Sam Wo Reviews

If you're a gweiloh tourist or foodie, don't come here. It's not for you - neither trendy or upscale. The veggies and chow fun are the way they were made 30 years ago. Ask for no MSG. This is real Chinatown cooking. My mom is Cantonese, so I know what I'm talking about. You want spicy or fancy, go somewhere else. Cantonese is all about the ingredients, not the sauces. No glop.

Food was actually not good. For me it was not even as good as your run of the mill chinese. I dont know if this is what "real SF chinatown" chinese food should taste like... or was it just not good. Would suggest something else.

On a short visit to San Francisco, we wanted to experience the “Chinese dining experience” so we pull up “Best” on Internet. This place ranked very high. Nope. Hole in the wall, no atmosphere, felt “not clean” and menu was very limited with food tasting mediocre. Would not recommend if you’re looking for the true Chinese dining experience.

This is not a fancy place, but the food is good. The restaurant is small and the seating is on stools. The tables are very close together and there tends to be a line for seats. The service is fast and the servers are very nice. It is located down a quiet street in Chinatown. Great food for a great price.

After going on a Free Walking Tour with WildSF (Separate Review) we stopped here for lunch. The walking tour guide recommended it. The restaurant claims to be over 100 years old, and from the general appearance that may be true. I'd say it qualifies as a Hidden Gem. Service was quick and pragmatic. The dishes were brought out when they were ready, so not everyone ate at the same time. The dishes were fairly standard Cantonese food with a few spicy dishes added. (Most of the Chinese immigrants to San Francisco came from the Cantonese area, Guangdong.) The servings were copious. You won't leave hungry. The average price was about $10, which is a bargain in San Francisco. I tried the house fried rice and was not disappointed. My wife opted for the Singapore style noodles, which she rated just so-so. I think they get many more orders for fried rice. This was fairly quick and inexpensive: a good stop after a tour of Chinatown.

There aren’t many choices, but that allows for the lunchtime rush to go smoothly. Our order arrived quickly and with as smile. Very tasty and filling. I applaud the chef for not breading the fish & ruining the taste.

Really average and bland food and apathetic service. In an area of great restaurants this isn’t one of them, not even close. Uninspired menu with low flavor food. Waitress seemed bothered by us. This place stopped being good a while ago and is now just another Chinatown tourist trap.

Recently visited SF on 8/27/17. It had been awhile and the wife had never visited. After arriving we were hungry and looking for some lunch. She located Sam Wo and we gave it a try. We walked so did not have to deal with parking. It is small and was busy during our visit. Typical sign in board and we were seated upstairs within a few minutes. Service was quick and friendly. We looked over the menu and ordered spring rolls, house chow fun and shrimp egg fried rice. This was plenty for two people. Food came out quickly and was very good. We enjoyed it and would recommend.

Sam Wo is just off the main China Town High Street. Don't be put of by the shabby looks, inside lies a well organised and friendly China Town great. The portions are huge and tasty and very reasonably priced. We paid $45 for spring rolls, Chow Mein, Chicken Bok Choi and two drinks including service. The staff here work hard almost running up and down to take orders. The downside for me is that the food comes out within minutes and we are people that like to take out time. Nearly the whole restaurant emptied and filled up again during our visit but if you wanted to be slower I am sure it could be accommodated.

The restaurant is not fanciful but the food is good and the price is cheap. The fried chicken wings is fantastic - crispy on the outside yet tender and juicy inside. Their rice porridge is also very good and authentic

The food was great as well as the server. My husband has celiac and the server recommended a rice noodle dish (chow fun) and requested no soy sauce. My husband enjoyed it didn't feel left out like he sometimes does when we eat chinese.

Quaint little Chinese restaurant, love the old decor and the food was great. BBQ pork noodle roll was not what I was expecting (served cold) but was delicious. Shared a sesame chicken and rice with my wife and it was also delicious and filling!

The ambience, smells and certain bugs complicate the experience. The service is good, the food is good, the cost-benefit ratio is not the best.

This place is like the best greasy spoon-meat and three spots. Best chinese I've ever had! Quick service, perfect!

We decided to stop by after a long walk through the piers and some crazy moments trying to park in Chinatown: two dishes of noodles (one with mixed meat and the other just with duck) completely heartned us! One of the oldest in town! It's worth to try!

Had dinner here , long wait. Once we got seated , they came back and moved us to the worse seat on the floor to accommodate a group that was behind us. The AC was directly on us and it was COLD outside already this weekend. The food was only ok. But not expensive. I have had chinese all over world and this was very average.

This was a nice family owned and operated restaurant located in Chinatown. A large portion of their menu focuses on different types of chow mein. They had nice spicy mustard (a lot of heat) that went with it.

San Wo is a small restaurant in Chinatown . It has been open for many years and for good reasons! For us it checked all the right boxes: good food, great service and very reasonable price! It’s a simple place that simply serves great Chinese food!

We went to Sam Wo’s for the historic experience and learned that it had been closed and replaced in 2015. It still feels authentic but was not what I expected. We ordered the B.B.Q. Pork Noodle Roll, which was underwhelming, and the egg rolls, which were good but greasy, for appetizers. For entrees we had the sesame chicken and seafood fried noodles which were excellent with good sized portions. I would definitely return again for the food for a casual dinner.

100 years + old and going strong. All seating was full and we got lucky to get in. Really good Americanized Chinese Food. @jillrn_17 got Chicken with Green beans, I had Kung Pao Shrimp and we got some Chinese donuts ( like softer unsugared churros ), really crispy spring rolls and their BBQ roll a slimy noodle roll with slices and BBQ Pork. Jill was put off by consistency , to me it was a sushi roll but weird. It was their “this is what we are famous for “ appetizer. Enjoyed the meal.

This restaurant was one of the highest rated in Chinatown so we decided to go. The eating area was small but we got there at a great time and were seated right away. We got several dishes including Duck Lo Mein, Duck Chow Fun, Sesame Chicken, and a Spicy Shrimp dish. All the dishes were tasty and filling. You can order rice on the side but the servings of the main dish were filling enough that you really don't need anything else unless you are really hungry. Prices were reasonable for the area. Good food if you want to eat in Chinatown.

Good food. Restroom horrible. I restroom with pee all over the floor. Friendly service , but waitress was nit helpful when we asked about menu items. 3 vegetarian items available. Over priced. Place was very narrow felt like you were just crammed. No parking anywhere. Parked about 20 min away then walked. The San Fransisco experience was great.

With all the restaurants in Chinatown, and all advertising as the "best", we finally decided on Sam Wo's. Especially after seeing the funny advert from Conan O'Brian. Waited in line for a while. Finally seated upstairs. Lots of people, few tables, lots of staff rushing around, crazy place. We loved it. Food was good with good prices. Our favorite is still our local (Myerstown, PA) restaurant but this was a good stop while on vacation in San Fran. Staff was surprisingly courteous and friendly considering the crush of people.

We ate here on two occasions. This little restaurant is said to be an original "hole-in-the-wall" retauarant. The food was very good and plentiful and much better than a more supposedly authentic Chinese restaurant near the Chinese arch, which to be honest, was a disappointment. On our first visit ther we're four of us, so we had a fair choice of dishes and all were very good. The second involved just myself and my wife but we again enjoyed the food and the surroundings. On both occasions the place was busy which I believe speaks for itself. I would certainly return and would recommend it to others.

We were famished and this place provided the needed fuel. We are family style with sweet and sour chicken, chicken fried rice, and chicken chow mein. All dishes were done of the best I ever had. Kids are usually picky and they destroyed all of it in record time. I felt prices were reasonable. Highly recommend.

This is a small little restaurant with limited seating. It was packed upon arrival. Once we were sat, the, the server tended to us quickly and food came out super fast. It was hot and delicious. Would definitely recommend to others!

This place is a San Francisco landmark. It's the oldest restaurant in Chinatown (I believe the location changed) and has so much character. If you're ever looking for some quick, yummy Chinese food to fill the craving - this is the spot! Just a short walk from union square and through Chinatown, you can find Sam Wo's. Open late, this is a popular spot for locals to migrate too after all the bars in the area have closed and are suffering from the 'Drunchies'. Meaning a Friday or Saturday night after midnight will most likely have a wait. I have come here on a Friday night around 8 pm and there was no wait and our food came out super fast. But don't think is somewhere you eat only when you're drunk. This place tastes just as good drunk as it does when you're sober. The dining area is small with a narrow area downstairs and a small seating upstairs. It the perfect no-frills Chinese restaurant that you must experience at least once while in SF.

The food was very tasty and was well priced as well! The seating on the second floor was also very comfortable and the employees were extremely nice. Definitely recommend!

Nice small casual restaurant with great food and quick service. The BBQ Pork Noodle Roll (about $5) was really good (ask for the hot mustard dipping sauce). Also sampled the chow mein (about $9) and fried rice (about $9). Again, both delicious. This portion sizes are pretty decent and dishes here are great for sharing. This place is very casual, but the food is top notch and the service is friendly and quick. I also thought the prices were very reasonable for this expensive city. I would definitely eat here again.

Very genuine and authentic restaurant tucked away down a side street. Nothing much to look at from the outside but don't be put off. Food fabulous, portions huge so think about sharing, quick and friendly service and ask to sit upstairs if you can!

We were looking for a non-touristy local restaurant, so we came here for combination of delicious food and low prices. This restaurant is tiny and one has to sign up on a call sheet to wait for seating. Our wait was short and we soon were seated in this unpretentious establishment. The chow fun, chicken wings, and beef fried rice were delicious and so copious that we needed to take the wings back to our hotel for our dinner later in the evening. The young employees were personable and really hustled to accommodate all of our requests.

Amazing late night chinese food, found a seat with no issue. Service was quick and the food was delicious. There was a documentary about the restaurant playing on the TV, which was quite interesting.

I ate at Sam Wo for the first time earlier this week. I loved everything we ordered - oyster sauce beef, chicken jook, spring rolls and pan fried chicken chow mein. I will definitely go again when I'm in the City.

Great for after theatre in SF. In Chinatown, Sam Wo has been here forever. Not fancy but great food at value prices late at night. And ice cold Tsing Tao. Duck is scrumptious. World's rudest waiter used to work here.

After hiking a few hills we were ready for some Chinese food. We were not disappointed with our lunch at Sam Wo! Not fancy, but delicious food. Loved the wonton soup and fried rice. The sweet and sour pork was good, but after seeing the steaming plates of chow mien go by, I wished I had ordered it. So many restaurants in Chinatown, but this long time restaurant is worth checking out.

We ate at this restaurant twice in the 80's at the original location and loved the atmosphere and food. We didn't realize that it had opened in a new location until we got there. Still fun though certainly a bit more modern. Big portions. I don't know that we made the best choices from the menu. We should have asked for suggestions. Most off the patrons seemed to be regulars. Very friendly staff.

We had not been to Sam Wo for several years, not since the family took it to a new location. We dropped in for an early dinner and are very glad we did. Wonton soup, beef with broccoli, sesame chicken and rice. All delicious authentic flavours. More food than we could eat so we took some home. Excellent value for money. Good service. Highly recommend

Had a great time! Delicious food and fast service. It is the real deal (we even had to look up food to see what it was!!). Don’t go there expecting a 5 star set up, but leave eating a 5 star meal!

First time at the new location. Not as good as it was years ago. Food lacked meat and not very tasty. Still reasonably priced

I went to Sam Wo for a quick dinner after reading all the rave reviews. It was was kind of disappointing. The BBQ Pork Noodle role was good, but the Kung Pao Chicken was bad - the dish basically consisted of tasteless shrimp tossed with raw green bell peppers and a huge amount of raw chopped onion in a runny sauce. It was not horrible, but it wasn't great either. Oh, and if you happen to get a table in the back near the restrooms, you will hear your fellow diners' bodily functions pretty clearly.

This was our first experience at Sam Wo's and we had a great meal. The mythology of this place and history of the infamous tyrant of a waiter (Edsel Ford Fong) is amusing to read about. Apparently the restaurant is in a newly opened location (former place was opened in 1912). You could argue that this is not the best place Chinatown has to offer (you would be correct). What we experienced is a very low key and reasonably priced place with solid well prepared comfort food style dishes. We sat in the small upstairs area and quickly became entertained along with the other diners by our AWESOME waiter. I think his name is Howard. This is a great place to visit for a quick and low cost meal. Thanks! #World'sfriendliestwaiter

Very good food for the price. We stopped by while walking around the neighborhood and found this place. Nice staff and very pleasant.

Wow, The food was absolutely terrific! So thrilled with it! The service was fabulous and the food perfectly hot. Love this place!

stopped here for a quick lunch. takeout only (not sure if that is the norm or not as it is very small inside). we had sesame chicken over rice and the duck fried rice. portions were huge but food was very good.

A big disappointment! Perhaps reading all the good reviews made me believe there is a lot more about this place. A house special fried rice which needed a pile of soy sauce and chili paste for it to taste. Kung pao chicken which was so underwhelming I did not know what to make of it. Sesame chicken that were dried out and tasted like cardboard. Lastly a steam fish with bok choy that needed more salt and pepper to taste. If this place was famous then the previous cooks are no longer around.

Open for late night dining, SF's legend Sam Wo is similar to LA's Sam Woo but is different in their Cantonese preparation styles. Both menu share similarities: noodles, rice dishes, porridge, bbq pork, etc. Almost 2am, dining hall was near packed. We were seated immediately. Food was quick to arrive. Our orders: 1. Bbq pork wonton noodle soup (2orders) - pork wontons got no shrimps inside, bbq pork julienned not sliced. 2. Beef stew wonton noodle soup - chewy beef. 3. Chicken chow mai fun - no complaints. 4. Garlic stir fry Chinese broccoli - very good crunch. Excellent. Cooking here is more "Americanized" subtle than LA's Sam Woo. Overall tasty and edible. Very efficient and attentive service. Cash and credit cards. Tight and hard to find parking.

We went to Sam Wo after googling best places to eat in Chinatown. There was a big line outside and we had to put our names down. Initially we were given a table literally outside the bathroom door which we refused. After about 45 mins wait we got a table upstairs. The menu is varied but the food was quite disappointing, I’ve certainly had better Chinese food. Towards the end the bill was just put on the table and the staff at the cash register were rude. Wouldn’t bother returning.

We picked Sam Wo because of location and a high rating on another site. But we were exceptionally disappointed. The beef in the broccoli and beef looked and felt more like chicken but did not taste like chicken. The curry beef stew had recognizable potatoes and bell peppers, but the other ingredients were unknown. It might have been meat, but I could not tell. Other diners seemed to be anticipating and enjoying a good meal, so I'm not sure where things went awry.

Although no longer under the same management as when in it's heyday, the service and food was excellent. No booking here, name goes on a list and you take the first table offered! Queue was out the door, but didn't have to wait very long. Highly recommended.

I love a small owner run Chinese spot. Food was very authentic delicious fast clean all the things you want from a late night Chinese food treat hours have changed from when my girlfriend used to go, but still very accommodating with the service and most of all delicious noodles.

Found this on TripAdvisor as we were walking around San Fran. Closes after lunch and reopens at 6:00 for dinner. Got there right at 6:00 and got a table with no wait (it is small .... when we left there were about). Like everyone else - recommend the BBQ Pork roll appetizer. Also shared the duck fried rice, house chow fun, and dry noodle duck - all excellent. Reasonably priced. Beer and wine offered.

...what a meal! Here's what I ordered: House Fried Rice, Chicken Curry & Spring Roll. Delicious. So, the restaurant is famous or infamous for once employing the world's surliest waiter. Well, he is no longer and actually the staff bends over backwards to serve you. You could classify this as a dive because there's nothing fancy about it. All the attention clearly goes into the food. While it's located in China town it's on a side street and not on the main thoroughfare. Bring your appetite too because the portions are shareable and prices are fantastic for what you get.

The service was fast and friendly. The atmosphere is casual. The food was decent, if somewhat bland. The prices are good.

Mind blowing food in a very good price.The staff is so humble & smiling when they serve you feel eat more and enjoy the ambience.Please do visit if you happen to be in San Fransisco.

This place was like a blast from the past. Funky, casual, atmospheric and pretty darn good. We had a table of eight and ordered all kinds of stuff. Everything was delicious but the ma po tofu was a bit of a letdown. Don’t expect gourmet high end Cantonese food. It will be tasty, ample and delivered quickly. It’s a old time China town kind of place.

Great little place, quite small but with good food, fast and very friendly service. My wife and I shared a single order of kung pao chicken for lunch and we each left completely full.

While visiting Chinatown we stopped by this little restaurant. They were very friendly inside. My mother is disabled and they were very accommodating. The food was good too. We tried the spring rolls, chicken wings and house fried rice. It was all flavorful. They brought out the food as it was fresh- so everything was hot.

This place had a lovely atmosphere and the young lads waiting on the tables upstairs were very friendly and efficient. The food was very good and great portion sizes. All in all I'm glad we took the time to visit here for food.

I remember when this place used to be reliable solid Chinese food. The food quality is really bad, the wonton soup was watered down, and the wontons mushy - Yuck. We had 2 kinds of porridge, both clumpy and the fish porridge actually tasted real fishy - Yuck. The only saving grace was the beef tomato noodles, but still dried out and not tasty at all. Not sure if all the bad food was due to the delivery taking so long to get to us, it's possible the noodles could be better if eaten at the restaurant. Even so, there are so many good Chinese food options in town, don't waste your time with this one.

We loved this tiny restaurant. It's history was part of its charm, serving Chinese for over 100 years. They are known for their BBQ pork rice rolls so we had to try them and just loved their delicate flavour. Our food was served fast and hot. Service was excellent and Howard, our server was very friendly and interested in our travels. I would go here again if back in SF.

Sam Wo has been around over a hundred years and in that time they have perfected Chinese food. The food is absolutely delicious and the staff are very friendly and attentive.

We went to Sam Wo on the strength of TripAdvisor reviews. Great call! The front entrance looks a little uninviting, but don't be misled: the food is awesome. If you're looking to eat in (they do takeaway also), write your name and number on the clipboard on the right as you go in. The excellent staff will remind you to do this, but best to know in advance or you might drop a place in the queue. We had a party of 6 and expected to wait for ages. As it happened, we got in fairly quickly (about 15 maybe 20 min) and were lucky enough to be seated upstairs (not visible from the front door, but WAY better than the tables you can see from the door) After ordering, the food and drinks came quickly and were very, very good. Portions were generous: we ordered 4 dishes for 6 of us, and had a LOT left over (maybe we have smaller appetites, but with 3 teenage boys, I suspect not) The price was more than reasonable, and the tip was more than deserved. Totally recommended!

Again we turned to Trip Advisor to assist in finding a relatively cheap alternative for Chinese in San Francisco's large Chinatown area. We took a shot at Sam Wo's, as it was close to the Hop On, Hop Off bus route. A quick walk up Clay St and into the relatively small entrance (more tables up stairs). All I can really say is, the food was great, and there was heaps of it. To start, we got a BBQ pork roll to share - 8 out of 10. We got one meal each, combination chow mein fried noodle and the dumpling soup. In reality, the meals were so big, we could have ordered just one and shared. The noodle chow mein was great 8-10, the dumpling soup 6-10. Really friendly staff, and a total of $26. Really good cheap option

This is suppose to be a historic san fracisco Chinatown restaurant. Food was only average. There are other better restaurants in the area.

Popped into this Chinatown establishment for lunch. It's small and seating is on stools around high tables. It's in Chinatown so forget about parking anywhere. The waitress spoke hardly a word of English so ordering was difficult. They brought out a bowl of beef & noodle soup that had some kind of crazy gristly flesh floating in it. A very nice English-speaking man explained to us that it was beef tendon. He was pleased to take it back and replace it with a bowl of wonton soup, which was tastey. The chicken in the chicken fried rice looked suspicious so we ate the rice around it, which was very good. All in all, we'll find a different hole in the wall Chinese restaurant next time.

No indoor dining, but the park across the street is a place to eat. The food was good for a very decent price.

Food was pretty tasty, but they don't serve any alcohol, so not a great Saturday option unless you need a drinking break. Beef chow fun was pretty good, Singapore rice noodles were a bit drier than I prefer, chicken with broccoli was unremarkable and the Kung pao chicken was good but not nearly as good as R&G. We didn't try the BBQ rice roll so I'd go back just to try them as they looked pretty interesting.

Stopped in for dinner on a rainy Saturday night. We had no reservation; our party was seated in under 20 minutes. Howard took care of us; efficient and attentive, he made sure we were comfortable and never rushed. We started with the wonton combination soup and it hit the spot. Followed it up with their chow mein with tomato and beef, shrimp fried rice, and stir fry string beans. Servings (and price) were just right and they were delicious. All winners. It's always a pleasant surprise to go to one of SF's iconic go to (Chinese) restaurants and not just have really good food, but be seated fairly quickly coupled with awesome service. It can go either way sometimes with popular joints, but this evening all went good - so good that we were the last to leave the second floor dining area after a great meal and even better time with friends. Great vibe and history all over this busy yet cozy spot in the city.

We took our family (7) and they were able to accommodate us well. Everything was delicious and we had good service. Prices were reasonable. This is a great stop in Chinatown!

Went with husband and 3 kids (12, 9, 7). Good food. Fair price. It may not be authentic, but it was tasty. There are 2-person tables downstairs and larger tables upstairs. Service was fast and friendly. This restaurant is a couple of blocks down from Grant St., across from the playground.

The waiters barely spoke English - they were mixing up things and couldn’t understand that we wanted one soup, not two. One of the waiters left us in the middle of taking an order and didn’t bring small plates or chopsticks until we asked for them. The soup was bad - meat tasted weird. The main wasn’t great either - too salty. The toilet was clean and nice though.

I had some porridge/congee on my first visit and it was excellent for my tummy that wasn't feeling too good. I took away the BBQ pork (= cha siew) rice rolls, which came with some strange Hot Mustard, which tasted as pungent as Japanese wasabi and I wasn't too used to that tho the rice rolls were quite delicious on their own and some soya sauce/oil mixture would have been perfect. I returned to Sam Wo the next night for supper and had Beef Brisket wanton soup. Extremely hearty and tasty portion. All foods very reasonably priced. It's no wonder they've been cooking for 100 years.

Friendly welcome and clean place. The food is tasty as expected in such à cheap place, but not outstanding.

My wife and I had lunch here recently during our holiday in San Francisco. We found this place using Trip Advisor. The food was mediocre. Prices are very reasonable.

We were walking around San Francisco and decided to drop into Sam Wo for a late lunch. It was around 3pm so we were kind of behind the lunch rush and ahead of dinner. There were newspaper articles about the restaurant as well as photos. Interesting history lessons. I think because we were between rushes, service was a little lackluster. The food portions were large. The soup my son ordered was huge and we all shared it. We were well fed but nothing we ate was very memorable. I gave the restaurant an extra rating point because I like the casual feel and the history of Sam Wo's.

While on vacation in San Francisco with my son and family, I ask them if they wanted sea food or Chinese food. The vote was unanimous for Chinese. After we parked I asked a local with a Chinese take home bag for a suggestion, and he recommend Sam Woo. I glad I ran into him. Sam Woo means, hole in the wall, and as many of you foodies know this means great! A must try when in China Town. I had the Fish Jook, and I say "YES!" The whole family loved the restaurant, yes even our grand kinds. The service was excellent as well. Thanks to our waiter on the second floor for making it even better. You know this place has got to be good, when you've been in business and at the same location for over 100years. Also there is a underground public parking garage across the street.

Great authentic and tasty Chinese food. I felt like we had plenty of options at extremely affordable prices. This restaurant a history going back to 1908 but current location opened in 2015 due to health code violations at the last place... They have a lot of historic memorabilia hanging on the walls that is cool to look at. Dr. Ken and Conan O'Brien both visited, and the place is famous for a rude waiter they had back in the day. Ironically, our waiter was very kind. Definitely worth a visit for an affordable dinner, and a delicious taste of historic China Town.

Had lunch at this very well known restaurant in Chinatown. It is not big and it is not a fancy atmosphere but it is perfect for your visit to Chinatown. Food is fantastic, service is fast and price is great.

After closing, Sam Wo has re-opened on Clay Street in Chinatown. Welcome back. Same great food, same reasonable prices. The only bummer is that I miss the old grumpy waiters. Everyone is nice now. I love it!

A small restaurant, but with a large selection of dishes. We really enjoyed the food which was also very healthy and nutritious. Large portions and well worth the price. I highly recommend! If I have another chance I'll go back there again.

This Chinese restaurant was recommend to us from our hotel. Parking on Clay street is awful but we lucked out and found a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. I went in to get a take out order of Shrim fried rice and a BBQ Pork Noodle Roll. Both of these items were quite tasty and well cooked to my liking. The place is very small, very busy but the wait time for the food was not long at all. The prices of the food was not bad. The portion of the food was huge. One order of food was enough for 2 people. There was a 10 cent charge for the plastic take out bag and 56 cent charge for SF Employer Mandates fee which I think is poor for a tourist to pay. I love the fact I was able to eat authenic Chinese food while in San Franscisco.

We are here on our two day stay in SF. We love Chinese, and were looking for something good, not too touristy and not too expensive. Sam Wo fit all the bills. Very impressed and wished they were in Atlanta. But, I guess after 100 years they are not going to branch out. Would definitely recommend.

Brilliant authentic place with such friendly staff who made the experience such fun for the kids. Go early to avoid queueing. Yummie food and very reasonable.

Excellent food and fast service. Restaurant was clean and not loud like some places. Good value for the money, won't break your wallet lunch for 2 was less than $20.

1pm on a Thursday. Our party of 5 was seated within 5 minutes. Dry noodle with BBQ pork, vegetable fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, and tea were served quickly. I don't know anything about authenticity, but it all tasted good.

WOW! We have been going to Sam Wo's since the 80's. This place NEVER disappoints. I used to love walking through the kitchen and up the narrow stairs to sit in the loft area. The food was ALWAYS a delight, especially the pork dumpling soup. I have just learned that they moved from the Washington street location...I look forward to visiting the CLAY Street locale soon.

We had a family dinner The place is authentic,small place which make it special. All 3 dishes were great ,tasty and fresh. The service was good. We would recommend this place for all our friends.

We heard this was just about the oldest Chinese restaurant in San Francisco so made this one of our 'things to do' while visiting. Don't expect gourmet, we didn't so we weren't disappointed. Very basic setting, very basic food for a quick brunch of signature dumpling rolls (served cold) and omelette over bbq pork and rice washed down with oolong tea.

Went here based on reviews and the fact that this is a Chinese restaurant in the US that has been open over 100 years. The food was very good but I’d want to try other places before I’d go here again.

Have ate in Chinatown many times and this one of the best. You might have to wait a little bit but well worth the time. Good food and good prices

We were wanting to have lunch in Chinatown, and this is where we went. We got seated very quickly (very small place so if you are in a party bigger than 3, expect to wait a while!). Food was tasty and served very quickly. Staff were also very friendly.

We didn't recognize that Sam Wo was historic but see that it is from other reviews. It is just off the corner of Kearny on Clay. Small front. We had spring rolls, wonton soup, Ma por tofu with rice. We were told the Tofu was spicy but that is American spicy and not by Asian standards. Ran about $24 total, which is what we paid for a few burgers the night before. The wait staff was super friendly and helpful. Good food quality and a nice experience. It does not have many tables, maybe 12, lined up along the entry wall and then a few more in the back. They also have carryout. Service was prompt, not hurried, I do recommend the place for two to four people, larger groups might challenge the space. There are a few interesting photos in the back. Single lavatory is uni-sex.

My friends and I were near China Town and were looking for somewhere to eat and found an article on Sam Wo which came recommended. We were sat at a small table and the place was fairly basic but it seemed busy which is always a good sign. We all ordered and the portions were huge. The food was, average, at best and my other friends weren’t that impressed but prices were pretty cheap so we couldn’t really complain. The staff however were lovely and very attentive which is always the main thing I look out for

Very disappointed with below average food. Certain staff were also very rude and didn't question when I didn't eat the majority of my lunch. Pork rolls were quite good for starter.

Solid chinese meal in somewhat cramped quarters. Note that the main course size is large -- if you get an app, you can probably get away with less than 1 main course per person. The BBQ pork noodle roll was especially good, the chow mein and chow fun was solid but not exceptional. Service was efficient, prices seem reasonable. Not a bad place to hit for a Chinatown lunch.

New location, new generation, and more modern look. Will bend tradition to satisfy customer desires.

I ate a late lunch yesterday, 9/12/24. Before ordering, I wanted to know if the chicken dish, had "breaded" pieces of chicken instead of naked pieces of chicken. There were 3 staff members that sounded like their native language was of some Sino-Tibetan origin. NOT A SINGLE STAFF MEMBER THERE, was able to answer the question "Do the piece of chicken in this sesame chicken dish come breaded?" The 3 employees didn't even understand what I was asking. I really should've just gotten up and left after a few minutes of them speaking Chinese to each other and not being able to understand what I was saying. If you open a business in the US, you really need to be able to answer questions about your product.

Sam Wo may be legendary for once having the rudest waiter on earth, but ours was super friendly and helpful, great service, great food... so authentic! The pork fried rice was excellent!

This place was recommended by our concierge. It was not quite what we were expecting. We had to queue outside until a table in the very small upstairs eating area came free. The six of us were crammed onto a table for 4 and the rest of the place was packed. The food however was worth the wait.

We explored Chinatown on our most resent trip to SanFran. Our tour guide recommended Sam Wo. What an excellent recommendation!!! The food was absolutely deliciosus and the portions were huge!!! Even my picky teenager LOVE her meal.

We wanted Chinese food, and found Sam Wo on Clay Street. We were seated immediately, drinks in lightning speed. We ordered what we thought would be "enough" for us, but the waitress recommended we scale back our order and to actually share! So glad we did because the portions are huge! Their vegetable fried rice is delicious, as well as their spring rolls. Great service, great food, and very reasonable prices.

This place was recommended to us by our hotel staff. Did not disappoint. Food was fresh well prepared and the prices were priced reasonably. If your looking for a quick not expensive food of Chinese fare. This place may be for you.

Visited Sam Wo on a recommendation during a recent business trip to San Francisco. The place is non-descript but has a very loyal following. Ordering is simple at the front counter if you are taking out, you get seating for dining in. Small dining room on the main floor but much larger room upstairs. I had shrimp fried rice and fried veggie spring rolls. This food was amazing, well seasoned and perfectly cooked with large juicy, tender shrimp. The egg and bean sprouts in the rice gave an awesome texture. The spring rolls were super crispy and tasty. You must try Sam Wo if you are in Chinatown.

We had our expectations raised esp as the restaurant claimedto be morethan 100 yrs old. Just to survive that kong surely is a testamony to good food? Or so we thought. To give it credit, the porridge was hearty and flavourful but the rice was not cooked till soupy fare like hk congee shld be. The wanton noodles was a poor rendition. The sauce was lacking flavour, the char siew were just coloured pork and the noodles were not al dente hk standard noodles. Soggy in fact and we dont know what is raw lettuce doing in wanton noodles. How wrong can a 100 yr old restaurant thrive so long without going back to hk to know what is true wanton noodles? The broccoli in oystee sauce was supposed to come up with that snoky wok hei but ibstead it was just boiled and doused over with oyster sauce. Poor stir frying. 100 yrs means nothing with this substandard fare.

We came here from Yelp review and it was a bad choice. The service was great and friendly. However, the food was salty, dry, and expensive

We walked from Fisherman's Wharf, so we were really ready for some great food upon arriving right at noon on a Saturday. Even tho extremely busy on the first floor, we were directed up the extremely steep steps (in the back of the restaurant) to the second floor, where we had that small seating area to ourselves, but not for long! Server was EXTREMELY rude and acted like she was doing us a favor by taking our order. Food was served haphazardly. We had to ask four or five times for our egg rolls and then server loudly accused us of eating them already as she had already served them, but she was getting her tables mixed up and the orders mixed up. What a very unpleasant and uncomfortable scene. Then, just as we were about to ask for the bill, we were served our greasy egg rolls - YUCK! $37.19 for two entrees, egg rolls and two beers. Cheap San Francisco lunch, but it just wasn't worth the trip! Upon departing, around 1pm, there was a line out the door and down the sidewalk!

I stopped here one night for food. I ordered He chicken chow mein. The food was good. Not oily, a decent amount or chicken and vegetables. Tasted and looked more like traditional lo mein I am used to ordering at any Chinese restaurant. You get a fairly large portion. It cost about $10. The server was very polite and professional. The restaurant was clean. There is very limited street parking in front of the restaurant.

This is a great little fast food Chinese Restaurant with a lot of history! Ask them to tell you the story and they will. It grew in popularity with tourist after a visit from Conan in 2007 and its worth the hype. The staff are friendly. The food is delicious. The restaurant is clean and the bathroom is clean! It seems like a popular place among locals as well because it seems like they have several regulars that came in while I was there. I ate the Dry Duck Water Noodles. The taste was fantastic!!!

The restaurant didn’t look much on the outside and we were skeptical at first, but boy, how glad were we to go with it! We ordered the bbq pork dry noodle and bbq pork rice roll and it was really good! One of our fav restaurants here so far. The service was great too. A good lunch definitely

I was SO happy to learn that my favorite San Francisco place had reopened! I get the same two things every time I go there - I crave them! The BBQ pork noodle roll and the Pork and Preserved Egg Jook (soup). The portions are large - I always take leftovers home. This is definitely one of the best, most reasonably priced meals in the city!

We came here a few times last week during our yearly visit to SF. The food and service were both very good. One night we came around 11 pm (glad to see they are open late to 3 am). We ordered the pork & preserved egg porridge, BBQ pork noodle soup, stewed beef & won ton noodle soup, egg rolls and fried cruellers to put in the porridge. Everything was served promptly and was quite tasty. Our server Howard was very friendly and helpful. Once we told him that we were foodies, he wrote a list of restaurants in SF that he recommended. I mean, what server does this? What a cool guy! Sam Wo's has both an upstairs and downstairs dining room. The restaurant was surprisingly clean, as was the restroom. We will definitely be back!

Family of four ate dinner here and really enjoyed it. We ate upstairs, which was pretty cozy but actually a lot of fun. The staff kept it lively. They and a couple of regulars at other tables made recommendations and helped us branch out from our usual favorites, and we loved it all. When we left 7pm-ish, there was a pretty decent crowd waiting for tables - probably as many as five different small parties.

Definitely would eat here again . . . loved shrimp fried rice . . . lots of shrimp. Spring rolls a little expensive (IMO) but very good.

The pork noodle roll is an absolute must. We also enjoyed the chicken with string beans and the chow fun. Friendly service, busy place. The only drawbacks are the overactive air conditioning unit upstairs and the lack of cleanliness. The food made up for both and we would definitely go back again.

Food was good and made to order so it was generally pretty quick service. We had about 20 minute wait. Historical has been serving for 100 years.

I visited with a few friends on a Saturday night. There was a sign up sheet near the entrance where we had to write our names to get a table. We had to wait for about 20 minutes, but the waitress provided menus for us to look over while we waited. The food comes in generous portions and (depending on how hungry you are) is enough to split between two people. My friends and I ordered the chicken w/ broccoli and beef w/ string beans. Both were very good and worth the price. However, that being said - the food wasn't that different than something you'd find a good Chinese restaurant. It may be a little fresher, but for the wait - take out may make more sense.

Sam Wo Restaurant was a great late-night dining option in Chinatown. We wanted to eat in Chinatown at least once during our visit to San Francisco, and I was not disappointed with our choice to visit Sam Wo. The atmosphere was authentic, the food was delicious, the portions were large and a good value, the service was good. We started off with the Chinese Donuts. They were really similar to fry bread – not really sweet, but a little savory. They were great for dipping, whether in sauce or I would imagine soup. We also ordered the Fried Spring Roll appetizer, which was delicious. Stuffed to the bursting with cabbage and a very nice tangy dipping sauce. The order was a good size for 2-3 people. For our main dishes, I chose the Sweet & Sour Chicken, while my significant other ordered the Duck Chow Mein. While both dishes were delicious, the Sweet & Sour Chicken really stole the show. The Duck Chow Mein was nice, and the noodles were cooked well. The Sweet & Sour Chicken was perfectly done, not soggy at all with the breading, and the vegetables cooked just as much as you’d want them, but no more. The sauce was fantastic and addicting. Writing this makes me wish I was able to have some more now! I would recommend visiting Sam Wo, and I would definitely visit again. Between the delicious food and the affordability, it was a good spot for dinner. I’ll be dreaming about that Sweet & Sour Chicken for a while.

Delicious food! This place has been around for 100 years. It’s across from a park. It is very small with little tables and chairs but the food is tasty, hot, and flavorful. I got the duck chow mein, my husband got fried chicken with chow mein. Buddha beer and sake and we were in heaven.

Arrived late in SF and went looking for a late night feed. It was the only place we found open that had people inside. Food was pretty good and hit the spot. Service was good. There was about another 20 people that walked in after us around 11:30pm. Good basic late night cheap eat.

This unassuming "hole in the wall" looks like a hamburger dive for an SNL skit, but as usual, looks can be deceiving. If this restaurant were a book, the cover would look like a comic with a Tolstoy novel inside! Believe me when I say that the Chinese dishes on the menu @ this site can @ least match anything found in Chinatown in Manhattan, Boston, or Toronto! The only thing missing from the menu is the steamed dumplings usually found in great Chinese restaurants. Such a shame! However, the omission of the dumplings is more than compensated for by the outstanding skillful touch in just the right measure of Chinese spices including ginger, curry, & oyster sauce with corresponding combinations. The noodle dishes are perfectly cooked, soups incredibly chocked full of fresh baby bok choy, broccoli, & celery, & the meats both fresh & tender. Everything spot-on! Suggest you visit this site along with a walking tour through San Francisco's Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in North America. By the way, if you peak into the restaurant & notice only six tables already in use, be advised that this little place has an upstairs dining area that can serve about another 30 customers!

The food was dry. I usually order sesame chicken with noodles and an egg roll and it was horrible. The staff were friendly and helpful.

We came here for the WonTon noodle soups and it was spot on. The service was fast (and actually much more polite than we were expecting from the usual China Town restaurants), the menu is extensive and the food was served hot, promptly and tasty. Worth a visit!

Advised to go along for the 'historical experience' and value. Didn't get much of a sense of the history but food was pretty good and very affordable for SF. Worth a look and good eats for reasonable money.

Sam wo closed for almost 4 years and recently reopen on Clay Stree! No Edsel Ford Fung but the food is still great🙏🙏 must have the Gwen fun or pork noodle appetizer! Curry Beef tomato chow mein was and is a staple of ABC’s!! 🎯🎯🎯

Yummy, hot, Chinese soul food. Restaurant stays open late 0300 hours, and friendly / helpful staff. A gem!

I used to come to Sam Wo restaurant when they were on Washington Street .I knew that Rude waiter there . He always treated me fairly . I especially love the red their Scrambled egg over Rice dish . Plus their Big pourage bowls with veggies in it . I had wished that they never had ever moved from where they were . You used to get a Good meal for less than $10.00 with no BS . I know that this place has been around for over a hundred years too . I heard that Sam Wo was closed down for a couple years because of political reason from their competition in China Town . After all they are serving great meals for under $10.00 still .

I've dined here over the many years - probably over 40 years; it's one of the most famous stand-bys of S.F. Chinatown. Don't expect fine dining, but expect Cantonese "comfort food". The BBQ rolls are a dependable choice, as well as tomato beef chow mein, the chow funs and beef stew soups - the beef is "melt in your mouth" tender, however, some may not like occasional gristle.

I found this little place, while not fancy at all, packed with people (mostly locals) and decided to join. We ordered three different entrees and shared. All were good and hot, and tasty.

Great menu selection, great service, fast and clean. I had fermented vegetable and pork soup and it was amazing...so much flavor! Everyone in my family loved their food. We will be back when in this area again!

What a place! we used to go there during our college days in the 80's and one of the first thing we did after we relocated to the US in the 2000's was to go there. Old fashioned good Chinese food. it used to have such character and a legend of our time. the location had changed and must go there ASAP!

We have been going here for many years. We started in their old restaurant when Edsel Ford was waiting tables. He was a blast! RIP. This is truly excellent and reasonable Chinese food. Anything on the menu will be superb. Same owner and chef for all these years.,

We ate at Sam Wo's last night and were happy overall with the food. We had the BBQ pork rolls to start and then the Oyster Beef on Rice and the Seseme Chicken after. The BBQ pork rolls were really good, be careful of the hot mustard sauce they give with it, it is HOT! The Oyster Beef was quite salty but we liked it and the Seseme Chicken was a tangy honey chicken. We would go again for the BBQ pork rolls and the service was good. Worth going to for a quick easy meal!

They are open till 1 am on sat night. Serve authentic Chinese foods. We order Wan Tan Noodle, Signature fish porridge, stir fried vegetable and fried chicken. Highly recommended!

OVERALL: 2nd time I've had their Won Ton Noodle Soup for lunch in the last several months and again it was a poor representation for such a historic restaurant. I hope they can resurrect this iconic dish back to a high standard. FOOD: Won Ton Noodle soup - soup lacked flavor and could not stand up on its own. Normally I only add white pepper for warmth. This broth required large amounts of white pepper, soy sauce and chili oil to develop a basic flavor profile. The noodle was overcooked and lacked an al dente chew. AMBIANCE: Narrow, galley style restaurant with upstairs/downstairs seating and SF Chinatown minimalist decor.

Wandered out (early ish) for a quick real Chinese dinner with the kids. Very good food, great prices, slick service. Exactly what we wanted and very pleased to have found it. Recommended.

Sam Wo Cafe is a unique place and has a long history. Locals will know its history, but not the tourists or newcomers. Its not a place for sit down Chinese dinner. Its a legacy place for a quick bite and off one goes. The local city subsidize such legacy business. It is a historic site transplanted to a modern place near the local financial district in San Francisco. As for its local history, it used to be located on the busy part of Chinatown on Washington And Grant Avenue. in an old brick nearly run down narrow building. Then the entrance was to the kitchen and there was a food dummy elevator to the 2nd and 3rd floor. Then one waiter was known as "nasty" Edison. He would insulted every customers. And, people would play along and enjoyed the fun and old atmosphere . Since its relocation and modernization in 2015, I finally trotted to Sam Wo as my friends wanted to meet there. Upon entering, the server was quick and friendly. First floor is narrow, modern, clean and small. It seats about sten persons. However, there was an upstairs. We all trotted up.. The 2nd floor has a wide space and capacity for 50 people. My friends and I order our dishes like fish porridge, fried long Chinese donuts, mixed dry vegetable noodles, pork and vegetable fun wraps, along with ice water. For three of us, the food was enough and they arrived to our table very quick. The bill was reasonable as almost everyone on the menu from rice plate to fried noodles ranged from $7.50 $9.75. The most expensive piece was a vegetable seafood salad for a crowd. Otherwise, cant beat it for a cheap snanck. As we left the place after 3:00 place, two young outsiders were drinking beer on the first floor having a great afternoon spell! Try this place if one is ever near Clay Street and Kearney Street. It is a block from Chinatown Hilton Hotel!

We went here because of all the great reviews we had read. We were seated upstairs, which was very uncomfortable. Service was ok, not fantastic. Food took awhile to come and wasn't that great. We got their special fried rice which was ok, but some of the meat in it was weird looking. The pork was wonderful. Beef and broccoli was ok. Sesame chicken was not what we were used too and was pretty bad. We would have loved a glass of plum wine or a beer but they didn't have that on the menu. Will not be back.

Just out of a show. Quiet part of town after 10pm. But still welcomed with a smile. Food quick and tasty. Menu simple but varied. No airs or graces. Just good chinese food and plenty of it. Will definitely be back.

Would come here back in the ‘80’s, after going to clubs. It tasted great back then. I guess my palate has changed. It’s very inexpensive and very filling if that’s what you’re looking for.

Lets just say.....when you're visiting a city and you ask strangers in a line you're in where to go....and it turns out "not" so good.....its all about the experience !!! Very small area downstairs (didn't get to see upstairs).....and you sit on stools ??? Whaaaat ?? Very very bare bones. No duck sauce or mustard available even in packets !! We had the combo soup (hot & sour not avail) which was ok....not very flavorful.....there was plenty of it and the dumplings were good, however the pork pieces were waaay too chewy. Most of the dishes seemed to be noodle based.....there were a few others....we got Mongolian beef.....tasty. No side dishes of flavored rices avail.

I visited Sam Wo in college, decades ago. The new location is nostalgia on a plate. Good sweet and sour pork, just as I remembered. Great spring rolls. The old sign outside the door. A narrow staircase up to the second dining room. No Edsel Ford Fung, as he has passed on, but I expect he'd be proud.

Our first lunch upon arriving in SF for our girls trip, Sam Wo was right around the corner from our hotel. The place is unassuming, and not fancy which is great. We were taken upstairs for seating on benches/tables. They are pretty quick to take your order and bring the food which is great. We ordered Spring rolls (very greasy), Sesame Chicken, Shrimp Chow Mein and Singapore Noodles. I will say, I was super stoked about the Singapore Noodles as you don't see those often on menu's where I live and that is my go-to item ALWAYS. They did a good job with it. The other items were okay. Service was fine, nothing more nothing less. It was a bit stuffy inside as I am not sure if they have air circulation going in there. Glad we had lunch there, given how long they have been serving up Chinese food in the area but... if you are looking for a quality Chinese dining experience, I would maybe look through some other restaurants in the area.

During a trip to visit family we ate lunch here. The portions were big, prices were good and definitely not like the Chinese food that we get from our nearby Chinese restaurants.

The food is authentic and the service is fast! We had the Chinese donut, chicken chow mein and the Singapore noodles. The food had good flavor and the milk-tea was delicious! Check it out if you're in Chinatown!!

This restaurant is not fancy, but food was excellent and service very good. We liked everything we ordered. There was a waiting list, but status was constantly updated, which was nice.

Great little place, been there forever. Started with the BBQ Pork Noodle Roll and Won Ton Soup, both were Great. House chow Fun and House Fried Rice were really great. Quick service, friendly. Neat place.

With all the restaurants in China Town, we went out of our way for Sam Wo because of the "hype." I'm sorry that we did. I'll give them credit for the generous portions. One meal is enough for two, maybe three. But the food was not that good. It was very bland & everything tasted like fish, even the broccoli. I won't be coming back. Next time, we'll be trying another place

Fodor’s recommends two restaurants in Chinatown and this is one. Food is average Chinese. Ambience leaves something to be desired seats about 20–maybe. Stools, no seat backs. For a good, cheap lunch.

Tiny place, kind of sketchy, but the kind of place you only hear about from those who know it. Food is very good and service is fast. You will have to wait for a small table. No more than 4 at a time, otherwise you'll have to wait a while. Spring Rolls are excellent as is the "Chow Mein" . Sneaky good, go you will tell your freinds about it when you get home.

Reasonable asian food for a cheap price. Nothing too fancy and place is cheap and cheerful but worth a visit if you're in SF and hankering for asian food

We were looking for a good lunch option in Chinatown. Yelp influenced the decision to come here, but the food was a bit disappointing. The pork wonton with noodles was tasteless. The salt and pepper wings were decent. We also had duck chow fun and shrimp fried rice. I guess I could say the food and service was average with the food rating below average. By the time we took a 15 minute walk to the hotel, my stomach was cramping up. I’m sad that we were so desperate for a good, authentic Chinese meal that we missed an opportunity to eat something good.

This restaurant has been around for over 100 years (there has to be a reason why, right?) Amazing food! The service is great. Sit downstairs. Upstairs felt cramped. You sit on stools so the table gets crowded between people and dishes. They are open for lunch and late for dinner. They deliver for lunch but I don't think for dinner. The first time I went was in Aug 2015, but I have been going back ever since. Highly recommended. If you are in Chinatown, this is a stop to make.

Inexpensive and tasty, Sam Wo is a great value pick. Service is responsive, even if the decor leaves a little (or a lot) to be desired. Still, can't argue with the price, and where else are you going to get good chow mein at 2 in the morning?

We loved this iconic Chinese restaurant. Cheap and very cheerful. Great service. The food was just yummy and very generous portions. I would highly recommend if you want to grab a quick bite.

We stayed at this place one night in August, it had good reviews on other platforms and therefore we chose to have dinner. The place is a bit spartan .. it is not well set, but they give you placemats .. The food was really very good and the portions plentiful. Being in Chinatown we thought that the issue of tips was not so felt .. we wanted to avoid giving them, since they are recommended, but I remember that they are NOT MANDATORY, but the Lady was offended. The most annoying thing is that they are always extremely nice to get high tips, which they demand. Also that night upstairs there was a celebration, so there was a lot of noise, so maybe, if we go to see, they had to tip us... As for food, we took: Spring Rolls $5.75 (3 spring rolls ) Sesame Chicken $14.75 (Entree) Rice Plates: Scrabled Egg with BBQ Pork over rice $12.99 (a really important dish) 7-up $2.50 Sapporo Beer $6 We then spent $45.61 without the tips we gave apart. Overall recommended!

Came here after a recommendation from our tour guide. As two veggies food was okay but not amazing. We had veg stir fry and veg fried rice. Very good serving size, decent price ($30 for two meals and drink). Service okay and friendly enough. From reviews it seems like this is a real find for meat eaters but I think there are better options for vegetarians

This was our first visit to this Sam Wo's. We ordered the Tomato Beef Chow Mein and Beef Chow Fun. Both were excellent and plentiful. We will definitely come back and we would definitely recommend it to others.

We ate at Sam Wo on the recommendation of the staff at the Chancellor Hotel. We enjoyed the walk over through Chinatown. We were greeted by friendly staff who made us feel very welcomed. We had the pork rice noodle rolls. Very unique and tasty. The sesame chicken and the green beans and chicken were very good and the pork fried rice the best we have ever had. Other reviews laud the restaurant as a great place to eat after a late night of drinking but we enjoyed the place with other families just after opening for the evening. We would highly recommend Sam Wo's.

We went on Saturday evening, 21th of October, based on good evaluations in Tripadvisor. After 5 minutes waiting a friendly waiter accompanied us to the table. Maybe exceptional, but the dishes were terrible and not the quality of a good chinese. Also the hygiene is not acceptable. We will never go back ☹️

This restaurant appears to be trying to cater to gluten free folk and even has a separate menu which is so rare and appreciated. The only trouble is that they appear to just omit the gluten filled items (soy sauce and oyster sauce), resulting in food that doesn’t have any flavour. Thus my meal was so bland I left most of it uneaten. I suggest that they source some gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce and try to revamp the gluten free options. They they will have a winner! If you are gluten free and need a place to eat, this might be an option for you. We didn’t have a lot of ease in locating food in San Francisco — surprisingly. See my other reviews…

Reopened after a few years of closure, this restaurant was revived and is well worth a visit. Food is well prepared, and there is signage and other momentos from the previous location. The rice roll with BBQ pork filling is very good, as well as chow fun.

Just don't understand why people think so highly of this restaurant. Ate there today, suffice it to say we won't return. Boring, no flavor. Only positive is that it's cheap.

It's a small restaurant and the tables seem a bit crowded on the second floor, but it's clean. The food itself is very tasty. We ordered a few dishes, but the dry duck noodles and the BBQ pork roll were my favorites. The dishes were flavorful, and the food came out quickly despite the restaurant being almost full. Everyone else seems to agree that this place is good because by the time we left, there was a line of customers out the door!

The place is small, but we managed to fit 5 adults and 2 kids at our table and we cleaned our plates! The food is simple and delicious. Highly recommend!

Very simple good affordable Chinese food that will do dishes with no MSG (if you ask - otherwise they will use MSG). Everything was delicious, will eat here again.