Four Kings 四大天王
Cantonese restaurant · Chinatown ·
Cantonese small plates with '90s Canto Pop vibes
Cantonese small plates with '90s Canto Pop vibes
"On a small side street, Four Kings is a Chinese spot from someMister Jiu’salums doing modern spins on Cantonese classics. The seven-day dry-aged squab is intensely crispy, the XO escargot has enough sauce to fully soak the fluffy milk bread it comes with, and the beef chow fun is perfectly stir-fried. A meal here is fun and casual—’90s Canto-Pop is the only thing that comes out of the speakers, and Cantonese film and music posters line the walls. Unfortunately, reservations are hard to come by, but they’re open until 11pm and take walk-ins all night at the bar." - Team Infatuation
"Where To Wait: Li Po Cocktail Lounge One way to dull the sting of being quoted a two-hour wait at Four Kings: a Mai Tai from Li Po Cocktail Lounge. The Chinatown dive is home to dangerously strong drinks that attract locals and tourists alike, and it’s the rare SF bar where you can get away with paying just $12 for a heavy pour. Once you get the “your table is ready” text, head back and rest easy knowing that you already know what to order: fried squab, XO escargot, and clay pot rice. Four Kings takes walk-ins at the 10-seat counter all night, and it's easier to snag one of those seats on the later end (after 9pm). Reservations are released on OpenTable three weeks ahead at midnight." - julia chen 1
"The energy at Four Kings is infectious—it’s easy to give yourself over to the always-full oblong dining room with old-school Canto-pop blasting through the speakers, shochu cocktail in hand. It helps that the wok-flamed Cantonese classics with twists are also fantastic, from mapo spaghetti and crackly fried squab to the saucy XO escargot. It takes some effort to get a table, but it’s worth it for a couple of hours here. Four Kings takes walk-ins at the 10-seat counter all night, and it's easier to snag one of those seats on the later end (after 9pm). Reservations are released on OpenTable three weeks ahead at midnight." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"Restaurants don’t get much buzzier than this bustling Chinatown haunt, where Chefs Franky Ho and Michael Long are drawing crowds eager to sample their breezy contemporary take on Cantonese cuisine. Reservations evaporate almost immediately, but determined diners can line up for counter seating before doors open—though there’s no guarantee of getting in. Once inside, the favored few will find themselves packed into a lively room with quirky décor, where food takes center stage. From claypot rice with bacon and Chinese sausage to savory “fish fragrant” eggplant, the cooking taps into traditional flavors while offering a fresh perspective, a formula that seems to have struck gold." - Michelin Inspector
"Verdict: Four Kings feels like it’s ushering in the next generation of Chinatown restaurants. The Cantonese spot nails the trifecta of funky, salty, and sweet flavors in all of their dishes—just look to the XO escargot with a side of milk bread, or the claypot rice that’s amped up with chicken fat rice and a poppy-orange egg yolk. You’ll have to project over the sounds of Canto-Pop and clinking of osmanthus-spiked highballs in here, but that’s exactly what makes a night here so much fun. Four Kings takes walk-ins at the 10-seat counter all night, and it's easier to snag one of those seats on the later end (after 9pm). Reservations are released on OpenTable three weeks ahead at midnight." - julia chen 1
