Palette Tea House was awesome! We came here for my husband’s 40th birthday, with 12 people in a party. They accommodated us with a big table. The atmosphere is mellow and chill. The ambiance is lovely. The food is ON POINT! WE ATE. EVERYTHING. All their dishes were delicious and flavorful. We went to town with their menu and cocktails! Everyone in our party raved about how good the food and drinks were. An excellent choice. The bonus of this place… it’s in Ghirardelli Square where there’s cute shops, a brewery (which we ended up at afterwards), Ghirardelli itself (we got chocolates and ice cream), and on top of it the whole square was lit up because it was Thanksgiving/Christmas time. Thank you to the staff who were terrific, always checked in on us, and kept the food and drinks flowing. **Side Note: we are all locals here in SF, and going to a tourists place like Ghirardelli Square, wasn’t our first choice. But non the less, our one friend who insisted that THIS place was worth it, was definitely worth it. I also drove us in my big SUV. I found parking right in front on the street. Metered parking is in effect until 7pm.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ramesh Kushari
long waiting time delivery not response not good
Debbie Biswas
Everything tasted average - dumplings of all kind were bland - olive fried rice - too oily - sweet and sour chicken - too oily
The only good thing is that it’s dog friendly They also forgot one of our dishes 😒 And the restaurant had a Michelin board … I mean common !!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Erika Selby
Delicious and great service!
Alicia DiGiammarino
I am surprised the place is so good given its location in the perhaps the biggest tourist area in SF. But everyone really liked it. We enjoyed tasting the different teas. Golden eyebrow was a favorite. And I really liked the green beans.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
marla hall
Really good fusion Asian. Beautiful mural in the bathroom nice decor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
B. Morris
Superb!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ritika Bafna
I’ve visited this restaurant multiple times and always been impressed by their service and food. However, on November 15, 2025, around 3 p.m., I had a disappointing experience.
I was seated, ordered my food, and was enjoying my meal when, after about 30 minutes of being there, our bill was brought to the table without our request. No ask of if we wanted anything additional or dessert, which I found really odd. Fifteen minutes later, we were still eating when the manager rushed us out of the restaurant, claiming that the entire section was booked for a private event. Without even an apology.
This was not communicated to us when we sat down, as is standard practice in restaurants to inform customers if a particular table is reserved. The restaurant was basically empty when we sat down. Additionally, the restaurant is not cheap, and being rushed out within an hour of being there without prior notice is unacceptable.
My guests visiting San Francisco are now left with a negative impression of the restaurant due to this incident.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Tal Gluck
We held a dinner here for around 20 people and were very happy with the food, atmosphere, and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
William Taylor
Its fine, the flavors are really good.
The service is friendly, but you have to call them to you.
The food is tasty. The meat did not stay in the dumplings. The dumplings are pretty.
Amazing atmosphere and delicious food. Very clean restaurant. The bao buns were very fluffy and flavorful. The green beans were little spicy for us and we handle heat well usually, and we weren’t expecting them to be breaded. Soup dumplings were tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carolyn Leslie
Fantastic restaurant and excellent service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zach Li
Ordered dinner for our rehearsal dinner downstairs and it was fantastic! Everyone loved the food. My personal favorites are the truffle duck fried rice and the beef baos. The dim sum is also a must-try.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Palette Soup Dumpling xlb Sampler, Wagyu Beef Chow Fun, Black Truffle Morel Mushroom Chow Fun V, Bao, Portuguese Egg Tart
David Lee
We went on 10/25/25 to celebrate my friend's and my wife's birthday party and we had an amazing experience!!! Food came out on time and was delicious and service was excellent. Special thanks to Rafael and Ken. They were both amazing!!! We would go back there just to see them again. We brought 2003 and 1990 wines and we didn't think anyone can open the 1990 wine bottle cork without breaking into pieces but Rafael was able to open the bottle with a regular wine opener! We were very impressed!!! Thank you for making our birthday event extra special~ =)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A Bansal
Yut and Rafael were exceptionally warm, kind, and gracious, setting the perfect tone for the entire dining experience at Palette Tea House. The pea tenderloins were a flawless start to the meal, served hot, delicious, and seasoned with just the right amount of salt.
The vegetarian and crab dumplings that followed were truly out of this world, beautifully presented and even more delightful in taste. The real magic, however, lies in their signature sauces, a vibrant trio featuring cilantro, tamarind, and a bold hot mustard that elevate every bite.
Even the shishito peppers surprised me with a hidden gem of a sauce at the bottom, sweet, savory, and perfectly balanced to complement the heat of the peppers. A must visit for anyone seeking exceptional flavors and genuine hospitality in San Francisco.
Palette Tea House was awesome! We came here for my husband’s 40th birthday, with 12 people in a party. They accommodated us with a big table. The atmosphere is mellow and chill. The ambiance is lovely. The food is ON POINT! WE ATE. EVERYTHING. All their dishes were delicious and flavorful. We went to town with their menu and cocktails! Everyone in our party raved about how good the food and drinks were. An excellent choice. The bonus of this place… it’s in Ghirardelli Square where there’s cute shops, a brewery (which we ended up at afterwards), Ghirardelli itself (we got chocolates and ice cream), and on top of it the whole square was lit up because it was Thanksgiving/Christmas time. Thank you to the staff who were terrific, always checked in on us, and kept the food and drinks flowing.
**Side Note: we are all locals here in SF, and going to a tourists place like Ghirardelli Square, wasn’t our first choice. But non the less, our one friend who insisted that THIS place was worth it, was definitely worth it. I also drove us in my big SUV. I found parking right in front on the street. Metered parking is in effect until 7pm.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
long waiting time delivery
not response
not good
Everything tasted average
- dumplings of all kind were bland
- olive fried rice - too oily
- sweet and sour chicken - too oily
The only good thing is that it’s dog friendly
They also forgot one of our dishes 😒
And the restaurant had a Michelin board … I mean common !!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Delicious and great service!
I am surprised the place is so good given its location in the perhaps the biggest tourist area in SF. But everyone really liked it. We enjoyed tasting the different teas. Golden eyebrow was a favorite. And I really liked the green beans.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Really good fusion Asian. Beautiful mural in the bathroom nice decor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Superb!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve visited this restaurant multiple times and always been impressed by their service and food. However, on November 15, 2025, around 3 p.m., I had a disappointing experience.
I was seated, ordered my food, and was enjoying my meal when, after about 30 minutes of being there, our bill was brought to the table without our request. No ask of if we wanted anything additional or dessert, which I found really odd. Fifteen minutes later, we were still eating when the manager rushed us out of the restaurant, claiming that the entire section was booked for a private event. Without even an apology.
This was not communicated to us when we sat down, as is standard practice in restaurants to inform customers if a particular table is reserved. The restaurant was basically empty when we sat down.
Additionally, the restaurant is not cheap, and being rushed out within an hour of being there without prior notice is unacceptable.
My guests visiting San Francisco are now left with a negative impression of the restaurant due to this incident.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
We held a dinner here for around 20 people and were very happy with the food, atmosphere, and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Its fine, the flavors are really good.
The service is friendly, but you have to call them to you.
The food is tasty. The meat did not stay in the dumplings. The dumplings are pretty.
Just who cares overall.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing atmosphere and delicious food. Very clean restaurant. The bao buns were very fluffy and flavorful. The green beans were little spicy for us and we handle heat well usually, and we weren’t expecting them to be breaded. Soup dumplings were tasty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic restaurant and excellent service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ordered dinner for our rehearsal dinner downstairs and it was fantastic! Everyone loved the food. My personal favorites are the truffle duck fried rice and the beef baos. The dim sum is also a must-try.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Palette Soup Dumpling xlb Sampler, Wagyu Beef Chow Fun, Black Truffle Morel Mushroom Chow Fun V, Bao, Portuguese Egg Tart
We went on 10/25/25 to celebrate my friend's and my wife's birthday party and we had an amazing experience!!! Food came out on time and was delicious and service was excellent. Special thanks to Rafael and Ken. They were both amazing!!! We would go back there just to see them again. We brought 2003 and 1990 wines and we didn't think anyone can open the 1990 wine bottle cork without breaking into pieces but Rafael was able to open the bottle with a regular wine opener! We were very impressed!!! Thank you for making our birthday event extra special~ =)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yut and Rafael were exceptionally warm, kind, and gracious, setting the perfect tone for the entire dining experience at Palette Tea House. The pea tenderloins were a flawless start to the meal, served hot, delicious, and seasoned with just the right amount of salt.
The vegetarian and crab dumplings that followed were truly out of this world, beautifully presented and even more delightful in taste. The real magic, however, lies in their signature sauces, a vibrant trio featuring cilantro, tamarind, and a bold hot mustard that elevate every bite.
Even the shishito peppers surprised me with a hidden gem of a sauce at the bottom, sweet, savory, and perfectly balanced to complement the heat of the peppers. A must visit for anyone seeking exceptional flavors and genuine hospitality in San Francisco.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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