real dim sum in S.F. Chinatown

[Amy Viny]

What are the best Chinatown dim sum restaurants. WHere would you go?

[annachan]

I don't eat there often enough to know what's best. But Lychee Gardens is one that my parents prefer.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I gotta say that the best dim sum isn't in Chinatown...

Daly City's Koi Palace is a clear favorite by many (including me) - after that, Yank Sing follows up a close second (technically in the Mission district, close to the Tenderloin).

[Stu-i-moto]

Lychee Garden is very authentic - and inexpensive

Koi Palace is good, but bring your patience as well as your pocketbook - it'll take forever - and it's not cheap - but the food is good.

Yank Sing - good if you want Americanized dim sum - good but not as authentic as other options out there.

[hzrt8w]

What are the best Chinatown dim sum restaurants. WHere would you go?

←

How "real" do you want it to be? Must it be inside Chinatown?

My opinion has always been that most dim sum restaurants in SF Chinatown are over the hill. The "had been" or "once was".

There are a few that I like along Geary, around 25th or so. Mayflower and Parc Hong Kong are worth visiting.

Edited October 29, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[cstuart]

I agree with most of the posters here - Lichee Garden for the cheap(but good), Chinatown experience, and Koi Palace for the more expensive, really good, but out of the city dim sum spot.

Yank Sing is good also, but not in Chinatown and fairly expensive for dim sum.

Carolyn, aren't both Yank Sing locations downtown, in the financial district or soma? I wouldn't mind one opening in the mission though.

[Hest88]

*In* Chinatown I usually go to Pearl City on Jackson if I'm with people who don't care about atmosphere. It's basic dim sum, cheap and filling, and they sometimes have "special" items like big beignet-type doughnuts. If I'm with work people we go to City View (on Commercial?) which has a somewhat nicer atmosphere.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Carolyn, aren't both Yank Sing locations downtown, in the financial district or soma?  I wouldn't mind one opening in the mission though. 

←

Probably - I am very new to the city and the neighborhoods (and their names) tend to run together in my head so where downtown ends and the mission district starts always confuses me...

[alanamoana]

i just went to "great eastern" on jackson at grant. i thought it was reasonably authentic with pretty good quality dim sum.

they don't have carts...they have a carbon copy menu and give you a pencil. you mark off what you want and then they start bringing stuff to the table. very hot and fresh.

the amazing thing about the place is the service. very good. they poured water, served the food quickly, cleared dishes, brought clean plates about halfway through.

only quibble is that i felt lightheaded afterwards. i don't know if there was too much salt or if they used msg. i've never really had that happen, so it could have been something completely different afflicting me, but i guess i'll never know.

at any rate, if i'm in sf, i wouldn't say no to eating there again