China Live Reviews

If you're strolling through Chinatown and wants to taste good asiatic food without preoccupations, go there. Great food price accordingly. Try the Dim Sum!

Food was food and some authentic Chinese food. The restaurant is loud with music and noise, does not recommend for any meetings. Good menu and good taste

We booked dinner at China Live as a family of 4 from the UK; the restaurant had been recommended by someone in SF and the reviews looked good. It was very busy when we arrived, and stayed busy throughout - it all felt a bit chaotic and rushed. Food arrived at different times, so we ended up not really eating together. Staff were very pleasant and attentive. Food itself was ok, but not wow compared to what we've eaten in other European cities and in China itself. A nice night, but not very relaxing and maybe better for friends and groups rather than families

Looks like a very nice restaurant but outside of Open Table seemingly impossible to contact. Trying to make a reservation for group of 11 which cannot be done on Open Table but number on ChinaLive website is automated message and option to speak t a person goes to dead line. If you read the Trip Advisor reviews - post a working contact number!

A nice surprise this restaurant. Very nice and nice place and staff. The food is very rich, abundant and well presented. The price somewhat high, but similar to other places in SF

What a fantastic concept - shopping and food! Food and service very good. The mayor even showed up when we were there so that brings a level of chaotic excitement! Manager is a gem at accommodating so many! Bar is nuts and fun!

We came here 5 years ago and wanted to return to try their amazing sweet pork filled buns. What a great night. Amazing server who was super helpful with the menu and guiding us on dishes and portions. We had a chicken and seared steak dish with satay chicken and the pork buns and it was amazing. The only negative was the upstairs bar at the beginning of the night, we were told to head up to the bar whilst our table was cleared but it was chaos upstairs with sulky staff and also cost us $30 for two beers - what!!!! However China Live was brilliant but give the upstairs bar a miss!

I am an unabashed lover of Dim Sum, so I was extraordinarily pleased. Everything we ordered was amazing, but the soup dumplings and the suckling pig were both truly "next level" good. I was afraid the upscale location would take away from the authenticity, but it must have allowed them to recruit an all-star team of chefs and servers. Absolutely wonderful!

Best restaurant in Chinatown! Beautiful, cool place, modern decor, good music and wonderful food!!! We will certainly be back! We ate the pork ribs with glaze sauce (incredible explosion of flavors) and the pasta with vegetables and various meats, also spectacular!

China Live hosted a special free vegan tasting at their beautiful restaurant on the edge of Chinatown in San Francisco this afternoon. It started off with champagne and some brief comments from the head chef. Brian, the head of special guest services, remarked that Chinese food has been vegetable-forward for thousands of years. Then we moved on to eating: braised string beans, mapo tofu, sichuan eggplant, and lettuce cups, all of which were delicious, my favorite being the string beans. China Live now has 11 vegan items on the menu, so there’s more for us to try another time.

We went to China Live on our family trip to San Francisco and stopped here to eat since is so hard these days with the covid situation to find an eat-in restaurant. Food here is good but the portions are rather small and if you come here with your whole family be prepared to spend more money than expected. That said, we enjoyed every dish very much, it tasted fresh and done to perfection except for the steamed white rice that to my surprise was not the usual sticky, chewy perfectly cooked that you get at literally any chinese restaurant. The servers were very attentive and on top of our every need but then again it was not busy at all. We would like to see how they handle a busier environment. Nonetheless, thumbs up for their great service. They are doing a great job by serving people and they have tables outside and handling the covid regulations pretty good.

Great vibe and mix of clientele. Staff was warm, friendly, and helpful. I felt right at home. Food was imaginative and good with a few excellent dishes (shaved Mango ice dessert is a real winner). The interspersed gift shop was attractive and helped make the atmosphere upbeat and fun. Will definitely try to dine there with my family on my next trip to San Francisco!

Modern setting light, clean and buzzing. Good service with honest opinion that we had ordered on the generous side. The food was excellent as described and so tasty. Visited on a Tuesday and it was very busy. The noise level was high which made conversation a little difficult at times. The restaurant was very clean we had walked past earlier in day and they were cleaning the pavement Would highly recommend .

Spectacular!!! Exact quantity, delicious variety! Kindness! The place meets the flavor but in a modern way! Matcha lava cake!!! Great sake!!!

Cool looking place, a very attentive and enthusiastic waiter. We over ordered and took the left overs away with us. We mostly ordered recommendations and they were all good. I had a couple of cocktails, one wasn’t to my liking so they took it away and didn’t charge me for it, nice!

Around 7 to 8 pm decided we would do Chinese food for dinner in San Francisco Chinatown not realizing most places close between 7:30 and 9:00 pm. A quick 10 minutes walk from our hotel at 8:15 pm lead us to the one restaurant in the area closing at 10 pm, China Live where it was a 45 minutes wait. Our server, the Sesame Soft Serve Mango Shaved Ice and the decor was excellent! That was pretty much it! China Live comes in no where near a New York City or Alhambra, CA Chinatown experience. Underwhelming dishes lacking flavor with excessive prices. Very limited Dim Sum options. 4 Soup Dumplings was $19, Chicken Wings $18. A very small side of Peking Duck was $29. Yangzhou Fried Rice $21 included barely there baby Shrimp. Crispy Skin Roasted Pork Belly very small plate was $20. Tsingtao Beer was $9. If in San Francisco Chinatown looking for classic Chinese food China Live is not the place. I suggest get out early for a better classic authentic experience.

A big thank you to Sharon (greeter) & Michael (server) for a wonderful first experience at China Live. Sharons warm welcome and sense of humour started the experience brilliantly and Michaels friendly service and menu knowledge helped make it a great experience. The food is really tasty (the crispy duck is amazing!) a heads u that the serving sizes are pretty generous! Well look forward to visiting again

So very loud! Note that they charge a 20% gratuity, so beware of tipping a second time. Food was expensive & not that great. Plus they rushed us by bring things right on top of each other. We had the pork dumplings, which were very good. The fried rice with shrimp & pork was not very flavorful. The garlic chicken was okay. My hot green tea was unusually bitter but the oolong they substituted was very good.

Service was great. Our family was bought up on Cantonese style Chinese and didn’t find any of the dishes appealing. It seems like a popular restaurant. Just not our cup of tea. :)

Visited during a weekday with two friends. No reservation, no wait. Delicious Betelnut Minced Chicken Lettuce Cup, Sweet & Sour Glazed Pork Ribs, Scallops in Abalone Sauce, Yangzou Fried Rice with pork and Shrimp, and the incredible Sichaun Blistered Green Beans. Server requested gluten free preparations if available. Will make China Live a regular stop on future trips to SF. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous place, friendly staff and extremely quick service (the food literally arrived in 5 minutes). The portions were very big but everything we ate was delicious, would definitely recommend to anyone who likes chinese food!!

We sat outdoors with a great sidewalk area complete with heaters. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The dumplings and the Peking duck were delish! Beware of the strong pour on the drinks!

The food is good, but the real star is the space. China Live is a hipster joint with lots of varied spaces for seating. It's pleasant, fun, and a good way to pass the evening with friends. They only take reservations for groups of 6+, otherwise it is walk in. The food is tasty and interesting, but somewhat on the pricey side. Dishes are not huge, so order more than you'd normally do. We didn't order lots of dishes and we still spent about $40 for a fairly light meal. Lotsa shared dishes, not all easily divisible. All good. Overall, I'd go again. Not for people who are price sensitive or get bummed by small portions!

Great vibe to this place and great food. We sat at the bar and everything we ate and drank was top notch. Big shout out to the bar team Tim, Magdealena and Jorge who looked after us and made the evening such fun along the way. We’d happily go back tomorrow.?

House Famous Kung Pao Firecracker Chicken, this is the dish to order. Really tasty food, very modern restaurant in the middle of China town only open in past 2 years. Well worth a visit, staff very friendly and attentive

We were so looking forward to coming to China Live for several reasons: We heard it billed as a Chinese version of Eataly. And, then we read that it's from the chef from Betelnut, one of our favorite places for years and years. Wow, this is gonna be great. We ensured we were starving because we figured we would want to stuff ourselves. First thing: the Market is tiny- more of a souvenir shop. Clearly this is not like Eataly. Unless there's an entire second and third floor of markets and shopping (There is not). Actually the very first thing was how easy it was to get a reservation- wiiiiiiide open. Bad sign. Someplace like this should have lines out the door and be booked up for weeks, given the combination of foodie San Franciscans and tourists. It was a bit concerning that you could get a reservation for any size group anytime you wanted it. Hmmmmmm. The space is beautifully designed and modern. When we opened the menu we were really excited. Creative dishes and twists on old favorites with unexpected flavors. Prices were high. Actually, prices were ludicrous. But, we kind of expected that. Things went downhill as soon as the waiter arrived. Talk. About. Arrogant. Could not stand him three minutes in. He spoke as if this place was the hottest ticket in town. He took one of our menus and started marking it up with a pen indicating what he recommended. It wasn't done in a friendly way- just an obnoxious way. But, we were still excited to try the food. And, most of the food was very good. The SJB dumplings were very good. Super crisp on the bottom and a nice texture. Seemed a bit lukewarm though- and they came out instantly. We wondered if they had been sitting there for a while. But, still good. The bao with the "dutch crunch" was really unique and interesting and everyone loved them. This is the type of twist on the old classics that was really unique and interesting. Peking Duck also had a twist with a sesame bun. This one didn't work for me, though others liked it. The bun was kind of flat and hard, and there was way too much cucumber. Chow Mein was very good. Soup dumplings good but nothing special. The scallion bread was not what we expected- tasted a bit like donuts. not sweet but seemed a bit sweet. Not what we expected, but I can imagine some liking them. Overall the food quality was good. If I were rating solely the food, I'd give it 3 1/2 to 4 stars. It's the service that pulls down my overall rating. Wow. where do I start. Well, I already noted the obnoxious introduction to our waiter (I won't name him here but am happy to give management his name if they are interested), when he marked up the menu. Several mistakes: One of our beverages never came, jasmine rice never came, we ordered oolong tea and green tea came. When we said that it was the wrong tea, the waiter said "well you haven't steeped it long enough" and challenged us. It was clear he knew ZERO about chinese teas. We had to insist- no, we know what oolong tea looks like compared to green tea. He was not at all nice about making the switch. We actually were going to order more of the SJB dumplings, but he was nowhere to be found. We finally said- forget it, we need to get out of here. The whole experience was leaving such a bad taste in our mouths. We finally found him and asked him to bring the check. He brings it and launches into this 'you guys are SUCH rock stars..." WTF dude? What an arrogant jerk this waiter was. Made the whole experience so incredibly unpleasant. And it seemed like this low level of service was par for the course here. I saw two separate parties get up from their table and go to the desk to get their check because they couldn't find their waiter. And, saw one couple who had been seated stand up and leave after 15 minutes of noone coming to wait on them. They just got up and walked out. Don't blame them at all. And keep in mind- the place was NOT at all busy at this time. One thing we noticed is that many of the waiters were occupied packing up orders for DoorDash and other delivery services. There were quite a few delivery guys waiting around. I think that actually sums things up pretty well about ChinaLive- the food is good, so people want it. But, by getting it delivered they avoid the horrific service experience. What a huge huge disappointment. The concept of an Eataly style emporium of chinese food, with an actual marketplace. From the makers of a top notch restaurant. It's still a great idea, and SF is a great place for it. Guess it will fall to someone else to achieve it.

If you are on the search for some fresh and delicious Chinese food, you have found it here. Restaurant was so clean, and the food was the best!

They had a number of what I considered to be unique dishes on the menu, like chicken curry with brussel sprouts. Great flavours, everything tasted very fresh. We ordered 8 dishes plus one dessert for 6 people, as recommended by our server, and it was plenty of food ... excellent service. It's certainly not a quiet, intimate dinning experience so don't bother going if that's what you're looking for but as a fun and lively open canteen-style restaurant it was a great experience.

We visited this restaurant on a recommendation and we are pleased we did. The food was very tasty and the service great. Some large portion sizes so don’t order to much. Would recommend for anyone visiting San Francisco

We visited as a family of four whilst on holiday from the UK. Food was good, but the pricing was extortionate for what we had, in fact the most expensive Chinese we have ever had. There is an old saying that you get what you pay for, but this wasn’t the case here. The service was also average. All in all, a nice meal, but way overpriced and not great service. Not good value for money and wouldn’t rush back.

A mix of a market and a restaurant, it is a great place to try Chinese food. The dumplings and the duck are really good. Do not forget to buy the fortune cookies with chocolate.

We visited China Live at the recommendation of a local millennial. Knowing that it could go either way, we had prepared an exit plan. However, when we entered the restaurant through its elegant tea and gift shop, we realized that we were here to stay. The chic, minimal interior invokes a modern menu Food favorites are reimagined and quite inventive. The Peking duck comes in a pita pocket, while homemade dumplings float in unexpected broths. Our only regret was not saving room for dessert. The matcha cheesecake and homemade sorbets looked divine.

Amazing food. #97 out of 5000 reviews. It's massive in here along with a market. Food is cooked fresh we had the bruslle sprouts dim some and a big fat chow mein. We'll worth a visit if ever in san fransico.

Dinner and atmosphere were amazing! We sat at the counter and got to watch the staff make the dumplings. Such a fun experience! Service wasn’t anything to write home about, but we still loved our experience. Highly recommend!

Daily menu to accommodate seasonal changes. Delicious food cooked to order from the different areas of the kitchens around the dining hall. Noise levels quite high so not suitable for all types of meals. Portion sizes good so don’t overirfer. Being British and not used to “forced” to tip, I was a bit taken back by 3 percentages of tip being pre calculated on the bill and ringed in pen to bring it to my attention!

Underwhelming and overpriced. Based on the reviews we went for dinner specifically for Peking duck. A total disappointment. $24 for a 1/4 of a very small duck. Flavorless is the best I can say. The same for the roast pig. I prepare both dishes and was hoping for a cooking lesson. I got a lesson on what not to do. The prices are just absurd.

Over priced, with a very limited menu in a really nice setting. We left hungry & disappointed, would not recommend sadly.

We booked here because having researched Chinese restaurants in the area this was quite high on the list. We were so glad we did. Fantastic food, friendly staff who were attentive and quick with service; we were even approached by one of the partners (which you don’t see every day anywhere else!) Doug who was down to earth, checked we were enjoying our food then carried on his way. A huge place which was quite full for early evening and a great atmosphere / vibe. I would highly recommend it.

Everything was excellent, the only negative note was too much noise in the room. I highly recommend this place……..

We had a great lunch. Service was good, the lunch menus made it easy to order. We had tasty dim sum and bbq combos.

We had a nice meal here. As a couple We were told to have 3 or 4 dishes so we ordered the pork belly, dim sum, chicken and a veggie rice dish. The waitress who was very friendly and good company said that was a great mix. The food arrived and tasted great (especially the pork belly!) however, there was enough food to feed 4 or 5 people and as we are visiting the city we couldn’t take the vast amount of leftovers back. We were therefore made to feel a little bit like we’d been encouraged to over order and therefore pay more.

I ordered Pork, Chicken, Beef Subgum Shanghai Fat Noodles, paid over $40 for this one dish. There are two tiny coin sized pieces of cabbage, a limp ovrcooked green bean and a tiny sliver of shitake mushroom. There IS NOT ONE PIECE OF MEAT IN THE DISH, AND ALMOST NO. EGETABLES. $40 FOR COLD THICK NOODLES. caviar delivery service does not allow a return.

We came here because of reviews on goggle. We were not so sure if were going to like it but we wanted to have Chinese food. ABSOLUTELY loved it! So much that we came again on another night! The decor is sublime.... modern, clean and hip! They have a small shop while you wait with great stuff! Try everything! Loved the fried rice! On the pricy side, but what's not in San Francisco?

Very busy fun lively place Lots of great choices. The staff was not very helpful but the food is amazing and perfect to share Go for the dumplings and the duck options The dessert is awful but everything else is good and interesting The store is fun too

If your in San Francisco don't miss out on the Delicious Chinese cuisine at China Live at 644 Broadway. We tried the House famous Kung Pao Chicken, Shanghi ' Fat' Chow mein & a few other dishes. All I can say is the food was excellent. We were looked after by Kiyoshi who talked us through the various dishes. Excellent service from the time we arrived through finishing our meal. Yes there is a 20% gratuity included but we were made aware of this prior to being seated and again when we went to pay the bill. The service we received was well worth the 20% service charge. Great atmosphere.

We walked in after exploring China Town. We heard a number of people say that they trekked to get in the day before but we’re nit successful. We got a table right away. We have the pork dim sum, and the chicken with jasmine rice, as well as the radish and daikon salad. All was exceptionally tasty. The daikon was a bit salty for my taste - but I understood what the concept was. Great service and a good ambiance.

Food was ok, nothing special. Definitely expected more. Service not the best. We waited for our duck for more than 30 minutes. Would not go back. Very big space, looks cool, crowded with tourists.

Its a shop and a restaurant. On the edge of China town, very cool trendy and busy but the food was no better than our local chinese at home. Peking duck came in a roll - its really better in a pancake! The dim sum was a bit slimy. Good experience, food not so much

This is a large, friendly restaurant that fills and gets loud because everyone is having fun! There are multiple kitchen stations and you can see the different dishes being made in each. Great cocktail menu, wide selection of dishes (try the bao!), and don't miss dessert. There is a marketplace incorporated that sells spices, tea, and some of their signature condiments. Very fun, and easy to find.

Food was good but service not. First of all we saw a show so we had a 9:15 reservation. But at 9:20 they told us kitchen was closing so we had to rush order everything. Why would they take a 9:15 res if they weren’t open late?!! On top of that they included a 20% tip for our party of four but didn’t tell us so we ended up leaving 40% and felt scammed!!

The food was fresh and tasty,had their most solicited dish and it was solid. Kang Pao chicken and Brussel sprouts were very goods. Decor is nice. Why this isn only 3 stars out of 5 is their forced gratuity policy out of a $119 bill $40+ was tax and tip? 25% forced gratuity for a table of 2? Just bonkers and highway robbery. Not coming back.

We tried this restaurant based on the reviews after not wanting to wait 2 hours to get in to Z & Y Chinese restaurant. Although we had no reservation, we were able to be seated in the counter overlooking the fast paced but well organized kitchen. I would have given 5 stars but the price was on the steep side and it is not real Chinese food as it was not meant be. It is a modern fusion of their take on the classic Western Chinese food. *Trust me when I say that unless your Chinese, you would not like eating real Chinese food. The ambience is loud but has a very high energy level to it. It is fun, delicious and just what China town needed to outpace the very tourist restaurants that serve deep fried this and that for un-passable Chinese food. The Peking duck in a sesame sandwich roll were very good and 2 per person is just right. What is amazing is the sheer genius of the organization of this place. Never have I seen such a high level of almost German-like precision in which the orders are carried out from order to table. Kudos for not missing a beat at anytime during our dining experience. The experience from the time you walk out to the time you leave will one you will remember. If they would open one of these in Las Vegas, they would "Kill it" and never look back. Go here, don't go elsewhere.

This place really surprised me. The food was out of this world. The best I have had in a long time. We were a large group so we just had them bring us a bit of everything. There are 3 kitchens that each prepare different dishes. I actually thought we were done after the first kitchen and was satisfied and then the food kept coming. It was so delicious you had to try everything. The cocktails were delicious as well.

Just a couple of nights ago our next-door neighbors recommended China Live to us; they were definitely fans. That combined with their participation in SF Restaurant Week convinced my spouse and me that we should give it a try. Well, we did and decided their Restaurant Week offer is amazing! It included a local draft beer with the meal. We chose a couple of appetizers: pork dumplings in a sauce of chili oil/sesame paste and a couple of Peking duck "sandwiches" in sesame pockets. The pockets were baked, which made them much tastier than the usual doughy steamed buns. Entrees were a chow mein with shrimp, chicken, and pork followed by half a crispy-skinned chicken. The former was made with udon noodles rather than the customary thin wheat noodles, and the latter was juicy and garlicky. Every bite was delicious; our neighbors sure weren't exaggerating! After we finished, they sent us off with two bottles of their house-made chili sauce. What a deal, especially considering that their usual prices are quite a bit higher. The service was great, and the decor throughout the entire complex (shops and restaurants) is attractive and very clean. It seems to be popular and has a lively, trendy vibe. I heartily recommend China Live, especially if you can get there before this deal ends on January 31.

Delicious innovative Chinese cuisine in a marketplace like setting. The fried pork dumplings were juicy and delicious, and the honey-glazed char siu pork was excellent. The garlic noodles were buttery and amazing. XLB were good, as was the small Peking duck wraps.

I was in this lovely restaurant with 2 my teens girls, so the total of our company 3 persons. Our food was good, service was ok, but...... 20% Service fee was added to our bill and $7.5 SF Mandate fee. What is this?

Awesome food and super friendly stuff They have vegetarian dishes and a good selection of gluten free options.

The food is good. Some of the better Chinese food in SF. But I would not recommend attending during peak hours. They take way too many to go orders and the kitchen could not keep up. It took about 90 minutes for us to get our food

The place is huge & so vibrant with conversations & activity! In fact, the decibel level is above 85, which means customers are really enjoying themselves and you may need noise cancelling headphones if you are there by yourself. The food is absolutely delicious & our waiter knew every detail about every dish & was so attentive & helpful with selections. Don't go there if you want a quiet, romantic dinner as you will be shouting at your date. But go with your friends, family, co-workers and anybody else who loves good food and wants to vibe!

Really loved this Chinese Restaurant. Great to visit as part of a walking trip through China Town. Recommend booking in advance as it is packed. Despite having a booking we still had to wait 15 mins after our sitting to get seated and the organisation was slightly chaotic with people waiting on the stairs that lead down to the restaurant and shop. Apart from that slight niggle everything was fantastic. The food very tasty, the service exemplary. As a family we chose 4 mains and 2 starters and that was ample (we didn't finish everything). Recommend this restaurant to all.

Wonderful meal in the most modern chinese restaurant I’ve been in. Ample space between tables was also nice All meals were enjoyable, with each of the group having different favourites. Will definitely go back again

Decided to give this place a try after my first choice for dinner was closed. The food was good the decor was excellent. But this restaurant is family style dining. Is not a good choice for anyone dining alone. I had the Peking Duck Bites & Roasted Garlic Green Beans.

I've been back a few times now because I've found the right way to navigate the menu. There are a lot of options on the page, half of which aren't great, and half of which are amazing and some of the best in class. The first dumplings (SJB I want to say) that come in the 4 set are among the best prepared I've had anywhere in the world. Their soup dumplings were quite good as well. Also enjoyed the Peking duck. Service is efficient, no muss no fuss. Nice atmosphere/vibe. I would skip the ramen and lotus buns.

China live was in front of out hotel and we were searching places to eat and almost every place was closing down. We found this place open and tried. We were pleasantly surprised when we entered that place was full with amazing crowd. Food and service were out of the world.

The food was fine. Not really Chinese. A bit overpriced. Two Of the four people liked it more. But i admit it was different just not Great

This food was fantastic. The ambience is super cool and pretty. Lively place for sure. The pork buns and filet steak dish were fabulous but the rice was out of this world. I have no idea how they got rice to taste so light and fluffy. Just delicious!!!

From the start (hostess) to finish (again the hostess), the service was warm, welcoming and friendly. The restaurant itself is chic and hip with open kitchens. The food is delicious albeit more Amerasian than what you’d expect from Chinatown yet it was delicious and flavorful with a twist. The owners/managers were hands on and hospitable. They approached every table to chat and to welcome us. The place is a must to visit if you want a SF/NY night out experience.

Poor poor service very bad acoustics, literally no options for simple food, long wait time for a table

Excellent experience and food! We had crab spring rolls and chicken lettuce wraps for starters. Kung Pao Chicken and Jasmine rice was plenty for us to share. We are glad we followed the recommendation of our hotel staff. I can certainly recommend this restaurant for its authenticity and great service!

Beautiful discovery of this restaurant in China Town. The dishes are delicious and some particularly generous, but the service warns you and you can trust it widely. Awards are therefore relatively moderate and contained if trusted in the services that will guide you without problems. A little nugget.

In the heart of China town is this trendy restaurant….The restaurant has a very nice atmosphere the food and the service very good !

If you’re in San Francisco, you want to have one night of Chinese Dinner, but there’s hundreds of restaurants and who knows what you might get. Well, China Live is a winner.....big time. Large restaurant with tables, bench tables and bar tables. This is one happening place so best to make reservations. Menu is extensive and outstanding. Barbecued Pork is extraordinary, charred broccoli, incredible Fried Dumplings and great fried rice. Limited wine menu, as have all Chinese Restaurants, but this is truly a great spot. It has a Chinese Market of gift ware, there’s a terrific vibe and excellent food. You cannot go wrong. I’d guess $75.00 per person including wine and tip. Excellent!

what a great trendy Chinees restaurant in Chinatown Frisco try the dum sim specialty of the house i whish we have these restaurants in Amsterdam that would be a great hit! we asked for a doggy bag but we at all 😜

Great restaurant. Very good food, great attention and very beautiful location. A little pricey but good worth for the quality

We got recommended this restaurant via a friend who told us it was ‘the best restaurant in China town’. From walking in the very cool shop, walking through the vast restaurant, looking at the interiors and smelling the amazing food coming from the various cooking stations throughout the restaurant it was clear to see why. The restaurant was buzzing on a busy Friday lunchtime. We ordered the lunch menu and an added side of chine spice fried chicken (a welcome addition). In hindsight we probably over ordered but we were keen to try as much as possible. My personal favourite dish was the roast pork buns. So fluffy and delicious. We had a sober lunch, but from what I could see out of the corner of my eye, the cocktails looked lovely too.

Went with reservation as a single diner. Happy to be put at counter "chef's table" at this very big, busy techie Chinese emporium. I was ignored. Any menu advice was rushed and server was disinterested. Couple on my right were comped for some reason. Had great service. Couple on my left came after me and was served before me. Waiter told me to ask my neighbors for soy sauce etc . Had to get up and walk to liquor serving station for a glass of wine. Lastly, what server did suggest was so ordinary. A professional well run shop interested in good food, that ACCEPTED my reservation, does not perform like this. My mistake. Dont make it yours.

To enter, you walk through the gift shop which features pottery and tea service. The menu is extensive and the food is meant to be shared and they encourage you to order about 2 dishes each. Everything we ordered was great from the Dim Sum to the Singapore Laska and shrimp soup.

My two-star rating is for a couple of reasons. My newlywed husband and I were gifted a card as a wedding gift. for ChinaLive SF so we decided to use it a week later. I had no impression of this restaurant and only have heard of it vaguely. He's from Asia and I've traveled around Asia several times eating in several different countries and here in SF and across America so we both have a pretty good idea of what the food should taste like etc. We're very disappointed because the food that was ordered was not only very expensive and hardly worth the cost. We ordered Shanghai Fat Chow Mein Pork, shrimp, chicken & veggies. It was not fried rice as I'd asked for instead it was udon noodles and hardly tasted like chow mein. He ordered the Sheng Jian Bao which was ok. The Peking duck pockets were very disappointing as he said that it tasted not fresh and wasn't good quality duck. The other main dish that he was really looking forward to, Mapo Tofu stir-fry which he'd asked for beef and was told that only pork was available. He said that it tasted as though it was super salty, tasted like it had been microwaved. We're not sure why at 5:47 they wouldn't have beef available. It wasn't until tonight that he let me know that he felt that the lady taking his order over the phone was speaking to him in a condescending tone. I was listening but they spoke Mandarin so I have no idea. I did go with him inside to pick up our order. I have no idea why what we ordered was $98. We'd asked for 2 diet cokes and received two mini-bar sized bottles for $6.50 they were warm and also needed a bottle opener. I don't carry a bottle opener. It seems to me that there are many other better Chinese restaurants offering better food many of them that we frequent all over town. We're in the Noe Valley area so we don't get to Chinatown that often. I've mentioned to our friend who gifted us the wedding present and let him know about our experience and that perhaps he choose other restaurants to spend his money. It wasn't until also mentioning to one of our neighbors about our experience that she says her Sister felt the same from a similar experience and refuses to eat there again. Thought you should now.

China Live had delicious food in a lively Chinatown restaurant, offering an upstairs bar, multiple seating options and shopping. Items for sale included loose leaf tea, table top items, books, bamboo steamers, clothing and more! The service was excellent and although our dim sum entrée was forgotten, they tried their best to quickly prepare it and brought it right over; however, we had to enjoy it at the end of our meal. The atmosphere was lively, prices were on par with other restaurants of the same caliber and we would definitely return!

Be hungry! The setting is comfortable & lively, the service was very good, and the food…OMG! The Lobster Crab Hand rolls are heaven. Butter Garlic Noodles are to die for. Impossible Wontons…yes! This place is very good!

So visited San Francisco and one of my choices was this place and lucky it turned out well. Had dim sum first time not our bag but we tried. Chicken curry was awesome if I’m in area we will definitely return.

Decided to go to this restaurant as it was highly rated on Tripadvisor We arrived, it was busyish and were warmly greeted. It took a few moments to be seated. The decor was nice. Our waitress came and took our food order together with our drink order. I had ordered a rice dish, and my partner had ordered a curry. This was our first time here, and our server did not explain the menu to us. Within minutes my rice dish arrived. Before our drinks, which were about 10 minutes after. The couple seated behind us complained because they had arrived before us and other guests and had not been seen too. My partner told me to start as rice goes cold quickly. Approximately 15 minutes after the drinks, so 25 minutes into my meal we had to ask where my partner’s dish was. All the while other servers were talking to customers and explaining how the menu worked Eventually when the meal arrived it was nice, and flavoursome, but the taste had been tarnished by the whole experience. Personally, I would not come back

Positives were the Peking Duck sesame “pockets” - small buns stuffed with the duck, vegetables and spices - and the “Working Hands” dumplings with impossible meat. Very flavorful. Waitress should have advised us that the Peking Duck would be room temperature - or was that not the way it was supposed to be? Negatives included the very bland Kung Pao “firecracker” chicken - no fire at all! One person in our party had mentioned that she couldn’t eat bell peppers. She didn’t order the dish, but the bell peppers were delivered uncooked on the side, and apparently no hot peppers were included in the cooking of the dish. Finally, we had discussed whether the “Chow Mein” dish could be prepared without the pork. We ultimately decided to order something else, but apparently the waitress got confused and sent us this dish without the pork. What the dish consisted of was lots of Lo Mein noodles with a sparse amount of chicken, shrimp and vegetables. And the flavor overall reminded me of canned Chop Suey. Fortunately, each table has a jar of chili bean sauce to add to the food. But I would have preferred that was not necessary.

Our family had a lovely meal. Great variety of authentic Chinese dishes, including xiao long baus and Taiwanese beef noodles. The service was great and they use their own sauces which are for sale at the shop. Clean environment and good atmosphere. If you don’t want to go to a cheap, seedy Chinese restaurant, then China Live is s great option.

Do not miss this restaurant! Best Chinese food in town. Traditional yet modern. Our server was very helpful in directing us to perfect food choices. The pan fried dumplings are over the top delicious. I will think of these often and wish for them again! You must order these. We also tried the sesame ice cream. Seems odd but I would order it again and again. Next visit to San Francisco I’ll be eating here again!

Overpriced. Rushed service. Below average Chinese food. Disappointed. There are much better options around. I don’t recommend.

excellent food, great service! We were 5 people and the waiter really cared about us and helped us with the choice of food. Quality and Quantity of the food is amazing

Food and tea were delicious. Restaurant has a unique design and service was hospitable. Loved the gift shop.

China live is incredible Chinese food in SF. I found this place 5 years ago originally and went because it was on all the lists as one of the best. While it has become more commercial and they crush you with an auto 20% tip and 5% SF Mandate it's still worth going. The Peking duck is incredible and the dumplings are some of the best I ever had. Overall, A-. The food was phenomenal as was the service. The atmosphere is very commercial and does not feel authentic. With that said you really need to go if you want good Chinese. The food: 9/10, the duck is great although there isn't a ton of duck in each wrap it's a lot of cucumber. The dumplings are very juicy and filled with flavors. The service: 8/10, highly attentive staff. When j was there it was mid afternoon but nevertheless it was good service. The atmosphere: 6/10, it's nice and clean but very commercial.

First of all this restaurant is VERY loud. We ordered dim sum and spring rolls and they were both delicious, so the meal started out well. When I ordered a large plate, I pointed to the item. The server acknowledged my selection, but was pointing to the item below. I said "we want the first item, the firecracker chicken" and he said yes. Awhile later he returned asking if we wanted a whole or half chicken. I was surprised by this question, but said we would get the whole chicken. The menu had been left with us, so I had another look, and realized he did not get the order right. When the server returned, I mentioned the error, but he made no effort to correct it, so I said it will be fine. He asked if we would like rice with the chicken and I said sure. When the check arrived, we were charged $13.00 for about a cup of rice and the chicken cost $36 and the large plate that we wanted would have been $20.00 I believe the mistake happened because of the noise in the restaurant. I would never recommend this restaurant or return.

We were here for an early dinner and sat at a nice table on the entrance level. The restaurant is very lively, the service was very friendly and competent. The food was very good, the five of us had a colorful mix of different dishes that we shared. The ambience is stylish. For us, it was just right after several hours of sightseeing on foot with the family, not too pretentious but still of a good standard. We would come again.

Food served as and when it was ready but that meant 2, people got their food and 4 were waiting for at least 10 minutes. Disappointing

Walking in I have to admit I was a bit confused as to what to do. Due to the multiple kitchens I thought it was a kind of food hall set up where you sit anywhere and then go to the stand you want to eat at................Not the case it is a sit down experience which has different specialist kitchens for certain aspects of the menu, and you can tell when it arrives. First to arrive the peking duck and it was it was like someone found out how to make the PERFECT duck wrap.......But ditched the wrap and put it in a bread instead. Perfect amount of sauce and amazing flavour this was a WINNER and set the tone. The char Sui pork buns were amazing and juicy. The crisp bottom added great texture and the house made chilli oil paired perfectly The Kung Pow chicken and rice was to finish, the chicken was so so tender , the entire dish had a good spice running through but not overpowering and with the chilli oil covered special fried rice it was almost perfect. The waiter was fantastic the vibe was good and the food was all amazing. A must visit if anywhere near Chinatown hell anywhere in SF.

We celebrated a family birthday here and had a great time, enjoyed sharing the food so everyone could taste everything.

Experience fantastic Very good, the Tim server at the top To be redone Thank you. It is excellent 👌 Fine cuisine Quality product

We, two adults and two kids, were there just for drinks and I asked one of the bartenders where we could sit and he told us to sit at the bar. He went on to serve two women next to us, so I’m sure he saw we were with 2 kids. Another bartender took our order and served it. He was really polite and friendly. When we had just received our drinks, the first bartender told us we could not sit at the bar with 2 kinds. So we asked him where we could sit. He told us to go to the desk at the front and wait to be seated again. He didn’t want to offer any assistance here and was really rude. I believe he should have told us before we ordered our drinks and I find it really unacceptable to treat your Customers like this.

We came here hearing rave reviews by a friend. Located in China Town on a broad street (Broadway), the restaurant has at least three large dining halls with long communal wooden tables as well as some smaller ones. The impression one gets is indeed that of a rather large marketplace, with noise levels to match. We were seated promptly with reservation, and our server was overall prompt and friendly in spite of the marketplace atmosphere. They have a full bar with some fancy cocktails, but my martini was just meh. The menu is Asian fusion with some rare items but alas, they had run out of the suckling pig ($34) that I was longing to try. The three of us shared a banquet of Chrysanthemum Ten Ingredient Salad, Plum & Tea Vinaigrette with added jellyfish ($15+$8), 'Very Hot' Couple's Beef Shank & Tripe Salad Chengdu Style ($18), Peking Duck with Kumquat Glaze, Traditional Condiments in Sesame Pockets (3 pieces $16), Side of Duck, Traditional Condiments, with 3 Sesame Pockets ($27), Crispy-Skin Roasted Pork Belly Cubes, 'Siu Yuk', House Condiments ($19), Pan-Roasted Cold Smoked Chilean Sea Bass ($34) and Sichuan Red Chili Prawns, Rice Lees, Bloomsdale Spinach ($28). The food was overall good but not outstanding, except for the salads which were excellent, and the Peking Duck that came in pockets (not the side of duck) were quite delicious. Overall, we liked the food but not the marketplace noise and atmosphere. Next time we will have food delivered through Trycaviar.com (though delivery menu does not include suckling pig -sigh)

Open plan restaurant and kitchens to see your food being prepared. Large portions full of flavour and freshly cooked for you. The dumplings are amazing definitely worth a visit when in San Francisco

Great venue - busy and lively. It was recommended to us by a tour guide and we all enjoyed it. Staff were attentive and food was delicious (but we ordered too much - big portions). Dim sum and chicken in black bean sauce were favourites, while my teenager loved the fortune cookies. As others have said, it was quite expensive and there’s a mandatory service charge, but I’d still highly recommend it.

Food is not good, tasteless and not cheap!!! service is terríble , one of the worse I ever had and they made pay for the service without a coice of not doing it!! Abusive!!! Never coming back !!!

We came to China Live on the recommendation from our Hotel Concierge. We ordered 3 sharing starters and 2 mains and a rice side. The food appeared to be served as it was prepared so we didn't think anything of it that the 2nd main and rice had not arrived. As we realised we were not going to get it we decided to pass on waiting as we had already had to wait 45 minutes to get seated and it was getting late. We let our server know who didn't seem overly bothered and removed it from the bill which of course was the least I expected. It was very disappointing for me as this was our 2nd stay in San Francisco and we especially made a point to visit and experience the food of China Town which we had heard so much about but sadly this was a poor experience for us.

We were recommended to visit this restaurant by a local and wow am I glad we did, the food was amazing. Highly recommend the sesame dessert with mango ice shavings, it was wonderful.

Having read all the reviews we thought this was a must when in Chinatown We were a bit let down, food was slow on arriving and arrived separately, dim sum was good Service rushed & slightly manic Not sure what we missed but for us it wasn’t great Price for 2 $120

We’ve eaten a lot of Asian food from Beijing to London, including Michelin starred versions. Staff were helpful and great, food was good but I’ve had way better for much cheaper. At least expected some decent presentation and garnish for the hype and the price

I have been to this restaurant twice while visiting San Francisco. It was by far the best Chinese food ever! Their signature Lobster feast is definitely worth the price and I highly encourage anyone going to order it!! Amazingly delicious!! But call ahead to make sure they have enough lobster on hand! The manager Michelle Lu is all about delighting the customer and definitely does not disappoint! She is a most charming and gracious host. And the service was top notch and took care of our every need! And if we asked for variation in the menu such as adding something such as eggplant or particular veggies, they were most happy to accommodate us! The dim sum was very memorable as well and we loved the tea!! So if you are in San Francisco, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to China Live!!! You will not be disappointed!

There is a very large restaurant, very spacious and has retail area in the front. They sell tea and other Chinese goods. We dined here and waited briefly to be seated. We were told that portions can be shared by two people. Sure enough, that is what we did, shared and we had adequate portions. The food was brought to the table by the chef. The décor reflected some ambiance of the New Year festival. It was a very nice and upscale dining experience.

Atmosphere awesome! Very good service. Excellent food. We tried the kung pao firecracker, ribs, and chow mein. Trendy eatery, but worth a visit if you’re in Chinatown in SF.

Sophisticated menu offering a wide range of Chinese food. The place itself is very nice with large spaces making it airy and non-cluttered. The restaurant offers several stations where one can see food being cooked. The menu has a lot of selections for sharing. The crispy pork belly cubes are special to say the least. I think lunch is more budget friendly and less crowded because dinner reservations can be hard to get. Overall recommended culinary experience

First, you can shop and find wonderful gifts for yourself and others. The food is delicious and out of the ordinary. Service was great and the drinks, too.

This was the best meal we had during our stay in San Francisco and the best Chinese food I have ever experienced. Service was excellent, ambience cool and food was an explosion of fresh tastes. My husband and I and our 2 teenage boys all loved the food. Would love to return if we ever come back to SF....unlikely, so please expand to London, UK!

The food here was excellent!! If you have picky eaters get the short ribs and fried rice - this is Western Chinese food and the menu offered more than what we understood or knew about. A little pricey so I would do dinner next time - not for lunch. Well worth it though!

An experience to taste the different Dim Sum. We have eaten several elsewhere but these have something special. Absolutely try their flagship - number 1 but also the ones with scallops and prawns were delicious. I would immediately go back again today. The staff very courteous.

Ate at China Live while visiting San Francisco. Didn't have reservations. Was seated at the counter where the dumplings were made. It was great watching the chefs make the food. Server was very helpful with our selections. I'm sure traditionalist may not like China Live because it is more modern cuisine, but we loved it!

I thought the food was very good but my husband was a bit more critical and didn’t think it was anything special. The service was very good.

As a sole eater, it becomes easily frustrated as most dishes are more suitable for sharing.Prices are on the top and if you want to try several dishes that you in turn are unable to eat due to their sharing policy, it will be an expensive story.Chose to go on the waitress's recommendations, fairly standard in taste and presentation.Lunch of over $ 70 without alcoholic beverage sets its requirements.Eating probably as good or better among the other hundreds of restaurants in Chinatown,On the positive side, however, was a casual atmosphere in a sleek dining room.

Great vibe! We had been there before (about 6 years ago) Didn’t disappoint. Michael our waiter was outstanding and his recommendations were spot on. Maybe the best Chinese I have had in my 60 years!!!

We stopped in and was the best dinner thus far on our trip the food was excellent , amazing ambiance and amazing service

So, China Live is super trendy - our family of 3 felt a little out of place when we were seated at one of the large communal tables. But it didn't matter when we got our food - it was AMAZING. We shared a two types of dumplings and two main dishes and everything was excellent. Our server encouraged us to try the soup dumplings - she said they often sell out - and they were our favorites. Really glad we made the time to go!

Perfect chinese lunch! Ordered several dishes dimsum, peking duck sandwiches and everything tasted delicious.

Very interesting place with good food, a unique setting and rather relaxed servers. Sone of the dishes like soup dumplings and fried rice with pork are outstanding with others not so Much so. Service is a bit hap hazard but good. Overall and they’re very helpful. The restaurant has a 20 pct service charge and another 5 pct required miscellaneous charge but prices overall are good. Located in Chinatown it boasts a large store of dining items gur sake, a wide choice of seating at tables, prep bars or outside and some funky music. We loved it

My wife and I had a great dinner here. The place is very busy not too intimate but the food and service is outstanding.

This was the best meal we had in SFO. The place is cute, multi-level with seating in and among a shop of sorts with an open kitchen. The waiter was very personable and patient. The food was amazing. We had 2 kinds of dim sum and a noodle dish. I had to make myself stop eating it. My hubby, who loved Asian food, was so happy - and he doesn't get excited about much. No room left for desert, but we got some duck-fat popcorn to go, and that was excellent as well. This would be the 1st place I will make a reservation for when we get back to SFO.

The restaurant is far bigger than I thought it would be and it's really tastefully decorated. I love that they have lots of different seating formats. Large tables for sociable eating, seating at the bars, and intimate tables for smaller groups or couples. The food was great and although it arrived at different times, there wasn't a huge gap in time and I quite liked the informality of that. Our server was great and offered this advice on dishes. Pretty good value for money too given the portion sizes. The dim sum was great and I just wish I was in San Francisco longer to try more dishes. The only negative I must comment on is the lady who greeted us as we arrived for our booking. She was really rude in the tone. We arrived a little early for our booking and quite bluntly said they didn't have a table for us, which caused us to reiterate we had booked and we were concerned we wouldn't be able to eat here, she then said 'yes I know but it's not ready yet' to which we had some relief as we were happy to wait at the bar but also not a great first experience as she could have easily explained that we just needed to wait a few minutes until our table was available.... then once our table was ready (we were looking around in the shop) she walked towards us and signalled with her eyes to follow her rather than properly approaching us and asking us to. They once we arrived at our table she walked off with no wish of an enjoyable meal to us or even a single word. Completely rude! However I would still return as the rest of the experience was great.

For pound-stretched Brits this is an expensive restaurant - but the food is so good it’s worth it! We shared the daikon salad starter and had scallops, aubergine and jasmine rice. Portions are very generous and we were totally full. With a beer each it was $100. Decor is very modern; you can watch the kitchens in action. Service was excellent.

This is a large and lively restaurant in Chinatown. The menu is extensive and varied, the food is quite good, and so too was my cocktail. Service was first rate, friendly and helpful.

Slow service. Restaurant was extremely busy and we were dumped at the bar without anyone explaining the menu to us and how the concept of ChinaLive worked. Waited ages on the food and when it came it was lukewarm at best. I would honestly say I had a better meal at PF Chang’s. Wouldn’t go back and would not recommend.

We came her on Labor Day weekend for lunch. The restaurant has only been here 2 1/2 years. The interior is sleek and modern and very inviting. It's much different from most of the Chinatown restaurants which are more traditional. There is plenty of seating and we found lots of things we liked on the menu. We only had one issue. Our daughter is a vegetarian so she ordered the chow mein with just shrimp and vegetables. It normally comes with shrimp, chicken and pork. The first time they brought it out to her it had chicken on it so we sent it back. Several minutes later they brought it to her again with chicken so we had to send it back a second time. More minutes go by and we are nearly done with our meal and the third time they finally brought it back with just shrimp and vegetables. Other than that we had a great meal, but she was pretty hungry by the time they got her order right.

We were referred here, and based on TA reviews, had to give it a try. Prices are excessively high for the amount of portion you receive. They include a 20% tip in the bill, which kind of takes away the reasoning behind tipping. I ordered the Pork Buns, and while the meat inside was tasty, the bun was way to sweet, like brown sugar was used. Next came the Peking Duck. The duck was tasty though, however very small portion for a $29.00 tab. The buns accompanying the duck dish were very dry, and kind of ruined the duck. My wife had the Hot and Sour Soup...no flavor and disappointing. We will not return.

Modern place, you need to book because it is very popular. We were greeted quickly by a very nice guy. Modern and pleasant interior. You order by marking on a piece of paper what you want to take. The idea is to take various dishes and divide them so you can try many new and tasty things. The drinks arrived after several minutes and several reminders, after the meal had already begun. I liked the atmosphere and would go back because there were many dishes that intrigued me. Already inserting the mandatory 20% tip and then also adding the item "if we were good, leave more" is really in bad taste. The final bill is high but this is what you spend in places of the same level.

First time to this restaurant in china town and must say what a great meal and the atmosphere was buzzing. All the food was fab, service excellent and look to revisiting.

Thank you for being back beetlenut lettuce cups - love it. Great menu and service - will have to go back soon to try other dishes as there is so much to choose from. Ribs, scallion bread, Singaporean noodles, pork buns etc etc. it’s all mouth watering!!

This is an upscaler restaurant with a market feel (you can buy t-shirts and chopsticks and sauces). This is not your everyday Chinese take-out place and the food is a good fusion of different Asian dishes. All are prepared well and the food is delicious.

The atmosphere is a mix of old school china town meets modern aesthetics. The food was served like tapas and was very good. The soup dumplings were a hit at the table as were the blistered green beans and the chicken and pork. A fun mix of historic and modern San Francisco and China Town.

I gave the rating a two solely for the food. The dim sum was very tasty as well as the main course we ordered. The waiter was scarcely seen and the place was very noisy. We interacted more with the staff bringing our dishes than with the waiter. When the waiter brought the bill he had the tenacity to tell us that the 20% service charge did not include him. Sorry, but you're already telling me that I gave 20% for okay service.

Perhaps going on a friday night might be a bad move if you want good service. It felt as if they were under staffed because the waitors did not have time to take your order, and when we wanted to pay we recieved the wrong bill. The restaurant itself was badly adapted regarding noise management, you had to scream if you wanted the rest of your company to hear you. However, the food was amazing which shows that the chefs worked well under pressure as it was such a busy night. Considering the myriad of restaurants in China Town I would not recommend this restaurant on a busy night for anyone looking for a pleasant dining experience.

I am giving this restaurant 5 stars with an asterisk. We loved every creative dish we ordered. The eggplant was of an ethereal texture non of us had ever experienced before. THe ribs, while tightly portioned, were rich and flavorful. THe deserts outstanding and unique. THis is one of those restaurant experiences that lingers with you and has you longing for a quick return. The asterisk is because of a server that was without patience and conveyed a sense of annoyance about being there and having to take care of us. THe management made amends. I will return next trip to SF.

Had the soup dumplings. Excellent. Spicy dragon drink.. basically a spicy margarita was also good. Best pickled ginger ever Cute gift shop with fun t shirts.

As a family we love oriental food and so we were excited to eat at the highly reviewed “China Live”. The food - best described as fusion - was excellent: we had four different dishes and all were delicious (though you know it is a “trendy” menu when you see nobody eating steamed rice!). The layout of the restaurant is very clean and minimalist with a lot of benches as tables - English readers think an upmarket version of Wagamama - which may not be to everybody’s liking. However, my only grumble - preventing me giving it a five star review - is the acoustics: it is a very noisy restaurant and one almost has to shout to communicate. Not a place for an intimate dinner! If you can put up with that - and Americans seem happy to shout over dinner! - then it’s well worth visiting!

interesting solution, offers dishes from different parts of China/Taiwan. Very crowded and noisy place (great for young people less good for a romantic dinner). More than generous portions and fast service. Beautiful solution to offer seating in front of cooks. Great food quality.

Delicious food, very friendly waiters, beautiful and super clean place, nothing takes food and everything comes perfect

We ordered "Working Hands Dumplings" and "Peking Duck Salad" as take-out. The dumplings were OK, but a bit bland. The duck salad was mediocre at best - roughly chopped greens with a minuscule amount of shredded duck, for $18. More than disappointing! Will not order a take-out from here again.

We loved the way we could watch our food being cooked, as we were seated around the kitchen. We agree with others that these are the best dumplings ever. The place is trendy and noisy so be prepared for this, but don't let it put you off going - it's a wonderful taste of Chinatown. Suitable for couples, friends, and corporate lunches and dinners too.

What not to like! Vibrant cheerful restaurant! Super friendly and helpful staff! And the food selection is to die for… In a city like San Francisco with so many restaurants its quite rare to go back again as I always try to discover new places. China live is an exception to the rule, as we have been back so many times and never been disappointed!

When we first arrived at China Live we were told there weren't any tables available and the wait would be about 90 minutes but we could sit at the bar. So we sat down at the bar and within a few minutes the barman asked if we wanted any drinks and a menu. Turned out we could order food and eat at the bar! Result. We ordered a few dishes of dim sum which were all excellent. We also had the bao bun which I think was baked and not what we were used to. Not cheap but is anywhere cheap in SF?

I came in with my boyfriend while visiting the city. We made a reservation and were glad we did because it was packed when we arrived! We sat at a hughtop table by the peking station and it was such a cool vibe. Food was amazing - Definetly get the Peking Duck pockets & the Filet with snow peas - DELICIOUS!

This restaurant had great reviews on Open Table so we booked! We were not disappointed. Our waitperson gave us the best service was the best we received in our 2.5 week visit to the US - friendly, helpful, informative, responsive, attentive (without being over-attentive). Food was amazing. We would definitely go back and even recommended to the bellperson at our hotel that he should go!

We ordered a lot of different apps and main courses between five people. The bbq Peking duck app is incredible! Loved my bone broth with meat and noodles. Everyone’s meals were great. Attentive service. Excellent choice for a busy Friday night.

This is the most amazing experience - There are many different dining options - either at a table or at a bar watching amazing dishes get made - it is so much fun. We ordered virtually everything on the menu - from Peking Duck to veges - all the food was outstanding! And I LOVE shopping before and after - so many unique gifts... snd the 10 percent off for diners much appreciated.

We loved this restaurant! Z was a great server and was very knowledgeable about the menu when we had questions. He was able to give us samples of the wine and give great recommendations! We had a great experience and will recommend to friends!

Buzzing modern Chinese fusion food in lovely buzzing restaurant. Second visit and was great again. Sat at the bar ( otherwise would have been communal seating) not cheap but to be expected.

We had dinner at China Live with my partner. The food was really tasty and the dishes were huge. We tried the baos, the duck, some dumplings and the kung pao chicken. Most of the dishes are a little spicy, so take that into account if you are not used to spicy food. Inside the place is really beautiful!

Large space for dining or shopping. I think it’s a small bit above average. Reservations strongly suggested. Large space, modern vibe, light wood, industrial accents. Loud and noisy even at 6:15pm on a friday. Got lucky without a reservation and seated immediately at the bar with full menu choices/options. Let bartender know we were going to theatre later and had to be done by 7:10...he helped with quick choices and his knowledge. Lettuce wraps, dumplings and fried rice. Certainly an anglo crowd but the food was tasty.

We were very excited to cap off our afternoon exploring Chinatown. I’ve told my kids that what they’ve eaten at home as Chinese food wasn’t the real deal and wanted to show them how good and fresh Chinese food is. We settled into this restaurant and everyone was friendly and helpful. Our server was very helpful hence the extra star from 1/5. All the dishes were $15-29. We ordered multiple dishes as it’s family style, including the crab which we were told was the special. Our absolute bad that we did not specify the price of the “special”. However, given the consistency of all the other prices what we did NOT expect was a $99 crab on our bill. How do you not give a family a heads up on this. It really soured the entire experience and felt this was extremely deceitfully suggested. Further, this crab, although tasty, was absolutely not worth $99. Wouldn’t go back based on this experience.

In the earth of Chinatown, we had dinner with show cooking. You need to order by flagging your choices from an endless menu, which includes specialties from various regional Chinese cuisines. Very tasty.

We found out about this place from our waiter at Kokkari , our favorite Greek restaurant in S. F. You want Greek go there. But if you want Chinese, China Live is THE place to go. This is not your typical Chinatown Chinese restaurant. Clean, neat, great ambiance, well organized, a kitchen open for patrons to view the food preparation, super clean restrooms. Relatively new it incorporates a nice gift marketplace after you exit the front lobby and down the stairs. Open area concept and mix of small and large table seatings it has a great ambiance whether you are there at 3 pm on a weekday afternoon or Friday at 7pm. Wait staff was great and attentive. Thanks Cheryl for the service. Ramalah, the general manager was a pleasure to talk with and made the visits extra special. Yes, we went more than once during our stay in S. F. Yes, we bought several jar items in the market for parting gifts back home and are enjoying them now. The $25 Weekday Lunch Special was a great deal. We would recommend that for a luncheon. My wife is not much of a drinker, but she tried the Bramble Sloshy cocktail at Cheryl's suggestion and absolutely loved it. So much she had two and usually she barely finishes one of anything alcoholic. She said it was the best cocktail she had ever had.The Xiao Long Bao were incredible. I enjoyed the Lychee Black Dragon Tea. That also available for purchase. Thanks Ramalah for making my day ( Doth I quote Clint Eastwood in S.F. 1973).

Excellent Chinese food. Especially dim sum are outstanding. Service is kind and fast enough. Price above average

We visited based on reviews and we were unfortunately disappointed with the quality of the food and the restaurant in general. The staff were attentive and friendly but we were sitting at a high table with 2 other parties of 2 on the same table and our orders were all muddled up. The garlic chicken was over cooked making it rubbery and the way it was carved meant bits of broken bones were in it so it was not pleasant to eat. It was also very expensive. The dim sum and the pork belly were nice but no better than an average Chinese restaurant I've eaten all before. Overall a disappointing and expensive experience.

This place had great reviews and it certainly seemed a buzzy, fun place when we arrived for our reservation. We tried a variety of dishes but nothing really wowed me. We might have made bad choices and maybe need to try it again.

I expected an excellent restaurant, in a beautiful place, with great food and the same level of service. The waiter who served us initially noticed that we were Brazilian and suggested we talk to a waiter who spoke Spanish. The second suggested some dishes to us, we accepted the suggestion. After a long delay and without our dishes, the manager (apparently) came to ask us if we needed help, we explained that we had placed the order with the second waiter and he went back to check the orders. Only one plate of pork dumplings arrived, which belonged to my daughter. We waited more and again the manager came. It was confirmed that there were no more orders. What do you mean, in a family where the father and mother don't eat and only ask their daughter and watch her eat? We paid the bill and upon leaving the waiter of Latin origin (I don't know the country) suggested that we go to an excellent Japanese restaurant in the region. Strange because we were in a Chinese restaurant in Chinatowm in San Francisco.

When I think back on my visit here, the food was good not great. The service was good not great. There's no denying the venue's popularity, it was as well we had chosen to book in advance. I also felt somewhat rushed and as if to assist you in eating and moving on, the chairs were wooden and hard so I was ready to leave. If I return to San Fran, I'll probably try a different Chinese restaurant.

Wow! Have the Sichuan prawns your stomach will love you forever... Got a open table recommendation from a Nob Hill location and boy did I luck out! My server Christina was just fantastic and recommended an SF restaurant week menu and those prawns. Now nothing is ever perfect and the starter spiced cucumber and layered bread with potsticker would have been top, if the potsticker hadn't been cold. However that was fixed rapidly and the replacement was excellent. Nothing prepares you for the prawns though. Juicy piles of loveliness on fresh spinach covered in garlic chili and shallots. I've never had better!. Served with a huge pile of crisp slightltly salty green beans and boiled rice presented perfectly to chopstick, I'm a very happy man!! Will be back and you should search out especially while this menu is running. Simply outstanding!!

Was here with a party of 8. It's loud, fun, busy - but enjoyable. The staff did an excellent job taking care of us without being obsequious. One of the kids in our party is a self-described super picky eater. He not only tried everything on the table, but proclaimed several of them the best thing he'd ever eaten. Highlights were the peking duck sesame pockets, Shen jian bao, and the Dutch Crunch baked buns. Only thing we didn't try was dessert because we were too full. Definitely recommend this restaurant for a fun night.

Great tasting food. Nice portions on the family style plates. A very good selection of food options. Extensive drinl/cocktail menu. Very easy to order. The staff was extremely nice. I will return.

Really good food and exceptional service!! Can recommend. Great concept with food Sharing. The rest is up for you to explore

Agree with other reviews that it feels a bit cluttered and rushed. Great idea that you tick off what you want on the menu to prevent confusion. We were advised by the waiter to have 3 -4 options to share so we went for 3 which was more than enough, could have got away with one dish each. We were overlooking the staff cooking dim sum located on stools at a counter top, not the best of seating. As soon as we were finished the bill was brought over with 20% service charge automatically included. Felt this meal was a bit expensive for what we had. Although it did all taste lovely and was cooked very well.