Chinese Food in San Francisco (2025)

A Chinatown standard-bearer reimagining Cantonese banquets with Bay Area ingredients—tea-smoked duck, seasonal seafood, and thoughtful cocktails—set above historic Waverly Place. Michelin-starred and recently pivoted back to banquet and à la carte formats, it still feels deeply of Chinatown. ([guide.michelin.com](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/san-francisco/restaurant/mister-jiu%E2%80%99s/?utm_source=openai), [sfchronicle.com](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/mister-jius-new-menu-20784836.php?utm_source=openai), [sfgate.com](https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/mister-jius-named-top-restaurant-food-and-wine-19382065.php?utm_source=openai))

Fiery, crowd-pleasing Sichuan that locals swear by: chili oil–poached fish, peppercorn-numbing wontons, and that phone-camera pile of dried chilies. Longtime Bib Gourmand honors underline the value, while Chef Lijun Han keeps the spice dialed in. ([guide.michelin.com](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/san-francisco/restaurant/z-y?utm_source=openai), [zandyrestaurant.com](https://www.zandyrestaurant.com/?utm_source=openai))

Since 1985, this family-run icon has been the city’s seafood party starter—salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab, banquet spreads, and Peking duck across multiple levels. Recognized as a San Francisco Legacy Business and praised by critics for big-group feasts. ([rnglounge.com](https://www.rnglounge.com/?utm_source=openai), [sf.eater.com](https://sf.eater.com/2024/3/27/24113605/new-san-francisco-legacy-restaurants-r-g-lounge-greens?utm_source=openai), [theinfatuation.com](https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/r-g-lounge?utm_source=openai))

A polished room across from Portsmouth Square turns out fast, cart-free dim sum—think scallop siu mai, baked buns, and fried crab claws. The longtime favorite moved here and remains an editor-approved pick for weekend brunch. ([sfchronicle.com](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/city-view-chinatown-sf-17906327.php?utm_source=openai), [sf.eater.com](https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-dim-sum-san-francisco?utm_source=openai), [cityviewdimsum.com](https://www.cityviewdimsum.com/contact-us?utm_source=openai))

An institution since 1908, Sam Wo just reopened with new local owners and a chef trained by the retiring legend to preserve beloved rice noodle rolls, congee, and late-night staples—still a neighborhood gathering place. ([sfchronicle.com](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/sam-wo-restaurant-reopening-20876084.php?utm_source=openai), [samworestaurant.com](https://samworestaurant.com/?utm_source=openai))

The Inner Sunset’s line-out-the-door classic for sticky, gingery dry-fried wings, hand-pulled noodles, and dumplings—a 1986 favorite that still dominates local best-of lists for wings. ([santungsf.com](https://www.santungsf.com/?utm_source=openai), [sf.eater.com](https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-hot-chicken-wings-san-francisco?utm_source=openai))

After Three Decades, Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant Remains a One-of-a-Kind Haven for Halal Chinese Food in San Francisco | Eater SF

Tucked on Vicente Street in the Outer Sunset, I found a low-lit Northern Chinese spot whose green walls and wooden decor snuggle up to guests like a tight embrace, shielding them from the neighborhood’s chilly fog. Owner Shuai Yang and his family, who opened the restaurant in 2001 and were recommended by the Michelin Guide from 2011–2017, run a wholly halal menu so practicing Muslims can order anything—no pork, no alcohol, prepared according to Qur’anic guidelines—and about 30 percent of diners are Muslim while the rest simply come for the food. The dining room’s illustrations of mosques and Arabic lettering mark its cultural significance, and the place even drew Yusuf (the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens) one night when a bodyguard announced “someone famous.” The cumin lamb is Yang’s favorite and my go-to recommendation: a surprisingly spicy, slightly tangy dish studded with water chestnuts and peanuts for crunch, sourced from Xinjiang where the family is from; Yang particularly encourages first-timers to try it. Appetizers are decadent—the beef pancakes are oily and crispy, the lamb dumplings ultra-rich, green bean tofu arrives as crispy rectangles, and the cracked fish comes sizzling in a cast-iron pot with mouth-numbing peppercorn; the chicken jalapeño stir-fry adds another kick of heat. To finish, the sugar-encrusted, palm-sized mochi—still hot and filled with dates and walnuts—is an ideal sweet, long-loved by customers and well-suited to breaking the Ramadan fast. KQED’s Check, Please! spotlight in 2006 helped put them on the map, but the menu has remained largely unchanged because Yang and his family are proud of what they cook and where they’re from. - Paolo Bicchieri

Takeaway-only dim sum that rewards the line: har gow, siu mai, baked pork buns, and more, steamed and baked nonstop all day. A Chinatown staple loved by critics and everyday regulars. ([goodmongkok.com](https://www.goodmongkok.com/visit/?utm_source=openai), [theinfatuation.com](https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/good-mong-kok-bakery?utm_source=openai))

Bustling dim sum hall with an enormous menu—hand-chopped siu mai, rice noodle rolls, and playful specials—plus private rooms for banquets. Frequently spotlighted during Chinatown festivities and community celebrations. ([laihonglounge.com](https://www.laihonglounge.com/?utm_source=openai), [sfchronicle.com](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/sf-chinatown-banquets-lunar-new-year-20039204.php?utm_source=openai))

Late-night Cantonese seafood with serious wok hei—salt-and-pepper squid, clams in black bean sauce, and roast meats—run by the same family for decades and beloved by night owls and locals alike. ([spotlightchinatown.com](https://www.spotlightchinatown.com/yuet-lee?utm_source=openai), [tripadvisor.com](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60713-d353944-Reviews-Yuet_Lee-San_Francisco_California.html?utm_source=openai))

Northern Chinese comfort on Taraval: flaky beef rolls, scallion–sesame pancakes, and hand-pulled noodles at friendly prices. A straightforward, family-run favorite consistently recommended by local editors. ([sf.eater.com](https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-chinese-restaurants-san-francisco?utm_source=openai), [restaurantji.com](https://www.restaurantji.com/ca/san-francisco/house-of-pancakes-/?utm_source=openai))

Small grab-and-go counter known for generously sized dumplings at wallet-friendly prices; an easy alternative to longer lines nearby and a staple on neighborhood guides. ([chinatownvolunteercoalition.org](https://www.chinatownvolunteercoalition.org/dimsum?utm_source=openai), [delicious-dim-sum.cafe-encore.com](https://delicious-dim-sum.cafe-encore.com/?utm_source=openai))