Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge
Restaurant · Union Street
2033 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Highlights
Pan-Asian restaurant with duck dishes, cocktails, and patio
Pan-Asian restaurant with duck dishes, cocktails, and patio
"At Blue Whale, diners can go big with items such as the restaurant’s wagyu beef option, made with black pepper sauce and red wine-poached apples, or go mix-and-match, pairing crab-stuffed xiao long bao with baked barbecue pork buns or sesame prawn toast. The cocktails aren’t to be skipped, however, as the restaurant has its own brand of non-classic drinks, such as Tongue Tied, which pairs rum with St. Germain, ginger liqueur, and chaparral. If the weather’s good, ask for a table on the patio." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Your Order: Crispy Duck Salad The crispy duck salad from Blue Whale is one of the best things on the menu at this Chinese spot in Cow Hollow. It’s about half meat, which is a certified plus in our book. Zippy bits of pomelo add a welcome sweetness. And the pomegranate seeds and fried lotus root give a noticeable crunch to every bite. We’d happily come to the sleek, royal blue space, order just this salad and a cocktail at the bar, and leave satisfied. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"Blue Whale is a “more casual” spot by the team behind Empress By Boon, but you’ll still see diners breaking out their best snakeskin booties and deep-V button-downs for a meal here. The Cow Hollow restaurant does fancy Chinese and Malaysian dishes that are mostly good, but you’re really here to take a photo with a cocktail against a backdrop of shiny mirrors and royal blue booths. There’s also a massive, multi-level back patio, ideal for “candid” photoshoots you’ll post later to prove you’re a fun person who goes out on weeknights. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"Blue Whale in Cow Hollow comes from chef Ho Chee Boon, the culinary mind behind Chinatown’s stunning Empress by Boon. This is a more casual spinoff, however, a restaurant that serves a seasonal menu of pan-Asian dishes such as rojak, a kind of fruit salad with spicy peanut dressing and crab meat xiao long bao. There’s a full cocktail menu, plus an open-air courtyard, two bars, a private lounge, and comfortable booths for group dining." - Lauren Saria
"Being showy is in Blue Whale’s DNA. After all, it’s related to Empress By Boon, the majestic Chinatown fine dining restaurant with a $108 tasting menu and a dress code. At Blue Whale, curved royal blue booths beckon you never to leave, the patio is a multi-level destination bigger than the Cow Hollow apartments nearby, and sleek mirrors are backlit like ring lights. Blue Whale has no official dress code, but the dwellers of Union Street show up in slinky tops, tastefully unbuttoned button-downs, and more snakeskin than a reptile exhibit. They’re here to look hot and eat pretty food. While both restaurants share a chef and a sense of style, Blue Whale is billed as the “casual” counterpart to Empress By Boon. They have an a la carte menu of mostly Chinese one-biters, dim sum, and seafood entrées for sharing. But casual doesn’t mean skimp on presentation—there’s a clear effort at play. We can’t remember the last time we saw a papaya salad draped over a pile of crispy-skinned chicken like it’s Moira Rose’s prized wig, or a comical looking whole baked lobster with the head propped up like a cruise ship animal towel. photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng Though nice to look at, every single dish isn’t a home run. The braised seafood noodles and Malaysian grilled snapper with shrimp paste are pleasant, but not enough to leave you dying to come back. That honor goes to the duck. The rule of thumb: if duck is involved, order it. Those dishes are the best on the menu. The crispy duck salad is zippy with pomelo bits, and the XO noodles crowned with roast duck should be on your table. photo credit: Erin Ng For all this talk about Blue Whale being casual, the high prices cut deep, especially considering the small portions. One order of a passable lobster will run you $88, and the Iberíco ham xiao long bao is $22 for only three pieces. Expect to spend over $75 per person at dinner, including one drink. For less of a blow to your wallet, swing by the gleaming bar for a Chinese five-spice cocktail and pork buns, then be on your way. Blue Whale is Cow Hollow’s poster child for dinners where the food is slightly upstaged by the space, and that’s OK. You’ll still want to roll in for a birthday bash with multiple cocktail rounds, or a date night on one of the most impressive patios in town. Dust off your sexiest little top and be ready to eat a lot of duck, and you’ll have a great time. @infatuation_sf Blue Whale is the more “casual” counterpart to Empress By Boon. Link in bio for the full review. #InfatuationSF #EEEEEATS #CapCut ♬ That Couch Potato Again - Prod. By Rose Keep scrolling for the food rundown Food Rundown photo credit: Erin Ng Crispy Duck Salad The antithesis of a boring restaurant salad, and one where half of it is meat. Every bite is packed with lightly fried bits of duck, pomegranate seeds, and crispy lotus root. photo credit: Erin Ng Kurobuta Pork Bun More like dessert than an appetizer, but we’re not complaining. Order these. photo credit: Erin Ng Shanghai Xiao Long Bao—Crab We like these better than the Iberico ham xiao long bao—they’re juicier and have funk and umami from the crab filling. photo credit: Erin Ng Thai-Style Crispy Chicken Finished with a high pile of papaya salad, this entrée is a sleeper hit. The sour-sweet papaya balances out the well-seasoned fried chicken. photo credit: Erin Ng XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodles As mentioned above, order anything with duck for dinner success. These noodles are chewy and bouncy, and topped with roasted slices of skin-on duck we wish there was more of. Braised Seafood Housemade Noodle Borderline bland, despite being covered with a generous helping of prawns and scallops. Skip these. Baked Lobster There are better dishes to spend your money on." - Julia Chen
