It’s natural to think that you can find good Chinese restaurants in San Francisco’s Chinatown. However, before you go looking for a place to eat, you need to know.
Many restaurants in that part of town work hard to attract tourists, but they don’t pay much attention to what happens after that. Some of them fall short on customer service, as measured by Western standards. Many only accept cash (no credit or debit cards). And some could be better described as a “hole in the wall.”
Until recently, the best places to eat Chinese food in San Francisco were in other parts of the city. That is beginning to change now, with a new generation of restaurants offering great options and not requiring a walk to a neighborhood that is miles away.
For some of the best new or “authentic” Chinese restaurants in San Francisco’s Chinatown with better service and quality of food, these places are some of the best you can find there.
Best Traditional Gastronomy Restaurants in San Francisco’s Chinatown
Many of the small family-friendly establishments in Chinatown don’t have websites, so these links go to diner reviews on Yelp. Not only can you read a wide range of opinions there, but you can also see their health department scores.
Menus in Chinatown may have little explanation, so no matter which cuisine you choose, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- Chong Qing Xiao Mian, 915 Kearny – Their Szechuan cuisine is among the spiciest of Chinese cuisines, but if you can tolerate all those chili peppers, you’ll have the best experience if you stick to their Szechuan dishes. Some reviewers say it’s a “step up from a hole in the wall,” but everyone loves their food.
- Sam Wo, 713 Clay: Sam Wo has been serving Chinese food for decades. In fact, its original location claimed to be the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Their food is good, but many people love it just for the nostalgia.
- Yan’s Kitchen, 57 Columbus: You may think of celebrity chef Martin Yan when you see the name, but this is a family business that serves good food, although some people think it’s too Americanized. You will need to bring cash to pay for it.
- Bund Shanghai, 640 Jackson – Bund Shanghai’s cuisine uses more soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and rice vinegar than other Chinese regions.
- Hong Kong Clay Pot, 960 Grant: The Hong Kong-style clay pot is the specialty here. The dishes are something like a hearty stew, cooked and served in a crock pot with a lid. Among the reviewers’ favorites: Oxtail stew and clay pot with seafood. Several visitors comment that it is not the cleanest place, but most are willing to forgive that because the food is cheap and tasty.
- Hunan Homes, 622 Jackson: At this Hunan-style Chinese restaurant, sweet and sour soup, shrimp with honey nuts, and wontons in a hot sauce get high marks. If you are sensitive to MSG, several reviewers mentioned that they detect it in Hunan Homes dishes. Hunan food can also be difficult on the digestive system because it uses more hot peppers than other Chinese cuisines.
- New Lun Ting, 670 Jackson – It’s a little hole in the wall, but they serve large portions at affordable prices. Some people jokingly call them the original “fusion” restaurant because they serve jelly and apple pie for dessert.
Places to eat Dim Sum in San Francisco’s Chinatown
Even before “small plate” food became popular, Chinese dim sum restaurants served an ad hoc meal made up of many small items. They can include steamed meatballs and buns filled with meat, rice and noodle rolls, steamed meat and vegetables, and fried items. It’s a great way to try many different things, and a dim sum meal can make a great lunch while exploring Chinatown.
Some dim sum restaurants serve their food at a counter, but in others, servers circulate around the dining room, taking them in carts. Usually you pay per plate, and your server can increase the bill by counting the empty plates on the table.
Most San Francisco restaurant critics say that the best dim sum in San Francisco is found outside of Chinatown proper, but if you want to try it in Chinatown, here are your best bets:
- Good Mong Kok Bakery, 1039 Stockton: There’s no menu, it’s takeout only, and they only take cash, but if you’re comfortable with all of that, you’ll soon understand why the line often stretches out the door and down the sidewalk.
- Delicious Dim Sum, 752 Jackson – This is another small place, the menu is in Chinese only (pointing works fine though) and there is no space to sit inside but the service is fast and most reviewers say the food is good .
- Great Eastern Restaurant, 649 Jackson: His claim to fame is that President Obama ate there in 2012. We don’t know what he thought about his food, but 84% of Zagat’s critics like Great Eastern. It is the only dim sum place on this list where you can sit and eat. Stick to dim sum items, ordered from a menu. During busy meals, you may have to wait a long time to get a table.
Best New Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown
- Hakkasan, 1 Kearny: San Francisco is just one of the restaurants in this international chain (others are in Saudi Arabia, New York, Miami, Dubai and other countries). Their menu includes items such as Roasted Duck Pumpkin Puff, Chiu Chow-Style Sea Bass with Chinese Celery and Salted Plum, and Traditional Peking Duck, along with a few dishes that are only served here.
- China Live, 644 Broadway – A beautiful open dining room provides the backdrop to an innovative menu featuring classic Chinese dishes and dishes with modern touches like green tea tiramisu. You can dine at the Market Restaurant or opt for counter service at the less formal Oolon Cafe, which serves Chinese “to-go” snacks.
- Eight Tables of George Chen at China Live: You’d have to score a meal at Chef George Chen’s home for a more intimate dining experience than this. They serve a tasting menu with wine pairing. It probably goes without saying that you will have to book ahead for this one.
Chinatown Tea Shops
There is no shortage of tea shops in Chinatown, most of them sell a good variety of teas and offer free tastings. The highest rated are Vital Tea Leaf (509 Grant), Red Blossom (831 Grant), T-We (50 Post St) and Aroma Tea Shop (845 Washington).
Chinese bakeries and fortune cookies
A quick bite from a bakery is a great way to keep the energy going in Chinatown. In addition to the cakes and sweets you would expect, they also make a variety of moon cakes, filled with red beans or lotus seed paste and surrounded by a thin crust. Some contain salted duck egg yolks.
These little treats are best shared. According to Wikipedia, a 4-inch diameter moon cake can have 1,000 calories.
The two highest-rated and most popular Chinatown bakeries are Golden Gate Bakery at 1029 Grant and Eastern Bakery at 720 Grant, which has its own presidential connection – Bill Clinton stopped there a few years ago and they have photos on the walls to prove it.
If your taste for baked goods favors fortune cookies, you can purchase a bag of them straight from the source at Golden Gate Fortune Cookies (56 Ross Alley, near Jackson Street). In another part of Chinatown, Mee Mee Bakery is said to sell the only flavored fortune cookies (original, chocolate and strawberry) in town.
Food Tours in Chinatown
For guidance while exploring food in Chinatown, try Local Tastes of the City, Wok Wiz, or Foodie Adventures.
