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    Papa's Kitchen

    3.9 (127 reviews)
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    PAPA'S KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Reviews With Photos - Papa's Kitchen

    Beef fried rice (my husband couldn't wait)
    Rita K.

    Honestly I walked in not expecting much food and service were very good! Everyone complaining about the lady but she was super nice to everyone, even people who were obviously only buying something small to use the bathroom. The pho combo has tendon and everything else, which was a pleasant surprise I was just expecting a super basic pho with just meatball, brisket and filet mignon. The broth had a good flavor, the meat to noodle ratio was perfect and I actually ate the whole bowl in one sitting when normally I can only eat half it was that good! My husband really enjoy his sweet and sour pork with beef fried rice. The pork was crispy and the flavor was a good balance of sweet and tangy. I like that the Vietnamese coffee is a drip coffee. It makes a huge difference in flavor. The bathroom was clean, there are a lot of tables but not the point it's crowded. There's sauces on every table which is convenient. Would definitely come back any time we're nearby.

    Vegetable chow mein
    Ash J.

    A nice spot in Haight Ashbury for noodles, pho and more. I ordered the veggie chow mein with tofu and a few veggie rolls. The chow mein was good - noodles were soft and chewy and the sauce balanaced the savory and sweet flavors well, but just a little bit on the greasy side. The service was great. The lady working there was really nice, attentive and accommodating.

    Chow Mein
    Sarah B.

    We stopped in here on a whim and I'm so glad we did! 1 pm on a Friday and they were steady but no problem getting a table. It was sort of a blustery and the big bowl of matzah ball soup really hit the spot. The woman serving us was no nonsense and efficient- I could see what others found off putting about her- knowing that going in helped!

    Pineapple Prawm Fried Rice
    Manda J.

    Ordered a lunch-time pickup of Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Rice; was ready in 10 minutes! Overall it was good but strangely the pineapple had no flavor or sweetness whatsoever; hopefully just a bad batch of pineapples. There were other veggies as well (peas, baby corn, green onion, etc) and it was a well-balanced fried rice. 4/5 for now because of the lackluster pineapple,. the service I received was kind and I'll be back!

    Tai Pho
    Maddy B.

    My friend and I were craving pho so we came here and it hit the spot! The music and service were good. Very nice especially because it was raining outside.

    Vegetarian spring rolls.
    Ben M.

    After we started eating we found a harmless bug on our plate. The restaurant looked very clean overall. Earwigs exist in a lot of different places. My issue is simply this, once you discover one bug, there are usually more violations hanging out. Having worked in a kitchen, I know what it takes to keep it clean. One little bug on a plate of spring rolls, we're not shook! However, the food was nothing amazing. This place is super average. Having traveled the world, dining in major cities all over this planet, I know what happens behind that kitchen door isn't always something you want to see. I've seen mice running through deli counters, dead fruit flies in soy sauce, dogs standing on butcher tables in night markets chewing on carcasses. Flies surrounding piles of ground beef.

    Soft Mapo Tofu $13.50
    Jennifer O.

    Rainy day Saturday and looking for a spot close by. We scanned Papa's Kitchen's menu in the window and they had lunch specials until 4pm. The server was sweet and brought menus and water immediately. We settled on Mapo Tofu, Sweet & Sour Pork and fresh Vietnamese Grilled Pork Rolls. Portions were generous though the Mapo Tofu lacked heat as promised by the chili pepper next to its listing. If you order it, ask if they can add Szechuan peppercorns. The other dishes were solid, we split family style and I called dibs on the second to last cold pork roll that had fresh pea sprouts poking out of the roll, delicious. The restaurant was clean with a large dining room including a counter if you want to slurp your pho and look out at Haight Street. I would definitely return or do take out from this spot.

    Seafood Combo Pan Fried Noodles
    Julian C.

    Pretty standard fare Chinese place with reasonable prices and big portions. Seafood combo pan fried noodles were actually pretty good. I don't get this dish often but the sauce was pretty flavorful and it came with lots of seafood (fish, scallops, shrimp, squid) and veg (bok choy, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms) Sweet and sour pork was disappointing. The sauce was pretty good but the pork itself was really overfried and to the point of being dry / stringy. I'd still go back to try different items and it isn't a place that breaks the bank.

    We had a great meal yesterday. I had the Mongolian beef chow mein and my friend had the Hunan fish and we had the cream cheese Rangoon appetizers. Everything was outstanding and the portions were excellent. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to try everything on the menu.

    Beef chow fun
    Vince L.

    Beef chow fun was well made and delicious. Service was great considering there is one woman doing the waiting, serving, cashiering and busing of tables! Not sure if they have AC but it is very hot in here!

    Yih R.

    It's a family owned restaurant, and I had high expectations. We ordered a lot of things, and I have mixed feelings. My favorite is absolutely the fried rice. There is a scent to it that cannot be replicated at home. The big wok in a restaurant can only achieve it. The fried chicken wings are good as well. The second tier is orange chicken and the spring rolls. My least favorite is the lemongrass garlic noddles and the hunan fish filet. There is no garlic nor Hunan flavors. They all kinda taste the same at the end. Would I come back? Probably not. There are plenty of places in the haughty.

    Lady with poufy bob put in the wrong order. We ordered Vietnamese Style Fried Egg Rolls but she brought out Vegetable Egg Rolls.
    Thien H.

    I really disliked this place. We ordered the "Vietnamese Style Fried Egg Roll," pho tai, and a pork chop dish. The lady with the poufy short bob was crazy rude. I asked her what the difference was between the rice plate vs the a la carte versions of the "Grill Pork Chop." I thought it was a little weird that the a la carte version costs more than the rice plate so I asked if there was more pork chop/more meat in that version and she scoffed at me, acted like I was dumb, and kind of nodded in the affirmative. I have no idea why this question pissed her off. She ended up bringing us the "Vegetable Spring Rolls" which I really don't like. At first, I was annoyed that they were trying to pass these off as Vietnamese Egg Rolls. When I finally flagged her down and asked her about them, she said they were vegetarian egg rolls. She put in the incorrect order! I got the feeling she wasn't really listening when my husband ordered the dish and I guess I was right. The pho tai was okay. Rude service and just meh pan Asian food. The owners need to retrain their staff. It's sad considering I could see the kitchen staff was really hustling when I walked to the restroom. If you want Vietnamese food don't go to this place. They have Americanized Chinese food too, but there are so many alternative restaurants in the area.

    Soft Mapo Tofu

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    27 days ago

    Great food and service from mama. Got to do some people watching as well - turtles all the way down

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    5 months ago

    Cook was in a rush to take out the food, it didn't settle well. Wouldn't recommend this place it was a bummer !

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    6 months ago

    Was super good some of the best pho I've ever had! Tasted really fresh. The service was quick and efficient and overall a great experience.

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    Four Kings 四大天王

    Four Kings 四大天王

    4.2
    (460 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$$

    We were visiting SF and my sister highly recommended Four Kings, so we had to try it out during our…read moretrip! Our party of 4 ordered the fried hawt rabbit, spicy Singaporean crab with fried milk bread, Hong Kong black pepper steak, and beef chow fun noodles to share family style. Overall, we were super impressed with all the food. Everything other than the chow fun were super unique, but all the flavor combinations worked so well together. While the chow fun wasn't unique, I'd say it's still a very solid dish. Everyone in my party left full and satisfied. The food is a bit on the pricey side for it what it is, so I wouldn't come here regularly but I think that it's worth coming for a special occasion. Service here is super friendly and attentive--our waitress checked in on us frequently and brought us extra napkins and gloves for our food, which was super appreciated. This restaurant is on the smaller end and does have a long wait, so if you can, I'd recommend making a reservation.

    I saw online that this place is one of the most sought after reservations on Open Table. I tried my…read moreluck at getting a reservation and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to get a reservation! Reservations open 3 weeks in advanced at noon. Walk ins are also welcome. One note is that parking can be a bit challenging so get there a bit early. The inside is lively and filled me with so much nostalgia with the decor. The staff is really attentive and friendly. I also appreciate the free peanuts and cucumber salad that you get when you're seated. My boyfriend and I ordered a lot of food because we wanted to try so many things! The lamb skewer was super moist and had a nice flavor. The XO escargot with milkbread had a nice buttery, garlic taste. The milk bread was fluffy and when dipped in the sauce it tasted very rich. We also got the clay pot rice and it reminded me of when I had it in China. The rice was crispy at the bottom and well seasoned. My favorite dish of the night was the squab. It was cooked excellently and the skin was really crispy. The five spice powder on the side really brought out the flavor of the meat. The eggplant was cooked well and portion was good but it didn't stand out as much as the other dishes. Overall, I would visit this place again. It definitely lives up to the hype. The squab and and clay pot rice were the stand outs to me but all the other food was really tasty as well.

    Photos
    View of kitchen
    View of kitchen
    Sichuan cabbage
    Sichuan cabbage
    Fish fragrant eggplant

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    Fish fragrant eggplant
    606

    606

    4.6
    (604 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Takes reservations

    Wanted to avoid the ritual of going to North Beach and get Italian and getting a pastry somewhere…read more Decided on China Town went to Yelp to find a place and here we are. Ambiance Very modern restaurant very clean. Customer Service Host asked us if we had reservation and we did not, we were seated shortly, thank u. We had a male server but got switched halfway thru service. He was very polite and suggested garlic chicken or salt and pepper fish, he was right. Salt and Pepper Fish Did not look like much however this fish was breaded and cooked perfectly. Fish was moist and so much flavor. 606 House Fried My wife loved it. I liked it alot. Will return to try the garlic chicken next time.

    Finally had the chance to eat here yesterday after seeing it so many times in my yelp search! Fun…read morefact: my mom used to frequent this restaurant when it was New Sun Hong Kong back when I went to school at Sts. Peter & Paul across from Washington Square Park. My mom used to get the pan fried noodles from here and i always used them as my reference point for any other restaurant that also serves this. It's what I remember and grew up with. So far only one has come close! This is all I remember from that place and how delish it was. Fast forward to yesterday. They were really nice and welcoming as soon as I went in. We didn't want to order too much, so we only got the beef hor fun and green onion pancakes. The pancakes were so good! Nice and chewy on the inside and crunch on the outside. The chow fun I had really high hopes for. My memories as a child having had chow fun all the time, had this distinct taste to it and made a certain way. Their chow fun was good, but I think it was lacking a little flavor? I also wish they used the wider noodles instead of these thinner ones. :( It wasn't bad at all, I just had a certain expectation. So far, there's only one place that is reminiscent of what I remember and it's in Sacramento. That being said, we will still come back because I would love to try the Simon's garlic chicken and more of the pancakes!

    Photos
    606
    Voted Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA! Thank you Yelp and our wonderful and supportive customers!
    Voted Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA! Thank you Yelp and our wonderful and supportive customers!
    606

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    Palette Tea House

    Palette Tea House

    4.1
    (2k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Speaks Mandarin

    Strong five star experience…read more I came here for a work dinner and it felt like the food just kept coming. I wish I had a better memory of everything that I ate, but there was too much. I do remember that I absolutely loved the Peking duck. They came with very thin, I can only describe it as tortilla crêpe things that you would put it in. I love this so much better than the standard buns. I also loved the fried string beans. It was tempura fried and very light. It didn't taste greasy at all. Out of three places we went to dinner for work, this was my favorite by far. It is right in Ghirardelli Square so there's a lot of things you can walk around and do either before or after. Service was great. They were very attentive. The restaurant itself was very open and lit well. They had us in a back area so it was easy to chat with my coworkers. There wasn't a single dish I didn't like so I would highly recommend coming here.

    We came in at 7 pm and the kitchen closes at 7:30, but no problem. We ordered some wine and our…read morevarious dumplings. The mango kissed Seafood crispy came out first & it was so delicious & it really set the tone for a positive & flavorful dining experience My favorites were the classic Ha Gow Shrimp Dumplings & the Chicken Soup Dumplings "XLB", but everything we ordered was very good. Service was attentive and kind. The dining area is colorful, bright & upbeat. This location is also in Ghirardelli Square, so it is a fun, bustling area with lots to see and do before or after your meal. If you'd like a more authentic dim sum meal, perhaps you may enjoy heading to Chinatown to experience a more traditional set of dim sum offerings, but for our purposes today, this was more than adequate. Peace!

    Photos
    Palette Tea House
    Palette Tea House
    Palette Tea House

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    Harborview Restaurant & Bar

    Harborview Restaurant & Bar

    4.0
    (1.9k reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    Harborview serves premium food and their dim sum are seemed to order; always fresh and super tasty…read more I've been here numerous times for yum cha (dim sum bunch) before, and trying their HH (Happy Hour) for the first time today.. and it was just simply excellent!!! The quality dim sum that we've come to expect.. plus two delightful bonuses: Excellent Margarita and their OMG - so Tasty and Addicting Tofu Fries!! YUM yim yummmmy!! Service is excellent and their wait staff checked on us every now and then, and everyone is always friendly and helpful. Nicely located in EC4; the restaurants is always super clean and comfy for hanging out. Their balcony seating also very nice, weather permitting. Bonus: they also validate parking, at (I think ) $6 off your parking rate at the Embarcadero's. Great good + Great service! Recommended!!!

    Since we didn't have a reservation, we were seated in the bar area through a separate entrance --…read morenot sure if that mattered, but this was honestly the worst Chinese food I've had in the U.S. Nothing tasted fresh. Every dish came out fast-food quick, like it had been pre-made and reheated. The meat in the fried rice was tiny and tough, the eggplant skin was chewy, and the fried items were all soggy. The best thing we had was the salad -- dressed in what tasted like store-bought sweet chili sauce. An 18% gratuity was automatically added for our party of three (including a small child) -- no one informed us until the bill arrived.

    Photos
    Black Sesame Mochi with Grated Peanut
    Black Sesame Mochi with Grated Peanut
    Enjoy dining or Happy Hour on our spacious patio!
    Enjoy dining or Happy Hour on our spacious patio!
    Baked Coffee Lava Buns with Crunchy Sugar Crust

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    Baked Coffee Lava Buns with Crunchy Sugar Crust

    Papa's Kitchen - chinese - Updated August 2026

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