チャイナタウン

What to See in Chinatown

Grant Avenue is Chinatown's bustling main drag, lined with ornate architecture and traditional lanterns. Don't miss Waverly Place and its painted balconies, or Stockton Street for authentic produce and fish markets.

Portsmouth Square, the city's oldest public square, is known as "Chinatown's Living Room," where residents gather for tai chi and Chinese chess. Nearby, Edge on the Square is the Bay Area's first Pacific Islander-Asian American contemporary arts hub, part of the reinvention of Chinatown happening today. St. Mary's Square offers a quieter counterpoint, home to a statue of Sun Yat-Sen, across from the historic Old St. Mary's Cathedral, built in 1854.

The recently renovated Great Star Theater (636 Jackson Street) hosts movies, theater, and Chinese opera. The Chinese Cultural Center (750 Kearny Street) and Chinese Historical Society Museum (965 Clay Street), home to more than 22,000 artifacts, showcase the neighborhood's heritage.

Celebrate Lunar New Year: Every February, Chinatown comes alive with parades, fireworks, and festivals. Check our visitor's guide to Lunar New Year and the latest parade and event details for one of the city's most unforgettable annual celebrations.

Best Restaurants in Chinatown

No visit is complete without dim sum. The Hang Ah Tea Room (1 Pagoda Place), tucked in a back alley, is America's oldest dim sum parlor, open since 1920. The Eastern Bakery (720 Grant Avenue) is known for its mooncakes, and the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory (56 Ross Alley) has baked San Francisco's own invention since 1962. For more picks, see our full guide to where to eat in Chinatown.

For fine dining, Mister Jiu's (28 Waverly Place), helmed by James Beard Award winner Brandon Jew, blends Cantonese tradition with modern California flavor. Empress by Boon (838 Grant Avenue), led by Michelin-starred chef Ho Chee Boon, occupies a historic banquet hall with views over Portsmouth Square.

Things to Do in Chinatown at Night

Chinatown's dive bar scene is legendary: sip a drink from a Buddha-shaped glass at The Buddha Lounge (901 Grant Avenue), or visit Li Po Lounge (916 Grant Avenue), an Anthony Bourdain favorite, for a mai tai spiked with their secret "Chinese Liquor." For something more polished, Moongate Lounge at Mister Jiu's serves seasonal cocktails, while The Lion's Den (57 Wentworth Place), the neighborhood's newest club, offers live music and DJs.