I ventured into Far East Cafe while visiting Chinatown for the first time and was impressed by the friendly host server. Water and tea was quickly available. I eventually ordered the Imperial Seafood Soup and Fried Prawns. The soup arrived in a short time and I was shocked at the large bowl. VERY FLAVORFUL and nourishing. The fried prawns were good to close out my meal with. The restaurant featured vintage Chinese art and decor that dates back to its long tenure in Chinatown. My only regret is that I didn't photograph the food for this review. Highly recommended!!!!!!!

I just love this place in the heart of Chinatown ! Try the Peking Duck !!! It is the very, very best !!!

Service is excellent. Food is hot and taste good! Manager and Hostess very friendly with genuine happy smiles! The dining room is very unique with its own styles! Good and relax dining experience!

I love the Far East cafe. My mom who is 91 lives 2 blocks away. Kathy and the staff treat her like gold. The best hot and sour soup, almond chicken, spring rolls. Classic decor. Perfect for a large group. Happiness is eating at Far East and having leftovers the next day.

This place is much better than some of the reviews would lead you to believe. We stopped mid day, it had a great lunch of Hong Kong style noodles and orange chicken. Service was exceptional and food was great. Prices were good for Chinatown and the ambiance and setting made it a perfect place to visit. Food was fresh and well prepared. The combination Hong Kong style noodles is some of the best I've had. Give this place a try!

Far East Cafe in Chinatown is a true San Francisco gem, as it's one of the city's longest running Chinese cafes since its opening in 1920. Visiting feels like stepping into a time machine, with its vintage interior, private booths, murals, and antique Chinese lanterns. This Chinatown landmark not only offers nostalgic ambiance, but also serves delicious old-fashioned American-style Cantonese cuisine. We began with a Longan martini, (which is in the same family as lychee fruit.) Far East Cafe is also known for their soup, with wontons, and large pieces of seafood. A favorite of mine was the salt and garlic chicken wings, and we also got the curry tomato beef chow mein, fried rice, and the pan-fried string beans with basil and minced pork. The Far East Cafe is a treasure that joins pastimes with the flavors of Chinese cuisine.

Food: delicious. Had- Chicken chow mein: typical, nothing special. Steamed rice: small bowl for $2 per bowl. Typical taste. Beef curry: yum. We liked it a lot. Seafood clay pot: had lots of shrimp, scallop, squid, fried tofu. I always love this dish. Beef cubes w vegetables: delicious. Good amount of beef. Vegetables were done well. Price: a bit pricey compared to other places in Chinatown. Service: good service! We took guests from out of town here and the management explained all the historical significance of this place and it was pretty cool. The manager was really personable & welcoming. Decor: beautiful old lanterns that are apparently over 100 years old! Although a bit weird to me that the lights they put in are red, green, orange. Lots of history here! Overall- a bit pricey, but nice atmosphere, clean bathrooms, nice clean place with good food to take guests. Portion sizes decent.

I just turned that milestone age which granted me automatic admission into AARP. To celebrate that milestone age birthday, my family and I did a huge research throughout Chinatown to host a part of 30. Far East Cafe came to the top of the list and the experience we had was next to none. The course meal was plentiful to feed my party, we had a section dedicated to our party, we were able to bring our own wine and our own cake, and the cocktail bar mixed some mean drinks for my birthday. The restaurant owner or manager was able to accommodate all of our needs, including changing the set menu to include mu shu chicken and egg foo young. Incidentally, the best things on the restaurant's menu in my opinion. We also had peking duck, lobster, Yangchao chow mein (you can't do a birthday without noodles which symbolizes long life). The service and experience we had far exceeded our expectation. More importantly, it really is the restaurant that churns out the BEST egg foo young in San Francisco, no doubt because it is really also the OLDEST remaining SF Chinatown restaurant - which started its journey in the early 1900s. I understand also it was saved during pandemic, double the happiness. I am grateful of this amazing restaurant for its service and fantastic food that made my 50th birthday special.