I read a cute magazine review that made me want to visit. The shops in the review existed but they aren't clustered together so either prepare for long walk or drive down this street. read more

Shopping and parking on Clement Street can be stressful, akin to playing an adult version of musical chairs. Will you effortlessly cruise into an open parking spot or circle multiple times? Will you blink in disbelief there isn't a long line at the register on Market Day or groan when you see it? The sidewalks, stores and restaurants aren't overly crowded- this isn't Manhattan- but expect to be jostled, pushed, elbowed, ignored and sometimes helped and given a smile. Clement Street is one of my favorite destinations but the owners make you work for it like you're a suitor and they're Scarlett O'Hara at the barbecue at Twelve Oaks. I love a challenge; I will be liked! I'll smile sweetly and whisper "thank you" when they secret free shrimp eggrolls and sesame balls into my bag. But for my very favorite shopping, Clement Street is worth a trip to buy fresh and inexpensive produce. I secretly pump my fist when 3 stalks of lemongrass cost $0.59 (versus $6 at Whole Foods) at Yin Xing. The sight of deeply hued bok choy and brightly gleaming clementines makes me giddy. I marvel at the open bins of bean sprouts that cost next-to-nothin' and begin mentally shredding my menu plan as I strategize where I can fit a Viet soup recipe into the rotation. Restaurants range from strictly take-out, good and ridiculously inexpensive (Clement BBQ, Good Luck Dim Sum) to moderately priced and worth standing in line for 30 minutes (Burma SuperStar, talkin' to you). I've burned a few brain cells and flirted up a storm with soccer players from a random UK team at the Plough and the Stars (and made out with a good-like lookin' guy from Ogilvy & Mather/Japan after too many Black & Tans but that was a dozen or more years ago, sssh). Every bank has a branch so you can shop, dine, drink and grab cash to satisfy the many cash-only mom 'n' pops dotted along Clement. With prices so low, you respect merchants can't pay to process credit cards- they're passing the savings along to you. Stop grumbling. The sidewalks are dirty, they're always unloading produce, you can watch a fresh fish go from swimming in the tank to gutted and wrapped up in 90 seconds. Farm-to-table has nothin' on that spectacle. Clement Street is a slice of San Francisco you really shouldn't miss if you're a local or tourist. Just go! read more

Clement Street - View from the street: Making dim sum - Local Flavor Near Me - San Francisco, California

In San Francisco, Clement Street in the Richmond is known as the "new," "second," or "other" Chinatown. Over the last 15-20 years, I've always referred to it as the new Chinatown. My sister lived in Inner Richmond for over a decade. In my numerous trips to San Francisco, we'd always walk down to Clement, primarily for food, but also to shop for groceries and household goods. If you're from out of town and want to visit the locals' "Chinatown," come here and not the official, touristy Chinatown downtown. It's newer (relatively speaking) and cleaner. Unlike commercial-dense downtown, the surrounding neighborhood here is primarily residential. Lots of street parking is available on Clement and various side streets. (When I say "lots," I mean by San Francisco standards.) The main drag is wide with angled parking spots (not parallel). I definitely have nostalgia for Clement. While there are a lot of Chinese restaurants and businesses, the mix is more eclectic than that. There are very good Burmese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants here too. Below I've highlighted some businesses based on my personal experience and memories of the street, working from east to west: * B Star Bar - Together with sister restaurant Burma Superstar just one block west, these are some of the most popular Burmese restaurants in the city. Try B Star's brunch, available Saturday and Sunday. * Standard Plumbing Ace Hardware - Ace Hardware moved down the street into a newer, nicer, and bigger space last year (2014). Most of my memories are from the old store. This is a cozy neighborhood hardware store with helpful employees. * King of Thai Noodle House - I love this place for quick, casual, and affordable Thai eats. The food is authentic and they serve many different types of Thai street food. If you're a true fan of spicy food, the heat here should satiate your palate. * Toy Boat Dessert Cafe - This is a cute spot for a sweet snack or post-meal dessert. Perfect for dates. It's sort of like an ice cream shop that decided to open inside a toy store. Playful, storybook-like atmosphere. It's fun checking out the vintage toys and action figures on display. * Genesis Ballroom Dance School - My sister brought me here early one evening while a dance class was in session. I'm surprised they let anyone just stroll in and watch. Edyta Śliwińska, of Dancing with the Stars, runs this place! * Cafe Bunn Mi - You can get Vietnamese banh mi (sandwiches) here in a nicer, European bisto/cafe-like setting. There's pho (noodle soup) and rice and noodle plates too. Not your typical no-frills Vietnamese restaurant experience. * Aroma Tea Shop - Alright, this place technically isn't on Clement, but it's close enough (on 6th Ave). This humble family-run business stocks over 150 teas, mostly from Asia. The owner is funny and knowledgeable. I encourage you to stop in for a free tea tasting at their custom bar. You'll learn a thing or two. * Wing Lee Bakery - Our family's go-to spot for Chinese dim sum and breakfast items. We've subsisted during many a San Francisco trip eating almost nothing but Wing Lee baked and steamed pork buns in the mornings. * Green Apple Books - A shining beacon for independent bookstores around the country. Fine, quality selection of new and used books, DVDs, LPs, and CDs. An excellent place to find gifts and greeting cards. It's been on Clement since the 1960s, so it's one of the older existing businesses. * Good Luck Dim Sum - Another good dim sum spot. Authentic, delicious, quick, and cheap. It helps to know what you want ahead of time because these ladies can get pushy. Bring cash! * Goodwill - Amusing to browse through the selection. Much like Green Apple Books, you never know what you might find. * Tong Palace - My dad likes this place. This is your traditional Chinese Cantonese restaurant with an extensive menu that also includes dim sum and seafood. We've had many a sit-down family dinner here. Definitely a locals/Cantonese spot. There's a Taiwanese restaurant on Clement that I forget the name of. It may have already closed, but it was a trendy little cafe with food and bubble tea. I only went there once, but I remember enjoying it. And, even though this restaurant isn't on Clement, I'm giving a shout-out to Brothers Restaurant for its yummy Korean BBQ. It's located on Geary Blvd just one block south of Clement between 5th and 6th Aves. Finally, I've got to mention an experience my sister had at one of the Chinese markets on Clement. She bought a fresh batch of greens from one of the markets. At home, when pulled out the greens to prep and cook them, out popped a plump and juicy caterpillar, still alive! Haha. Be sure to thoroughly check your produce before buying. :) read more

Clement Street was just one of the many streets we adventured upon during the 2016 ACRONYM (Advisory Council for Really Outstanding National Yelp Members) Summit hosted by Yelp. This is known as Richmond area in San Fransisco and also a Chinatown-esk area. First, note that you won't be able to see it all, this is a very LONG street with many side pockets, but I highly recommend trying to explore these pockets. This area of San Fransisco is much less-trafficed and you can find street parking much easier than it's competing Chinatown area in the financial district. Clermont is a 20 minute Uber ride from the financial district area of San Fransisco, but also reachable by bus. We began our journey with brunch at B Star Bar (brother/sister restaurant to Burma Superstar down the block, and yes, they also have a location in Berkley!). If you're looking for a unique brunch, I highly recommend checking this out! Next, our journey led us to Green Apple Books, which supplies not only books but an assortment of puzzles, boardgames and vinyls as well. A stop in at Aroma Tea Shop with some free tastings pre-purchase picked up our spirits for a stop in at boutique gift shop: Foggy Notion. May your adventures take you far and do note, you can also walk to Golden Gate Park from Clement Street! read more

Though it has sucky drivers, not enough parking, and sometimes a dirty smell -- it doesn't matter. Clement street has all the foods that I love. Whenever the boyfriend and I cannot decide on what we want to eat we will literally take a drive down this street and ALWAYS find something we both want. Not to mention you can get dessert, pick up some groceries, or even stop by an ATM all on the same street ... to be honest this list can go on forever. So if you ever just want to give something in SF a try, but don't know what ... take a drive down this street, you will find something here. read more

I love Clement Street! It's like a mini Chinatown but with a more relaxed pace and atmosphere. It's always been one of my favorite areas in San Francisco to go to. Whether it's browsing for some goods at Kamei, eating some delicious egg puffs at Genki, or looking for some literature gems at Green Apple Books, there's a little bit of everything for anyone. read more

This place was where the most Asian food is seen far from Chinatown. It is cleaner which therefore means you do not have to worry about stepping in goo! The best time to come here is during the weekend. If you come here on a day when fleet week is present it is like a no mans land. I do know that the 2 bus line goes here as with the 44 line. Took off a star because of the failure to attract tourists during events. Detroit quality costed this street a star. The public transport is fast and efficient on this street. If you are driving be safe! People are really friendly here. If you prefer the food you see in your city (quickly) , it is okay they have it too. Warning: beware of these J E R Ks who drive crazy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI9-_gz-ugs. read more

we are trying to support clement st. by shopping there and helping out the merchants with our purchases. Come on folks, head to Clement St. and keep them going. Please ! read more

Whole lotta pink plastic bags goin' on. It's becoming United Asian Town. I think I can say that I raised my 2 boys with the street. Go to Green Apple. Having a cheap breakfast at Hamburger Heaven. The breakfast was $1.99. Or Eats in Saturday late morning, and watching Asian people were fighting for parking spot. There were few grazy guys walking around doin' nothing. I remember there was an old big white lady who didn't look crazy but asking a money and get a cab for her. But now, Clement Street is not just Chinese any more. Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese and Hawaiian BBQ! We should have Indian food on Clement Street between 3rd Ave to 10th Avenue and it will be 100% Asian, I guess. By the way, Clement Street Grill and the Irish Bar are still standing even though Whole lotta pink plastic bags goin' on. read more

I think it's ridiculous that somebody would review a street. And then check in. Like I have. But anyway, some 40 years ago all hell broke loose when my parents, who'd both lived in Shanghai and Hong Kong, actually met here at a restaurant, where my dad was a recent college grad, and my mom was a waitress. Who knew that my brother and I would end up going to high school down the street at Wash, or that I'd be living here today writing a flurry of Yelp reviews in my "My Hood" list cause I live here now? Anyway, Clement street is far from glamourous. Walk in front of the Chinese fish market and you'll walk through a fine mist of eau de fish. Drop off your throwaways at Goodwill, and don't forget a receipt for your taxes. Stop by Yelp favorites like Chapeau! or Burma Superstar and fill up on fare that's both decidedly from around the world, but uniquely San Franciscan. Or go west, past Park Presidio, PPQ, and Hard Knox Cafe for a round of golf, a stroll through the Palace of the Legion of Honor, or on a hike through Land's End Trail under the backdrop of the Golden Gate bridge. Sure, parking's can bitch, but what would you expect on a street that's sometimes referred to as "New Chinatown?" I'm really just covering the tip of the iceberg. You could write a book on any place you call home. read more

Clement street is great! Some people like to think that being in the Inner Richmond means you're marooned off in the number streets, surrounded by residential housing and not much else. You would be wrong my friend. Clement Street has a TON of great restaurants and bars (BStar, Burma Superstar, Q, The Bitter End) etc etc just to name a few. There are also a bunch of great shops, Green Apple Books is there (score!) and Toy Boat if you have a hankering for a scoop of ice cream. Basically, all your needs will be met so come maroon yourself on this side of the city a little more often. read more

Haig's is no more. The best King of Thai (aka King of Dry) is no more. Q is no more. Mescolanza is no more. Why do I keep coming back? That's a good question, and the answer, like the answers to most good questions, is extremely complicated. Far too complicated for a non-milestone Yelp review. I mean, you're probably reading this on your phone, right? And you just want to know about Clement Street; you don't care about my stories or my obsessions or my storied obsessions. Well, sorry. I love Clement Street because it's just falling apart. At the seams. All the buildings are falling apart, and if you don't believe me, if a certain Vespa hadn't been parked near where my brother, his girlfriend, and I were walking on Clement Street, we wouldn't have stopped to look at it, and if we hadn't stopped, we would have walked right under a building that chose that very moment to allow a huge piece of its rotting wood facade to fall onto the sidewalk. So thanks, Vespa owner who parked her scooter illegally; if it weren't for you, one or more of us would have had to go to the hospital that day. Dessert boats and Thursday-night-only HH/MMA and ridiculous music and changing the name of your business needlessly and hopelessly and--how did that work out for you, Troya? Green Apple. Green Apple deserves and gets its own paragraph. Delicious, reliable Green Apple. Clement Street wouldn't be Clement Street without Green Apple. There are dozens of burger places and some pizza places and about 178 other places that I'll never step foot inside. There are butcher shops named after assault rifles and corner stores named after big cats that will be extinct in the wild by the time my nieces and nephews are old ladies and old men. Parking is an art on Clement Street. I'm pretty good at it, but I always defer to my brother. Not everywhere in San Francisco. Just on Fell Street--home of the epic flooring it in reverse up the hill--and on Clement Street. I've seen him try different strategies: Driving around, waiting, following, using California. Whatever he does works, and that's not true of other people, who make ridiculous, dangerous U-turns and rack up oodles and oodles of bad parking karma. Bad parking karma won't kill you, but your car? That's another story. Just remember that when you intentionally take up two spaces on Hayes Street because you don't want anyone to bump into your dear Mercedes. Payback is everything they say it is. Clement Street is part of my San Francisco history. It still reminds me of when I didn't live here but would come to visit and/or house-sit. Have the years been kind to me? Maybe. I'm not sure. Have they been kind to Clement Street? Again, maybe, I'm not sure. So we're peas in a pod, this overly stop-signed thoroughfare-slash-mini-neighborhood and I. read more

Pros: + Roast Duck & Sweet Pork slices + 2 blocks from the family's residence. + Full of Dim Sum shops + Roast Duck & Sweet Pork slices + Many dessert shops + Used book stores + Roast Duck & Sweet Pork slices + Many bars & lounges for our Pre Holidays & New Years hops + Restaurant Supply shops! + Roast Duck & Sweet Pork slices Cons: - Sometimes - end of day stanky seafoody smell from butcher/seafood shops cleaning up - Certain ethnic elders not waiting their turn in line read more

International in it's offerings of goods and services with a heavy slant towards all things asian (notably Chinese). There are some very good restaurant and bakeries along this huge stretch of real estate. Parking can be hit or miss, but is more plentiful compared to the Irving or C-town (if you are looking for Asian items). The tough part is at the intersections where there are just Stop signs and no signals. You often get a heaping of self-centered LAism when it comes to observing the right-of-way. Usually, it's a big-time score for some great eats. I like it here...so 4-stars. read more

Clement street is just like Chinatown except that it's much easier to find parking on Clement St versus Chinatown . Clement St has Chinese grocery stores just like Chinatown but the groceries here seem to be somewhat more expensive . There is also a D&A on clement which is cleaner and tastes better than the one in Chinatown . read more

Love it in the morning when there's no lines, no people and plenty of parking. It even feels cleaner. Can't compare it to the main Chinatown, but it has pretty much anything you want lacking the charm, the claustrophobia and the tourists...sure, more hacking, more wheezing - it becomes more pronounced as more people come out...I'll still shop on Clement...its diversity of shops makes it unique - seriously - See's Candies??? I'm done. read more

Really cute street with lots of shops and eateries. Stumbled on Kisha Studio, an awesome women's clothing boutique with great finds. Also where Green Apple books is located. Great to just wander through and explore on a nice day. read more

O Clement Street...you are so different from the beginning to the end. You start so cute with pizza places, days spas, fabric stores and even a French restaurant. Then you become an Asian extravaganza of restaurants, cheap produce markets, and the go to place for tofu and mung beans. You transition to residential, throw in a Mexican joint and a couple more sushi places and Chinese restaurants. Near the end you find soul food, Indian food, Russian food, and even a golf course. Although a lot of people knock you Clement, you provide a huge array of attractions, eateries, shops and cafes. You're not just that small portion from 4th Avenue to Park Presidio. You are a great street that deserves a little more recognition than you get. But maybe I'm just biased. read more

Only a fan of Clement Street in the mornings... Plenty of parking!!!! Can never go wrong with hitting up a dim sum place for breakfast on a Sunday! read more

i love clement street. i can understand why others would object but it's kind of been my home for the last few years. it's a "second chinatown" which i like because the "first" one is so overloaded with tourists. dim sum is cheap on the strip. i've also gotten a few good haircuts as well as cheap knee high socks (which i'm addicted to, mind) on clement. green apple, the bookstore, has a special place in my heart for my own private reasons... not to mention my love for books to the point that i want to be a book, a book on a shelf, perhaps in that store. sure there are rude asian old people and i am really grossed out by all the spitting but anger is just a part of my daily walk on clement so i have grown to accept it and even look forward to it. i take advantage of the cheap CHEAP produce. and those cheap shops, kind of like an asian dollar store, are aplenty and turn out to be handy if you are in need of a costume or some lovely knee high socks (again, i love socks). there's one japanese shop on clement that is always fun to browse in... can't remember it's name just now. if you like chinatown, you'll like clement. oh the kick box training that takes place there is interesting to watch from the windows. oh and the newish richmond library is absolutely gorgeous even though the selection is slight. go visit that library! read more

In general, the Clement St. shopping area is dirty and stinking with impossible parking and incredibly bad drivers. Very rude shopkeepers. Its bazillion greasy spoon Chinese restaurants are probably among the worst in town. An awful area that's guaranteed to put me in a bad mood. I try to avoid it. read more

hey, its better than chinatown....better parking! i didnt say parking all the time, but its alot easier to find parking on clement than chinatown!! read more