What makes an old-school Chinese restaurant? There has to be a well-loved, worn-in feeling in the air. Probably dunk tank-sized bowls of porridge, carpeted floors, and multiple generations of families pouring tea for each other from across the table, too. And lucky for us, SF has no shortage of these longstanding classics. While there are plenty of Chinese spots that we love, both old and new, this guide includes places that have stood the test of time, starting from the oldest. So when you’re in the mood for lazy susans and fortune cookies, here’s where to go.
No rating: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
THE SPOTS
Sam Wo is a two-story spot in Chinatown that’s been around since 1908, and was famously home to “San Francisco’s Worst Waiter” before closing and moving to a new location on Clay Street in 2015. These days, you won’t get yelled at to sit down and shut up, but not much else about the century-old place has changed. BBQ pork noodle rolls and youtiao remain the centerpieces of every table, the plastic plates and bowls are well-worn and mildly chipped, and there’s still a dumbwaiter to ferry food between floors. Get here for a revival in the form of Singapore-style noodles, or any time you want to eat in a restaurant that’s older than a rent-controlled apartment building.
photo credit: Lani Conway
Hang Ah Tea Room in Chinatown is America’s first-ever dim sum spot. But tourist trap, this is not. While it’s undergone various owner changes since opening in 1920, we can still rely on them for quick, satisfying dim sum in a low-key space. The ceilings are low, the walls are orange-tinted, and there’s even a random Captain America poster by the bathroom. Pop down an alley across from the Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground, and be rewarded with plump shrimp dumplings, chili wontons that get every last one of your spice receptors firing, and xiao long bao with sip-worthy broth.
photo credit: Stephanie Court
The number of dim sum spots with cart service is dwindling, but Yank Sing is keeping the tradition alive. We like the Spear Street location better than its Stevenson counterpart—it’s got a bigger menu, and the Rincon Center atrium lets in tons of natural light. On any given morning, you’ll see just as many tourists as there are entire extended families squished around the big round tables, each loading up on xiao long bao, turnip cakes, and mounds of broccoli with oyster sauce from roving carts. Once you’re seated, nod “yes” to as many steamers and plates until your table begins to buckle under the weight.
Egg noodle enthusiasts have been getting their fix at Hon’s Wun-Tun House since the ‘70s, and decades later, the tiny spot on Kearny shows no signs of slowing down. It’s still a revolving door of Chinatown neighbors and downtown office-goers, especially around the lunch rush when everyone emerges for a midday noodle break. Once you order, it takes approximately 30 seconds for a steaming bowl of savory broth to land in front of you, and even less time for you to pop back a few of the wrinkly wontons filled with juicy pork and shrimp.
Hunan specialties are, predictably, the headliner at Henry’s Hunan, a Noe Valley spot that’s been around in one form or another at multiple locations throughout the city for 50 years. This quiet outpost (the Yerba Buena one is still run by Henry’s grandson) is where to go for flaky onion pancakes, scallops in black bean sauce, and shredded pork with mushrooms and egg—the portions are big enough to feed a clan of voracious bear cubs.
If you’ve ever been to a Chinese banquet, you’re likely already familiar with Superior Palace. If not, just picture a cavernous dining room, large circular tables topped with lazy susans, a gurgling fish tank housing tonight’s dinner, and gigantic portions. This Outer Richmond spot has been serving local families Cantonese food since the 80s. You’ll spot big basins of West Lake soup, platters of Peking duck, and whole steamed fish dressed in soy sauce, ginger, and scallions being shared during multi-generational family dinners (plus wings that rival San Tung’s—more on that later). You may even spot some regulars sneaking into the kitchen to request an off-menu dish. Reservations typically aren’t needed, though you should bookmark and call ahead for your next Lunar New Year celebration dinner when Superior Palace has a special menu.
Yuet Lee is a Cantonese seafood restaurant in Chinatown that’s easily recognizable by the Coca Cola sign perched above the entrance. There are photos of celebrity visitors all over the walls, from Jackie Chan and Jacques Pépin to Guy Fieri himself, plus plenty of seating along the window looking out toward Broadway. The plastic platters are optimally designed to hold all the extra sauce from their hearty entrees, like peppery black bean clams, and the tofu hunks topped with fish cake. Sop it all up with steamed rice as you silently contemplate what you’d say if Guy Fieri walked in.
photo credit: Jeremy Chen
Everyone has a story about some occasion they celebrated at R&G Lounge, whether you’re talking to your parents’ parents or a recent graduate who was born in the 2000s. The Cantonese seafood legend is a standby for birthdays, wedding banquets, and coworker bonding events—it’s a multi-floor maze of white tablecloths, fish tanks, and staff who communicate via earpiece. Get the roasted crab on your table, along with the Peking duck served with pillowy bao, and keep the lychee martinis coming.
Walking into this Hong Kong-style cafe in Chinatown is like going back to the pre-Bluetooth era. It’s easy to spend a couple of hours forgetting your notifications exist in the cafeteria-style booths, with a cup of extra strong milk tea in one hand and a warm pineapple bun in the other. If you’re here for a full-on meal, the salt-and-pepper wings are always a great choice, as is the macaroni soup. But we usually like to swing by for a jolt of caffeine and a pastry, best enjoyed while overhearing some nuggets of juicy neighborhood gossip.
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
San Tung is the youngest restaurant on this guide, but it’s got that institution-y aura that makes us feel like it’s been around since black and white TVs. Despite their cult-famous chicken wings, this place is still as straightforward as it gets: write your name down on the white board to reserve a spot in line (there will be a line), huddle on the sidewalk with the friend groups and 10-person families, and devour a plate of those sticky-sweet wings once you’re in. Other dishes that need your attention are the stretchy black bean noodles and any of the boiled dumplings filled with pork or fish.
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