommend this dimsum spot and I promise you will not regret it!!! 😊

From now on, I’m gonna call it’s my favorite dim sum spot in San Francisco Bay Area. The food quality is good and they really cook it well (compared to some dimsum spots where just try to take the food out of freezer and warm it up (not even steam)). The atmosphere is also good and the service is good as well. I’d highly recommend people come and try their dimsum and it’s definitely worth the trip!

Great food!!! Everything we ordered was so good and fresh, especially the rice roll. A bit overpriced for my Chinatown dim sum but for sit down meal, it think it was understandable. Food came so fast too. Also, a great city view :P

Great spot in San Francisco's Chinatown, tucked away in a side street. The dim sum were delicious, some of the best I've had. The duck pancakes were also great. The rice paper rolls were incredible. Service was fast and friendly, the price was decent too. Can't wait to come back.

Pork bun was good but one star out of concern that they touch the food with the same dirty gloves that they take your cash. I threw away the egg tart I got and just risked it and ate the bun. They alternate between using tongs or not, and she didn’t use it for mine or the next person. Her gloves were visibly stained and just didn’t sit well with me. Hoping I don’t get sick.

Went there on a Sunday at around 10h. There was one, two people in front of me. The service was very fast, counter could speak Cantonese and Mandarin. Don't expect the waitress to make some talk to you. She just asks what you want and you pay :) The Charsiubao could be filled more, I got 85% dough and 15% filling. I really liked the Xiumai and the Dantat, really brought me back to my childhood :)

Loved it when I got it last year but this time around they're so aggressively mediocre. Shrimp dumplings are bland and skin is too thick and dry, pineapple pork bun is stale and bland and couldve been baked for longer, peanut and sesame mochi is too soft (no qq texture I wanted)

Known to be the most famous spot for authentic dim sum. We stopped by only because our tour guide recommended. In general food was good

We waited half an hour 🫨 But this is the best dumpling i ever had. Try shrimp dumpling and sesame ball.

While working in SF Chinatown, I asked my husband to bring me pork buns. He bought dim sum and pork buns from Good Mong Kok bakery. I opened the bag and found a mouse dropping inside of the container with dim sum. I was absolutely grossed out. I will never visit this location again.

Been here twice 3 years apart and the quality, price, and freshness is consistently fantastic. Dumplings are fresh, juicy, and large portions. $3.80 for 3 gigantic dumplings, shui mai, etc is unbeatable, and better yet - they’re better than half the other options in the area. If you get here early there won’t be a massive line typically - last time at 11am I waited an hour, at 7am this time I waited 2 minutes. My recs: -Shrimp dumpling (8/10) -Shark fin dumpling (9/10) -Beef Shui Mai (9.5/10) -Scallion cake (8/10) They do take cash & card, but remember this is a takeout place - so don’t go expecting 10/10 service. Service isn’t bad, just don’t expect some of the annoyingly fake cheery service you get from some other local dumpling spots. This place has TONS of regulars, which is always a good sign in my opinion. Make sure to ask for a fork/chopsticks & double check; as you may end up eating them with your hands otherwise lol. All in all you can get a ton of food here for less than $20, and it will taste good and you’ll feel good afterwards.

Hunted for a good spot in Chinatown and this was our pick. Relaxed atmosphere, clean, and good service. You get to check-out your order on a sheet which allows for clarity on you order. The pork BBQ steam buns are AMAZING worth a spot 100%. We also got the sesame lotus dumplings, spring rolls, and Mongolian beef (a touch spicy). All was yummy (not out of this world), portions were good, and it was great spot for dinner!

Came here on the second friday of the month - Chinatown night market. The market was way too crowded for us so we decided to find a place to dine. This was one close by that wasn't super busy at the time. We were seated quickly. The place is clean and a bit higher scale than typical dimsum restaurant, though their price is pretty reasonable. We loved the calamari, pork and shrimp siu mai, and the xiao long bao, we didn't love the other ones as much but they were still really good. Overall food was great, service was quick, we didn't feel any rush to finish our meal even when we came in just 50mins before closing time.

Highly recommend the house fried rice. I tried the dried scalloped one and it was nothing to write home about. Recently I got the sweet/sour chicken and it was overcooked, don’t come late night if you have a special request because you will be ignored by the manager, cooked properly, it’s good. The Chinese broccoli is a great value.Edit 6/30/25: DO NOT ORDER TAKEOUT. Do so at your own risk if you’re reading this. I ordered the same rice and it is disgusting, completely opposite from what I have gotten in the restaurant. For some reason they don’t understand what bean sprouts are, insane.

The food was incredible! It was almost the same as authentic Hong Kong dim sum! The waitress was very nice and could speak mandarin. The only thing that should be improved is the design and the cleanliness of the restaurant, I was spiderwebs on the ceiling, and the tables and chairs were not really in shape. We are with 4 and we spent 97 dollars total, excluded the tips.

A friend and I chose this place at random based on the variety of their menu. We ended up getting some dumpling, singapore noodles, mongolian beef, sake & hot n sour soup. They didn't come out in the order I would have thought, but the portions were more than enough to share and all tasted delicious!

First time eating here in Chinatown and it was a pleasant experience. I tried out the Wonton soup, Peking Duck and Steam Pork Buns and they were delicious. Servers were very pleasant and ambiance was comfortable and inviting.

Really loved the food! The sesame fireballs were such a nice surprise, and the garlic bok choy was delicious. Shrimp dumplings were a hit too. Would probably skip the Kung Pao next time, but seafood and dumplings are definitely worth it!

Dumpling Home offers authentic and delicious Chinese food that truly impressed me. The soup dumplings were outstanding — they held all the flavorful broth without breaking, which is a challenge even for restaurants in China. The small bites were refreshing, tasty, and full of variety. Despite the lunch rush, the business ran smoothly with efficient service. Highly recommend!

I’ve been to almost every dumpling spot in SF (my wife’s a big fan 😂), so I’d say I’ve got a decent benchmark. This place is solid, definitely good, but not the best in the city. The standout for me was the spicy pork soup dumpling, full of flavor and perfectly done. The sesame boiled dumpling was also above average. But the spicy beef boiled dumpling didn’t quite hit the mark, bland and forgettable. Be ready for a wait, there’s usually a line and it can take 20–30 minutes to get seated. Overall, worth trying, but I wouldn’t call it a top dumpling destination.

The food was absolutely delicious and came out super fast. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. The beer was really good too! It does get a little loud since the place stays busy, but that just shows how popular it is. You might not linger long, but every bite is worth it. I really enjoyed my visit!

The must try….is pan fried dumplings. The crust was quite unique. The other dishes are just as good but I feel you can get them at other restaurants. They are busy so plan accordingly. Enjoy!

This place was amazing! My daughter loves dumplings and bao but oddly enough i had never had them. This would be my first time trying! We ordered the pan fried juicy pork bao, pork and crab soup bao, fresh shrimp with shrimp paste noodles and the fresh cucumber with garlic sauce. The vibe of the place was all good and positive! It felt so laid back and welcoming. It was super clean and smelled amazing! There was a bit of a wait but that’s because it was packed and there was a long line of people ahead of us. It was good because they had plugs so after walking and riding scooters all day in the city we were able to charge our phones while there which is a major plus for us tourist! That pan fried juicy pork bao was popular as it was on every single table so we had to try it! The food came out reasonably quickly and our server and the staff were super nice and friendly. I had seen videos of this spot on tiktok raving about how great this place was…And it did not disappoint!!! THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS! All of it! There was nothing i would really change. The soup bao was my absolute favorite while my daughters enjoyed the ever so popular juicy pan fried bao. Those cucumbers were divine. Honestly i could eat those all day long. My daughter describes this as the best she’s ever had. Highly recommend! Absolutely enjoyed the food and service here. No concerns. Plus i got to try a new food that i absolutely ended up loving. When I came back to Houston, the first thing i did was find a noodle and dumpling spot. Theirs was ok but after having this place i may not find another spot this good!

This and daeho are top 2 restaurants in SF. Dumplings and baos are already one of the best foods in the world and somehow Dumpling Home has further elevated them. Almost as good as my mom's dumplings real talk. Some have told me that Dumpling Story however is even more powerful, so I will be back to try that at my earliest covenience

Dumplings are such a treat for me, but I rarely get them because my wife isn't a huge fan. So, when my son and I caught a show at Davies Symphony Hall, we walked a couple blocks to try Dumpling Home. Wow! They were terrific!! The service was fast and friendly, the price was reasonable, the interior was clean and unpretentious, and the food was some of the best I've had in a decade. We ordered the hot and sour soup (delish!), the Numb & Spicy Pork Xiao Long Bao (the ABSOLUTE standout here!), the fried pork wontons (great!), the pork and vegetable pot stickers (solid), and the curry lamb dumplings (unique and savory!). In short, a terrific and wonderful experience. I see what all the fuss is about, and I can't wait to come back!

Enjoyed the super savory chicken sandwich and the mango oat milk sundae here. The breading on the chicken is very tasty and crispy, though the sandwich admittedly has an absurd amount of aioli/mayo. Oat milk ice cream was beautifully silky and the sharp mango topping was perfectly refreshing.

I love this spot. Kid-friendly food and atmosphere. Casual AND delicious. The food is exceptional and makes for great leftovers if you order more than you can eat in a sitting (which we always do). Also, the swag? Top notch.

The food was delicious, fresh and nostalgic! I had the sweet and sour chicken, the chrysanthemum salad, fries and an egg roll. They were all fantastic and flavored perfectly. The staff are so kind and took the chance to talk to me about the food. The vibes were clean, casual and comfy.

OMG THIS CHICKEN SANDWICH. MY GOD, THE CHICKEN SANDWICH. It might’ve been the best chicken sandwich I’ve had in my life, don’t walk, RUN to eat it. I got the umami version, it comes on a bolo bao which is lightly fried on the bottom, the chicken is deeply fried and perfectly crunchy and perfectly crispy and perfectly juicy and that mayo is the perfect amount and complement - have I used the word perfect enough? And putting it on a bolo bao is GENIUS. also got the potstickers sides (good, nothing to write home about) and the malted sundae (great and still not sure what it was - it had some chocolate on it - but it was tasty and I appreciate that it’s in lactose-free oat milk for Asian stomachs). Service was amazing, they explained the menu and the differences between the sandwiches and entertained my questions about the name. Great vibes. Already trying to scheme how I can make it out there again

We had the sweet and sour chicken (which was fried to perfection), the cucumbers (which were excellently seasoned), and the jasmine tea soda (which was so refreshing and flavorful). Great service, great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Fell in love with the spicy tingly chicken sandwich about a year ago and not i get it at least once a week. Been coming here a while and staff always recognize me and know my order, its the coolest thing!! The jasmine tea soda has got me on the hook as well. i have been getting multipule a day since i live in the area. love this place in all aspects!!!! <3

the spicy tingly chicken sandwich is worth the hype. mamahuhu succeeds in innovating the fried chicken sandwich with the pineapple bun and szechuan flavoring.

They do accept walk ins but make a reservation. It’s busy and it’s not a big place. They make things fast so you aren’t sitting there for long. Service is very good, lots of staff. We had a party of 4 so we were able to try a lot of dishes. My favorites were the crab, Mongolian beef noodle, cauliflower, popcorn chicken and green beans. The fried milk bread under the crab was so tasty! We will be coming back!

We made reservations for 10pm on Saturday (that was the only time available) so we attempted to walk in the night before around 6pm and they said it would be a 1.5 hour wait. So definitely make a reservation! We really enjoyed our dinner here. They start you with free peanuts and cucumbers which was a nice touch. We ordered the fragrant fish eggplant, lamb skewer, mapo spaghetti, deep fried squab, and escargot with milk bread. I would personally skip the lamb skewer and mapo spaghetti next time, they didn’t wow me. The rest of the food was absolutely delicious. The squab had super crispy skin and very tender meat. The escargot was in a delicious spicy garlicky oil which was perfect to soak in the milk bread. The eggplant was buttery and yummy. We ended our meal with the mango pudding which was served with a really nice guava sorbet. Overall we had a wonderful experience even though we were worried the place might be overhyped. I think it deserves the hype. The service was excellent also. Just be aware that the place is quite crammed and loud, but I do think that’s the HK vibe they’re going for. If they’re looking to improve anything, I’d recommend better ventilation in the kitchen so the smoke doesn’t travel to the dining area :)

Absolutely lives up to the hype! Four Kings has been on my bucket list for the longest time, so I was *so* excited to finally get to give it a try! My friends and I didn’t manage to snag a reservation, but if you line up ~20-30 min. before opening time you can usually get close to the front of the walk-in line. We got there around 5:40 PM and were the fourth party in line, so we got to be seated right when the restaurant opened (so much better than the notorious multi-hour waits you’ll get if you hop in line later). Once you get inside, you’re greeted by a beautiful space and super friendly, attentive staff. They were on top of it — refilling waters often and checking in at just the right frequency to make sure we had everything we needed but didn’t feel overwhelmed. They also offered great advice for navigating dietary restrictions (I’m pescatarian and allergic to peanuts) and recommendations of must-try items. Their chili oil does, unfortunately, have peanuts in it, but they did a great job of ensuring everything had a good amount of flavor and spice even without it. The meal started with their free bites, which include roasted peanuts (which we skipped) and smashed cucumbers. The cucumbers were wonderfully crunchy and refreshing, with a great amount of spice and acidity — all around a great start. Next came our salted egg taro puffs, which comprised of a deep fried ball of taro filled with a melty salted egg yolk custard. It was absolutely delicious — I loved the salted egg flavor, and the creamy custard went wonderfully with the taro and crispy outer fried shell. After that was the scallop vermicelli, which was tasty and beautifully presented, but shockingly small. It was $16 for a single scallop and a few bites of vermicelli — granted, a delicious scallop and couple of bites of noodles — so perhaps not the best value for money. I think it was intended to be more appetizer-esque, but that wasn’t clear from the “seafood” menu header (vs. “small bites “ or “grilled / fried”). For our main dishes, we tried the fish fragrant eggplant, corn cheese hot link fried rice (hot links on the side), and whole fried sole. The eggplant was absolutely outstanding — I’m generally obsessed with a good stir-fried Chinese eggplant, but this was a *really* good Chinese eggplant. It was super flavorful and tender, and absolutely lived up to the “fragrant” part of its name. I think I would’ve appreciated if it came with rice — it’s a bit too salty on its own — but, thankfully, our fried rice came out about 10 minutes later and fulfilled that craving! The fried rice was amazing; the grains were just the right level of dry and crispy, and the pops of sweetness from the roasted corn helped to balance out the savoriness. I typically don’t *love* fried rice but was really impressed by this one. The sole was one of their special menu items, but I highly recommend — it was super flaky and perfectly fried, with a lovely crispy outer shell contrasting against the soft, tender fish. It was topped with a lovely and fragrant sauce, as well as a few pieces of pickled mustard. To round out the meal, we shared their pluot hot silken tofu, which was probably my favorite dessert so far in SF. The tofu was hot, creamy, and comforting. I loved the stewed pluots on top, which gave the tofu a great mix of acidity and sweetness. The overall dessert wasn’t all that sweet, so it was perfect for me. It was clearly also super popular — our server came by a little early to ask whether we wanted dessert since there were only three of the tofus left and she wanted to make sure we got one if we wanted one. All around a *great* experience and I can’t wait to come back!

Extremely busy. We got very lucky to walk up with an immediately available table. Biggest snails ever. Everything was delicious! We had jellyfish salad, chili crisp pig head, escargots and clay pot rice (which i unfortunately forgot to photograph because we tucked right in).

Was lucky enough to snag a last minute reservation through OpenTable - you have to make the reservation within seconds of it being released. Ordered salt and pepper shrimp, scallion chicken, lamb skewer, squab, clay pot rice, and mapo spaghetti. The squab was sooo good - similar to a roasted duck, the skin was so crispy and juicy and the meat was tender. I only wish it came with more pieces and meat. I also loved the skewer, the spices were very fragrant. The mapo spaghetti tasted exactly as you’d imagine but did not work as well as I thought it would, I think the noodles may have been a bit undercooked. The rest of the dishes were all good but not mindblowing, I’m not sure they’re worth the high price tag. Definitely worth a try but probably isn’t somewhere I would frequent.

Food was amazing, we got the lamb skewers, beef chow fun, olive green beans, corn cheese fried rice and the mango pudding. The lamb was delicious, perfectly seasoned and tender, the green beans were amazing cooked perfectly still had a little crunch and flavor was phenomenal and the I don’t even have the words to describe the pudding it was just overall great food. Our waitress was also very friendly and attentive and we were seated almost immediately. 10/10

Waited forever to finally get a reservation, and honestly… big letdown. We ordered the Singapore crab, scallop vermicelli, pig head, claypot rice, and two desserts. The scallop vermicelli was great, the crab was fine, but everything else was way below average. The desserts were the worst part, one bite and we were done. Service was unusually bad too. Definitely won’t be back. With how hard it is to get a reservation, I expected so much more. Still not sure what the hype is about.

Not a great vibe but the service made up for it. Just had some quick dim sum with fried pork dumplings, hot dog rolls, and some soup dumplings. I would say that the dims sum was better than making at home but worse than some other spots I have had in the city. Having the good company of family made sense why people come here. 7.7/10 Fun fact: Obama has been here and they show a photo of him.

Good dim sum and service! Prices are reasonable. It was filled to capacity with diners waiting at the front lobby for an open tabke. The din sum dishes were of a good size and delicious. The noise is loud like a true dim sum restaurant. The wait staff provided good service. A good place for dim sum and tea.

This is a place I often visit when I’m in San Francisco, and I finally decided to write a review today. Both the food and the atmosphere have always been satisfying, and every visit feels familiar and comforting. I appreciate that they’ve kept up their quality — definitely a spot worth recommending.

We dined for brunch and had Dim sum. We ordered 6 items of which two were not available. The service was ok but the server was quiet and not very helpful, perhaps if could have been a language barrier. However, what we did order was delicious and fresh. The only thing we didn’t like was the state of the restrooms which were dirty and gave us a yuk feeling. A shame because the Resturant itself was fairly clean and tidy.

Beef Fried rice & pork fried rice weren’t that good as it looked. Spicy chicken curry was good. And they had too much salt on red chilly paste. Pecking Duck was good.

When we arrived in San Francisco, we stayed near Union Square, and Chinatowm was pretty close by. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat in the largest Chinatown in the United States, so we went with the recommendation provided to us....the Great Eastern Restaurant. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated downstairs, and this restaurant had a classic Cantonese setting with white table cloths and a vintage decor. We had Kong Pau Chicken, Sautéed Beef with string beans, and Fried Rice all served with Green Tea. The Kong Pau Chicken was sweet and spicy, the Sautéed Beef was tender, and the Fried Rice had a good balance of eggs and scallions. The prices were reasonable, the portions were generous, and the service was quick. This was actually my first time eating in a Chinese restaurant (as I would usually get take out), and the Great Eastern Restaurant left a great impression. If you are visiting San Francisco's Chinatown, this is a great place to stop for a hearty meal.

Authentic Cantonese dimsum. Locals love to talk loud over good food. Enjoy! Everything was fresh & steamy hot.

I visited San Tung on a Sunday afternoon around 1:30 PM, and the place was packed. We had to wait about 45 minutes for a table. The atmosphere inside was lively and a bit loud, but judging by the crowd both waiting outside and dining in, it's clear the food is well-loved. We ordered the original dry fried chicken wings, which were delicious. They were perfectly crispy with a sweet and spicy flavor. I noticed that when you take them to go and reheat them, the spice comes through even more. We also tried the dry black bean sauce noodles, and they really stood out. The flavor was bold and intense in the best way, and the dish was loaded with seafood like shrimp, calamari, and scallops. I really liked it. Overall, it was a great experience and definitely worth the wait.

My group arrived there around 5pm and it was packed. However, the wait wasn’t too bad and we ended up waiting about 15 minutes. Service was fast and efficient. There was a total of 3 people including myself in the group and we ordered the string beans, Mongolian beef, black bean noodles, and chicken wings. My boyfriend was going to order more, but the server stopped him to say that the items we ordered was enough! Thankfully, we listened to him and stopped ordering because we had leftovers after! Food came out quickly. This spot is a must try!!! The chicken wings had a perfect texture; crispy and airy on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. The sauce on those wings are chef’s kiss! The black bean noodles had a bit of beef, shrimp, and squid in it. The string beans and Mongolian beef were also very tasty. I will definitely be coming back for more!

We got takeout to eat outside in the nice weather right before they ended their lunch shift. The wings are as good as everyone says they are. Crispy and flavorful sauce. The black bean noodles are packed with seafood and meat. The hot and sour soup is perfectly balanced and peppery with lots of high quality ingredients. Overall very impressed with their execution of chinese American classics, the flavors are top notch.

Best chicken wings in town! Super recommend their string beans and sour soup as well. They get busy, don't take reservations and wait times can be pretty long. Best time to check it out is weekday lunch time. Usually no wait. Even with the wait, highly recommend them. Although they have improved a lot in the past few years, just don't expect much in terms of service. Flag a server when they are passing by and make your request.

Once you get seated the service is pretty fast. It carries the usual Chinese food with some Korean flavors. Good sized servings.

Yummmm.....mee. The chicken was everything that is raved about. It was sticky, sweet, and Spicey. It was on every table in the restaurant. My favorite dish was, however, the eggplant with a tasty sauce. We got there fairly early at 4:30 on a Monday. By the time we left there was a line.

Delicious food. Had some really cool Korean-Chinese and northern Chinese dishes that aren't the easiest to find in the Bay Area. Really saucy noodle dishes with a delectable mix of flavors that weren't too bold, but still very fulfilling. Went on a Sunday afternoon around 4-5 PM. Very busy. Service was mediocre and it seemed like they were tryna rush us, but I guess it makes sense given they had a massive wait as usual.

Classic of the classics. Incredible. Mind numbing. Get the salted cod fried rice, the wings, the chow mein, and the veggies too are like crack

It is a strange place and the food is a twist of classic chinese... well, different for certain. But overall tasty. We had the fried garlic rice, cold noodle with peanut sauce, hot & sour soup, pork belly and fried lamb dumplings. My favorite was the pork belly, but it came with strange presentation with pineapple which wss just watery. Not sure if I'm coming back. But overall nice experience and we enjoyed the meal.

Maybe one of my favorite restaurant as it also such a classic on mission. It used few years back to be totally packed but now it’s easy to get in and try their totally atypical Chinese cuisine. I had the Lo-mein with duck confit, a very large portion that can be shared frankly, beautifully executed and tasted amazing! Got also the pork belly caramelized one of their signature dish. The staff is so nice and welcoming. They even offered me a coke. I am never disappointed

Had such a great time here with a large group. Loved the Pastrami, the Brisket and broccoli, ribs, lamb and especially the pork belly. The service was great. Everything tasted fantastic. Would definitely recommend and come back again.

This amazing restaurant offers some authentic vintage vibes and amazing fusion dishes that are absolutely delicious. Take for example, the Kung Pao Pastrami and Sichuan Carbonara that take something traditionally and puts a twist on them. Ideal for sharing and a must try!

Amazing!! Hidden gem in SF. We only waited about 20 minutes to be seated on a Friday night - wasn’t long at all. The service was fast and fresh. The waiters/waitresses were attentive and kind. The food was some of the best Chinese I’ve had in SF. You can’t go wrong with: lamb dumplings, green beans, beef and broccoli, ribs, and duck chow mein. From the amazing food to the fun decor, this place is a must go!

We came for lunch and the owner was very friendly. Really enjoyed the tasty dishes, especially the lamb dumplings and the duck confit chow mein. Would also recommend the oolong tea, which was amazing as well.

Last minute splurge, we booked the only appt, last one of the night. But luckily they notified us that an earlier spot opened up. The food took on an interesting take on Hong Kong cuisine. Our favorites were the choeng fun (with clam!), silken tofu (lots of tofu and made in-house tofu), and the chrysanthemum milk tea (lactose intolerant friendly).

Cool restaurant to visit while in Chinatown. We reserved 2-3 weeks in advance but saw some walk-ins later. You have to pay like $60 per person to confirm reservation if you go for the online option. We visited on a Friday night. We arrived 20 minutes early and told to wait in the bar area, which was another concept located in the second floor, very cool vibe and we had drinks: Limit of Heat and Summer Solstice. Both were excellent! We went down at the time of the reservation and still the table wasnt ready! Had to wait 15-20 minutes for the table, which for a Michelin star place is not the best. Despite that they gave us a nice table overlooking to the street which compensates the wait in a way. We had the summer banquet menu. Overall excellent food. We tried: Yusheng (Halibut), Eggplant, Cheong fun (Sea urchin), and Fried Rice as first and second courses. Everything was super great, favorite the Halibut and Sea Urchin. Then we had the Peking Duck, crispy, with a pluot sauce which was super good. The only thing we weren’t expecting were the portion sizes, everything was so big, after the first courses we were almost full. For desert we had Apricot Kernel Jello and Nian Gao. The latter was our favorite, very fresh, balanced. Definitely visit if looking for a deluxe experience in Chinatown.

Really disappointing experience at what’s supposed to be the only primarily Chinese Michelin-starred restaurant in the USA. Before we even got there, I called seven times and sent two emails trying to reschedule our reservation — crickets. No response, no callback, nothing. When we showed up, they didn’t even acknowledge that we’d been trying to reach them. I’ll give them credit for the ambience being pretty nice, and the portion sizes were actually bigger than I expected. But I couldn’t help noticing we were one of the very few (if not only) Chinese diners there, which felt a bit odd. The service was all over the place. Our waiter rarely checked in to see how things were, would rush over to clear plates while we were still eating, but then vanished whenever we actually needed something. We tried flagging them down multiple times just to order a drink. And here’s the kicker — they made it sound like an extra dessert was “on the house” for a birthday, then it showed up on the bill. The food was hit or miss. The snack course (shrimp chips, mala peanut, carrots with tofu sauce) was honestly amazing — creative use of traditional Chinese ingredients done right (8/10). The dessert trio with chrysanthemum ice milk, apricot kernel jello, and nian gao was also fantastic, just the right level of sweetness (9/10). The Peking duck was solid and tender, though nothing crazy (7/10). But then… the sea urchin dish was just meh and felt half-baked (4/10). The 36-month jinhua ham was straight up bad — tasted like frozen deli meat with random peach slices that made zero sense (1/10). And somehow they managed to over-salt basic fried rice?? (2.5/10). For a Michelin-starred restaurant — especially one representing Chinese cuisine at this level in the US — this was really disappointing. The lack of communication, spotty service, and inconsistent food quality just didn’t match the hype. A few dishes were great, but that’s not enough to make up for everything else.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The tea smoked duck is a stand out. Once you order, it takes an hour. They use Liberty Duck. Mister Jius perfected the method by making the exterior crispy and the inside still medium rare and moist. We ordered the daikon cake with olive tapenade which was so unique. I don't usually like olive but the olives on top of the daikon cake elevated the taste. Their chow fun with charsiu came out piping hot, the way it should be. I feel like they made the noodle from scratch too. Good amount of soy sauce and flavor. Can never go wrong with milk bread and homemade soft honey butter. Prices are a little higher than other Chinese restaurants but this is quality. Must try

We got a reservation through email with their host at 8pm. We showed up and were greeted by the hostess who said there was no reservation in their system. After we showed proof, she found the email and said she'd see what she could do. We walked around Chinatown for 30 minutes waiting for a text, now 30 minutes after our scheduled reservation. We went back to check in. She offered to seat us on the bar and begrudgingly offered to pay for our first round of drinks (making it seem like this was some grand gesture), we politely said we'd wait for a table. She said she might be able to seat us before 9, when they do their last seating and we agreed. At 9 sharp, an hour after our reservation, we were seated. The sommelier came over and put down three wine glasses down, we told her we wouldn't be drinking wine, but she told us it was a "gift," but didn't specify wether or not it was just a gift for the sake of being kind or a gift for us being seated an hour late. She uncorks the bottle and pours three comically small glasses for us (pictured below), but we assumed it was just to make sure we had enough to all have two glasses. She then puts the cork back in the bottle and took it back into the kitchen never to be seen again. The waitress then comes to let us know that they were out of the dish they are most known for, and the reason we came in the first place, the roast duck. Not only were we disappointed, but we were also keenly aware that we had to wait an hour after we were supposed to eat and can only imagine that it would have been available if we were seated at the appropriate time. We ordered the fried rice, green beans, wonton soup, chow fun, rolls, and the silken tofu. The rolls came out first along with the shrimp chips with smoked salmon dip. We didn't order that, but assumed it was a gift to make up for the mix up. It wasn't, but we'll get back to that. Both dishes were excellent and definitely the highlight of a night full of low lights. Next came the wonton "soup." I put quotations around soup because it was three dumplings on a plate with about an inch of broth that was room temperature (plate shown below). we were given traditional single serving soup bowls to pour the "soup" in, and the broth might have come an inch above the bottom of the bowls they brought. It was so late in the night, we didn't send it back, but it was the most average and unsatisfying "soup" I remember eating in some time. The pacing of this meal was also extremely odd. We got two dishes at a time, but there was no real rhyme or reason why things came out. The last thing to arrive was the chow fun with shaved horseradish over top, which had such an off-putting odor and we barely touched, because it was just not very good at all. We realized we never got our tofu, but since we were full, I told the waitress we didn’t need it and just wanted to be sure it wasn’t on the bill. We also mentioned we hadn’t ordered the shrimp chips. She checked and said they’d been brought to the wrong table—so not a gift. She was lovely, and it was an honest mistake, just one more in this comedy of errors. An aside, I witnessed one of the most awkward scenes I've ever seen in my life. The table next to us was celebrating a birthday and our server and the GM (I believe, he was kind of just walking around all night looking at all the tables and bringing out food some of the time) dropped off dessert with a candle. They started singing Happy Birthday and IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG HE LEAVES THE WAITRESS BY HERSELF TO SING TO A 6 TOP COMPLETELY BY HERSELF. The table wasn't singing either, so it was just her serenading by her lonesome. The bill came and it was correctly not including the shrimp chips we didn't order or the tofu, but not a single comped item for our trouble or an apology. The level of mediocrity we experienced in every aspect was shocking from a Michelin starred restaurant. Cold food, inappropriate serving receptacles, and a clown show at the front of house. Complacency is rich within the walls of Mister Jiu and we will not be back.

Great place, great atmosphere, service, drinks, expansive and expensive wine list. Essentially a price fix menu, choice of two 1st courses, then a well prepared Peking duck. Went with one other couple. One drink each. A bottle of wine, $140, about mid price on the list. An order of fried rice with the dinner. Ended up, at almost $500 per couple.

Excellent service. The wait staff accommodated us despite their moongate lounge being closed and were super friendly. Each dish we were served was unique, flavorful, and excellent presentation. Truly of the best finds in SF.

We had a long layover so I was looking for some decent dim sum without breaking the bank. Back in Chicago, I could always find a decent dim sum place. Reddit led me here and reviews were okay. We ordered salt and pepper tofu cubes, deep fried crab claws, almond balls filled with egg yolk lava, curry beef dumplings, dried scallop with taro dumplings, and deep fried shrimp balls. The ones that I thought were decent to eat were salt and pepper tofu cubes, deep fried crab claws, and deep fried shrimp balls. The other ones I forced myself to finish, since the food was a bit overpriced and I hate wasting food. Food overall was pretty mediocre so 3 stars is sufficient. Nothing truly stood out for me. Service was okay, standard in most Chinese restaurants. The place was clean but initially when we walked in there were barely any Chinese people eating there. First red flag. More Chinese people came later but that still didn’t change the quality of the food. This was my second time in SF, and Chinese food here hasn’t really impressed me that much.

Liked my experience here! I got the cilantro chive rice roll, pork and taro fried dumplings, shrimp and bamboo dumplings, garlic bokchoy, and fried tofu skin with shrimp inside. The tea was delicious!!! The service was quality! It smelled a little strange inside though. The bokchoy was yummy but could have been cooked a little longer to be more tender. The pork and taro dumpling was too fried for me personally and super greasy. The tofu skin was quite fried but still yummy! Not too expensive for the quality and service. Might go back again!

Hong Kong Lounge is a well-known dim sum spot in San Francisco, and I gave it a try based on glowing reviews claiming it’s close to the real Hong Kong experience. The ambiance and presentation definitely hit the mark—they’ve got that classic, slightly upscale dim sum vibe down. However, when it came to flavor, it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Maybe my expectations were too high, having grown up with traditional dim sum, but I’d give the overall taste a 7/10. The 小籠包 (pork soup dumpling) was the biggest letdown—bland and lacking that burst of rich broth. On the bright side, everything came out piping hot, so handle with care. Dim sum always pairs well with hot tea, and I recommend mixing your own dipping sauce: light soy sauce, red vinegar, and chili crisp. Price is on the medium high side. Keep in mind there’s a $25 credit card minimum. Parking is tough around here—as expected in SF—but there’s a lot at Geary and 21st Ave. if you come early, just a short walk away. And don't expect a Chinese restaurant to be quiet, especially dim sum restaurants.

Delicious Dim Sum at Unbeatable Prices – A Must-Try Lunch Spot! I had lunch at this Chinese dim sum restaurant and was thoroughly impressed! They offer a special lunch menu with select dim sum items starting as low as $3.99—and the best part is, there’s no compromise on quality or taste. Every dish we tried was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Should a service tip at a restaurant be calculated based on the total amount before or after tax?

even with plenty of dim sum spots in the richmond, hong kong lounge stands out with all the well made classics in a traditional atmosphere. highlights were the durian pastries, rolled rice rolls

The food was decent but the sneaky tipping was unacceptable. They tried to write in a tipping value for me and I was quite upset about that. I dont mind giving more but if its going to be forced and not disclosed up front, similar to when you post something on the menu or on the front door that tips are automatically applied with X number of guests then I can understand. Food: everything came out hot, not sure if it is like this throughout the day as we did arrive as soon as they opened. The taste was fairly good overall, some dishes better than others. Atmosphere: Loud, lots of talking amongst guest but also staff was loud. They also were banging and tossing dishes and utensils loudly. Price: the cost is quite reasonable for the serving sizes but the tipping is definitely something you need to ask about and ask them to remove if you dont agree. Staff: staff seemed courteous, but we didn't have major interactions, only limited initial exchanges.

Reasonable dim sum, very classic institution. Didn't love the BBQ pork buns and shen Jian bao. The har gow was fantastic. Liked the zongzi too

07/30/25 Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant was recommended to us by a friend, so we decided to give it a try! Parking: For a quiet day in San Francisco, parking was okay, however it was a bit of trouble for a bigger vehicle. Thankfully, the parking spot we got was on the opposite side of the street and relatively close to the restaurant. Seating: Once arriving to the restaurant, there were only two pairs of people who were seated, so there was no wait time to get a table for our big group. Service: The staff were incredibly kind and were offering us suggestions on places to go during our visit (we were tourists)! We did not have to wait very long before our food came, which was surprising since we ordered six dishes. Food: The food was fresh, served piping hot, and every dish had a different flavour. The shrimp was juicy, the beef was soft, the tofu’s sauce was exquisite, and so much more! To top it all off, we were offered a complimentary dessert which was DELICIOUS! Dishes we ordered: * Tofu with Double Mushrooms * Sweet and Sour Shrimp * Cold Beijing Noodle with sesame paste (vegan) * Chicken jalapeños * Combo chow mein and combo fried rice * Cumin lamb

This is a proper no nonsense place for halal Chinese food. Service is super swift and staff friendly. Prices are a bit on the higher side. So is the level of spice in the food so be careful and they even warn you accordingly. So when they mention too spicy , then believe it! Portions are large as well.

Everything here on menu, amazing. Pleasing to a wide-crowd, an excellent option when dining out with halal or kosher friends. A reflection of China’s rich history along the Silk Road. Cumin Lamb, a highlight. Spice-forward and dry stir-fried, water chestnuts a textural treat. Crack Fish Chef’s Special, reminiscent of a Sichuan classic — with a mildly mala, chili pepper and numbing peppercorn broth. Eggplant, excellent. Alcohol (including baijiu) available — menu perfect as drinking accompaniments.

I went there with my family, the food was good and I would definitely recommend however there are only 2 tables with 5+ seating options (the rest are for 2-4 people) so when another bigger group came, the owners kept on rushing us with continuous questions about how the food is and started clearing our table. We got the hot & sour soup, garlic chicken with steamed rice, hotpot and chowmein (the steamed rice is single serving).

You will never know how amazing this restaurant if you not go inside. It’s a restaurant, the food here is so great, fresh and delicious. but it really more likes a Chinese traditional culture museum. The owner has so many old furnitures, everything has their own stories. I’m so attracted by the owner when he talked about the history and culture. And also, the owner took so many pics with very famous people. If you like Chinese history and traditional Chinese tastes, try here. You will not disappoint.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but I want to share my most recent experience here. I’ve been to this restaurant at least five times since moving from China a couple of years ago, and unfortunately, the quality has noticeably declined while the prices have gone up. Our recent meal for two came out to almost $200, with a mandatory 16% tip already added to the bill, leaving no option to reduce or adjust it. Food: • The lamb was not fresh — a big disappointment, especially for a halal restaurant where freshness should be a priority. • The hotpot broth was very bland, and since I don’t use dipping sauces, the lack of flavor in the meat was obvious. • The mushu beef had far too many vegetables and very little meat. • The seafood bun was just okay, but at $20+ each, I expected more filling compared to the thick bun. Service: There was essentially no service. No water was provided (only bottled water for purchase), and when we asked for extra bowls, staff were too busy — we ended up using teacups as dipping bowls. Overall, the value just isn’t there anymore. With declining food quality, high prices, and poor service, I don’t think I’ll be returning.

Truly the most delicious meat I've ever tasted! I highly recommend it. Especially the lemon chicken, onion pancake, spicy beef stew, and lamb shank. The lamb shank was cooked to perfection, the meat was incredibly tender. The same goes for the lemon chicken, which falls apart the moment you touch it. I will DEFINITELY COMING BACK, I LOVED IT!

Probably the most middling noodles I’ve ever had. Noodle soup didn’t have flavor, just tasted chili oil. The beef rib was good and the only redeeming factor. The chicken was all bones and no flavor. Usually the chicken is deboned as well. Service was ok. Overall, would not go again for this type of noodle.

Average and not authentic at all. They even got the pork belly in preserved mustard green horribly wrong, which is striking for a Chinese restaurant. Also, ordered beef noodles and was unapologetically served pork ribs instead.

It was very busy on weekend but worth waiting for. We ordered Chongqing spicy beef noodle, beef tendon, Sichuan pork belly. Everything was so good. Beef tendon was worth to try. The spicy noodle was so good, the spiciness was perfect for me. The Sichuan pork belly, you need to it with rice, it was quite salty to eat it alone. The reataurant was small with few tables, so be patient.

As Chongqing noodle fan, I can say that this is not authentic. The Chongqing noodle was missing a numbing spice flavor that’s the soul of Chongqing noodle sauce. This is more personal preference - I prefer noodles that are softer so the fact that the noodle was not fully cooked and still hard when it’s served marks this even lower. Lamb skewer has too little meat on it, though the flavor was good. The cold dish: spicy tendon was ok! Service was good! There’s no wait on a weekday night. Overall, average.

The noodle is great with a very big portion but not that spicy, the chicken seems like frozen one not like original flavor

Simple meal with friendly service. Tried Chongqing food for the first time — the beef noodle soup was excellent! A must-try!

Here you come to negotiate with the spice. Spicy Beef Noodle Soup is like a CEO in soup: dominant, profound, unafraid to leave a mark. It's very good for my first time, and I'm leaving with a full and happy stomach.

This place was highly recommended by friends for authentic food. The vibe was so perfect for a cozy dinner at a local restaurant. We got the vegetarian Dan Dan, vegetarian Mapo tofu, veggie dumplings, and hot soy milk. The Dan Dan and soy milk were the best! The tofu was good- tasted standard. The dumplings were okay, we wished there was more flavor in the filling. Overall, would return!

We had visitors from Canada who loved Chinese food. We searched for a Chinese restaurant and we found Sichuan Home with good reviews, but the restaurant opens at 5pm. It was 3pm when we felt hungry for lunch. We searched more for a different Chinese restaurant. None of the others had good reviews or the type of Chinese we were looking for. So, we decided to do another activity and wait till 5pm to eat at this restaurant. We finally sat down inside. The menu had good selection. The menu also was neatly categorized with the type of dishes. We had 4 main dishes: Lamb, chicken in Sichuan pepper, spicy fish and herb spice , and a vegetarian option called Dry mushroom. The food came in less than 5 minutes 🤔. I honestly don’t know how they prepared it so fast. Those 4 dishes needed to cook. Most likely they were already cooked and ready to serve. My mushroom pieces were too big and leathery. When I asked for knife to cut to smaller pieces. They said the didn’t have a knife! They ended up bringing scissors😳. I didn’t like that, but I had to let her cut the big mushroom pieces so I can hold them with the chopsticks and put them in my mouth without having a full mouth or mushroom ends dangling from my mouth! The spicy breaded chicken was like orange chicken. We all agreed that the chicken needed salt. So we asked for salt. The waiter grabbed the dish from our table and brought it back very salty! It was not good before and not good after. The spicy fish, which came on a gas cooktop next to our table looked delicious, but the fish was possibly frozen fish. You would think that having fish at a restaurant next to the ocean would serve fresh fish from the sea, but that was not the case. Bottom line, the only fish that we all agreed was good, fresh, and tasty was the lamb. They also brought sweet rice pieces on the house. The service was very good. The waiter might also be the cook, but I’m not sure. We were the only customer then another couple came in and finished before us. Would I go back again? I don’t think this is the best Chinese restaurant in town. So I’ll try something else next time.

finally tried sichuan home for lunch after hearing the rave reviews and it lives up to its accolades. cozy and comforting environment with the kindest servers, sichuan home feels like an unassuming neighborhood restaurant with amazing food. the complimentary cabbage side dish and fruit dessert were a great touch. would come back! spicy fish & chinese herb spice: the perfect spice level and packed with the mala spice flavor. large portion. highly recommend. garlic eggplant: the perfect side dish leaning on the sweeter side to offset the rest of the sichuan spice. veggie chow mein: standard fare, you know what to expect. fried chicken: don’t remember the exact name but super crispy and perfectly cooked.

I love Sichuan home but they did poorly both times I’ve gotten takeout recently. Service: they are friendly but they consistently forgot about my take out order and always served many more people before giving me my food. I’m okay hanging out but the latest time I saw 4 tables that came after me get their food before I. I say call ahead and give them like 30-40 minutes, at least. Food: No problem, I don’t mind waiting if the food is good. However, I got the Dan Dan noodles and spicy wontons and these were the wateriest, most bland sichuan food I’ve ever eaten. They were swimming in the same broth with no spice or complexity which is not typical — there was no “Ma” or “La” in either. I could tell the chef just dumped the broth for both and sent it on their way. I usually give a place a few chances in case it was a fluke but im convinced it’s not for me. I’m sure other dishes (not during dinner rush) might be good, but do not get takeout from them. Portion size and value/cost are great.

Very good service and nice menu! All the dishes were tasty, the eggplant was really delicious and not too spicy! Very accommodating hosts!

Nice atmosphere, great presentation, good food... but Not a Sichuan peppercorn in sight :( just chilli oil - we got cowchin (so) chicken pig.ears, spicy cabbage, and sadly, none of it was numbing. Still good, just no.numbing. For mouth numbing taste, go to 'sichuan tasty' on clement. P.s. avocado shake was lame.. 1/4.avoxado andill

Delicious food & amazing service 😍 favorite dish was probably the eggplant 😍 we were able to walk in and be seated with no problem at 7 pm on a Saturday :)

We had Mother’s Day brunch & food was good but if you had a big appetite the portions seemed small. The set lunch menu was just good but nothing very special. The waiting time was really long & we spent 3 hours & the waiting for 30 minutes between each serving was way too long. The food served could easily be cooked in larger batches, & since they only offered one menu it hard to understand the long wait. Also main courses were served family style & there were no fancy plating. Dessert was nice. The decorations & view definitely deserved a positive mention. Overall not worth it for us to drive an hour to go back and try dinner

Had a wonderful experience here. The food was Master Class. The atmosphere was refined casual. A tasting menu of a modernized Cantonese cuisine. Highly recommend it if you have the time. Dinner was 3 hours.

The interior is very cosy with different places to eat. The food was more than delicious. One of the best Chinese restaurants I visited. The service was more than perfect. With 2 minors we were not allowed to sit at the bar and nobody was sitting in the lounge so the waiter gave us a table where the full menu people were sitting. Very nice gesture. Having diner is not only about the food but it is a full experience.

Empress by Boon is hands-down one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in San Francisco. The space is stunning—with incredible views of Coit Tower—and the food? Next-level. Chef Boon’s Cantonese menu hits all the right notes: bold, creative, and seriously delicious. Huge shoutout to Gabriela, our server, who was absolutely amazing. Friendly, super knowledgeable, and made us feel totally taken care of from start to finish. Every dish she recommended was a hit. If you’re looking for a special night out with unforgettable food and views, Empress by Boon should be at the top of your list.

Empress Delight 💯 Situated in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown, Empress by Boon opened during the peak of COVID in 2021 replacing the historic Empress of China restaurant famed for its traditional Cantonese cuisine and upscale dining The complete reimagining of the restaurant space capitalized on the space’s sky high ceilings and picturesque skyline views but features an entirely new prixe fixe menu While Chef Ho Chee Boon has Cantonese cuisine training by way of Hakkasan, the dishes also reflect the influences of Malaysia, Bangkok, and more reflecting his experiences opening restaurants worldwide We loved the creativity and the flavors of many of the night’s dishes but the highlight of our meal was definitely speaking to Chef Ho Chee Boon himself who often stops by table side when he’s at his namesake restaurant We heard tales of the challenges of opening during a pandemic, his passion to bring high-end, Chinese cuisine to the forefront, and the diverse clientele who now occupy his restaurant as San Francisco finds its identity with remote workers and rising costs Favorites of our meal included the steamed dumplings, the phenomenal braised pork belly and, the add-on organically sourced and exclusive to Empress’s Peking duck, easily one of the best renditions I’ve had anywhere 📷Prix Fixe Menu $118 ~ Crispy Vegetarian Bean Roll, Pine Nuts, Tiger Prawns / Jasmine Tea Smoked Short Ribs Buns / Steamed Squid and Shrimp Dumplings / Gullian Stir Fried Quail / Live Boston Lobster / Noodles with Ginger Scallion / Wok Fried Asparagus with Chicken / Braised Pork Belly / Roast Peking Duck (supplemental add on) / Assorted desserts (add-on) 📍Empress by Boon (San Francisco, CA) Reservations are recommend. Indoor dining only. All credit cards including AmEx are accepted.

Empress by Boon delivers a truly refined dining experience that blends traditional Cantonese cuisine with contemporary flair. Every dish on the prix fixe menu was beautifully crafted, both in flavor and presentation. The Braised Dungeness Crab with Kaluga Caviar set the tone for the evening—delicate, luxurious, and full of umami. The sweetness of the crab was enhanced by the subtle salinity of the caviar, making it a standout starter. Another favorite was the Braised Pork Belly Puff—perfectly flaky on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. It struck a lovely balance between richness and texture. The Steamed Shrimp and Squid Dumpling was a masterclass in technique: translucent, delicate skin with a juicy seafood filling that felt both comforting and elevated. For mains, the Grilled Black Cod with Soya Honey and Cloud Ear was unforgettable. The fish was buttery and perfectly cooked, with just enough sweetness from the honey to complement the earthy wood ear mushrooms. The Mongolian-Style Pan-Fried Wagyu Beef with Crispy Taro delivered a bold, savory punch. The taro added a unique crunch that played wonderfully against the tenderness of the beef. And finally, the Thick Noodles with Lobster, Scallop, and Whitebait was a luxurious way to end the meal—generous seafood, chewy noodles, and a deeply satisfying broth. Service was just as impressive as the food: gracious, knowledgeable, and perfectly paced. Empress by Boon isn’t just a dinner—it’s a curated culinary journey through modern Cantonese cuisine, and one I’d return for in a heartbeat.

It was my birthday dinner. Not gonna lie when our Uber arrived in Chinatown, I was initially a bit disappointed. As someone born and raised in China, I usually have 0 expectations for Chinese food in SF. However, Empress by Boon completely won me over (or maybe my boyfriend impressed me ;)). It was without a doubt the best meal I’ve had in SF! The stunning view of the city and the gorgeous ambiance only added to the experience. Every dish we ordered was incredible, with beautiful presentation and rich flavors. From the fish shaped shrimp dumplings to the slow braised pork and the innovative Peking duck, even the simple stir fried vegetables were exceptional. I had a wonderful evening there and left thoroughly impressed, grateful and happy!

You can't deny that the quality here is amazing, but the prices for the dim sum really have you second-guessing life choices. We ordered 7 dishes among 3 people and for the total to come out to $60+ per person is insane, especially when a fried rice costs $30 and the tea wasn't complementary. The space itself is quite small with tight seating. You'll need to wait for a spot, which can take a while, but it's nice that they don't rush you to leave. You order off a menu and put check marks next to items you want.

The dim sum here was pretty good. Every dish was prepared well and tasted fresh. I'm not sure why the restaurant's ratings are so high though. While the food was fine, the prices were exorbitant, especially given the small portions. Perhaps the greatest offender was the $18 plate of black and pepper pork spare ribs. What we got were 8 little pieces of deep fried pork that were mostly just bones. The soup dumplings were very average. The wrapper was too thick and the meat filling wasn't terribly flavorful. The lotus-wrapped sticky rice was also very average. The small piece of pork in the middle was tasty, but the sticky rice lacked any real fragrance or flavor. The truffle salt shrimp toast was our favorite dish. Service was great - attentive and friendly . The restaurant is very small inside and can get quite noisy. The location is strange, in a non-descript, somewhat dodgy part of Soma.

Chose to try this spot because it was close to me hotel and the number of positive reviews. I am glad I swung by for dim sum. A broader menu than you normally see at dim sum restaurants which was nice and you can tell that everything is cooked to order. I tried the chicken feet (always do!), their fish Cheung fun and steamed pork and shrimp dumplings. The chicken feet were very good. A little spice, but a nice sweetness to the sauce and the meat was tender and non gelatinouus. The shrimp and porn dumplings are very homemade, packed with filling but rather lacking flavor. You had to dip them in chili soy sauce for any flavor at all. The Cheung fun was fairly bland, as they generally are, but really great texture and for me and unusual sight on the menu.

I have been trying many dimsum restaurants, honestly this one gave me a bit disappointed. Even though all the foods have a good temperature and juicy but the taste is really not that good. And yeah it's also expensive, you can see 5 pictures I uploaded and a pot of tea for over hundred dollar, there's also some special SF fee added. What can we say..it's just...San Francisco thing eh?? Also it feels like a fine dinning place rather than a dimsum; and I'll give my respect for all the professional servers over here. At least they make me feel better than how i think about my foods. There are plenty better places to give it a try, if you like a real dimsum journey, I will not recommend this place.

A good Cantonese restaurant nestled in the heart of SF in Soma area. Food choices are good. But was very salty to my taste. We ordered sauteed chicken sea bass and chicken kung Pao, which was yum. Service was very good. Staff very courteous. Very difficult to find parking. Overall a good place for an evening. Must make reservations and not suitable for large groups. The place is secluded during weekend evenings

This place came highly recommended but it is just average dim sum at high prices. We got the vegetable dumplings, the crab balls, and the mushroom lo mein. The crab balls were tasty, the only thing to recommend here. The lo mein is egg noodles not actually lo mein, so not sure what else is not accurate on the menu.

Tldr western restaurant with a chinese skin. Not the place if you are looking for authenthic Chinese food. The 红油抄手 was sweet lol (westernized much?) and the Peking duck was probably the worst I've had with sweet buns. No idea how this place got a Michelin. I guess the moment this place had zero Chinese customers the moment I entered was a easy red flag.

Review based on the string beans, chicken wings, mapo tofu, and chow fun. We wanted to order the Peking duck, however their oven malfunctioned when we waited an hour for the dish. So this review does not reflect that. Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: Casual with modern vibes and wonderful decor Value: 2/5 The dishes we ordered tasted fine and as expected, but I had wanted more “wow, this tastes better than other places”. It had a bit more western taste than authentic Chinese cuisine. We sat in the blocked off section for larger parties. The staff checked on us, but could have had more frequent refills and attentiveness. Staff was very friendly and when they discovered the duck wasn’t able to be served, they remedied the situation well. My biggest letdown was the value. I understand it’s in a popular neighborhood and overhead may be higher but the price to portion ratio was not good. Smaller portions that other like Chinese restaurants. I’m not a hater and wanted to love YH, but it didn’t happen for me.

Food was delicious, but they need to keep their hours up to date. Says they’re open from 11:30am so went at noon on a Friday, but it was closed. The sign outside their door also said open at 11:30am. We were counting on them for a family potluck so it was especially disappointing. Couldn’t even leave a voicemail cause it was full. We got the chicken wings, cucumber salad, xiaolongbao, black pepper chicken, mala noodles, and spicy mushrooms. Would recommend any of them

Food is fantastic with the duck skin done perfectly well. Small portion size is expected so quantity to price may be leaning low. Recommend: Peking duck, vegetable with mushroom

We went for a late-night meal close to closing time, and even though the staff seemed eager to wrap up, it didn’t bother us. The service was still great, and we were seated quickly. The food was delicious—we had the Wonton Soup, HK Crispy Noodles, Shrimp Shumai, and my favorite, the Double Mushroom with Bok Choy. Portions were generous, and we took the leftovers to go. The Chrysanthemum Tea was a lovely start to the meal. I definitely recommend this place!

I really like this place. The best sichuan fish I’ve had, flavorful and tender fish, not just a spicy salty oil slick. All the dishes we had were great — garlic pea sprouts, vegetable delight, duck set, scallion pancake, cucumber salad, and chow fun. Staff was warm friendly and helpful

This is the restaurant I want to gatekeep. Seriously, I pray it never gets too popular—I need to be able to get a table without a wait. The food-Heavenly and the restaurant is squeaky clean and neat. Pro tip: Skip the usual chow mein or chow fun. This is a jasmine rice + family-style mains kind of spot. Trust me, you'll thank me later. (For reference: 3 entrees for 3 people was a lot—we had enough for breakfast the next day. Zero regrets though.) These dishes still live rent-free in my mind: -Mongolian Beef -Basil Eggplant -Pot Stickers -Fried Calamari -General Tso's Chicken -Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce If it’s your first time, order eggplant menu. You'll regret every day you spent not knowing it existed.

Went here for dinner with friends and it was so delicious! We ordered the duck, wings, crab Rangoon, honey walnut prawn. I enjoyed every dish. The lychee cocktail was very good as well. Great atmosphere and the restaurant is cozy. Definitely will be back!

Z&Y Restaurant is hands down one of the best spots in San Francisco for Peking duck but make sure you call ahead and reserve your duck because they do run out, and it’s their star dish for a reason. The duck is top-notch: beautifully roasted, shiny and crispy skin, and not overly fatty, which makes it even better. It’s served with soft pancakes, green onions, cucumber, and even a small dish of sugar. I was curious about the sugar until I overheard the table next to me dipping the duck skin in it is game changer! The quality is excellent, and while you might find cheaper Peking duck elsewhere, the flavor and texture here make it well worth the price. We also ordered the Chicken with Explosive Chili Pepper, which featured a generous amount of Szechuan chili peppers. It delivered that classic mouth-numbing sensation, but in a perfectly balanced way not overwhelming at all. The fried chicken pieces were seasoned perfectly and packed with flavor. On top of the amazing food, the service stood out. Even though the place was busy, one of the servers took the time to explain the dish’s origin and the best way to enjoy it, which made the whole experience even more special. Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic Chinese flavors especially the duck. A must-visit when in SF!

We arrived at Z&Y Peking Duck in San Francisco and were fortunate to get a table as walk ins, as the restaurant was busy. Once seated, our server welcomed us warmly and took our drinks order before returning shortly after to take our food order. We decided to go for the half portion of Peking duck with pancakes, which arrived beautifully prepared and tasted really good. From our table we were able to watch the chef prepare the duck, which added to the overall experience. One of the servers, Jenny, kindly guided us on the different ways to enjoy the duck and her advice made it even more enjoyable. After finishing our appetiser, our main dishes arrived which included Mongolian beef and chicken fried rice. Both dishes were served fresh, full of flavour and very satisfying. The combination of the food quality and the attentive service made the evening a memorable one. Overall, our experience at Z&Y Peking Duck was excellent and we would highly recommend a visit for great food and warm service from the team.

Absolutely delicious! I came here for the Beijing Roast Duck and ended up falling in love with everything on the menu. You can really taste the chef’s care and skill in every dish — from the flavor, color, and aroma, everything feels beautifully balanced and thoughtfully prepared. The tea service here is also amazing — their Kung Fu tea is smooth, fragrant, and served with such attention to detail. It really completes the whole dining experience. The restaurant has a relaxing, elegant atmosphere, and it’s quite popular with locals and Americans alike. Whether you’re a fan of authentic Chinese food or trying roast duck for the first time, this place is a must-visit!

Z & Y Peking Duck Z & Y anchors itself on the classics, with Peking duck as the centerpiece—crisp skin, tender meat, no shortcuts. A half bird feeds two comfortably; larger groups should take the whole. Early arrivals can usually secure duck without booking. The supporting cast matters: xiaolongbao with fragile skins and rich broth, plus a menu that stays traditional while slipping in quiet substitutions only insiders will notice. Nothing flashy, just refinement. An 8% surcharge funds staff insurance, and it shows in the sharp, motivated service. The room is clean, stylish, and tightly packed. The clientele tells the story: Chinese families marking occasions alongside mixed groups of Westerners and Russians. That dual appeal is hard to pull off. Z & Y doesn’t innovate loudly. It executes precisely, and the results justify its standing as one of Chinatown’s most reliable dining rooms.

Absolutely delicious Beijing roast duck and spicy dry pot bullfrog! The flavors were authentic and unforgettable. Our server Stanley was incredibly attentive and friendly — excellent service! Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great Chinese food.

This is a must visit. The staff are genuinely happy, not just friendly, but really happy. Makes me want to work here. The food is amazing as well. The Duck is crisp and served on a warmer. They have unique dishes and it is delicious. Did I mention I have never seen a happier staff?

Had a fantastic meal at Z&Y Peking Duck!! Ordered the whole duck in advance when we made the reservation. Ling was a really great server and attentive! Also got the pork belly with preserved greens, spicy duck blood, and green beans - all delicious! Finished with the almond curd which was adorable and tasty, but not too sweet. Would definitely come back!

Yuanbao Jiaozi is a little unassuming northeastern Chinese style restaurant known for their freshly made dumplings. I'm not sure why they have the two ladies behind a window making dumplings. It seems more of a gimmick. We had the spicy house special noodles $15, cucumber salad $8, beef tendon $11, pork dumplings $12 and lamb dumplings $13. The food was OK. It tasted clean. Service was excellent.

Yummy dumpling place on Irving St and the prices are extremely affordable for what they offer! I got a beef noodle soup (non-spicy) and it soothed my soul, super delicious and it has that dark but also tender broth. I also tried the Pork and Napa Cabbage dumpling soup and it was light and filling (12 dumplings in the soup). This spot is great for solo-dining and the service is attentive and friendly. Parking in the area is pretty hard so do plan ahead!

This little unassuming restaurant is the real deal for good dumplings and beef noodles soup. Reminds me of comfort foods I can get in Taiwan. Expect a line at popular times. I hate Google reviews overhyping restaurants when most reviewers wouldn’t know good Asian food if it kicked them in the butt. This place is better. I hope I’m not over hyped this place. 😊

We went there on Sunday, a little after 11:15 AM. There was no line, and we got a table pretty quickly. We ordered the cucumber salad, pickled Chinese cabbage beef noodle soup (spicy), chicken and corn dumplings, and pork, shrimp, chive, and egg dumplings. The cucumber salad was a bit too sour for my taste, and the beef noodle soup was just okay. I really liked the chicken and corn dumplings, while the chive dumplings were decent but not quite to my liking.

5/5 spot for beef noodle soup also don’t sell yourself short and not get at least an order of the dumplings. My fave is the shrimp/egg/chive dumpling. Be prepared to wait if you come on a busy hour

Marinated beef was surprisingly nice - even though the beef pieces were cold / not hot. I just wish they had a few more options without egg. I’m allergic to egg but most of the soup / regular dimsum options had egg in them.

Absolutely amazing chinese food. the pork dumpling soup and beef noodle soup (spicy) were both excellent and enough food to share for 3 people. people in the restaurant were very kind.

We didn’t realise how big the portions would be and over ordered. Agree with the other comments that the food was a little too oily, especially the ribs and the fried calamari. We liked the dim sum but no dipping sauce was provided. I would return but only order dim sum next time.

An unbelievably delicious meal here. We ordered too much for two people, but all of it was so good that we couldn't stop eating. We ordered the garlic noodles, peeking duck, fried fish and shrimp balls, and the spicy coconut fish broth. My personal favorites were the garlic noodles and spicy coconut fish broth. Both just bursting with flavor. I'd definitely order both again. The service was very quick, friendly, and attentive with no wait. They provided good recommendations and helped us to make a game plan.

The food was all good. while the flavoring was mild, it was all good. Every dish. There were some good vegetarian options. The server was kind and attentive. The facility was appointed and clean. Bathrooms need a little more maintenance, but are pretty good.

I hosted one of my 222 parties at Osmanthus Dim Sum, and the night was such a success! The restaurant had the perfect atmosphere for our group — great music, cozy space, and a vibe that made it easy for everyone to connect. The food and drinks were amazing, especially the tea-infused cocktails, which became a highlight of the night. The staff was super attentive and made sure everything flowed smoothly so we could focus on enjoying the party. A big shoutout to Hermen, the owner — he’s incredibly nice and so easy to work with. He really went out of his way to make sure everything was set up just right for us. If you’re looking for a spot in San Francisco with delicious dim sum, creative cocktails, and a welcoming atmosphere, Osmanthus is definitely worth checking out.

I was a little nervous when we walked in and there were more tourists than locals, which is rarely the sign of an authentic dining experience. I was pleasantly surprised! Everything was delicious and we gorged ourselves, particularly since the portions were larger than expected. Definitely get the eggplant, the pumpkin was worth trying, the shumai was hearty, and the Peking duck was done well. A lot of the dishes had pork in them, which wasn’t a problem for us, but our Jewish friend did have to be a little more particular about what he ate.

3.5 stars. The food was decent but not out of the world. They allow pets on the patio, which was a big draw since our group had a dog. It was super cold outside even with the heaters, which wasn't as pleasant. We ordered the spicy wontons, the soup dumplings, the chicken dumplings, the coconut fish curry, and the Singaporean style noodles. We also got a pot of jasmine tea to warm up. The jasmine tea was lovely and helped with the cold immensely. The food came pretty quickly after we ordered it. A heads up that the curries do not come with rice, so you have to order it separately. The spicy wontons were good. For those who don't like schezwan peppers like me, beware that there is a hint of those peppers in the sauce. It isn't to the extent of numbing your tongue, but you feel a little bit. I liked the dish despite this. The soup dumplings weren't properly structured. They came in the aluminum foil cups and it was near impossible to take them out of the cup without splitting them apart, which means that the soup and the meat were now separated. It defeated the purpose of the dumplings. Considering that I am used to the intact dumplings from Din Tai Fung, this was quite disappointing. The soup was ok. The meat was ok. I just wish I could have had both together. The chicken dumplings were fine. I can't say that they were best ever but they weren't bad. They were ok. Eating them with the spicy sauce from the spicy wontons helped. The fish curry was honestly the best of the lot. The fish was wonderfully melt in the mouth with a very thin breading and the coconut based curry was delicious. It was a huge portion so my friend ended up taking almost 3/4 of it home. I would definitely recommend ordering this! The Singaporean style noodles were ok. If you are expecting Char Kway Teow when you read this, you will be mistaken. The noodles are more along the lines of vermicelli and the spice mix reminded me of a Japanese curry or an Indian Ching's instant noodles mix. We liked them, but I think we had a different expectation in our head. This dish is also not spicy so if you want heat, this is not the dish to order. Pricing wise, I think we paid an acceptable amount for the portions we got but the flavors could be a little better. Considering that this is a dim sum restaurant, I would really like their dumplings to be more on the mark.

We ate here for my husband’s birthday. We ordered beef chow mein, scallop dumplings, spicy pork and shrimp dumplings, pork soup dumplings, custard buns and bbq buns. We were quite disappointed with the pork soup dumplings as there was barely ‘soup’ when you bite into it but the dumpling itself tastes good. The custard bun is average compared to other restaurants while the rest of the food is good.

I walked by this restaurant a few times before and never thought to try it until I learned that my BIL’s sister drives from Castro Valley to eat here. It must be that good, so I finally gave it a try. Everything I ordered was delicious and flavorful, especially the Pork Belly with Shrimp Paste, Pan Fried Tofu, and Half Steamed Chicken. The restaurant is clean and has a lot of photos to help with ordering. I would definitely go back to try the Roasted Squab, which I didn't get to order because you have to call in and request an hour in advance.

It’s nice little spot in the outer Richmond for some Chinese/hakka food. Greatly suited for small and large parties sharing family style. The food here reminded me of childhood meals i would have with my family. I got the stirred noddles which had a lot of wok hay in the dish aka, it was wok fried to perfection. We also got the fried tofu and fish fillet casserole which is always a main stable. I love the mushrooms inside. However I did find it a bit salt. Overall, I love this place and would love to come back.

Food is delicious, literally love everything we get there. The noodle/ chow mein has a very interesting texture, almost like pan fried noodle, which was a very pleasant surprise. Pork belly and stuffed chicken were definitely the highlight of the meal when I visited

Love this place. Accidentally discovered it when I was getting lost around the Golden Gate Bridge and love it. It’s a hidden gem. You can tell it’s family run and they are delightful and attentive. But be careful, there is a similar restaurant nearby, but this one isn’t nearly as packed which is a shame as they have superior food. My order is always the same, potstickers and vermicelli. Wish I lived in the city so I could get it Doordashed or delivered. A majority of the menu is in Mandarin and with very little English, but trust me it is so delicious that you will over look that. Parking is limited. Sometimes I have to walk several blocks to park, but again, it’s worth it.

That good stufffff. This is a good Chinese restaurant if you're in Richmond. It's close to the beach too so you can maybe walk there or just a short drive over. Wasn't very busy on a Saturday 6pm. Food is all really yummy and doesn't take a long time. The serving sizes are pretty big. Definitely good place to share and enjoy family style authentic Chinese food. My parents approve this message. Enjoy!

Food was good with great portion sizes for the money. A lot of food combinations that I’ve never heard of/had before. I’m guessing the chief(s), family, etc may be from Fujian Province, China? Authentic Southern Chinese cuisine. The Bitter Mellon with Catfish is one of the few items I’m familiar with…the other picture is of the Tofu/Pork soup which was also very good. Definitely will be back. Hakka Pride! 😏🙌🏽😉

We walked in on a Tuesday to a mostly empty dining room and man people are really missing out! Authentic Chinese cuisine The pork belly was moist and tender, the lamb stew was spot on, the sweet and saltiness of the black pepper honey short ribs were amazing and the large pea sprouts have the “wok hey” that you need. So much good food at relatively inexpensive prices, come check it out!

Pretty solid stop for some quick Chinese food. We tried a number of things and all of it was solid. The Bao Buns look so perfectly formed that they could be straight from a frozen package. The Har Gow were our favorite dumplings, and the Four Seasons Chow Mein was really good and the quantity was generous.

Pretty darn good food. Finally stopped by after driving by for a couple of years and thinking that no one ever came here. First, it's now obvious that they do a lot of takeout business, and second, the food is really yummy. The spinach-mushroom bao bun is pretty decent, and the chicken and green bean entree has some really nice flavors happening. Will definitely come back to try more items.

Damn. I have been looking for a good good bowl of wor wonton soup for a long time ever since the Pine Garden restaurant in Newark closed. I happen to be visiting relatives and was driving by after 9:00 p.m. looking for hot soup and a place to sit down and I saw the sign and thought well, why not? This turned out better because it was a really good won ton soup. A nice simple chicken broth, pork wontons, a lot of nice vegetables and some mushrooms, piping hot and it hit the spot. Good size wontons, not the ones where somebody puts in a half teaspoon of meat, but a nice chunky chewable soup spoon sized ball of pork meat wrapped up nice. They have other items on the menu. See the pictures below and the website itself which I intend to try in the future. While I'm not in San Francisco a whole lot, this definitely will become one of my destinations should I be in the area. Oh, and typical Geary Street parking, you might be half a block away or two blocks away but it is worth it.

the food is fine; it’s very clear all their dumplings and XLB stuff are from frozen which is fine but i’ve def had better frozen brands LOL. the eggplant was pretty solid, honey sesame chicken was good, shanghai baby noodles were a good texture! best thing this place has to offer is portion size/value, but flavor wise it’s quite mid </3. not really any indoor seating; just designed for takeout!

one thousand times YES. came here for proximity purposes... but honestly might eat here for the rest of the trip and thankfully we can eat it again because the portions were HUGE and it barely looked like the 2 of us made a dent after stuffing our faces. the crispy honey sesame chicken is deliciously crunchy and addicting... shanghai chubby noodles hit the spot... and the crab cheese rangoons were packed with cream cheese and flavor then fried to perfection. the sauce on the chicken is made to order and wish we would have requested more- it's delicious!! definitely a good spot for take-out, since there aren’t many options for sitting inside. i cannot say enough good things about this place... all i know is that we'll be coming back.

DUMPLING BABY IS INCREDIBLE!!! I would recommend to anyone who enjoys good food and a good time. Delicious meals, super clean, and very friendly staff. Definitely get the dragon fried rice and the egg custard bao.

They do not make their own XLB soup dumplings! Despite being named Dumpling Baby! The XLB soup dumpling skins look clearly manufactured and too identical to each other. And if you ever had frozen XLB from a Chinese supermarket, it tastes, feels, and looks exactly the same. The Shanghai Chubby Noodles were okay and I couldn't describe the flavor but I would eat it if I were hungry. The Honey Sesame Chicken was the best item in my order. It was crispy and tasty but the sauce solidifies too fast due to the honey. They even cut a hole in the takeout box so that it could vent and not get soggy!

Just ok Chinese restaurant near the financial district and located at China Town. Though the service is fast I am not impressed with the foods. I have been into a lot of Chinese restaurants and something is missing in the taste of their food. They have no outside sitting so if you don’t have a vaccination record to present you can’t inside.

Delicious Chinese Food, Right off Chinatown. During the lunch or dinner rush, you’ll have to wait outside for a table, but they turn pretty quick. The place is packed with lots of happy customers eating yummy food and it can accommodate large and small parties. Right when you sit down, they offer you hot tea—a great way to start a meal. We started out with the Xiao Long Bao ($7), six dumplings, stuffed with ground pork, chicken broth, and peanut butter. Order ahead because they take about 10 minutes to prep and cook, but they’re worth it! They were supple and delicious. We also ordered the Sizzling Rice Soup ($8 for 2-3 people, $11 for 4-5 people), a soup with chicken, shrimp, vegetable, and served with fried golden rice crust. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming and had no sizzle. The flavors were OK, and probably needed to be served hotter to make the rice sizzle and pop. For our entrees, we ordered the Kung Pao Prawns ($16), prawns sautéed with green and red peppers, and peanuts. The sauce was on the sweet side and the dish had good flavors and vibrant, fresh veggies—not a bad dish at all, but nothing to write home about. We also ordered the Hunan Smoked Pork dish ($13), pork sautéed with cabbage, green peppers, leeks, served in the “chef’s hot sauce.” This dish had more flavors and was great, although the pork was over-cooked and came out tough—but it had a great smokey taste. The kids ordered a crowd-favorite, Cashew Nut Chicken ($13), diced chicken sautéed with celery and broccoli. For kids and those who want a milder entree, this is a good option. My only complaint was there were no broccoli! Overall, this is a good place to get Chinese food. Truth-be-told, I’m not a connoisseur of this cuisine, because I just eat at Chinese buffets. But I would recommend this place to anyone.

Last day before leaving, we decided to try some Chinese food in the famous China town. This place wasn’t too busy which we decided to gave it a shot. The service was not too fast which is a good sign as they prepared fresh. The environment was very traditional Chinese restaurant decor. The server was very friendly. The food itself was very good. Being a Chinese myself and lived in Toronto over 15 years, I have to say the food here is authentic. I would recommend some specialty dishes which can be spicy 🌶!

I asked my Hong Kong born host for some authentic Chinese food. This is where we went. I have had " Chinese" food in Europe..and this place topped them all hands down. Service was great quality and quantity was great too. The price was reasonable. Very good choice.. Bob the American

Ordered the duck with great expectations but I was given an over cooked, greasy and flavorless meat, if you pay attention to the photos I feel I got ripped off when they served just duck skin on my plate without meat underneath. Needless to say won't be back.

Great and attentive service and staff. Food was freshly prepared, served hot and fast. They were attentive to spice level and did a nice job preparing and serving delicious food.

This place is unreal! Such a ‘hole in the wall’ with absolutely amazing food. We got the onion pancakes, sweet and sour chicken, scallops, chicken fried rice, and beef broccoli with a bottle of hot sake and everything was better than the last! They serve complimentary hot tea as soon as you sit down and were really attentive!

The stone bowl was great and a huge portion. I would probably share it next time. Loved the Marina Steak. This my second time here and have enjoyed it both times. Great service, our server mixed up the stone bowl for me.

Blackwood was an absolute 10/10 brunch experience! The space is gorgeous — flowers hanging everywhere and beautiful architecture that makes it super picture-worthy. Our waitress was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the menu, and gave us great recommendations. When our food and drinks arrived, they completely blew us away. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. This is definitely a must-visit brunch spot in San Francisco, and I’ll be recommending it to anyone looking for great food and amazing vibes!

This place is awesome. We got lucky walking jn, beating the rush. Reservations are probably a better bet. Cute place with cute decor, super friendly and welcoming staff with big portioned delicious food. The drinks were also delicious! If we get a chance coming back in town, we would come back!

Blackwood is one of my favorite spots whenever I’m in the neighborhood. They serve up all the traditional breakfast favorites—but with a unique Thai twist that sets them apart. Whether you’re in the mood for something classic or want to switch it up with bold flavors, they’ve got something for everyone. Great vibe, friendly service, and consistently delicious food. A must-try if you’re in the area!

Blackwood is a standout restaurant in San Francisco offering an impressive fusion of Thai and American flavors. The dishes are thoughtfully prepared, with a great balance of spice, presentation, and texture. The service was prompt and the atmosphere felt both modern and relaxed. A must-try for anyone looking for a memorable dining experience in the Marina District.

It was a beautiful day in SF and my bestie and I stopped in here for brunch. Wait staff kept coming and asking to take our order which felt borderline rushed. I had the drunken noodles with chicken it was good. However, they got my friends order wrong and it was cold when it arrived, not good Don't think I will be back. Nice outdoor seating and clean bathroom.

Absolutely blown away by this restaurant - we happened upon this by chance while walking around and we are thrilled we did. First off, you’ll be amazed by the flowers and decor that adorn every square inch of this place. No detail left untouched with the addition of little birds and bees amongst the flowers. We started with the Meing Kum Kung and that was only the beginning to the incredible flavors of what was to come. For mains we got the 24hr Beef Noodle Soup and the Dinner Stone Pot - all we can say is WOW. If only we knew it would get better after an incredible appetizer. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive. Would recommend to anyone in search of an incredible meal and experience at a price that seems like theft.

We recently dined at Benihana, and it was an unforgettable experience! The food was absolutely delicious, cooked to perfection right before our eyes. The chefs were not only skilled but also entertaining, making the whole meal a memorable event. The staff was attentive and friendly, ensuring that we had everything we needed. One tip: make a reservation ahead of time to avoid wait times, as this popular spot can get busy. It’s definitely worth planning ahead to enjoy the full experience without any delays. If you’re ordering a 5 or 6-course meal, be sure to ask about additional items, as the bill can add up quickly. Overall, we had a fun and flavorful dining experience!

Atmosphere and foods were just as expected. However the performing was somewhat less entertaining than what I enjoyed in NY years ago. The service lady was nice and made us comfortable. I might try another time if I get a chance.

Freddy the chief was entertaining and made the food taste. The servings are larger than other locations. The place is very large so the noise level is high. Venting is also good as our clothing wasn’t covered in oil and smell of our food. Great place for a birthday meal

Bieowno way 10/10 would do again.Im too full. Food & service was 10/10 super flavorful & fast! Incredible and super skillfull. 1000/10 it is super good i would come back every day if I could it’s so yummy yummy.

We had a great night celebrating our bdays at Benihana . Fun atmosphere but it does get loud so talking to your table you can only really talk to person directly next to you. Food was delicious. We had the waygu and def recommend.

Phenomenal Experience at Benihana! We had an amazing time at Benihana tonight! From the moment we walked in, the service from Hazel was excellent—but the real highlight of the night was our chef, CARLOS! He was phenomenal—not only incredibly skilled, but also fun, engaging, and made the entire experience unforgettable. Hands down, this was the best teppanyaki I’ve ever had at any teppanyaki restaurant. Every bite was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. Carlos brought so much energy to the table and had us laughing and smiling the whole time. I was so caught up enjoying the show (and stuffing my face 😄) that I barely got any pictures—totally worth it though! If you’re planning a visit, definitely request Hazel and Carlos. You won’t regret it!

I haven't been to Benihana for years and thought I would try the restaurant because I wanted to see how the Peace Plaza renovations were coming along and to help a local business. As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted by two persons with a smile. They advised me that it will be about a fifteen minute wait so I went to the bar. It happened to be "happy hour" so I ordered pan fried gyoza dumplings, shrimp tempura, vegetable spring rolls and a White Peach sake. The food came piping hot, just the way I like my food. Ingredients taste fresh and food presentation was good decorated with a real orchid flower. That sake drink was perfect - delicious and appealing. I should have ordered another sake for dinner because at dinner, that same drink was doubled ($18). I was seated at a table with a couple being engaged that night and a family of three celebrating the mom's birthday. My grill/table companions were nice and friendly. The person who took our orders had a super nice personality; she made you feel welcomed; she listened intently when taking our individual orders and kept checking in to see if we needed anything (eye to eye contact which made you feel special). Our chef was charming and personable. He did his usual tricks when preparing our food. He checked in with us individually to double check on how our preferences were and likes/dislikes. The menu was hard to understand. It was so confusing that I simply ordered one of the fixed price dinners. I could not understand why rice did not come with most fixed price dinners. Anyways, I ordered one bowl of chicken fried rice - portion was small and overly priced. I never paid that much for even a small bow of rice. Overall, the food was so so - they all tasted the same since they use the same seasonings (garlic butter) when cooking on all dishes (except for the green salad). The cheesecake was not worth ordering or eating. It was not restaurant made, was semi-frozen and horrible that I only ate one bite. It was super expensive for that small slice of cheesecake. I am giving it a four star because you are paying for the ambiance, a show from the chef and probably the same price if you ate elsewhere. It's a good place to eat with entertainment with good, efficient, friendly service.

Not a bad dim sum spot, we came here after reading a couple of recommendations and wanted to have a bit of a bite to eat. The pork buns were okay, a bit more on the sweeter side than I’m used to (probably a NY thing), scallion pancake was very good, and the steamed shrimp dumplings were good. General Tso more in the savory side rather than sweet and spicy-ish. Everything was very fresh. Overall I’d probably go again cause it’s a very quiet and chill spot compared to the other parts of Chinatown and had decent prices!

While roaming Chinatown we came across this awesome spot. We had a lot of different stuff. The sesame chicken was delicious. Soup dumplings were really good. Everything we got was so good. Bok choy , chow mei fun, chicken fried rice and spring rolls and soups. Got to sit in the outside dining area. Definitely would come back again.

So good. Walked in randomly and was blown away by the quality of the dim sum. Good beancurd skin roll, glutinous rice, noodles with duck, pork ribs. Only miss was the liu sha bao which was not runny.

Reminded me of a neighborhood restaurant we had in China. Authentic, great service, good a bit dull in flavor but you can add soy and hot sauce to make it perfect for your palate. Very nice place and even at 9 pm it was a full house.

Lunch time at this restaurant, the duck is good, roast pork good. BBQ pork was a bit too thin for our liking. The fried rice was a but dry. But overall, our craving was satisfy.

We had a work anniversary event. On the recommendation of a colleague and friend, we reached out to Grant Place for our catering needs. First and foremost, they were such a pleasure to work with when it came to putting the menu together. They were kind enough to suggest what dishes would keep well throughout the evening and which dishes could be kept at room temperature and which ones needed to stay hot. That was extremely helpful to me because I wanted everything to be perfect for our guests. They went above and beyond when it came to their service. The food was delivered on time and they were so kind and helpful, going beyond the scope of our contract to make sure that everything was indeed perfect for our event. Our guests absolutely loved every dish! We ordered mostly dim sum, some noodles and some special dishes cooked without gluten ingredients for our gluten-free guests. The Siu Mai was the best I’d had in forever. For your next event, don’t hesitate to cater from Grant Place — your guests will love and thank you for it!

Good food, good service, generous portions, no pretension for San Francisco - Chinatown. This right place to eat family style Chinese food.

Recommended by locals, Mama Ji's is a great choice for casual chinese delicious food. We had the garlic spareribs and the wowotou (steamed corn buns with pork and veggies) very tasty! Friendly, good energy service that will make you go back!

Dim sum before 10am? Sure! Sadly, our visit had to come to an end. The big decision of the day for me was naturally where to eat! A few restaurant names were thrown at us from our local friend. Our only restrictions were that it had to be close to our hotel, and we needed to be finished by 12 noon in order to head to SFO. The name Mama Ji's was mentioned, so I hopped online to check out their pics and menu. I was a little turned off by what I saw, but you know what? I'm glad we tried them. ATMOSPHERE: The simple eatery is in the middle of a residential area in the Castro, with regular table seating and a few outdoor sidewalk seats. It's not a traditional Chinese restaurant by any means. No gaudy chandeliers, no big floor vases, not a big dining room at all. Quaint, simple and clean. Because we came in on a Sunday morning just before 10am, we were the only ones in there. By the time we left an hour later, the place was jam packed! MENU: Dim sum items though no cart, dumplings, rice rolls, steamed buns, noodles, soups,vegetable dishes, chicken/pork/beef dishes, dessert, teas, wine, beer. A nicely printed order paper inside the menus are used to mark down your items. FOOD: Pan Fried Pot Sticker Though they're listed under the deep fried category on the menu, they we actually steamed and pan fried the traditional way. The 3 gyoza were on the larger size, stuffed plump with pork and shrimp, and were nicely finished with crisp bottoms. Went perfect with the bottle of dark vinegar on the table. Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms 3 big mushrooms caps were stuffed with a heaping shrimp mixture and sat in a pool of a mildly sweet & savory sauce. Nice and light. Pork Shumai One of my favorite dim sum items were tasty as expected here. The 4 pieces of pork mixture encased in a won tun shell were nicely steamed and flavorful. Noodle with Chili Bean Paste Yowza, this was absolutely orgasmic! The noodles were a thick chow mein style, simply boiled, then topped in a thick, brown chili bean paste gravy that consisted of ground pork, frozen peas and carrots, garlic, and jalapeños. Maximum savoriness and extremely delicious, and not spicy. Highly, highly recommended. Shanghai Dumplings These 3 little dumplings sat in mini baking aluminum pans that were steamed with a pork mixture and were very juicy when biting into them. Be mindful of geyser-like squirts lol! BBQ Pork Rice Roll Similar to a look funn dish, or what I refer to as Chinese burritos. The big rice rolls were stuffed with char siu and bits of cilantro (yuck for me), steamed, sliced, and covered in a thin, savory brown sauce. Delish!!!! Steamed Golden Lava Buns The only disappointment of our meal, IMO anyway. I'm a fan of Chinese custard tarts, but because they weren't available, we thought we'd try this as the menu lists it as "flowy egg custard". I knew they weren't tarts but knew I'd get that custard flavor that I love. What came were 3 white steamed buns with a yellow dot marked on the top. Tore off a piece, and this thick yellow liquid poured out. It would've been good but the liquid custard was super gritty like unbaked custard. Yuck. Pass! SERVICE: The female worker who was possibly the owner was friendly, and food service was quick. OVERALL: Nice menu, tasty food, good prices.

I haven't visited Mama Jis in some time but gee Mama Jis you must have left the building . What happened? This place used to serve up tons of good Chinese dishes but my experience  was everything but. The authenticity of the dishes wasn't there and I don't think that anybody was doing quality control in the kitchen.  Every dish show cased lots of bell pepper, onion and too much garlic. Even the simple stuff, aka the rice was off. It was dry and under cooked.   The greens with garlic was almost the highlight.  Whereas the lotus root was drowned in a garlic chilli sauce, not a bad idea but the garlic overpowered the chili and it kinda resemble a hot mess.  The cumin lamb featured more bell pepper than lamb and tasted almost the same as the Wowo Tou besides the hint of cumin.  Bummer as there aren't tons of Chinese restaurants in the Castro to start with.   Oh well let's just hope that Mama Jis finds her way back from her stroll.

I have to pass by on every single visit to san fransisco, regardless how many great and amazing restaurants in the area .. but this one is a must !!! Szechuan beef is Wowwww

We received a warm welcome upon entering Mama Ji's. There were many vegan and vegetarian options to choose from. We ordered two of the specials for that night. The first, a braised tofu stir fry with garlic shoots, wood mushrooms, green onion, red peppers, and garlic. It was fresh and delicious. The next dish was Wo Wo Tou, which we ordered with tofu. The cornbread steamed buns were delicious and filled with a delicious mixture of finely diced tofu and vegetables. The savory flavor was like nothing I've ever tasted before and so very delicious! The service was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. This was by far the most flavorful Chinese food we ever eaten. We don't live in San Francisco, but visit often. We will certainly be back. Thank you for a wonderful meal!

Food so good I forgot to take the picture before eating! When I tell you this is the ideal hole in the wall Chinese comfort spot!!! From the cucumber salad to the Shanghai dumpling, best things for sure was the szechuan beef & chicken chow mein

Everything was a little too greasy and salty but the fried fish was indeed excellent (not pictured sadly)

2025: I was craving dim sum and google maps brought me here. À la carte is the more preferred method of tackling this food type. The sticky rice was the best pick from the lot. ****

My wife and I wanted some Dim Sum, so through recommendations we came to Delicious Dim Sum for some. The store is not big, it is a small take out joint with no place to sit inside. There was a line and it's not a big deal as long as the food delivers. When it came my turn I asked if they had certain items in stock. I asked for certain dim sum items that were apparently out of stock while others are available. I followed up asking more questions like, when will it be on stock again? ....no response and a mean stare. "It's just have to wait", she said. I was like umm...okay, maybe I will pass then. I continued to order and then when came time for the bill, due to the noise from the amount of people inside it was hard to hear her. When I questioned her about the change, she got angry and raised her voice on the total. Jeez man. I waited on a line to deal with an angry Asian lady for? I was a little disappointed. If you can call "service", this would be it, taking the money from the customer and communicating to them clearly? Let's say I misheard, what's the big deal? The food itself was good, but it's been a while since I had to deal with serious rude customer service. I will have to think twice the next time I'm in SF as there are plenty of dim sum places as an alternative so if you are looking for people that will treat you with decent manners, this won't be it.

Don’t go here if you want to sit down. 4 chairs in the entire place. I got Shanghai dumplings, pork dumplings, pork shumai and beef shumai. They were all like warm at best and most of the meet looked pink and undercooked. The flimsy fork couldn’t even cut through each dish and a knife was not offered. I consider myself a dumpling connoisseur and this was fair at best.

Great dim sum with fair prices; I’d try everything on the menu if I could!

Great spot for low-priced, excellent quality dim sum take-out. We got a good sampling of dim sum here for under $25 while visiting San Francisco. The staff were super helpful while ordering and the menu has photos if you aren't sure. Definitely a "cheap eats" place but the food quality isn't cheap. There is one table in the restaurant if you absolutely can't take it away. Great experience and tasty food, would definitely visit again on another trip to the city.

The dumplings were good but the buns were more dough than filling.

谢谢你 Fairly yum dim sum in the heart of beautiful SF Chinatown. I got some Shrimp and Chive Dumplings to chow whilst on the move, pretty tasty and good portions but super oily and a full on grease fest. They tasted good, but I felt sick afterwards. Support local businesses!

nice food, small menu, nice drinks although some traditional ones were out of stock. portion sizes are huge and 2 people can definitely eat one dish. Open kitchen and fresh delicious food.

Review from a takeout order: ordered the pork tacos, chicken fried rice, and spicy wontons. although the pork tacos were more ground pork than a tender piece of pork belly shown in the photos, it was great and gave me inspo to make at home. Fried rice skimped on egg but was able to make my own to add in!

**Review for Chubby Noodle, San Francisco** I recently dined at Chubby Noodle in San Francisco, and it was a delightful experience! The food was incredibly tasty. We ordered the Mongolian beef, and the meat was juicy and tender—truly a highlight of the meal. Following that, we had the garlic noodles, which were nothing short of spectacular. The flavors were well-balanced and delicious. The ambiance of the restaurant is vibrant and welcoming, and the service was excellent. I highly recommend Chubby Noodle for anyone looking for a satisfying and flavorful meal.

David is an amazing server and bartender. We come and sit at the bar often to hang out with him and enjoy the amazing food and service! We bring our out of town friends here too. Our favorites are the spicy margaritas, pink lemonade, chubby fried chicken, Mongolian beef and Korean pork tacos.

Chubby Noodle could be a great noodle house, but as of my visit it's still just a pretty alright one. The food was good but not great. The wait staff, while attentive, wasn't very friendly. You'll also find that you don't get a ton of food for what you pay. That might be okay if the food was great, but there's a bit to go for them until they get there.

I was a bit skeptical of the “fusion” setting but it did not disappoint. Fast and easy service, with great indoor ambience. Definitely try the pork Chow Mein, green beans and spicy wanton. Loved it all, would come back but unfortunately it has to be the next trip to San Francisco. Would definitely recommend.

Would Recommend. Honestly was extremely surprised by the quality of food that this place put out. Came here with no expectations and was blown away. Beans - smokey, wok hei, saucy. Perfect. Garlic Noodles - NGL this is about as western as you can get, but it was good. Chewy, great flavours and well stir fried. Mongolian Beef - Really decent. Loads of tender meat and again, that wok hei coming through. General Tso - Skip this. Average at best and too western. Spring Rolls - Amazing. Dumplings - Skip. Salt and Pepper Shrimp - Skippable. Not bad but nothing special. Wings - Really amazing. Korean style with a crispy crust and sweet and spicy sauce. Chow Fun - One of the best I've ever had. Smokey, charred noodles perfectly cooked with a slight bite. Saucy but not soggy. Seriously one of the best in the world imo (at least that night). Had a really good feed here - most of the menu is actually pretty good. Expect $40pp Please follow @trebzheng for more Toronto and travel eats :)

I’ve had Cassava on my want to go list for some time, so when we stopped in on Friday and they had a table without reservations, we were very excited. We decided to try to $118 tasting menu because it was suppose to be a James Beard finalist and you normally put your best dishes on a tasting menu like that. The menu was generally very disappointing, seemingly without any cohesion or theme. The asparagus appetizer was fine, but the crab and pea over toast was so bland that it kind of ruined the crab for me. The fish & lamb were fine but nothing special. Overall, it felt like a new chef trying their hand at a set menu, but didn’t really know what they were going for. They also seemed to forget about us between the 2nd and 3rd course. It took over 2.5 hours to receive and eat 5 course! The server was super friendly though, so overall I still give the service 3 stars. They did remove the price of our tea ($14 total) from the final price, but they charged a 5% SF mandate and a mandatory 20% gratuity, so overall it was still over $300 for 2 people. I wouldn’t come back again after that, which is a shame because it seems like their regular menu is pretty decent. For this price, there are many places in the city that’s much better.

First time visiting this Cafe and didn’t disappoint us at all, atmosphere and ambiance are extraordinary amazing, delicious food and the service are impeccable. Recommend 200% 🙌🏼

🧡Nestled in a charming courtyard café in Jackson Square, Cassava SF captures the art of seasonally driven flavors and thoughtful presentation. 🧡I started with a comforting chai made with oat milk, perfect for those seeking a lactose-free option, while my partner enjoyed a freshly brewed latte. 🧡First up was the Herb Cream Cheese + Smoked Salmon by Gingras Smoked. Served on a crisp slice of bread, the cream cheese was luxuriously creamy, and the smoked salmon had a rich, balanced flavor. 🧡Next, I tried a side from the Poached Scottish King Salmon Bento Simmered Hijiki Seaweed with Carrots and Edamame. The seaweed had a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, with the carrots and edamame adding a satisfying crunch. 🧡Then came the Chicken Minestrone a hearty, gluten-free, dairy-free soup with house-made chicken sausage, celery root, broccolini, white beans, and chickpeas. It’s light yet deeply flavorful. 🧡The main event was the Poached Scottish King Salmon. Perfectly poached with the skin left on, it had a buttery texture with a slightly crispy, nutrient-rich bite. The asparagus on the side was cooked to perfection not too soft, not too firm adding a fresh, vibrant contrast. 🧡One of my favorites was the Po’-Tama Onigirazu a unique sandwich wrapped in seaweed, filled with house-made spam, tamagoyaki, cabbage, bean sprouts, and red leaf lettuce. It was a satisfying, well-balanced bite, with each ingredient adding its own texture and flavor to the mix. 🧡I ended the meal with the Egg Salad, featuring Wild Planet albacore, market lettuce, cucumber, and creamy kewpie dressing a refreshing contrast to the rich, creamy egg and tuna blend. 🧡Cassava SF is a place where every bite feels like a carefully crafted experience, and the warm hospitality lingers long after you’ve left. 🧡If you’re seeking a world of flavor, elegance, and indulgence one decadent bite and sip at a time Cassava SF is a must-visit. @induglewithenaa

This cafe is tucked away in the middle of an office building, transporting you to a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It feels very elegant and historic, with calm outdoor seating shaded by the building. The egg sando was light and airy, but the bread was quite dry for Japanese milk bread (probably in the fridge for too long). Not sure if they do iced drinks because I ordered a matcha latte and forgot to specify that I wanted it iced. It was bitter leaning grassy and I would probably put it in the same class as Kiss of Matcha. Their other food offerings look great, though! A good place to catch up or do some offline work.

Will start out with the positive. The service was fantastic. All wait staff were super responsive and social. Some of the best I’ve encountered in San Francisco. The restaurant in situated on a fantastic North Beach corner making an excellent viewpoint for taking in city life. The food on the other hand was entirely mediocre. The mussels flavorless in a lifeless broth sat next to a micro bowl of fries characterized by an aftertaste of oil that went above its smoke point. The croque madame was okay. All this to wash down with a $16 pint of beer. Purely from a food perspective, this was an airport restaurant experience. For this price point in a vibrant city, diners deserve much better.

Nice vibe and solid, solid food run by the sweetest people. Didn’t get a pic of the matcha before I enjoyed it unfortunately. A great stop for tired legs and healthy eats.

Food was very good for the most part. Thought the cod was a bit bland. The fried chicken was delicious and light, black sesame dessert was a hit and rigatoni with smoked salmon was cooked perfectly and way more delicious than you might think! Also had some of the duck and it had a great flavor to it. Overall a fantastic meal only issues were with pacing of the plates. We sat an ordered drinks then food a few minutes later with the fried chicken supplement. Less than 10 minutes later we get the fried chicken before anything else. We did say "as it's prepared" but figured it would come after the salad. From there it was a good 40 minute wait (about an hour after we sat down) before the salads came. Rest of the food was paced fine just a weird start. They were also out of several things, which happens but was a bit of a let down. Would definitely come again as it was way more good than bad! Space is super cool!