SF Chinatown

Unlike Japantown which seems to have a dwindling number of Japanese people and is a tourist trap, Chinatown has a steady (though aging) Chinese population and is also a tourist trap (in places). Depending on where you are (like Grant Avenue), it’s even more marketed towards tourists, with people handing you pamphlets for nearby restaurants if you’re wearing a backpack.

The main touristy areas are along Grant Avenue. Dragon’s Gate (map) is on Grant and Bush. Stockton Street is less touristy, with more grocery stores, but is still pretty touristy. In fact, though, I still don’t know the non-touristy areas.

Anyways, here are some places to check out.

Dim Sum Bistro (map)

I think this is a pretty decent and cheap dim sum place. All the dim sum is to-go (currently) and there’s sometimes a line for it. (Though I think there’s a longer line for a different dim sum place on Stockton, which I haven’t been to.) The lady working here seems pretty nice, though very… uh… efficient or rushed.

Li Po Lounge

Cocktail lounge famous for its Chinese Mai-tais. They’re pretty strong. The vibe is pretty casual or even dive-bar-y. The lady working here is also pretty nice.

Moongate Lounge

A cocktail lounge on the second floor of Mister Jiu’s. Pretty nice. I had a spicy cocktail there. No wait, I had a normal cocktail with ma-la (numbing) spicy chips. Those were pretty good. The vibe here is a bit more upscale. Some people that go here are just waiting for their table to open up at Mister Jiu’s.

Cold Drinks Bar

A cocktail lounge on the second floor of China Live. You enter on the right side of China Live, following stairs with bats on the wall.

Decent cocktails, and it reminds me a lot of the kinds of cocktail bars you’d find in Shanghai.

Blind Pig

Blind Pig is a “speakeasy” in what used to be a restaurant called “Cathay House” on the corner of Grant and California.

It has pretty decent cocktails and decent view of Grant Avenue. Honestly, it almost reminds me of Liquid Laundry in Shanghai, but just much much less busy.

Portsmouth Square

Watch people play cards. Cower in fear from the swarms of pigeons here.

Comfort Women statue (map)

A statue on a roof in Saint Mary’s Square, on the corner of Kearny and Pine. Interesting statue and history, and there’s also kind of a view since you’re a roof overlooking Kearny Street.

Tea tasting

There are many places along Grant to do tea tasting. Off the top of my head, there’s Vital Tea Leaf and Red Blossom. I think I’ve only briefly been to Vital Tea Leaf, but I can’t remember it. I haven’t been to Red Blossom, so I can’t compare it.

Random alleys

This isn’t a specific place. I just mean you should look around some of the random alleys. I think there was one on Jackson Street around Duncombe Alley that had a random shop in Chinese that seemed to only sell cigarettes. Pretty sure it was illegal.