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I absolutely love this place. Food always comes out hot and fresh. I always get my go to dish. Chicken with black bean sauce. The BEST in China town. But, that's just my opinion. My husband got a fish dish. He enjoyed it. We also got eggdrop soup. Which had way too many peas and carrots. But it was yummy. We also got their eggrolls. I highly recommend this place.
Waking past the place and saw a crowd of people line up for as soon as they opened at noon and thought this place must be pretty good. Tried some dim sum at a couple places but wanted somewhere where we could sit down and have a more formal meal and decided to try this place. Wow, was that a good decision. Super traditional Chinese restaurant but they served some of the best I've ever had. The hunan style chicken was perfectly crispy and had the right amount of sauce. The chow mein was also great and would definitely recommend. If you have the chance, definitely try their potstickers!
Service was fine but the food was not good. Everything was very expensive, so many other better tastier chinese restaurants in Chinatown. When looking at the menu, I thought 'for these prices it must be big portions' but I was very very wrong. The shrimp/prawns were not crispy, chow mein was pretty good though. The orange chicken didn't taste good though, not sure what it tasted like exactly but it was just a little off. I ended up going to a different place to get dim sum instead, it was much better and cheaper. They ran out of seafood as well which was disappointing because that's the only reason I went. The place was not super busy and clean, so that is good.
My family attended a private event at Far East Cafe for a holiday luncheon. It had very old school vintage Chinese restaurant decor. Which definitely gives you old school Chinatown vibes. The food was decent. We had the chicken salad which was surprisingly very good. I've never had a chicken salad like this before. We had fried chicken wings which were also very good. Perfectly seasoned and fried. The e fu noodles with vegetables were decent. The sweet and sour pork was also decent. I was disappointed by the egg tofu with vegetables. I didn't think it was possible to overcook the egg tofu but it was overcooked and tough. My favorite was the fried fish with sweet corn. The sauce was pretty good and worked for me. Service was pretty good. They filled our tea frequently and cleared our plates as soon as we were done. Overall, the food was decent but nothing that stood out. If we're in the area, we might make a stop but we wouldn't go out of our way to eat here
I went with coworkers coming from Las Vegas and I recommended this restaurant and it was a hit! I had to warn them that the servers will just come, take the order and leave... no pleasantries. But that's how you know the food will be amazing. The food comes out as soon as it's ready - one at a time and we all shared the dishes as they came out. Everyone tried a little of everything and loved it! We stay in hotels near Union Sq often so this location will be our spot the next time they come to town. If you're walking around Chinatown, I recommend this for a group and even as a single diner. So many options on the menu you'll like
Dining at this restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown, the black-bone chicken soup was delicious. The shrimp had a great texture, and the glutinous rice inside the chicken was tasty.
My friends and I tried this place on a whim because we were in the area. It was great! Located in the heart of Chinatown, Far East Cafe is a large restaurant that is perfect for really big parties. We were seated immediately, and the food came out really quickly. We ordered sesame chicken, vegetable chow mein, green beans with minced pork, and pot stickers. Everything was super yummy! Honestly it hit exactly the way it needed to. I recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a casual spot in Chinatown!
I was in here a couple months ago on a business trip with coworkers and loved it. So when I brought my wife into the city for a weekend, we gave it another shot. It did not disappoint. This is an old restaurant in the interior is really cool and historical. The food here is really good and fresh. I would definitely recommend it for anybody that wants a good Chinese restaurant and visiting Chinatown.
Right in ChinaTown, the decor was cute obviously the place is a little older inside. Service was pretty fast, we were told the wait was an hour but more like 10mins. The waiter was pleasant and fast. Some of the food came out cold, the egg drop soup was 10/10 so flavorful. The orange chicken was a little bland and a little cold.
Yesterday 2 friends and I had lunch at Far East Cafe. My friends ordered chow mein and said theirs was tasty. I ordered Szechuan shrimp and unfortunately the shrimp was overcooked to the point that I could not chew it. I politely told the woman who was the host about the shrimp being overcooked and that I couldn't chew it. She then gave me the nastiest look and in a very rude tone asked what she should do about it. Now, that sounds like she was being helpful but her tone and the terribly rude look she gave me let me know that she was quite angry. She then asked if I wanted her to make me another plate and I said, "Yes, please." She then went into a loud tirade towards the waiter and told me that I could continue to eat the vegetables on my plate while waiting for my food. When she returned with my new plate and took the first one away, she said in a dismissive and snotty tone that the head chef had cooked this plate so she knew the shrimp was not overcooked! Well, she should have sampled one of the shrimps before serving this dish because the shrimps were tough and overdone but I did not complain. I think I figured out what she told the waiter, Jimmy, who was very nice and helpful. When I ate about 1/2 of my leftovers for lunch today (did not reheat shrimp) there were 8 hot peppers just in that portion of my food! I didn't see that many on my entire first plate. Fortunately I like hot and spicy food that stings my lips. I would not recommend this overpriced place with some rude staff members. I left our waiter a 25% tip as I felt sorry for him being bullied by that woman. BTW-$2 extra for a serving of steamed rice and a pot of tea was not included. I truly was surprised that we received fortune cookies with our bills. Obviously I will never return here nor recommend anyone to dine at Far East Cafe.
Rebecca was very helpful in suggesting a wonderful lunch! Went at the recommendation of a friend and fairly spot on! The food was nice but bummed they didn't have spicy dipping sauce for pot stickers, although they were a nice size portion. Disappointed they weren't browned on both sides. The chew mien, chicken dish, and beef dish were nicely prepared.
The food was authentic and delicious. Our waiter was awesome and kept the food coming. The ambiance was nice and relaxing.
Thank you, @Irene Riley for inviting me to this event. Gum Moon Women's Residence/Asian Women's Resource Center celebrated 158 years of dedicated service in the Chinatown Community. Emcee: Doris Glover and Jan Yamamoto Congrat's to: Dion Lim - Outstanding Asian Women's Award JoJo McCoy's - Outstanding Community Service Award The lunch meal was amazing with so many courses. Great entertainment...jazz performances, children's choral group, sing along, live & silent auction, raffles prizes. Amazing job from the Board of Directors, Executive Director of Gum Moon, staff, volunteers, donors, sponsors for another successful event. Cheers! #community #event #celebration read more
I've been to Far East many times before. It is a staple in Chinatown known for their large Banquet room upstairs. But this is my first time writing a review. Please note that there is no elevator in this restaurant. We came here for an event that had over 400 people. The food was surprising tasty. We had a table of ten and we virtually ate every scrap of food. Either it was that good or we were starving! The food on the platters we were served were not that big. The big eaters on our table finished whatever was left. Onward to the food. The fried rice looked like saffron rice - yes it was that yellow but it was delicious. They used a lot of bell peppers and onions in their dishes. The beef was very tasty and the ground pork soup was excellent. The tofu dish was cooked perfectly but there each person barely got two pieces of tofu. The fried fish was crispy and hot but you were lucky if you got two pieces. The Peking duck had no buns or hoisin sauce. Some of the pieces were lean and some were fatty. The worst dish of the night was what I would call the chicken katsu - the batter wasn't fried long enough and chicken was still raw! The red bean sesame balls were served crispy and hot out of the fryer. I enjoyed this over any red bean soup that we normally get. read more
2 months ago
Far East Café offers a classic Chinese restaurant experience with a relaxed atmosphere. We stopped in for a meal, tried a Chinese beer that was surprisingly good, and finished with the traditional fortune cookie. The restaurant had quite a few empty tables for a Sunday, which made us wonder why it was not busier at that time of day. A quiet dining room can make you second-guess a place before the food arrives, especially when deciding whether it is a local favorite or simply an overlooked option. Service and the overall experience were pleasant, and the beer was a nice surprise. The restaurant may be worth trying if you are looking for a quieter Chinese meal, though the lack of a Sunday crowd left us uncertain about how consistently the food and experience measure up. read more
I absolutely love this place. Food always comes out hot and fresh. I always get my go to dish. Chicken with black bean sauce. The BEST in China town. But, that's just my opinion. My husband got a fish dish. He enjoyed it. We also got eggdrop soup. Which had way too many peas and carrots. But it was yummy. We also got their eggrolls. I highly recommend this place. read more
16 hours ago
Waking past the place and saw a crowd of people line up for as soon as they opened at noon and thought this place must be pretty good. Tried some dim sum at a couple places but wanted somewhere where we could sit down and have a more formal meal and decided to try this place. Wow, was that a good decision. Super traditional Chinese restaurant but they served some of the best I've ever had. The hunan style chicken was perfectly crispy and had the right amount of sauce. The chow mein was also great and would definitely recommend. If you have the chance, definitely try their potstickers! read more
4 days ago
Service was fine but the food was not good. Everything was very expensive, so many other better tastier chinese restaurants in Chinatown. When looking at the menu, I thought 'for these prices it must be big portions' but I was very very wrong. The shrimp/prawns were not crispy, chow mein was pretty good though. The orange chicken didn't taste good though, not sure what it tasted like exactly but it was just a little off. I ended up going to a different place to get dim sum instead, it was much better and cheaper. They ran out of seafood as well which was disappointing because that's the only reason I went. The place was not super busy and clean, so that is good. read more
1 month ago
I've eaten @FEC, for many years, personal, large celebrations, & for Community Lion meetings. I have never been disappointed with the foods. Perhaps, the only drawback is a missing elevator from "Street to Main" dinning, upstairs. read more
My family attended a private event at Far East Cafe for a holiday luncheon. It had very old school vintage Chinese restaurant decor. Which definitely gives you old school Chinatown vibes. The food was decent. We had the chicken salad which was surprisingly very good. I've never had a chicken salad like this before. We had fried chicken wings which were also very good. Perfectly seasoned and fried. The e fu noodles with vegetables were decent. The sweet and sour pork was also decent. I was disappointed by the egg tofu with vegetables. I didn't think it was possible to overcook the egg tofu but it was overcooked and tough. My favorite was the fried fish with sweet corn. The sauce was pretty good and worked for me. Service was pretty good. They filled our tea frequently and cleared our plates as soon as we were done. Overall, the food was decent but nothing that stood out. If we're in the area, we might make a stop but we wouldn't go out of our way to eat here read more
I went with coworkers coming from Las Vegas and I recommended this restaurant and it was a hit! I had to warn them that the servers will just come, take the order and leave... no pleasantries. But that's how you know the food will be amazing. The food comes out as soon as it's ready - one at a time and we all shared the dishes as they came out. Everyone tried a little of everything and loved it! We stay in hotels near Union Sq often so this location will be our spot the next time they come to town. If you're walking around Chinatown, I recommend this for a group and even as a single diner. So many options on the menu you'll like read more
2 months ago
Dining at this restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown, the black-bone chicken soup was delicious. The shrimp had a great texture, and the glutinous rice inside the chicken was tasty. read more
My friends and I tried this place on a whim because we were in the area. It was great! Located in the heart of Chinatown, Far East Cafe is a large restaurant that is perfect for really big parties. We were seated immediately, and the food came out really quickly. We ordered sesame chicken, vegetable chow mein, green beans with minced pork, and pot stickers. Everything was super yummy! Honestly it hit exactly the way it needed to. I recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a casual spot in Chinatown! read more
I was in here a couple months ago on a business trip with coworkers and loved it. So when I brought my wife into the city for a weekend, we gave it another shot. It did not disappoint. This is an old restaurant in the interior is really cool and historical. The food here is really good and fresh. I would definitely recommend it for anybody that wants a good Chinese restaurant and visiting Chinatown. read more
7 months ago
Right in ChinaTown, the decor was cute obviously the place is a little older inside. Service was pretty fast, we were told the wait was an hour but more like 10mins. The waiter was pleasant and fast. Some of the food came out cold, the egg drop soup was 10/10 so flavorful. The orange chicken was a little bland and a little cold. read more
7 months ago
Yesterday 2 friends and I had lunch at Far East Cafe. My friends ordered chow mein and said theirs was tasty. I ordered Szechuan shrimp and unfortunately the shrimp was overcooked to the point that I could not chew it. I politely told the woman who was the host about the shrimp being overcooked and that I couldn't chew it. She then gave me the nastiest look and in a very rude tone asked what she should do about it. Now, that sounds like she was being helpful but her tone and the terribly rude look she gave me let me know that she was quite angry. She then asked if I wanted her to make me another plate and I said, "Yes, please." She then went into a loud tirade towards the waiter and told me that I could continue to eat the vegetables on my plate while waiting for my food. When she returned with my new plate and took the first one away, she said in a dismissive and snotty tone that the head chef had cooked this plate so she knew the shrimp was not overcooked! Well, she should have sampled one of the shrimps before serving this dish because the shrimps were tough and overdone but I did not complain. I think I figured out what she told the waiter, Jimmy, who was very nice and helpful. When I ate about 1/2 of my leftovers for lunch today (did not reheat shrimp) there were 8 hot peppers just in that portion of my food! I didn't see that many on my entire first plate. Fortunately I like hot and spicy food that stings my lips. I would not recommend this overpriced place with some rude staff members. I left our waiter a 25% tip as I felt sorry for him being bullied by that woman. BTW-$2 extra for a serving of steamed rice and a pot of tea was not included. I truly was surprised that we received fortune cookies with our bills. Obviously I will never return here nor recommend anyone to dine at Far East Cafe. read more
2 months ago
21 days ago
7 months ago
Rebecca was very helpful in suggesting a wonderful lunch! Went at the recommendation of a friend and fairly spot on! The food was nice but bummed they didn't have spicy dipping sauce for pot stickers, although they were a nice size portion. Disappointed they weren't browned on both sides. The chew mien, chicken dish, and beef dish were nicely prepared. read more
2 years ago
Just came here on Friday for the school field trip with the kids. Lunch was fixed and family style. For 5 adults and 5 kids we actually polished all the fixed plates which was: - egg rolls - beef broccoli - veg noodle - veg egg Fried rice - orange chicken I feel food was bit less although many of the other tables had leftovers so perhaps we were just a table with good eaters. Food overall was OK. Quite bland honestly not the typical Chinese food we are used to but perhaps they keep it like that since kids are eating? Not sure. I wouldn't return on my own but it worked out for the trip since it is spacious and ample family style tables and clean bathrooms upstairs. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
We were seated quickly and then waited for about 10 minutes before Cathy came by and apologized, she wasn't our waiter, but she took our order which tells me a lot. She was clearly the person in charge. We ordered the fried prawns and the Kung pow shrimp with steamed rice It was amazing and totally worth the minor inconvenience. We experienced at the beginning. It was hot and delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it when in San Francisco and certainly when in Chinatown. The decor was traditional Chinese adding to our experience. Well done Kathy! And thank you!! read more
4 months ago
2 years ago
11 months ago
Started off by ordering tea which was not received until later when we asked about it again. The service was alright and the food tasted okay. The best parts were the roasted duck and the green beans which tasted really good. As for the sweet and sour pork, honey walnut shrimp, and seafood chow men, they tasted okay. The prices were a little higher than usual, which is to be expected from a touristy place. Overall, a decent place to eat at if you are hungry. read more
Came here after the mid autumn festival service here is pretty quick. Only downfall was that we didn't get the water until we had to ask for it. The ambience feels like a Chinese restaurant very packed and it was very loud because there was a big group or family that was eating dinner here after the mid autumn festival. My girlfriend ordered the chicken chow mein, Chinese broccoli and sweet-and-sour chicken with a side order of rice which came out to a total of $70 read more
2 months ago
One off the last banquet halls in SF Chinatown. Authentic old world decor and charm. Cantonese food with a large menu. Used for weddings, baby parties and community events. Room for dancing and entertainment upstairs. Food is authentic for banquet meals and also good for everyday meals. Sorry no photos. read more
6 months ago
7 months ago
7 months ago
An episode of Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations brought us here to try their egg foo young, recommended by host, Andrew Zimmern. I had fandom of Mr. Z until I learned he loathes Spam. Being from Hawaii, that canned meat holds a special place in my arteries! ATMOSPHERE: Located in Chinatown, the exterior architecture is storybook-charming. Inside, an unused small bar, low tops and private curtained-booths were available. RESERVATIONS: We came for a late lunch and the place was dead (3pm on a Monday), so I'll leave it up to you. MENU: Extensive collection of traditional dishes. I didn't see any dim sum carts or menu. FOOD: BBQ Pork Foo Young - $18.00 I'm not sure exactly which protein he featured on the show but we went with pork. Tender pork, fluffy eggs and savory sauce; I liked it but didn't love it. It's simply not my favorite Chinese dish. Beef with Snow Peas - $24.00 Very tender beef, fresh & crunchy peas, but it need sodium! Splashed on some shoyu from the table and it was perfect. Chicken Fried Rice - $16.00 As much as I love fried rice, I didn't want to order it as it was just me and my spouse. And, I know how large the portion can be, but he insisted. Sure enough, the heaping mound of carbs could feed four or more stomachs. It too was in need of sodium. Sprinkled on salt and, voilà. SERVICE: Friendly greeting and wait service, quick food delivery but no follow up in between. OVERALL: Good-portioned, fair-priced, under-seasoned food. read more
I've been to SF's Chinatown plenty of times but I never tried this place before. And I was not disappointed AT ALL!!! The service was great! The soup with fried wontons was amazing!!! literally still thinking about it. I ordered the chicken fried rice, and tried some of my boyfriend's beef and veggies plate, along with some yummy chow mein my friend ordered. And ended the meal with fortune cookies. I'll definitely come back again when i'm in SF! And if you're visiting or live in SF check it out! read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
Right outside the restaurant was a man in red who greeted us and led us into the restaurant. First impression as we walked in? Wow! Place felt grand. Its was red everywhere with some really huge vintage-looking chandeliers . We also noticed a few curtained-off dining sections which appear to cater to guests who don't want to be seen or seen. Place don't look too busy at 7:30 pm but it picked up after 8 pm. We ate in the main restaurant section. We just ordered Yang Chow Fried rice which did not disappoint. Also ordered their pork dumplings which were huge and tasted good. The menu was extensive and featured a few photos in it. Prices seem reasonable. Service was fast and efficient. Wait staff was comprised of older men who I assumed have been working there since the restaurant opened. All in all, a pleasant experience for us. read more
11 months ago
Recently came here for a fantastic meal and service. My parents have been coming here for decades, and while the interior was fairly recently revamped, the food is good as ever. Highly recommend this authentic, local spot for an incredible meal. White meat chicken used for majority of dishes too, which is a nice plus! read more
Far East Cafe in Chinatown is a true San Francisco gem, as it's one of the city's longest running Chinese cafes since its opening in 1920. Visiting feels like stepping into a time machine, with its vintage interior, private booths, murals, and antique Chinese lanterns. This Chinatown landmark not only offers nostalgic ambiance, but also serves delicious old-fashioned American-style Cantonese cuisine. We began with a Longan martini, (which is in the same family as lychee fruit.) Far East Cafe is also known for their soup, with wontons, and large pieces of seafood. A favorite of mine was the salt and garlic chicken wings, and we also got the curry tomato beef chow mein, fried rice, and the pan-fried string beans with basil and minced pork. The Far East Cafe is a treasure that joins pastimes with the flavors of Chinese cuisine. read more
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More info about Far East Cafe
631 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94108
Chinatown
Directions
(415) 982-3245
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http://www.fareastcafesf.com
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