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Exterior of a bar. — Li Po is a tried-and-true Chinatown drinking destination.

Where to Eat and Drink in San Francisco’s Chinatown

A guide to the neighborhood’s most beloved noodle joints and dim sum parlors

by Paolo Bicchieri and Eater Staff Updated Oct 2, 2023, 1:33pm PDT

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Li Po is a tried-and-true Chinatown drinking destination.

| Patricia Chang

by Paolo Bicchieri and Eater Staff Updated Oct 2, 2023, 1:33pm PDT

Phenomenal restaurants showcasing China’s myriad cooking styles — including Northern Chinese cuisine at Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant in the Outer Sunset and the stellar Cantonese and Mandarin dishes at recently revived Gourmet Carousel in Lower Pac Heights — show up throughout San Francisco.

But Chinatown is the only place that’s home to the city’s oldest dim sum parlor and the crispiest, most excellent Peking-style duck in the city. It’s the neighborhood where the Chinese mai tai was born, and where beatniks discussed the country’s nascent profanity laws in the 1950s. Come to Chinatown for it all: the rich history, strong cocktails, spicy pork mapo tofu, slurp-worthy noodles, modern politics, dive bars, nostalgic newcomers, and more.

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China Live

Downstairs at George Chen’s massive, multi-venue complex, you’ll find a full menu of Chinese specialties, including customer favorites like crisp-bottomed sheng jian bao and Peking duck sesame pockets. The more upscale Eight Tables upstairs serves a more expensive tasting menu. There’s also the swanky Cold Drinks Bar for cocktail fans, and don’t forget to peruse the marketplace’s selection of housemade condiments and snacks on your way out.

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Beef noodle soup at China Live

Also featured in:

V.I.P. Coffee & Cake Shop

V.I.P. features the kind of eclectic menu that’s typical of a Hong Kong-style cafe including baked pork chops over rice or red-sauce spaghetti; hot, sweet milk tea; stir-fried noodles; and fried chicken wings. It’s also a bakery, with a full selection of cakes and pastries.

Open in Google Maps

671 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Baked pork chop and rice at VIP Coffee & Cake

Vesuvio Cafe

As quintessential as Coit Tower, Vesuvio is well-regarded as a historic spot for beat poets to kick back after a long day of being bizarre provocateurs. In 2023, though, the bar and cafe is still a vibrant scene for bohemians and not-so-bohemians alike; the cheap drinks, tiny poetry readings, and musical performances in the alley outside keep the bar vibrant throughout the decades.

255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Hing Lung Company

This Cantonese barbecue shop’s crackly-skinned roast pig and succulent, honey-brushed char siu make for some of the most luxurious bites in the city. For most of Hing Lung’s existence, delivery wasn’t an option, but to add another revenue stream, co-owner Eric Cheung finally signed onto Uber Eats under the moniker “Go Duck Yourself.” Old-school Cantonese comfort food is the name of the game: superlative roast duck and other barbecue meats served either on their own or as part of a rice plate.

1261 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Half of a roast duck trimmed and chopped.

Also featured in:

House of Nanking

A Chinatown standard for more than 40 long years, the family-run House of Nanking remains a reliable destination for Shanghainese food unlike what’s found elsewhere in San Francisco. The pro move is to let the staff order for you; all you have to do is sit back and await heaping plates of house noodles, sesame chicken, and shrimp packets swimming in peanut sauce. It’s affordable and popular, so there may be a wait.

919 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Bund Shanghai Restaurant

As the name indicates, Bund Shanghai Restaurant specializes in dishes from China’s largest city including xiao long bao and braised pork belly. The unfussy dining room makes a perfect place to enjoy the menu of home-style food with a group.

640 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Also featured in:

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Wong Lee Bakery

Chinatown’s most legendary egg tarts can be found at Golden Gate Bakery but since it’s still yet to reopen from its pandemic slumber (if it ever does), you can get your fix at Wong Lee Bakery, an itty bitty counter on Jackson Street. The egg tarts are everything you could want and more with a flaky crust — no soggy bottoms — and a smooth custard inside. There’s also a selection of dim sum classics including dumplings, noodles, and more.

732 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

An egg tart from Wong Lee Bakery

New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant

This Chinatown basement restaurant — whose history goes back some 90 years — serves some of the heartiest and most inexpensive Cantonese food in town. Customer favorites include old-school dishes like tomato-and-beef chow mein, salt-and-pepper fried pork chops, and steamed pork hash. The rice plates are an especially good deal, at just $9 or $10 a pop.

699 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Sign for “New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant, Chop-Suey - Noodles”

Also featured in:

Here Are Budget-Friendly Takeout and Delivery Options in San Francisco

New Golden Daisy

New Golden Daisy is your prototypical Cantonese takeout deli with roast meats hanging in the window and big vats of prepared dishes sitting on the steam table. But the best reason to hit up New Golden Daisy is to get a big carton of the excellent fried chicken wings — drumettes, specifically.

1041 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Also featured in:

Li Po Cocktail Lounge

There are few more legendary watering holes than Grant Avenue’s Chinese mai tai progenitor Li Po. Yes, it’s well-known as a respite for celebrities including Abbot Elementary’s Chris Perfetti, NFL players, and Anthony Bourdain. But really this longtime drinking destination is for the people, and believe the hype: The mai tais are that good.

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Li Po in Chinatown.

Also featured in:

City View Restaurant

High-end places like Yank Sing and Dragon Beaux may get all the dim sum glory, but City View should share the spotlight for its very solid dim sum. The restaurant is open for dine-in, with a wide selection of both classic dim sum items and larger entrées. The restaurant moved to a new location after facing eviction at its longstanding home in spring 2023.

Open in Google Maps

33 Walter U Lum Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

City View

Also featured in:

Hon's Wun-Tun House

Ordering at this decades-old legacy business is about as straightforward as it gets. You’re going to want noodles, probably the soupy ones with bite-size wontons served in the same style as at the bustling noodle shops found on countless Hong Kong street corners — and at a similarly affordable price point. Toppings run the gamut from stewed beef brisket and tendon to pig’s feet, and the housemade chile oil is a must.

648 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Capital Restaurant

Capital remains a prime destination for large groups and rambunctious get-togethers in Chinatown. Whatever you do, don’t skip the salt-and-pepper fried chicken wings.

839 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Fried chicken wings packed for takeout at Capital Restaurant

Also featured in:

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R & G Lounge

Known for salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab and other elegant Cantonese dishes, R & G is a Chinatown staple, especially for seafood lovers and connoisseurs of Chinese-style roasted poultry. The dining rooms at this three-story restaurant are once again bustling, plus takeout and app-based delivery are available.

631 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Crab at R & G Lounge

Also featured in:

Mister Jiu's

Mister Jiu’s is a destination not only in Chinatown but also for all of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. There’s perhaps no better place to get a taste of what fine dining modern Cantonese food can be than at James Beard award-winning chef Brandon Jew’s Michelin-starred restaurant, perched on the second floor of a building overlooking the neighborhood. The tasting menu changes seasonally but you can and should add-on a whole roasted Liberty duck served with peanut butter hoisin.

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s.

Also featured in:

Hang Ah Tea Room

This dim sum parlor is more than 100 years old and even sits next to a road christened in its honor, Hang Ah Street around the corner. The siu mai and sesame balls are brilliant, the prices are more than reasonable, and, as SFGATE’s Margot Seeto puts it, those are just a few of the reasons tourists and locals alike keep the business booming over the years.

1 Pagoda Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Hang Ah exterior.

Also featured in:

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China Live

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Downstairs at George Chen’s massive, multi-venue complex, you’ll find a full menu of Chinese specialties, including customer favorites like crisp-bottomed sheng jian bao and Peking duck sesame pockets. The more upscale Eight Tables upstairs serves a more expensive tasting menu. There’s also the swanky Cold Drinks Bar for cocktail fans, and don’t forget to peruse the marketplace’s selection of housemade condiments and snacks on your way out.

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Beef noodle soup at China Live

V.I.P. Coffee & Cake Shop

671 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

V.I.P. features the kind of eclectic menu that’s typical of a Hong Kong-style cafe including baked pork chops over rice or red-sauce spaghetti; hot, sweet milk tea; stir-fried noodles; and fried chicken wings. It’s also a bakery, with a full selection of cakes and pastries.

Open in Google Maps

671 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Baked pork chop and rice at VIP Coffee & Cake

Vesuvio Cafe

255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

As quintessential as Coit Tower, Vesuvio is well-regarded as a historic spot for beat poets to kick back after a long day of being bizarre provocateurs. In 2023, though, the bar and cafe is still a vibrant scene for bohemians and not-so-bohemians alike; the cheap drinks, tiny poetry readings, and musical performances in the alley outside keep the bar vibrant throughout the decades.

255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Hing Lung Company

1261 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

This Cantonese barbecue shop’s crackly-skinned roast pig and succulent, honey-brushed char siu make for some of the most luxurious bites in the city. For most of Hing Lung’s existence, delivery wasn’t an option, but to add another revenue stream, co-owner Eric Cheung finally signed onto Uber Eats under the moniker “Go Duck Yourself.” Old-school Cantonese comfort food is the name of the game: superlative roast duck and other barbecue meats served either on their own or as part of a rice plate.

1261 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Half of a roast duck trimmed and chopped.

House of Nanking

919 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94133

A Chinatown standard for more than 40 long years, the family-run House of Nanking remains a reliable destination for Shanghainese food unlike what’s found elsewhere in San Francisco. The pro move is to let the staff order for you; all you have to do is sit back and await heaping plates of house noodles, sesame chicken, and shrimp packets swimming in peanut sauce. It’s affordable and popular, so there may be a wait.

919 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Bund Shanghai Restaurant

640 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

As the name indicates, Bund Shanghai Restaurant specializes in dishes from China’s largest city including xiao long bao and braised pork belly. The unfussy dining room makes a perfect place to enjoy the menu of home-style food with a group.

640 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Wong Lee Bakery

732 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Chinatown’s most legendary egg tarts can be found at Golden Gate Bakery but since it’s still yet to reopen from its pandemic slumber (if it ever does), you can get your fix at Wong Lee Bakery, an itty bitty counter on Jackson Street. The egg tarts are everything you could want and more with a flaky crust — no soggy bottoms — and a smooth custard inside. There’s also a selection of dim sum classics including dumplings, noodles, and more.

732 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

An egg tart from Wong Lee Bakery

New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant

699 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

This Chinatown basement restaurant — whose history goes back some 90 years — serves some of the heartiest and most inexpensive Cantonese food in town. Customer favorites include old-school dishes like tomato-and-beef chow mein, salt-and-pepper fried pork chops, and steamed pork hash. The rice plates are an especially good deal, at just $9 or $10 a pop.

699 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Sign for “New Woey Loy Goey Restaurant, Chop-Suey - Noodles”

New Golden Daisy

1041 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

New Golden Daisy is your prototypical Cantonese takeout deli with roast meats hanging in the window and big vats of prepared dishes sitting on the steam table. But the best reason to hit up New Golden Daisy is to get a big carton of the excellent fried chicken wings — drumettes, specifically.

1041 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Li Po Cocktail Lounge

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

There are few more legendary watering holes than Grant Avenue’s Chinese mai tai progenitor Li Po. Yes, it’s well-known as a respite for celebrities including Abbot Elementary’s Chris Perfetti, NFL players, and Anthony Bourdain. But really this longtime drinking destination is for the people, and believe the hype: The mai tais are that good.

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Li Po in Chinatown.

City View Restaurant

33 Walter U Lum Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

High-end places like Yank Sing and Dragon Beaux may get all the dim sum glory, but City View should share the spotlight for its very solid dim sum. The restaurant is open for dine-in, with a wide selection of both classic dim sum items and larger entrées. The restaurant moved to a new location after facing eviction at its longstanding home in spring 2023.

Open in Google Maps

33 Walter U Lum Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

City View

Hon's Wun-Tun House

648 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Ordering at this decades-old legacy business is about as straightforward as it gets. You’re going to want noodles, probably the soupy ones with bite-size wontons served in the same style as at the bustling noodle shops found on countless Hong Kong street corners — and at a similarly affordable price point. Toppings run the gamut from stewed beef brisket and tendon to pig’s feet, and the housemade chile oil is a must.

648 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Capital Restaurant

839 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Capital remains a prime destination for large groups and rambunctious get-togethers in Chinatown. Whatever you do, don’t skip the salt-and-pepper fried chicken wings.

839 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Fried chicken wings packed for takeout at Capital Restaurant

R & G Lounge

631 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Known for salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab and other elegant Cantonese dishes, R & G is a Chinatown staple, especially for seafood lovers and connoisseurs of Chinese-style roasted poultry. The dining rooms at this three-story restaurant are once again bustling, plus takeout and app-based delivery are available.

631 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Crab at R & G Lounge

Mister Jiu's

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Mister Jiu’s is a destination not only in Chinatown but also for all of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. There’s perhaps no better place to get a taste of what fine dining modern Cantonese food can be than at James Beard award-winning chef Brandon Jew’s Michelin-starred restaurant, perched on the second floor of a building overlooking the neighborhood. The tasting menu changes seasonally but you can and should add-on a whole roasted Liberty duck served with peanut butter hoisin.

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s.

Related Maps

Hang Ah Tea Room

1 Pagoda Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

This dim sum parlor is more than 100 years old and even sits next to a road christened in its honor, Hang Ah Street around the corner. The siu mai and sesame balls are brilliant, the prices are more than reasonable, and, as SFGATE’s Margot Seeto puts it, those are just a few of the reasons tourists and locals alike keep the business booming over the years.

1 Pagoda Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Hang Ah exterior.

Related Maps