Empress Of China

I don't know when some of the reviews appearing here were written, but I guess they pertain to the old Empress restaurant, and perhaps should be removed as being outdated. (The new version of Empress is quite recent: it opened one year ago in 2021). In any event, the Empress offers today a superlative cuisine made by a remarkable chef, Ho Chee Boon, who recently presided over a Michelin-starred top restaurant in London. I believe that he will soon get a couple of Michelin stars for Empress. The prix-fixe menus are fascinating, beautifully balanced, and absolutely delightful. The wine selection is also very good, and the service is impeccable and pleasant -- not to mention the decor! A wonderful experience for foodies. Don't expect "traditional" Chinese food (or Chinese-American version of it): it's a gourmet experience full of surprises. Not cheap, but worth the price! I highly recommend it.

Every two years my father would bring us back to San Francisco and take us to eat at The Empress of China. It was a touchstone of my youth, as much as riding the cable cars, or walking through the shops of Chinatown on cold fog shrouded days. The Empress is a rooftop restaurant with expansive views of the city. The lobby is decorated with pictures of the celebrities who have patronized the place. Actors, astronauts, politicians, they've all called the place home. When you walk into the main dining area you're stepping back in time to 1930s Shanghai, and you find yourself expecting Indiana Jones to appear around the corner. My father passed away last April and this trip was our way of honoring him. Our food was fantastic; the service, was fast and friendly. Thanks to the staff for bringing treasured memories back to life.

I've visited Empress of China twice. Last I was travelling with a group of 40 people to Redding, CA and we decided on our way back to San Francisco that we wanted to see if they could accommodate all of us, on a two hour notice. I made the call from the car as we closed in on San Francisco. We had to check in at the hotel before we went out for dinner, so I agreed with the lady on the other side of the line that in about two hours, we would sit down at the restaurant. As we got there, we were all allowed to choose whatever we wanted from the menu, no restrictions despise of our large numbers. We ordered what we wanted, and what felt like no time, all dishes were served. Including that extra plate from which you can share with the people at the same table. All in all, an excellent experience and the food was very good!

Great service, and views, but don't expect the food to be anything to write home about. It's definitely a tourists' hangout. Panda express has better food, the guy down the road (any guy) may serve better food, and that's not exaggerating.

I have only been here for Happy Hour, but this restaurant has an absolutely breathtaking view of DTSF/Chinatown. The food is as delicious as the decor is lovely, and its a huge venue, making it great for birthday parties/gatherings.

Was looking for a nice place to rest our feet after a day of exploring the city and Empress of China provided well. Good food with reasonable pricing. Was a little over budget as a student visiting San Francisco but was worth it.

Ordered cocktails and an app. Drinks were great. View from bar room window excellent and low key atmosphere perfect for a late night dates. Combonation plate was unbalanced with tortilla-like empty wontons, dry ribs and a single delicious eggroll.

Nice atmosphere, attentive servers. The owner (?) came by and chatted us up. The food tasted good, not all sticky with sauce. The view of coit tower at night was beautiful.

So you'll feel exclusive as you ride the elevator to the 6th floor. Give your reservation at the entrance and again once you arrive on the 6th floor. Great wine list and interesting diverse drink choices. The Big trouble in Little Chinatown was a hit. There was beer, including Chinese, but no one sampled. Otherwise due to the prix fixe menu, the only choices were do you want to add a course of Peking Duck or a flight of wines. Have no worries you control freaks! Every course was very very very good. No one added the duck. At the time we were all sufficiently stuffed, but now I regret not having tried it. We shared the chocolate and ice cream dessert, which was pretty good but pricy. Honestly portion was too small to share for most people. The view is amazing. If you want to impress your date/ clients / in-laws, this is the place. Best view of Coit Tower other than up close. Easy walk from the Hilton financial district.

Came here for the pop up cocktail event with the world reknown mixologist, Simone Caporale. Bites were provided by Boone and I was pleasantly surprised by how many options there were! Everything tasted amazing but the duck bao and BBQ pork bun were standouts for me. The drinks were good and it was fun to try a variety. The place was definitely slammed and needs to work out some kinks but overall I had a great experience! I definitely want to come back and try their normal tasting menu!

One star - means not good - I don't want to pick on the place because I love Chinatown and want to see it to continue to be a bright spot for SF. The food here is truly a joke - taste like food you would get from a mediocre Chinese buffet - example: first dish tasted like a dollop of cold egg drop soup. The first dish for a restaurant has to be great! - second came an egg roll that tasted no better than the one Chinese restaurant in my midwest town 30 years ago. Noodles were also very disappointing. $18 desert cheese cake the size of a small egg was mediocre and a complete rip off - a mocktail for $12 and a beer for $10 turned a dinner for two for $277 plus the "health mandate", $25 in tax, a 15% tip almost $350 bucks - I understand restaurants have to charge a lot to stay alive but these prices and for what you get is just going to keep in inside.

This place is just fine dining Asian food. Would I pay to eat this again? Probably not. Just a one experience. Located in Chinatown, you can easily find the same dishes for much cheaper and honestly better quality. We just did this for our anniversary dinner and was still full by the end but wouldn't spend the money again

It ended up being $250 per person although the booking said it would be around $160 because they charged a mandatory hidden fee of 22% tip and a "health mandate", the service was not exceptional so I don't think that was very reasonable. The environment was very nice though I enjoyed the atmosphere and the decorations. I also enjoyed the view here and was pleasantly surprised that there were fireworks that night. The food was good, but I don't think it was up to standard to be $250 per person, I was also really thirsty after eating the food, which is very surprising for a restaurant that is supposed to be using top quality ingredients. I did enjoyed the squid and shrimp dumpling very much, and also the crab and caviar.

Experience from 2023, but I feel the need to vent. Fancy setting. Great view. Uneven service and mediocre Chinese food dressed up. -------------------------- Don't bring your Asian parents. They will feel so bad for you. They know you meant well taking them to the scene of the China Town revival. They will resist the urge to criticize the food because they know you spend so much of your hard-earned money on fancy-looking so-so tasting Chinese food trying to impress them. After the dinner, as you walk to your car, they will whisper to each other about how they can have a real feast at many of the restaurants nearby with that kind of money. They say to you, "it was great, We are so proud you." But you know the Empress by Boon disappointed. So you walk in silence and wonder why Chronicle and so many outlets hyped this place up. The place looked great. The food was not. I am so sad that Empress by Boon fell into that familiar cliche. Regular Chinese American (or American Chinese?) food neatly arranged in small individual servings pretending to be something else. The bao tasted store-bought. You can find them in the freezer aisle of your favorite Asian supermarket. The dumpling skin tasted doughy and definitely not hand-made. Everything tasted salty as if to reinforce the stereotype of Chinese food. Fish was not properly scaled and deboned. The noodle was overcooked and was soaked in oil and butter. The worst offense of the night? Because they had "supply chain" problem, they have to substitute out one of the vegetable. Despite the fact that there are so many vegetable markets in China town, the restaurant could not source the fairly common item. I know the suppliers are different for restaurants, but of all the things they could choose, the kitchen decided to go with regular broccoli. Oil soaked broccoli dotted with tiny pieces of Chinese sausage. It was such a bad effort that made me feel like the kitchen either didn't care or just gave up. I really don't know what else to say. I really wish the best for Empress by Boon. At least for now, just go to R&G lounge or Z&Y.

Must visit!! Empress by Boon was an amazing experience by all means from its ambiance, food quality and presentation, and overall service. Highly recommend the optional Crispy duck (melt in your mouth) add-on for $40. My favorite dish from the fixed menu was the California Prawn roll (look for the pic with a fried seaweed wrap on a wooden holder).

This place is gorgeous. 10 stars for ambiance! Set menu and the first courses are small and can fool you. Then the courses get bigger and bigger. The service was top notch. Professional and friendly. Must stop for date night, couple nights or just hanging with friends!!!

I have been to Empress by Boon twice now. The first time was right after it first opened, and while everything was tasty, I wasn't blown away by anything. I also remember ordering a cocktail that was blue and not liking it at all. Anyways, 3 years later, we decided to try it again for my dad's birthday. I was able to easily secure a reservation for 3 a few weeks out, and even saw that tables were available a few days before. We got there right at opening and were the first party seated at a table with a great view. Over the course of the 2 hours that we were there, the restaurant got more crowded, but was never completely filled. Service was friendly and attentive, food was all tasty, and drinks were better but still with some mishaps. One of the drinks we ordered didn't taste like the description so we inquired with the server. He reassured it was the right drink, but after further investigation they realized they had used the wrong tincture. They were apologetic and made a new one right away. Overall, this experience was slightly more enjoyable than our first time due to the menu feeling a bit more innovative and exciting. However, there were some dishes that felt under seasoned and we were underwhelmed by the desserts. Highlights for us were the prawn wrapped in seaweed, the scallop/caviar roll, the homemade tofu with uni, and the peking duck off of the ala carte menu. I don't think I'll come again for the prefixe menu, but I would definitely come back to order ala carte from the bar and enjoy the beautiful restaurant interior and view.

I'm so happy that empress restaurant in Chinatown is an active business now! I have so many memories coming here for Chinese wedding banquets as a kid! For ~$100, the experience was great but not something I would come to again. Perhaps I'm just not a fancy eater.

For our anniversary this year, we made a reservation for Empress by Boon. The menu is prix-fixe at $108 per person, for a 9 course meal. Although some plates are small, we both left full. We were seated near a window, where we got great views of the city skyline and Friday night Chinatown event below. We got a really nice few of the sunset. We ordered a couple Chinese Puffed Rice Pale Ale beers which were pretty good and a couple cocktails later with the meal. First course was the first three items served at once and were all dim sum sized plates, but delicious. The steamed lobster dumpling, roasted duck and pumpkin puff, and scallop and keluga roll were very well presented. I couldn't tell you which was best, but they were an impressive start to our meal. Next up was the Dungeness crab soup over housemade tofu. The flavors were good, but mild. Next up as one of my favorite dishes of the prix fixe, the Grilled Alaskan Black Cod, which was so savory, tender and delicious. The stir fried quail and pancake came next, followed by the short ribs and wok tossed eggplant. Each dish was very good, but I think the eggplant was above and beyond what I would have expected for this dish. The last dish of the night was the homemade noodles with Perigold truffles and mushrooms. We were happy with our meal and glad we could try another spot on our bucket list. The food, atmosphere and service were above par.

The servers were very attentive! The interior of the restaurant is also beautiful and has amazing views of the city. For the food I loved the lobster, rolls, and dumpling. It's a prefixed menu and you get each course in order. It's a nice restaurant to go to for a special occasion since the price is very high, but I still left feeling a bit hungry, I would go out for dessert afterwards!

Back at Empress by Boon which is on our regular rotation when in San Francisco. The food was exquisite as always and every course a real delight. We ordered the optional duck dish which was so good we ordered another instead of dessert. From the greeting at the door by Sean and Jim to the professional service provided by Nathalie, Jorge and the young Colombian gent, it was a wonderful time. Throw in the beautiful view of the city and Coit Tower and it is an evening to remember. My wife is from Penang, Malaysia one of the food capitals of SE Asia and enjoyed it as much as I did. Chef Boon (also from Northern Malaysia) came out and we had a very nice chat. What a great evening. Cannot wait to be back.

We also celebrated our anniversary at the Empress by Boon. Both restaurants we visited are in Chinatown, although with drastically different styles in decor and food, both Chinese cuisine and helm by Chefs that previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurants. Empress by Boon is beautifully appointed on the 6th floor of 838 Grant Ave in the heart of Chinatown. When we arrived, we were asked if we had reservations (we do) and direct to the 6th floor by the reception downstairs. Up on the 6th floor, we were checked in and led to our table which had a view of Chinatown rooftops, and the Coit Tower in the distance. We were shown a seasonal prix fixe menu with the option of adding the Peking Duck. Although I indicate interest in the Peking duck course, I don't think our server heard us due to their loud music and noise, and later my husband told me to just leave it out because he thought the prix fixe was enough. Prix fixe menu $108 pp 紫菜青芥末蝦球 California Prawn seaweed, green wasabi mustard 魚子醬鮮貝蛋卷 Scallop and Keluga Caviar Roll egg white *** 酸辣蒸雙鮮餃 Steamed Shrimp and Squid Dumplings *** 黃豆腐皮燴加州紅魚 Half Moon Bay Snapper soy, bean curd skin *** 西瓜梅子焗乳骨 Smoked Kurobuta Pork Rib plum, watermelon *** 乾香辣味脆皮雞 Roasted Crispy Chicken spicy sesame sauce, shrimp crackers 川椒炒萬壽果苗 Wok Tossed Peanut Sprouts bell pepper, Chinese chive flowers 加州珍寶蟹干貝糯米飯 Dungeness Crab and Dried Scallop Sticky Rice We got the Moth & Fern Mocktail to start, very yummy. I wanted to try other mocktails they offered, but didn't find their names auspicious for our occasion, so maybe try them another time. It also took a while to get drinks because they only had one bartender working that night and it was busy. Everything on the prix fixe menu was delicious and delightfully presented, but we didn't like the 西瓜梅子焗乳骨 Smoked Kurobuta Pork Rib because it was too sweet. The 酸辣蒸雙鮮餃 Steamed Shrimp and Squid Dumplings were beautifully and playfully plated to look like they were swimming in a small pond. Although the skin of the dumplings were a bit thick, I enjoyed it along with the vinegary taste of the sour soup. I really enjoyed the 黃豆腐皮燴加州紅魚 Half Moon Bay Snapper. My husband doesn't really eat this, so I ended up eating both portions of the fish while he sampled the bean curd skin that came with the dish. My husband enjoyed the 乾香辣味脆皮雞 Roasted Crispy Chicken which came with spicy (mala) sesame sauce and shrimp crackers and the 川椒炒萬壽果苗 Wok Tossed Peanut Sprouts. We never seen such big sprouts before, but they were crunchy and delicious. The 加州珍寶蟹干貝糯米飯 Dungeness Crab and Dried Scallop Sticky Rice was okay. While my husband likes this dish, I can't really taste any Dungeness Crab, and I much prefer the Claypot Rice we had at Four Kings on a previous night. We ended the meal with an amazing dessert, the Passionfruit Cheesecake ($19.) We were both impressed by this delicious dessert. Maybe they were just very busy, but the service while professional lacked warmth. The ambiance and decor beautiful. Located in the heart of Chinatown on Grant Ave, between Clay St. and Washington St.

not the best michelin star. It's giving this is where rich people go just because they r rich. I go to michelin stars for good food. know what I meannnnn. Food was good but not mind blowing life changing ascend to the heavens above. And that's how I think food should feel like for this price tag. honestly no stand out dish. if I had to choose I'd say the scallop roll with caviar. amazing ambience and view tho and service was very nice. I liked my cocktail as well. Also the lobster wasn't cooked right. not rubbery or mushy but too soft.

How do you say overpriced in Chinese? This was a very underwhelming and disappointing experience. Small portions, mediocre flavors and shabby service. All at $510 for dinner for two!

Wow, what an absolute treat! I've been familiar with Chef Ho Chee Boon from his renowned Hakkasan restaurants, so I jumped at the chance to dine here while visiting San Francisco and it did not disappoint. Every course was a delightful and creative twist on Cantonese cuisine, elevating traditional flavors to new heights. The ambiance was stunning, paying thoughtful homage to the space's storied past, and the service was impeccable and everything arrived perfectly timed. We were even lucky enough to have a tableside visit from Chef Boon himself, which made the experience even more memorable. I can't wait to return next time I'm in the Bay Area!

Scrolled by some bad reviews and thought it was dramatic. It wasn't, the dishes are average at best. Some cold and unappetizing. Insanely overpriced for the quality. Left with indigestion.

Swanky interior and gorgeous views makes for a great date night spot. There is a prix-fixe menu and we chose to add on the crispy skin duck, which was the highlight dish of the evening. Note: prix-fixe does not include dessert. The pacing of dishes was a little spotty with several inordinately long pauses between service. The duck soup with goji berry, peach gum and fish maw was flavorful and delicious and we found the California Prawn with wasabi and the black cod to be stand out dishes. The uni and tofu dish was served in a warm dish but the tofu and uni were cold and unappetizing. Overall, we had a good experience and it's worth checking out just for the atmosphere...and those views!

If you're looking to try something new and step out of your comfort zone, this is the place to eat. This was an immersive experience with great service and nice wine pairings as well.

Great and delicious food 10/10 Amazing and very good service 10/10 Beautiful, clean, and organized ambiance 10/10 100% recommend!

Me and my girlfriend decided to come here for our anniversary, we had seen it talked about on a bunch of different food bloggers pages and felt we should give it a try. After going I believe they must be paying these people off as this was one of the worst meals we've had in the city. All the dishes were presented nicely, however, the flavor and quality of the food was very poor. Think that of that "salt bae" guy from instagram, this is the Chinese equivalent of that. The ambiance was good, view was pretty, service was solid. However, we couldn't get over how awful the food was. I promise you there are tons of better quality restaurants in the city you should spend your hard earned money at before this place. After a somewhat edible meal, the bill came and even without drinks the tab came out to almost $500. It truly was as if we lit the money on fire, we could have gotten dinner at multiple extraordinary restaurants in SF for the same price. Even to this day after we have a great meal at another restaurant and look at the bill, we'll say "we couldn't have gone here twice rather than go to that awful place!" PLEASE SAVE YOUR MONEY, don't believe the hype.

Such a beautiful restaurant deserves soft, beautiful background music. Chinese music would have been a bonus. Unfortunately the music was loud and raucous -- the sole reason we will not return. The dishes were creative and tasty, though dessert was not included. In fact, there was a large extra charge for a modest-sized dessert that I ordered. There were only two decaf tea choices, and neither was for green tea. The servers were very attentive, though never poured my tea after the first cup. Also, tap water was poured automatically as soon as we were seated, with no offer for sparking water.

Came here to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and the overall experience was wonderful! The servers were attentive and carefully explained each course as it was served. The ambiance was elegant and the decor/architecture of the restaurant was beautiful. Every course tasted great and we got the supplemental wine pairing to go along with it. We also ordered the duck which was the tastiest! The skin was so crisp and the meat was juicy and flavorful. For dessert, we got the egg tart and black sesame cremeux. Both were fantastic and it was so sweet of them to add a little happy birthday message to the dessert. Such a great spot to celebrate a special occasion or to treat yourself!

I tried the pre-fixe tasting menu at Empress by Boon, and I have to say, it left me with mixed feelings. While the presentation of the dishes was Instagram-worthy, I found that the overall dining experience fell short of my expectations. The biggest disappointment was the portion size. The two appetizers and four main entrees, served family-style in small plates for four people, left us feeling unsatisfied. Given the price point, I expected more generous portions and a more filling meal. The quality of the ingredients and the taste was overall decent, but it didn't justify the upscale price. One aspect I liked about Empress by Boon is the atmosphere. The restaurant is aesthetically stunning and upscale, making it a great choice for special occasions. While Empress by Boon is more of a place for special occasions, I can't help but feel that it's more of a one-time experience for me. The small portions and the price point didn't align with my expectations for value. If you're looking for a place to impress visually, it's worth a visit. However, be prepared to pay a premium for the ambiance and presentation.

Food 4.0/5.0 Service 4.0/5.0 Value 3.5/5.0 Decor 4.0/5.0 Overall 4.0/5.0 The food was decent. Pretty interesting spot, though I thought the food in general was too mildly seasoned -- the fried rice in particular begged for more soy or salt. Service was pretty good. The venue itself is cool. The prix fixe pricing is also very reasonable. I did think it was a bold move for a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown to have guests greeted at the ground floor entrance by a [very nice] Caucasian man!

This was out first visit since Empress of China became Empress by Boon. The whole evening was perfect. First off, the space is elegant. And looking out it has some of the best views of the City. The service was very friendly. And I LOVED the food. Truly elevated Chinese/Cantonese that was delicious but also daring. Oh and the cocktails...I want to try them all!

This is extremely difficult and saddens me to say, but Empress by Boon did not live up to the expectations that I held when trying this restaurant. I tried this restaurant with my family during lunar new year and tried the lunar new year set. While there was a good portion of food, these flavors were extremely familiar which made me hate the fact that the menu was priced at $168 when I could have walked across the street and gotten everything for $20. The ambiance and the plating are extremely elegant and fancy don't get me wrong, but if I'm solely judging this place on the food, I cannot say this is a restaurant I would go back to. Side note, I ordered the Nanjing cocktail and absolutely hated it - but that could just be me. Service was great and attentive otherwise.

So, I would like to say it was really nice experience, came with my wife, best place for dating! Feels like our first date! Ordered steak and salad, fresh and tasty!

Rarely will you find a high end restaurant that specializes in Chinese/Eastern cuisine, and was a great experience that certainly lived up to its expectation! We made a reservation well in advance, and it was certainly warranted as it seemed as if we were late we would not be able to be seated. Each dish in the set menu was very thoughtful, and flavours were very unique between each dish, and highlights both the freshness and essence of the ingredients used. We added a Crispy Peking duck skin as an add-on to the set menu, and though it was great, it was a bit too fatty without the usual wraps. Overall a great experience, would definitely recommend for a special occasion!

5 stars for the bar! (4.5 tbh) I didnt go for a meal, just wanted drinks and a view, got them! Been wanting to check this place out since they opened, but either we were in the wrong attire or they were not opened. Well, third time's the charm! The restaurant is on the 6th floor, first host is at the street level, then another host right outside of the elevator. The bar/lounge area is gorgeous, very picturesque, it was what ive seen the most on their ads. Right where we sat, we can clearly see the Coit Tower, if Karl allows it. Service was good. Even though we were a walk in group only getting drinks, the servers were quite attentive, checked in on us more often than I was expecting. Drinks had a unique take using some Asian flavors. One drink had baijiu as the base. Some featured asian spices and herbs. Be brave and try them out. I ordered True Strength. While it was an aromatic drink, it wasnt giving me the flavors I craved for. Spellbound however was pretty good, I took a sip from my friend's, more fruit forward and easier to drink than mine. Overall, views were definitely better than the drink presentation. The lounge visit was a great choice.

This is super fancy. From the outside it looks like nothing. I wouldn't even know this place exists. This is very elevated Chinese food. I had a couple mocktails. They were ok. The food is a preset menu so if you're a picky eater ...you should look elsewhere. The meat dishes were excellent but the stir fry vegetable left me wanting a bit more umami. Some dishes were a miss but the majority were a hit. Overall you pay for the ambience and the views of the coir tower. Well, if you get seated in the front. If you get seated in the back room it is much different. The view is of city buildings. Still nice but not as nice. You go here for a very fancy dinner. China town is pretty dead by 7pm so I'm sure you can find parking but I would just Uber I'd I were you.

Thank you, Chef Ho Chee Boon! This meal was spectacular. I can say with confidence that everything was flavored very well and the textures of each dish really stood out to me. The ambiance is quite romantic and the staff are very polite, but scripted. They seem to have queues on what to say and when to bring out each utensil. I was happy to get descriptions of each dish! Hearing each component before eating made the food feel like art - WHICH IT WAS! My favorites of the night included the Braised Squab Breast, Steamed Shrimp & Squid Dumplings, and the Domestic Wagyu Mongolian Beef. We also ordered the additional Crispy Skin Peking Duck supplement. The duck was rich and sweet, but to justify the $48 price tag... it was definitely a one-time thing. Not a MUST ORDER. Overall, I would definitely love to dine here again. For special occasions, or just a nice meal with a view of Coit Tower... I am excited to see what this restaurant has to offer in their future Prix Fixe dishes.

Located in Chinatown, we were able to find street parking on a weekday evening. Beautifully decorated interior with an expansive bar area. The food itself had great presentation. Flavors were good but not mindblowing. Expect to be here for at least 2 hours, as the wait between each dish is 15-25 minutes. Desserts were also disappointing. We were excited to try the sesame dessert and expected to have a sesame heavy dish. Unfortunately, that was not the case. It was mostly chocolate. We ordered a bottle of wine and the server offered to chill it. However, it seemed she was quite busy and there were instances throughout the night where we had empty glasses and had no idea where the bottle was. I would have preferred to have the wine chilled next to the table.

I was really excited to try Empress by Boon after hearing the great things about it, but overall did not enjoy the taste or quality of food. Me and my partner ordered the Prix fixe menu for $108. For the first course, I was looking forward to trying the Crispy Pumpking Puff but it was too doughy and the filling was not warmed up.. it tasted like they had reheated it and not made it fresh. The Chilled Lily Bulb had a good flavor but I hated the texture, it was very chewy and grainy. The second course was probably my favorite, it was shrimp and squid dumplings. These were served hot and flavorful. While these were my favorite bites, I've definetely had dumplings at other restaurants that tasted just as good or better so these were nothing crazy special. In one of the last courses, they served a pork belly that was too sweet and saucy for me, and I didn't enjoy how chewy the pork was. Overally, I was pretty disappointed by the quality of food. However, I did love the ambiance of the restaurant. It was beautiful, had lots of seating, and even some seats with a beautiful view of Coit Tower and the city. I also loved the cocktails here. I would honestly recommend just coming for the drinks and enjoying the beauty and ambiance of the restuarant - especially if you're able to get a seat with a window view!

Overall a good experience although I'm not sure that the food necessarily reflected the grandeur of the interior or the price point. I came here for dinner to celebrate a birthday and had the prie fixe menu for ~$100 per person. It consisted of 6 individual bites/dishes (Crispy Squid Donut, Scallop and Caviar Roll, Turnip Cake, Iberico Pork Xiao Long Bao, Fresh Soft-Shell Crab, Red Snapper) and then 3 family-style plates (Roasted Crispy Chicken, Stir-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls, Wok Fried Eggplant). We also opted to add on the Peking Duck. My favorites of the evening were the Crispy Squid Donut and the Iberico Pork Xiao Long Bao, and the Peking Duck was cooked very well. While the food was overall good, I thought that most of the dishes, such as the rice noodle rolls, turnip cake, fried eggplant, and crispy chicken, were rather "casual" (i.e., they could have been served at a more casual Chinese restaurant). Don't get me wrong - I love Asian food across the entire spectrum of price points, but I found it hard to justify spending $100 when most of the dishes seemed rather standard. The service was ok. We had a lot of trouble flagging down our waitress near the end of the meal and had to wait for a long time to get our check, but the pacing of the meal was otherwise great. The interior is beautiful and you get a great view of Coit tower (although it was rather foggy the evening I was there). Overall, I'm glad I visited but not sure I will be back.

Good pick for a special occasion! We visited Empress by Boon for a friend's birthday dinner on Saturday night, with a reservation made well in advance. The interior was beautiful, with modern Asian decor, and great city views. We opted for the Prix Fixe Menu, which was $108/person (but really $132/person, since 22% gratuity is included for parties of 5+). For drinks, I started with the Moth and Fern mocktail, which was fantastic - well balanced, unique flavors. I later switched to the Tempranillo, which was also excellent, and went great with the meal. Service was professional and very choreographed. Our server talked us through each course with great detail, and the entire experience took about 3 hours. They were also very good about dietary restrictions, and provided substitutions throughout the meal. The first course included the Steamed Lobster Dumpling, Roasted Duck and Pumpkin Puff, and Scallop and Kaluga Caviar Roll. All three of these were tiny, and served on cute mismatched plates. While I enjoyed them all, none of them really blew my mind. The Steamed Lobster Dumpling tasted more like shrimp to me. The Scallop and Kaluga Caviar Roll was probably my favorite, but this wasn't the most memorable course of the night. The next course was the Dungeness Crab, which was Egg Drop Soup with crab in it. I really enjoyed this since I love Egg Drop Soup, but it wasn't a particularly elevated dish, considering the setting. The next course was the Grilled Alaskan Black Cod, which was my favorite dish of them all! The fish was so soft, it practically fell apart on its own, and the flavors were perfect. I'm not usually a huge fan of cooked fish, but this one rocked my world. The course after was the Stir-Fried Quail, which was pretty good. It came with two thin pancakes that you scoop the filling into yourself. While it was tasty, this dish also wasn't the most memorable, and I wouldn't seek it out on its own. The final course had three items, served family-style - the Braised Crispy Short Ribs, Wok Tossed Eggplant, and Homemade Thin Noodles. The Braised Crispy Short Ribs were my second favorite dish of the night - so soft and flavorful! I also loved the Wok Tossed Eggplant, which I was able to get without the pork. The texture of the eggplant was so buttery, and it tasted great. The Homemade Thin Noodles were also good, but pretty standard, considering the upscale setting. For dessert, my friend got the Passionfruit Cheesecake as a birthday treat. They brought it out with a candle and a "Happy Birthday" chocolate. The cheesecake itself was tiny but so delicious, and so was the scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also came with Sauterne Citrus Gelée, which was a bit strange tasting. Overall, we really enjoyed the tasting menu, although some courses were way more impressive than others. We also left extremely full, which I was not expecting. Worth the visit!

Location: it is located in the heart of Chinatown. There are lots of street parking nearby, and Portsmouth Square Garage is also within a 2-minute walk from the restaurant. Empress by Boon has a Prix fixe menu. I was a little worried that we would not be full from the prix fixe menu, however, we all left feeling very full. We did do the add-on Pipa Duck. The dishes all had a beautiful presentation, however I was not blown away by any of the dishes' flavors. Some of the dishes like the pork belly were overly sweet and the string beans were too salty. The staff was very attentive and consistently came by to check on our table and refill our water.

Made a reservation for 4 people. Ambiance was great as well as the service. Natalie helped us during our time and chose the perfect white wine for me just by describing what I liked. Natalie also explained the menu and each dish as they came out. We were having such a wonderful meal that we almost missed our movie because we were having such a great time. My favorite was their first dish the scallop and keluga caviar roll and california prawn. Their menu changes seasonally so check out their website before dining in. The have a one bathroom on the restaurant level which is mainly for people who cannot go down the flight of stairs where there are more bathroom stalls available. Chinatown doesn't have a lot of parking in general but we luckily snagged street parking.

This place was very welcoming, everyone there was so polite and service was great. The ambiance was very pleasant, drinks were great.

Took the wife for her bday. Beautiful space and seated with a nice view of the Coit tower. Service was timely and my favorite bites were the first course of scallop and Keluga rolls.

Really enjoyed this spot a lot more then I expected! Modern and gorgeous space with a terrific view. My initial concern was that with the prix fixe wouldn't include enough of a portion size that would leave our entire group full, but the amount of food we were served ended up being the perfect amount. There was three of us and I believe adding the peking duck is a must to have enough food to leave happy for a group of four or less. Service was outstanding! Staff was professional and explained every dish we were being served. We had the Prix Fixe menu served during October 23'. The highlights for me from this menu were the crispy lobster roll which was an absolutely delicious bite. The steamed shrimp and squid dumplings were adorable in their presentations and my favorite course of the night! The squab breast was great and the peking duck is a must add-on (for an additional charge). The abalone was served stunningly, but I wasn't too much a fan of it. The texture was a little chewy and not for me. The entrees were served family style and were all delicious and filling, but none of the three blew me away. Definitely a great choice for a celebration or intimate dinner!

My dad once worked as a waiter at the iconic Empress of China restaurant in Chinatown, and though the original restaurant has since closed, Empress by Boon, a modern fine dining restaurant run by Chef Ho Chee Boon has taken its place on the sixth floor of the original building. One side of the restaurant commands a view of Coit Tower and the adjacent side of the Financial District. The interior was also gorgeous and featured a dark, elegant, contemporary atmosphere. The 5-course tasting menu featured Western fine dining techniques and fancy ingredients, but the dishes and flavors were inspired by Cantonese cuisine. The first course was a trio of small bites, starting with a crispy egg roll "cookie" with a filling of scallop and egg white, topped with keluga caviar. Then there was a take on the classic char siu puff (a dim sum pastry), but this one was filled with minced venison in a black pepper sauce. Finally, there was a ball made of puréed lily bulb with a filling of ginger and honey, and the ball retained the characteristic dry texture and flavor of lily bulbs. My favorite dish was the second course, the Steamed Shrimp and Squid Dumplings, which were made to look like a shrimp (pink and white) and a squid (with tentacles and sesame seed eyes!). But the most clever part was that the dumplings were served in a hot and sour soup broth, so as the waiters brought out the plate, the dumplings looked like they were swimming around in a pool of water! The next two courses were fancy seafood dishes, starting with a tender, slick fillet of Grilled Alaskan Black Cod with a soy glaze, served over cauliflower and candied walnuts; and a New England Lobster claw and tail glazed with a sweet and sour sauce. The final course were three plates served family-style, featuring a take on Dong Po Meat, made with Kurobuta pork belly braised in a savory sauce and topped with black truffle. The pork was fatty, tender, and delicious, but the sauce was too powerful for any of the truffle aroma to come out. The pork was served with a stir-fry of mountain yams, carrots, celery, and shiitake mushrooms; and a bowl of rice noodle rolls topped with shacha and red chili sauce, along with slices of five spice crispy tofu (which had a fish cake texture). Overall, everything we had here was creative and delicious, and the atmosphere and service were real highlights too! The menu prices, however, were definitely high for the small portion sizes, and this is definitely a special occasion kind of place.

Great evening celebrating our friends 20 year anniversary. The food was tasty, service excellent in a beautiful space with great views. We enjoyed the prix fixe menu. All around a great experience.

Probably the Chinese food ceiling. Serving as omakase style. Everything is good. The Peking duck matches or no worse than anything we had in Beijing.

First off ..there was openings on open table . I was nearby and walked over ...the host on the first floor told me they would only let me up if i have a reservation . After some back and forth conversation , he tells me I can let you up if you want to sit at the bar . Venue itself is very nice ...kind of reminds me of hakkasan . Service was on point, besides this one guy (idk if was the manager or host) scolding us for using flash. Opted for the prefix menu ...some things were done really well , and some were so so. A lot of the dishes were sweet or had that sweet sour taste. If you're not familiar with San Francisco or eating out in San Francisco...be ready to add 30-35 % on your bill. "Service charge" 18-22 %, sales tax 9 % , sf mandate 3-7% .

I have been here twice now. Very lovely decor. Food is mediocre for the price. Not too different from a regular Cantonese restaurant: food quality is slightly better but not proportional to the price increase. Not coming back again.

It felt like we were being punked. $400 for 2 people but cheap Chinese would've been better and more flavorful. Bland, not inventive, and not particularly good. Nothing wowed me. The mains were especially disappointing. The tempura sushi dish and the dumplings were the most tasty, as well as the cocktails. Service was pretty dismissive / absent and not very good, although a few of the people who brought us our dishes were very sweet. The atmosphere was the most redeeming piece.... Sleek, glamorous, and cool views over north beach and Russian hill from above. Extremely disappointing experience and not what I would ever expect from a restaurant so expensive and so lauded. Wish we spent our money literally anywhere else.

A beautiful and sophisticated space with lite plates consisting of incredible seafood. Chinese dishes with a fine dining take. With two many restaurants to try in SF, this is a place worth repeat visits.