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San Francisco, CA

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San Tung

4.1 (8.9k reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Updated a few days ago

San Tung Photos

Business Info

SAN TUNG ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Loud
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - San Tung

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Reviews With Photos

Dry Fried Chicken
Helen C.

After hearing countless people swear on their lives on San Tung's wings, I finally had a chance to grab them the last time I was in SF. I popped by about 15 mins before opening on a Friday and a short line quickly formed behind me. I'd say you probably don't need to wait though if you show up before 6PM. The real hack to skip the wait might honestly be to call in your order though as many to-go orders were bagged up by the time the doors opened. Dry Fried Chicken Wings: These are great don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure if I'd wait in a crazy line to pick these up. The wings themselves are on the smaller side, but pretty juicy and nicely cooked. The sauce is really quite sweet on the sweet savory scale and the sugar almost crystallizes on the fried skin to make for an ultra thick, satisfying crust. TLDR: skip the line by ordering ahead or arriving early. The wings are very very solid.

Patrick W.

There is a specific kind of culinary magic that only happens in the cramped, loud, steam-filled joints of San Francisco. And if it's chicken wings your soul is screaming for, let's be honest: there isn't a single place in this town that can compete with San Tung. This recipe? It's completely off the hook. It is sweet, it is tangy, and it is utterly, shamelessly irresistible to the human tongue. It completely defies the pedestrian flavors that everyone else in this city is pushing. This isn't just food; it's a lifestyle choice. It's my drug of choice. What you've got here is a beautiful, bastardized combination of Chinese and Korean BBQ engineering. But let's get one thing straight: the secret isn't some mythical blend of eleven herbs and Chinese spices. No, it boils down to something far more primal: the type of chicken that San Tung purchases. They are looking for something very specific--the precise age, the exact size of the bird. And that? That is something they will absolutely never share with you. Like the formula for Coca-Cola, they guard that secret with a beautiful, paranoid intensity. Now, the people I really miss in this room are Charles and his wife. They split off from this sit-down paradise years ago and carved out their own gig right next door--San Tung 2. They took the crown and put themselves on the map for those wings. It was a beautiful, tightly run family affair--full-on mafia style. Whatever traffic drove through this side of town, they weren't here for the scenery; they were here for the wings. ST2 might be gone now, but the dream? The dream continues to thrive right here. So whenever that craving hits, do yourself a favor. Make your way over to this room. You'll thank me later.

Tsing Tao Beer ($8)
John D.

Just Wingin' It Chinese-American restaurant that has been serving up authentic and Americanized versions of this cuisine for forty years (ca. 1986) in San Francisco's Inner Sunset. Like most Chinese-American restaurants, the menu is fairly large, but they are known for their signature dry-fried wings and housemade noodles that keep locals and visitors coming back for more. The Good: * Easy walking distance from Golden Gate Park. * Service was very friendly, and we were never left wanting. * Fairly inexpensive, at least by San Francisco standards; $50 for two people for lunch is not bad. * We had to get their signature dry-fried chicken wings, and they were everything we had read about and more! They somehow stayed shatteringly crispy, even with their signature sweet and savory sauce that we could have drunk by the bucketful! Seriously, just get them. * Housemade noodles were also fantastic and had a great chew and texture to them. While I enjoyed the peanut sauce, I don't necessarily know that it went that well with the accompanying seafood. Regardless, I ate it all up. The Meh: * No outdoor dining. * Street parking only, and since it is San Francisco, be prepared to pay and hunt. The Ugly: * Don't take too close a look at the carpeting and some of the décor, as after forty years they could definitely use a refresher. However, I will say, from where I was sitting I could see perfectly into the kitchen, and it looked pretty spotless from what I could tell. So, kudos to them on that! Yes, I watch way too many Kitchen Nightmares. 0_o Conclusion: Celebrating forty years in business as a restaurant is no small feat, especially in a food-obsessed city like San Francisco. But San Tung has managed to do it by doing the two most important things in the restaurant industry: making delicious housemade food and doing it with a smile.

Abel A.

Dine-in or take-out...you won't be disappointed. Food is hella good either way. - Long wait if you eat in, but good vibes and great eats. - Call in your order and pick up is smooth.

Dry Fried Chicken*
Bethany L.

Huge hype around san tung but for the price, wait, and quality, its not nearly the best chicken or chinese food in the bay. There are many other similar or better dry fried chinese meats in south bay although this might be one of the only ones in SF proper! Highly recommend the dry fried flounder, as the tender and flaky fish pairs better with the sweet sticky sauce compared to the popular wings. Wings are a bit dry and tough. For both dishes + 1 rice bowl to share, total is around 55$.

Dry Fried Chicken*
Jennifer T.

There was about a 30-45 min wait on a Saturday evening which wasn't too bad they got us in and the food came really quickly. You have to get the dry fried wings they are the best here!! They came out so fast! We ordered a wonton soup which was delicious and warmed us right up after waiting outside on a chilly sf evening. The green beans were good and so was the honey walnut prawns :)

On point.
Mate R.

My wife & me decided to visit San Tung after some 12 years. There's a line. It's busy & noisy & nice but harried no frills service. The food is solid. The dry fried chicken is good quality, but obviously sweet. Very crispy even with a thick sugary soy based sausage. I think it can use some scallions for texture & acidity. The combination rice was okay. Good ingredients, including squid, shrimp, pork, egg, & vegetables. But the rice was much, not like day before then refrigerated rice for top stir fries. The green beans were an excellent, seared & crispy enough. But also slightly sweet. San Tung remains for me a rare treat, not my go to. It's an indulgence, kinda like desserts. I'll be back, but not for a while...gotta work off the sugars. The bill was about $80 without tip. We took some food home. All in all not cheap for the overall offering. It's better value with the more people you bring.

Fried Chicken Wings
Daniel L.

Came here for dinner right before the Irving Night Market and surprisingly there was no line and got seated immediately. Me and my buddy order the chicken wings, beef noodle soup, and mu shu pork. The fried chicken was good, but definitely not as good as I remember coming here years ago. However, the beef noodle soup and mu shu pork was delicious highly recommended it. Good thing we went at a none busy hour cause right when we about to leave around 6pm it started a line outside. Definitely recommended to other people.

Best dish we had  Dried Dry Fried Flounder Fillet*
Tom T.

Fast service - food comes out very fresh and piping hot. We came for the much talked about chicken wings and they were good. The dried fried chicken wings were tasty but the sauce was way too sweet for our taste. The puddle of sauce left over at the end solidified into caramel which made the last few wings inedible. So eat them fast and you'll be ok. The other dishes we ordered were tasty but nothing amazing. Try the dried fried flounder - imo better than the chicken.

Black Bean Sauce Noodles
Catthy H.

We joined the waitlist at around 6:30 pm on a Thursday night and waited roughly an hour to get seated. Once seated, the food arrived quickly. The inside is packed and busy, but very lively. Highlights of the meal included the Wet Chicken Wings and the Wet Fried Flounder. Amazing. I typically prefer dry rub chicken wings, but this was hands down some of the best wet rub wings I've ever had. If you don't mind waiting, I definitely recommend visiting San Tung.

Dry Fried Chicken*
Jin H.

Everyone already knows about San Tung, but truly one of the best Chinese spots in the city. The original dry fried chicken is famous for a reason, so juicy and flavorful just perfect! I like how sweet and sticky it is. Make sure to order enough of this one for the entire table. I also really like the veggies here- the sugar pea bamboo mushroom mix is super good, not overcooked at all. Green beans are a classic that can't be missed. The mushu pork here is also soooo amazing, it definitely beats the sweet and sour pork. The dumplings here are pretty standard but go really well with everything so I would recommend ordering if you're in a large party. You can't go wrong with anything here, but expect a wait!

Ivan M.

Came to San Tung for my birthday and had such a damn good time! Their famous wings definitely lived up to the hype, and the fried beef was ridiculously good. Everything came out flavorful and hit the spot. But honestly, the highlight might've been the owner with the tattoos roasting me into OBLIVION because I was wearing an LA hat Bro did not let me breathe! But it was all love and made the experience that much more memorable. He was genuinely dope, welcoming, and made sure we had a great time. Great food, great energy, and a birthday experience I won't forget. Definitely recommend San Tung if you're in San Francisco! And yes... I'm still wearing my LA hat.

Joe C.

A bit overrated San Tung on Irving Street in the Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, CA, offers a textbook overrated dining experience that struggles to justify its massive, block-spanning hype. The defining hurdle of a visit is the notorious wait time, where customers routinely stand on the sidewalk for an hour or more just to be squeezed into a cramped, noisy, and basic dining room. While the legendary original dry-fried chicken wings are decent, they ultimately fall short of their mythical reputation; the signature sweet-and-spicy glaze leans incredibly saccharine and sticky, masking meat that often turns out slightly dry and over-fried. Beyond the signature wings, the rest of the extensive menu feels surprisingly ordinary and heavy-handed with sodium, making standard dishes like the black bean sauce noodles and string beans feel like ordinary takeout rather than a destination meal. Combined with a hurried front-of-house staff operating an "all-business" conveyor belt to clear tables quickly, the rushed environment and inflated, ala-carte pricing leave you feeling like you paid premium time and money for what is ultimately a standard neighborhood Chinese spot. Thanks

Closed sign until November 19

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Reviews are largely positive. The dry fried chicken wings are widely praised, and people enjoy the fast, efficient service and generous portions.

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San Tung Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - San Tung

Do they only have one size orders?

Yes! You can sometimes choose how many wings you want etc but it's all family style! So if you wanted more you would order 2 orders

Anyone been here recently?

Yes last month and haven't been in decades and they're still busy and food is still good.

Does San Tung use MSG on their dishes?

Yes, but they only use organic, non-GMO, farm-to-table MSG. Do you have any other dumb questions?

Will San tung be open on Christmas Day?

No, they are not open on Christmas day. Great food!!

Do you do a Party Platter? How much is the dry wings party platter?

I ordered the deep-fried wings (1 dozen) and the price was $19.95. I went there the week of Christmas. The wings were fabulous!!

Do they ever run out of their wings?

Have not experienced it before. I guess to be safe, can call and ask.

Will they be open during Lunar New Year?

not sure but my guess is no - they were closed on Columbus Day 2022 haha

Do they still do online orders?

Their website indicates they do.

Why is it temporary closed and when will it reopen? Need that fix!

Not sure why it says temporarily closed, but they were open on Saturday 7/8/23.

What is the recommended attire for dining at your establishment?

Something you don't mind wearing outside in the cold for an hour, because that's likely to be how long you'll be waiting for a table.

Do they take reservations?

No they don't.

How many wings with each order?

It varies but usually about 10 which is fine when they're decent wings and drumettes, but I've had to-go orders when the wings were scrawny, just skin & bones, hardly any meat, in which case even getting 10 was not a good deal.

Has the wing recipe changed recently?

Not that I’m aware of, but after my first experience I’d never go back.

Do San Tung take Reservations?

No, there is a sign up sheet just inside the entrance.

Are you closed on Wednesdays?

No they are opened

Is this restaurant located in Chinatown?

nope! san tung is located closer to golden gate park in the inner sunset area!

Are they open Sunday?

Usually, yes! Unless they go on vacation

Did anybody know what hidden fee that they charge? I grab their take out a bit often but never pay…

When you order from their website, they charge a 4% service charge.

How long is the wait for Saturday lunch?

usually 20~ min

Open for dine in now?

Yes! Open for dine in now! Hurry before everyone finds out!

View All 82 Questions

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Everything is delicious. But must tries are the cold noodle with the spicy dipping sauce, the…read morewarabimochi (SUPER SOFT and perfect sweet level), and the best was the hot clam soba noodle (plenty of clams and the broth is soooo good). Soba is perfectly chewy Usually hate lines for food, but this is so worth it!

Came by for lunch around 12:15 PM on a Wednesday and ended up waiting about 40 minutes. When we…read morearrived, the restaurant was already full, with at least three parties waiting ahead of us. I was likely part of the second round of seating. While we waited, the line behind us grew quite long, with probably around 10 parties waiting by the time we finally got inside. One thing to note is that you don't place your order until you've secured a seat. If you're dining with someone, there's a good chance you'll have to share a table with other customers or potentially sit separately, especially if you're in a group of more than two. They have tables for four and counter seating for around three people (I think). Once you get a seat, you can place your order at the kiosk. They then call your number when your food is ready for pickup. Overall, the food was good, but probably not worth waiting in line for again. Personally, as someone who prefers udon over soba and ramen, the noodles tasted similar to what I've had at other soba restaurants. However, I did love the variety on the menu compared to your typical soba spot. Most places I've been to have cold soba with standard tempura options like shrimp, pumpkin, broccoli, etc. Here they offer more unique choices, such as fish tempura with roe, scallop kakiage, shishito pepper, etc. They also have both hot and cold soba options with a variety of toppings. I ordered the hot clam soba ($25), which was good and came with a generous amount of clams. My friend got the cold tenzaru soba ($22) with fish roe and another type of tempura. The portions were generous, and I couldn't even finish my soba noodles. Unfortunately, they don't offer takeout boxes so keep that in mind. If you want to get a seat during the first round of seating, I'd recommend lining up before they open. I'm glad I got to try this place, and I can see why people are willing to wait for it. However, I probably won't be returning since the food wasn't memorable enough for me to justify the long wait.

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Mensho Tokyo - Vegan Miso

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4.1(3.4k reviews)
3.4 mi•Lower Nob Hill
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Back in December 2018, I passed by and caught a whiff of something pleasant. There was a remarkably…read morelong line, but I decided to get in it thinking I could order quick, chow down, and be on my way. Alas! it was not to be, as I had to meet up with my group, and the line only moved in smidges. The intervening years visiting SF didn't provide me with any opportune moments to stop by. That is, until one Saturday evening August 2026 while I was walking around and by chance happened upon the same lovely scent. Although it was a few minutes before 11pm, the line to get in was closed off. Tomorrow was my last night in SF, so I made it my primary objective to dine here. Well, Sunday I was at the Chase Center till about 9:20pm where the Muni line was packed and going nowhere fast. In the spur of the moment, I ran all the way from Chase Center to Lower Nob Hill, a 2.3-mile journey, yielding to red lights and Pokémon fans. Exhausted, it was a couple minutes past 10pm when I arrived. Lo and behold, the line had not closed yet. Ordered their Signature Toripaitan ramen and was very pleased that it was ready in about two minutes. I'm not afraid to admit I literally vacuumed the contents of that bowl. Sure I was sweaty and famished, but the combination of chashu, menma, burdock root, ajitama egg, chicken broth, and every other element checked all my proverbial boxes. The waitstaff who took my order was likely aghast that I ate so violently, though she was professional and responded energetically when I showered her with thanks and praise for the meal. I also ordered a mazemen to-go for the next day's lunch, and that was a real treat. Recently, I learned that there is a location in Culver City. Heck, why wait another 8 years?

I remember the last time I was here I waited an hour in line and I still decided to come back for…read moretheir ramen a few years later! My wait this time wasn't too bad since I came on a weekday and on the earlier side. The signature toripaitan ramen featured a creamy chicken broth with al-dente, chewy mochi ramen noodles. I enjoyed both the pork and the duck meat, especially the latter with its inherent seasoning and tenderness. The mushroom pieces were tasty as well; appreciated the ratio of soup to noodles to other ingredients. I personally liked the signature over the spicy version. I very much appreciated how they keep their soup warm with a second bowl. You really can't go wrong with the enoki chips - crispy, umami, and slightly citrus-y to cut the oiliness. The line moves at a reasonable rate, given how small the space is. Probably much harder for larger parties. Every seated individual is required to order a bowl of ramen. Would come back on a weekday if I'm craving their ramen!

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3.1 mi•Tenderloin
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I've been there twice and everything I've tried is delicious!…read more They have vegetarian ramen and different, unique appetizers. Their sake is also great! There is a line to enter, but it usually goes fast. The ambiance is cozy and nice.

We were exploring town late at night and found this place on Yelp. Unfortunately, it shocked us in…read moreall the wrong ways. I'm still a little speechless 48 hours later. Granted, we came in around 9 PM, about an hour before closing, so we understood that the kitchen was getting toward the end of the night. We ordered a few dishes to share and there were actually some highlights. The scallops: These were great! Easily one of the better dishes we ordered. The karaage chicken: The chicken itself had great flavor, but the creamy sauce on top was extremely rich and ended up overpowering the chicken. I think with less sauce, this could have been a really good dish. Now, the ramen: This is where I was genuinely left speechless. I don't think I've ever had ramen with absolutely no umami. Like, none. It was one of the strangest things I've ever tasted. I was biting into something, there were textures in my mouth, it smelled great... but that was it. No depth. No richness. No umami. The broth, meat, and even the noodles somehow had almost no flavor. The only thing that really came through was the greasy chili oil that lingered on your tongue afterward. After a couple of bites, we looked at each other and decided to leave. At that point, most of the food was still sitting on the table practically untouched. Maybe we caught the kitchen on an off night, especially coming in later in the evening. The scallops showed us that there's definitely potential here, but unfortunately, the ramen was such a miss that it overshadowed the rest of the meal for us.

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