I am accustomed to eating in every 4 and 5 star restaurant in San Francisco for the last 25 years, almost 7 days a week, and so I am always given the red carpet treatment and VIP treatment. But I have to say the staff here I'll do themselves.We were given a private booth so that we could talk about everything that was important to us without feeling that we had prying ears. This is the oldest restaurant in chinatown first restaurant and oldest restaurant and it is the reason why mayors and elected officials of the city prefer to have their functions and their little meetings here because this is where everyone finds the pulse of the city. The staff made sure that we had everything on the menu to our hearts desire. I am so appreciative and cannot wait to get back here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Caven
We got to sit in one of the enclosed booths. I felt like I should have been planning a heist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Johanna Anderson
Ignore the negative reviews, this place was wonderful. We actually overheard the concierge at our hotel recommending it to another guest, and when our kids started complaining of hunger while exploring Chinatown, we decided to stop in for a quick bite before our early Thanksgiving dinner.
The service was incredible. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by (what I assume was) the manager, who was so kind and immediately had iced water brought over for my demanding spicy 4-year-old. š Our server came right away to take our order, not pushy at all, just genuinely warm. Even when my daughter flipped out about the lemon chicken I ordered for her, he handled it so sweetly and reassured her she could just have the rice.
Our food arrived quickly and was delicious. We ordered lemon chicken with steamed rice for the kids, and my husband and I shared the chicken fried rice. Everything was really good, and the prices were exactly what youād expect at a solid restaurant, not overpriced at all.
The interior decor is also beautiful, with ornate lanterns and lots of lovely little details that make the space feel special.
Huge thank you to the amazing staff for such a great meal and experience. Highly recommend stopping in if youāre in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lynn E
This is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Chinatown and has kept the original look in the main dining room, which includes several private dining nook suitable for up to 6 people. Staff is very friendly and helpful and the food is usually very good. I recommend the chicken wings and hot and sour soup especially.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zavdi Aniela Zuliani
Good service but they forgot the honey walnut shrimp š¤
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Dean Bryant
They went out of their way to help you out. And the manager Ms Lee was very informative and let us know what was very popular for that area. Enjoyed our visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
SF Chinatown
One of the most amazing place - 100+ year old (established 1920) Same location, name & art decor - the palace chandeliers hanging from the ceiling (recently beautifully restored), the picturesque landscape screens, the emperorās throne were all brought over from China over a hundred years ago.
You may have attended a banquet upstairs but itās not the same - sitting in the restaurant on the 1st floor, enjoying ur own personal moment with history & ur food cook to order !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
JJ Ayur
I sincerely hope that this is not the best in Chinatown. Bland. Whats all that rubbish on the walls about Michelin rated back in 2012. Its 2025, and the food is below average. Find somewhere else to eat, there is no doubt that the other place will be better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Phillip Webster
We rode the California Cable Car to Grant Ave. where Far East Cafe is located about 1/2 block away. This is the oldest or one of the oldest Chinese Restaurants in S.F.. The owner or manager at the bar was so nice and he told us all about the restaurant. What a beautiful and interesting banquet room to enjoy your food! I got the very delicious Prawn and Walnut dish with very large shrimp. My wife got an equally delicious large Scollop entree. This is a must for those who want to experience China Town the way it used to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Berry
Ordered one of the family meals and it was amazing. My kids ate everything and loved it. Our meal came with: soup, ribs, fried prawns, kung pao chicken, beef and vegetables, honey walnut prawns, and fried rice with prawns. We had leftovers but those didnāt last long. Probably the best Chinese food I have ever eaten.
For 48 years Iāve been eaten Oriental food all over the world, and everyone has their unique taste and flavor. However, this place I ordered the very standard almond chicken, general, chicken, beef, chow mein, almond fried rice and out of this world honestly the best place no oil no extra salt but the taste I donāt know how they managed to make it so tasty. I am celebrating our wedding anniversary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adolfo Ruelas
Food is ok, but had terrible customer service.
Service: 1
William Goedde
Used to go here on vacations as a kid, this has always been the best Chinese restaurant in the United States in my opinion. I remember visiting and we were always taken care of by a guy we called āJackā. Best place to bring kids and enjoy extremely good food. Absolutely family memories.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Koen KvdM
Very good experience and service, if your here get the chicken wings they are sooo GOOD! Very nice staff too. A 5 star experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex
Iāve been a regular at this restaurant, but my most recent experience was shocking. On a Friday night, my Southeast Asian friend (with her service dog) and I accidentally walked into what turned out to be a private event. Instead of politely informing us, a woman (approx. mid-40s) spoke to us with hostility and condescension as if we were children.
Hereās what made it worse! Iāve been here many times as a WHITE male alone and have always been treated with courtesy. This was the first time I was treated with such open rudeness and the only difference was that I was with my friend. The contrast was glaring. WOW.
What should have been a simple āSorry, weāre closed for a private eventā turned into an unnecessarily hostile encounter that felt discriminatory. I left deeply disappointed, EMBARRASSED to have brought my friend here, and questioning the integrity of a place I once supported.
San Francisco deserves better. If respect and inclusivity are too much to ask, you shouldnāt be in business.
I am accustomed to eating in every 4 and 5 star restaurant in San Francisco for the last 25 years, almost 7 days a week, and so I am always given the red carpet treatment and VIP treatment. But I have to say the staff here I'll do themselves.We were given a private booth so that we could talk about everything that was important to us without feeling that we had prying ears. This is the oldest restaurant in chinatown first restaurant and oldest restaurant and it is the reason why mayors and elected officials of the city prefer to have their functions and their little meetings here because this is where everyone finds the pulse of the city. The staff made sure that we had everything on the menu to our hearts desire. I am so appreciative and cannot wait to get back here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We got to sit in one of the enclosed booths. I felt like I should have been planning a heist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ignore the negative reviews, this place was wonderful. We actually overheard the concierge at our hotel recommending it to another guest, and when our kids started complaining of hunger while exploring Chinatown, we decided to stop in for a quick bite before our early Thanksgiving dinner.
The service was incredible. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by (what I assume was) the manager, who was so kind and immediately had iced water brought over for my demanding spicy 4-year-old. š
Our server came right away to take our order, not pushy at all, just genuinely warm. Even when my daughter flipped out about the lemon chicken I ordered for her, he handled it so sweetly and reassured her she could just have the rice.
Our food arrived quickly and was delicious. We ordered lemon chicken with steamed rice for the kids, and my husband and I shared the chicken fried rice. Everything was really good, and the prices were exactly what youād expect at a solid restaurant, not overpriced at all.
The interior decor is also beautiful, with ornate lanterns and lots of lovely little details that make the space feel special.
Huge thank you to the amazing staff for such a great meal and experience. Highly recommend stopping in if youāre in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Chinatown and has kept the original look in the main dining room, which includes several private dining nook suitable for up to 6 people. Staff is very friendly and helpful and the food is usually very good. I recommend the chicken wings and hot and sour soup especially.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good service but they forgot the honey walnut shrimp š¤
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
They went out of their way to help you out. And the manager Ms Lee was very informative and let us know what was very popular for that area. Enjoyed our visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the most amazing place - 100+ year old (established 1920) Same location, name & art decor - the palace chandeliers hanging from the ceiling (recently beautifully restored), the picturesque landscape screens, the emperorās throne were all brought over from China over a hundred years ago.
You may have attended a banquet upstairs but itās not the same - sitting in the restaurant on the 1st floor, enjoying ur own personal moment with history & ur food cook to order !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I sincerely hope that this is not the best in Chinatown. Bland. Whats all that rubbish on the walls about Michelin rated back in 2012. Its 2025, and the food is below average.
Find somewhere else to eat, there is no doubt that the other place will be better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
We rode the California Cable Car to Grant Ave. where Far East Cafe is located about 1/2 block away. This is the oldest or one of the oldest Chinese Restaurants in S.F..
The owner or manager at the bar was so nice and he told us all about the restaurant. What a beautiful and interesting banquet room to enjoy your food!
I got the very delicious Prawn and Walnut dish with very large shrimp. My wife got an equally delicious large Scollop entree. This is a must for those who want to experience China Town the way it used to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ordered one of the family meals and it was amazing. My kids ate everything and loved it. Our meal came with: soup, ribs, fried prawns, kung pao chicken, beef and vegetables, honey walnut prawns, and fried rice with prawns. We had leftovers but those didnāt last long. Probably the best Chinese food I have ever eaten.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
For 48 years Iāve been eaten Oriental food all over the world, and everyone has their unique taste and flavor. However, this place I ordered the very standard almond chicken, general, chicken, beef, chow mein, almond fried rice and out of this world honestly the best place no oil no extra salt but the taste I donāt know how they managed to make it so tasty. I am celebrating our wedding anniversary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food is ok, but had terrible customer service.
Service: 1
Used to go here on vacations as a kid, this has always been the best Chinese restaurant in the United States in my opinion. I remember visiting and we were always taken care of by a guy we called āJackā. Best place to bring kids and enjoy extremely good food. Absolutely family memories.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very good experience and service, if your here get the chicken wings they are sooo GOOD! Very nice staff too. A 5 star experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Iāve been a regular at this restaurant, but my most recent experience was shocking. On a Friday night, my Southeast Asian friend (with her service dog) and I accidentally walked into what turned out to be a private event. Instead of politely informing us, a woman (approx. mid-40s) spoke to us with hostility and condescension as if we were children.
Hereās what made it worse! Iāve been here many times as a WHITE male alone and have always been treated with courtesy. This was the first time I was treated with such open rudeness and the only difference was that I was with my friend. The contrast was glaring. WOW.
What should have been a simple āSorry, weāre closed for a private eventā turned into an unnecessarily hostile encounter that felt discriminatory. I left deeply disappointed, EMBARRASSED to have brought my friend here, and questioning the integrity of a place I once supported.
San Francisco deserves better. If respect and inclusivity are too much to ask, you shouldnāt be in business.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
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