I didn’t plan on moving to San Francisco. The beauty of San Francisco’s urban-nature balance, along with the palpable presence of Chinese culture and the variety of authentic Chinese restaurants and food, lured me in and keep me here today.
When I first visited the city in 2014, going to Chinatown was the closest I felt to Chinese culture outside of China and Taiwan. As a bicultural Taiwanese-American who has lived in America for the last 20 years and counting, it sometimes feels like I’m living in a near-constant state of nostalgia. San Francisco and its larger-than-life Chinese food scene helps me stay in touch with what I left behind as child and keeps the waves of longing away for a while.
Over the last four years, I’ve discovered that Chinatown is just the beginning of San Francisco’s rich Chinese heritage. There are many other neighborhoods in the city—like the Sunset and Richmond district—that have a high concentration of Chinese residents, and, as a result, authentic Chinese restaurants. Many of the ones I’ve included here are located in these areas.
For each restaurant, I’ve included my favorite dishes that I think you’d enjoy, the address, and whether or not a reservation is needed.
Chinese gastronomy is diverse, and this is obviously not an exhaustive list of every restaurant San Francisco has to offer. Still, it’s a great starting point, and I hope it helps you embark on a tasty adventure in this unique little city I call home!
Table of Contents
This list of the best, authentic Chinese restaurants in San Francisco is organized into the following categories (click the links below to jump directly to each section):
SICHUAN CUISINE
Sichuan cuisine, one of the “eight great cuisines of China,” is infamous for its liberal usage of chili peppers, the numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorns, and its intimidating bright-red appearance. But it is so much more than that. The region is also known for its traditional pickling methods and diverse flavor profiles that flirt with sweet, sour, savory, and more. Some of the most iconic Chinese dishes—like fish-fragrant eggplant, mapo tofu, and kung pao chicken—originate from Sichuan.
In short, don’t shy away from going to a Sichuan restaurant out of fear. Spicy dishes are not your only option, and you can always customize your spice level to fit your tolerance!
1. Sichuan Home
In my humble opinion, Sichuan Home is one of the best (if not the best) spots for authentic Sichuan Chinese food in the city. The restaurant has become our go-to for casual yet decadent feasts with friends.
Pro tip: When it comes to dining at authentic Chinese restaurants, the more people, the merrier! Chinese meals are meant to be communal and eaten family-style—so yes, cross those chopstick swords! Plus, by sharing plates you can try more things on the menu and reduce costs.
What to Try
- Spicy fish and Chinese herb spice
- Dry pot shrimp, lamb, and vegetable combo
- Chongqing style spicy crispy chicken
- Nutritional mutton soup
Address
5037 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94118
Reservation needed?
No.
2. Chili House
Chili house is another local favorite for Sichuan cuisine located in San Francisco’s Richmond District.
What to Try
- Peking duck
- Beef in flaming chili oil
- Spicy seafood hot pot
- Fresh fish fillet in flaming chili oil
Address
726 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
Reservation needed?
Chili House gets busy on weekends and some weeknights, but no reservation needed.
3. Z&Y Restaurant
Z&Y, located in Chinatown, is one of the most popular Sichuan restaurants in the city. There is even an ongoing urban legend that Obama ordered takeout from here (this isn’t true — he actually ate at the restaurant next door).
The food at Z&Y isn’t as authentic as other Sichuan restaurants on this list but is still worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood.
Pro Tip: A lot of restaurants in Chinatown cater specifically to tourists and are not authentic. There are exceptions, of course, but keep this in mind and pay close attention to restaurant reviews! For a glimpse into what daily life is actually like for Chinatown residents, head up to Stockton street, eat some counter service dim sum (make sure to have CASH!), and check out a Chinese grocery store or two. You’ll feel like you’ve landed in China in the 80s and 90s.
What to Try
- Spicy prawns and chicken with explosive chili pepper
- Sour soup beef
- Beef pancake
- Crispy fried garlic crab
Address
655 Jackson St
San Francisco, CA 94133
Reservation needed?
This place is always packed, so get ready to wait in line! The good news is that you can make a reservation ahead of time.
NOODLES
Noodles—my favorite food in the world (along with soup) and the key to my heart. Flat and wide, hand-pulled, knife-shaved, or made from rice, you’ll find a variety of casual noodle shops all over San Francisco serving up specialties from across China. Here are a few of my favorites:
4. Terra Cotta Warrior
Mmm…I cannot recommend this place enough! Terra Cotta Warrior, located in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset neighborhood, specializes in food from the central Chinese province of Shaanxi (capital city Xi’an). Expect thick, hand-pulled Biang-Biang noodles, “QQ” (a colloquial Chinese term meaning soft, chewy, and bouncy) Mian-Pi noodles, subtle heat from jalapeno peppers, and sweet and sour flavors.
What to Try
- Clear lamb soup with pita bread on the side
- Big plate chicken 大盤雞 (A Xinjiang dish with chicken and Biang Biang noodles that is NOT on the menu—show servers the Chinese above!)
- Three-in-one Biang Biang noodles (lightly sweet and savory—SO good)
- Biang-Biang noodles stir-fried with lamb and cumin
- Qishan spicy and sour pork noodle soup
Address
2555 Judah St
San Francisco, CA 94122
Reservation?
Terra Cotta Warrior is usually packed. You can’t make a reservation, but luckily the line moves fast.
5. Chong Qing Xiao Mian
A casual restaurant in Chinatown serving up affordable, generously-portioned noodles and small plate Chinese appetizers—a go-to for us!
What to Try
- Guilin rice noodle soup
- Spicy beef noodle soup
- Hot and sour noodle soup
- Spicy numbing beef tendon
- Cucumber salad
Address
915 Kearny St
San Francisco, CA 94133
Reservation needed?
No.
6. Beijing Restaurant
So this one isn’t just a noodle restaurant, but I included it here because they have the best beef noodle soup (my favorite food in the WORLD) I’ve had in San Francisco yet. Outside of the noodles, you can choose from a large selection of Beijing dishes, Sichuan dishes, and even American-style Chinese food.
What to Try
- Braised beef stew with hand-pulled noodles
- Garlic stir fry pea shoots
- Cumin lamb
- Egg surface tofu (fried, saucy tofu with shrimp and chicken)
- Beijing beef pancake
Address
1801 Alemany Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94112
Reservation needed?
No.
7. Spice Kitchen
A low-key restaurant in Union Square serving yummy Chinese noodles, individual-sized hot pots, and rice plates.
What to Try
- Spicy ginger duck noodles
- Spicy beef noodle soup
- House combo beef mini hot pot
Address
432 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94108
Reservation needed?
No.
DIM SUM
Dim sum, or dian xin (点心) in Chinese, translates to “dessert” or “treat.” Or, more literally, “to touch the heart.” Dim sum is a style of Cantonese food—most frequently enjoyed as a leisurely brunch—that features a variety of bite-sized dishes to be accompanied by tea.
Some of the most famous dim sum dishes include shrimp dumplings, siu mai (shrimp and pork dumplings), Portuguese egg tarts, fried turnip cake, fried taro dumplings. All of these are safe go-to orders for those confused about where to start!
8. Hong Kong Lounge
A traditional, always-bustling restaurant where you can find all your dim sum faves at a reasonable price!
What to Try
- Siu mai (shrimp and pork dumpling)
- Shrimp dumplings
- Shrimp rice noodle rolls
- Fried turnip cake
- Portuguese egg tart
Address
5322 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
Reservation needed?
No, but expect a long wait on weekends.
9. Yank Sing
Yank Sing is an upscale dim sum chain with a few locations in San Francisco. The food is high quality but expect to drop a pretty penny. If you’re on a budget, go to Hong Kong Lounge instead.
What to Try
- Peking duck
- Steamed pork buns
- Shanghai dumplings
- Fried won ton
- Taro dumpling
Address
49 Stevenson St
San Francisco, CA 94105
Reservation needed?
Recommended for weekend brunch hours.
HOT POT
Hot pot is a cooking method and communal dining experience beloved all over China and Taiwan. A steaming pot of broth is served as a centerpiece along with a variety of raw meats, vegetables, dumplings, and other treats, and diners cook the ingredients throughout the course of the meal.
A hot pot meal is meant to be enjoyed for hours, so if you are looking for a leisurely-paced meal that is about the experience just as much as the food, I recommend adding one of these restaurants to your itinerary.
10. Boiling Hot Pot
Boiling Hot Pot offers all-you-can-eat hot pot for $25 dollars. Choose from a variety of broth flavors and an unlimited menu of meats, veggie, and 火鍋料 (hot pot ingredients).
Address
5512 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94121
Reservation needed?
No.
11. IPOT
IPOT also offers all-you-can-eat hot pot, but at $30 a pop. Try the half pot half grill combo to enjoy both hot pot and Asian-style BBQ at the same time.
Address
1420 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
Reservation needed?
Yes! IPOT is consistently packed, so make sure you get on their Yelp waitlist.
12. Tasty Pot
Tasty Pot is a Taiwanese chain specializing in individual size mini hot pots (you don’t do your own cooking here!). My favorites are the Taiwanese stinky tofu hot soup, the spicy Taiwanese hot soup, the Thai hot soup, and the kimchi dumpling hot soup.
Warning: Highly addictive. For a while we were eating here 3+ times a week. Yes, our waistlines suffered, but well worth it.
Address
815 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
Reservation needed?
No.
MISCELLANEOUS
Though I haven’t personally been to these restaurants (yet), they come highly recommended by my Bay Area friends who are just as passionate about Chinese food as I am. Read on for a variety of Muslim-Chinese food, dumplings, Northern Chinese street snacks, and more.
13. Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant
Cuisine
Beijing-style Muslim Chinese.
Address
3132 Vicente St
San Francisco, CA 94116
Reservation needed?
No
14. Kingdom of Dumpling
Cuisine
Handmade dumplings, hot pot.
Address
1713 Taraval St
San Francisco, CA 94116
Reservation needed?
No.
15. Tian Jin Dumplings (Oakland)
Cuisine
Northern Chinese — dumplings, jianbing (savory Chinese egg crepes), and other street foods.
Address
989 Franklin St B
Oakland, CA 94607
Reservation needed?
No.
16. Huangcheng Noodle House (Oakland)
Cuisine
Shanxi knife-cut noodles.
Address
734 Webster St
Oakland, CA 94607
Reservation needed?
No.
17. Root Chinese Restaurant (South San Francisco)
Root, a restaurant specializing in Jiangxi cuisine, is a beautiful example of what happens when a group of Chinese people create an English menu with nobody who speaks English. Our favorite items include burn pig-tails semi-rotted vegetables, Jing-Gan Shan bamboo shoots of burning flesh, and mother braised in soy sauce pork meat. Fortunately, these sometimes confounding names are accompanied by pictures of the dishes, which makes ordering an easier feat.
What to Try
- All of the above are actually delicious
- Radish with beef stew
- Fragrance garlic bones
- Acid pepper fried pork belly
- Any dry pot, but particularly dry pot lotus root
- Tea prawns
Address
744 El Camino Real
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Reservation needed?
No.
18. Dongbei Mama
Cuisine
Northeast Chinese. As my friends describe, it’s kind of like a mix of Russian, Korean, and Chinese food.
Address
4737 Geary Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94118
Reservation
No.
San Francisco Chinese Restaurant Map
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