6 Best Dim Sum Restaurants In San Francisco

Growing up in Los Angeles, there are a wide range of places that people head to on their holiday vacations — it could be anywhere from Cabo to Hong Kong, but there's one city my family and I went to time and time again, and that's the wonderful city of San Francisco. If you grew up in a foodie family as I did, trips to the Golden City always meant one thing: dim sum and lots of it. While we do have a fairly decent dim sum scene in LA, nothing truly compares to San Francisco's decades-old history and culinary tradition when it comes to dim sum.

Across the city, you can find everything from high-end banquet-style restaurants bustling with rolling carts and round tables filled with families enjoying succulent xiao long bao to casual neighborhood spots well-loved by locals for its handmade sui mai. Now that I call San Francisco home full-time and regularly spend a day eating throughout the city, I am blessed to have all of these wonderful dim sum restaurants at my fingertips — and let me tell you, I've made it my mission to explore every dim sum destination this food-obsessed city has to offer. From classic Cantonese-American institutions that have been dishing out dumplings for decades to newer age spots bringing a fresh energy and modern flair to the craft, here are six of the best dim sum restaurants in San Francisco.

I am forever indebted to Yank Sing for giving me (or gifting me) my very first dim sum experience. I can remember the day like it was yesterday — I was 7 years old with my whole family visiting the city on vacation, and the second we walked through those doors, I was completely overwhelmed in the best possible way. The clatter of the waitresses tossing their tongs back into their bain maries, the woody, aromatic smell of the bamboo steamers, the endless chatter filling the dining rooms — the atmosphere was perfect, but the food was even better.

My first bite was the turnip cake — a savory Chinese rice cake made from daikon radish, dried shrimp, scallions, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese sausage — and it was quite possibly one of the best bites I had the whole meal. With its unique chewy texture and its delicate, shrimpy, umami flavor, it was nearly impossible for me to reach for more than just one. Alongside the turnip cake, I tried the crab claws, har gow, and most importantly, the Peking duck. Served straight from the rolling carts, featuring crispy, golden brown skin with tender meat served with fluffy steamed buns, scallions, and hoisin sauce — each bite was pure bliss. Be sure to book a reservation online and with two locations — one on Spear Street and another on Stevenson Street — if you're not going to Yank Sing on your next trip to San Francisco, then what are you even doing in the city?

https://yanksing.com/ 

Multiple locations

Tucked inside Chinatown's core, City View Restaurant is a San Francisco dim sum icon that's been around for decades. The restaurant has recently moved from its Commercial Street location to a new, swanky spot across from Portsmouth Square; it left behind the rolling cart service, but everything still gets to your table just as fast. It's my favorite spot in the city when I don't have to see anyone I know, and I want to devour a plate of steaming, piping hot xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and maybe a plate of crispy, honey walnut shrimp all to myself.

The restaurant's menu consists of the typical spread you'll find at most dim sum spots here in the city. From pork and shrimp siu mai, shrimp and chive dumplings, to steamed BBQ pork buns, City View has got you covered. You can also order some unique items like fried scallion pancakes, golden brown crab claws, and my personal favorite, the scallop siu mai. It's rich, buttery, and has a perfectly velvety texture that will instantly melt in your mouth and have you reaching for seconds before you've even finished your first. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so be prepared for a little wait on the weekends — weekdays, you can typically stroll in and get a table, no problem.

https://www.cityviewdimsum.com/ 

(415) 398-2838

33 Walter U Lum Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108 

Looking for a dim sum restaurant that has a bit more of a modern atmosphere? HK Lounge Bistro in SOMA (South of Market) is your spot. Located right on Folsom Street in the heart of the SOMA district, HK Lounge Bistro is the perfect restaurant to dine at when you've got a long afternoon with nothing planned besides stuffing your face with some of the best dim sum the city. If you're an SF native, you might remember HK's original location in the Richmond district that operated under the name, Hong Kong Lounge II. Sadly, that location burned down and closed its doors in 2019 — but the business is back, and it's better than ever.

Every time I am dining in HK, I tend to order the same things: sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves, salty meat with preserved egg porridge, and probably my favorite dish, the spicy shrimp wontons in sesame sauce. I can pop these shrimp wontons like candy, and when they're coated in that nutty, buttery sesame sauce? Game over. The restaurant has a plethora of dishes on the menu you won't be able to find elsewhere, like the truffle salt shrimp toast, glutinous rice and chicken dumpling, and crispy shrimp and meat tofu skin roll — all of which should be added to your order. With its cushy booth seating, large tables, and reservations you can make online, HK is a great option for groups and for people who want something beyond the traditional dishes.

https://hkloungebistro.com/ 

(415) 668-8802 

1136 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Not to be confused with HK Lounge Bistro, Hong Kong Lounge is its own establishment — and its own dim sum powerhouse. Based in the Richmond district, Hong Kong Lounge is one of San Francisco's most consistent dim sum restaurants, churning out some of the best dumpling dishes I've ever tried.

Whenever I am dining at Hong Kong Lounge, you'll find me ordering the baked barbecue pork buns (FYI: you can get them steamed, but in my opinion, the baked version is superior), dried scallop and taro dumplings, wood ear mushroom and pork dumplings, and the vegetarian pea shoot dumplings. The wood ear mushroom and pork dumplings have a lovely, earthy, umami-packed flavor, while the pea shoot dumpling is a perfect bite to order if you want to cleanse your palate with something light and bright. I also love ordering the chiu chow dumplings — these dumplings are made with tapioca starch rather than wheat flour, giving them a thicker, chewier bite and a translucent appearance. The dumplings are filled with only good things: chives, chopped peanuts, ground pork, and loads of chili flakes — how bad can that be?

The restaurant has a lot of seating, so it's perfect for a large group or a solo diner looking to blend in with the crowds. With the weekdays being pretty easy to snag a table without a wait, you should be prepared for a long wait on the weekends if you don't have a reservation.

https://www.newhongkonglounge.com/ 

(415) 668-8836

5322 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Harborview Restaurant and Bar is a perfect dim sum destination to bring any out-of-town guests or maybe a boss you want to impress. The restaurant has sweeping views of the Embarcadero and a white tablecloth formal dining room that will make you want to tuck in your shirt and sit up straight. The food has its own flair too — my favorite is the black truffle Peking duck sliders, featuring succulent Peking duck (as opposed to Cantonese roast duck) served with cucumbers, scallions, and a fluffy steamed bun. While it might seem like every restaurant is adding black truffle to every dish nowadays, this one actually feels intentional rather than a trendy, flashy addition.

Beyond the delicious Peking duck, I love ordering the salted fish with chicken fried rice, pork wontons in chili sauce, and if I'm feeling a little bougie, I'll get the live Dungeness crab with salt and pepper. The crab is broken down and deep-fried until crispy and golden brown, then coated in a tasty salt and pepper seasoning. It's one of the best crab dishes I've tried in the city thus far, and if I ever leave the city, it will be the last one I eat. PS: you can also get it coated in either a salted egg yolk, black bean sauce, or chili and garlic sauce if salt and pepper seasoning doesn't sound appealing. You can walk in if your group is small; however, just to be safe, I recommend making a reservation on the website.

https://www.harborviewsf.com

(415) 399-1200

4 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111

Dynasty Dumpling is the new kid on the block to SF's decades-old dim sum scene, but this Lower Pacific Heights spot has quickly grown a devoted following and a strong neighborhood presence that keeps it standing tall. The restaurant has everything you want out of a dim sum spot, from juicy, soup-filled xiao long bao, crispy, golden brown scallion pancakes, to handmade pork and shrimp siu mai. I can't go to Dynasty Dumpling without ordering the crab and pork xiao long bao, which are filled with a rich seafood broth and tender bits of shredded crab and ground pork. Another honorable mention is the chicken and corn coup — it's the perfect dish to order if you need to warm up your soul on a cold, windy day in the city.

The restaurant doesn't take reservations and has minimal seating, getting quite full during service on the weekends. Since it's right in my neighborhood, I like to dine at it on a random weeknight when only locals and a few tourists are filling up the tables. If you're looking for dim sum restaurants with cart service, Dynasty Dumpling isn't for you — think of it as a classic, no frills neighborhood dim sum restaurant whipping up comforting dishes that will make your mouth water and your heart happy.

https://www.dynastydumplingca.com/ 

(415) 921-0188 

2786 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

This article is rooted in firsthand experience from dining at each of these establishments — and many more around the city — to determine which ones are the best in San Francisco. For each restaurant, I highlight my personal favorite menu items alongside high-rated dishes you should add to your order. Beyond food, I also took into consideration each restaurant's location, wait times, and reservation policies.